Community centre opened to stranded drivers as poor visibility closes southern Manitoba roads

Wind and blowing snow has led to the closure of several highways in southern Manitoba, including the main artery between Winnipeg and the U.S. border.

Shortly after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the province's highways department said Highway 75, from Winnipeg's city limits to the border crossing at Emerson, was closed due to poor winter driving conditions caused by poor visibility.

The province had given the same reason for closing these other stretches of highway:

• Highway 1, from Winnipeg City Limits to Highway 12.
• Highway 3, from Crystal City to Sanford.
• Highway 13, from Carman to Elm Creek.
• Highway 14, from Highway 75 to Highway 30.
• Highway 23, from St. Malo to Highway 34.
• Highway 30, from Rosenfeld to Gretna.
• Highway 31, from Highway 3 Windygates.
• Highway 32, from Winkler to the U.S. border.
• Highway 34, from Holland to Highway 3.
• Highway 59, from the U.S. Border to St. Malo.
• Highway 200, from Emerson to Highway 23.
• Highway 201, from Highway 75to Highway 30.
• Highway 205, from Rosenort to Aubigny.
• Highway 210, from Morris to Steinbach.
• Highway 244, from Manitouto the south junction of Highway 245.
• Highway 245, from Notre Dame to Carman.
• Highway 311, from Highway 200 to Blumenort.
• Highway 428, from Roland to Winkler.
• Highway 432, from Morden to Rosebank.
• Road 23, from Road 12E to Highway 59.

Amanda Friesen was among a number of drivers stuck due to poor driving conditions.

Friesen and her 12-year-old son Ramsay were heading from Morden to Winnipeg to watch the Jets play the Seattle Kraken, but they had to pull over in Brunkild, about 45 kilometres southwest of the capital.

When they arrived in the municipality, they didn't expect the show of hospitality they experienced.

"The community just started to kind of pull together and they opened up the community centre and welcomed us all in and they have brought us food and drinks and blankets. It's just been really welcoming," she said at about 9 p.m., still unable to leave to go home.

Luckily, finding other Jets fans in the centre, Friesen played the game on a speaker from her phone and met a woman who was especially generous.

"We met a lady here that felt bad for us missing the game, so she gave us some of her season tickets for a couple weeks down the road so we can still go out to game," she said.

"Everybody's really kind and wonderful and yeah, it's turned into a good experience."

Through much of the evening, Environment Canada was reporting light snow and blowing snow scattered across the region, with winds gusting to 60 km/h.

For a map showing current conditions, go to Manitoba511.ca.

Poor visibility closes southern Manitoba roads

2 years ago

Duration 2:24

Wind and blowing snow has led to the closure of several highways in southern Manitoba, including the main artery between Winnipeg and the U.S. border.