Yesterday was a stressful day on the road for Edmonton commuters, as blowing snow, low visibility and slippery roads took their toll.
Between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Edmonton police responded to 67 collisions, nine of which involved minor injuries.
“We are receiving twice as many calls as we would on a typical winter day,” said Chad Orydzuk, spokesperson for Edmonton police.
Environment Canada said three centimetres of snow accumulated overnight Tuesday, and it didn’t stop yesterday, causing whiteout conditions on the city’s outskirts.
RCMP closed down Highway 16 just west of the Highway 60 intersection in the afternoon because of a collision. The roadway was eventually reopened but motorists were advised to stay away.
The Alberta Motor Association issued travel advisories against other roadways outside the city, including highways 16A, 60 and 43.
Roadways in the city were slick, but a force of more than 100 city plows and sanders were doing their best to improve main routes.
“When it snows like this, it’s best to avoid driving if you don’t have to,” said Orydzuk.
