Corte Madera Roads In Fair Shape; Larkspur Roads At Risk: Study

LARKSPUR-CORTE MADERA, CA — Pavement conditions in Larkspur have improved since 2018, but the city's roads are still "at risk" — and streets in Corte Madera have worsened, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has found.

Each year, the MTC studies the Bay Area's nearly 44,000 lane-miles of local streets and roads, and in a report scores each city and county's roads from 0-100.

Numbers for 2020 were released in the MTC's report last month, and Larkspur was given a 59 — putting the city in the "at risk" category. But that number is an improvement for Larkspur, as in 2019 the city's roads earned a score of 52, and in 2018, a 46.

Streets in Corte Madera have declined in quality, the report found — but they're still better than roads in Larkspur. Corte Madera earned a score of 66 this year, meaning it's in the "fair" category. In 2019, the city was given a 67, and in 2018, a 69.

"Some of the pavement work scheduled for last year was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Alfredo Pedroza, MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor. "But the new scores illustrate how big a challenge it is to bring our roads — not just in Napa County but all around the Bay Area — to a state of good repair."

In a news release, officials said the typical stretch of Bay Area roadway is "showing serious wear" and will likely need rehabilitation soon.

Pedroza said the MTC's goal is to raise the region's average pavement condition index score into the mid-80s.

"The data give us a real appreciation for just how many miles of roadway the Bay Area has and a reminder of how old a lot of our pavement is, too," Pedroza said.

Read the full report here.