Fix our roads before someone gets hurt

Ottawa’s roads are failing apart. Several years ago, the Citizen reported that according to the city itself, only 20 per cent of its roads were considered to be in good condition.

For the first few years, this was more of an esthetic problem than anything else.

More recently, it became a major annoyance and financial drain as more vehicles became damaged by driving into deep open ruts and potholes.

It has now become a safety concern.

I recently witnessed a car veer sharply into the oncoming lane to avoid hitting a deep pothole. There was a car in the oncoming lane which then veered sharply away, almost hitting a bicycle.

It is very difficult to win reimbursement from the city when your vehicle is damaged from a poorly maintained road.

We are beyond pothole-repair Band-Aids.

We need regular resurfacing and major maintenance. LRT and buses may be nice, but good roads will be needed for decades.

If fatalities happen that are attributed to the city’s poorly maintained roads, at what point does the city become negligent and liable? Bruce H. Wolfgram, Ottawa