Complaints about traffic and road condition are common, but what are the worst roads in the province?
Perhaps surprisingly, only three of the top 10 worst roads in British Columbia are in the Lower Mainland, according to the results of a BCAA survey.
The stretch of road inside the George Massey Tunnel in Richmond was voted as the worst road in Metro Vancouver, placing fifth overall in B.C. The main reason cited was traffic congestion.
Next in the Vancouver area, and seventh overall, was the Patullo Bridge in Surrey. Again, the main problem was traffic congestion.
New to the list this year, said the BCAA, was Maple Crescent in Maple Ridge. This residential street was included due to poor pedestrian and cycling safety.
The top three worst roads in B.C. are all found in the Okanagan. Silver Star Road near Vernon topped the list due to its potholes and crumbling pavement, followed by Westside Road north of West Kelowna, for the same reasons. Number three was Cosens Bay Road, also near Vernon, for its pedestrian and cycling safety concerns
Overall, 1,277 separate stretches of road were identified as unsafe or hard to navigate.
Ken Cousin, BCAA associate vice president of Road Assist, said the survey was taken to raise awareness of roads that posed a problem.
“Votes tripled this year,” he said. “This says to me that British Columbians want a way to express their road frustrations and appreciate the opportunity to have their say.”
The BCAA said it plans to share complete survey results with the provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, as well as local governments, as a way to encourage improvements.
