Ever been stuck in highway traffic? Felt a sickening thump when your car hits a pothole? Kept your kids inside because of an air-quality alert?
If you can answer “yes” to any of the above, you stand to benefit from Measure G.
Measure G, which will appear on the Nov. 5, 2024, general election ballot, will expand and improve service on all MTS transit lines. But it will also make life better for those who never set foot on a trolley or bus.
Paid for with a one-half cent sales tax, Measure G will reduce traffic congestion throughout San Diego county. Of course, our traffic is not as bad as that in Los Angeles, but it could get there if we don’t act.
Fact is, if you want people to drive less, you must offer them an alternative that is reliable and convenient. Our current transit system is neither: a commute that might take 20 minutes by car could consume upwards of an hour by bus or trolley. Most MTS riders rely on transit because they don’t have a choice — 78% do not have access to a car.
Measure G will help those long-suffering transit riders. It will also lure drivers from their cars, easing traffic across the county. The measure will ensure more frequent and round-the-clock service on all MTS transit lines, and speed commutes by adding a Blue Line Express from South County to Downtown, a Purple Line from South County to Sorrento Valley, and a rail connection to the airport. Seniors, youth, disabled people, and veterans will be able to ride for free.
By offering a viable alternative to driving, Measure G could vastly improve our city’s air quality. San Diego is now ranked sixth worst in the nation for ozone pollution, which aggravates asthma and other respiratory conditions. And 42% of ozone-forming pollutants in San Diego County come from the tailpipes of motor vehicles.
Measure G will also help bend the curve of greenhouse gas emissions that are overheating the planet, causing deadly wildfires and catastrophic storms. Experts predict that Measure G could reduce emissions by 20%. Indeed, our car-based transportation system is responsible for 41% of local climate-changing carbon emissions.
In supporting transit, Measure G will not neglect our roads. A report issued earlier this year showed that more than one-third — 34% — of San Diego’s streets are in poor condition or worse. In response, Measure G will fix streets and repair the worst potholes and roads across the county. It will repair aging, underground storm drains to prevent catastrophic sinkholes and collapsing roads — like those we encountered during last winter’s rains. The measure will also re-route rail lines away from collapsing bluffs and fix deteriorating bridges.
In short, Measure G is an investment in San Diego’s transportation future. Building that future will create thousands of good-paying jobs through the construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure. From road repairs to rail line rerouting, the measure will provide opportunities for workers — including those in the electrical workers’, laborers’, and carpenters’ unions — while boosting the local economy. That’s why Measure G has won endorsements from labor and business leaders, as well as from environmental groups and transportation experts.
For those wary of writing the government a blank check, rest assured that Measure G funding is guaranteed to go directly to San Diego County road and transportation priorities — and nothing else. The measure also provides for independent citizen oversight, public disclosure of expenditures, and annual financial audits. Even better, every dollar raised will leverage $2 more from state and federal government: billions for local improvements that would otherwise be spent elsewhere.
Whether you ride the bus or brave the freeway traffic, you know that San Diego’s transportation system needs help. By voting YES on Measure G, we can ensure a future with less traffic, cleaner air, and better roads for all San Diegans.
Carolina “Caro” Martinez is climate justice director for the Environmental Health Coalition in National City.
