Most Grover Beach streets are in better shape than they've been in more than a decade, but the city still has a few roadblocks ahead.
Since 2014, more than 70% of the roads in Grover Beach have been rebuilt or resurfaced, part of a push by residents who wanted city leaders to fix their streets. The Measure K‑14 projects focus on residential roads, with a $48 million price tag covered by bond funds.
“I think some of them are in, like, really good condition," said Aaron Moats, a Grover Beach resident for the past seven years. "Especially, like, these main streets [where] a lot of traffic goes down, but as you get through the neighborhoods, there's definitely some areas that are pretty neglected.”
Moats said there are still residential areas with potholes and uneven pavement needing attention.
City Manager Matt Bronson said comments like Moats' are not unexpected during the projected 26-year timeline.
“The challenge is that when we've completed as many streets as we have, it makes the streets we haven't completed in comparison look even worse," Bronson said.
He said the city had to focus on underground repairs for the last year. They hope to pick back up with road work in a few more months.
In order to complete the final part of the project, which includes some roads south of Grand Avenue and is expected in about five years, Bronson said the city still needs up to $4 million dollars.
“The cost of construction has increased, inflation has increased," Bronson said. "We do have a funding gap at the end of the K-14 program that we will have to come back to and we will find a find a way to close that gap and be able to fully fund the Measure K-14 streets.”
Living in the area for only about a year, Chris Walsh said she hasn’t had any major issues with the roads.
“I haven't noticed a lot, which probably is a good thing, meaning that I haven't been like, 'They need to work on this, or they need to work on that.'”
Bronson said all residential road repairs are set to wrap up around 2030, almost ten years earlier than originally expected.
Measuring road conditions
Road quality is measured by the Pavement Condition Index (PCI).
Before the Measure K-14 projects began, roads in Grover Beach were rated a 39 out of 100, falling into the range considered poor.
An evaluation by a consultant in 2025 showed that number had increased to 69, or fair.
According to a city staff report, 75 percent of the streets in Grover Beach are now classified as excellent, good, or fair. Twenty-four percent of city streets are in the poor and failed categories.
Work on other city streets that are considered “major streets” won’t be coming from the same bond measure but instead funded through different sources like the city's general fund and gas tax funds. Some of those roads include 4th Street, Oak Park Boulevard, El Camino Real, West Grand Avenue, Farroll Road, and The Pike.
Results from the latest community survey show roads and transportation were the most important issues to residents.
