WATERLOO REGION — Cyclists say their safety is at stake as local governments let roads crumble.

Dean Schneider points to two deep potholes and a crumbling sewer grate on a route he regularly cycles in Kitchener and Waterloo.

When asphalt crumbles, he's forced to look down at uneven pavement, when he should be looking up at traffic. His unsafe options are to power through and hope to stay upright, swerve more into traffic and hope not to collide, or veer unlawfully onto the sidewalk.

Or he could just stop cycling because it seems too risky. "That's the most elegant solution, and I completely sympathize with people who choose that," he said.

Potholes bother motorists but are an even greater threat to cyclists, who are less protected on two wheels.

Despite this, local governments haven't made smooth pavement a priority. Only 56 per cent of municipal roads are rated in good shape in Waterloo Region, compared to 62 per cent in nearby London and 67 per cent in nearby Hamilton.

Waterloo regional council had a long-term plan to reverse road decay but abandoned it this year, unwilling to spend more on repairs while also launching rail transit.

Kitchener Coun. John Gazzola typically veers onto the sidewalk to cycle around potholes. "Going out into the traffic is really unsafe, because cars do fly by," he said.

He feels city council should spend more to repair roads and spend less on economic development and the downtown.

Cyclists shouldn't accept potholes silently, cycling advocate Peter Dedes advises. Contact local governments to report poor pavement, because the first step to fixing a dangerous pothole is to let the government know it's there, he said.

When roads are poor, cyclists risk crashes, bent rims, and flat tires, said Dedes, who helps to advise Kitchener council on trails and bicycle lanes.

He agrees that it may not be helpful to tell cyclists to take the whole driving lane, to get around potholes.

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"It's not an intuitive thing to do for many people," he said. "I think a lot of inexperienced cyclists might be afraid to assert their road rights and take some space to get around clearly nasty things."