A serious crash on Highway 1 in Burnaby closed all westbound lanes between Kensington Avenue and Sprott Street, with one person taken to hospital in critical condition.
The Story
A serious collision on Highway 1 in Burnaby led to major traffic delays Wednesday morning after Drive BC shut down all westbound lanes just before 12:30 a.m.
Drive BC said the closure affected the stretch of Highway 1 between Kensington Avenue and Sprott Street. The shutdown contributed to long backups for drivers travelling west through the area.
B.C. Emergency Health Services said one person was transported to hospital in critical condition.
Burnaby RCMP said the closure could extend into the early afternoon hours, indicating investigation and response work would likely keep the affected lanes unavailable for a prolonged period.
The incident also raised broader questions about how long major highways remain closed during investigations. The B.C. Ministry of Transportation has previously faced criticism for keeping roads shut for hours while investigations are underway.
In July, B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger said additional time is required to document serious or fatal incidents, and that reopening can only happen after investigators finish their work, even though getting traffic moving again quickly remains a priority.
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