As Fresno County residents and Measure C Renewal Steering Committee members consider how the sales tax can best fund transportation projects, one thing is clear: Fixing roads remains the top priority.

Both the public and committee members say road repairs are the most pressing need.

Measure C is a half-cent sales tax initially approved in 1986. It established a dedicated funding source for building, upgrading, and maintaining transportation infrastructure in the county’s cities and rural areas. Voters passed a 20-year extension in 2006, which is set to expire in 2027.

After voters turned down a 30-year extension in 2022, a post-election survey found that 57% of respondents said fixing roads was their main reason for voting yes.

That focus hasn’t changed. During a July 10 meeting of the Measure C Renewal Steering Committee, members considered a range of potential projects including intermodal transportation and improved amenities for cyclists and pedestrians, but fixing roads dominated the discussion.

Committee members representing a wide variety of interests – from the county’s larger cities to small rural communities to focused interest groups – said road improvements are the main concern.

“Streets and roads would be my priority almost exclusively,” said Chuck Riojas, representative for the city of Fresno.

Fowler representative Lino Mendes said, “My biggest thing is the roads, the local roads especially.” He offered support for intermodal transportation, adding, “But that starts with good roads.”

Coalinga representative Chuck Yeadon said the roads should be repaired before other projects receive funding. “All those other little things, they’re nice to have, but it’s all about the road construction. I hear a lot of feedback from our little town of, ‘Well, why are we spending all this money on the walking trail when we need roads fixed?’ ”

Fresno Cycling Club representative Nick Paladino said, “Bicyclists hate potholes, so my highest priority would be streets and roads. We like well-paved, well-maintained streets and roads.”

Steering committee members advocating for business interests said the people they represent would like to see roads fixed.

“The people that I’m here to represent believe that the vast majority of the funds should go to repairs and maintenance,” said Scott Miller, president/CEO of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.

“Building industry wants to see what we have maintained, and growing our roads and our freeways,” said Darren Rose of the Building Industry Association of Fresno/Madera Counties. He also endorsed projects that would improve interchanges such as Shaw Avenue and Highway 99. “Pretty vital to goods movement as well as housing and population.”

Support for road maintenance is also evident in an online survey the Fresno Council of Governments has conducted since April. The survey’s question is, “How would you divide up the Measure C funds?”

At its July 30 meeting, the Measure C Renewal Steering Committee reviewed a snapshot of responses collected since the survey launched. Of the 881 responses received, the preliminary results showed that the priorities are:

– Local streets and roads: 46%

– Bike, pedestrian, and safe routes to schools: 19%

– Transit: 18%

– Regional projects: 14%

– Other/local programs: 3%

If you would like to express your opinion, click here to take the survey.

Measure C has generated more than $10 billion for transportation improvements, according to the Fresno Council of Governments Measure C 2026 website. Of that total, over $2.1 billion came from local funds, which in turn helped secure an additional $8 billion from matching state and federal sources.

The average cost of the sales tax per household is less than $8 per month, according to the website.