Three years and $800 million after construction began, traffic is rolling across British Columbia's newest bridge.
The first cars crossed the Golden Ears Bridge between Langley and Maple Ridge just after 2:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.
So far, traffic volume has been less than anticipated, but TransLink and various police detachments have been talking for weeks to work out all of the kinks and make sure Tuesday's opening goes smoothly.
With more than 20,000 pedestrians overwhelming the Bridge party Sunday, TransLink is preparing for the worst case scenario.
"Our big worry is everyone in the Lower Mainland will want to see the bridge on the same day and drive to go see it themselves," Fred Cumming said.
"We don't have the capacity for that and are putting in safety measures to deal with the demand."
Although police are making sure people get on and off the bridge safely, there are still a few traffic hotspots you may want to avoid:
- 200th St. southbound
- People trying to access Highway 1 should continue to use the Pitt River Bridge or Lougheed Highway
- 176th St. could get backed up as 96th Ave still hasn't been widened
- Extra congestion on northbound Maple Meadows Way heading into Maple Ridge.
Trips across the six-lane bridge over the Fraser River will be free for the first month -- but tolls will apply after that.
Related: Golden Ears Bridge tolls and fees
Pedestrians and cyclists won't have to pay the toll, and will have a lane on each end reserved. Public buses won't pay either.
Frequent users will be able to lease a transponder called a "Quick Pass," which will scan as vehicles cross through toll booths. Forty mounted cameras will watch all other motorists pass through, and they will be sent a bill in the mail.
TransLink is confident drivers won't be able to cheat the system.
With files from The Canadian Press
