CAA campaign invites Ontarians to vote on worst roads

THORNHILL, ONT. — Ontarians are being given the opportunity to voice their concerns about the worst roads in their community as voting is now open for the annual CAA Worst Roads campaign.

The campaign, run by CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO), will serve to inform decision-makers across various levels of government which roadway improvements are top of mind for road users and where improvements could be prioritized, indicates a release. Ontarians can vote on issues ranging from congestion, potholes, poor road signs and the timing of traffic lights to pedestrian and cycling safety.

According to the 2019 Canadian Infrastructure Report Card, a concerning amount of municipal infrastructure is in poor or very poor condition, the release states, adding it also highlights spending $1 on pavement preservation may eliminate or delay spending $6 to $10 on costly repairs later.

CAA’s research also shows more than 80 per cent of Ontarians say poor road conditions such as cracks in pavement (89 per cent) and potholes (82 per cent) are still the most common issues in their neighbourhoods.

“We know that through CAA’s research, almost three quarters (72 per cent) of Ontarians are venting about the state of our roads to either their spouses, friends or co-workers and not always to local government officials,” said Teresa Di Felice, AVP government and community relations, CAA SCO, in a statement. “As we kick off another year of the CAA Worst Roads campaign, we are calling on all Ontarians to vote for their Worst Roads today and join the community of drivers, cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians committed to improving Ontario’s roads.”

Once the voting is complete, CAA will partner with the Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) to verify and compile a list of the top 10 Worst Roads in Ontario, along with the top five Worst Roads in regions across the province.

The list will be presented to local and provincial officials to help inform future funding and planning decisions.

“The goal of the CAA Worst Roads campaign is to get roads repaired in a timely manner by working in partnership with government to invest in road maintenance, repair and replacement,” said Bryan Hocking, CEO of ORBA. “The Ontario Road Builders’ Association’s role in this campaign is a technical one. We will assess each road on the list, offer a life cycle analysis, and analyze how long the road can last in its current condition and offer an explanation for its deterioration.”

Nominations for CAA’s Worst Roads are open until April 19. For more information visit caaworstroads.com.