City disputes ranking in roads study

Index looked at unincorporated areas, Santa Clarita officials say

Roads in Santa Clarita were ranked as the 12th worst nationwide in a recent national study, but city officials say the data concerns surrounding highway areas in Santa Clarita, not city-maintained roads.

In its October 2018 report, TRIP, a nonprofit that evaluates surface transportation issues, ranked Santa Clarita as among the “urban areas with the highest share of major roads in poor condition,” according to language in the report.

The study looked at major roads and the surrounding highway areas, basing 95 percent of its data on freeways, evaluating road conditions with an index known as “the International Roughness Index,” according to the report. The index takes into account smoothness as a factor for road conditions.

City officials said the city uses a different index to assess the condition of its city roads, and the report does not cover the streets the city has worked to maintain in recent years.

“I think anyone who has driven… on our roads here in Santa Clarita, would attest to the fact that our city streets are in excellent condition,” said city of Santa Clarita spokeswoman Carrie Lujan. “In the past few years, we have repaved almost all of our main thoroughfares -- including Valencia Boulevard, Lyons Avenue, Newhall Ranch Road, Soledad Canyon and Bouquet Canyon to name a few.”

Lujan said the city spends approximately $11 million a year on its annual slurry seal and overlay road preservation project to improve city roadways and extend their life.

The city uses the Pavement Condition Index to evaluate the condition of its roads, which it said it ranked high on compared to other cities in Los Angeles County. The Pavement Condition Index uses eight factors such as assessing different sorts of cracks, rutting, weathering and uneven patches.

The International Roughness Index only uses one factor, and the Pavement Condition Index is the most commonly used measurement to determine the performance of local roads in pavement management systems, Lujan said.

“Our streets team pride themselves on keeping our city roads smooth and safe for travel,” said City Manager Ken Striplin. “Last year alone we filled more than 3,800 potholes. We look to be responsive to any road issues or concerns our residents bring forth. These can be reported 24/7 through our online Resident Service Center at santa-clarita.com/RSC.”