LOS ANGELES -- The L.A. City Council today unanimously voted to endorse Measure M, the Los Angeles County Traffic Improvement Plan. The plan is focused on easing congestion and reducing the time L.A. County residents are stuck in traffic.

"Measure M is an amazing opportunity to reduce traffic by revolutionizing the transportation system in Los Angeles," said Councilmember Mike Bonin, who serves on the Metro Board and is the Chair of the City Council's Transportation Committee. "From rail through the Sepulveda Pass, to the long overdue rail connection to LAX, to local street repair and improved service on rail and bus lines, Measure M makes game-changing transit projects possible."

“Supporting Measure M was an easy decision for the City Council," said City Councilmember and Metro Board Member Paul Krekorian, representing the East San Fernando Valley. "Right now, Angelenos spend 81 hours a year stuck in traffic, the most of any city in the nation. As our population grows, congestion will only get worse unless we do something about it today. Measure M is the long-term solution we need. It will ease traffic, create hundreds of thousands of jobs for local families, fill potholes and fix streets, expand our rail and bus system, and enhance bike and walking paths for everyone to enjoy.”

Photo via LA City Councilmember Paul Krekorian/Flickr

"Our county is surging in population, and if we do not act now, we'll be permanently stuck in gridlock, said L.A. Mayor and Metro Vice Chair Eric Garcetti. "Measure M eases congestion by expanding transit and improving freeway traffic flow Countywide. It's vitally important to the City of L.A., and each of the County's 88 cities, that Measure gives us the money we need for our own local projects to repave roads, fix sidewalks and fill potholes."

Yesterday, AARP announced an unprecedented endorsement of Measure M. It's the first time that AARP is actively endorsing and campaigning for a local ballot initiative.

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, The LA/OC Building Trades, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters, Supervisor Mike Antonovich and many others in endorsing Measure M.

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.