Hamilton roadway named CAA Worst Road in Ontario
By Adam Freill
Infrastructure Asphalt ConstructionAberdeen Avenue has finally worked its way down to top spot in CAA South Central Ontario’s annual review of roadways in the province.
Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton has claimed the top spot on the CAA’s list of the worst roads in Ontario, which it earned due to potholes, poor road maintenance and traffic congestion. (CNW Group/CAA South Central Ontario)
The nominations are in, and Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton is the CAA Worst Road in Ontario for 2024. This is the first year Aberdeen Avenue has claimed the top spot on the provincial list, earning the position due to its potholes, poor road maintenance and traffic congestion. It debuted on the top regional list for Hamilton in 2021 and has since climbed to the top in the province.
Taking the second and third place spots are Eglinton Avenue West in Toronto, due to traffic congestion, potholes and poor road maintenance, and Barton Street East in Hamilton, which was cited for its potholes and poor road maintenance.
The organization says that the CAA Worst Roads lists provide decision-makers with an important citizen perspective on which roadway repairs need to be expedited and key priorities for infrastructure funding and investments moving forward.
“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,” said Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice-president of government and community relations with CAA South Central Ontario. “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.”
In Ontario, residents from 145 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 (8 per cent).
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,” stated Nadia Todorova, executive director of 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.”
Ontario’s Top 10 Worst Roads for 2024
- Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton
- Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
- Barton Street East, Hamilton
- County Road 49, Prince Edward
- Hurontario Street, Mississauga
- Bloor Street West, Toronto
- Cedar Street North, Uxbridge
- Finch Avenue West, Toronto
- Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto
- Laclie Street, Orillia
Worst Roads by Region
Central— Laclie Street, Orillia
Eastern— County Road 49, Prince Edward
Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga
Niagara— Portage Road, Niagara Falls
North— Widdifield Station Road, North Bay
Southwest— Plank Road, Sarnia
Western— York Road, Guelph
Ottawa— Carling Avenue, Ottawa
