SURREY – Black ice and fog are being blamed for at least 25 accidents involving 40 vehicles on the Port Mann Bridge in Surrey Thursday morning, causing minor injuries and major delays.
The Crown company that operates the new Port Mann Bridge has admitted the crossing was not properly de-iced before dozens of crashes Thursday morning.
Roughly one month after opening, the new Port Mann Bridge has already failed two winter weather tests – and some have lost faith in the multi-billion dollar megaproject.
Transportation Investment Corporation spokesman Max Logan told CTV News the contractor hired to monitor the Port Mann hadn’t doused the bridge with de-icing solution since 4 a.m. Wednesday.
“The amount that they put on they thought was sufficient for a 48 hour period, it obviously was not,” Logan said.
The service provider, Mainroad Contracting, also patrolled the billion-dollar toll bridge six times between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 5 a.m. Thursday, but saw no sign of ice danger.
“Ice did accumulate very rapidly between 5 and 6,” Logan said. “We have said to them that from now on application of that de-icing solution every 48 hours is not sufficient. It needs to happen more frequently, at least once a day when we have conditions like tonight and yesterday.”
Logan said sand is generally not used on roads in the Lower Mainland, but that salt could be laid in addition to the de-icing solution, which consists of a brine-saltwater mix.
Because the mayhem of Thursday morning did not force the closure of the bridge, Logan said toll refunds will not be issued.
Injuries have been reported, but the precise number has not been confirmed. RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen said the accidents on the bridge varied in severity.
The situation marks the second time in as many weeks that the new Port Mann has come under fire for apparent planning blunders.
On Dec. 19, falling ice unexpectedly plummeted onto cars as they crossed the bridge, denting hoods, cracking windshields and injuring two people.
The ice has resulted in roughly 250 damage claims to date, according to the Insurance Corporation of B.C., but the Transportation Investment Corporation has agreed to pay the deductibles of affected drivers.
