In hopes to make roads better, British Columbians highlight the worst

Kelowna's Westside Road is named B.C.'s "worst road" in BCAA's campaign

BURNABY, BC, May 3, 2012 /CNW/ - For three weeks, British Columbians raised their voices in order to raise awareness about some of the province's worst roads. From April 2 to April 23, close to 3,500 motorists, pedestrians and cyclists took part in the British Columbia Automobile Association's (BCAA) second 'Worst Roads' Campaign and identified 730 separate stretches of road that they believe are the worst in B.C.

Taking the top spot is Westside Road in Kelowna which was ranked 18^th in last year's survey. Prince George's Domano Boulevard and Tabor Boulevard came in at second and third place respectively.

"We've heard from all types of road users about the condition of the roads in their community or along their commute", says Ken Cousin, BCAA's associate vice-president of Road Assist. "Through their responses to the campaign, British Columbians are putting a spotlight on roads that they believe have a negative impact on their vehicles, stress levels and safety."

During the campaign, BCAA Members and other British Columbians were invited to vote for a road (or bridge or tunnel) in B.C that they feel is most in need of improvement. A road could be identified as 'worst' either because it is in poor condition, unsafe or frequently congested.

After 3,442 votes were cast, the top 10 'worst roads' in the province are as follows:

Rank	Road	Nearest community	Main problem cited (%)
1	Westside Road	Kelowna	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (87%)
2	Domano Boulevard	Prince George	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (100%)
3	Tabor Boulevard	Prince George	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (99%)
4	Station Street	Vancouver	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (95%)
5	Cosens Bay Road	Cold Stream	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (71%)
6	Massey Drive	Prince George	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (97%)
7	15 Avenue	Prince George	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (100%)
8	George Massey Tunnel	Richmond	Traffic Congestion (90%)
9	Island Highway	Malahat	Traffic Congestion (76%)
10	Pacific Rim Highway	Port Alberni (South of Clayoquot Plateau Provincial Park)	Potholes/Crumbling Pavement (86%)

BCAA would like to thank everyone who participated in the survey. In the coming weeks, the organization will provide lists of all roads that received multiple votes to the responsible municipality or the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Feedback from road authorities will be published as they are received and updates can be viewed at bcaa.com/worstroads.

About BCAA

BCAA is one of the most trusted organizations in British Columbia, serving one-in-four B.C. households. With over 790,000 Members, BCAA provides an array of award-winning home, auto and travel insurance products and services, and roadside assistance. Members can also benefit from CAA Dollar rewards, savings on BCAA insurance products and exclusive offers at Show Your Card & Save locations throughout the province. BCAA has a proud history of serving British Columbians for over 105 years, over $400 million in annual sales, 27 locations and over 800 employees. And, BCAA has been named one the 50 Best Employers in Canada by international human resource consultants Aon Hewitt five times in the past six years. To learn more about the benefits of BCAA Membership, visit bcaa.com. For more information on the BCAA Road Safety Foundation visit BCAARoadSafety.com.

or to request an interview, please contact:
Niela Melanio
BCAA Public Affairs Advisor
Office: 604-268-5342
Cell: 778-228-8859
Email: [email protected]