Think your road is bad? There’s a contest for that

With the return of balmy weather comes the spring thaw, which means the return of the dreaded pothole and CAA-Quebec’s annual Worst Roads campaign.

For the fourth consecutive year, CAA-Quebec is asking Quebec road users to vote for the bumpiest, most decrepit road they know.

After a month of voting, the CAA tallies a Top 10 list, which is then passed on to concerned authorities. Over the last three years of the contest, 25,000 votes have been logged.

READ MORE: Quebecers driving mad with bad roads

CAA-Quebec spokesperson Annie Gauthier told Global News the campaign is popular because it gives users a voice.

“I think that people want to be heard, they want their concerns and expectations to be known and it’s the only initiative that allows all people in Quebec, all citizens, all road users — and it includes motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, to come and vote,” she said.

The initiative is about sending a “clear message to authorities,” said Sophie Gagnon, CAA-Quebec vice-president of communications and public affairs, in a written statement.

“We want a safe and efficient road network,” she said.

As most motorists know, driving over pockmarked roads isn’t just unpleasant, it can get expensive too.

CAA-Quebec says that in the last five years, 30 per cent of Quebec motorists have had to pay for repairs on their vehicles due to potholes, with damage varying between $100 and $500.

WATCH: Where are Quebec’s worst roads?

4:07 Where are Quebec’s worst roads?

Those numbers come as no surprise to Ross Clow of Gordon’s garage in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

“Yesterday alone, one-quarter of the cars we repaired in mechanical were all due to potholes or impact damage,” he said.

From cracked rims to blown-out tires and suspension work, Clow said Montreal potholes are keeping the garage busy.

While most Montrealers might be quick to complain about the state of city streets, spokesperson Philippe Sabourin says crews have been hard at work.

“We’re starting to catch up on potholes,” he said. “This winter, we filled as much at 75,000 potholes in Montreal. It’s a lot.”

READ MORE: Growing number of potholes in Montreal wreaking havoc on the roads

To make sure potholes are filled quickly, the city is encouraging people to use its app — found on the city website — to report any potholes.

Despite all the efforts, Sabourin admits there is still work to do.

“Actually in Montreal 40-45 per cent of our streets are in bad or very bad shape,” he said, but added the city is investing approximately $600 million for infrastructure spending in 2018 to address the problem.

To take part in the CAA Worst Roads contest, head to the website and cast your vote online.