Carling Avenue has been ranked the worst road in Ottawa, according to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).
CAA released its annual Worst Roads List on Tuesday. While the 19-kilometre road ranked as the worst in Ottawa for the 20th year in a row, it didn’t crack the top 10 list in Ontario this year.
In 2023, it ranked as the fourth worst road in the province.
Bronson Avenue took second place for the worst road in the city, followed by Bank Street, Hunt Club Road and Merivale Road, respectively.
The results are based on data from 145 Ontario municipalities, who nominated over 2,000 different roads in their communities. The survey collects anecdotes from regular road users, but tries to highlight those experiences in a way that gets the attention of politicians.
Drivers accounted for most of the nominations, while cyclists and pedestrians accounted for about a quarter. 53 per cent cited potholes, followed by poor road maintenance (52 per cent), traffic congestion (13 per cent) and poor cycling infrastructure, or lack thereof (8 per cent) as their primary reasons for selecting their road.
The City of Ottawa has made a number of efforts to improve Carling Avenue, with many residents complaining of a large number of potholes and dangerous conditions for pedestrians.
The city says it is undertaking the preliminary and detailed design for a renewal of Carling Avenue, Churchill Avenue North and Kirkwood Avenue, with construction expected to start this summer. Sidewalk renewal and cycling facilities will be updated as part of the work.
The worst road in Ontario was Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton, followed by Eglington Avenue in Toronto taking second place and Barton Street East in Hamilton in third.
The only eastern Ontario road to make the top 10 list this year was County Road 49 in Prince Edward County, ranking fourth overall.
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