On November 8, 2016, the voters of Monterey County, approved Measure X on the Monterey County Ballot, thereby authorizing TAMC to impose and administer the proceeds from a three-eighths cent transaction and use tax (“Measure X”). Measure X is estimated to generate $600 million over 30 years for transportation improvements in Monterey County. Of that amount, $360 million (60%) will be distributed to the cities and the County for local projects, while the remaining $240 million (40%) is programmed to regional safety and mobility projects.
The first year of Measure X revenues received by the Transportation Agency was $28.2 million, which exceeded the anticipated amount of $20 million. This additional funding provides the revenue to fund limited funds to finance programs or projects through a provision of the Policies and Project Descriptions for the Transportation Safety & Investment Plan, approved by the Transportation Agency Board of Directors in May 2016. In addition, the Transportation Agency Board approved a policy to allow the three smallest cities (Gonzales, Del Rey Oaks, and Sand City) to borrow funds from the Transportation Agency to complete specific projects and repay the principal and interest using their local share of Measure X revenues.
The City of Gonzales requested that the Transportation Agency provide a $2.5 million loan to the City for their Alta Street Rehabilitation project. This $5.2 million rehabilitation project consisted of grinding the existing pavement of Alta Street between Gonzales River Road and Gloria Road down to the base layer, and reusing the ground pavement to reestablish the base and repave the roadway. This is an area that receives a high portion of truck traffic and was the City's top priority Measure X project.
The Gonzales “Alta Street Pavement Rehabilitation Project” which began in November 2017 and was completed in March 2018, was the largest capital improvement project in the City of Gonzales in 25 years. It was also the second major Measure X project completed in South Monterey County. Without an advancement of Measure X funds from the Transportation Agency, the project would have been delayed by several years. The City is repaying the interest-bearing loan from the City's share of Measure X revenues.