Waterloo Region's Worst Roads

[Greg Moore]

Waterloo Region's Worst Roads

It's that time of year again when driving across the region may mean you take extra time. You don't take certain routes because some of the potholes are so bad. Yesterday I almost knocked my dentures out on Glasgow St between Westmount Rd and Belmont Ave, and I don't even wear dentures.

Driving Glasgow St from Inwood Dr to Eden Ave is the equivalent of track and field's hurdles. You have go drive ridiculously slow as to not risk damage to your vehicle. By ridiculous, I mean under the 40 km/h limit. There a major potholes, one even being marked by a temporary road sign, and undulations that resemble ski hill moguls more than roads.

What are your nightmarish streets?

[neonjoe]

Bleams between Strasburg and Homer Watson with the frost under the road its probably one of the bumpiest I've seen its almost possible to get some air time.
Blockline Rd, the entire thing = HORRIBLE!

[KLM]

Huron Road , from Fisher-Hallman to Strasbourg ,potholes plus uneven surface.

I agree with neonjoe with streets mentioned.

[mpd618]

Albert Street is pretty bad.

[Urbanomicon]

Blockline Rd, the entire thing = HORRIBLE!

QFT.

I would also like to add Groh Ave. in Cambridge.

[WaterlooNative]

There are more than a few bad streets that I've driven. I wonder how much maintenance and repair has been deferred for the sake of keeping property taxes down? I believe the City of Waterloo has something like a 20 year backlog, mainly because so many resources have been diverted to pay off RIM park. On a happier note, the cost of asphalt is tied to the price of oil, so that shouldn't hurt budgets at all this year.

In addition to roads, what about poorly maintained, or poorly connected sidewalks and trails? Nothing is more frustrating then reaching a sign that says, "Trail ends. Trail continues in 1.5 kilometres." The implication is that walking along the shoulder of busy road should not be a problem.

[mpd618]

In addition to roads, what about poorly maintained, or poorly connected sidewalks and trails? Nothing is more frustrating then reaching a sign that says, "Trail ends. Trail continues in 1.5 kilometres." The implication is that walking along the shoulder of busy road should not be a problem.

That could get its own thread, and spend many pages discussing just the sidewalks that don't exist (http://psystenance.com/2009/09/21/missing-sidewalks-in-kitchener-waterloo/) (self-link), let alone the ones that are not up to par.

[dscassel]

Glen Forrest, especially right at Tollgate, is pretty terrible right now.

But the trail that crosses Glen Forrest there is lovely. (It does get a bit waterlogged behind Cedarbrae school in a thaw, though. It would be nice if it was paved.).

[garthdanlor]

Lots of bad streets this year. Glasgow near Westmount is a minefield. The end of Belmont (near St Mary's) is another atrocious section, and Pleasant near Stirling has a couple of massive, wheel destroying potholes! Many, many more that could be mentioned...

[Section ThirtyOne]

There is a wicked pothole right around the front entrance of Sole on Father David Bauer Drive. Beware, as it's a doozy.

Thankfully the street will be repaved this year, along with removal of the utility poles and some new lighting features.

[Duke-of-Waterloo]

Sunshine Avenue in Waterloo is arguably one of the worst. This is downright embarassing.

[KevinL]

Blockline Rd, the entire thing = HORRIBLE!

Agreed. When the put in the bike lanes a decade ago, they resurfaced (NOT repaved), and as far as I can tell have done nothing since. It's in BAD shape.

[Rowe]

Westmount.

Everything about it.

[Waterlooer]

Sunshine Avenue in Waterloo is arguably one of the worst. This is downright embarassing.

I would say that's the worst, but it's not needed like other main streets.

[bzmwillemsen]

Glasgow!
->The 40km/h speed limit
->The horrible condition it's in
->The horrible way it has been developed compared it's potential
->The horrible way it 'ends' at park st.
Hate it!

[.FLH.]

Sunshine Avenue in Waterloo is arguably one of the worst. This is downright embarassing.

I don't think that road is even used anymore... it doesn't go anywhere lol.

[KevinL]

Sunshine Avenue in Waterloo is arguably one of the worst. This is downright embarassing.

Honestly, I hesitate to call that a 'road'. All the same, pavement that bad should be either ripped up or replaced.

[Brando_T]

Glasgow!
->The 40km/h speed limit
->The horrible condition it's in
->The horrible way it has been developed compared it's potential
->The horrible way it 'ends' at park st.
Hate it!

