The Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg to the Ontario border has been reopened after being closed Thursday night due to poor driving conditions.

Highway officials closed it at 8:20 p.m. Thursday but for several hours prior to that, a stretch of the same highway from West Hawk Lake to the border had been closed due to a crash involving two tractor-trailers.

Previous Next Meanwhile, a section of the Trans-Canada from Headingley west to Portage la Prairie, Man., reopened just before 7:30 p.m. Thursday, after being closed for hours because of poor visibility from blowing snow.

RCMP officers were called to at least 29 motor vehicle collisions across southern Manitoba on Thursday but no major injuries were reported.

Derek Trainer, a highway information clerk with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation's operation centre, said on Thursday that roads throughout the southeastern region had ice and/or snow on them.

"No one highway [is] worse than the other; they're all pretty much the same right now," he told CBC's Up to Speed program at 4 p.m.

Other roads with traction issues include the Perimeter Highway, the Trans-Canada Highway east of Winnipeg and Highways 6, 7, 8 and 75 are reported, he added.

Trainer is urging motorists to phone 511 or go to the Manitoba 511 website for up-to-date highway conditions. The information is updated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, he said.

In Kenora, Ont., a crash involving a tractor closed Highway 17 at Redditt Road for several hours, but the area reopened by 7:30 p.m. CT.

City crews clearing streets, sidewalks

In Winnipeg, crews began applying salt on streets to improve traction starting Wednesday night, when the rain and snow began to fall.

"The biggest issue is really the strong winds we've been experiencing," said Ken Allen, a field support services supervisor with the city.

"The salt really is effective at temperatures warmer than –10 C. But once you add in that wind factor, especially in those areas, those outlying areas that are prone to drifting, really kind of compromises some of our salting applications."

On Thursday afternoon and evening, crews began plowing Priority 1 streets before moving on to Priority 2 (bus route/collector) streets. Allen said upwards of 150 pieces of equipment were being used in the evening.

Sidewalk plows were also out, clearing Priority 1 and 2 areas.

Both city and provincial authorities are urging motorists to drive to the conditions and be especially careful when approaching any snow-clearing or sanding equipment.