Many Smithers residents had a longer than anticipated morning commute, due to a traffic jam on Highway 16.
The RCMP received a call at 7:03 a.m. this morning, reporting a single vehicle accident on Highway 16, on the west side of the bridge driving in to Smithers. A transport truck with a trailer attached “lost control on the icy roads” and drove off the road into the ditch.
Dawson Road Maintenance arrived on the scene quickly, in order to make sure the scene was safe by providing traffic control.
“Thankfully, there was nobody else involved in the incident and there were no injuries to the driver,” explained Staff Sgt. Mark Smaill.
Traffic was backed up for approximately two hours, with alternating single lane traffic. At certain points, traffic was stopped completely in order for the tow truck operator to remove the vehicle safely. The vehicle was removed shortly after 9 a.m.
“The weather was definitely a factor this morning,” said Smaill. “The roads went from being wet and the traction being okay, to turning into ice very quickly at the bridge there and then into town.”
According to DriveBC there is black ice between Station Rd W and Wakefield Rd for 67.3 km (1 km west of Witset to 16 km east of Telkwa) along Highway 16.
Unsafe driving conditions can be expected, so “slowing down, giving yourself lots of time to get to your destination are all very important during this time of year,” explained Smaill.
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