Supervisor Rich Desmond and his transportation project people have finished this year's round of pothole meetings. Our Newsroom elves were at the Arden Arcade and Carmichael meetings. Their assessments:

• Supervisor Desmond apologized, as usual, for the County's inability to get much done. He reported that last year's County budget had taken a small bite out of the massive road maintenance backlog (now over $1B) and asked attendees to let the Supervisors know if the additional funding should continue. He added that Measure A transportation funds will continue to 2040.
• SACDOT Director Ron Vicari spoke candidly about the County's poor pavement conditions and noted that Sacramento County, with over 80% of the population served by SaCOG (the federal and state pass-through funding agency for transportation projects) only gets 60% or less of the funds. Further, SaCOG's project priorities are not aligned with the County's. He said the County had invested additional General Funds  - $92.5M over the last 3 fiscal years - in pavement maintenance projects, thereby slowing the overall pavement deterioration a little. But he also said costs were up 28% due to inflation and severe storms. He urged people to use the 311 system to report potholes.
• County staff had helpful handouts and poster displays for the audience. The master list of current projects is at https://sacdot.saccounty.gov/Documents/A%20to%20Z%20Folder/PML/2024/PML%2004-24.pdf.

Photos of the poster boards are here:

It was nice of the County to once again come to us to explain what's going on with the transportation projects. Supervisor Desmond and his people presented a clear understanding that money spent now on maintenance is a better investment than money spent long after the can has been kicked down the road.  Favorably impressed as we are by the openness and transparency they demonstrated, though, we will let you decide whether "It's all SaCOG's fault" and whether the County bears any responsibility for what has happened over the last 50 years or more.