California Roads Look Bad. Have They Gotten Worse?

Driving around California, you might notice two things. Firstly, gas prices are rising. Secondly, the roads look like trash. Over the course of the past fifteen months, we’ve seen some major changes in traffic patterns and daily lifestyles. Many people have been staying indoors and filling up their tanks less. Yet it would appear this time has taken a toll on the roads.

Now, gas prices are rising again. Much of California is paying over $4.00 for a gallon and prices are approaching a seven-year high. While some people seem to believe pipeline issues have caused the cost of gasoline to increase, analysts don’t seem to agree. Rather, they point to a simpler solution: demand.

People are going out again, and holidays mean travel. This is a positive sign for those who want to resume regular life, but it also raises questions. Most importantly, they want to know where the money is going. California charges a lot in taxes and fees on each gallon of gas sold. Most specifically, they charged 50.5 cents per gallon state excise tax in 2020–21. This tax is set to raise $6.6 billion for road repairs. So, where are the repairs?

How Does California’s Gas Tax Work?

Every time you put a gallon of gas into your tank, numerous taxes and fees are added to the cost. As of the start of June 2021, $0.505 is added to the price as a state excise tax. This is simple enough: expensive, but simple. Money from this tax is then used for the state’s transportation needs.

This tax may seem steep, and that’s because it is. California charges more taxes on a gallon of gas than any other state. Plus, California has the highest population of any state in the nation. With tens of millions of cars on the road, that’s a lot of gas tax collected. When you fuel up, you’re giving a few dollars to the quality of the roads.

A big portion goes to the maintenance of roads. An estimated 80% of all highway repairs come from gas taxes. This can include filling potholes, repainting lines, or repairing structures. All of the work being done to California transportation…