She’s some greasy out there, Fredericton

Uptown accident takes out traffic lights at busy intersection, no estimate on repair timeline

Fredericton police officers were busy early Friday with numerous accidents around the city, including one that took out a traffic light at one of the capital’s busiest intersections.

Sonya Gilks, a spokesperson with the Fredericton Police Force, said a vehicle struck a pole at the corner of Smythe and Prospect streets at about 9:30 a.m., causing the traffic light to fall to the pavement. 

This image from social media shows the aftermath of an accident at the corner of Smythe and Prospect streets that felled a traffic light. (Photo: Facebook)

“NB Power was contacted and a towing company was called,” she wrote in an email to the Fredericton Independent on Friday morning. “Barricades were set up to block off the intersection.”

Gilks didn’t have an estimate for when the traffic light infrastructure would be repaired, and she didn’t have word from officers if any charges were expected.

She noted police had their hands full with multiple accident calls around Fredericton.

“They’re pretty busy today with the weather and road conditions,” Gilks wrote.

The police force cautioned people on social media Friday morning that they needed to take care while driving, given slippery conditions.

Later on Friday afternoon, Gilks reported that city police officers had responded to seven motor-vehicle accidents between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“Of the seven, six were minor with no injuries,” she wrote in a followup email to the Fredericton Independent. “There was one accident were injuries were sustained.”

She noted the latter accident occurred in the area of Lincoln and Glazier roads, though she had no further detail about the extent of the injuries.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.