Ontario’s
second and fourth largest cities can’t claim to be the home of the
province’s worst road, but they’re not slouching either. Ottawa owns
both the number two and seven spots on the top 20 crappiest streets
at www.worstroads.ca --
Hamiltonians can cheekily say they only drive on the ninth and
sixteenth worst. What are these big burgs doing about it?
Ottawa’s #2
showing is Carling Avenue, where according to the Municipal Roads
Coalition “band-aid repairs have fallen far short of the major
rehabilitation that is needed. Ottawa voters also cite congestion as
a severe aggravant on this major street that parallels the Queensway
(Hwy. 417).”
One voter
commented “Numerous cracks in the pavement and heaving create a
pathetic driving situation. This road is worthy of third world
thoroughfare. What a disgrace for our Nation’s capital.”
The City of
Ottawa’s acting director of infrastructure services, Wayne Newell,
says of Carling Avenue’s 19 kilometer length, three klicks are due
to be rehabilitated in 2006. The road unfortunately was built with a
concrete base -- a problem in cold climates. A long-term fix would
be ideal, but Ottawa is considering Carling as a possible route for
an east-west light rail line, he says.
Worst road
voters in the capital also cited Limebank Road, a two-lane,
formerly rural road, which one driver describes as having “horrible
traffic conditions during rush hour, poor lighting, hazardous during
rain or snow, no real shoulder.”
Newell says
widening is contemplated for a 4.9 kilometer stretch, but not before
2008. Some of the road may be resurfaced in 2007, but it depends on
how much city council will direct to road repairs.
Based on a
$8-billion valuation of Ottawa’s 5,500 kilometers of roadway, at
least $80 million yearly is needed to keep up with repairs. The city
invests between $50 to $60 million a year. He says that since the
new city amalgamated in 2001, Ottawa’s total road reconstruction
shortfall is about $100 million.
Hamilton also
became one of Ontario’s new mega-cities in 2001, getting the
“a-mangle-mation” treatment by the former provincial Tory regime.
This hurting industrial city has accumulated a deficit of about $120
and $140 million in road repairs. Like many places in the province,
its time to fix all those roads and bridges built decades ago in the
glory days of motoring.
Worst roads
voters described Hamilton’s Buchanan Avenue as “A patchwork of loose
asphalt filler. Unable to ride a bike down the street. Pieces of
asphalt breaking off all over.”
Of Fennell
Avenue East, one Hamilton driver declared the “east bound curb lane
has got to be the best news for local (repair) garages. Bone-jarring
holes, sunken manholes and patch upon patch upon patch!”
Gerry Davis,
Hamilton’s director of capital planning and implementation, says
Buchanan and Fennell “are definitely on our list for repair. Were
they the worst in the city? No, I wouldn’t say so.” He says crews
have to rehabilitate Fennell Avenue, a major arterial, by 2007 or
“we will lose the road which means I’m going to have to replace it
or I’m going to spend a lot more dollars on maintenance.”
Buchanan is due
for replacement in the next three years, “but we’re also doing the
water and sewer underground, all at the same time.” He warns however
that “we have a list of over a hundred (streets) that we should do
-- we can only get to 50 or 60 because of the resources available.”
He points out
“The worst road in the city may not get addressed this year because
it has very limited traffic volume, the water and sewer that are
under the road are in good shape, and again the obvious reason is we
don’t have enough money, so we may not do that one.”
By Ed Drass
edrass@nationalpost.com
ONTARIO'S WORST
ROADS FOR 2005
Toronto, Ontario
(November 15, 2005) -- Twenty roads have earned the dubious
distinction of being named the worst in Ontario for 2005.
Released
officially today by the Municipal Roads Coalition, the municipal
roads and streets judged to be among the most congested, dangerous,
and/or poorly maintained in the province are:
Number
Worst Road Municipality
1. Steeles
Avenue West Toronto/Region of York
2. Carling
Avenue -- City of Ottawa
3. Albert Street
Township of Norwich
4. Division
Street -- City of Kingston
5. Western Road
-- City of London
6. Paris Street
-- City of Greater Sudbury
7. Limebank Road
-- City of Ottawa
8. Oliver Road
-- City of Thunder Bay
9. Buchanan
Avenue -- City of Hamilton
10. Bathurst
Street -- City of Toronto
11. John Counter
Blvd. -- City of Kingston
12. Welland
Avenue Region of Niagara
13. Blackwell
Road -- City of Sarnia
14. King Street
-- City of London
15. Laurier
Crescent Town of Kapuskasing
16. Fennell
Avenue East -- City of Hamilton
17. Mapleview
Drive -- City of Barrie
18. Carleton
Street -- City of St. Catharines
19. Notre Dame
Avenue -- City of Greater Sudbury
20. MacLean
Drive -- City of Timmins