Road Reports

With temperatures starting to warm up in the area the Kenora OPP is reminding residents to be extra careful when embarking onto the ice.

OPP Provincial Constable, Jason Canfield says when on the ice in a vehicle or snow machine to be aware of water or slush on the surface.

“Be very wary of any kind of areas that look like they may have holes and the snow has disappeared and It looks like there’s a bit of water it usually means it might be right through,” said Canfield.

The City of Kenora says staff with their Roads crews are working tirelessly to clear main streets and priority routes throughout the city after a massive snow-melt on Wednesday, which is still causing slick road conditions and frustration across the community.

“It’s a cliché, but it was a perfect storm,” explained the City of Kenora’s Director of Corporate Services, Heather Pihulak.

A freezing rain warning has been issued for the region.

Environment Canada says, freezing rain associated with a warm front is expected to develop tonight (Tuesday, March 15, 2022) near midnight and may mix with ice pellets, snow, and even rain at times. The freezing rain is expected to end Wednesday morning.

With temperatures hovering near the freezing mark, the weather agency says moderate icing of untreated surfaces is possible.

By Wednesday morning, ice accretion of 2 to 4 mm could be possible.

Motorists may experience delays as the City of Dryden has announced some parts of Davis St will be closed. 

Davis St from Birch Ave to Earl Ave will be closed to vehicular traffic on Monday (March 14, 2022), from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

The closure is to allow crews to complete emergency repairs to the water distribution system. 

Should residents have any questions or concerns they are asked to please contact the Public Works office at 223-2367. 

UPDATE - The highway has since reopened.

Highway 1 is reported as closed west of Kenora. 

The closure begins just west of Hadashville and runs all the way to Austin, MB - a roughly 250km closure. 

Several highways remain closed throughout Southern Manitoba Friday morning due to poor winter driving conditions.  That includes Winnipeg's Perimeter Highway, which has now been closed for a sixth time this winter. 

RCMP began closing highways in western Manitoba around 9 p.m. as winds around 80 km/h and fresh snow combined for whiteout conditions. 

The City of Kenora says traffic delays can be expected in a few locations this week, with work expected to wrap up by Friday.

Staff say snow removal work will be taking place on Ninth Street North to Twelfth Avenue North, and on Valley Drive from Minto Street to Airport Road.

Traffic control will be in place during snow clearing operations, and traffic delays can be expected.

City of Kenora crews is still plowing through the 23 cm (9 inches) of the snow that fell in a 42-hour period last weekend leaving the city a big mess to clean up.

Kevin Gannon, Director of Engineering and Infrastructure says crews have been hard at work clearing the priority streets following the event.

“They have removed the majority of the snow on Priority 1, and Priority 2 routes and they’re still out there trying to do clean-up,” says Gannon.

Gannon added the team will use the next few days of snow-free weather to continue clean-up around the city.

The City of Kenora says snow clearing operations will be taking place throughout today and tomorrow on a number of Keewatin streets.

They include May Avenue, Ottawa Street, 6th Street, Government Road and Beach Road. Traffic control will be in place and traffic delays can be expected.

Signs have been posted in the snow removal areas to indicate ‘No Parking’ zones. Vehicles parked in a signed snow removal zone may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

The city notes the work plan is subject to weather conditions or other emergencies.

Kenora residents are continuing to shovel themselves out of what has been a very unusual winter.

Environment Canada has confirmed that this winter has brought roughly 20 per cent more snow than the annual average, and this winter season still has about two months to go.

“So far about 206.7 cm of snow, and that would be definitely more than average. The Kenora area to Winnipeg and south have had a lot of snow this wintertime. The average annual snowfall is 164 cm,” said Peter Kimbell, Meteorologist with Environment Canada.