Latest news with #DriveBC
The Province
21 hours ago
- Climate
- The Province
Houseboat fire causes heavy smoke alongside Second Narrows Bridge
Black smoke billowed from a fire close to the base of the bridge during rush hour traffic on Monday. A house boat caught fire alongside the Second Narrows Bridge in North Vancouver on July 28, 2025. Photo by DriveBC Thick black smoke billowed alongside the Second Narrows Bridge in North Vancouver on Monday afternoon during peak hour traffic. According to District of North Vancouver spokesperson Ryan Schaap, fire crews were called to the eastern side of the bridge, where there are several houseboats moored in a marina. One of the houseboats was ablaze. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors According to DriveBC, there was reduced visibility on the bridge but no lane closures. At 7 p.m., DriveBC reported the fire had been extinguished. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More dcarrigg@ Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks Golf Sports Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Climate
- Vancouver Sun
Houseboat fire causes heavy smoke alongside Second Narrows Bridge
Thick black smoke billowed alongside the Second Narrows Bridge in North Vancouver on Monday afternoon during peak hour traffic. According to District of North Vancouver spokesperson Ryan Schaap, fire crews were called to the eastern side of the bridge, where there are several houseboats moored in a marina. One of the houseboats was ablaze. #Vancouver #northvan #fire 🔥 💨 🌉 Under Iron Workers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge… According to DriveBC, there was reduced visibility on the bridge but no lane closures. At 7 p.m., DriveBC reported the fire had been extinguished. ✅Fire has been knocked down and smoke is minimal. This does not appear to have affected the bridge structure. #IronWorkersMemorialBridge #BCHwy1 #SecondNarrowsCrossing #NorthVan #Vancouver dcarrigg@
CBC
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CBC
Who controls the centre lane on the Lions Gate Bridge?
Around 60,000 cars cross Vancouver's Lions Gate Bridge every day. And if you have ever been in one of those vehicles, you may have wondered who decides the ever-changing direction of the centre lane and how they decide when to change it. "Our biggest goal obviously is safety and second to that is keeping traffic moving," said Ashok Bhatti, executive director at B.C.'s transportation ministry. The bridge, which connects Vancouver and the North Shore, has three lanes for vehicle traffic (and barriers that separate an area for cyclists and pedestrians on either side). Special traffic lights posted above each vehicle lane indicate which direction of traffic a lane is open to — providing the bridge with a counterflow system. Staff monitor 46 cameras At the province's Transportation Management Centre in Coquitlam, B.C. the mood is calm and focused. Staff monitor thousands of traffic cameras across B.C. They update the Drive B.C. website, change the messaging on electronic traffic signs across the province, and manage counterflow operations on various structures in Metro Vancouver—including the Lions Gate. WATCH: Who controls the Lions Gate Bridge's centre lane? Who controls the Lions Gate Bridge centre Lane? 10 hours ago Around 60,000 cars cross Vancouver's Lions Gate Bridge every day. And if you have ever been in one of those vehicles, you may have wondered who decides the ever-changing direction of the centre lane and how they decide when to change it. The CBC's Michelle Gomez has the answers. A staff member observes the iconic green bridge's traffic at all hours through 46 cameras that show different sections and angles of both the bridge and the roads leading onto it. Decisions are made methodically, based on engineering standards and take into account what is happening on the road in real time. How it works There are typically two lanes heading southbound—into downtown Vancouver—during morning rush hour as people pour into the city, and two lanes heading northbound—out of downtown—during evening rush hour,as drivers head home. But it's not as simple as that. No matter the time of day, as cars come off the bridge they are routed onto city streets and highways, which must have enough space to handle them. The need is most acute for southbound vehicles, heading into Vancouver's dense, downtown core. "If we're in a situation where we don't do counterflow for a very long time, and traffic is starting to build up, say, in Vancouver. . . we need to start flushing this traffic through otherwise it will take hours for us to release it," Bhatti said. And if southbound traffic slows down too much along the Stanley Park Causeway, it can cause the centre lane to clog—which Bhatti said is a big no-no. The centre lane, no matter which direction it's serving, must remain free-flowing at all times so cars can merge, quickly, safely and on short notice, into the right-hand lane when an emergency vehicle needs to get across using the centre lane, Bhatti explained. Emergency vehicles need to come through dozens of times per day, he added. This adds to how often the centre lane is changed. "The reason it's so dynamic is we're constantly managing the traffic back and forth so it won't get to that critical place where it just won't work," he said. When it isn't rush hour, Bhatti said staff monitor the cameras and use the centre counterflow lane based on which side has the highest traffic volume. "What we're trying to do is make sure that it doesn't get congested, particularly in any one direction," he said. Between managing emergency vehicles and traffic counterflow, Bhatti sayd staff typically switch the lane direction between 35 and 40 times a day. How lanes are switched The process of changing the direction of the centre lane using the specialised traffic lights takes about three minutes from start to finish. Those driving in the centre lane will first see a flashing yellow line, then a solid yellow line, and finally a red "X" indicating the lane is fully closed. Drivers coming from the other side will then see the a green check mark above the centre lane, with staff monitoring the transition to ensure it's clear before it opens to the opposite direction. "It's all done through very strict engineering standards, but the operators do have the ability… to dynamically shift things in real time to make sure it's safe," Bhatti said. Constrained network Bhatti said drivers should give themselves plenty of time and exercise patience while crossing the bridge, which he referred to as part of a constrained network. "There's a huge population of travellers within the Lower Mainland," Bhatti said. "All the bridges could be bigger." Bhatti said drivers should know staff do their best efficiently and creatively manage traffic, using counterflow to make the most of the three-lane bridge.
CTV News
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Road to Tsawwassen BC Ferries blocked in both directions after crash
A crash on Highway 17 near the Tsawwassen BC Ferries terminal has closed a section of the road, blocking access to the terminal in both directions. A statement issued by Drive BC shortly after 12 p.m. said the highway is closed between Salish Sea Drive and Tsawwassen Drive, and there are no detours available 'at this time.' Emergency crews are at the scene. The Tsawwassen ferry terminal, located at the southwest end of Highway 17 in Delta, is a major transport facility and the busiest ferry terminal in Vancouver, providing services to Victoria, Nanaimo, and the Southern Gulf Islands. This is a developing story.
CBC
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Serious vehicle crash closes Lougheed Highway eastbound in Maple Ridge
A stretch of Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, B.C., is largely closed Friday morning following a serious vehicle crash. RCMP said eastbound lanes on the throughfare are closed from 287th Street to Jim Robson Way, and 240th Street is fully closed from River Road to Hill Avenue. One westbound lane of Lougheed Highway is also closed, according to DriveBC. A 5 a.m. PT statement from the Ridge Meadows RCMP says police were on scene investigating, and drivers should expect delays on their morning commute. RCMP described the crash as a "serious motor vehicle incident," but provided no further details. Photos taken of the scene show a single vehicle with its back end in the air and all but the rear of it severely damaged. "The Ridge Meadows RCMP is requesting patience this morning; and asking for commuters to plan an alternative route," RCMP said in a statement.
