🚧 Sudden Merge and No Warning: Chaos at Kin Coulee Dip Construction Zone

Rush-hour traffic ground to a crawl at the Kin Coulee dip this evening after three lanes on Highway 1 abruptly merged into one with no advance signage warning drivers of the construction ahead. The bottleneck, which began just past the hill heading westbound into the valley, caught many drivers by surprise — including several transport truck operators who were forced to slam on their brakes in heavy traffic.

Video recorded around 5 p.m. shows semis in close calls, jittering to a stop as vehicles jockeyed to merge in the middle of the dip. Drivers reported no visible signage on the approach from the east side of the hill and no lane closure markers until motorists were already committed to the descent.

According to Alberta Transportation’s Highway 1 & 3 Existing Route Improvements plan, the province has been working with Stantec Consulting Ltd. to develop interim upgrades and interchange strategies between 1 Street and 16 Street, including lane reconfigurations and eventual interchange work near Dunmore Road. But no immediate construction schedule was identified in those plans, and no public notice appeared to precede today’s lane closures.

For commuters, the lack of warning created a dangerous setup: trucks travelling downhill at 60–70 km/h were suddenly forced to merge into a single lane within less than 100 metres. One witness described it as “a crash waiting to happen.”

The City of Medicine Hat and Alberta Transportation have not yet issued statements explaining today’s lane reduction or whether proper temporary traffic control plans were approved.