Meeting_Body
PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE
APRIL 15, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: MEASURE M 10-YEAR COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT
Action
ACTION: RECEIVE AND FILE
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
RECEIVE AND FILE status report on Measure M 10-Year Comprehensive Assessment.
Issue
ISSUE
The Measure M Ordinance (Attachment A) requires that every five years, Metro prepares for Board consideration a comprehensive assessment of all projects and programs implemented under the Measure M Expenditure Plan to evaluate the performance of the overall program and make recommendations based on current practices, best practices, and organizational changes to improve performance and coordination.
At 10-year intervals, the Measure M Ordinance additionally requires that Metro assess “Expenditure Plan Major Projects” and “Multi-Year Subregional Programs (MSP)” included in Attachment A to the ordinance that are completed or anticipated to be completed during the next 10-year period, previously labeled “Decennial Process” by Metro staff. Upon adoption of the comprehensive assessment, the Board may consider specific amendments to the Measure M Ordinance and Expenditure Plan including transfers of revenue between transit and highway sub-funds, and the addition of new projects or programs within the prescribed parameters of the ordinance.
As we near the 10-year anniversary of Measure M, staff have begun the process of preparing the required comprehensive assessment (Assessment). The Assessment will encompass the Five-year look back and 10-year look forward to evaluate progress in delivering the voter-approved program while positioning the agency and its partners for the next decade of investment. This board report provides an overview of the Assessment process, content, schedule, and key decision points for the Board.
Background
BACKGROUND
The Measure M Ordinance, approved by 71.5% of voters in November 2016, incorporates a continuous monitoring approach for the oversight of the projects and programs in the Expenditure Plan. Central to this approach is the Measure M Independent Taxpayer Oversight Committee (MMITOC), which provides ongoing program oversight. The MMITOC reviews Measure M budget and expenses, monitors the status of Transit and Highway capital projects, and receives quarterly updates on the Active Transportation and State of Good Repair programs. MMITOC also reviews annual independent audits to determine Metro and subrecipient compliance with the provisions of the Measure M Ordinance related to the receipt and expenditure of sales tax revenues during each fiscal year.
At five-year intervals the Measure M Ordinance requires Metro to prepare a comprehensive assessment for the MMITOC and the Metro Board to evaluate the performance and impact of the Measure M program and provide recommendations to support the successful delivery of the Measure M program. The first Measure M Five-Year Comprehensive Assessment and Equity Report was prepared in 2023, covering the initial five years of Measure M (FY18-22), which found that Measure M had generated 95% of its forecasted revenue and documented disruptions caused by COVID-19 and Metro efforts to navigate those challenges. This assessment was presented to the MMITOC and adopted by the Metro Board in October 2023.
At 10-year intervals the Measure M Ordinance requires Metro to not only evaluate the same program areas in the five-year analysis but adds the requirement to assess each project and program identified in the expenditure plan as an Expenditure Plan Major Project or MSP that has either been completed or anticipated to be completed during the next 10-year period.
The final Assessment is presented to the Board for consideration, and if approved, the Board may adopt amendments to the Measure M Ordinance and Expenditure Plan within the prescribed parameters of the ordinance.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Assessment
The Assessment will build on the foundation of the 2023 Measure M 5-Year Comprehensive Assessment and Equity Report to retroactively analyze efficiency and effectiveness in delivering Measure M projects and programs, including potential barriers in the delivery of the Measure M Expenditure Plan, while also identifying opportunities for process improvements, best practices, and organizational changes to improve coordination. Five themes were used to organize key assessment areas: Stewardship-how Metro handles the resources it oversees; Mobility-how Metro is doing in its planned expansion and in providing transit services equitably; Experience-how Metro customers feel about safety, comfort reliability and convenience; Community-how Metro supports livability in neighborhoods; Regional-how Metro’s service sustainably connects to trends in the area. Within each of the assessment areas specific criteria were established in the form of questions to be answered through data analysis. The structure allows a breadth and depth of analysis for Metro to reflect on progress and illuminate challenges and opportunities for the future.
