Bay Area ranked as having some of the roughest roads in the nation

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KTVU) - Tripnet, a national, non-profit transportation research group, has rated the nation's roadways, for big and mid sized cities. When it comes to big city bad roads nationally, San Francisco/Oakland rank first; 71% of the roads are in poor condition.

San Jose is number two with 64% in poor condition. And Los Angeles is third with 57% in poor condition.

In mid-size cities, Antioch is nation's worst, Concord is second and Santa Rosa is 7th.

People we met in Antioch on Wednesday, don't by it.

"No I don't. I've been around. I've been on worse. I've been on worse," said Antioch resident William Bishop.

"I drive a lot because I'm in sales, so I drive a lot all over the Bay Area as well as the Valley. Though I live in Antioch, I don't agree with that. I think that the roads here are pretty much comparable to everything else that I drive on," said Steve Coll.

The reason for the disparity seems to stem from the fact that the data researchers relied on is from 2016, a year before the California Legislature passed the new 12 cents a gallon gas tax which has been fixing roads for almost a year now.

"Well right now, we're starting to work on the roads. If you go up Lone Tree, you see they're doing all the roads form here to Brentwood to Oakley and around and back. So, they are working on some of our roads right now," said Antioch resident Lonnie Barnes.

On Election Day, if voters pass Proposition 6, it will erase the gas tax and additional vehicle fees.

Prop. 6 proponents say gas taxes are too high and that the money should be better managed. Prop. 6 opponents say, a quarter century of inflation since the last state gas tax increase has cut the buying power by half.  

"I would rather pay the tax and have them fix the roads so I don't have to buy tires so often," said Mr. Bishop. "No it's not, I mean because one, it not just helps with the roads, but I mean our bridges, infrastructure. We need those kinds of things," said Mr. Barnes.

But, though the most recent polling suggests the tax repeal may pass, many people remain undecided.

"I don't really have a lot of faith the Legislature takes that money and does what it's supposed to, I really don't know," said Mr. Coll.

Add up all state, local and federal gas taxes, and Californians pay just over 73 cents a gallon. The repeal would reduce that to 61 cents a gallon and delay or terminate many active road and infrastructure improvements that have undergone years of deferred maintenance.