Orillia makes CAA's Worst Roads Top 10 list

Orillia' s Laclie Street took the number 10 spot in CAA Worst Road for 2024’s competition.

Orillia city staff recognize its poor condition, and are currently in Phase 2 of its redevelopment.

"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, 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."

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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.

In Ontario, 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," said 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," says 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

1. Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton
2. Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
3. Barton Street East, Hamilton
4. County Road 49, Prince Edward
5. Hurontario Street, Mississauga
6. Bloor Street West, Toronto
7. Cedar Street North, Uxbridge
8. Finch Avenue West, Toronto
9. Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto
10. Laclie Street, Orillia