Are there places in Cupertino where the condition of the roads keep you from driving in that area? Aware of a pothole problem that tears the heck out of your car's suspension? Is a yearly alignment on your A-list of auto maintenance?
There may be a pretty good reason, depending on where you live.
The Metropolitation Transportation Commission just released its annual Bay Area Pavement Conditions Survey. Their conclusion?
"The pavement on the Bay Area’s 42,600 lane-miles of local streets and roads remains in 'fair' condition, with the typical stretch of asphalt showing serious wear and likely to require rehabilitation soon," according to a press release.
"Unless local voters decide pavement conditions are an important priority, city and county governments will be doing well just to keep their streets and roads in current condition."
On a scale of 0-100, Bay Area roads were given a 66 rating. In Santa Clara County, we're in a bit better shape, with a 74 rating calculated over a three-year moving average. None of the cities in Santa Clara County received less than a 'fair' rating.
Los Altos ranked first in the county, with an 81. Saratoga was rated 72, just above a 'fair' ranking. San Jose received a 64.
Where are the best roads in the Bay Area? Brentwood - in Contra Costa County - was given a 86 rating. The worst? Larkspur, in Marin County, and St. Helena, in Napa County, each received a rating of 44, considered 'poor' in ranking.
Here are the rankings of cities in the latest survey:
Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for Santa Clara County, 2011
City Total Lane Miles 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 Very Good (80-89) Los Altos 226 85 84 83 82 81 Good (70-79) Santa Clara 592 83 82 82 80 78 Los Altos Hills 113 74 75 76 77 77 Morgan Hill 256 71 75 76 77 77 Sunnyvale 636 80 77 74 75 76 Mountain View 330 74 74 75 76 75 Campbell 218 78 76 75 75 75 Santa Clara Co 1,437 75 77 75 74 74 Gilroy 256 82 80 79 76 74 Palo Alto 383 N/A N/A 72 73 73 Saratoga 281 70 71 72 71 72 Cupertino 303 69 70 70 70 70 Fair (60-69) Monte Sereno 27 65 70 68 69 69 Los Gatos 222 72 73 72 69 68 Milpitas 291 70 70 70 69 68 San Jose 4,264 63 63 63 64 64