Silver Star tops BCAA 'Worst Roads' survey; West Kootenay roadways shut out
By Contributor
After hitting a record number of votes this year, the British Columbia Automobile Association’s (BCAA) fourth annual “Worst Roads” survey names the province’s Top 10 ‘worst’ roads.
Three Okanagan roads top the list; with roads in Richmond, Surrey, Maple Ridge and Vancouver Island also taking spots in the Top 10.
Honoured with the dubious title of being the ‘worst’ road in the province is Silver Star Road near Vernon, followed by Westside Road near West Kelowna and Cosens Bay Road near Coldstream.
This year, concerned motorists, cyclists and pedestrians identified a record 1,277 separate stretches of road across the province that they feel are unsafe or difficult to navigate. Votes citing traffic congestion as an issue increased significantly.
New to this year’s Top 10 “Worst Roads” list are McKenzie Avenue in Victoria for traffic congestion, and Maple Crescent, a residential street in Maple Ridge, for ‘pedestrian/cycling safety’ issues.
“Votes tripled this year. This says to me that British Columbians want a way to express their road frustrations and appreciate the opportunity to have their say,” says Ken Cousin, BCAA’s associate vice president of Road Assist.
At the same time, Cousin is quick to point out that this survey is not about criticizing government.
“It’s about safety and helping people to raise awareness of problem roads. We all play a role in being safe on our roads. For drivers, pedestrians or cyclists, it’s about being mindful, following the rules of the road and watching your behaviour.”
In the coming weeks, BCAA will share the complete survey results with municipalities, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and other road authorities to encourage improvements.
Visit BCAA’s website, bcaa.com/worstroads to see the 2014 Top 10 “Worst Roads” list and get tips on how to stay safe on the road when faced with issues such as dangerous potholes, traffic congestion or roads shared by motorists and cyclists.
Other highlights:
- Congestion concerns up – A record 24 per cent of votes cast this year cited traffic congestion as an issue, compared to last year’s 14 per cent and 11 per cent in 2012.
- Potholes down – The percentage of votes citing ‘potholes/crumbling pavement’ has been decreasing over the past few years.
- Okanagan roads rule the “Worst Roads” list – Five Okanagan roads made the top 10, including the worst three.
- Multiple stretches of road make the list – For the first time, different portions of one road have taken multiple places. ‘Winner’ for the previous two years, Westside Road near West Kelowna, takes second, fourth and ninth spots this year.
As determined by British Columbians in BCAA’s “Worst Roads” survey, the top 10 ‘worst’ roads are:
Rank
Road
Approximate geographical location
Main problem cited (%)
1
Silver Star Road
Vernon
West of Greenway Road, about 16 km west of Vernon
Potholes/crumbling pavement (95%)
2
Westside Road
West Kelowna
About 40 km north of West Kelowna, near Attenborough Road
Potholes/crumbling pavement (84%)
3
Cosens Bay Road
Coldstream
About 14 km south of Vernon
Pedestrian/cycling safety (63%)
4
Westside Road
West Kelowna
About 17 km north of West Kelowna
Potholes/crumbling pavement (86%)
5
George Massey Tunnel
Richmond
Traffic Congestion (96%)
6
McKenzie Avenue
Victoria
At Highway 1
Traffic Congestion (96%)
7
Patullo Bridge
Surrey
Traffic Congestion (85%)
8
Maple Crescent
Maple Ridge
At Lorne Ave
Pedestrian/cycling safety (93%)
9
Westside Road
Vernon
About 35 km west of Vernon, near Chief Saddleman Road
Potholes/crumbling pavement (83%)
10
Island Hwy
Malahat
About 2 km south of Shawnigan Lake Road
Traffic Congestion (80%)
