Metro Vancouver transit slowed down by heavy snow

If you need to take transit Thursday, make sure you give yourself plenty of extra time getting where you need to go.

SeaBus service was briefly suspended Thursday afternoon due to flooding at Lonsdale Quay and Waterfront Stations, but resumed around 4 p.m.

#Seabus Lonsdale Quay Station and Waterfront Station are now open, Seabus will resume regular service. Thank you for your patience.^jd

— TransLink BC | Masks Mandatory (@TransLink) December 31, 2021

TransLink says the heavy snowfall has resulted in impacts to service to all other lines.

Many people in Metro Vancouver have found themselves waiting to catch a bus for extended periods of time due to road conditions.

“Our buses are only as good as the roads they drive on, which is why we are actively working with municipalities to ensure major roads are cleared and there is access to our transit centres,” explained Tina Lovgreen with TransLink.

At Commercial-Broadway. Been about 10 minutes. No buses have stopped yet and the line-up is down the sidewalk, through the station and nearing the Commercial Drive entrance/exit @CityNewsVAN https://t.co/wpAqKOzAcZ

— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) December 30, 2021

Lovgreen says there have been a number of bus delays and cancellations Thursday.

“Particularly we’re seeing challenges in the North Shore, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby, and New Westminster,” she told CityNews.

She notes there was a significant amount of snow at the entrance to the Port Coquitlam bus yard which delayed vehicles from being able to leave. While they have since left, some people calling our newsroom have said they were left waiting for buses early in the morning without warning.

While all lines of the SkyTrain are running, TransLink says service is much slower than usual because attendants have to operate the trains manually.

“The SkyTrain is delivering service to all stations,” said Lovgreen.

Related articles: 

• Heavy snow blankets Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley; road conditions dicey in many parts

• Despite record cold, Vancouver’s ponds not safe to skate on: Park Board

Meanwhile, SeaBus and West Coast Express are running regular service, while HandyDART is only providing essential service.

The transit disruptions come even though TransLink says it activated its snow plan Wednesday in anticipation of the snow.

“Which is a series of actions we take to mitigate delays due to this inclement weather,” Lovgreen explained.

That includes running a de-icer on trolley wires, switching to shorter articulated buses, running special SkyTrain de-icer on tracks, manually running trains to avoid disruptions caused by snow setting off alarms on the tracks, and installing tire socks on buses in some areas where there are hills and traction concerns.

Due to road conditions, much of our bus service is experiencing significant delays. Check https://t.co/CuruCkzvjS before heading to the bus stop to check where your bus is & to avoid waiting in the cold as much as possible. ^DA

— TransLink BC (@TransLink) December 30, 2021

TransLink says it has also been sanding and salting transit hubs.

Transit users are urged to plan ahead before heading out the door and to dress warm in case they need to wait outside.

-With files from Dean Recksiedler