York Road in Guelph named worst road in Western Ontario: CAA

A span of cracked pavement with a pothole is seen in this image dated May 25, 2023. (Submitted: CAA South Central Ontario)

Roads in the cities of Guelph, Waterloo and Stratford have ranked as the worst roads in Western Ontario.

The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) launched Ontario’s Worst Road campaign in March and the results have now been revealed.

York Road in Guelph was named as Western Ontario’s worst road, with John Street North in Stratford and Adelaide Street North in London rounding out the top three.

Waterloo ranked in fourth with Ira Needles Boulevard and Stratford received its second mention with John Street South in fifth.

CAA said its regional lists help shed light on the state of local roads and reveal the pain points for users and drivers.

“Road quality affects everyone, no matter how they move,” said Jeff Walker, CEO and President of CAA North & East Ontario in a release in March.

“We know that although there are almost 13 million cars registered in Ontario, there are also millions more cyclists, scooter riders, motorcyclists and pedestrians, all of whom struggle with potholes, crumbling shoulders, traffic congestion, unsafe intersections and uneven sidewalks.”

Barton Street in Hamilton was named Ontario’s worst road overall.

CAA launched the Ontario Worst Road campaign on March 28, with voting taking place online.

According to CAA, the results of the survey are compiled and shared with municipalities to help inform and prioritize road improvements.

“The success stories of the campaign are primarily attributed to the government's prioritization of infrastructure through multi-year capital investments,” CAA said in a release.

“These investments demonstrate the impact of proactive measures on enhancing road conditions and addressing public concerns.”

The organization said the list was verified by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario.