Winter storm in Peterborough area causing traffic problems, schools remain open

Motorists are advised to take extreme caution as a winter storm rolled into the Peterborough area on Tuesday morning.

There have reports of several crashes in the region and a fuel spill involving a truck on Buckhorn Road near the 14th Line, approximately 13 kilometres north of the village of Lakefield. The truck struck a piece of concrete while backing onto a property which ripped the gas tank.

Peterborough County OPP issued a tweet outlining the importance of safety on the roads and encouraging people to stay off the roads as much as possible

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Const. Trevor Pitts advised drivers to bring along a road safety kit and ensure the windshield is clean.

“Make sure you keep it clear all the time,” he said.

Peterborough Police Service also advised people to stay off the roads if they don’t need to travel.

“If you must head out then take it easy, slow down and drive the conditions,” police stated.

The region is expected to receive 25 to 35 centimetres of snow along with wind gusts up to 70km/h, likely contributing to white-out conditions, says Environment Canada.

The impending storm prompted the Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) to cancel school bus service on Tuesday morning. It serves students in Peterborough, Northumberland County and Clarington. However, schools remain open.

Fleming College in Peterborough closed its campuses in Peterborough, Lindsay and Cobourg on Tuesday morning but the campus in Haliburton was open. However, at the noon hour, Fleming announced the Haliburton campus was closing for the afternoon. Trent University’s campuses in Peterborough and Oshawa were open in the morning but afternoon classes in Durham were cancelled.

The city’s public works department is expected to be out around the clock cleaning up.

“Due to our legislative requirements, we are required to go over our arterial and collector roads over and over again to keep them clear,” said John Czerniawski, public works supervisor.  “If we get a break in the snow, we’ll break into our residential streets.”

“Deployment has already been set up for today, tonight and tomorrow morning.  Resources are already booked for that,” added Czerniawski.

Winter snow removal parking restrictions are in-effect.  Vehicles left on the road will be towed to Morrow Park, or Milroy Park (if north of Parkhill Road).  The owners of those vehicles will be fined $80.

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