CHAT News photo/Colton McKee

By Chris Brown

Multiple collisions

Snowfall causing problems on Trans-Canada Highway

Oct 21, 2020 | 1:59 PM

UPDATE from MHPS at 3:46 p.m.: TransCanada Highway has been reopened in both directions however driving conditions continue to be poor. Please drive with caution and avoid unnecessary travel if possible.

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Medicine Hat Police Service has closed part of the Trans-Canada Highway.

The following was posted by MHPS on social media at 2:22 Tuesday afternoon:

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Be advised that due to icy roads and white out conditions, the Trans Canada Highway between Redcliff and 1 Street SW are closed until the highways can be attended to by Volker Stevin. Police are at the scenes of multiple collisions within the city limits

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MHPS Sgt. Gerald Sadlemyer says it’s gone crazy.

“And officers said the road conditions are just terrible. I know the sanding trucks are out. We called Volker (Stevin) so they’re going to be out and about too so everyone is doing the best they can,” he said.

Sadlemyer said there are collisions on Trans-Canada Highway involving multiple cars by Box Springs Road and near the Third Street off-ramp.

Sadlemyer says motorists need to be more mindful of how they drive in conditions like these, especially during the first snowfall of the season.

“The speed limits are posted at 30 km, 50 km, 70 km, and 80 km but people shouldn’t be driving those limits today because it’s not the perfect circumstances for that,” he said. “So people need to give themselves extra time, extra breaking distance room before they are approaching an intersection because they’re going to be slippery and just be aware of all the other motorists around you.”

Scholten Hill has also been closed and has since reopened.

A semi-truck is stalled heading westbound on the Trans-Canada Highway near the Box Springs Road exit.

CHAT News has also received a report of highway traffic being at a standstill both eastbound and westbound just west of Dunmore Road.

There is also reportedly an accident at Dunmore Road and Southview Drive.

Falling and blowing snow in the past couple of hours is causing slippery roads and limited vision in and around Medicine Hat.

Jeremy Petryshyn, city manager of operations for municipal works says they have a full complement of crews out now.

He says the wet snow is coming down hard and the snow mixed with warm road temperatures, and extreme cold on top of that is creating icy road conditions

“They’re out sanding and grading our hills and some of our priority roads so we’ll keep maintaining it while the storm is here and it should pass tonight. And we have crews starting at 4 AM tomorrow to continue with our plowing efforts,” Petryshyn told CHAT News.