How the Lions Gate Bridge Counterflow Works

Ever wonder how we manage the Lions Gate Bridge lane control system? Let us explain.
WEEKDAY MORNING OPERATIONS
During the weekday morning commute at 6 am, we provide two lanes southbound on the Lions Gate Bridge for morning commuters. At the same time, the City of Vancouver provides an extra southbound lane on Georgia Street to help with the flow of traffic. With a quiet and less congested downtown, southbound commuters can flow steadily over the bridge and continuously into the city.
At around 9:30 am, the City of Vancouver removes the extra lane on Georgia Street. At the same time, we provide two lanes in the northbound direction on the bridge.
WEEKDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING OPERATIONS
After the 9:30 am switch over, the lane control operations on the bridge becomes dynamic, which means the lane operators choose the direction of the middle lane based on how traffic unfolds.
After 3 pm, we generally have the centre lane open in the northbound direction. At the same time, we need to make sure southbound vehicles waiting to get into Vancouver from the North Shore don’t spill onto Highway 1, causing safety issues. And that’s why we dynamically change the direction of the centre lane throughout the day. Learn more in our blog:
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