Saskatchewan motorists, cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians have nominated and voted for their worst municipal roads and highways.

1. Saskatchewan 4, Dorintosh
2. 8th Avenue North, Regina
3. Saskatchewan 9, Hudson Bay (Placed #5 in 2018 CAA Worst Roads)
4. 52 Street East, Saskatoon
5. Saskatchewan 340, Hafford
6.  Grant Drive, Regina (Placed #8 in 2019 CAA Worst Roads)
7. Saskatchewan 33, Regina
8. Highway 13, Shaunavon
9. 20th Street West, Saskatoon
10. 3-way tie: Saskatchewan 35, Weyburn; Saskatchewan 3, Hudson Bay; Saskatchewan 9, Canora

CAA’s 2021 Worst Roads Campaign took place from April 7th to 27th. Saskatchewan road users including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists were invited to nominate and vote for the worst roads they had recently travelled on. Voting took place online at caask.ca/worstroads with one vote per road per email every 24 hours allowed. Photos of worst roads were also accepted.The CAA Worst Roads campaign did not run in 2020 due to the onset of COVID-19.

Potholes and crumbling pavement remained as the number one problem reported during this year’s CAA Worst Roads Campaign. Vehicle repair bills resulting from encountering potholes can be costly, but potholes are not the only problem when it comes to poor road conditions. Other pavement problems like cracking, rutting, and foundation damage can result from moisture, traffic, and poor drainage.

Several factors can cause deterioration of our roads - everything from weather conditions, age of the roads, heavy traffic, and lack of maintenance. In cold climates like Saskatchewan, the freeze-thaw cycle plays a large 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. Then as temperatures rise, the ground underneath the pavement returns to its normal level, leaving a cavity or hole which breaks apart with continued use of vehicles driving over the fractured pavement.

Saskatchewan is a landlocked province and has 250,000 km of roads, the highest length of road surface compared to any other province. These roads are used on a regular basis for business and leisure road travel and when these roads are allowed to deteriorate, drivers pay the price.

According to the recent CAA’s Cost of Poor Roads in Canada Study, the average Canadian driver pays an extra $126 per year, which over a 10-year period of a car’s lifespan, adds up to around $1,260. In Saskatchewan, the average annual cost per driver is $97 and totals just under $1,000 in a 10-year period. Repairing roads before they can deteriorate saves money for drivers and governments.

The purpose of CAA’s Worst Roads campaign is to help highlight problems and dangerous road conditions in the province and to encourage decision makers to address those in most need of improvements. Working towards good roads and safety for all road users is a priority for CAA Saskatchewan.

Christine Niemczyk,
Director, Corporate Communications & Public Relations
(306) 791.4327
christine.niemczyk@caask.ca