City officials ask drivers to avoid flooded underpasses as more rain on the way

The City of Regina has a three-phase approach to address the flooding that occurs at the downtown underpasses during most heavy rainfalls, including Thursday night’s storm.

Water often pools underneath the overpasses at Albert Street and Saskatchewan Drive and Broad Street and Dewdney Avenue, making the roads impassable.

Several cars became submerged at the underpasses following Thursday’s storm. City crews cleared the Broad Street underpass early Friday, but had the Albert Street underpass closed until noon.

Kurtis Doney, acting executive director of citizen services for the City of Regina, encourages all drivers to avoid the underpasses during floods—that’s the first phase of the approach, education.

“Medium-term, we’re working with SGI to have a flood indicator on the Albert Street underpass so if it’s flooded it would take control of the lights and not allow people to go into the flooded underpass as the lights would stay red,” Doney said.

Long-term, city officials want to upgrade the draining infrastructure at major underpasses.

SGI shared Doney’s sentiment encouraging drivers to stay away from flooded roads.

“Don’t risk it. Find another way to get where you’re going,” Tyler McMurchy said. “A vehicle submerged in water is very quickly damaged beyond repair.”

As of Friday evening, SGI had received seven auto claims for submerged vehicles in Regina due to Thursday’s storm. Eight claims were submitted in Prince Albert.

“This is one of the perils that is covered by insurance. However, it’s really something we advise people to take steps to avoiding,” McMurchy said.

“I don’t think anyone wants to experience having to pay a deductible, write off their vehicle [and] arrange for alternative transportation.”

Meanwhile, flooding at Ross Avenue resulted in a chunk of Ring Road being closed and re-routed for much of Thursday.

“What we found last time and I expect this time is the storm drain actually becomes plugged, so it’s plugged with debris, garbage [and] dirt,” Doney said.

“So we go in there and clear that storm drain and then it drains properly.”