RIVERSIDE – (INT) – The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) will decide in June whether to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot that could have a major impact on an assortment of proposed traffic improvements.

If approved by a two-thirds majority, the half-cent sales tax increase could raise close to $200 million per year.

The proposed ballot measure is the result of months of public input that resulted in a Traffic Relief Plan that would advance from a draft to reality if the tax increase is approved.

If the measure is not approved for the November ballot, the RCTC says plan would be shifted to a list of long-term priorities, “but the investments likely would not be delivered in the near-term or mid- term, due to lack of funds.”

High on the list of proposed projects is the $1.2 billion Mid-County Parkway which has been on the drawing boards for 20 years. It has survived two Environmental Impact Studies, debate on nine routing alternatives and court challenges. The 16-mile project linking Perris and San Jacinto would replace nearly 400 homes mostly in Perris.

Story Date: February 11, 2020