Expenditure Plan Major Projects and MSPs will be evaluated within a financial framework that compares projected 2016 Measure M revenues and expenditures against current estimates to assess future financial capacity. This financial capacity analysis will inform consideration of any proposed amendments to the Measure M Ordinance.
Project and program level analysis of Expenditure Plan Major Projects and MSPs will be assessed for alignment with Measure M goals, and the ability of projects and programs to deliver the benefits committed to in Measure M. The evaluation will also emphasize fiscal stewardship that compares individual project costs against revenues and accounts for long-term operations and maintenance cost implications. The analysis will incorporate traditional mode-specific performance indicators (i.e., transit, highway, and active transportation modes) while also assessing broader outcomes such as expected economic benefits, equitable access, reduced reliance on operations-eligible funds, and capacity to leverage state and federal dollars. Consideration will also be given to Board priorities and policies such as Pillar Projects. Staff are also coordinating across Metro departments to identify potential capital and operations needs over the next ten years. Any additional projects that may be recommended through this interdepartmental process will be subject to the evaluation framework outlined above for Board consideration.
Public Review
The Assessment will be shared with the public for review and comment for a 60-day period. Following this review period, the Assessment will be presented to the MMITOC for review and comment and to make findings and/or provide recommendations for improving the program. The Assessment, along with feedback from the MMITOC, is then presented to the Board for consideration. If the Board approves the Assessment with a two-thirds (2/3) vote, then the Board may consider amendments to the Measure M Ordinance within the prescribed parameters. Any amendments to the ordinance must subsequently be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board and must be noticed to all 88 cities in Los Angeles County and to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 60-days prior to the public meeting where the amendments will be considered.
Amendments
Amendments that may be considered by the Board, contingent on the two-thirds (2/3) approval of the Assessment, include the following:
• Adding New Projects/Programs: Metro may add a project or program to the Expenditure Plan as long as it does not delay the start date, opening date, or Measure M funding of other projects and programs. Any project or program added using surplus funds must be in the same subregion as the unspent Measure M revenues;
• Intermodal Transfers: Metro may transfer revenue in either direction between the transit and highway sub-funds; and
• Subregional Maps: Metro may change the subregional maps that apply to Measure M, but only after the comprehensive assessment in FY2047.
An intermodal transfer allows Metro to move revenues from any highway project/program to any transit project/program or vice versa. Revenues can be transferred either to existing Measure M projects/programs or to new projects/programs that are not already in the Expenditure Plan and by ordinance are not required to remain in the same subregion. However, revenues cannot be moved between projects/programs of the same mode, whether directly or indirectly. For instance, a transit project to another transit project, or a highway project to another highway project.
An intermodal and intramodal transfer (i.e., transfers within the same modal category) can also occur through a transfer of surplus Measure M funds on a project or program. The transfer of surplus Measure M funds does not require an amendment to the ordinance, unless the transfer is to a new Measure M project/program. If a project/program is completed but does not spend all the revenue stipulated in the Expenditure Plan, resulting in surplus revenues, the Metro Board must determine by a two-thirds (2/3) vote that the project/program is complete before any surplus funds can be transferred to a new Measure M project/program, and the surplus funds may only be transferred between projects/programs in the same subregion as defined in the ordinance.
A new project or program can be added without restrictions when paired with the intermodal transfer process. For example, if Metro transferred funds from highway to transit those funds could be used for a new transit project/program. However, Metro cannot transfer funds from an existing project/program to a new project/program of the same mode unless the existing project/program is determined to be complete and in the same subregion as the new project/program (i.e., a transfer of surplus funds).
Additional amendments are available for Board consideration that are subject to a two-thirds vote (2/3) but are not dependent on approval of the Assessment. The Board may amend the schedule of funds available but only if it does not reduce the amount of funds assigned to any other project or program. This type of amendment is elaborated in the Metro Early Project Delivery Strategy. The Board may also amend Section 11 of the Measure M Ordinance entitled Amendments but this requires both a two-thirds vote (2/3) and approval by a majority of the voters voting on a measure to approve the amendment.
