LONDON

Wharncliffe Road South among 10 worst roads in Ontario

CTV London Published Tuesday, June 18, 2013 9:05AM EDT Last Updated Tuesday, June 18, 2013 6:27PM EDT

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A London road has made the list of Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads of 2013, based on a survey by the CAA.

Wharncliffe Road South is the seventh worst, according to the auto club, and it may be costing drivers in the area more for repairs.

Cinzia Marino of Autostrada Inc. says “As you're hitting those potholes, your coil springs are going up and down, causing this ball joint to bang, bang, bang. Over time, that leads to excessive wear and tear and can cause play. When that happens, your wheel starts to move, it can be very dangerous…it can be very expensive.”

The potholes and crumbling pavement is so bad that even cyclists avoid it, and businesses in the area are wondering if it’s worth investing.

Mike Dalglish of Dalmar Auto is rethinking a multi-million dollar expansion of his dealership because of the issue.

“Iwould like to build another store next door and it’s a large investment, I'm willing to step up and make an investment on Wharncliffe Road. But the city doesn't seem too interested in maintaining Wharncliffe Road.”

The city is maintaining the road - but probably not at the pace most would like.

Some work is scheduled this summer to seal cracks on the stretch of Wharncliffe from Southdale Road to Exeter Road, but that’s not the area of most concern.

The city will also do spot repairs for big potholes - meaning some maintenance is going to be carried out throughout the year.

But the worst stretch, from Langarth Street to Baseline Road isn’t scheduled for road work for another two years. Then in four years the section from Evergreen Avenue to the Thames River is set for repairs.

Many of worst roads in GTA, Hamilton

For two years in a row, Dufferin Street in Toronto has been voted the worst road in Ontario.

Over the years, Dufferin Street has made list seven times, not far behind Steeles Avenue which has made it eight times.

In fact, half of the roads on the 2013 list are from the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas.

"Over the course of the month long campaign, CAA received over 10,000 votes from across the province - the most votes to date,” says Faye Lyons, government relations for CAA South Central Ontario. “While the popularity of the campaign continues to grow, it demonstrates that infrastructure remains a critical issue for Ontarians."

Of the roads in the top 10, 90 per cent of the voters complained about crumbling pavement and pothole-ridden streets as the reasons for selecting the roads.

Ontario's Top 10 Worst Roads: