Road Reports

After a weekend of winter wonderland across much of Southern Alberta, many Airdrie residents might be wondering about their Monday morning commute.

The QEII, both south and north of Airdrie, is reported to be mostly bare and dry, with some ice or snow on the shoulders. However, motorists should be cautious of bridge decks, overpasses, and on-and-off ramps, as those areas may be slippery. In Airdrie and Calgary, many arterial roads are mostly dry, though there are reports of some slippery sections.

While a previous snowfall warning ended Saturday evening, Airdrie drivers are still advised to be cautious on the roads.

A snowfall warning for Airdrie ended on Saturday evening.

Earlier today, there were reports of several spun-out vehicles in ditches as roads were treacherous in and around Airdrie.

There were reports of one vehicle spun out in a ditch along Yankee Valley Boulevard, heading southbound on the QEII and slightly in the right lane. A truck is also reportedly in the ditch on the left-hand side. 

Airdrie and the surrounding areas are under a snowfall warning as southern Alberta prepares for a significant winter storm.

According to Environment Canada, snow will begin early Friday morning and spread northward, bringing a long period of heavy snowfall.

The area could see 5 to 10 cm of snow by Saturday morning, with heavier snow arriving early Saturday. Another 10 to 15 centimetres is expected by Saturday evening, totalling 15 to 25 centimetres by the time the storm eases overnight into Sunday.

According to RCMP statistics, seven motor vehicle collisions were reported in Airdrie between midnight Wednesday and 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Across Southern Alberta, 47 collisions occurred, with Strathmore reporting the most, at eight. Airdrie and Okotoks tied for second place, each recording the highest number of collisions, mainly on Wednesday; only five collisions were reported on Thursday.

With the province slated to release details on adopting a new auto insurance system later this afternoon, speculation and criticism of what these new reforms could entail are mounting.

Earlier this week, Edmonton-based Ianni Law released a news release voicing concerns over what they said were, 'recent discussions around overhauling Alberta’s private auto insurance system.'

Winter driving conditions will again be in effect for Airdrie motorists on Thursday as snow continues to fall.

The QEII, both north and southbound, is covered in snow, making driving challenging. Snow-packed surfaces and icy shoulders are reported to contribute to poor visibility. Bridge decks, ramps, and overpasses are also likely to be icy; hence, motorists should give themselves plenty of time to commute today. Roads within Calgary will not be much better, as snow has covered lane markings. 

A collision involving several vehicles on the QEII, heading southbound towards Calgary, has been cleared. Earlier reports suggested that the collision occurred near Cross Iron Mills Mall. 

Despite the fog advisory ending for Airdrie and the surrounding areas, visibility continues to be poor on area highways.

Reports of icy sections and fog depositing ice on the road create slippery conditions on the QEII in both the north and southbound directions. Travellers are urged to exercise caution and adjust their speed to match the conditions.

Airdrie residents can expect snow to continue throughout the rest of the week. Periods of snow are forecast today through Saturday, with local accumulations ranging from two to four centimeters.

A previous fog advisory for Airdrie and the surrounding areas has ended. 

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The advisory was issued just before eight on Wednesday evening and warned of near-zero visibility in some areas.

Drivers were urged to take extra caution, slow down, and use low-beam headlights if they encounter dense fog.