Saskatchewan's Highway Hotline has rolled out updated terminology for describing winter driving conditions, aiming to provide clearer, more consistent messaging to drivers. These changes will help motorists make better-informed decisions when planning winter travel, while also aligning Saskatchewan’s terminology with neighbouring provinces, making it easier for travellers driving across western Canada.
“The Highway Hotline is used millions of times each year to help travellers plan ahead,” said Highways Minister Lori Carr. “These updates will provide better consistency with our neighbouring provinces and national standards, helping drivers make informed decisions.”
New Terminology for Road Conditions:
- Bare: The road appears black, meaning all wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a clear, bare surface.
- Partly Covered: The road appears yellow, indicating two wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a snow or ice-covered surface.
- Covered: The road appears pink, meaning all wheels of the vehicle are on snow or ice.
- Travel Not Recommended: The road appears blue, signifying visibility is less than 250 metres and the road may become impassable.
- Closed: The road appears red, indicating the highway is impassable.
One notable change is the removal of the colour white, which had been used to represent certain conditions but didn’t show up well on digital maps. Poor visibility will now be indicated by a dotted line on the map.
During the winter season, road conditions are updated at least four times a day, with additional updates whenever significant changes affect driving conditions.
The Highway Hotline, in operation for over 50 years, provides crucial information about road conditions, closures, construction zones, ferries, and border crossings. As of February 2024, users can also track the progress of snowplows involved in snow removal and ice treatment, giving drivers real-time information to make safer travel decisions during hazardous conditions.