California Ranks Among Three Worst For Roadways
PALM DESERT – The Reason Foundation came out with its list of the worst roadways, ranked by state, today, and California ranked in the three worst in the nation.
Only Alaska and Rhode Island fared worse.
The Reason Foundation study examines state highway systems in 11 categories, including congestion, pavement condition, fatalities, deficient bridges and total spending.
California has 18,336 miles of state-owned highway system, slightly larger than the national average.
California ranked 48th overall in the 2007 ratings, down from 44th in 2006. Its fiscal performance rating is 45th and its system performance rating is 48th. In 2007, its best ratings were for fatality rate (16th), bridge deficiencies (35th) and rural narrow lanes (24th).
When it comes to congestion, though, that’s where the scores fell.
The state also performed poorly on the amount of money it spends per-state-controlled-mile, ranking 49th out of 50.
Another report compiled by TRIP shows Riverside and San Bernardino Counties have their own problems.
According to the report, the worst stretches of road in the Riverside/San Bernardino area are Route 74 from Seventh Street to Route 215 in Perris and Euclid Avenue from Walnut Avenue in Ontario to Route 210 in Upland.
The report also cited Route 74 between Lime Street in Lake Elsinore and Elsinore and Perris; and Euclid Avenue between Bickmore and Merrill avenues in Chino as being among the region’s most deteriorated roadways.
The report also found that one-fourth of the area’s bridges and overpasses are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. It also noted that 66 percent of major roadways in the region have significant rush hour delays that cost the average commuter 44 hours per years stuck in traffic.
A total of 546 people died in Riverside/San Bernardino-area traffic collisions in 2008, the report found.
“It is critical that the state adequately fund its transportation system and that Congress produces a timely and adequately funded federal surface transportation program” said Will Wilkins, executive director of TRIP.
“Thousands of jobs and the state’s economy are riding on it.”
