Blowing snow forcing highway closures in the south

• Multi-vehicle collisions are slowing traffic and causing frequent highway closures from the Trans-Canada Highway south.

Government of Alberta - Frequent highway closures in southern Alberta to clear multi-vehicle collisions are causing severe congestion in some areas as traffic backs up.

Although the closures typically last only a few hours, Albertans who do not need to drive today in southern Alberta are advised to stay home.

Those people who must drive are advised to prepare for winter conditions, including reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces and adjust their driving habits accordingly.

Highway 3 at Cowley at 4:38 pm Dec. 5, 2016

From Transportation Alberta highway camera

LRSD and Holy Spirit school boards address foreign field trips

Chris Davis

Holy Spirit School Division Superintendent of Schools Chris Smeaton announced today, December 17, 2015, that alternate destinations will be found for field trips of level of 2 or greater risk as described by the Government of Canada's travel advisory service.

To Greece and Italy for Experiential Learning Week

Joey Jackson

During all the different classes of Experiential Learning Week, 28 students and 3 chaperones were on the trip of a lifetime. Leaving on March 19th at 4 o'clock in the morning for a flight at 7 to Toronto the group of Matthew Halton students and their teachers started their drive to Calgary airport.

Chief Mountain port of entry seasonal closure Sept. 30

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds travellers that the Chief Mountain port of entry will close for the season at 6 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time on Tuesday, September 30, 2014.

About 60,000 travellers entered Canada at Chief Mountain this season and approximately 80% of those travellers were tourists.

Chief Mountain will reopen on Friday, May 15, 2015. Until then, travellers are advised to enter Canada using the nearest border crossing at Carway, Alberta.

Navigate summer construction with 511 Alberta

Government of Alberta

For up-to-date road information and traffic delays

Call: 511 toll-free

Visit: 511.alberta.ca

Follow: @511Alberta

Akamina Parkway temporarily closed

Parks Canada press release

The Akamina Parkway in Waterton Lakes National Park will be closed from April 25 to May 31 so final work to repair the road can be completed. The section of the Crandell Loop trail above the Akamina Parkway will also be closed.

To accommodate visitors at this time of year, the Red Rock Parkway will re-open earlier, on Monday, April 28.

The Akamina Parkway sustained extensive damage during the June 2013 floods. Work on the last section of the road requires significant reconstruction, including a retaining wall.

The safety of Park visitors, construction workers and Park staff are the highest priority of Parks Canada.

Akamina Parkway to reopen November 30

Akamina Parkway now - Nov. 26, 2013
Parks Canada photo

Parks Canada press release

Waterton Lakes National Park’s Akamina Parkway will reopen beginning on Saturday, November 30th, weather permitting. The Parkway sustained extensive damage during the spring floods throughout southwestern Alberta and has been closed since June 19, 2013.

Akamina Parkway then - June 2013
Parks Canada photo

Motorists should be prepared for reduced speeds and single-lane traffic for a short section at km 3.4. Please obey all posted signs, and take extra care when driving in winter conditions. This section will be repaired in the spring of 2014, during an additional, but shorter, road closure.

22 kms of Highway 40 in K-Country to re-open after flood

Albertans and visitors will have access to more of Kananaskis Country with the opening of a section of Highway 40.

A 22-kilometre-stretch of Highway 40 is re-opening between the Peter Lougheed Park winter gates (Highway 68) and Lost Lemon Lookout Wednesday, September 4.

Around Alberta August 28, 2013

• RCMP Need Public’s Help in Valentine Degenhardt Missing Person Investigation
• Highways 2 and 27 Interchange Upgraded
• Highway 63 progress means fall traffic changes
• Airdrie RCMP investigate Mischief to vehicles
• Grande Prairie Integrated Traffic Unit Continues to Stop Excessive Speeders
• Drug search warrant executed in Brooks
  

Crandell Mountain Campground closed to tenting

Crandell Mountain Campground  in Waterton Lakes National Park is closed to tenting due to a number of bears frequenting the area. Only hard-sided campers and trailers are permitted.

High bear activity, including incidents of bears investigating tents for food, has led to concerns for visitor safety. Repeated hazing efforts by Parks Canada staff have not diminished bear activity in the campground.

Tenters will be moved to Townsite Campground.

