More than 280 crashes in Calgary on Monday as snow makes for messy commute
Posted Nov 18, 2024 6:26 am.
Last Updated Nov 19, 2024 6:58 am.
Calgary got its first real taste of winter Monday afer snow blanketed the city in the early morning hours making for a tricky commute to kick off the work week.
Calgary police say there were more than 282 crashes in the city as of 8:45 p.m. on Monday. The vast majority were non-injury collisions — there were 24 crashes where people sustained injuries.
The city was under a snowfall warning for most of the day with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) calling for 10 to 15 centimetres before the day was done.
The heaviest snowfall fell in the morning before tapering off in the afternoon. The warning was lifted before 4 p.m.
ECCC meteorologist, Ron Mark, says this is just the beginning.
“We are getting into an arctic air mass now so we are going to be stuck in some cooler temperatures for most of the week and with this cooler air there’s definitely the potential for some snow and flurries on and off through the rest of the week,” he said.
“The timing of the snow is such that anyone commuting this morning is probably going to be in for a tricky drive,” Mark added.
Chris McGeachy with the city’s roads department says crews were on alert when the forecast called for snow, and got to work overnight to clear the roads.
Calgary follows a priority snow plan — pushing the busiest routes to the top of the list.
“Our crews are out there plowing and applying material to those major routes right now — those are your routes like Crowchild Trail and Glenmore Trail — we’re going to continue focusing on those through the day as the snow keeps falling,” McGeachy said.
The return of winter driving can be a shock to the system, but McGeachy added it’s important to keep a few things in mind.
“We just want people to take their time this morning, leave plenty of time to get where you need to go, leave plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front and before you head out on the road, make sure you brush that snow off your car.”
In the heat of the morning commute, Calgarians looking to use rideshare services like Uber and Lyft were met with surge prices, some as much as 20 per cent higher than the typical rate.
The Alberta Motor Association is seeing an increase in wait times for a tow — as of 7a.m. Tuesday, the wait time for a tow was 18 hours.
For the latest in traffic and weather, listen to 660 NewsRadio for updates every 10 minutes on the ones.
-With files from Logan Stein
