CAA campaign wants drivers, cyclists, pedestrians to pinpoint 'abysmal' infrastructure
The annual online campaign is in its 7th year
It's time for CAA's annual worst-roads survey, but this year the organization is taking a bit of a detour from its regular route: The automobile association is looking for feedback from pedestrians and cyclists as well as drivers.
CAA Manitoba spokesperson Liz Kulyk says the intent is to look at the overall conditions and infrastructure for transportation, not just the potholes that infuriate drivers.
"Even though I suspect that whether you ride the bus or you ride your bike, potholes are probably your pet peeve, too …we're hoping to spread it out a little bit more," she said.
"The cycling community, through conversations that we've had with them in weeks and months past, they have a lot of thoughts about what we can do to make Winnipeg a better community for people that choose to ride their bike."
This marks the seventh year of the month-long online campaign, which is being launched this morning.
It is intended to raise awareness of the poor conditions of roads — and now sidewalks — in the province, with the results to be released in April and passed along to government leaders for review.
"Involving all these groups is going to help make that voice louder," Kulyk said.
'Safety and health issue'
Connie Newman, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, says smooth roads and sidewalks are especially important to older people and those with mobility challenges.
She said potholes can cause undue pain for those with hip and knee problems, and uneven sidewalks are at times impassable for those using walkers, wheelchairs and scooters.
"Our population — like our road infrastructure — is aging and older Manitobans are relying on other modes of transportation more than ever," she said.
"If the bus route I need to take to where I'm going is in disrepair, it isn't just an inconvenience, it's a safety and health issue."
Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, is glad cyclists will get the chance to weigh in during this year's campaign.
"It's going to be something that we're going to be able to look at and push the city to make improvements," he said.
One of the worst problem spots in the city for cyclists, he says, is the overpass at Pembina Highway at Stafford Street.
"It's really narrow if you're going through the underpass, the lanes really constrict in on you, and the pavement at the bottom gets really treacherous," he told CBC News. "When you're down there, the cars feel really close, there's a lot of traffic, and it's just scary."
Pinpoint trouble spots
CAA's website includes drop-down menus with choices that include everything from crumbling sidewalks to whether cyclists have enough room on the road. Voters can also pinpoint the locations on a map
"We're asking people to drill down to a specific section. I work outside Empress Street and if you've driven down it lately, you'll know it's in abysmal condition," Kulyk said. "But now you can choose the section you think needs to be addressed first."
St James Street in Winnipeg was ranked either No. 1 or No. 2 in the first four years of the annual campaign but was finally addressed and fell to 10th in 2016.
Last year, Highway 239 in Faulkner, just east of Steep Rock, was awarded the crown, while Highway 353 in Brookdale, northeast of Brandon, was second, and Dugald Road in Anola was third.