Measure A

The Transportation Authority

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) is an independent agency formed to administer the proceeds of a county wide half-cent sales tax. Measure A, which established the program, was approved by voters in June 1988.

The new sales tax started to be collected January 1989. The tax will expire on Dec. 31, 2008.

Measure A included a specific expenditure plan with a broad spectrum of projects and programs, including Caltrain upgrades and improvements, highway and street projects, 20% allocation for local streets and roads and paratransit service for people with disabilities. The Transportation Authority also has allocated funding for transportations systems management programs, aimed at reducing traffic through various means, including funding for a countywide bicycle map.

Whenever possible, the Authority staff has worked to use Measure A dollars as leverage to attract matching state and federal funds. These funding partnerships have led naturally to partnerships with city, county, state and federal staffs in designing and constructing projects.