From April 4 to 25, 2023, Saskatchewan road users including pedestrians, motorists, cyclists, transit riders and motorcyclists, nominated and voted for their worst, unsafe roads. The common safety concerns for worst, unsafe roads are crumbling pavement, potholes, lack of maintenance or repair, congestion, not enough signage and poor infrastructure.
Here are the CAA 2023 Top 10 Worst Roads:
- Saskatchewan 44, Eston
Major problem: Potholes - Saskatchewan 30, Eston
Major problem: Potholes - Coteau Street West, Moose Jaw
Major problem: Potholes - Highway 13: Redvers
Major problem: Potholes - Saskatchewan 5, Buchanan
Major problem: Poor road maintenance (#5 in 2022 CAA Worst Roads campaign) - Butte Street, Pilot Butte
Major problem: Potholes - Saskatchewan 9, Whitewood
Major problem: Potholes - Saskatchewan 123, Petaigan/Ravendale/Pemmican Portage
Major problem: Potholes - Highway 9, Hudson Bay
Major problem: Potholes (#3 in 2022 and 2021 and #5 in 2018 CAA Worst Roads) - Old Highway 35, White Fox
Major problem: Potholes
A total of 292 roads were nominated and voted on during this year’s CAA Worst Roads campaign. These included roads and highways from across the province that have made CAA’s Worst Roads Top 10 list in previous years such as Saskatchewan 47 Springside (#2 in 2022 and #2 in 2018), 9th Avenue Southwest in Moose Jaw (#10 in 2022 and in 2018), as well as some new additions including Regina’s Connaught Street, Weyburn’s 1st Avenue Northeast, and Wanuskewin Road in Saskatoon. The collection of roads nominated and voted during this year’s campaign indicates that Saskatchewan road users are concerned about their safety while travelling on our roads and highways, with this year’s top 10 list indicating the roads that received the majority of the votes.
The CAA 2023 Worst Roads roving reporter stakeholder and road user interviews are on the CAA Saskatchewan YouTube channel and feature City of Saskatoon’s Todd Grabowski talking about improvements to Circle Drive, Mayor Clive Tolley from Moose Jaw, who provided insight on Moose Jaw’s 4th Avenue Viaduct, Ministry of Highways Assistant Deputy Minister Tom Lees, who addressed changes to Saskatchewan 155 La Loche, which was the #4 CAA Worst Road in 2022 and the #1 in the 2017 CAA Worst Roads, avid cyclist Sarah Bilawski, who shared her safety concerns, and City of Regina’s Kim Onrait on location in Regina’s Whitmore Park – home of two of the 2022 CAA Worst Roads, Grant Drive and Mayfair Crescent.
Weather conditions, age of the roads, heavy traffic and lack of maintenance can cause road deterioration. In cold climates like Saskatchewan, the freeze-thaw cycle plays a key role in creating potholes – a problem that occurs when temperatures regularly go above and below the freezing point. When rain or snow seeps through cracks and openings in the pavement, it freezes and expands, causing the pavement to heave upward. As temperatures rise, the ground underneath the pavement returns to its normal level, leaving a cavity or hole that breaks apart with continued road user traffic over the fractured pavement.
Saskatchewan is a landlocked province and has almost 250,000 km of roads, the highest length of road surface compared to any other province in Canada. These roads, often a lifeline for many residents, are used on a regular basis for business and leisure road travel and when these roads are allowed to deteriorate, road users pay the price.
CAA Saskatchewan is a dedicated safety advocate, and the CAA Worst Roads is an online engagement campaign aimed at drawing attention to our province’s worst, unsafe roads. This year’s top 10 list of worst roads will be distributed to government and business leaders in hopes of sparking conversation and action.
Working towards better roads and safety for all road users is a priority for CAA Saskatchewan.