While the 40 km/hr speed limit is somewhat understandable between Westmount and Belmont (with a elementary school along this stretch) I truly do not understand the speed limit between Westmount and Fischer-hallman. The 40 km/hr speed limit is also heavily enforced by WRPS on this stretch also.

Further, condition between Knell street and Westmount is horrible. Poor pavement quality, poor drainage, sidewalks on one side only, no pavement markings. This was the stretch of road where Canada Post stopped delivery to the houses without sidewalks, due to safety concerns for letter carriers.

[Greg Moore]

While the 40 km/hr speed limit is somewhat understandable between Westmount and Belmont (with a elementary school along this stretch) I truly do not understand the speed limit between Westmount and Fischer-hallman. The 40 km/hr speed limit is also heavily enforced by WRPS on this stretch also.I believe it's probably that way because the golf course and residents want it bumpy and slow. The road is so terrible you have to drive slow or you risk damaging your car. If it were newly paved, like the section between Knell and Fischer-Hallman, people would drive 80 along there because it is so wide. It is a good to deter speeding, but a terrible method.

Hopefully soon it will be repaved, adding sidewalks and bike lanes to both sides between Knell and Westmount.

[1231]

.

[BM6]

Huron Road , from Fisher-Hallman to Strasbourg ,potholes plus uneven surface.

I agree with neonjoe with streets mentioned.

Agree with both. Wellington too is bad, but not just the part mentioned above, but the entire thing.

But huron is the worst for me, since i drive on it everyday. In slick weather it is more than just a rough ride, it's dangerous too.

[bzmwillemsen]

I believe it's probably that way because the golf course and residents want it bumpy and slow. The road is so terrible you have to drive slow or you risk damaging your car. If it were newly paved, like the section between Knell and Fischer-Hallman, people would drive 80 along there because it is so wide. It is a good to deter speeding, but a terrible method.

Hopefully soon it will be repaved, adding sidewalks and bike lanes to both sides between Knell and Westmount.

I hope that it will get repaved and rezoned for medium rise residential and mixed use for Avondale to Park.

Also, any chance that Glasgow will ever get extended to King?
If it did it would obviously need a slow speed limit with the 2 schools.

[dunkalunk]

I don't really see much of the point of extending Glasgow to King. There is nothing on the other side of King for Glasgow to connect to due to the Cemetery. And while road standards on Glasgow could be improved, it should not be to make it a thoroughfare for through traffic. Glasgow/Wellington has been identified in Kitchener's cycling master plan as a main east-west corridor for cyclists, and a trunk bus route could serve the same corridor with similar light timing.

If I had to pick a street in the region that was by far the worst, it would be Albert between University and Bridgeport. This street seriously needs a good resurfacing, and to have a heavy vehicle ban put in place.

[Section ThirtyOne]

There is a wicked pothole right around the front entrance of Sole on Father David Bauer Drive. Beware, as it's a doozy.

Thankfully the street will be repaved this year, along with removal of the utility poles and some new lighting features.
Perhaps someone from the city reads this forum, as the pothole is sort of filled. I no longer have to risk the undercarriage of my car to drive home at night. :RpS_razz:

[Brando_T]

I believe it's probably that way because the golf course and residents want it bumpy and slow. The road is so terrible you have to drive slow or you risk damaging your car. If it were newly paved, like the section between Knell and Fischer-Hallman, people would drive 80 along there because it is so wide. It is a good to deter speeding, but a terrible method.

Hopefully soon it will be repaved, adding sidewalks and bike lanes to both sides between Knell and Westmount.


I was just at the City of Kitchener website recently looking for a date for the rebuilding of this road, they had no 2011 data.

[Brando_T]

I was just at the City of Kitchener website recently looking for a date for the rebuilding of this road, they had no 2011 data.

I received a very quick response from the the City of Kitchener today about Glasgow street reconstruction


Glasgow Street, from Knell Drive to Westmount Road is currently slated for full reconstruction (including replacement of road, curbs, sidewalk, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and watermain) in 2013. The portion of Glasgow Street from Westmount Road to Belmont Avenue is then scheduled for similar reconstruction the following year in 2014.

[garthdanlor]

Good to know repairs are planned, but Glasgow is going to be 1 giant pothole by the time they get to fixing the Westmount-Belmont section in 2014...