AASHTO Journal, 19 August 2016
Roads and bridges that are deficient, congested or lack desirable safety features cost California motorists a total of $53.6 billion statewide annually – or more than $2,800 per driver in some urban areas, according to a new report by the TRIP national research organization.
TRIP said that cost figure reflects higher vehicle operating costs, additional traffic crashes and congestion-related delays than if the infrastructure were in good condition. Its report came as state lawmakers have been discussing how to increase transportation project funding, with some talking about tackling the issue in a lame-duck session after the November elections.
Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown convened a special legislative session on transportation funding needs, but lawmakers were unable to reach agreement on a funding plan.
“These conditions are only going to get worse if greater funding is not made available at the state and local levels,” said Will Wilkins, TRIP’s executive director. “Without adequate investment, California’s transportation system will become increasingly deteriorated and congested, hampering economic growth and the quality of life of the state’s residents.”
The group held a series of press conferences across the state to highlight its Aug. 17 report, joined in some cases by officials from the California Department of Transportation and holding some of those events at Caltrans offices.
TRIP said that “the efficiency and condition of California’s transportation system, particularly its highways, is critical to the health of the state’s economy.”
But its report found that 37 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads are in poor condition, and a quarter of California’s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete for today’s traffic needs.
In addition, it said, “the state’s major urban roads are becoming increasingly congested, with drivers wasting significant amounts of time and fuel each year. And more than 14,000 people were killed in crashes on California’s roads from 2010 to 2014.”
“The TRIP report confirms what everyone in California knows: The transportation system in this state is in bad shape,” said Will Kempton, executive director of Transportation California, a group trying to build support for stronger infrastructure investment.