Measure M History

Orange County voters approved Measure M in 1990 to keep traffic moving. If Orange County voters had not approved Measure M, our county would NOT enjoy short commute times, Metrolink rail service, resurfaced streets or discounted bus fares. The El Toro “Y” would only be able to handle less than half of today’s rush hour traffic, and the I-5 freeway through Anaheim would only be six lanes wide – smaller than Harbor Boulevard. Thankfully, Orange County voters possessed the necessary forward thinking to approve Measure M.

Measure M, a 20-year program for transportation improvements in Orange County, imposed a county-wide half-cent sales tax with taxpayer safeguards to ensure the funds would be spent as promised. Measure M funds are allocated to transportation improvement projects in three areas: Freeways, Streets and Roads, and Transit.

Orange County voters approved Measure M by a strong margin. It promised voters that the funds generated from the half-cent sales tax would be spent only on the county-wide traffic improvement projects detailed in the plan. Since 1990, Measure M has provided the largest share of funds used to improve our county’s transportation system.. To date, Measure M Plan projects have been completed on time and under budget, even allowing the addition of the (SR-22) project.

Measure M also set up a Citizens Oversight Committee to ensure that OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority) would honor the intent of the voters by keeping a close watch over spending and improvement projects. The plan included other safeguards like audits and annual reports to the taxpayers to ensure that the will of the voters was implemented.

Measure M will expire in 2011. By 2011, transportation improvement projects resulting from Measure M will total nearly $4.2 billion. A Measure M Renewal Plan has been drafted after extensive public input and placed on the ballot for voter approval in November 2006. By approving the Measure M Renewal Plan, traffic improvement projects will continue for another 30 years and can begin right away, guaranteeing OCTA will serve the transportation needs of Orange County residents until 2042.

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