The results are in for CAA Saskatchewan’s top 10 Worst Roads Campaign and four pothole-filled streets in Moose Jaw made the list, with only one being new to the competition.
CAA Saskatchewan announced on April 30 that Coteau Street West finished in fifth place because of its numerous potholes; this street finished tied for second last year.
Also, the Thunderbird Viaduct (Fourth Avenue Southwest bridge) placed sixth because of potholes and had finished seventh in 2022; 13th Avenue Northwest placed ninth because of its pothole problems and had finished fourth in 2019; and Fourth Avenue Southwest — making its first appearance — placed 10th place for its potholes.
Highway 8 near Moosomin finished first, followed by Highway 5 near Buchanan in second and Highway 2 near Cudworth in third.
Therefore, Moose Jaw streets comprised 40 per cent of the total list.
From April 9 to 29, thousands of Saskatchewan road users — including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and passengers — nominated and voted for their worst, most unsafe roads, CAA said.
The common safety concerns for worst, unsafe roads included potholes, poor road maintenance, poor road signs or road markings, unpaved roads, traffic congestion, no or poor cycling infrastructure, or poor transit infrastructure.
The CAA 2024 Worst Roads Campaign featured Angel Blair as the roving reporter, who interviewed road users from five communities with roads that made the CAA 2023 Worst Roads Top 10 list, including Eston, Hudson Bay, Whitewood, Redvers, and Pilot Butte.
All interviews with Angel Blair are available on CAA Saskatchewan’s YouTube channel.
New for this year’s campaign was the grand prize of a $1,000 Shell Gift Card courtesy of CAA Saskatchewan. All eligible votes were reviewed, and the winner will be announced soon.
“Weather conditions, age of the roads, heavy traffic, and lack of maintenance can cause road deterioration. In cold climates like Saskatchewan, the freeze-thaw cycle plays a key role in creating potholes — a problem that occurs when temperatures regularly go above and below the freezing point,” CAA said.
“When rain or snow seeps through cracks and openings in the pavement, it freezes and expands, causing the pavement to heave upward,” it continued. “As temperatures rise, the ground underneath the pavement returns to its normal level, leaving a cavity or hole which breaks apart with continued traffic by road users over the fractured pavement.”
Saskatchewan is a landlocked province with almost 250,000 kilometres of roads, the highest length of road surface compared to any other province, CAA added. These roads, often a lifeline for many residents, are used on a regular basis for business and leisure road travel, and when these roads are allowed to deteriorate, road users pay the price.
