In a city notorious for its traffic problems , drivers across the Lower Mainland are having to deal with a little something extra this week after a culvert collapse on the Highway 99 August 26.
The incident shut down a lane on the 99 northbound at the Bridgeport Road off-ramp. The 99 includes the Oak Street Bridge, so the closure is affecting traffic in both directions between Vancouver and Richmond.
Because of these delays, drivers are taking alternate routes, leading to increased traffic in other areas of Metro Vancouver. One route that is seeing a dramatic jump in traffic is the East-West Connector, which includes the Alex Fraser Bridge, connecting Delta to Richmond.
Increased traffic on these alternate routes makes them ripe for driver incidents. A three-car accident on the morning of August 29 northbound mid-span on the Alex Fraser left drivers in bumper-to-bumper traffic for several blocks in the areas leading up to the bridge, as well as on the feeder routes, in the early morning rush.
