LAC LA BICHE - Overland flooding and saturated land in and around Lac La Biche County continues to keep local roadways in a steady state of flux.
On Friday afternoon, Alberta Transportation crews re-opened a portion of Highway 55 west of the hamlet of Plamondon that had been closed due to a deep flow of water crossing the pavement from fields of water in the south and north sides of the road. The road had been closed for two days, detouring Plamondon-bound traffic back towards the cut-across road from Highway 63.
Similar closures and openings have been occurring with the section of Highway 55 at the western entrance to the hamlet of Lac La Biche.
Last Wednesday, in conjunction with the closure of a portion of Nashim Drive to to bridge concerns, that closure forced some residents to take a detour that moved their increased two to three minute driving commutes to downtown Lac La Biche to more than 40 minutes, taking them to Highway 663, the Christy Creek Road and Highway 36.
County officials have flown over the region to look for more water concerns and say that beaver dams and low lying areas are increasing the risk of continuing flood cautions.
Links for motorists
A Lac La Biche County map detailing closed municipal roads can be found by clicking here
For provincial highways, local officials are encouraging the public to follow the direction of the Alberta Transportation department's 511 information platform. Information from 511 is available by clicking HERE. There were no traffic alerts or reported highway closures on highways within the Lac La Biche region reported on the 511 system last Saturday.
