By Heather Rose
For the second year in a row, Toronto’s own Steeles Avenue has been voted the worst road in the country by Canadians.
The list of the 20 worst roads, released by the Canadian Automobile Association and the Ontario Road Builders’ Associaton, was the result of votes for the road, highway or bridge Canadians said they want fixed the most. Out of almost 10,000 votes, it is the highest number of responses yet for the seven-year contest, emphasizing the need for change as Transport Canada estimates that over 350 fatalities and 25,000 injuries can be directly attributed to poor road quality each and every year.
The news comes as hardly a surprise to many Torontonians, as Steeles Avenue is known for its myriad of potholes, cracks and bumps along the way, and “jawbreaking” and “dumpy” are among the comments regarding the road on the CAA’s website.
Poorly maintained and substandard quality roads can bring with them an infinite number of problems and issues that can have an effect on the smallest areas of everyday life, including a car or a home near these roads. They can cause costly and detrimental wear and tear on a vehicle and its brakes, steering and tires, exponentially so if a resident is driving around a neighbourhood of shoddy pavement or commuting each day. This damage can then lead to decreased safe stopping distances, slow steering responses, and congestion, all of which can result in the endangerment of other drivers and pedestrians. Congestion also leads to idling vehicles, which can produce up to 77 per cent more greenhouse gas emissions than non-congested traffic. Living near this congestion can also lower housing prices, and will also result in increased air pollution and noise. Weaker pavement is especially susceptible to potholes, which wreak havoc on a car’s muffler, wheel rims, and suspension components.
Municipalities are authority for most roads in Ontario. Along with the usual snow removal, routine road inspections and pothole repair are also among their responsibilities. Successful claims against the municipalities for damage to a car or home are possible as long as they are put on notice within 10 days of the incident. In 2003 for example, the City of Toronto paid $110, 000 in pothole claims to drivers. Bad roads waste money in other ways too – the longer the delay in road maintenance the higher the eventual cost. They can also have an effect on insurance rates.
The edges of a road are often the first parts to go, crumbling at the sides where cyclists ride or in less busy areas, people often walk. The CAA advises drivers to be cautious on wet roads as the water can hide imperfections and potholes, as well as making sure tires are properly inflated to minimize damage or the risk of completely blowing out, especially in residential areas.
Heather Rose is a Toronto based Journalist, who is a regular contributor to the Muddy York Real Estate Blog.
