Roads in St. Helena Some of the Worst in the Bay Area

An annual study says St. Helena has some of the worst roads in the Bay Area.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission's 2012 pavement condition index, released last week, rates the quality of St. Helena roads as 42 out of 100.

Only Larkspur in Marin County has equally worse roads, also rated as 42 out of 100. The regional average is 66 out of 100 for the fourth year in a row. 

“There are thousands of miles of streets and roads around the Bay Area with PCI scores below 60,” a press release quoted MTC Vice Chair and Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese as saying. “That’s the point at which the deterioration of pavement rapidly accelerates."

In addition to Larkspur and St. Helena, other jurisdictions with three-year average PCI scores below the 60-point threshold include Albany, Belmont, Berkeley, Calistoga, Cotati, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Moraga, Oakland, Orinda, Pacifica, Petaluma, Rio Vista, San Anselmo, San Leandro, Vallejo, and unincorporated Marin, Napa and Sonoma counties.

The commission hopes to raise those ratings.

"For local streets and roads, the goal is to get every one of our cities and counties to a score of 75 or better," the press release quoted MTC Chair and Orinda Mayor Amy Rein Worth as saying. "Most cities’ pavement maintenance needs have far outstripped available funds for many years, so holding the line at a regional average of 66 can be seen as a partial victory."

El Cerrito was highlighted for its improvement in pavement quality; the East Bay city passed a half-cent sales tax for road improvement in 2008, and its ranking has improved for each of the past three years. Orinda and Moraga also passed half-cent sales taxes for roads last year, the MTC said.

To access the full report, click on this link.