WATCH: The Ministry of Transportation is under fire over a metal bump on the Lions Gate Bridge that is causing all kinds of traffic chaos. Kylie Stanton reports.
There has been an extra bump in the road for drivers and commuters using the Lions Gate Bridge for the past few days.
Travellers have been slowing down after some repair work recently done by the Ministry of Transportation and it is causing traffic chaos and long delays.
As of 6 a.m. on Thursday, TransLink is temporarily stopping bus service over the bridge due to the construction. The company is urging customers to take the Seabus today, however, line-ups were long and there were no extra sailings put in place.
West Vancouver buses are not affected and are still travelling over the bridge.
TransLink says all bus service over the bridge will be cancelled for the remainder of Thursday, including the 240, 241, 246 and 247, which will avoid the bridge and divert to the SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale Quay or Waterfront Station.
WATCH: More delays as Lions Gate crews repair bump
To accommodate passengers, TransLink says it will add another SeaBus to the afternoon rotation. On Thursday morning, there was a one sailing wait with two SeaBus in rotation.
The issue all revolves around a 1.75″ metal bump that spans all three lanes of the bridge near the south end. As drivers approach the bump they are slowing down, and some are coming to an almost full stop, as they are concerned the bump may damage their cars.
The Ministry of Transportation originally told Global News it is safe to drive over at regular speeds.
In a statement, they said:
While the metal plates in place are designed to accommodate all vehicles travelling on the bridge at regular speeds, we are looking at possible alternatives that may reduce the height of the plates and make it a smoother ride for those travelling on the bridge. We expect to have more information in the coming days.
In the meantime, we ask anyone planning to travel on the Lions Gate Bridge to be aware of the 1.75” high metal plate near the south end of the bridge. These plates are in place while night-time work is done on the bridge and will be there for approximately another month.
However, they now say a solution has been found to reduce the impact of the bump for drivers.
“The cover over the area will be modified so that vehicles will have a longer and smoother transition over the bump. The work will include widening the cover area by an additional 6 feet (about 3 feet on each side), and placing more rubber surfacing over the metal plates.”
The work will continue Thursday night, and is expected to be completed by Friday morning.
Drivers and commuters are urged to consult Drive BC for updates.
You can also follow the bump on Twitter at @LionsGateBump
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