It’s almost time to pull out the parkas and snowboots. That means it’s almost time to call ahead for highway conditions before getting on the road.
Saskatchewan has just introduced a toll-free highway hotline number to replace 15 different regional numbers in the province.
Regina and Saskatoon and their surrounding areas retain their hotline numbers.
“We have information on summer and winter highway conditions, ferry and ice road crossings. In the spring we have the spring road restrictions for highways and for rural municipalities. During the winter we have a menu pick that will give highway hotline information numbers for the other provinces,” said Gary McClelland, road information manager for highways and transportation.
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Information on the automated service is updated at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. during the winter, and whenever road conditions change.
Starting Nov. 1, information will be available 24 hours a day from three regions of the province: southern, central and northern. The numbers for this service are available on the hotline. Hotline information is also available on the internet at www.gov.sk.ca/govt/
highways/.
Manitoba’s Highway Condition Information line is run through one number out of Winnipeg.
Automated provincial road reports are available on the line, as well as out of province highway reports. There is also an option to speak to a highways representative. The line is updated as reports come in during the winter.
Albertans can find road condition information through the Alberta Motor Association’s road reports. Information gathered by highway maintenance people and the RCMP is forwarded to the AMA to be put on the automated phone service.
“It is updated whenever road conditions change,” said Dave Barr, director of corporate communications for the AMA. The line also has a scheduled update at 7 a.m. for main highways. Other regions are updated about an hour later.
“We recommend that any long highway trip include stops to phone ahead and check conditions,” Barr said.
Motorists can find the service through several different phone numbers and through the Talking Yellow Pages in Edmonton, Red Deer, Calgary, and Lethbridge. During business hours, an association representative can be reached at 1-800-642-3810.
The AMA road report can also be found on the internet at www.ama.ab.ca.
Road conditions for all the prairie provinces are also on the weather channel.
