Road Reports

Though snow is still on the ground and the threat of snow is possible people may want to start thinking about when they will remove their winter studded tires.

Ontario mandates that studded tires can only be used in Northern Ontario between September 1 and May 31 each year, as the studs can cause damage to roadways.

Studded tires are not allowed in Southern Ontario unless you’re visiting from out-of-province or a resident of Northern Ontario.

Due to the extremely cold winter and the over 200 cm of snow the area received the Lake of Woods Ice Patrol isn’t expecting an early thaw on the lake this spring.

Tim Armstrong from the LOTW Ice Patrol says the current conditions currently on the lake are very similar to what was seen in 2018.

“We had a similar amount of winter cold this winter and in 2018 so the numbers look similar and satellite photographs look similar, said Armstrong. “I’d say we’re roughly on track to do a spring-like 2018.”

The agency is calling for 5 to 15 cm of snow Tuesday night (March 29, 2022), into Wednesday afternoon (March 30, 2022).

Snow will move into the area Tuesday night from west to east and continue into Wednesday. Total snowfall amounts of 15 cm or more are possible before the snow tapers off from west to east Wednesday afternoon.

At this time, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the track of the low, and thus the total amount of snowfall.

A Colorado low is expected to dump between 10 - 15 centimetres of snow across the region Tuesday into Wednesday.

"Right now we are looking at anywhere from 6 to 12 centimetres of snow in the Kenora area," said Environment Canada Meteorologist Gerald Cheng noting that areas further east could see more snow.

"It's gonna be another snow event, but it's not the biggest we've seen this season," added Cheng.

The City of Kenora has implemented road restrictions that will take effect Saturday night (March 26, 2022). 

Effective Saturday (March 26, 2022), at 11:59 p.m. reduced road restrictions, will take effect as per the City of Kenora By-law 134-2021 and the Highway Traffic Act R.S.O. 1990, c. H. 8, Section 122. 

This restriction is necessary to protect highways, streets, and roads from damage during mild, wet spring conditions. Signs are posted on each of the impacted roads to notify motorists of the restriction.

The spring-like temperatures have melted a fair amount of the snow in and around Kenora, which in turn has begun exposing many potholes on roadways.

The City of Kenora is hard at work trying to fill in some of the more major potholes, but more and more keep popping up as temperatures begin to change.

Kenora Mayor, Dan Reynard says he is anticipating pothole complaints, which he says the city has a pothole hotline designed to field those complaints.

**UPDATE 9:41am - The highway has been reopened.

**UPDATE 7:25am - Police are escorting traffic past the tractor-trailer. Traffic is alternating and delays are still to be expected. 

-- Original Story --

Highway 17 is closed in both directions following a morning incident. 

There is a jack-knifed tractor trailer on Highway 17 at Hwy 605 Oxdrift. Drivers are asked to avoid the area. 

There is no estimated time as to when the Highway will reopen. 

Due to road conditions, the Northwestern Student Services Consortium has decided to cancel all buses for Dryden, Vermilion Bay and Sioux Lookout for the second consecutive day. 

There is still a snowfall warning in effect for the region, with snowfall expected to ease around noon. 

Schools remain open. 

Local roads and highways are slick across much of northwestern Ontario today, and the icy conditions caused an early morning collision on Highway 17 this morning near Dryden.

Due to the snowfall overnight, the Northwestern Student Services Consortium has decided to cancel the following bus routes: 

Red Lake/Ear Falls - All routes are cancelled

Dryden/Vermilion Bay - All routes are cancelled

Sioux Lookout - All routes are cancelled

Upsala/Ignace - UP82 is cancelled

Schools remain open.