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Larkspur Leads the Bay: Smoothest Streets in the Region
17 Nov
Summary
- Larkspur has the Bay Area's highest Pavement Condition Index at 87
- Vallejo has the region's bumpiest, most worn-out roads with a score of 44
- San Francisco's road conditions have improved steadily since 2011 bond measure
According to a recent report from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area's road conditions have remained largely stagnant over the past decade, with the region's streets scoring an average of 67 out of 100 on the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) as of late 2025.
However, the report highlights some notable exceptions. The charming Marin County town of Larkspur stands out as the regional leader, boasting a PCI of 87 - a full 20 points higher than the Bay Area average. This marks a significant turnaround for Larkspur, which had scores in the "poor" range just eight years ago. The city's success is attributed to residents approving local sales tax measures to rehabilitate the streets.
In contrast, the city of Vallejo is struggling with the Bay Area's bumpiest, most worn-out roads, scoring a mere 44 on the PCI - more than 20 points below the regional average. This represents a further decline from Vallejo's 2019 score of 51, placing it firmly at the bottom of the rankings.
While wealthy cities like Palo Alto and Cupertino have some of the highest PCI scores in the region, the relationship between road conditions and median income is not always straightforward. Some more middle-class cities, such as Daly City and Colma, also boast impressive pavement scores.
San Francisco, on the other hand, has managed to buck the regional trend, steadily improving its road conditions since 2011 when voters approved a bond measure to pour millions of dollars into street repairs. The city's PCI has climbed from the low 60s in the early 2000s to the mid-70s today, outperforming the Bay Area average.
