Chestermere Towing: Hwy 1A Commutes, Trailers & Lake Days

Chestermere sits just past Calgary's eastern edge, close enough that most residents commute into the city every day. Its lake also makes it one of the busiest summer spots in the region. That combination produces two very different kinds of towing calls: winter commuter breakdowns and summer trailer trouble. Dave's Towing has handled both since 1992. Here's what we've learned.

Getting between Chestermere and Calgary

Chestermere drivers usually come into Calgary one of three ways:

• Highway 1A (Chestermere Boulevard), which becomes 17 Avenue SE at the city limits. It's the most direct route into the southeast.
• Highway 1 (Trans-Canada), north of town, which connects to 16 Avenue NE.
• Stoney Trail, the ring road along Calgary's east side, which links both highways to the north and south ends of the city.

Breaking down on Highway 1A

Highway 1A carries steady traffic, with traffic lights and turning vehicles in places, so a stall can be stressful. If you lose power:

1. Signal and get to the right shoulder or a turning lane if one is open.
2. Turn on your hazards.
3. Stay buckled in the vehicle unless it's unsafe to stay put.
4. Call 403-272-3944 and tell us your direction and the nearest cross road or intersection.

If you're closer to the city side, 17 Avenue SE landmarks like the East Hills shopping area are helpful reference points.

Stoney Trail and Highway 1 interchanges

The interchanges where Stoney Trail meets Highway 1 and 17 Avenue SE are big and busy. If you stall on a ramp, don't try to walk to safety across lanes. Stay put, hazards on, and tell dispatch which ramp you're on (for example, "southbound Stoney to eastbound 17 Ave").

Lake season: boat trailers and summer calls

From May to September, Chestermere Lake brings a stream of boats, sea-doos and trailers through town. A good share of our summer calls here are trailer-related:

• Blown trailer tires or failed bearings on the way to or from the launch.
• Tow vehicles overheating while pulling a load on a hot afternoon.
• Vehicles stuck on soft ground or a slick ramp.

When the problem is the tow vehicle, we can often move both the vehicle and the trailer. Tell dispatch what you're hauling, roughly how long the trailer is, and whether the trailer can roll. Our equipment, trailer and RV transport page covers trailer moves in more detail.

Quick pre-trip checks for lake trailers

A few minutes in the driveway prevents most summer roadside calls:

• Check trailer tire pressure, including the spare. Trailer tires often age out before they wear out.
• Feel the hubs after the first few kilometres. A hot hub can mean a failing bearing.
• Confirm your lights and brake connections work.
• Cross the safety chains and double-check the hitch pin.

Winter in Chestermere

Winter brings a different set of calls. The open land east of Calgary catches wind, and blowing snow can drift across rural stretches near town. Common winter calls include:

• Dead batteries after a cold night in the driveway. A battery boost usually solves it.
• Vehicles in the ditch on rural range roads. Our winching and ditch recovery service can pull you out without further damage.
• Slide-offs at the edges of new subdivisions, where roads may not be cleared as early as main routes.

If you're in the ditch and not hurt, stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on. Leave the engine running for heat only if your exhaust pipe is clear of snow.

Where we commonly tow Chestermere vehicles

Chestermere drivers ask us to take vehicles to a home driveway, a local shop in town, or a Calgary mechanic, dealer or body shop, often in the southeast or northeast industrial areas. Before longer tows, call ahead to confirm the shop can take the vehicle.

What we tow

Dave's Towing handles light and medium duty vehicles: cars, SUVs, minivans, pickups up to one-ton, work vans, and the trailers that go with them. For accident damage or anything that won't roll, we'll use a flatbed. For more on the area, see our Chestermere towing page.

Stuck near Chestermere? Call now

Whether it's a January dead battery or a July trailer blowout, Dave's Towing answers 24/7. We've been serving Calgary and the surrounding area since 1992. Call 403-272-3944.