Potholes and Bad Roads Cost You $400 a Year

March 13, 2008 — -- City drivers often face headaches on the road, but a new report shows they also shell out a significant amount of money for their angst.

Wear and tear from potholes and worn-out pavement on roads and highways costs the average urban driver more than $400 each year, according to a study published Wednesday by a national transportation research group. After traveling rough roads, cars use more fuel and require more maintenance.

"After they take that nice, new car out of the showroom, they want it to last as long as possible," said Frank Moretti, director of policy and research at TRIP, the group that wrote the report. "The worse shape the road is in, the quicker they're going to be back in the showroom." TRIP is a non-profit group funded by members of the transportation sector, including construction and equipment companies.

TRIP's report finds nearly a quarter of city streets and highways in poor condition. Its analysis of Federal Highway Administration data indicates that road conditions remained approximately the same between 2002 and 2006, with about 25 percent of roads deemed in bad shape.

California cities top the list of places where drivers face an especially rocky ride. The report reveals that Los Angeles is the city with the most significant road problems and accompanying costs. In L.A., 65 percent of urban roads and highways are in poor condition, costing drivers in the city an average of $778 per year.

"The streets of Los Angeles are disgraceful, totally in a state of disrepair," said Maurice Claff, general manager and owner of La Brea Chrysler Jeep in Los Angeles. "Something should be done about it to protect the driver of an automobile."

Authors of the report said state, local and federal funding for road repair must increase to prevent problems from getting worse.

The Federal Highway Administration spokesman, Ian Grossman, said in a statement Wednesday, "This report validates our efforts to ensure state and local leaders have every opportunity to tap into the more than $400 billion available today for transportation investment to supplement the already record levels of highway funding being provided by the federal government."