BCAA unveils 2013 Top 10 "Worst Roads" list

Kelowna's Westside Road, Vancouver bike path and George Massey Tunnel take top spots

BURNABY, BC, June 6, 2013 /CNW/ - The British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) released the results of its annual "Worst Roads" survey today with Kelowna's Westside Road taking the top spot. And, for the first time, a Vancouver bike path made the list.

From April 29 to May 27, motorists, pedestrians and cyclists took part in BCAA's "Worst Roads" survey. Concerned British Columbians raised their voices and identified 581 separate stretches of road in B.C. that they feel are unsafe, heavily congested or in desperate need of repair.

This is the second year in a row that Westside Road in Kelowna has taken first place. The road is part of an improvement project organized by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Sections of Westside Road have already been resurfaced over the past year.

"We recognize the road work that has already taken place along Westside Road, and based on the votes, see that road users still feel more work needs to be done," says Ken Cousin, BCAA's associate vice president of Road Assist. "By placing Westside Road at the top of the list again, road users, including a local committee dedicated to improving the road, are putting a spotlight on the need for more repairs and improvement."

Bike path makes 'worst' roads list

This year, a surprising twist occurred with Vancouver's BC Parkway, a bike path, leading the pack throughout the survey and landing in second place.

"It was really interesting to see a bike path get nominated which shows that cycling safety is an on-going concern and cyclists really see bike paths as their roads," says Cousin. "The bike path making the top 10 'Worst Roads' list speaks volumes about the need to ensure cyclists—and pedestrians, for that matter—have safe places to commute, which helps reduce the risk of traffic collisions for all road users."

Moving up in rank to fourth place this year is the George Massey Tunnel located in Richmond. The tunnel, which placed 10^th last year, made the list again for the same reason—traffic congestion. Currently underway is the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's "George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project".

Poor road design a growing concern

While poor road conditions continue to be the top problem cited, the percentage of votes made due to "potholes/crumbling pavement" has decreased from 77 per cent last year to 65 per cent this year. Meanwhile, roads nominated due to "pedestrian/cycling safety" and "traffic congestion" has increased from six percent to 15 per cent and four per cent to 14 per cent respectively.

"Throughout the campaign, we've spoken with road users and they're telling us that safety is a great concern when it comes to the state of our roads," says Cousin. "Improving the safety of all road users is a priority for BCAA, and if they feel poor road design and maintenance increase the risk of traffic collisions, we want to do what we can to help make road authorities aware about those dangerous and problematic roads in our province."

In the coming weeks, the Association will provide the complete survey results to municipalities and the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to encourage improvements.

As determined by B.C. road users voting in BCAA's "Worst Roads" survey, the top 10 'worst' roads are:

Rank	Road	Nearest community	Main problem cited (%)
1	Westside Road	Kelowna	Potholes/crumbling pavement (89%)
2	BC Parkway (Bike path)	Vancouver	Pedestrian/cycling safety (85%)
3	George Massey Tunnel	Richmond	Traffic congestion (90%)
4	Pacific Rim Highway	Port Alberni	Potholes/crumbling pavement (100%)
5	Vernon Slocan Highway	Cherryville	Potholes/crumbling pavement (96%)
6	Island Highway	Malahat	Traffic congestion (90%)
7	Indian River Drive	North Vancouver	Potholes/crumbling pavement (98%)
8	Sea-to-Sky Highway	Pemberton	Potholes/crumbling pavement (72%)
9	Harris Road	Saturna Island	Potholes/crumbling pavement (94%)
10	Todd Road	Kamloops	Pedestrian/cycling safety (82%)

About BCAA
BCAA is one of the most trusted organizations in British Columbia, serving one-in-four B.C. households. With over 800,000 Members, BCAA provides an array of award-winning home, auto and travel insurance products and services, and roadside assistance. BCAA has also received the 2012 J.D. Power and Associates award for "Highest Customer Satisfaction among Home Insurance Providers in Western Canada". Now in its 107^th year, BCAA has over $400 million in annual sales, 27 locations and over 800 employees. To learn more about the benefits of BCAA Membership, visit bcaa.com. For more information on the BCAA Road Safety Foundation visit BCAARoadSafety.com.

SOURCE: British Columbia Automobile Association

Editor's notes
For further information, or to request an interview, please contact:

Niela Melanio
BCAA Communication Specialist
Office: 604-268-5342
Cell: 778-228-8859
Email: [email protected]