A rural road that dips, swings, heaves in winter, is riddled with potholes and often floods has been voted as Manitoba’s worst road for the second year in a row.
Provincial Road 307 was chosen by Manitobans in CAA Manitoba’s Worst Roads campaign, an annual campaign that runs every spring. According to survey respondents, the main reasons for choosing the road include poor road maintenance and potholes.
“We know the campaign works. People vote in the annual CAA Worst Roads Campaign because it gives Manitobans a platform to continue putting pressure on various levels of government to understand what roads they believe are in urgent need of repair,” says Ewald Friesen, Manager Government and Community Relations, CAA Manitoba.
For the first time, the top three Worst Roads in Manitoba were outside of Winnipeg. They include 18th Street in Brandon in second place, and Hwy. 34, which moves up the list one spot from fourth place in 2022 to third this year.
“The results aren’t surprising, as we’ve seen more rural roads make the list over the past few years,” says Friesen. "Those who responded to the annual Worst Roads campaign have banded together to make sure rural roads are being prioritized.”
While 18th Street is in Brandon, its designation as a highway means it’s the province’s responsibility to repair it. However, media reports earlier this year stated there are no plans to repair the rutted thoroughfare.
“The results show that some roads are becoming significant pain points for Manitobans, perhaps more than our government leaders realize,” says Friesen.
In Winnipeg, Goulet Street moved up the list from tenth to fourth place to grab the dubious distinction of being the city’s worst road this year.
For the first time, Hwy. 75 in Morris makes the list, coming in at number seven.
The Top 10 are:
1. Provincial Road 307
2. 18th Street, Brandon
3. Hwy 34
4. Goulet Street, Winnipeg
5. Leila Avenue, Winnipeg
6. Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg
7. Highway 75, Morris
8. Hwy 44
9. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg,
10. Empress Street, Winnipeg
Empress Street makes a return, after dropping off the list in 2022. While a large section has been repaired and designed with new active transportation paths, several blocks of the northern section of the road remain in disrepair.
Saskatchewan Avenue falls to ninth spot after coming in second last year. The road between Route 90 and Midland Avenue was replaced in 2022, but repairs are needed for the westernmost section of the road.
“We are happy to see some roads fall down the list or fall off the list as repairs are made,” says Friesen. “At CAA Manitoba, we are here to advocate for safe transportation for all road users – whether they drive, ride, bus or walk.”
