What do Austin and Baghdad have in common? Condition of roads. (transportation, stadium)

[sxrckr]

Found this.

REPORT: San Antonio has the worst roads of Texas' large cities

[Westerner92]

Around West Campus and Hyde Park, where I spend much of my time, the roads can be godawful. Most of those roads look like they haven't been resurfaced in decades, which given Austin's high traffic loads and high temperatures, has caused terrible rutting and stripping of the asphalt. And when they do resurface, they do it in small patches without stripping up the old asphalt, which leaves nice, suspension-crunching gaps around manhole covers and old potholes.

Given Austin's haphazard urban planning, shutting down roads to resurface when there are few decent alternative routes causes traffic mayhem. Given that the gas tax hasn't been raised in quite awhile, the transportation budget is actually shrinking when taking inflation into account, and I dare say Lubbock (using my hometown as an example) and a few other cities are allocated too much and Austin too little. Austin's leaders' tendencies to be anti-growth might also play a factor. Just throwing some possibilities out there.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Given that the gas tax hasn't been raised in quite awhile, the transportation budget is actually shrinking when taking inflation into account, and I dare say Lubbock (using my hometown as an example) and a few other cities are allocated too much and Austin too little. Austin's leaders' tendencies to be anti-growth might also play a factor. Just throwing some possibilities out there.

Texas highway fund - funded by a variety of sources, including the gas tax - is not a source of City of Austin street repair and maintence spending. It comes from two places - transportation user fees on Austin Energy bills, as well as the general fund.

[Weatherguy]

Although none of the large Texas cities have very good road surfaces overall, they're nothing like what you find in cold, icy climates. The worst I've ever seen was Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Just about anywhere in California is bad, but not because of weather. Surprisingly, one of the worst road conditions I've ever seen was in Santa Barbara, CA. That was in the 80s, so maybe it's improved.

What gets me in Austin is that streets get torn up for utilities, and the rough spots are left for a very long time. In my neighborhood, sloppily done patches remain until people complain enough about it.

Striping is horrible here. On some streets, you can't see the stripes even during the day.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

I see the classic Austinite deflections are in full force, not surprising. "But, but... Houston! It's worse!"

Geez. OP even stated they go there and felt it's not worse. I agree.
Why not admit and address the problem instead of resorting to Austitude?
Even so, Houston's a far larger city, of course you look hard enough you will find bad roads. But in this thread we are talking about centrally, e.g. downtown.

Originally Posted by Weatherguy

Although none of the large Texas cities have very good road surfaces overall, they're nothing like what you find in cold, icy climates. The worst I've ever seen was Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Just about anywhere in California is bad, but not because of weather. Surprisingly, one of the worst road conditions I've ever seen was in Santa Barbara, CA. That was in the 80s, so maybe it's improved.

What gets me in Austin is that streets get torn up for utilities, and the rough spots are left for a very long time. In my neighborhood, sloppily done patches remain until people complain enough about it.

Striping is horrible here. On some streets, you can't see the stripes even during the day.

Houston's bad roads are a combination of poor maintenance and climate/geography. The recent drought has been causing severe road damage; clay soil dries up and shifts and trees' roots move closer to ground level searching for water.

Texas overall is just cheap aka too libertarian/republican when it comes to upgrading and maintaining public infrastructure.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by dv1033

Texas overall is just cheap aka too libertarian/republican when it comes to upgrading and maintaining public infrastructure.

City streets in Texas are a city responsibility. I've heard Austin called a lot of things - "libertarian/republican" is a new one.

[buffettjr]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Two things really gripe me about Austin street repair in general:

1 - It takes years to complete repairs that should only take weeks.
2 - It seems that CoA has trenching machines with fresh asphalt sensors - as soon as a street has been built or resurfaced, inevitably a crew comes along & digs a utility trench across it. Then fills it in with a nice big bump in the road.

I've been generally happy with the city roads around me. There were two potholes that really bothered me for a long, long time near Flipnotics. I finally called 311 to report them and a few weeks later they were filled and it was (and is pretty nice). I think people just have to call to report a problem.

As for 2, I definitely agree with that! My street was paved nice and smooth, and a few weeks later in came the crew to do utility work leaving huge bumps all the way down the new street.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by sxrckr

Please tell us of your recent experiences with central Austin roads. Or of central Houston roads for that matter, since you've said you live in a far out burb.

The roads in the suburbs of Houston are very nice but I drive inside the loop a lot. I used to cat sit for my friend in Eastwood and go to the bars in Montrose. You can't drive on the right lane of Westheimer without seriously rattling your car. There are lots of places with uneven pavement that you have to slow way down for, not to mention the railroad crossings where you catch air going the speed limit.

I've driven all over central Austin because I've been going for the weekends for the past few months. It's nowhere near as bad as Houston.


I have a Mustang with pretty stiff stock suspension and not that much suspension travel, so I know exactly how bad the roads are.

[mayfair44]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

Around West Campus and Hyde Park, where I spend much of my time, the roads can be godawful. Most of those roads look like they haven't been resurfaced in decades, which given Austin's high traffic loads and high temperatures, has caused terrible rutting and stripping of the asphalt. And when they do resurface, they do it in small patches without stripping up the old asphalt, which leaves nice, suspension-crunching gaps around manhole covers and old potholes.

That reminds me. Few days ago, heading west on MLK, just after you drop the hill approaching Lamar, they've done some roadwork. Right to center, a manhole cover lies exposed. Didn't notice it until I was on it. The road wasn't filled in yet, so it was raised, like a lip, several inches high, and I hit it hard in my truck, since I was carrying speed going downhill. Thought it ripped the axle off. Beware.

As for all of said neighborhoods, yes, over the past few years, there seems to have been frequent digging and lousy patchwork done afterwards in too many places around here.

[dv1033]

Originally Posted by scm53

City streets in Texas are a city responsibility.

Considering money for infrastructure at both the local and state is tight, something needs to change.

I've heard Austin called a lot of things - "libertarian/republican" is a new one.

Here is what I said:
Texas overall is just cheap aka too libertarian/republican when it comes to upgrading and maintaining public infrastructure.