Let’s face it: Fresno’s population has been increasing due to more job opportunities and a lower cost of living. This calls for an increase in funding for our public transportation and better infrastructure. 

For the last 40 years, Fresno County taxpayers have been paying an additional half-penny for every dollar spent on purchases due to Measure C. The measure pays for improvements to transportation infrastructure.  

Measure C is set to expire in 2027, and policymakers are scrambling to fill that void. Fresno County voters may have the option to vote on two ballot measures.

While both measures maintain the same tax rate, only one measure is invested in public transportation development, while the other focuses on a car-centric future. 

That is why the Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act will be more beneficial for Fresno County because it will reduce urban sprawl and focus on maintaining funding for public transit and increasing funding for fixing local roads.

The Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act (Better Roads and Safe Streets)

When the original Measure C extension passed in 2006, it allocated 24% of taxpayer funds to public transportation, around 35% to local transportation programs and less than 10% to grade separation and environmental enhancement programs. 

Because the Measure C extension will be expiring, local leaders introduced the Fresno County Transportation Act (Better Roads and Safe Streets), which looks to improve spending for public transportation and better roads. 

This 30-year plan may generate $7.5 billion and is backed by organizations such as the Central Valley Community Foundation and California Environmental Voters. 

It provides:

• 65% for local road repairs.
• 24-25% for public transportation. 
• 5% for regional connectivity. 
• 4% for access and innovation. 
• 1% for administration.

Some supporters of this plan include Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula and Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias.

Fresno County Supervisor Gary Bredefeld spoke out against the Better Roads and Safe Streets plan in a post on X.

Bredefeld said that, during a campaign in which he walked in Northeast and Northwest Fresno and Clovis neighborhoods, “No one stated they want more public transportation.”  

“There is a well-financed effort by a group of left-wing, climate change radicals who will be trying to fool taxpayers into supporting a ballot measure in November that is designed to over-fund public transportation in order to get people out of their cars and ride buses, bicycles or even electric scooters,” Bredefeld said.

This plan is beneficial for voters due to its funding for public transit and focus on local road repairs. Public transportation is helpful for students who cannot afford a personal vehicle. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey from 2015-19, a majority of the Fresno population that doesn’t own a vehicle is concentrated in urban areas, such as Downtown Fresno, and rural areas such as the outskirts of the city. 

This is an issue because without a ride, how is someone supposed to go to work, school or drop off their child at daycare? The smartest alternative is public transportation. But how is that distributed in Fresno? 

According to a study by the Urban Institute, 44% of housing units were located within a quarter-mile of bus services in Fresno. This is significantly lower than other counties, such as Los Angeles County (about 80%), Sacramento County (about 48%) and Tulare County (about 48%). 

This means bus services are further away from homes. 

It is important to note that Fresno deals with urban sprawl, which is housing expanding outwards from a high-density downtown area, because housing developers are likely to build homes in less densely populated areas where land is often cheaper. The householders are more likely to own cars. 

Fix Our Roads

Critics of the Fresno County Transportation Act proposal, such as Diane Pearce, Clovis mayor pro tem, introduced a different plan: Fix Our Roads, a 20-year plan that may generate $3.9 billion.

It maintains Fresno County’s current tax rate and allocates 82% of funds to fixing and building streets and roads, and 18% for public transit access. 

The plan was conducted by well-experienced transportation planners such as Mike Leonardo, the former Fresno County Transportation Authority executive director and Malcolm Dougherty, former statewide Caltrans director. This is opposed to the Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act, which was conducted by a coalition of non-profit organizations with community input. 

This plan has a 6-7% decrease in public transit from what has been the standard for 40 years with Measure C. Instead, funding is allocated to the widening of roads and highways. 

It’s important to note that businesses follow the money, which deepens this gap. 

For example, you are more likely to see name-brand grocery stores that sell organic and fresh foods, such as Whole Foods, Vons and Grocery Outlet, in more suburban areas.

If infrastructure starts to follow the money, the wealth and health gap within Fresno will deepen. 

According to the Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act website, every county road would need to meet an average of 70 satisfactory Pavement Condition Index, ensuring that the county is fixing what we already have before expanding. 

The Fix Our Roads plan aims to focus funding specifically on roads for a car-centric city. This makes sense as cars are an essential part of everyday life for the majority of Fresno, but it makes room for more carbon emissions.

Pollution is another by-product of a car-centric city. According to IQAIR, Fresno County has a moderate pollution rating (60). It’s important to note the pollution that already derives from raising livestock, harvesting crops and nearby freeways.

This also leaves communities that cannot rely on cars helpless.

If Fix Our Roads passes, that 6-7% decrease will greatly affect neighborhoods that rely on public transportation in rural and urban areas. This is compared to the Fresno County Transportation Improvement Act, which will keep up its efforts in public transit funding. 

While both plans have until May 6 to meet the necessary signature quota to be on the November ballot, Better Roads and Safe Streets is the better option that invests in a safer future for Fresno residents who want to see equity in transportation infrastructure.