Danielle Bergstrom

The future of transportation in Fresno County rests largely with Measure C, a local sales tax that is expected to raise more than $6.8 billion for roads, highways, and public transit over the next 30 years.

“If the bus is running late, that makes me late, you know,” one resident said. “For my important things I have to do, I have no choice.”

For 35 years, Fresno County’s Measure C — a half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation — has dramatically shaped the landscape of metropolitan Fresno.

This story is part of a series produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 California Fellowship.

Roads in rural Fresno County are often neglected and underdeveloped. Potholes, flooding and basic safety measures go unfixed. There are no streetlights, sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, center lines or even speed limit signs on many roads in rural towns, and public transit service is limited.

If the first version of Measure C was about freeways, the second version gave a nod to a future where it could be easier to walk, bike or take transit, while keeping commutes easy for drivers.

This story is part of a series produced for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 California Fellowship.

Danielle Bergstrom speaks with Veronica Garibay, the co-founder and co-director of Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, an environmental justice organization based in Fresno.

This report is part of a larger project led by Danielle Bergstrom and Maria Ortiz-Briones as part of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 California Fellowship.