Whiteshell highway earns dubious honour as Manitoba’s worst road — again

A stretch of highway in the Whiteshell has been named Manitoba’s worst road for the second year in a row.

According to the results of CAA Manitoba’s annual survey, Highway 307 near Eleanor Lake earned the dubious honour, for reasons including poor maintenance and potholes.

This year’s survey results mark the first time the “top three” worst roads are outside Winnipeg city limits. Joining Highway 307 on the podium are Brandon’s 18th Street, with Highway 34 coming in third place.

Winnipeg’s worst road, in fourth place for the province overall, is Goulet Street.

In a release Thursday, CAA Manitoba’s Ewald Friesen said the attention around the annual campaign highlights some of the province’s problem roads, and can help spur governments to make changes.

“We know the campaign works,” Friesen said.

“People vote in the annual CAA Worst Roads Campaign because it gives Manitobans a platform to continue putting pressure on various levels of government to understand what roads they believe are in urgent need of repair.”

0:48 CAA Manitoba launches ‘Worst Roads’ campaign for 2023

Friesen said the rural roads appearing near the top of the list are part of an ongoing trend.

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“The results aren’t surprising, as we’ve seen more rural roads make the list over the past few years.

“Those who responded to the annual worst roads campaign have banded together to make sure rural roads are being prioritized.”

Those who use Highway 307, the province’s worst road, say it’s an unfortunate situation, as the highway leads to beautiful, natural settings and popular destinations — but first you have to get past the road conditions.

Amy Vereb of Otter Falls Resort told 680 CJOB’s The Start she’s seen increased traffic in recent years, but thankfully no accidents — yet.

“The amount of traffic coming out here on weekends, long weekends … it’s crazy. I don’t know how — knock on wood — there hasn’t been a massive accident out here.

“I don’t know what it’s going to take to have it repaved and even put shoulders on the side. … and there’s wildlife out here,” she said.

“There’s deer, there’s bear … so where do you pull over? It’s horrible.”

4:48 CAA Manitoba has released the results of its annual Worst Roads Campaign