It’s official, and it’s a total bummer: California highway systems ranked 49th in the nation for overall cost-effectiveness and condition. According to the “29th Annual Highway Report” by the Reason Foundation, the Golden State is stuck in the ultimate bottleneck, clinging to the second-to-worst spot in the country for the second year in a row.
Pavement quality and urban road conditions
L.A. might be the city of stars, but our streets are looking pretty dim. California grabbed the absolute worst spot in the country — 50th place — for Urban Other Principal Arterial Pavement Condition. These are the major roads we use to navigate our neighborhoods and escape freeway madness. Along with ranking 48th for Urban Interstate Pavement Condition, the data shows that the very surfaces we drive on are among the most weathered in the United States.
Traffic congestion and time loss
We’ve all accepted traffic as a personality trait, but the numbers put it into perspective. California ranks 46th in traffic congestion, with the average driver losing 49 hours every year just sitting in gridlock. That is essentially an entire weekend every year spent staring at brake lights while navigating our state’s highways.
Spending and disbursement categories
When it comes to the numbers behind the roads, the report shows California faces steep challenges in disbursement rankings. The state’s spending categories — which cover everything from office overhead to physical repairs — consistently rank in the bottom tier:
- Maintenance Disbursements: 44th
- Capital and Bridge Disbursements: 41st
- Administrative Disbursements: 35th
- Other Disbursements: 48th
How we stack up regionally
It turns out the pavement really is smoother on other sides of the country! When compared to our high-population peers and neighbors, California is trailing behind:
- Florida: 14th
- Nevada: 25th
- Texas: 27th
- Arizona: 41st
Safety rates and bridge conditions
It’s not all brake lights and bad news. The state actually performs quite well when it comes to Structurally Deficient Bridges, ranking 25th — right in the middle of the pack. We also saw a bright spot in safety, with our Urban Fatality Rate ranking 27th.
According to lead author Baruch Feigenbaum, the path forward for California involves a heavy focus on fixing Rural and Urban Interstate pavement and finally tackling the congestion that defines our daily L.A. lives. Until then, keep those playlists ready — we’re going to be in this lane for a while…
