The results are in, and Manitobans have spoken!
CAA Manitoba has released their CAA Worst Roads Top 10 list declaring PTH 34 from Holland to Gladstone claiming top spot in this year's campaign.
This 74 km (46 miles) stretch of road in the Central Plains/Pembina Valley Region south of the TransCanada Highway has prompted the majority of votes from Manitobans calling it the WORST road to travel on!
Travellers have shared their frustrations with potholes, poor road maintenance, poor road signage and unpaved roads - all driving PTH 34 to the number one spot. This marks this road’s sixth appearance on the CAA Worst Roads Top 10 list.
"However, this is the first time Highway 34 has been nominated as the Worst Road," says Ewald Friesen, Manager of Government and Community Relations for CAA Manitoba.
Friesen says this year marks a historic first for the CAA Worst Roads campaign – It's the first time in its 14-year history where nine out of ten roads on the top 10 list are from rural Manitoba communities, spanning clear across the province. The only road in Winnipeg on the list this year, Saskatchewan Avenue, has appeared on the CAA Worst Roads list for the last seven consecutive years.
"The big story here is that Manitobans have some things to say about the state of our road network and they came out and voted this time around," shares Friesen. "We saw a 50% increase in roads nominated this year, with 723 different roads across 86 municipalities."
Last year CAA saw 486 roads nominated in 71 municipalities, showing a significant increase in public interest.
A number of factors contribute to the rise in numbers, simply because Manitobans are recognizing their highways are getting chewed up and spit out by the amount of traffic - heavy traffic that these roads were never built for in the first place.
Friesen attributes extra interest in this year's campaign to the fact that immediately after last year's CAA's announcement naming Brandon's 18th Street as the #1 worst road in Manitoba, the provincial government took this as a call to action.
"We saw really swift coordinated response from both the City of Brandon and the provincial government to get that road fixed," explains Friesen. "And I think that maybe this has emboldened and encouraged a lot of people. But also, there is a message here about how much our rural folks depend upon our roads. It's a lifeline for your community and your business. When this road is impassable, it's a problem."
"And so, I think Manitobans in rural parts of the province are getting the message and using our campaign to help us do our important advocacy work. The CAA Worst Roads campaign provides a powerful snapshot to governments on where to prioritize budgets and move up road repairs by giving Manitobans an opportunity to have their say on the difficulties they are experiencing in getting around," adds Friesen.
CAA research shows that 39 % of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with road work projects, stating that the roads don’t last long before they must be repaired again. However, 88 % are willing to put up with the inconvenience of construction in exchange for long-term improvements.
This year's Top 10 list saw 5 repeat nominations, falling into CAA's own 'usual suspects' category, and 5 first-time nominees known as 'debuts'.
Many of the nominees in the 'debuts' category were from rural Westman, the Interlake and the eastern part of the province. It's important to note half of the roads on the top 10 list are new this year. These include Provincial Road 234 in Interlake, Provincial Road 349 in Westman, Provincial Road 239 in Interlake, 26th Street in Brandon, and Provincial Trunk Highway 12 in Eastman.
"So, it's all across the province! From the Interlake to Brandon to Steinbach and the Minola area, folks are coming out!" notes Friesen.
The Province of Manitoba oversees 20,000 km of highways and 6,000 km of gravel roads, "so there's a lot of opportunity for a bad road with the size of our road network. However, as a result of Manitobans participating in this campaign and having their voice heard we've been seeing some good signs from various levels of government," notes Friesen.
For example, the City of Brandon is taking road safety seriously, by investing in transportation networks for cyclists and pedestrians, but also committing to Vision Zero which is an international campaign to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities taking place on the road.
On a provincial level Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure has committed over $5.25 billion over the next 5 years for reconstruction, rehabilitation, maintenance and repairs on our roads with 89 % of that being on our highways.
But there's more to the story. "The state of our roads is actually a cost-of-living issue." says Friesen.
Due to several factors such as supply chain disruptions and tariff woes, Manitobans are holding onto their vehicles a little longer.
"So, if you have to do out-of-pocket repairs because of bad roads, that hurts," he shares. "The average amount that Manitobans are spending on out of pocket-vehicle repairs is $882. That's a tough amount to swallow when family budgets are already stretched. So, to a great extent a good road is a part of the affordability question that a lot of people are thinking about these days."
"So, Manitobans take to this campaign because they are hopeful for change,” Friesen explains. “CAA’s annual campaign plays a critical role in highlighting the roads that need urgent attention, providing governments with a better understanding of where Manitobans want these investments made."
Please listen to more with Ewald Friesen and Golden West Reporter, Zach Driedger below!
Manitoba's Top 10 Worst Roads for 2025
1. Provincial Trunk Highway 34, Central Plains/Pembina Valley (Holland to Gladstone)
2. Provincial Road 234, Interlake
3. Provincial Road 307, Whiteshell
4. Provincial Road 239, Interlake
5. Provincial Road 349, Westman (Hwy 10 to Hwy 21 south of Brandon)
6. 26th Street, Brandon
7. Provincial Trunk Highway 12, Eastman
8. Provincial Trunk Highway 26, Central Plains (north of Portage)
9. Richmond Avenue, Brandon
10. Saskatchewan Avenue, Winnipeg
"CAA Manitoba urges all levels of government to prioritize road safety through predictable, year-over-year investment and timely repairs," adds Friesen. “CAA Manitoba will continue to advocate for Manitobans to drive positive change in communities across the province."
To see the top 5 worst roads in your region visit the CAA Manitoba Worst Roads website HERE!