Vent By Voting: The Worst Roads In Ontario

The ballot boxes just opened on Wednesday – but they’re already beginning to overflow as motorists cast their votes for the worst roads in Ontario.

In the early going Oshawa’s Ritson Road battled it out with Steeles Avenue in Toronto for the top spot in the CAA survey. 

“Driving on Ritson Road is comparable to off-roading,” one voter wrote in to the automotive watchdog. “A plethora of awkward potholes scatter this road … It’s bad.”

And one driver had this to say about Steeles, which took the title for worst road in 2008: “Potholes that make one think of a war-torn country.”

Rob Bradford of the Ontario Road Builders Association thinks if motorists really want their roads improved, they should take their complaints to City Hall.

“[Voting] is the first thing [people] should do,” he said. “I think they should be talking to their local councillors and mayors and telling them this is a priority.”

The theme of the the seventh annual campaign is “It’s in Your Hands.”

To check out the rest of the list, and to have your say, visit caasco.com.

Three Main Hazards Of Bad Roads

  • Hitting potholes and consistently driving on poorly maintained roads throws out wheel alignment and diminishes the treads on tires, making it harder to steer in bad weather. In turn, this increases your risk of puncturing a tire.
  • Congested roads lead to a need for increased braking, causing premature wear on the brakes and decreasing safe stopping distances.
  • Steering linkage damage causes poor steering responses, often causing the driver to either over-correct or under-steer the vehicle. This can cause drivers to lose control of their automobiles and lead to serious accidents.

Tips courtesy Canadian Automobile Association

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today