Drivers say hours-long Massey Tunnel crash delays "embarrassing at this point"
Drivers were trapped for hours last night after the northbound lanes of Highway 99 near the George Massey Tunnel closed because of a crash.
The collision occurred during the afternoon rush, just before 4 pm. Many drivers heading home were stopped for four hours or more — from afternoon until after dark.
BC Highway Patrol’s Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said a Toyota Sienna and a Mazda 3 collided head-on in one of the northbound lanes that was being uses as counterflow.
DriveBC shared a video of the backup after sunset when emergency crews were still working to clear the crash.
āļø#MasseyTunnel Northbound traffic remains blocked due to vehicle recovery. Southbound is reduced to a single lane. #BCHwy99 #DeltaBC #RichmondBC https://t.co/5McuKEf9RD pic.twitter.com/aFSBoVGgLf
ā DriveBC (@DriveBC) October 16, 2024
“Hey you bozos just give people an estimate of when it opens up. Been in this mess since 4:15. Just give people some honesty of when itās gonna open,” one person replied.
DriveBC addressed the complaint, saying police still needed to clear the scene before cleanup could begin.
If we knew in advance, we’d have reported that at the time.
We have to wait for RCMP to clear a scene before any cleanup can begin.
Tow crews are just packing up now inside the tunnel, so it shouldn’t be much longer.ā DriveBC (@DriveBC) October 16, 2024
Discussion about the long wait also made it onto Reddit, where some drivers pointed to poor Fraser River crossings as a provincial election issue.
“Hah, I avoided all of that by taking the 10 lane Massey bridge, that was completed in 2022,” one person joked.
“The lower mainland seriously needs more ways across the Fraser River,” another said.
“It’s downright embarrassing at this point,” a third added.
Folks also turned to logistical discussions about what to do if you have to use the bathroom while trapped in gridlock. Redditors suggested an empty bottle for urine and everything from an empty Pringles can to a sock for feces.
One TikToker shared footage of people getting out of their parked cars to stand on the highway. He used the video to criticize the slow response by emergency crews.
@rjrogersjr All tunnel lanes closed. #vancouver ā¬ original sound – Rj Rogers
Collisions at choke points in the coastal Lower Mainland can have severe impacts on traffic, which the George Massey Tunnel recognized as a spot particularly prone to gridlock. Bad weather has also made for nightmarish commutes in Metro Vancouver in recent years, with some drivers calling for better road management to keep them from getting stuck on the road for hours.
Police are now seeking dashcam footage of Tuesday’s crash. Anyone with information can contact investigators at 604-526-9744 and quote file number 2024-1716.