California’s road conditions
As of 2008, a full 69% of California’s state-owned major roads had fallen out of good condition, meaning they will now be increasingly expensive to repair and maintain. Only 30% of California’s roads were in good condition, the state in which repairs are least expensive. The condition of 1% of California’s roads was not reported.
California’s highway spending priorities
Between 2004 and 2008, California spent 20% of its highway capital expenditures on road expansion – $791 million each year on average – and only 17% on repair and maintenance of existing roads – $674 million. That 20% of spending went to expand California’s road network by a mere 19 lane-miles.
California would need to spend $1.3 billion annually for the next twenty years to get the current backlog of poor-condition major roads into a state of good repair and maintain all state-owned roads in good condition. Shifting more funds toward repair would go a long way toward addressing the state’s maintenance needs.
California’s road condition goals
California aims to have less than 30% of state-owned roads in “poor” condition by 2012. Information about the type of metric the state uses to assess conditions was not publically available.
For more information about California’s pavement management program, including the source and methodology for the above information, see the appendices of Repair Priorities.
Read more about California’s transportation spending
Smart Transportation California: Save Money and Growth the Economy
This Smart Growth America report provides more extensive analysis of California’s transportation spending priorities and recommendations for how state leaders can make the most of California’s transportation funds.
