Bridge, highway closures possible as Metro Vancouver hit with more snow

Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have already seen their fair share of snow this winter, with the latest storm bringing a heavy dumping to the region by Thursday morning.

There were accumulations of between 10 to 20 centimetres in some parts, with other areas reporting even more snow overnight.

“That’s pretty much right on the range for most areas. We have seen the majority of the snow taper off around the area, just some light flurries, but the second concern … the freezing rain. We’re already getting freezing rain in Abbotsford and for eastern parts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley,” Meteorologist Michael Kuss said as of 5:30 a.m.

“We could see an extended period of freezing rain as the arctic air remains locked into the surface, warmer air rides overtop, that rain falls, falls into the cold air, and freezes on contact with the ground. That’s freezing rain. It’s falling on a snowy surface — that’s a bit of a benefit but doesn’t really help with trees, branches that will have that ice load on them. Power outages are a potential concern through the afternoon, especially in the Valley.”

Snowfall in North Vancouver 7.5cm to 6 AM. Snow mainly done. Rain and freezing rain coming late morning and ramping up this afternoon. #bcstorm ⁦@CityNewsVAN⁩ pic.twitter.com/1s5AkFUYuz

— Michael Kuss (@Kusswx) January 6, 2022

Rain is expected in the afternoon and into the evening Thursday, but concerns remain for many of the roadways and bridge decks.

The province is warning drivers that the Lower Mainland could see bridge and highway closures as a result of conditions. Freezing rain in the forecast for later in the day is also a potential concern.

Both the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges could be affected if the wind whips up, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transportation.

“Under normal conditions, the ministry uses a cable-collar system to remove snow that builds up on the cables of the Alex Fraser and Port Mann bridges so traffic can safely pass. However, high winds can increase the shedding of snow and pose a risk to the rope technicians. This prevents them from deploying the system,” the statement says.

The province is pre-warning drivers the Alex Fraser and Port Mann bridges may be closed w/o much notice on Thurs. If the snow/freezing rain is accompanied by wind, then the cable-collar system that prevents ice bombs won't work properly so the crossings will close. @CityNewsVAN

— Sonia Aslam (@SoniaSAslam) January 6, 2022

After heavy snow caught city crews off guard, sent several motorists into the ditch, and led many others to question cities’ preparedness last week, locals are hoping municipalities and crews can keep the roads passable for Thursday’s commute.

“On Thursday, snow will begin to transition to rain across Metro Vancouver as the system brings in milder air and temperatures begin to rise,” a statement from Environment Canada reads.

Winter storm warning for the Lower Mainland.10-20 cm expected mainly this evening and overnight. Turns to rain later Thursday morning with a stretch of freezing rain for eastern parts of the area. #BCstorm #Winter #Snow @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/pIY4vpLXNN

— Michael Kuss (@Kusswx) January 5, 2022

Freezing rain is also in the forecast for the Fraser Valley Thursday morning.

“For the western and central Fraser Valley, the transition will be from snow to freezing rain as cold air will continue to linger in the region. For the eastern Fraser Valley and Howe Sound, conditions will remain cold enough such that snow will continue all day Thursday,” the statement continues.

According to Environment Canada, a winter storm watch is in effect for the North Shore, including West Vancouver and North Vancouver, northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, southeast including Surrey and Langley, and southwest including Richmond and Delta.

“Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas,” Environment Canada adds.

Snow falls on already-messy roads

The snow Wednesday into Thursday came after a heavy dumping in some parts of Metro Vancouver Tuesday.

The weather made for many challenges on local roads, with slushy, slippery conditions reported. It also made it hard for buses and cars to get around some parts.

Tina Lovgreen with TransLink admits there were challenges for buses earlier in the week in the steep areas of Vancouver, the North Shore, and Surrey. But the biggest issue was the Granville Street Bridge.

“We did have a number of the buses stuck on the Granville Street Bridge,” she said.

“When the conditions are just right, that stretch of the bridge gets very icy. So it’s very challenging for trolley-head buses to make it through. So we were in contact with the City of Vancouver to get crews to send so we could get our buses moving again.”

Some bus routes in Vancouver saw delays of four hours due to conditions.

The City of Vancouver has received heavy criticism for its snow response — or lack thereof, according to some locals — earlier in the week.

When it comes to what exactly happened Tuesday, the city says crews were dispatched when TransLink reported issues on the bridge.

“One of the challenges that we faced is it was during the rush hour,” said the city’s Amy Sidwell. “So when you’re seeing lots of vehicles lined up, our plows are also in those lineups. So that definitely is a challenge for us. One thing that is really important for us is we ensure that everyone who’s out on the streets is really only out when there’s winter weather conditions for essential trips, and also making sure that they have the proper tires for the vehicles that we’re driving. That will really help us.”

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Meanwhile, since buses are “only as reliable as the roads are clear,” Lovgreen says TransLink works hand-in-hand with municipalities to prioritize bus routes for clearing.

“We are in touch with them to make sure that we get the help sent out to where we see problematic areas,” she said Wednesday, adding transit supervisors were out overnight to “look out and scout out some problem areas that are challenging.”

Any problem areas were to be relayed back to municipalities to attend to.

Extra staff had also been brought in Wednesday evening into Thursday and Lovgreen says TransLink has opted to swap out 60-foot buses for 40-foot ones because they are “a bit more agile in snowy conditions.”

Municipal responses

With the region having already had a few opportunities to implement snow response this winter, Sidwell with the City of Vancouver says procedures will vary from one municipality to another.

“I think that it really depends on where you are. Even across the city we see variations in how much the snow falls. So I think it’s hard to compare,” she told CityNews.

Sidwell says crews have put a plan in place for Wednesday into Thursday, noting additional resources were brought in.

“With this size of storm, we really ramp up our response to make sure that we’re responding quickly,” she added.

Ray Kerr with the City of Surrey says crews there have been out clearing roadways “around the clock” since Tuesday and will continue to be out until they are no longer needed.

“We do our priority ones first across the city. The city is so large that it changes as far as which part of the city gets hit the worst. So we deal with it across the board.”

He is reminding Surrey residents that a bylaw is in place which calls for business owners and residents to clear snow off pathways before 10 a.m. after a snowfall.

“So friendly reminder to please clear the snow. It makes it a lot easier for children and especially seniors to get around,” Kerr said.

Related Articles: 

• Snow-related school closures in Metro Vancouver

• Snow, road conditions in Vancouver lead to hours-long bus delays

• More than 50 hummingbirds had to be rescued during B.C.’s cold snap

Meanwhile, drivers like Denis shared their experiences on the road with CityNews.

“It’s not really snow. It’s clear ice. So it’s like complex snow … there is little snow maybe I need two or three inches, but it’s the ice that’s the problem. So many cars are in the depths upside down,” he said. “I drive this highway every day and this is the worst ice condition I have ever seen … it’s taken me an hour and a half … it’s so dangerous.”

The snow has also led to some school closures.

Whether you’re driving or taking transit, the key over the next day or so will be to give yourself plenty of time to get around. Drivers are being asked to give plow trucks space to work. If you don’t actually have to be on the roads — or if you don’t have winter tires — it might be best to leave the car parked.

For the latest traffic updates, tune into CityNews every 10 minutes on the ones or visit us on Twitter.

A full list of shelters in B.C. can be found on the BC Housing website.

Here is also a list of open emergency weather shelters in Metro Vancouver provided by the Homelessness Services Association of BC:

– With files from Ria Renouf