The first commute of the New Year wasn't smooth for many Winnipeggers.
A serious accident involving a Duffy's Taxi driver caused roads around King Edward Street and Sargent Avenue to be shut down all morning while police investigated.
Also in St. James, 12 to 18 vehicles collided on the St. James Bridge at Kenaston Boulevard at about 9:15 a.m., police said.
No one was injured, but two tow-trucks and police and fire crews were called to the scene.
Earlier in the morning there were a number of accidents on the Disraeli Bridge in the southbound lane, said police.
Icy roads cause the collisions around 8:40 a.m., officers said. After the collisions, sanders were sent out to improve the condition of the bridge.
A city spokesperson said crews have been sanding priority one roads – which includes all bridges, underpasses and main roads – around the clock.
The spokesperson said the problem lies with drivers who think that just because there is no snow, or no freezing rain, the roads are not slick.
However, with really cold temperatures, roads can still become icy and drivers need to adjust their driving, the spokesperson added.
Police were also called to a two-vehicle crash at Bishop Grandin Boulevard and River Road around 11:30 a.m.
After the crash, an off-duty police officer blocked off traffic with his pick-up. Traffic in the westbound lane of Bishop Grandin and the southbound lane of River Road remained closed to traffic.
Those collisions came on a morning with traffic trouble in other areas of the city including in St. Boniface, where police closed several blocks of Rue Des Meurons while the tactical unit conducted an operation.
