Snow, road conditions in Vancouver lead to hours-long bus delays
Posted January 4, 2022 10:37 pm.
Last Updated January 5, 2022 12:42 pm.
Tuesday afternoon’s snowfall resulted in slushy, slippery roads — causing hours-long delays for commuters along many of the major bus routes in Vancouver.
TransLink spokesperson Tina Lovgreen says she understands people taking buses through downtown had a frustrating afternoon and that the operations team was in constant communication with the City of Vancouver in an effort to get transit moving.
“We did see a lot of issues in Vancouver. It was particularly challenging because of the roads. So, we’ve been in touch with the City of Vancouver to get help clearing the streets, sanding the streets so we can get our buses moving and get people to where they need to go,” she said.
“We really do rely on the municipalities to help us with the standing and clearing of the road so we can keep our buses moving.”
7:25 – #VancouverBC – About 30 busses currently stuck on the #GranvilleBridge. Expect delays if you're driving or taking transit tonight, due to snowy/slick road conditions. @TransLink @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/dvccVAtweN
— Riley Phillips (@Rileythedj) January 5, 2022
The Granville Street Bridge came to a stand-still for some time, with dozens of buses backing up as the evening wore on.
Granville Street Bridge +45 buses @CityNewsVAN @TransLink @DailyHiveVan pic.twitter.com/lF2wDEfqWl
— shigeo_nishi (@roycebowls) January 5, 2022
TransLink was reporting delays of approximately four hours on several of these routes
“It gets super icy when the conditions are just right,” Lovgreen says.
“Our bus service is as reliable as the roads are clear. We work with municipalities to make sure they clear the routes that are most used by buses, to prioritize those bus routes. We really do rely on our partners at the city to get that work done so we can get our buses moving.”
#RiderAlert 4 UBC/Downtown/Powell is experiencing delays up to 250 minutes due to road conditions. Coaches are stuck in snow/ice. ^cm
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 5, 2022
#RiderAlert 10 Granville/Downtown is experiencing delays up to 230 minutes due to road conditions. Coaches stuck in snow/ice. ^cm
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 5, 2022
Bus routes that serve downtown and rely on the Granville Street Bridge reported the longest delays, some in excess of four hours.
The Cambie Street Bridge also saw significant traffic backups.
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Other busy routes — including Broadway and Main Street — also saw major delays due to “road conditions,” with buses getting stuck or spinning out.
#RiderAlert 99 UBC B-Line/Commercial-Broadway Station B-Line is experiencing delays up to 200 minutes due to road conditions. Several coaches stuck on ice. ^cm
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 5, 2022
#RiderAlert 3 Main-Marine Drive Station/Downtown is experiencing delays up to 180 minutes due to road conditions. Several coaches stuck in snow/ice. ^cm
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 5, 2022
Friend shared this with me from earlier today. Several buses were stuck in the King Ed/Macdonald area in #Vancouver today due to snow. #bcstorm @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/05vlAaG5hz
— Hana Mae Nassar (@HanaMaeNassar) January 5, 2022
Lovgreen says some issues were also reported in Surrey and North Vancouver, but no significant issues arose with routes on Burnaby Mountain or in Coquitlam’s Westwood Plateau.
When asked if there were any challenges clearing snow or sanding roads in Vancouver, the city provided a statement saying crews were “working around the clock,” and that they are sent to “problem areas” after they are identified by TransLink.
“Some roads can still be icy and snowy as we complete our treatments. We ask all residents to please slow down, watch for slippery sections and pooling water, and drive for the current conditions,” the statement read.
“Priority routes for snow and ice treatment include major roads, bus routes, bridges, our four major pedestrian pathways.”
With more snow in the forecast, Lovgreen suggests anyone who relies on transit should give themselves plenty of extra time and check conditions on their route in advance.
