For a second consecutive year, the 2025 CAA Worst Road in Ontario is Aberdeen Avenue in Hamilton, with Hamilton’s key artery Barton Street East taking the runner-up position.
Frustrations with potholes and poor road maintenance have kept Aberdeen Ave in the number one spot. It first debuted on the top regional list for Hamilton in 2021 and moved onto the provincial list in 2023.
Second place Barton Street East and third place County Road 49 in Prince Edward County have previously appeared on the CAA Worst Roads top 10 list six and seven times respectively.
Both roads are expected to receive significant upgrades and are in the planning stages.
However, this writer notes no entries from the CHAT Media home of Sudbury, Ont. among the worst roads (though Panache Lake Road did get a regional mention), where notorious road conditions have led to locals coining the term “Sudbury Slalom” to describe the constant swerving around potholes.
Burton Avenue made last year’s list of worst Northern Ontario roads, at which time it was Greater Sudbury’s only mention.
In 2023, Fielding Road, Panache Lake Road and Van Horne Street were included among Northern Ontario’s worst roads.
Perhaps locals are just used to it.
Tire and suspension alignment service providers have noted in previous discussions the positive impact to their bottom line from poor roads.
“Timely repairs, better communication, quick fixes, pothole funds, and using recycled aggregates are just some solutions to fix unsafe roads,” says Teresa Di Felice, assistant vice president of government and community relations, CAA South Central Ontario. “CAA continues to urge all levels of government to prioritize road safety with stable funding to do so.”
This year, participants nominated over 2,400 different roads from 208 municipalities, up respectively from 2,000 roads from 145 municipalities in 2024 – a 20 per cent increase in roads nominated and a 42 per cent increase in the number of municipalities with roads nominated. Municipalities are responsible for approximately 140,000 kilometres of roads across the province.
“For over two decades, the CAA Worst Roads campaign has given Ontarians a voice to spotlight unsafe roads in their communities and push for much-needed repairs,” says Di Felice. “This list provides a powerful snapshot to governments on where to prioritize budgets and move up road repairs, and we know that the public supports these efforts.”
CAA research shows that 26 per cent of survey respondents expressed dissatisfaction with road work projects, stating that they take multiple seasons to complete. However, 85 per cent are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction in exchange for long-term improvements.
Ontarians shared their primary reasons for selecting a road, with 84 per cent citing potholes, followed by poor road maintenance (77 per cent) and traffic congestion (15 per cent).
Ontario’s Top 10 Worst Roads for 2025
- Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton
- Barton Street East, Hamilton
- County Road 49, Prince Edward County
- Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto
- Hurontario Street, Mississauga
- Leveque Road, South Frontenac
- Highway 50, Caledon
- Sider Road, Fort Erie
- Gardiner Expressway, Toronto
- Sheppard Avenue West, Toronto
Worst Roads by Region
Toronto – Eglinton Avenue West
Hamilton – Aberdeen Avenue
Halton-Peel-York-Durham— Hurontario Street, Mississauga
Central—7th Line, Innisfil
Eastern— County Road 49, Prince Edward County
Niagara— Sider Road, Fort Erie
North— Panache Lake Road, Greater Sudbury
Southwest— Banwell Road, Windsor
Western— Dundas Street, London
Ottawa— Carling Avenue
For the complete list of the 2025 Worst Roads, please visit www.caasco.com/worstroads
The Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) has verified Ontario’s top 10 list.
Hamilton has no money for road and infrastructure repairs but can find funds for speed bumps and bicycle lanes.