A popular Calgary thoroughfare was shut down after a motorcycle collision.
Alberta Health Services EMS said at around 3:20 p.m., it received a call about a crash on Macleod Trail at 31 Avenue in the northbound lanes.
EMS spokesperson Stuart Brideaux said a nearby ambulance was able to rapidly respond to the accident.
He said nearby motorists tried to provide first aid until paramedics arrived.
“Several witnesses were able to describe some information to EMS and other first responders of what occurred. However, in the end, unfortunately, this gentleman was declared deceased here at the scene,” Brideaux said.
“The motorcycle was observed to lose control resulting in the collision. However, the factors leading to it are still under investigation.”
Police said a 34-year-old man was riding a 2008 Yamaha Sport motorcycle northbound on Macleod Trail when he hit a barrier trying to go around a curve.
Early indications showed speed was a factor.
“The driver of the motorcycle was going too fast for the conditions,” Sgt. Darrel Schmidt said.
“I’m not a reconstructionist, but the recon officer told me just by looking at point of impact where he found it to where the motorcycle came to rest: speed is a factor. I don’t have the exact speed, but it was a factor.
“There were no other vehicles involved. This vehicle was ahead of traffic at the time of the collision.”
EMS said no other people were injured.
Northbound and southbound lanes of Macleod Trail were closed for the police investigation. The southbound lanes opened just before 6 p.m.
Calgary police said they expected the road to be closed for “several hours” and advised motorists to find alternate routes.
With motorcycling season has yet to officially begin, Schmidt warned riders to be careful of black ice and gravel as temperatures warm up.
“Gravel is just as slippery and there’s more gravel than black ice at this time of the year,” Schmidt said. “Furthermore, drivers are not looking for motorcycles yet on the road, so a driver of a motorcycle at this time of year should have his eyes peeled.”
On Saturday, police asked for anyone with any dashcam footage of the collision or who were witness to it to contact police.