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Manitoba announces road closures as rivers continue to rise
Posted: Apr 18, 2011 12:19 PM | Last Updated: May 31, 2012 02:51 PM

WINNIPEG -- Rising flood waters are being blamed for the pending closure of Highway 75 at Morris, Man.

The main link between Winnipeg and the U.S. border will shut at 2 p.m. today and traffic will be rerouted through local detours. In addition, B-trains will not be allowed access to Highway 3 while the detour is in place.

The move is expected to have a considerable impact on trucking companies facing thousands of extra dollars in travel time and fuel costs, as well as the Morris commercial sector, which is already experiencing a drastic drop in business.

The move comes about a week after the province originally estimated the flood-plagued highway might become impassable.

Crews are set to begin "ramping" the dike by reinforcing it with gravel.

During the 2009 flood, Highway 75 was closed for 35 days, which was about average for a flood year. That closure added $1.5 million a week to the cost of trucking goods back and forth between Canada and the United States, the Manitoba Trucking Association estimated at the time.

Provincial flood experts have also determined that ice jams along the Assiniboine between Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg could cause significant flooding.

The crests of the Red and the Assiniboine rivers, are still due in Winnipeg at about the same time, between April 27 and May 3.

This year's flood covers the largest area in Manitoba's history.

 
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Anonymous

2011/04/19

at 12:19 PM

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I went straigh to the source and this is what i got from the Manitoba permits office. Normal vehicle traffic, including Super B trucks are allowed to use the detour while PTH 75 is closed. However; long combination vehicles that operate by special permit are not allowed to use the detour. I have included the information that was forwarded to special LCV permit holders for clarification. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation (MIT) is preparing for the possibility of a closure of PTH 75 due to 2011 spring flooding. In the event of a closure of PTH 75, a detour route along PTH 14 and PTH 3 is planned. After assessments by MIT Engineering and Operations staff, it has been determined that this route cannot safety support the travel of LCVs for a number of reasons, including the geometric design of these undivided highways, the overall increased traffic volumes and the extended length of the LCVs. In the event of a closure of PTH 75 in the Spring of 2011, LCV truck travel will not be allowed on the detour route of PTH 14 and PTH 3. MIT is committed to minimizing the disruption to normal trucking operations in the Province due to spring flooding, while mitigating the risks for all road users. If you have questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact our Permit Office at (204) 945-3961 or Toll-Free at 1-877-812-0009.

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