Discussions

Does anyone know about the accident that closed the 18th Street Bridge today?

Here’s some info on the collision.  
 
https://bdnmb.ca/18th-st-bridge-sees-3-vehicle-pile-up/  
 
It’s a good reminder to take it slow over the bridge and try to avoid braking as the bridge has been icy for a few weeks now and there has been multiple accidents on the bridge.

it was a head on collision after a gal (instead of going into the ditch or sliding into a rear end) found out she was slipping and decided to pull into oncoming traffic. Spun both vehicles around and then the innocent vehicle got Tboned right after.

It was unfortunate, but how is she to slide into a ditch when she is on a bridge. She should have been going slower for the conditions, but the fact is she was going to hit someone either way. Agreed, a rear-ender would have been better than a head on.

saw this a car on pacific went through yield without stopping got on bridge couldn’t control it and started to slide. Car had cut hm off. He was able to stop behind. Definitely the fault of the driver off pacific. No matter if icy or not being stupid and going through a yield is never ending good. Very sorry for the others who got hurt.

This one was caused by a back up of traffic from a Bobcat. Traffic not visible until you get up the crest of the bridge.

I have seen a lot of these traveling all over town. Many I have seen drive from one side of town to the other. Many times traffic is backed up many cars deep waiting for a chance to pass. As for the bridge yes many times I have come over the crest to find traffic right there due to a slow moving vehicle. Zoom booms and tractors can get a good speed to them. These bobcats should have some bylaw to have to trailer them from site to site. My buddy does this and with a couple chains to tighten it takes peanuts to load yet way faster and safer on the roads to travel.

Department of highways says they can be on roads but must have beacon on top and 4 way flashers on.

Nice to see the bridge has finally been cleared from snow on the sides and something used on the surface to get rid of the ice!! Obviously the "frequent sanding" wasn't working!!!

Where did you find that? I can't seem to find anything that says all you need is a beacon and 4way flashers. Also I see these Bobcats on City streets in my area, I'm assuming the Dept of Hwys rules wouldn't apply on them? I've seen numerous near accidents with them this winter, I know they have a job to do but it would be nice to see a little more courtesy from the operators. As for the trailers, ya that'd be nice but not likely enough employees or trailers for all the companies that do this type of work to move them around like that. Time is money and that's how most of these companies tend to work these days.

"This one was caused by a back up of traffic from a Bobcat. Traffic not visible until you get up the crest of the bridge. "  
 
Apparently.. maybe.. someone was driving faster than he or she could react to road conditions and visibility. Surprises happen, don't be surprised when they happen.  
 
There are solutions to this problem a) banish slow moving vehicles from our roads, especially in winter when the snow is deep, the nights are dark, the roads are slippery and the medians ( they are NOT meridians) are piled high with view obstructing snow ; b) save people from themselves by reducing the speed limit on that little part of 18th Street from Coop to the Assiniboine bridge. Like, why is that an increased speed limit anyway?  
 
I vote for b) because those few extra kph over such a short distance don't get you anywhere faster anyway.

I was informed by "someone in charge" named John that Bobcat machines are allowed to travel on streets as long as they have a lit beacon going off on top and four way flashers on.