Not just about potholes

When you turn from Connought Street on to Carufel Avenue it looks like smooth driving ahead, not a pothole in sight.

Then the bumps start. And the dips.

After a few hundred meters it almost feels like you have been on a roller coaster.

So it came as no surprise to someone who lives on the street that Carufel is currently in first place among the city’ worst roads according to the Canadian Automobile Association South Central Ontario (CAA SCO).

“It doesn’t look that bad, but it’s just a terrible road,” said Josh Cote, interviewed outside his home on Carufel on Wednesday.

Simpson Street and Peoples Road round out the top three locally as of Wednesday morning, with voting on CAAWorstRoads.com ending Friday.

Caroline Grech, government relations specialist for CAA SCO, was in the Sault on Wednesday speaking to media about the association's annual Worst Roads campaign.

Grech said the campaign isn't just about potholes.

“We want to hear from drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and transit riders about things like potholes, congestion, bad traffic signal timing, confusing road signs. Just anything that really alters your travelling experience,” said Grech.

CAA SCO encourages anyone to vote for the worst roads in their municipality, not just members.

Grech said the intention of the campaign is not to shame.

“We’re trying to work with municipalities. We’re not suggesting they aren’t doing their job. We just want to help,” she said.

As a result of the voting, each year CAA SCO publishes a list of the Top 10 worst roads in Ontario, which Gretch admits is often dominated by roads in the Greater Toronto Area.

This year the association is also publishing Top 5 lists of the worst roads by region. Sault Ste. Marie will be featured in the same region as Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

“We did these regional lists because we wanted to give more municipalities a chance to be heard,” she said.

In last year's budget the Ontario government dedicated 7.5 cents per litre from the provincial gas tax towards infrastructure and transit, something CAA SCO would like to see continue.

“We want to see that become permanent,” said Grech.

The regional Top 5 lists will help municipalities focus on the roads that need improvement most.

If the city does work toward fixing Carufel it will be too late for Cote.

“I’m moving,” he said.

(PHOTO: Caroline Grech, government relations specialist for CAA SCO, seen April 15, 2015 in front of a sign at Carufel Avenue. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)