CARSON -- Measure M, the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan, won an unprecedented endorsement from AARP today.

"Measure M represents a rare and important opportunity to make all Los Angeles communities more livable and age-friendly. That's why AARP is proud, for the first-time ever, to actively endorse and campaign for a local ballot initiative," said Nancy McPherson, AARP California State Director, at today's event as a senior living apartment building in Carson.

Measure M will keep senior and disabled fares affordable and will invest in van and other services to keep senior and disabled residents across L.A. County living independently. In the coming years, L.A. County's over-65 population will total 2 million.

"Our county is undergoing a tremendous demographic shift, so we must take action now to keep up and ensure we ease congestion and help seniors get where they need to go," said L.A. Mayor and Metro Vice Chair Eric Garcetti. "Measure M extends transit and improves freeway traffic flow Countywide, and also delivers funds to each of L.A. County's 88 cities for them to pursue their own local projects to repave roads, fix sidewalks and fill potholes."

"There is no doubt in my mind that Measure M delivers for Carson, delivers for the South Bay and for all of us in L.A. County," said Carson Councilmember Jawane Hilton. "Carson and all of us win when traffic congestion is reduced. Measure M does that. Carson and all of us win when 465,000 jobs are created. Measure M does that. Carson and all of us win when air pollution is reduced. Measure M does that. All of us win when our seniors can get around safely and faster. Measure M does that. And my city budget, and every city budget in L.A. County, will benefit immediately from money for local road and sidewalk repairs."

Former Carson City Treasurer Karen Avilla said: "I am here to wholeheartedly support Measure M," focusing on Measure M's immediate investments to ease congestion along the 405 curve in the South Bay and to support local transportation services for seniors and others in Carson and each of L.A. County's 88 cities.

Move LA Executive Director Denny Zane said that through Measure M, "We will have the most modern, advanced and extensive transportation system in North America, with perhaps the exception of Manhattan, but ours will be new. This is an extraordinary opportunity."

Ron Miller, Executive Secretary, Los Angeles/Orange County Building and Construction Trades Council, said: "Of the 465,000 jobs the economic analysts said Measure M would create, half will be construction jobs. This will help end that boom and bust economy of the construction industry. What happens if we don't pass it? Where does the money come to repair the roads and gutters? Every city has potholes. This Measure fills them."

Last week, Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell and Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia endorsed Measure M, calling it critical to improving the daily lives of their constituents and the movement of goods to and from the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. They join the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles County Business Federation, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Supervisor Mike Antonovich and many others.

Among the South Bay and Long Beach improvements Measure M would deliver:

• Freeway and interchange improvements along the 710 from Long Beach to Commerce
• New auxiliary lanes and other improvements to fix bottlenecks through the 405 South Bay Curve
• Extending the Green light rail line to Torrance
• Major interchange improvements along the 605 from Long Beach to Norwalk
• Blue Line safety and infrastructure improvements, including the reconstruction of the Wardlow Station
• $2.21 billion in major South Bay project funding
• $17.4 million in annual funding to South Bay cities for local projects starting in 2018
• Replacing the Shoemaker Bridge, which connects the Westside of Long Beach with Downtown across the Los Angeles River
• Voting yes on Measure M would enable Metro to move forward with the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan so we can reduce the time we are stuck in traffic.

Measure M will modernize our aging transportation infrastructure and build a 21st century transportation network that adds and accelerates transit lines and finally ties them together into a comprehensive countywide system including rail, Rapid Bus, and improved freeways.

Measure M would ease congestion by building a 21st century transportation network across L.A. County, modernizing our aging transportation system and building more light rail, subway, Rapid Bus, Metrolink and better freeways and highways. Measure M will also deliver funding to each of L.A. County’s 88 cities for them to invest in their own local projects to fill potholes, improve intersections and signals, and repave roads.

Measure M has attracted a broad spectrum of bi-partisan support and support from both business and labor organizations. The non-profit Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation analyzed Measure M and found that it would create 465,000 jobs in our region. Measure M will keep student, senior and disabled fares low, and it would invest in critical earthquake retrofitting of our bridges and overpasses. In 2015, the average driver on L.A. County freeways spent 81 hours stuck in traffic. The L.A. County population is expected to increase by 2.3 million in the coming years, and the over-65 population alone is soon expected to number 2 million.

Rail projects include extending the Gold Line to Claremont, building a new rail line between Downtown L.A. and Artesia and tunnel through the Sepulveda Pass. Freeway improvements will be made on the 5, 14, 71, 110, 405, 605, 710 and more.