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First major snow of winter wallops Langley

Quite a few drivers found themselves in a ditch.

The first significant snow of the winter arrived on Sunday, Feb. 2 and continued into the early morning hours in some parts of Langley, leading to school closures and some stuck cars.

One of the most serious traffic impacts was when the southbound lanes of 200 Street were closed for a time on Sunday between 72 and 64 Avenues, said Russ Jenkins, deputy fire chief for the Langley Township Fire Department.

That section has a particularly steep downhill.

Everything else was open, but some drivers did get into trouble as the snow piled up.

"We had quite a few MVAs [motor vehicle accidents]," Jenkins said.

There were 43 callouts for fire department assistance in the Township on Sunday, he said.

Fortunately none of the crashes resulted in major injuries, Jenkins said. There were several incidents on Highway One, but most of the crashes were cars sliding off the road or into a ditch.

By mid-morning, the RCMP were advising people to avoid using Highway One in Langley unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Motorists using Highway One through Langley and the Fraser Valley need to be aware that icy, treacherous conditions are leading to intermittent shutdowns in both directions in order to make the highway safe for travel," said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the BC Highway Patrol.

The area between 216 Street and 264 Street in Langley was the first affected, but McLaughlin warned that any area from Whistler to Hope could be impacted. 
 
“Drivers should not use Highway One unless necessary, they leave extra travel time, and their vehicles are fully prepared for winter conditions," McLaughlin said.

Traffic cams showed that the eastbound lanes of the highway were backed up badly between 216 Street and somewhere past 232 Street.

With all public schools, and many private schools closed, along with the KPU campus closed until at least noon, students had a day off and parents had to figure out a plan for childcare.

Langley Township and City have snowplows on the road, and people can watch the progress of Township plows by using the TOL Plow Tracker app, which can be found through the Township of Langley website.

On Monday morning, the app showed up to 10 snow plows working, as well as showing the key routes to be plowed. 

Langley City's website also has information on snow and ice clearing, including a map showing the first routes that are top priorities for snow and ice clearing.

In both the Township and City, residents and business owners are required to clear snow and ice off sidewalks and walkways bordering their property within 24 hours of a major snowfall. In commercial areas of the Township, business owners are required to clear snow by 10 a.m.

Snow cannot be shovelled directly onto roads, as that simply creates a new blockage for vehicles.