Multiple highways closed around Regina: Highway Hotline

Multiple highways have been closed around the Regina area Thursday morning. Photo from Saskatchewan Highway Hotline.

Multiple highways are closed around Regina Thursday morning, as blowing snow creates poor driving conditions on many roadways in southern Saskatchewan.

At 7:30 a.m. the Trans-Canada was closed from Regina to Belle Plaine, with travel not recommended the rest of the way to Moose Jaw. Highway 33 is also closed from Regina to Francis.

Highway 46 is also closed from Regina to Balgonie. Travel is not recommended on the Regina Bypass and many other highways in the area.

Read a full and up to date road report here.

A blowing snow advisory is in effect Thursday for Regina and Moose Jaw along with other parts of southeastern and southwestern Saskatchewan.

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Wind gusts up to 60 kilometres per hour combined with snow will create reduced visibilities in blowing snow, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said.

“Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations. Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero,” ECCC said on its website.

Regina’s snow routes in effect

The City of Regina activated its snow routes Thursday morning. They will be in effect from 6 a.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. Friday. When snow routes are in effect there is no parking along streets with snow route signs.

In a social media post Wednesday, the city said that all of its equipment had been deployed and was prioritizing, “main roads and key neighbourhoods that are susceptible to blowing snow.”

The city also said its buses were running up to one hour late Thursday morning and encouraged riders to check its transit app.

There are multiple reports of vehicles in the ditch along both Ring Road and the bypass Thursday.

ECCC says winds will gradually taper off and visibility will improve throughout Thursday afternoon.