Are you annoyed by potholes? Tired of congestion? The Canadian Automobile Association wants to hear it.
The agency has launched its 16th annual Worst Roads campaign, the yearly shame-fest that unites Ontarians and focuses attention on the state of our roads.
A cyclist on Walker Rd. September 4, 2017 (Photo by Adelle Loiselle)
Typically, the survey hears from drivers, but this year it wants to hear from pedestrians and cyclists too.
"We're still having the same problems as year one," laughed Raymond Chan, government relations specialist with CAA south central. "Most of the complaints revolve around crumbling pavement and potholes."
This year's vote comes ahead of a survey that suggested 71 per cent of Ontario residents are concerned about the state of the roads, and 60 per cent believe repairs do not come fast enough.
Despite the frustration many drivers feel, Chan said municipal governments are listening. Improvements are being made.
"I think municipalities across the province are seeing improvements or they're trying to make improvements if and when it is possible," he said. "Obviously, from the CAA perspective, we know it isn't always possible to get to each and every road throughout a construction year or season, but they try to do the best they can."
The CAA uses the results of the vote to lobby municipalities to earmark more funding for road improvements, and some repeat offenders are getting the attention they need. However, Chan admitted that more city councils need to think beyond the next budget and ten or even 15 years down the line.
Last year, safety concerns launched Highway 401 in Chatham-Kent to the top of the list. Drivers cited the lack of median barriers and frequent accidents. Since then, the province has installed cable-tension barriers along much of the stretch between Tilbury and London.
Windsor had three entries in 2018 in the top five: Seminole Street, Huron Church Road, and Tecumseh Road East. Three roads in London also made the south-central list. They were Oxford Street East, Dundas Street, and Wonderland Road South.
In Sarnia, Plank Road ranked as the third worst road on the regional list after topping it in 2017.
A total of 3,500 roads were nominated during last year's campaign.