Update: Highway 1A between Centre Ave and GlenEagles Drive has reopened to traffic again. 

 

Highway 1A between Centre Ave and Gleneagles Dr. was closed for a few hours on Tuesday afternoon due to a motor vehicle accident.

Major delays were experienced and officials recommend using alternate routes if possible.

RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Troy Savinkoff says they redirected through Gleneagles but that's hit and miss.

"They're trying to keep it open as much as possible, but if you have multiple vehicles stuck on the road, you end up having to block it," says Cpl. Savinkoff. "It's intermittent right now."

"Typically once we get the roads blocked off and we get the sanders through it helps everyone out. It usually can be improved fairly quickly once we get all that done and that's what they're working on right now."

Cochrane RCMP says recent heavy snowfall is creating hazardous driving conditions on area roadways. Hills such as Highway 1A and Highway 22 in and out of Cochrane are especially hazardous.

511 Alberta reports snow and ice on the shoulders and the highway is snow-covered with slushy and icy sections. Coupled with that is a wind from the northwest with gusts of up to 50 kph.

RCMP are asking drivers to avoid travel and if travel is necessary to take necessary precautions.

Conditions are not expected to improve any time soon. The snowfall is expected to continue overnight and end around noon tomorrow.