Bay Area Tops Nation's Worst Roads List

A new report released Wednesday highlights the worst roadways in the country -- and Bay Area cities top the list.

San Jose ranks number one in the study, with 64 percent of the roads in the city listed in poor conditon. San Francisco, Oakland and Concord aren't far behind.

Check out the list

Consider yourself lucky if you haven't popped a tire, blown a windshield or tweaked your alignment riding over unrepaired roads. The study says drivers in San Jose spend anywhere from $600 to $750 more per year on car repairs, thanks to dilapidated roads.

The study, from the national transportation research group TRIP was commissioned by Transportation California and spotlights the worst roads in U.S. cities based on the percentage of roads listed in poor condition. Here's how the rest of the top of the list looks:

  • Los Angeles: 63 percent
  • San Francisco/Oakland: 58 percent
  • Concord: 58 percent
  • San Diego: 50 percent
  • Palm Springs: 47 percent

Hans Larsen, with the San Jose Department of Transportation, said 18 percent of the city's roads are actually in poor condition. The top five, according to Larson, are: Monterey Highway, Quimby Road, Santa Teresa Boulevard, Redmond Avenue and Los Gatos/Almaden Road.

The estimated cost to fix those streets is $250 million, Larsen said. But, he agrees, with six of California's cities in the nation's worst 10, for road conditions, more funding for road repairs is crucial.

"We built a massive amount of infrastructure in 50s, 60 and 70." Larsen said, "these roads are now 50 years old and need major work."

Bert Sandman is the executive director for Transportation California. He says the solution is simple -- more money, from gas taxes, tolls, and car fees.

"The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes to fix." Sandman said.

Voters in Santa Clara County will decide in November if they want to pay $10 more in car registration fees to help improve roads.
 

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