A source of immense frustration for many residents of Surrey and Delta, the cables on the Alex Fraser Bridge caused havoc this past past winter.
Snow and ice falling from the cables was a source of great concern for drivers and authorities.
In a recent press release from the BC Government, Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said that “Last winter, snow and ice on the Alex Fraser Bridge’s cables forced several closures, which inconvenienced thousands of commuters. Adding a cable collar system to clear snow will improve the reliability of the bridge,”
People reported serious damage to their vehicles. Roads were very unsafe as a result of the “snow bombs.”
This past winter the province had to have a helicopter on standby in order to have a way to quickly de-ice the cables. This solution was not feasible to maintain, and it didn’t solve the problem.
Alex Fraser Bridge: New Cable Collar System
The province has decided to install a $5-million cable collar system in order to prevent the falling ice.
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This solution, however, is not without issues. The Port Mann Bridge has administered this system and it is not without fault. Drivers still report that ice and snow has fallen in large piles on their vehicles.
The ice can still build up and the collars need to be frequently deployed in order to combat the weather.
The province expects the installation to be complete by December of this year.
The province also plans to add an additional lane in order to help with traffic congestion.