The argument for SUVs may be a little stronger in California after a report released by TRIP, a national transportation research group, shows that five cities in the Golden state rank among the top ten urban areas with the roughest roads. The Cali towns with the roughest rides include San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco-Oakland, San Diego and Sacramento. They're joined by other U.S. cities with pot hole-ridden roads like St. Louis, Omaha, New York City and New Orleans (pre-Katrina).
California also beats out the industry average for the percentage of its roads that are in poor condition. TRIP estimates that one-half to two-thirds of California's interstates, freeways and local roads are rough riding, compared to the national average for states, which is just 25 percent.
Of course, the failure of California or any state to maintain all that ribbon of road hits motorists right in the pocketbook in the form of higher operating costs. Not only is the life of one's vehicle dramatically reduced from the incessant pounding it receives, but increased repairs and poorer gas mileage also ding the driver in his wallet.
What are TRIP's predictions: it's only going to get worse. Population in these urban areas is ever increasing, and with more people comes more cars. At some point calling these areas urban will be a stretch, as their roads are beginning to resemble places like the Rubicon Trail more and more each day.
[Source: The Auto Channel]
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