Winter conditions on Highway 63 cause vehicles to get stuck, traffic jams: RCMP

RCMP are advising against travel on Highway 63, in northeastern Alberta, as multiple vehicles got stuck Saturday morning due to winter road conditions on the thoroughfare.

Northeastern Alberta got its first major snowfall of the season Friday, but an Environment and Climate Change Canada yellow snowfall warning was still in effect for the region Saturday morning. Another five to 10 centimetres are in the forecast, with snowfall expected to taper off Saturday evening.

"Winter driving conditions, obviously, are in play here and be prepared to have your vehicles ready," Const. Sandra Geiger, an RCMP public information officer, told CBC News Saturday morning.

Traffic on Highway 63, north of Fort McMurray, Alta., was backed up Saturday morning after winter road conditions led to a semi-truck jackknifing, blocking traffic. There were other incidents along the highway. (Alberta 511)

Shortly after 7:15 a.m. MT Saturday, RCMP initially advised traffic on Highway 63 — the main highway connecting to Fort McMurray — could be fully blocked for "several hours," as winter road conditions made it impassable northbound at Supertest hill, with multiple semi-trucks, buses and other vehicles blocking the road.

That escalated at 8:45 a.m., however, when police issued another advisory against travelling on the highway in either direction, with multiple standstills along the road. Police also cautioned people against travel in the city of Fort McMurray.

The Alberta 511 map showed several incidents along Highway 63 as of 10 a.m. Multiple vehicles — some near Mariana Lake and others about 40 kilometres north of there — have been stuck on or beside the roadway for almost two hours, at least.

Meanwhile, north of Fort McMurray, a jackknifed semi has blocked all lanes.

The map shows the highway, from Bitumount to just north of Wandering River, is covered with snow or ice. It's partly covered south of Wandering River.

The map shows travel isn't recommended on Highway 63, from Mariana Lake to just north of the Highway 881 junction. It recommends people also don't travel along most of Highway 881 — the only alternative for southbound motorists.

Highway 63 experienced an infamous shutdown in the spring, when an April storm blew through, stopping traffic in all directions. Many motorists were stranded, spending the night in their vehicles, and some locals joined in the effort to help get them out.

Geiger didn't believe Saturday's situation had reached that level of severity at the time she spoke with CBC News. But she said officers on scene have reported that roads were impassable and there are concerns about tow trucks getting to people in a timely manner.

Crews are working to clear the roads, but there's no timeline for that to be completed, she said.

Thumbnail courtesy of Alberta 511.

The story was originally written by Nicholas Frew and published for CBC News. It contains files from Tristan Mottershead.