Almost every road in Calif is in bad shape -- too many folks, too much traffic, not enough money somehow. But one of the reasons there is so much traffic is that there is so much to see and do. If possible, when you drive the Avenue of the Giants, pull over, get out, and take a short hike away from the roadway and just soak up the silence under those amazing trees. If you have time and a toad, I strongly recommend the Rockefeller Grove on Mattole Road, at the north end of the Avenue. Maybe visit or call a ranger station for directions.