Travellers using 511, Alberta's Official Road Reports, will notice some changes in road condition descriptions. Canadian road authorities have worked together to develop a new and consistent vocabulary as part of 511 systems being implemented by jurisdictions throughout the country.
You may also see information about visibility.
Road surfaces can be dry or wet, but are clear of snow or ice.
Road surfaces have snow / ice-covered or snow-packed sections. For example, there may be sections where drifting snow has covered parts of the lanes or where the road centre is bare.
Road surfaces are completely covered (snow or ice) with little to no bare sections from one end to the other.
Road is closed because road surfaces are impossible to travel due to continuous snow fall preventing snow removal or due to a collision.
While these roads are regularly patrolled and maintained, the winter road conditions are not being reported.
Government of Alberta construction or maintenance work that may significantly impact travel at the specified location.
Unplanned major incidents that may significantly impact travel at the specified location.
More than one construction or incident/event taking place in proximity of each other.
Major closure that may significantly impact travellers at the specified location.
Visibility is more than 500 metres over your entire route.
Visibility is poor when at certain locations, conditions may suddenly reduce visibility to less than 250 metres.
Visibility is fair when your range of vision is reduced between 250 and 500 metres.