Stakeholder Engagement
Staff will coordinate closely with subregions and stakeholder to inform them of the assessment of Measure M projects and programs, as well as the potential for amendments. Stakeholder engagement is intended to ensure that subregional priorities, locally identified mobility needs, and existing planning efforts are accurately represented and accounted for in the Assessment.
Staff will maintain ongoing dialogue on potential Measure M amendments throughout the assessment. This engagement will help validate technical findings, understand implementation considerations, and ensure that recommendations are informed by local planning contexts and subregional perspectives while maintaining alignment with Measure M regional objectives.
Approvals and Schedule
Both the MMITOC and Board have distinct roles in the review and approval of the Assessment and any proposed amendments. The MMITOC is responsible for reviewing the Assessment and making findings and/or providing recommendations for improving the Measure M program, which are then transmitted to the Board for consideration. In addition, the MMITOC must review any proposed amendments and make a specific finding as to whether the amendments further the purposes of the Measure M Ordinance.
The Board has final decision-making authority to approve or disapprove both the Assessment and any proposed amendments. This process is sequential and contingent, insofar as the Board must first approve the Assessment by a two-thirds (2/3) vote prior to consideration of any amendments which also require approval by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
Staff will present the Assessment framework to the MMITOC at its June 2026 meeting. In March 2027, staff will return to both the MMITOC and Board with a draft of the Assessment and recommendations for any potential amendments. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit feedback from MMITOC and the Board on the Assessment findings and potential amendments to inform development of the final recommendations. Feedback received from both the MMITOC and the Board will be incorporated into the final Assessment and proposed amendments, which will be presented to the MMITOC for review, comment, and requisite findings on any potential amendments, and subsequently brought to the Board for final consideration in fall 2027.
Schedule for Public Engagement & Consideration
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
The Assessment will provide a broad analysis of the impacts of Measure M through Metro’s Equity Platform framework. Metro serves riders throughout the Los Angeles region, including lower-income, Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC). The Assessment will consider impacts of Metro’s investments on the people of Los Angeles County by analyzing demographic disparities in ridership, mobility choices, and investments. Work on the Assessment also includes development of an Access to Opportunity tool that will be utilized to create a deeper understanding of how Measure M investments have shaped access to opportunity in Los Angeles County.
Findings from the Assessment will be shared with community-based organizations to engage stakeholders in identifying how the findings may or may not align with lived experiences on the Metro system. This feedback will be incorporated into the final Assessment document.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled _Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through comprehensive planning activities that assess Measure M expenditures and evaluate transit project benefits to further encourage transit ridership, ridesharing, and active transportation. This aligns with Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets, which build on the success of existing investments.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
The Assessment supports Strategic Plan Goal #5, which seeks to “Provide responsive, accountable, and trustworthy governance within Metro.” The Assessment will provide transparency and accountability in the delivery of the Measure M program while seeking to ensure the effective delivery of the Measure M program.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue developing the Assessment in coordination with Metro departments, community-based organizations, Metro advisory bodies, subregions and stakeholders. This work will include developing Assessment objectives and criteria, refining the project and program evaluation framework, preparing a Measure M financial capacity analysis, coordinating agencywide needs across departments, and extensive data collection to inform the assessment.
Staff will present the Assessment framework, objectives and criteria to the MMITOC at its June 2026 meeting with the intention to return to the Board in July 2026 to present the final objectives and criteria for Board consideration. Should the Board approve, staff will then begin preparation of the Assessment and stakeholder engagement.
Attachments
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A - Measure M Ordinance
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Paul Backstrom, Senior Director, Countywide Planning and
Development, (213) 922-2183
Rena Lum, Deputy Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 922-6963
Michael Cano, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 418-3010
Craig Hoshijima, Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 547-4290
Laurie Lombardi, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 418-3251
Avital Barnea, Senior Executive Officer, Countywide Planning and Development, (213) 547-4317
Nicole Ferrara, Deputy Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4322
Kimberly Houston, Deputy Chief Auditor, (213) 922.4720
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by:
Ray Sosa, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 547-4274
Michelle Navarro, Chief Financial Officer (Interim), (213) 922-3056
Sharon Gookin, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, (213) 418-3101
