Speed is the suspected cause of a fatal, single-vehicle collision took place by the Pitt River Bridge early Thursday, according to RCMP.
Ridge Meadows Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk said a car was heading westbound on the six-lane span near the Pitt River Bridge around 2:20 a.m. when it hit a sloped barrier in the median.
The vehicle took out a power pole then rolled several times before coming to a rest on its roof a few hundred metres down the road, she said.
The debris field was large.
“Early investigation indicates speed was a factor in this tragic accident. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle and did not survive.”
Police have not yet identified the driver.
Police shut down the roads between Harris Road and the bridge for approximately five hours in order to collect evidence. The investigation is ongoing.
Pitt River Bridge was closed westbound. All drivers were asked to take the Golden Ears Bridge instead.
“This morning’s tragic incident on the Pitt River Bridge resulted in traffic gridlock for the commute as the bridge was closed for several hours,” said Chris Bryan, with TransLink.
For commuters taking the No. 701 bus from Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, TransLink was able to provide some relief by taking advantage of West Coast Express, which was unaffected by the bridge closure.
“The 701 buses were diverted to the Pitt Meadows and Maple Meadows WCE stations, where they were directed on to the trains. From there they travelled across the Pitt River and were dropped off at Coquitlam station, where buses picked them up so they could continue their journeys.”
UPDATE - #BCHwy7 WB CLOSED from Harris Rd to the #PittRiverBridge due to a vehicle incident #Coquitlam #PittMeadowshttps://t.co/COJq3DHSmg
— DriveBC LM (@DriveBC_LM) August 17, 2017