MEDIA RELEASE: Barton Street East in Hamilton Named Ontario’s Worst Road for a Second Consecutive Year

Potholes and Cracked Pavement Keep Barton Street East in the Top Spot on the provincial CAA Worst Roads List.

The votes are in, and the CAA Worst Road for 2023 is Barton Street East in Hamilton. Barton Street's persistent issues with potholes and severe alligator cracking in the pavement have led to its dubious distinction. The road first appeared on the top 10 list in 2019 and has steadily climbed its way to the top now for the second year in a row.

Taking the second and third place spots are roads that at one point have also crowned the top of the list, Eglinton Avenue West in Toronto and County Road 49 in Prince Edward County.

"The 2023 CAA Worst Roads campaign provides a valuable snapshot of the roads that the public perceives as pain points," said Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president for CAA South Central Ontario. "For 20 years, this campaign has served as a powerful advocacy tool, initiating dialogues with decision-makers and driving positive change for safer roads across Ontario."

Four new roads have debuted this year on the provincial top 10 list. Laclie Street, Orillia, Steeles Avenue East, Toronto, Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton and Hurontario Street, Mississauga.

Many of the roads nominated have undergone or are undergoing significant improvements. The success stories of the campaign are primarily attributed to the government's prioritization of infrastructure through multi-year capital investments. These investments demonstrate the impact of proactive measures on enhancing road conditions and addressing public concerns.

The CAA Worst Road list is verified this year by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO).

“RCCAO is proud to support and partner with this year’s CAA Worst Roads advocacy campaign to give Ontarians a platform to raise awareness about the state of vital road infrastructure in their communities,” said Nadia Todorova, Executive Director of RCCAO. “The campaign highlights once again the need for dedicated funding to address the state-of-good-repair and maintenance of critical infrastructure needed to support our growing province. I want to thank RCCAO members for their initiative to offer their technical expertise to this campaign, including the Greater Toronto Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association (GTSWCA), Heavy Construction Association of Toronto (HCAT), and the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA).”

Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2023

1. Barton Street East, Hamilton
2. Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
3. County Road 49, Prince Edward County
4. Carling Avenue, Ottawa
5. Finch Avenue West, Toronto
6. Laclie Street, Orillia
7. Steeles Avenue East, Toronto
8. Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton
9. Lake Shore Boulevard East, Toronto
10. Hurontario Street, Mississauga

Worst Roads by Region

• Central— Laclie Street, Orillia
• Eastern— County Road 49, Prince Edward County
• Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga
• Niagara— Portage Road, Niagara Falls
• North— Algonquin Boulevard East, Timmins
• Southwest— Lauzon Parkway, Windsor
• Western— York Road, Guelph
• Ottawa— Carling Avenue, Ottawa

For regional lists and historical results please visit: https://www.caasco.com/advocacy/worst-roads