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UPDATE: Icy road conditions create treacherous driving through Wetaskiwin County

QEII shut down between Leduc and Millet Wednesday morning
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Highway 2A north from Millet to Leduc. Facebook/ Crystal Saxty.

UPDATEHighway 13 near Range Road 243 west of Wetaskiwin has been reopened and the jackknifed semi is now clear.

Multiple collisions on the QEII southbound, south of Leduc, has Leduc RCMP Integrated Traffic Unit (ITU) warning motorists to avoid the area of the collisions, slow down, and drive to the conditions.

Leduc RCMP ITU would like to remind the public of extra precautions that should be taken, especially on winter roads:

  • If at all possible, avoid driving in heavy snow and freezing rain conditions;
  • If you must drive, go slow and leave extra space between yourself and other vehicles;
  • Keep emergency equipment and warm clothing in your vehicle;
  • Keep your gas tank full and your cell phone charged.

Motorists are also reminded that when approaching emergency vehicles with their emergency equipment activated they must slow down to 60 kilometres per hour, or less if the posted speed limit is lower, when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks stopped with their lights flashing.

Original Story — Road conditions are treacherous in areas of central Alberta and Edmonton this morning following overnight freezing rain leading to dangerous road conditions.

Millet Fire Department (MFD) has been continuously updating community members of the road conditions through their social media pages including Facebook.

In a post around 4 a.m. Wednesday Dec. 8, 2021 MFD stated, “it is currently raining and freezing to the highway as it lands. Driving is currently not recommended, for any reason, in any part of the roads around Millet.”

They note that these highways include Highway 2A, Highway 616, QEII, and Highway 814.

In an update around 8 a.m. MFD states, “With the number of semis jackknifed or partially in and partially out of the ditch this morning, it could be a long time before QEII traffic is flowing ‘normally’.”

At 10:12 a.m. MFD posted that they are now responding to Highway 2A near Township Road 483 north of Millet for a reported jackknifed semi. Delays are expected.

At 5:39 a.m. Alberta 511 reported that Highway 13 near Range Road 243 west of Wetaskiwin is closed due to a jackknifed semi—there is no update yet on when it will reopen.

More to come…


shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca

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