Where Is Our Road Tax Money Going?

Neighbors, we need to pay attention to what’s happening with our roads.

The latest data from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shows El Cerrito’s pavement condition has fallen sharply—from a PCI score of 83 in 2018 to 66 in 2024, and now 65 as of July 2025. That’s a 17-point drop in just a few years, taking us from Very Good to Fair. Our three-year average PCI is now 68, which is below the median in the Bay Area.

Here’s what makes this even more troubling: this decline happened despite Measure T, our dedicated roads tax. The city raised taxes specifically to maintain and improve our streets, yet our pavement condition continues to deteriorate.

The estimated cost to return our roads to their 2018 condition (PCI 83) is now between $13 million and $27 million, as deferred maintenance becomes more expensive with each passing year.

Source: MTC Pavement Condition Report 2024
https://mtc.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-11/%20PCI_table_2024_data_11-10-2025.pdf

So the question is simple: Where is the money going?

How did our PCI fall below the regional median even though we have a dedicated tax?

Why are the city’s stated goals lower than our historical performance—and still not being met?

If you want answers, write to your council members directly and ask why our roads are deteriorating while we are paying more.

Mayor Carolyn Wysinger — cwysinger@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Quinto — gquinto@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Councilmember Lisa Motoyama — lmotoyama@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Councilmember Rebecca Saltzman — rsaltzman@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Councilmember William Ktsanes — wktsanes@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us

We deserve transparency. We deserve accountability. And we deserve safe, well-maintained roads.