Spring is back and so is CAA’s Worst Roads Campaign! Time to nominate and vote for your worst, unsafe road.
It’s a sure sign of spring when the weather warms up and Saskatchewan’s snow and ice have melted, just in time for CAA’s annual Worst Roads campaign. Saskatchewan is a land-locked province and has over 250,000 km of roads, more than any other province. That’s a lot of roads to travel on, which is why CAA’s Worst Roads campaign exists: To offer road users the opportunity to nominate and vote for the roads that are a safety concern to themselves and others.
This major CAA Saskatchewan Advocacy and Safety campaign is directed at all road users including motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, and passengers. Selecting and voting for the worst, unsafe roads is available from April 9 to April 29, 2024, at caask.ca/worstroads.
One vote per road per road user in a 24-hour period is acceptable. The 2024 CAA Top Ten Worst Roads will be announced on April 30, 2024. The current top ten worst roads and campaign background can be viewed at caask.ca/safety/worstroads.
New this year! CAA Saskatchewan will award one $1,000 (one thousand dollar) Shell Gift Card through a random draw from all eligible votes. The winner will be announced on April 30, 2024. Click here for contest rules.
During the 4-week campaign, Angel Blair, who returns as the CAA Worst Roads Roving Reporter, speaks with road users living and working near five of the communities that had worst, unsafe roads in CAA’s 2023 Top Ten Worst Roads, including Eston, Redvers, Pilot Butte, Whitewood, and Hudson Bay.
Highway 44 Eston Photo credit Angel Blair
On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, Angel talks with road users from Eston, who speak candidly about their safety concerns regarding Highway 44 which was the #1 CAA Worst Road in 2023. Most residents Angel met with were not surprised to hear about Highway 44 taking the top spot in last year’s campaign. Codie Cumiskey had this to say, “It’s pretty miserable – lots of potholes and wash boardy spots, you definitely have to be paying attention and not much of a shoulder on either side.”
Rob Swyryda said, “No it didn’t surprise me one bit – you live in this area, and everyone knows from here to Glidden that it’s a horrendous highway.” He added, “With the large potholes and the hydroplaning - you don’t know if you are going to get pulled into the wrong lane of traffic or if you are going to get pulled into the ditch. It’s just a hazard, sooner or later someone is going to lose a life on this road or highway.”
Highway 30 Eston Photo credit Angel Blair
On Thursday, April 11, 2024, Angel continues the worst roads conversation with Eston motorists regarding Highway 30 which was voted as CAA’s #2 Worst Road in 2023. According to Glenn Goheen, “We are finding we are losing customers to our businesses in the community because they are openly saying I won’t travel Highways 44 and 30 to get to Eston anymore because it is too dangerous and it’s too hard on our equipment and vehicles.” He added, “That whole extended 30 is a disaster to travel and dangerous so it cuts back on people travelling to the regional park to use it for camping, golfing, and relaxing at the swimming pool - they have got so that they do not want to go there anymore because of the roads.”
Potholes and crumbling pavement have been the most prominent safety issues during the CAA Worst Roads campaigns. Cracks, general disrepair, poor signage, congestion, and unsafe infrastructure have also been identified by road users. Angel Blair’s interviews will be scheduled weekly on the CAA Worst Roads 2024 - YouTube and CAA Saskatchewan’s social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to promote worst roads nominations and votes.
CAA Worst Roads is an online engagement campaign aimed at drawing attention to our province’s worst, unsafe roads. The top ten worst roads for 2024 will be shared with stakeholders including government and business leaders in hopes of sparking conversation and action.
Working towards better roads and safety for all road users is a priority for CAA Saskatchewan.
Angel Blair
Communications Specialist
(306) 216-7362
angel.blair@caask.ca
Christine Niemczyk,
Director, Corporate Communications & Public Relations
(306) 529-8212
christine.niemczyk@caask.ca