Hamilton tops CAA’s Worst Roads list, RCCAO reiterates call for improvements – Daily Commercial News

HAMILTON, ONT. — The results are in and Hamilton, Ont.’s Aberdeen Avenue has been crowned CAA’s Worst Road for 2024.

It claimed the title due to its potholes, poor road maintenance and traffic congestion. It first debuted on the top regional list for Hamilton in 2021 and has since climbed up the ranks, states a release.

Second place went to Toronto’s Eglinton Avenue West, again due to traffic congestion, potholes and poor road maintenance, and Barton Street East in Hamilton claimed third.

“We know that the campaign works; time and time again, we see roads and infrastructure projects being moved up and budgets prioritized after the road has appeared on the list,” says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice-president of government and community relations, CAA South Central Ontario, in a statement. “For the last 21 years, the campaign has given Ontarians a voice to help them nominate the roads they believe are in need of urgent repair.”

Rounding out the top 10 are County Road 49 in Prince Edward; Hurontario Street in Mississauga; Toronto’s Bloor Street West; Cedar Street North in Uxbridge; Finch Avenue West in Toronto; Lake Shore Boulevard East in Toronto; and Laclie Street in Orillia. Ontario’s top 10 list is verified by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO).

“For the second consecutive year, RCCAO is proud to be the technical partner of the CAA Worst Roads advocacy campaign,” says Nadia Todorova, executive director of the RCCAO. “This year’s campaign revealed growing competition on Ontario’s deteriorating infrastructure amidst a growing state of good repair backlog. Long-term, sustainable funding is needed to build and maintain critical infrastructure.”

According to CAA, 145 Ontario municipalities nominated over 2,000 different roads in their communities. Municipalities are responsible for approximately 140,000 kilometres of roads across the province.

“Roads, sidewalks, and bike paths are only some of the things municipal governments fund with limited revenue sources,” says Di Felice. “It’s important for communities to share their view on what and where investments should be made. CAA Worst Roads is a forum to do that.”

Drivers accounted for most of the nominations, while cyclists and pedestrians accounted for about a quarter. Ontarians shared their primary reasons for selecting a road, with 53 per cent citing potholes, followed by poor road maintenance (52 per cent), traffic congestion (13 per cent) and poor cycling infrastructure, or lack thereof (eight per cent).

“Ontario’s economic and population growth will escalate demands on various infrastructure assets, including transit, highways, bridges, and housing,” stated the RCCAO. “Although cities strive to uphold and repair these crucial structures, the financial strain induced by the pandemic severely hampers their efforts.

“It is imperative for both federal and provincial governments to collaborate and provide municipalities with essential funding, acknowledging the growing state of good repair backlog.”

For the complete list of the 2024 Worst Roads, visit www.caasco.com/worstroads.