It was traffic chaos throughout Delta and Richmond on Wednesday due to a pair of commercial vehicle roll-overs.
The first incident occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Highway 17A before Highway 99.
Media relations officer Cpl. Mike Moore with B.C. Highway Patrol said a commercial vehicle was transporting a large shipping container when it flipped over while making a turn.
He said there were no injuries and the contents of the container are unknown.
Officers from BC Highway Patrol – South Coast – Burnaby attended, along with Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement.
“An inspection notice was issued to the driver, keeping the tractor and trailer off of the highway until such time as it can undergo a safety inspection,” said Moore. “The investigation is concluded.”
Motorists took to social media throughout the day to vent their frustrations as it took well into Wednesday evening before the scene was clear.
“In the case of the shipping container, which was the bulk of the delay, it was extremely heavy and it required multiple heavy wrecker tow trucks,” said Moore. “These are special units and are less common than the smaller tow trucks that we are used to seeing. Sometimes they may not be located in the immediate area and may have to be specially dispatched, which can take time – even for a single one.
“In this case, we required three to safely move the container. At the same time, we are assisting with traffic control while conducting our investigation, which may involve measurements, witness statements and photographs.”
The second incident, that caused traffic delays in Richmond, occurred at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the Steveston Highway Southbound onramp to Highway 99.
In this case, the trailer of a dump truck loaded with sand flipped over.
“Investigation revealed speed as the main contributing factor and the driver was charged with speeding under the Motor Vehicle Act, and an inspection notice was also issued to the driver,” added Moore. “The investigation is concluded. With regard to the time that it took to clear the highways, we understand that it is very frustrating for motorists who are trying to get to their destinations and we want to thank them for their patience.”
He said in these cases, with regards to charges, not every incident ends up being the same.
“Whether or not charges are issued can depend on many factors such as witness information, severity of the incident, and available evidence,” he said.
