Two decades of PROMISES kept
Twenty years ago, when voters approved Measure M1 (M1), Orange County’s first half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, they empowered OCTA with the stewardship of a reliable funding source to accelerate transportation infrastructure improvements. Their trust was rewarded with most projects completed within the first 10 years, including enhancements to the county’s freeways, streets and transit system. When M1 ended on March 31, 2011, more than $4 billion worth of transportation improvements for Orange County were achieved and included the widening of State Route 22, a project not included in the original plan.
The results of M1 were dramatic and had a positive effect on the county transportation landscape.
$4 billionSpent on transportation improvements$1.2 billionLocal, state and federal funding leveraged
192Lane miles added to Orange County freeways
38Freeway interchanges improved
$1.3 billionDelivered to local cities and the county for street improvements
170Intersections improved around the county
48Daily Metrolink commuter trains served by Orange County
Safeguarding public funds
An integral component of M1 and Measure M2 (M2) are the safeguards designed to monitor OCTA’s use of Measure M funds. The measure called for a citizens committee to ensure that all revenues collected were spent on transportation projects. The Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) began meeting in 1991, and in 2007, it transformed into the Taxpayers Oversight Committee (TOC) under Measure M2 with essentially the same responsibilities.
On February 8, 2011, the TOC found OCTA in full accordance with the M1 Ordinance for 20 years in a row, and with the M2 Ordinance for three years in a row.