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TORONTO /CNW/ - The seventh annual Worst Roads campaign is
just past the two-week mark and Toronto roads are leading the
charge.
There are currently seven Toronto roads on the Top 20 Worst
Roads list. Those roads are Steeles Avenue, Dufferin Street,
Finch Avenue, St.Clair Avenue, Kingston Road, Victoria Park and
Lawrence Avenue.
"This is the first time in the campaign's history we have seen
this many roads in the city of Toronto lead the survey. It
demonstrates how much residents feel road infrastructure
spending is important to them," said Faye Lyons, spokesperson
for CAA South Central Ontario.
Ontarians started voting for the worst road or bridge in their
community on August 12. The campaign runs until September 30,
2009. Ballots can be cast at CAA travel stores, CAA Car Care
Centres, in select CAA-approved garages, online at
www.caasco.com/worstroads and now at the CAA booths located at
the Canadian National Exhibition. This is the first time ballots
can be cast during the CNE at the CNE. CAA is pleased to provide
this voting option since a couple of the roads (Bathurst St. and
Dufferin St.) that lead into the exhibition grounds have made
the top 20 list in the past.
You can also find us on Facebook and become a fan of CAA Worst
Roads.
"Dufferin Street is a perennial favourite and voters are showing
signs of frustration based on the comments we have been
receiving," added Lyons. "We encourage people to continue to
cast their votes for any road, bridge, highway they see fit,
we've seen success. We launched our campaign on Steeles Ave.
which once again this year is in first place. But the good news
is that we understand that the City plans on resurfacing the
entire stretch of Steeles Ave. with work beginning this fall. We
applaud this news and we would like to thank the city of Toronto
for listening to our voters."
To date, over 90 per cent of the roads that have made the Top 20
list have been or are in the process of being fixed. The
campaign has also helped generate $ 400 million for
infrastructure from the province and $ 1.9 billion from the
federal government.
On average the cost of time delays, vehicle operating costs,
accidents, vehicle emissions, vehicle repairs, commuting delays,
work compensation, and health care costs associated with excess
congestion and hitting a pothole amounted to as much as $3,000
per person each year (based on statistics from Metrolinx for a
person living in the GTA).
In addition to pressuring municipalities to access
infrastructure dollars, this year's Worst Roads campaign was
extended to also include highways and bridges. So far Highway
401 is also on track to make the Worst Roads list sitting in the
top 20 after two weeks of voting.
The campaign, sponsored by CAA and the Ontario Road Builders'
Association, will take its message across Ontario during the
seven-week campaign visiting 30 communities across the province.
CAA South Central Ontario, CAA Niagara and CAA North and East
are not-for-profit auto clubs offering insurance, travel and
roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members
in Ontario and 5 million members in Canada.
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