Hamilton roads make Ontario's Best/Worst Lists

[markbarbera]

Every year CAA gats the public to vote on the best and worst roads in the province. Today the CAA released the list of 20 Worst and 20 Best roads in Ontario for 2010. Here are the results:

Ontario's Worst Roads (in order of ranking)

1. Pelican Falls Rd Municipality of Sioux Lookout
2. Vermillion Lake Rd City of Greater Sudbury
3. Lawrence Ave City of Toronto
4. Finch Ave City of Toronto
5. Burlington St City of Hamilton
6. Dufferin St City of Toronto
7. Eglinton Ave. West City of Toronto
8. Ritson Rd City of Oshawa
9. McLeod Rd City of Niagara Falls
10. Welland Ave City of St. Catharines
11. Steeles Ave City of Toronto
12. Onion Lake Rd City of Thunder Bay
13. Cecelia St City of Pembroke
14. Riverside Dr City of Ottawa
15. Kingston Rd City of Toronto
16. Fourth Ave City of St. Catherines
17. Bayview Ave City of Toronto
18. Palmer Rd City of Belleville
19. St. Clair Ave City of Toronto
20. Carling Ave City of Ottawa

Ontario's Best Roads (in order of ranking):

1. Steeles Ave City of Toronto
2. Leslie St City of Toronto
3. Hwy 407 City of Toronto
4. Anne St City of Barrie
5. Red Hill Valley Expressway City of Hamilton
6. King St City of Hamilton
7. Carmen's Way City of Sault Ste. Marie
8. Dufferin St City of Vaughan
9. Harmony Rd City of Oshawa
10. Islington Ave City of Toronto
11. Hwy 6 City of Hamilton
12. Hwy 144 Bypass City of Greater Sudbury
13. Wellington St City of Sault Ste. Marie
14. Hwy 417 City of Ottawa
15. Eglinton Ave City of Toronto
16. Lakeshore Blvd City of Toronto
17. Fitch St City of Welland
18. Falconbridge Rd City of Greater Sudbury
19. Hwy 69 City of Greater Sudbury
20. Don Mills Rd City of Toronto

[padthai]

I'm surprised the flooding didn't knock the RHVP down a few notches.

[markbarbera]

From a road condition point of view, the RHVP is top notch, when not flooded out

But seriously, it has flooded out at the Barton interchange what, three times since it opened in 2007? From what I understand it was investigated and they found an issue with debris collecting in front of the storm overflow drains that was causing the flooding, and this has since been corrected by modifying the grates and ensuring debris does not collect there anymore. The last major downpour a month ago did not cause any flooding on RHVP (the one where the Kenilworth underpass for the CN line flooded out).

[realcity]

Didn't this stupid list just come out a few months ago? It's always ridiculous front page news too... and it gets everyone in a huff about spending more money on potholes instead of making this city livable for more than just smooth driving.

I see absolutely nothing wrong on Burlington St when I drive on it. And my car has 17" low pro tires on it, i feel every bump.

[bornagainbiking]

Burlington Street is crap. I drive it on a regular basis and I have 20 inch all terrains on a 4X4. I hit a pot hole today around Wentworth and I felt it. The real issue is wear and tear on a car/truck and front end alignment. it becomes a safety factor, with loose steering and suspension. We pay plenty thru gas tax and etc etc etc taxes. Federal, prov and local. So I should have a resonable ride as it cost me alot for insurance and maintanance.
Repave it. Forget downtown Stoney creek, do Burlington street.

[astroblaster]

I'll have to pay attention to burlington st next time i'm on it. didn't notice anything major when i was there a few weeks ago. any particular areas? upper or lower?

[SteelTown]

Public Works will make council consider a $12 million road work plan for Burlington St.

[realcity]

I'll pay more attention next time too. The elevated part seemed fine to me. And my office until this summer was at Burlington St and James and the western end seemed okay too.

What's worse is Mohawk Road West from West 5th to Garth, it'd be better off as a gravel road than it's condition right now. And what I don't get is they spent ten years fixing that intersection at Garth but not around it. And why can't these construction companies ever make a manhole cover level with the road?

And I gotta love the sinkhole on West 5th by Mohawk College, it's been there since about 2001 and it keeps getting worse, what does the city do? Instead of fixing it, they put up a sign indicating a 'bump in the road'.?

[realcity]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Public Works will make council consider a $12 million road work plan for Burlington St.

And this is what I'm always torn over. $12 mil!!! for a small stretch of road repaving or what else that could be spent on? Anyone know how much our Transit Terminal was $? and how much more kickass it'd be with an extra $12mil put into it?

Could $12 mil clean up a random brownfield and make it attractive to an employer?

we are a bit obsessed with smooth roads in this city, I like them them too, but should they be a priority first? Over bike lanes, better transit, cheaper transit, EcDev, two-way conversion, widen sidewalks, I don't know, maybe Bratina will get it.

[Anders Knudsen]

Originally Posted by realcity

And this is what I'm always torn over. $12 mil!!! for a small stretch of road repaving or what else that could be spent on? Anyone know how much our Transit Terminal was $? and how much more kickass it'd be with an extra $12mil put into it?

Could $12 mil clean up a random brownfield and make it attractive to an employer?

we are a bit obsessed with smooth roads in this city, I like them them too, but should they be a priority first? Over bike lanes, better transit, cheaper transit, EcDev, two-way conversion, widen sidewalks, I don't know, maybe Bratina will get it.

amen brother.

[padthai]

I've found lower Burlington Street is much worse than upper. Got a piece of metal (almost like a thick coat hanger) jammed into my back tire when merging there from Parkdale a couple of years back. Flattened the tire and busted up the wheel well pretty good. $12M sounds like a bit much considering the city budgeted $70M in total on roads for 2010. But the argument could be made that it is in such disrepair and is a major thoroughfare.

Does anyone know if there are plans to redo Main West between Macnab and Hughson? That's been pretty bad for a few years now. And especially with the bus terminal project finishing up, I think it's needed.

[SteelTown]

The high cost of fixing Burlington St is because of the heavy truck traffic. Think they'll replace the cement and new asphalt.

[mattgrande]

It's been a few weeks since I was on Burlington, but it was pretty bad in the Sherman Ave area, if memory serves.

I'm surprised King Street is on the best list. I wonder what area of King they're talking about?

[SteelTown]

I'm thinking Dundas. King St in Dundas is NICE.

[Anders Knudsen]

I doubt it - remember this is just a public vote, there's no expertise behind this. People just like King because it's the fastest way to get through a city imaginable. And as a driver trying to catch up to the rolling greens it's a bit of a thrill to drive. Until you get caught by one of the speed cameras.

[Millstone]

The Burlington St/Industrial Dr couplet is what needs the most attention. Points west of there are new concrete so you have nothing to complain about.

I don't know how Victoria Ave keeps escaping this list

Or how St. Catharines got spelled wrong on it the second time

[FRM]

The only way to get to downtown from the qew from niagara falls is to either get off before the skyway bridge and go into burlington st. or go all the way over the skyway bridge, onto the 403 (which is usually jammed). So i would imagine if Burlington St. was fixed up more people would take the shorter route and even pass by Barton and cannon st. and maybe even help with development. I have to go this way each day for work so it's something i'd like to see but i also think not having to use the skyway bridge would help a lot to help hamilton.

[adam]

I'd say more commuter traffic on city streets is exactly what we want to avoid. Commuters using the downtown as a freeway are a net drain on the area.