Highway 1 Collision Near Dead Man’s Flats Leaves Drivers Stuck for Hours

Drivers travelling east on the Trans-Canada Highway faced hours-long delays Sunday afternoon after a series of motor vehicle collisions shut down traffic near Dead Man’s Flats.

According to the provincial road service Alberta 511, multiple collisions were reported on Highway 1 eastbound between Dead Man’s Flats and Lac des Arcs beginning around 2:25 p.m on March 8. Emergency crews responded to the scene and drivers were advised to expect delays and use alternate routes.

Photos and eyewitness accounts from motorists suggested the main obstruction involved two large tour buses that slid sideways along the highway, blocking both eastbound lanes.

“We passed the two buses that were in an accident at 2:50 p.m. westbound. No movement eastbound at all,” one driver wrote in a Bow Valley road conditions Facebook group, adding that fire trucks and ambulances were on scene.

Another motorist reported the buses remained stuck well into the afternoon.

“Two buses still sideways blocking eastbound at the Lac des Arcs curve,” one post read. “Backed up solid both lanes to Dead Man’s Flats and beyond.”

Drivers stranded for hours

Many drivers said they were stuck on the highway for extended periods as crews worked to clear the scene.

Some motorists reported waiting more than an hour and a half without moving, while others said their trip to Calgary stretched to more than three hours.

Road conditions across the Bow Valley were also deteriorating through the afternoon as snow and wind created slippery sections and reduced traction on hills.

Several drivers reported semitrailers struggling to climb Scott Lake Hill east of Canmore, with some stopping to install tire chains.

Alternate routes quickly filled up

As traffic ground to a halt on the Trans-Canada Highway, many drivers attempted to detour via the Bow Valley Parkway, also known as Highway 1A.

But that route quickly became congested as well.

“Everyone coming off westbound going to 1A causing it to get backed up and busy as well,” one commenter wrote. “Best advice is to wait it out.”

Others described Highway 1A as slow moving with packed snow and slushy sections.

Tow trucks eventually clear buses

By mid-afternoon, heavy recovery crews had arrived to remove the buses from the roadway.

A driver passing westbound reported a tow truck arriving around 3:30 p.m., while another update posted shortly after 4:30 p.m. said the final bus was being removed.

“Tow truck arrived to get the last bus out,” one driver wrote. “Looks like things should be able to move eastbound as soon as that’s done.”

By around 5 p.m., some motorists reported eastbound traffic beginning to move again, though the highway remained heavily backed up as vehicles slowly cleared the area.

Authorities have not yet released details about injuries or the exact number of vehicles involved in the collisions.

Officials continued urging drivers to slow down and use caution as winter conditions persist across the Bow Valley.