A police incident blocked the right lane on Hwy 1 eastbound at the Port Mann Bridge, causing major delays. What happened, how drivers were affected and advice for commuters.
Traffic Chaos on a Busy B.C. Connector
A police incident in Surrey, British Columbia brought rush‑hour drivers on Highway 1 eastbound to a grinding halt Tuesday afternoon, with long backups and frustration piling up from commuters trying to cross the Port Mann Bridge. While emergency crews worked at the scene, traffic in the right lane of the Surrey exit was blocked, forcing drivers to merge early and slow down well before the bridge crossing.
The incident occurred as vehicles were making their way out of Coquitlam and into Surrey, and although officials have been tight‑lipped about exact details, local social media traffic updates flagged the closure. The rightmost lane of the highway, just before the exit onto Port Mann Bridge, was closed off due to the police presence, creating delays that quickly extended back along Highway 1 well into surrounding communities.
From the outset, drivers faced frustrating conditions. Multiple commuters trying to get home were met with stop‑and‑go traffic and slow rolling queues, especially where lanes were forced to merge. Many motorists reported delays well beyond typical rush‑hour conditions, pointing to the lane closure at a pinch point that is already a regular trouble zone during peak periods.
How It Unfolded
The closure happened in the eastbound lanes of Highway 1 as vehicles were approaching the Surrey exit leading onto the Port Mann Bridge. Police had blocked the right lane amid the incident, which is fed by traffic heading from Coquitlam into Surrey and onto the Lower Mainland’s busy freeway system.
Emergency crews were on site for a sustained period, and while details about the nature of the police action have not been fully disclosed, drivers were warned of long delays. In similar past situations such as when a truck crash temporarily halted traffic and snarled the same stretch of road congestion stretched far past the bridge itself, creating bottlenecks and forcing drivers to consider alternative routes.
The Port Mann Bridge is one of the Lower Mainland’s most critical crossings, linking communities east of the Fraser River with Surrey and points beyond. It carries thousands of vehicles daily, making even a short‑lived closure a major inconvenience for commuters and commercial traffic alike.
Commuters Left Stranded
For many commuters, what might have started as a routine drive home turned into a long wait. Some drivers shared that backups began earlier than usual on Highway 1, indicating that even before the closure, traffic was heavier than normal. Once the right lane was shut down, congestion quickly worsened.
Throughout the delay, drivers were urged to listen to traffic updates and consider alternate routes if possible. While detours like the Queensborough Bridge and Alex Fraser Bridge exist for crossing the Fraser River, using them can itself add time to a commute and frequently shifts congestion to secondary roads.
Past Incidents Show What Could Happen
This isn’t the first time that traffic near the Port Mann Bridge has been dramatically affected by an incident. In a previous crash on the bridge, the eastbound Surrey exit lanes were blocked, causing traffic to back up across multiple kilometres of Highway 1 before the scene was cleared.
Past closures have led to long waits and have prompted transportation officials to remind drivers to plan extra travel time and consider alternate routes to avoid gridlock. However, there has been no indication yet whether this latest event will lead to any longer‑term traffic planning changes.
Advice for Drivers and What Comes Next
Authorities generally recommend staying updated via traffic advisories and DriveBC alerts, especially during peak travel hours. If you’re heading toward the Port Mann Bridge and see warnings of a closure or emergency response, it’s often better to choose a different route before reaching the affected area.
Whether this incident will lead to official updates from police or transportation officials remains to be seen. For now, commuters are encouraged to stay informed and patient when planning travel through one of the region’s busiest corridors.
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