This photo showing vehicles in the ditch on the Trans-Canada Highway between Bassano and Cluny was posted to Southern Alberta Road and Weather Conditions Facebook page on Sunday.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com
Local highways around Medicine Hat have been cleared following a heavy snowfall Sunday throughout the region that caused whiteout conditions along several highways in southern Alberta, however RCMP say conditions remain slick due to a layer of ice under fresh fallen snow.
Brooks RCMP say they have responded to several collisions, both severe and non-severe, since Sunday in problem areas along the Trans-Canada Highway as well as Highway 36, however they could not provide a total number of calls they responded to.
“We’ve had a couple of bad collisions, almost definitely a couple a week, some intersections are worse than others,” says Corp. Sharon McCready.
RCMP are also reporting highway bridges have extremely slippery this year, as well as major highway intersections.
“The province has signs posted saying ‘Icy when wet’ on bridges that have been the cause of a few collisions this fall,” says McCready. “People thought it was fine on pavement, and they hit that bridge and it was ice. So just take into consideration, those signs are posted for a reason.”
According to the AMA Road Report before the time of publishing, most highways, including the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 3 were reporting bare conditions. However, south of Medicine Hat, Highways 879, 61 and Township Road 62 were reporting as partially covered.
North of Suffield Highway 884 was also reporting partially covered conditions, as well as Highway 528 between Vale and McNeil.
“The biggest things is that you want to arrive alive,” says McCready. “Slower is better. If bad weather is forecasted, pay attention to what the weather is. Make sure that you have an emergency bag in your vehicle. Make sure you have some sort of fire source, like candles and matches, make sure you have some blankets, some food and water.
“Each year we usually have one or two big snow storms where people are stranded on the highway, and we just want people to be more prepared if they have to travel.”
McCready also recommends motorists check a variety of weather and highway road condition apps that are available for free, and says it’s not worth the risk to drive on highways when conditions are poor.
“Do you really have to go today to Medicine Hat to go shopping? Or can it wait until tomorrow? That’s my big message, stay safe, enjoy the holidays and don’t ruin it because you thought you had to go out to do one thing and you’re driving too fast.”
Tuesday morning the Medicine Hat Police Service responded to the scene of a motor vehicle collision along the Trans-Canada Highway at Third Street NW and advised motorists to avoid the area so emergency crews could clear the scene of the collision.