The safety of Park visitors, residents and staff is the primary concern of Parks Canada.

Everyone plays a role in protecting bears and other wildlife in national parks.  The publication “Bare Campsite Program” details how to ensure campsites have no attractants for wildlife.  Bear sightings should be reported to Parks Canada staff immediately. Visitors should not approach or follow bears, nor leave small children and/or pets unsupervised in yards or campsites.

Southwest Alberta Parks update

All creeks, rivers, reservoirs and lakes have high water levels, banks are unstable, please stay clear of edges.

Please respect all road, access and trail closures and do not cross barriers, barricades and barrier tape. This means an area is closed to public access. Closures are in place to keep visitors, staff and emergency personnel safe.

Following: the condition of Parks and Provincial Recreation Areas (PRA):

Heritage Acres 26th Annual Show cancelled due to poor weather

Janet Barkwith, Heritage Acres

Due to the current extremely muddy conditions of the site and the heavy rain forecast for the rest of Friday and possibly beyond, the organisers of the show have very reluctantly decided to cancel this year's show.

The organisers apologise for any inconvenience and disappointment, and very much hope that everyone will understand - and that you all will return for next year's show, when the theme is to be Early Transport.

Life-jacket loaner stations expanding in provincial parks

To support and encourage water safety, five new life-jacket loaner stations are opening at provincial parks across Alberta, making a total of 15.  One of those new stations is at Beauvais Lake Provincial Park near Pincher Creek.

The life-jacket loaner station programs are self-serve kiosks, where visitors can borrow life-jackets and return them after use. Life-jackets are available at no cost in infant to adult sizes.

Alberta Parks – Check access and trails before heading out

Courtesy of Gazette Grande

There are still areas of Alberta cut off by flood damage.

Visit the Alberta Parks webpage for the latest updates.

Here is the most recent map of closures:

Highway 22 between Black Diamond and Turner Valley now open

Courtesy of Gazette Grassroots

At 4:42pm today the road access between Black Diamond and Turner Valley was officially open to traffic.

The road east of the bridge has been re-built as has the road between the two towns.

Until approximately 6:00 pm there will be one lane of traffic crossing the bridge. Both lanes will be open tonight.

The Friendship Trail has also re-opened.

Thank you to all the hard working construction crews, security people and Alberta Transportation for a job well done.


Black Diamond Bridge Won’t Be Taken For Granted

Pam Jones, Gazette Grande Editor

Pastor Matt from the Black Diamond Gospel Church in Black Diamond opened the official re-opening ceremony in praying for the symbolism that the bridge represents between the two communities.

Highway 22 is a milestone on the road to recovery

Sheep River Bridge mid-fix with new berm built after the flood
Photos courtesy of Alberta Transportation/Gateway Gazette

• Update (link) Highway 22 between Black Diamond and Turner Valley now open

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park reopens

Press release

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis Country west of Calgary is now open and the State of Local Emergency for Kananaskis Improvement District has been lifted.

Flooding, which began on June 20, forced the park’s closure. The Alberta government has made significant progress on repairing damaged parks areas and roads.
The successful reopening of Highway 40 into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park and the rebuilding of the Evan Thomas Bridge restores safe access to the area. All major front country campgrounds are open. However, some trails and facilities remain closed for safety and reconstruction.

Repairs to the Black Diamond bridge – the end is in sight

Pam Jones, Editor, Gazette Grassroots

I just finished speaking to the site foreman at the east end of the Black Diamond bridge and he assured me that he will be putting the final lift on the surface late Friday or Saturday.

Once that final top surface has been placed the bridge will open.

So my guess is that by Sunday at the latest…maybe Saturday…..maybe late Friday we will be reconnected with our neighbours.

Bob, the site foreman, also told me that they are repairing the hole in the road between the two towns at the same time so everything should be finished together.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed and our eyes on the road!

Crowsnest Pass BearSmart takes message to the people

Austin Pool, John Clarke, and Elizabeth Anderson
C. Davis photos

Toni Lucas, Pincher Creek Voice

Crowsnest Pass Fish and Wildlife Officer John Clarke was busy last weekend, speaking at the opening of the Sinister 7 Race on Friday and then manning an awareness display in front of Blairmore's Spokes and Motors Ltd. on Saturday.