Manitoba’s poor roads hurting the pocket book: CAA Manitoba
The cost of driving in Manitoba is keenly felt by vehicle owners who often don’t report a claim to MPI, the 2024 CAA Manitoba Worst Roads survey indicates.
“We are hearing once again, the demand from motorists for municipalities and the province to invest in maintenance – fix our roads,” MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc said.
“We know weather wreaks havoc with our transportation infrastructure and every spring brings potholes – this year more than most. But let’s not blame this on weather, because if you don’t maintain your roads properly the potholes just come back bigger every year.”
This year, CAA Manitoba’s public survey indicated 18th Street in Brandon was the top choice for Manitoba’s worst road. That was followed by Winnipeg’s Leila Avenue, and then Provincial Road 307 in the Whiteshell.
Winnipeg had six of the top 10 worst roads. Click here to see full survey results of the worst roads, including regional breakdowns.
The CAA Worst Roads campaign provides decision-makers with an important citizen perspective on which roadways need attention, said Ewald Friesen, CAA Manitoba’s manager of government and community relations. The list helps decisions makers prioritize infrastructure funding and investment, Friesen added.
“We know that the campaign works, time and time again we see roads and infrastructure projects being moved up and budgets prioritized after the road has appeared on the list.”
The public respondents said potholes, crumbling pavement and poor road maintenance were the top issues, with some potholes being so large they posed a serious hazard.
CAA Manitoba surveyed its members about the cost of poor roads to their pocket books:
- 54% of members have experienced vehicle damage because of poor roads
- 70% paid out of pocket to repair
- only 16% filed a claim with MPI; 14% forgoing repairs
- On average, they spent $962 to repair their vehicle
- 50% paid between $500-$1,999
Damages range from:
- Suspension
- Misaligned steering
- Rims and tie rod ends (Tie rod ends are a part of the steering system)
- Flat tires
- 43% change their driving route often to avoid a bad road.
Lorenc noted that it would be unfair to put the full burden of blame for the condition of municipal streets on the shoulders of cities and towns, given the demand for infrastructure repairs outstrips their ability to raise revenues.
“Municipalities are stuck trying to fund these expensive programs – maintain the transportation networks – almost alone, but are handcuffed in their ability to raise revenues based on a taxation and revenue-sharing model struck at the turn of the century.
In the early 1900s, municipalities owned about 15% of infrastructure; today it is 50 to 60%. Yet they receive only 10 cents of every tax dollar raised, Lorenc noted.
The provinces and federal government collect the rest of the tax dollars, but bear no responsibility for funding maintenance of roads, which is the most expensive aspect of infrastructure costs, he said.
“We have to rewrite the rules of revenue raising and sharing, to give municipalities a fighting chance to properly maintain transportation infrastructure.”
