Larkspur's notorious roads upgraded

Tax measures fund improvements for city known for poor pavement

Larkspur, where roads historically ranked among the worst in the Bay Area, now boasts the most pristine pavement in the ninecounty region, according to a report by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

The commission, a regional planning and funding agency, scores roads in all Bay Area counties each year based on the number of cracks, potholes, patching, rutting and depressions they have.

The report, known as a pavement condition index, rates the roads on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being a newly paved road.

“Larkspur is such an outstanding example of what is possible,” said John Goodwin, spokesperson for MTC. “Not so long ago, Larkspur lagged, and now they are one of the leaders.”

Improving nine points in 2022, Larkspur's year-over-year score jumped from 76, which is considered “good,” to an 85, or “very good.”

In 2021, Larkspur advanced 11 points, becoming the only municipality to outpace Oakland's yearover-year improvement.

It's a vast improvement from when the commission called out the city with a score of 42, or “poor,” in 2017.

It's all thanks to voter approval of tax measures to rehabilitate the city's network, said Julian Skinner,

Larkspur's director of public works.

City officials went to the voters in 2013 to approve Measure C to repair roads. Then, with the approval of 2017's Measure B, the city issued about $25 million in bonds with a promise to complete the job over a five-year period.

“We have paved all 25 miles of streets in the five-year program except for three that are de