LA Roads Are Second-Worst In Country, Study Says

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles drivers not only have to battle the worst traffic in the United States, but they must do so on roads that rank as the second-worst in the country, according to a report released Tuesday.

Sixty percent of Los Angeles roads are in "poor" condition, costing drivers $892 a year in maintenance costs, according to the report from TRIP, a Washington, DC non-profit that researches and analyses data on transportation issues.

Only the San Francisco area had a higher percentage of roads in poor condition at 71 percent.

The report says that while many cold areas can blame poor weather and freeze-thaw cycles for having roads in various states of disrepair, Los Angeles has no such excuse.

"Although road deterioration is often accelerated by freeze-thaw cycles, found most often in the nation's northern and Midwestern regions, the urban areas with the highest share of poor pavement conditions include urban areas from a variety of geographic areas," the study says.

Of course, L.A. is no stranger to the worst-roads list, and has placed second in previous years, including 2010.

In studying a possibly remedy, KPCC notes that about 17 percent of revenue from Measure M, a half-cent sales tax hike that is on the November 8 ballot in L.A. County, would go towards a dozen highway improvement projects. An additional 17 percent would go to local municipalities for pothole repair and other transportation projects.

Measure M is endorsed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, among others, but is opposed by cities including Carson and Torrance, who say the measure neglects the southeastern part of the county.