VANCOUVER — Both the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges over the Fraser River were shut Friday due to winter weather and the risk of falling ice, adding to a day of travel woe in Metro Vancouver ahead of Christmas that also included major SkyTrain disruptions.
The Transportation Ministry said freezing rain caused ice to accumulate on the cables of both bridges, meaning they had to be closed for public safety until warmer weather improves conditions.
There was no estimate when either the Port Mann carrying Highway 1 or Alex Fraser carrying Highway 91 would reopen.
In another blow to commuters, Metro Vancouver's transit authority TransLink temporarily halted some SkyTrain services and closed several stations, while rerouting buses as a stop-gap.
TransLink blamed "multiple track issues, caused by ice buildup," and urged would-be passengers to avoid travel.
On highways between the eastern Fraser Valley and the Okanagan, as well as through the Fraser Canyon, the combination of heavy snow and freezing rain triggered moderate to high avalanche warnings.
The B.C. government advised against non-essential travel and warned of difficult road conditions along the stretches in question, on Highway 3 between Hope and Hedley, and on Highway 1 near Jackass Mountain and through the Fraser Canyon.
Ice pellets or freezing rain fell across much of the south coast, including Greater Victoria and Metro Vancouver, as a layer of above-freezing temperatures formed on top of the current arctic air mass.
Environment Canada said those conditions could lead to ice accumulations of up to five millimetres around Victoria and the southern Gulf Islands, and as much as 25 millimetres in the Fraser Valley, before heavy rain drenches much of the south coast, raising the potential for flooding as snow and ice clog storm drains.
Snow blanketed most of the province and snowfall or winter storm warnings were in place for much of the lower two-thirds of B.C., with accumulations of five to 20 centimetres or more, depending on the region.
Extreme cold warnings remained in effect for parts of northern and southeastern B.C., where wind-chill values range from -35 C to nearly -50 C.
Dave Earle, president of the B.C. Trucking Association, said Friday that the next 24 hours were going to be incredibly challenging and many truckers chose not to be on the roads if their cargo was not essential.
“A lot of loads that had discretion in terms of being able to move either today or wait 24 hours, are just going to wait 24 hours,” he said.
Earle said the association sent notices to members warning them to be prepared for lengthy roadside stoppages.
"There's a number of vehicles that are pulled over, not just in B.C., it's right down the corridor, all the way down," he said.
"I've seen pictures as far as southern Oregon, with vehicles just pulled over to the side of the road, recognizing there's no way that they can travel safely."
He said drivers recognize that what they're carrying is important to people, particularly during the holiday season, but the priority is to stay safe.
The freezing rain prompted advisories for travellers to stay off roads, including mountain passes to the Interior, while WestJet and Air Canada cancelled dozens of flights and many BC Ferries sailings were scrubbed.
BC Transit announced that all bus services in the Central Fraser Valley had been suspended until further notice.
Buses were also cancelled in Greater Victoria for the first half of the day with some limited services beginning in the early afternoon. BC Transit said it expected only some routes to offer service on Saturday.
All scheduled WestJet flights in and out of Vancouver International and four regional airports have been halted until Friday afternoon, weather dependent.
In an update Friday, Vancouver International Airport said it was working with Air Canada and WestJet to safely restart operations after the widespread cancellations.
Tamara Vrooman, the airport's president and CEO, said the airport was flying at about half of its normal schedule for a busy Friday leading into the holiday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2022.
Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press
