Icy, snow-dusted roads caused chaos on Saskatoon roadways during Tuesday’s morning commute, sending one man to hospital.
Between 5:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saskatoon police reported that they responded to 44 collisions, with many causing traffic delays in several areas around the city. One person was taken to hospital after he was struck by a car while assisting another car on the side of the road around 8:30 a.m. Police reported that several collisions involved more than two vehicles, including a 9-vehicle collision on Circle Drive just south of Warman Road that happened shortly after 4 p.m.
Here’s a look at traffic jams Tuesday afternoon taken by the Mitchinson Flying Service.
This was late footage of the major traffic jam at the evening rush hour today in #yxe.
Posted by Mitchinson Flying Service on Tuesday, January 19, 2016
As of noon Tuesday, the City of Saskatoon reported that between sanders and plows, 18 machines were working on the roads. The focus remained on Circle Drive and higher-volume roads such as 8th Street and College Drive. Officials said work would progress to priority 2 and 3 streets as soon as possible.
A City of Saskatoon spokesperson also told CKOM News that 16 different machines were out during Monday night’s snowfall applying a magnesium-chloride mix to Circle Drive and the priority 1 streets.
A detailed breakdown of the city’s winter roads program, including explanations of the priority street system, is available from the City of Saskatoon website.
The Saskatoon Police Service cautioned drivers to slow down in the icy conditions.