What can we do about traffic congestion in North County? Voters will provide one of the decisive answers when they go to the polls in November.

Proposition A is the countywide ballot measure to extend the half-penny sales tax known as TransNet. If two-thirds of voters approve it, TransNet will generate $14 billion during the next 40 years.

TransNet will help fund expansions along every highway in the region, as well as improvements to local roads and our public transportation system, including rail, buses, and trolley.

Nearly $4.4 billion of the $14 billion is dedicated to transportation improvements in Poway, Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar and other North County communities.

That's $2.9 billion in highway and transit improvements along Interstates 5 and 15 and for Highways 76, 78 and 56. Add another $1.5 billion for road improvements in each of the nine North County cities and the surrounding communities. Nearly 32 percent of the TransNet sales tax revenue will go to about 29 percent of the region's population who live in North County.

TransNet is only part of the overall $42 billion Regional Transportation Plan approved last year by all 18 cities and the county government, working together as the San Diego Association of Governments.

As the mayors and council members who represent the North County on SANDAG, we know TransNet provides a critical piece of the funding puzzle. During the next update of the Regional Transportation Plan in 2006, we pledge to work for more improvements to our local roads and highways.

It's important to note that the billions of TransNet dollars identified for highway and transit construction will be matched dollar for dollar with federal and state funding. Above the merge, Interstate 5 will be widened to 14 lanes. Interstate 15 will have 12 lanes, including four reversible managed lanes. Highway 76 will expand to four lanes from Mission Road to I-15. Highway 78 will have eight lanes, including two lanes for bus rapid transit, carpools and vanpools.

We're sure North County commuters headed southbound on I-5, and those on I-15 who are joined by commuters from Southwest Riverside County, don't all stop once they hit Poway or Del Mar. Most keep going to work, school or businesses in Miramar, Sorrento Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Mission Valley, downtown San Diego, and destinations in East County and South County.

Let's not pit the north against the south, transit against highway, voter against voter. We agree with a statement supporting TransNet that appeared in a North County Times editorial in January: "This is a vitally important vote -- for local workers, commuters and for our quality of life, it may be as important as any other issue on the November ballot."

While our cup does not run over with transportation funding, without TransNet our transportation glass looks pretty empty. For more information, visit www.sandag.org/transnet.

This article was signed by Poway Mayor Mickey Cafagna, Escondido Mayor Lori Pfeiler, San Marcos Mayor Corky Smith, Vista Mayor Morris Vance, Oceanside Mayor Terry Johnson, Del Mar Mayor Crystal Crawford, Encinitas Mayor Maggie Houlihan, Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian and Carlsbad Mayor Pro Tem Ramona Finnila.