Measure A Victory!

Marin Traffic Relief and Better Transportation Act
71% Voted Yes for 20 Year Funding Plan

On November 2, 2004 Marin County residents overwhelmingly approved Measure A, a half cent transportation sales tax that will raise appproximately $331 million over the next 20 years for local transportation projects.

Deb Hubsmith, executive director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition said, "This is a huge victory! We are especially pleased that bicycling, walking and Safe Routes to Schools are well represented in the expenditure plan. Marin's transportation sales tax is the first in the nation to include funding for Safe Routes to Schools. We hope that this precedent will serve as a model for other communities."

Parents, education officials and students were instrumental in developing the transportation plan, which was approved by all eleven cities and towns, the Marin County Board of Supervisors and the Transportation Authority of Marin. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition was also fully involved in the process which lasted six years.

Measure A will generate approximately $14 million per year for transportation improvements and make Marin a self-help County, enabling local jurisdictions to use revenue as matching funds to secure more state and federal grants for transportation improvements.

The revenue raised will be allocated to four key strategies with the goal of reducing traffic congestion and improving transportation in Marin County. Bicycling is represented in each of the four strategies for Measure A:

• Local Transit (55%): All buses funded with the sales tax will include bike racks, there will be enhancements for bicyclists and pedestrians at bus stops, and some buses will be used for school commuters, and the popular "Ride and Roll" free bus program for students will be funded.
• Local Infrastructure (26.5%): This revenue will go to maintain and improve local transportation infrastructure including roads, bikeways and sidewalks. The needs of bicyclists and pedestrians will be considered as part of all roadway projects in a "complete the streets" fashion.
• School Access (11%): With 21% of the morning traffic being parents driving their kids to school, Marin County will continue to reduce traffic congestion by improving safe school access and reducing school related traffic congestion through a Safe Routes to Schools program, crossing guards, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
• Highway 101 Carpool (7.5%): Funding will complete the funding needs for the HOV Gap Closure project that spans from Terra Linda to Larkspur. Without these funds, County officials said that the project would have been delayed until 2015. Building a two mile section of the North-South Greenway along the railroad right-of-way through San Rafael is also part of this project and is being funded through Measure A.

To ensure that the money is spent wisely and appropriately, a Citizens' Oversight Committee will hold TAM accountable and require annual independent audits. This Citizen's Oversight Committee and a Technical Advisory Committee will each have a member representing bicycle and pedestrian organizations.

Measure A was endorsed by nearly 100 organization in Marin County including the Marin Sierra Club, Marin Conservation League, Marin Builders Association, Marin Center for Independent Living, Marin Commission on Aging, Novato Fire Protection District, Marin Association of Realtors, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, Greenbelt Alliance, the Marin Center for Independent Living, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and others.

The MCBC worked hard to garner support for Measure A, and will continue to be actively involved in monitoring the process for the distribution of funds, and ensuring that all roadway projects consider and include the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians.

Click here to see the Marin County Transportation Sales Tax Expenditure Plan (in pdf form).

Click here to visit the Transportation Authority of Marin's website.