Calgary crews tackle roads, remind drivers to be prepared ahead of cold spell

It’s definitely been a minute since residents have experienced a true Calgary winter.

Now, snow and frigid temperatures are once again a reality, and Calgary drivers are getting a refresher on winter driving.

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) reports a total of 80 weather-related crashes from midnight to noon Wednesday.

Eight of those were injury collisions, and six were hit-and-runs, police say.

The good news, according to Chris McGeachy with the City of Calgary roads department, is that crews are out in full force and working on priority routes, including Crowchild Trail and Glenmore Trail.

“Our focus will remain on those high volume routes while the snow continues to fall,” he explained. “Light snow is expected to continue falling into Thursday so that’s going to be our main area of focus.

“We just want to remind people with these extreme conditions to be prepared before they head out on their journey.”

He adds that the operation is an ‘all hands on deck’ approach.

“During the winter months, the City of Calgary does have a 24/7 operation. We’ve had crews working through the evening into today and they’ll continue working into the snow event,” he told CityNews.

Wait times for a tow or winch are currently average, according to the Alberta Motor Association (AMA), but could change as the cold settles in.

The AMA says it receives requests for roadside assistance roughly every 40 seconds, and calls about dead batteries can spike by six times the usual number during cold spells.

To keep up with current wait times for roadside assistance, visit ama.ab.ca