Long Beach and Los Angeles roads continue to be listed as the worst in the nation, costing as much as $2,826 per person, according to the most recent report released by a Washington, DC transportation organization.
The report by TRIP, titled California Transportation by the Numbers: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe, Smooth and Efficient Mobility, estimated that 83 percent of the roadways in the LA-Long Beach-Santa Ana urban area are in poor or mediocre condition, and that California drivers lose a total of $28 billion annually in lost time and wasted fuel as a result of traffic congestion.
“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 in a statement. “It is past time for our elected officials in Sacramento to step up and deal with this problem.”
The report’s estimate for annual Vehicle operating costs put the local area at around $892 per person, under the San Francisco-Oakland area ($978). However, when counting safety and congestion costs per person ($223 and $1,711 respectively), the local metro area cost residents the most on average.
While the VOC cost was less than last year’s estimate of $1,031 per driver, the report said the congestion in California is worsening, delaying personal and commercial travel. And with 8 percent of bridges listed as structurally deficient, including significant deterioration to the bridge deck, supports and other major components, the report cautioned that California infrastructure is in need of an infusion of funds.
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The study urged the state to invest in its roadways, also citing the state’s overall fatality rate of 0.92 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel, as well as the over 14,437 traffic deaths that occurred between 2010 and 2014.
“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 in a statement. “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.”