Metro Vancouver has plenty of backed up bridges but the most notoriously congested is the Port Mann Bridge. CTV News investigated whether it's really the fastest route to get to Langley.
The Port Mann Bridge is the most direct route from Vancouver to the Fraser Valley but traffic and construction can make it excruciatingly slow. Three vehicles set out during rush-hour to test three different routes from Robson and Burrard Streets in downtown Vancouver to Willowbrook Mall in Langley, with Chopper 9 tracking them from the air.
The first car travelled south on Knight Street through Vancouver to the 91 connector, over the Alex Fraser Bridge and along Highway 10 to the mall.
The second car took Highway 1 to the Mary Hill Bypass, Lougheed Highway to the Golden Ears Bridge and then headed south on 200 Street to the mall.
The third car took Highway 1 all the way to Willowbrook Mall via the beleaguered Port Mann Bridge.
All three cars left at exactly 4:15 p.m. Both eastbound vehicles took First Avenue and moved quickly until they hit slow moving Highway 1. The HOV lane was moving faster but because this race represents a commuter headed home from work, not a carpooler, no-one is allowed to use the express lane. The third car is also moving slowly on Knight Street.
After an hour, the third car gets to the Port Mann Bridge. The first car is trailing and just about to cross the King George Highway.
The Golden Ears route is not as busy with traffic but it takes much longer and by the time the vehicle passes the toll points and pays $3.95, the race is over.
The winning route, at an hour and 19 minutes, was the Port Mann Bridge Route. The second fastest, taking six more minutes, was the Alex Fraser Bridge route. The Golden Ears route came in at a distant third place, taking an hour and 40 minutes.
The results show that despite the slow moving traffic of Highway 1, construction and bridge congestion -- the Port Mann Bridge route is still the fastest route to the Fraser Valley.
Do you have a great route or tips you liked to share about your Metro Vancouver commute? Let us know by clicking the comments link below.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Shannon Paterson
