San Mateo Roads Ranked: How They Compare To Rest Of Bay Area

SAN MATEO, CA — San Mateo roads are among the best in the Bay Area, a recent analysis found.

San Mateo's 426.9 miles of roads ranked in the "good" category, according to the latest report on local road pavement conditions by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which oversees transportation planning for the nine-county Bay Area. San Mateo's roads scored 73 out of a possible 100 points for the year 2020.

This rating is slightly lower than in 2018 and 2019, where San Mateo roads received a score of 75.

Overall, San Mateo County roads scored a 71 out of 100.

Roads deemed "good" are nearing the level of wear that might require rehabilitation to circumvent deterioration, the commission reported.

Bay Area roads in general scored 67 out of a possible 100 points on average for the fifth consecutive year, according to the report.

The scores reflected the average of data from the past three years. The most recent report included data from 2020 and was released late last year.

The highest-scoring cities were Cupertino (score of 85), Dublin (84) and Palo Alto (84).

The lowest scorers were Pacifica (42), Petaluma (44) and unincorporated Napa County (45).

No areas ranked in the "excellent" category, with 90 points or higher, indicating roads were newly built or resurfaced.

The challenge is particularly great for local governments in areas with roads deemed to be in "poor" condition, with a score of 25 to 49 points.

"Because major repairs cost five to 10 times more than routine maintenance, these streets are at an especially critical stage," the commission said.

When it comes to the Bay Area's biggest cities, Oakland isn't far from the "poor" category. It ranked in the "at risk" category, with 54 points, up from 53 points in 2019.

San Francisco sat squarely in the "good" category, with 74 points. San Jose's roads were ranked as "fair," with 66 points.

View the complete 2020 ranking here.