It was a trying day on Edmonton area roads Thursday, as citizens got their first real taste of winter this season.
RCMP issued a Highway advisory for Highway 2 north and southbound lanes from Red Deer to Didsbury, Thursday morning. Members warn there are icy roads and reduced visibility in central Alberta, but particularly in those areas. They urged motorists to travel with extra caution. Many roads in the Capital Region were coated with ice after the area saw freezing rain.
Environment Canada also issued public weather warnings for much of central Alberta. Areas included in the warning are: Hinton, Grande Cache, Whitecourt, Edson, Fox Creek, Swan Hills, Rocky Mountain House, Caroline, Westlock, Barrhead, Athabasca, Spruce Grove, Morinville, Mayerthorpe, Evansburg, Drayton Valley, Devon, Rimbey, Pigeon Lake, Red Deer, Ponoka, Innisfail, Stettler, Airdrie, Cochrane, Olds, Sundre, Drumheller, Three Hills, Fort Saskatchewan, Vegreville, Redwater, Smoky Lake, City of Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Leduc, Camrose, Wetaskiwin, Tofield, Bonnyville, St. Paul, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, Hanna, Coronation, and Oyen.
For a full list of public weather warnings, click here.
"This morning we were worried about the morning commute," says Bob Dunford, Roadway Maintenance Director with the City. "Now we're concerned with the afternoon commute. Then we'll see if there's enough accumulation to plow with our own graders or if we have to bring in our own graders."
There were long lines and flight delays at the Edmonton International Airport due to the weather conditions.
Edmonton police said they responded to 106 property damage collisions and 10 injury collisions between 6a.m. and 4p.m. Thursday. Officers say they are pleasantly surprised by the relatively low number of collisions. They say it's likely due, in part, to people driving for the conditions. However, that number only includes crashes reported to police.
As of Thursday morning, areas dealing with poor road conditions due to freezing rain on Edmonton area highways include: Highways 2, 28, 28A, 37, 60, 39, QEII. Area highways near Bonnyville, St. Paul, and Cold Lake are also in poor condition.
Only one lane on Highway 16 west of Vegreville was cleared of snow Thursday morning, and visibility was poor.
All buses were cancelled, Thursday, for the Northern Lights School Division (#69), the Wild Rose Division in Drayton Valley, Breton (#759 and #764), the Rocky Mountain House Division (#2, 4, 14, 21, 25, 35, 40, 53), Parkland County (#605, 706, 714, 716).
In Edmonton, the public school board dealt with late buses for #416, 236, 253.
Elk Island Public schools also dealt with late buses- #114 and 166 experienced a 1 hour delay.
To check on school bus schedules in your area, visit your school's website.
By late Thursday evening, nearly 10 centimetres of snow had fallen. City officials say hired graders will be working through the night to clear snow on major routes, to have them cleared by Friday morning.
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