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Commuters face traffic hell due to Pattullo Bridge closure
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by Barry Artiste | January 19, 2009 at 06:21 am
881 views | 31 Recommendations | 10 comments
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Barry Artiste Op/Ed
Commuters this morning are in for a surprise as the Putallo bridge they rely on to get across the Fraser River will be closed for 6 weeks, apparently a homeless person decided to warm himself under the bridge, starting a bonfire with creosote railway ties. The fire got away and started to burn down the bridge. Oh Happy Days "NOT"!
METRO VANCOUVER — Commuters crossing the Fraser River can expect longer line-ups and further delays after a suspicious fire Sunday shut down the Pattullo Bridge for at least a month, diverting its 80,000 daily users to other routes and onto public transit.
TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie urged commuters to leave earlier or later for work and consider carpooling and telecommuting, predicting overcrowded conditions on the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges and George Massey Tunnel, as well as long waits for buses and SkyTrains.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 10:28 on January 19th, 2009
To add to the mess, the braintrusts at translink have barred the cyclists from bringing their bikes onto skytrain now. They could easily add a special bikes and people car. What was that message -- get out of your car, use a green method of transport.
at 10:55 on January 19th, 2009
Bikes take up may too much room on the cars. They would reduce, not increase the capacity of the system during peak times.
at 12:05 on January 19th, 2009
Glad I live on this side of the Fraser.
at 14:19 on January 19th, 2009
Thanks guys for the comments, and fer yew skeeter, yer not a very nice brither fer pushin that smugness if mah face, fer shame, fer shame!
at 13:50 on January 22nd, 2009
Geez Barry I'm sure I am sorry but that's why I live on a 33' x 120' lot and still pay a sh*tload of property taxes. It's called Vancouver not "Metro Vancouver"
at 18:08 on January 19th, 2009
I Drive a truck that has 36 wheels, And on a good day the Pattoullo wasn't very fun to traverse. At both ends of the bridge a proffesional driver is forced to take up two lanes ( With 4-way flashers on ) in order to navigate the corners safely!
travnl has contributed a photo to this story.
at 12:04 on January 22nd, 2009
e4monsch has contributed a photo to this story.
at 17:31 on January 22nd, 2009
The stately old bridge is in need of being replaced and the recent shutdown has only focused more light on the problem.
ore_reserve has contributed a photo to this story.
at 19:37 on January 22nd, 2009
Progress??
at 09:43 on January 28th, 2009
Now the bridge is open, and it seems all the problems are gone.
But, as an avid cyclist, I'm very much concerned with Translink's bicycle ban on Sky Train during the bridge closure.
The decision by the Board is against its own commitment, and treason to the society.
musoamane has contributed a photo to this story.