Looking for a bumpy ride? Hamilton home to the 2 worst roads in Ontario, says CAA

Hamilton has the worst road in Ontario for the fourth year running, according to a Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) campaign.

CAA's worst roads list, which has been running since at least 2003, declared Aberdeen Avenue the worst in the province, with Barton Street E. coming in second. 

CAA named Aberdeen Avenue the worst road in 2024, too. According to a CAA news release Thursday, "frustrations with potholes and poor road maintenance have kept this road in the number one spot."

Barton Street E. held the worst road distinction in 2023 and 2022. Hamilton also held the number one spot in 2017 and 2018 with Burlington Street E. 

The top 10 worst roads in the province, according to the 2025 campaign, are: 

• Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton.
• Barton Street E., Hamilton.
• County Road 49, Prince Edward County.
• Eglinton Avenue W., Toronto.
• Hurontario Street, Mississauga.
• Leveque Road, South Frontenac.
• Highway 50, Caledon.
• Sider Road, Fort Erie.
• Gardiner Expressway, Toronto.
• Sheppard Avenue West, Toronto.

'Reflection of public concern': city 

Hamilton's director of transportation Carolyn Ryall said that while she hasn't had any direct correspondence with CAA yet, the city is well aware of public concerns regarding those roads and suspected they may be on the list. 

"We recognize the importance of the report and we understand that it's really a reflection of public concern. It's something that we take very seriously," Ryall told CBC Hamilton. 

She said city teams are always working to maintain roads, filling 70,000 to 90,000 potholes per year. 

Hamilton invested $190 million in the transportation network in 2025, Ryall said, including a $5 million increase in the city's resurfacing fund, which is used to patch up areas that are harder to maintain.

"We know that the city of Hamilton is aware of this and they've continued to invest in infrastructure," Brian Pirvu, a government relations consultant for CAA South Central Ontario, told CBC Hamilton. "We want to continue having those conversations with them in order to ensure that [funding]."

He noted potholes can form more easily in our polarizing climate, where the ground can freeze and thaw rapidly, weakening asphalt. "We are seeing from certain reports that the cost of maintaining roads has increased."

Aberdeen work in progress: Transportation director 

On Aberdeen Avenue, Pirvu said, Longwood Road S., Locke Street S., and Queen Street S., were intersections respondents flagged as particularly bad.

On Barton Street E., Gave Avenue N., and Ottawa Street N., were two respondents complained about. 

The city is looking to fully reconstruct Aberdeen Avenue and make it better for walking, cycling and driving, but that will take a long time, Ryall said, since it requires consultation and involves infrastructure below the surface such as water and wastewater systems. 

In the meantime, she said, the city took residents' concerns into account and worked with Coun. Maureen Wilson (Ward 1)'s office on a plan to resurface Aberdeen Avenue between Dundurn Street S., and Studholme Road as a hold-me-over. 

In recent years, she said, the city completed a $7.5-million reconstruction project on Barton Street E., between Parkdale Avenue N., and Talbot Street. Hamilton is planning to do more construction between Parkdale and Ferguson Avenue N., soon, Ryall said.

In Hamilton, the worst roads this year according to the campaign are:

• Aberdeen Avenue.
• Barton Street E.
• Main Street W.
• King Street E.
• Main Street E.

In Niagara, those roads are:

• Sider Road, Fort Erie.
• Portage Road, Niagara Falls.
• Miller Road, Port Colborne.
• Lundy's Lane, Niagara Falls.
• Facer Street, St. Catharines.

How the list is determined

To determine its list, CAA asks participants to nominate roads, Pirvu said. They can share why they're nominating them and can say what type of road user they are.

CAA said 84 per cent of respondents cited potholes as one of their primary reason for nominating a road. About 77 per cent cited poor road maintenance, and about 15 per cent cited congestion. 

Most people who submitted candidates identified themselves as drivers or people who commute by vehicle, Pirvu said, but people also noted issues from the perspective of cyclists and pedestrians. People nominated over 2,400 different roads from 208 municipalities.

CAA works with the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario, which advocates for infrastructure investment, to investigate nominated roads and confirm there are issues, Pirvu said.

They also work to reach out to municipalities and provinces to "promote solutions" such as accessing grants or using recycled asphalt to save money. Usually, Pirvu said, CAA sees those sorts of streets drop off the list once maintenance is done. 

Pirvu acknowledges that while people want well-maintained roads, maintenance can be unpopular, with CAA members reporting frustration with how long road projects take to complete.

That's a balancing act, Ryall said, and city staff try to reduce disruptions by coordinating when and where different crews will work to prevent people from getting caught in multiple detours. 

She said people with concerns about roadways can call the city and noted potholes can be reported online.