Cost to Improve O.C. Roads over Next Decade: $4.8B

Bringing roads and bridges up to par in Orange over the next decade will cost more than $4.8 billion, according to a report released today.

The biennial report -- a collaboration between the California State Association of Counties, the League of California Cities and the state’s regional transportation planning agencies -- found that pavement conditions statewide are declining, and current funding levels are insufficient to properly fix or maintain streets, roads, bridges, sidewalks, storm drains and traffic signs.

• Get Patched in! Sign up for the daily newsletter from Newport Beach Patch.

“The state gas tax is only worth half of its value compared to when it was last increased in 1994,” said Matt Cate, the executive director of the counties association. “While revenues are decreasing, cities and counties are doing more with less, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building sustainable communities, both of which rely on a functioning local transportation network. It is no wonder that funding is woefully inadequate.”

He said it’s “time to get serious about a more stable funding source for local streets, roads and bridges so we can begin to catch up on a backlog of work that should have been completed long ago.”

The report, called the “California Local Streets & Roads Needs Assessment 2014 Update,” predicts that further deferrals in completing the work could double the cost of repairs in the future.

The condition of roadway pavement in Orange County was rated in the study as a 77, which fared better than Los Angeles, where the pavement is considered “at risk.”

The pavement conditions of 10 counties were described in the report as poor. All 10 are in Northern California.

Nearly $7.3 billion in annual statewide spending is needed to fix California’s roads and bridges, according to the report.

--City News Service

PHOTO Patch file photo credit: Penny Arévalo

COMMENT ON THIS STORY BY SCROLLING TO FIND THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.

Wondering how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.