CAA launches worst roads campaign in Windsor-Essex

A pot hole can be seen on a Windsor road, Friday, March 14, 2014. (Rich Garton/ CTV Windsor)

Do you know where the worst road is in Windsor or Essex County?

Each year, CAA asks drivers, cyclists, transit riders and pedestrians to nominate bad roads as part of the ‘CAA Worst Roads campaign’, which helps to influence change for Ontario roads.

Over the years, CAA has heard about potholes, congestion, poor road signs and other safety concerns, which then helps the company to continue the dialogue with multiple levels of government to pave the way for safer roads.

While there were no Windsor-Essex roads on the Top 10 list of worst roads in 2024, in the regional breakdown Tecumseh Road East, Lauzon Parkway, and University Avenue West were listed as bad roads in Windsor.

The City of Windsor has since focused on the worst roads locally to make improvements, including $18-million in construction to Lauzon Parkway that started last year in phased work, and $20-million in construction that recently began on University Avenue between McEwan Avenue and Salter Avenue.

Brian Pirvu, Government Relations Consultant for CAA South Central Ontario, says Windsor is trying to address the roads that need fixing.

“We have our top 10 provincial list, and then we have regional lists throughout the province, and Windsor has got a few spots on the southwest regional list, but we do know that the City of Windsor is well aware of this, and they’re prioritizing road infrastructure projects, and hoping to get those roads fixed as soon as possible.”

He says road work is now underway on University Avenue West.

“It’s about $20-million in road reconstruction for University Avenue West, and it has been on our regional list since 2021, so we’re very happy to see that the City of Windsor is prioritizing that.”

Pirvu says the cost to repair vehicles damaged from these roads has risen.

“It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased in Ontario over the years, and just off of our survey we’ve seen that the average cost to repair a vehicle after being damaged by a pothole is about $900, about $81 higher then when we asked the respondents last year the same question.”

A survey by CAA completed earlier this year found that 85 per cent of the respondents are concerned about the state of their roads.

Those interested in nominating a road can do so on the CAA website. Nominations can be submitted until April 18.

-By AM800’s Meagan Delaurier and Patty Handysides.