The Miserable State of California's Roads

Sacramento Bee political columnist took three road trips through 17 states and has a few comments to make, along with some facts, about the condition of the Golden State's roads - in comparison to those he toured, and where the responsibility lies.

1 minute read

October 29, 2008, 1:00 PM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


"California's gas tax, at 18 cents a gallon, is tied for dead-last (with Alabama) among the 17 states covered by those three road trips. The others range as high as 32.2 cents in West Virginia and 32.9 cents in Wisconsin.

California's gas tax hasn't been increased in more than a decade. Revenue is flat because as cars and trucks become more efficient, they use less fuel to travel a given distance. Moreover, that flat revenue is eroded even further by inflation.

The California Transportation Commission puts it this way: "The state's gas tax can now only cover between 50 and 60 percent of the annual rehabilitation need rapidly increasing the number of distressed lane miles on the system.

The Road Information Program, or TRIP, a Washington-based organization, says eight of the 20 major urban areas with the worst pavement conditions are in California. The Los Angeles area, with 65 percent in poor condition, is No. 1, followed by the Bay Area with 62 percent.

Bottom line: California roads are awful, they're getting worse, and there's an unspoken political conspiracy to block improvement. Conservative politicians oppose any new taxes, and liberals implicitly believe that intolerable roads will propel drivers into buses, trolleys and trains."

Thanks to The Roundup

Monday, October 27, 2008 in The Sacramento Bee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

7 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

May 2 - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

May 2 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO