5 Hellish Roads In Ottawa That You'll Want To Avoid Like The Plague This Year

Ottawa has landed itself on another big list for 2022 — but it's not exactly something to celebrate. Apparently, the country's capital has some of the worst roads in the province, and potholes are a big part of the problem.

Two local roads, in particular, made the Canadian Automobile Association's top 10 worst roads list, released on June 7. Carling Avenue took the fifth spot, and Bronson Avenue came in at number nine — which may be no surprise if you live in Ottawa.

Carling Avenue is widely known for its severe cracks and bumpy ride. This is the fourth time the 19-kilometre stretch from Kanata to downtown made the list. Last year, Carling Avenue was actually ranked second place for all of Ontario — so at least it's been knocked down a few spots (that's progress, right?).

"While traffic conditions and road usage changes every year, making it hard to predict where the next worst road will be, Carling Ave has always been in the top 10 in Ontario," reads a CAA press release.

Next, at number nine, is Bronson Avenue. This road extends from the Macdonald–Cartier International Airport, passes Carleton University and goes into downtown. Some people taking to social media say that Bronson Avenue has become worse in 2022 since at that spot there is a left turning lane. Others say many roads in Ottawa are just bad.

Both Ottawa roads beat out Toronto roads like Eglinton Avenue East and Finch Avenue West, which have some sections undergoing major construction right now.

The top five worst roads in Ottawa

The CAA also included the top five worst roads in different regions of Ontario. Here are the top five worst roads in Ottawa.

Winning first and second place are Carling Avenue and Bronson Avenue, which are the two streets that secured spots for all of Ontario.

Scoring third place is Hunt Club Road. In 2021, Hunt Club Road ranked as Ontario's sixth-worst road, according to the CAA. Although Hunt Club Road is no longer considered one of Ontario's worst drives, it's still a nuisance for Ottawans. Baseline Road follows next, in fourth place.

Last but not least, Innes Road takes the fifth spot. Dropping from its rank as Ontario's eighth-worst road in 2021, Innes Road escapes the provincial top 10 but still is considered one of Ottawa's worst roads at number five.

Nearly half, 43%, of Canadian roads are rated below average, according to the CAA survey.

“This year’s Worst Roads campaign once again solidified the fact that although much work has been done across the province to maintain and repair Ontario’s roads, greater investment is needed to tackle the staggering municipal infrastructure deficit in Ontario,” said Bryan Hocking, CEO for the Ontario Road Builders' Association, in a press release.

The CAA's worst roads list is the result of its worst roads campaign, aiming to spotlight Ontario's bumpiest roads in hopes of encouraging governments to improve them. Participants voted for more than 3,000 Ontario roads from March 22 to April 19.

There you have it! The top roads in Ottawa to avoid on your daily commute.

This article's right-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.