For the first time, a Vancouver bike path has made the list of the worst roads in B.C., according to the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) annual survey.
Vancouver’s BC Parkway, a bike path, came 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 Ken Cousin, BCAA’s associate vice president of Road Assist. “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.”
For the second year in a row, West Kelowna’s Westside Road took the top spot. The road is part of an improvement project organized by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. BCAA said sections of the road have already been resurfaced.
The George Massey Tunnel in Richmond came in third place. It ranked 10th last year. It moved up so high this year due to traffic congestion. The ‘George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project’ is currently underway.
Votes for roads based on potholes / crumbling pavement, and pedestrian / cycling safety and traffic congestion more than doubled.
“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.”
Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists voted on the worst roads from April 29 to May 27. Voters mentioned 581 separate stretches of road they feel are unsafe, heavily congested or in desperate need of repair.
Top 10 list:
Rank | Road | Nearest community | Main problem cited (%) |
1 | Westside Road | West 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%) |
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