Calgary wakes up to icy roads, slick sidewalks

Fog and icy roads made for a treacherous commute in Calgary on Monday morning, particularly on side roads and highways.

The City of Calgary deployed 47 sanders overnight, and also used a new de-icing system utilizing calcium chloride that was successfully tested earlier this spring.

The highest priorities for crews were major roads with traffic exceeding 20,000 daily vehicles, designated emergency routes and trouble spots, leaving motorists struggling up side roads and some hills.

Tractor-trailers and other vehicles were spotted pulled over, or flipped over, on highways in the Calgary area, as weekend snow and rain made driving difficult.

A serious crash on Highway 1 between Lake Louise and Field, B.C., on Sunday night kept traffic to one alternating lane on Monday.

Two semi-trailers and one vehicle were involved in the collision in the westbound lanes of the highway, sending two people to hospital in critical condition, said Parks Canada officials.

Pedestrians were also slipping on city sidewalks, prompting numerous calls to the bylaw office about icy buildups.

Bill Bruce, director of animal and bylaw services, said the city is liable when a pedestrian slips and falls on icy walks, but homeowners only have a day's grace on that liability.

"If you don't shovel your walk you will get a notice from a bylaw officer with 24 hours to complete it, and if you don't do that the minimum charge is $150 to have the sidewalk cleared by a contract crew," he said.

Bruce also suggested that people sprinkle salt or sand, which is available for free from any fire hall, on their walkways.

The situation should be better by Monday afternoon, as the forecast calls for the day to warm to a high of 10 C.