Wade Paterson
Black Press
For the second year in a row, the British Columbia Automobile Association has named Westside Road the worst road in the province.
Westside Road earned about 250 of the 2,000 votes in the third annual BCAA Worst Roads survey.
The total was about 100 more than second place B.C. Parkway, a bike path in Vancouver.
Ken Cousin, BCAA’s associate vice president of Road Assist, said the survey is done to put a spotlight on some of the most troublesome roads in the province.
“We know that poor roads create unsafe situations for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Improving road safety for B.C. is a top priority for BCAA.”
In 2012, the province committed $4.5 million for the realignment and widening of two sections along Westside Road: Near Blue Grouse Road and at Cinnabar Creek.
“Our objective is not to dismiss the good work that’s going on,” said Cousin.
“Based on the votes, (we) see that road users still feel more work needs to be done.”
Voters identified 581 separate stretches of road in B.C. they felt were unsafe, heavily congested or in desperate need of repair.
Eighty-nine per cent of those who voted for Westside Road cited potholes and crumbling pavement as the top concern.
In the coming weeks, the association will provide the complete survey results to municipalities and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to encourage improvements.
