California is ranked as having the worst roads in the country.
Posted by Real Time with Bill Maher, Checked
- Sources
- 3 contradict3 support
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
Real Time with Bill MaherOct 24, 2026
California is ranked worst on some road-quality measures: MoneyGeek's roughness index (The Hill, citing MoneyGeek) and World Population Review both place it first for roughness. But Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report ranks it 49th of 50 overall, second-worst, not worst, and no source describes an official ranking.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… I mean, we totally agree about that, but, you know, at some point you've got to look at the record and the places where Democrats have had complete control. I obviously know most about California roads. I completely agree. I drive them the whole time. We're officially ranked as having the worst roads in the country in California, and so I think that that's right, and that's why Daniel's doing such a good job in California, because he's putting the ideology aside and just saying, "Let's clear the homeless encampments. …
Real Time with Bill Maher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. Reason Foundation's 29th Annual Highway Report, published March 2026, ranks California 49th out of 50 in overall highway condition and cost-effectiveness, with only Alaska ranking worse.[1][2][3]
Supports. MoneyGeek's Roughness Index, reported by The Hill in January 2026, ranks California as having the roughest roads in the country, with a score of 153.4 and 42% of roads in poor condition.[4][5]
Supports. World Population Review's 2026 road quality ranking lists California as number one for road roughness, with a score of 160.3.[6]
Context. The 'worst' ranking depends on the metric: California is 50th for urban arterial pavement condition per Reason, but overall it is second-worst. The post's word 'officially' is not supported, since these are private study rankings rather than an official government ranking.[1][3]
Sources
6 sources: 5 not rated, 1 tier 1
- 1Californians pay high taxes and fees for second worst ...reason.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts, context
- 2CA Highways Among Worst In The Nation, Study Findspatch.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts
- 3California's roads and bridges worsen, ranking next to last in the ...sandiegouniontribune.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, context
- 4Hoping to avoid a bumpy drive? These cities have the ...thehill.com · tier 1 · cited for: supports
- 5Road Quality by State: Best and Worst Roads 2026moneygeek.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Road Quality by State 2026worldpopulationreview.com · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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