California Has the Roughest Roads in the Country; Transportation California Faults High Use and Low Funding.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California's urban roads are among the roughest in America, according to a study released today by TRIP, a national transportation research organization.

Five California metropolitan areas rank in the worst 10 in TRIP's 2005 "Rough Ride Ahead" report. The 10 urban areas with the roughest rides in the country are:

1. Kansas City 

2. San Jose 

3. St. Louis

4. Los Angeles 

5. San Francisco-Oakland

6. San Diego 

7. New Orleans 

8. Boston

9. Sacramento

10. Oklahoma City 

California's bumpy roads are the costliest in the nation for drivers. "Driving on rough roads takes its toll on drivers' wallets," said Michael Lawson, executive director of Transportation California. "It's pay now or pay later in California," he said. "Delaying fixing a poor road -- by even a few years -- can increase the road repair cost as much as 400 percent."

Vehicle repair costs add up. The greatest costs are incurred in San Jose where poor roads cost the average driver $689 in wear and tear above normal use. Additional costs on Los Angeles roads, at $671 per driver, is the third costliest in the country. San Francisco-Oakland metro roads, number five on the list, cost the average driver $656 per year. San Diego and Sacramento are seventh and eighth on the list.

California's largest cities fared worse on the "costs" list than the rough roads list because of the high percentage of pavements rated "mediocre" in these regions. (See attached table.)

Lawson says the state legislature can help California drivers by supporting Governor Schwarzenegger's decision not to suspend Proposition 42 funds in the 2005-06 budget. "Transportation already has taken more than its share of hits to help address the State's fiscal crisis," Lawson said. "Everyone who drives on the roads is paying that price. Now that the economy has improved, we can afford to begin the process of tackling California's growing transportation crisis. The economy cannot move forward if people and goods are stuck in traffic."

Nearly 70 percent of California voters approved Proposition 42, which dedicated the sales tax on gasoline to transportation purposes. A provision of the bill allows the bill to be suspended in times of fiscal emergency; the payments have been suspended since Proposition 42 was passed in 2002.

"Transportation is pivotal to the economy," Lawson said. "Investing in transportation will build on the momentum and strengthen the economy by creating jobs and moving goods and people more efficiently."

Table: California's cities with populations 250,000 to 500,000
have pavements and additional operating costs that rank alongside the
largest metro areas. Cities are listed below.

                                                           Annual
                                                         Additional
                                                          Vehicle
                                                         Operating
Metro Area           Poor   Mediocre   Fair    Good          Cost

Antioch               62%      33%       3%      2%          $666
Bakersfield            8%      45%      31%     16%           299
Fresno                29%      33%      23%     16%           435
Indio-Cathedral
 City-Palm Springs    43%      29%      11%     16%           523
Lancaster-
 Palmdale             13%      41%      26%     20%           320
Los Angeles           64%      27%       6%      3%           671
Oxnard-
 Ventura              35%      55%       9%      1%           526
Riverside-
 San Bernardino       41%      44%      10%      6%           541
Modesto               24%      36%      23%     17%           397
Sacramento            49%      40%       5%      6%           593
San Diego             58%      25%       7%     10%           623
San Francisco-
 Oakland              60%      31%       6%      2%           656
San Jose              67%      23%       7%      2%           689
Santa Rosa            48%      35%      10%      8%           572
Stockton              34%      41%      13%     12%           482
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National
 Average              26%                       31%          $401

For more information: www.transportationca.com

Transportation California is a collaboration of business, labor and government organizations interested in promoting sound transportation policies.

Founded in 1971, TRIP is a nonprofit organization that promotes transportation policies that relieve traffic congestion, improve air quality, make highway travel safer and enhance economic productivity.

NOTE TO EDITORS: This release concerns the "Rough Ride Ahead" report released today by TRIP. The full study is available at www.tripnet.org