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New Study Shows California's Local Road System In Crisis

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio

A new study shows that local roads in California are falling into a state of disrepair at an alarming rate. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, the report says the majority of counties have roads at risk of failing.

The study showsbudget cuts and higher construction costs have put the state’s local roads system in a crisis. Cities and counties maintain more than 80-percent of all the roads in the state. A needs assessment survey of 58 counties found a quarter of the streets and roads will have failed in 10 years at the current funding level.

Jennifer Whiting is with the League of California Cities, one of the study’s sponsors.

“We’ve been actively engaged with the legislature in trying to find a solution to this problem. It’s going to take all of California to come together and decide whether we are willing to go ahead and pay to fix to maintain our streets and roads today or pay much more in the future to replace them,” says Whiting.

The study says it will take $82 billion over ten years to bring the system up to date. Cities and counties provide just over one billion dollars a year to repair and maintain roads.

Most San Joaquin Valley counties scored in the "at risk" category, with Mariposa and Madera County roads conditions rated the worst, being in "poor" condition.