Granville Bridge Closed in Both Directions as Police Incident Causes Major Vancouver Traffic Delays

Vancouver’s evening commute was heavily disrupted Tuesday after the Granville Street Bridge was suddenly closed in both directions during rush hour because of an ongoing police incident.

The shutdown began around 3:30 p.m. on May 12, 2026, affecting one of Vancouver’s busiest downtown crossings just as thousands of commuters were leaving the city core. Traffic quickly backed up across surrounding routes as drivers were redirected toward other bridges.

Vancouver Police asked the public to stay away from the area while officers responded on scene. Authorities later told local media the situation was not criminal in nature, though no additional details were immediately released.

The closure created immediate pressure on alternate crossings including the Burrard Bridge and Cambie Bridge, both of which experienced heavier-than-normal congestion as traffic shifted away from Granville.

The Granville Street Bridge is one of the city’s most important downtown connectors, linking Downtown Vancouver with Fairview, Granville Island and South Granville. Any sudden shutdown on the route tends to impact traffic far beyond the bridge itself.

By the evening commute, delays had spread across major downtown approaches and arterial roads. Drivers travelling toward Broadway, Kitsilano, Vancouver General Hospital and South Vancouver experienced significantly slower traffic conditions.

Public transit services were also affected. Several TransLink bus routes were rerouted while the bridge remained closed, leading to delays and route changes throughout the Granville corridor. Passengers were advised to monitor live service alerts before travelling.

City traffic cameras showed growing congestion around downtown access roads as diverted vehicles crowded nearby streets during one of the busiest traffic periods of the day.

Officials advised drivers to avoid downtown bridge approaches unless travel was necessary. Even with alternative crossings open, a complete Granville Bridge shutdown can rapidly overload surrounding roads during peak commuting hours.

Emergency bridge closures are especially disruptive in Vancouver because the city relies on a limited number of major crossings to move traffic between downtown and central neighbourhoods. When one route suddenly closes, delays can spread quickly across the network.

Unlike planned construction work, police-related closures leave little time for commuters to prepare. Navigation apps redirected drivers toward alternate routes, but growing traffic volumes quickly slowed Burrard Bridge, Cambie Bridge and connecting streets.

Many commuters were already on the road when the closure began, leaving some drivers stuck in heavy congestion while others scrambled to find alternate downtown routes.

Local traffic updates remained important throughout the evening. 1130 NewsRadio Vancouver continued providing live traffic coverage, while Vancouver Police said additional updates would be shared through official channels. Drivers could also monitor conditions through DriveBC, which provides real-time road and closure updates across British Columbia.

The disruption follows several recent transportation incidents across British Columbia where crashes, emergency responses and sudden closures created major delays on key routes. Swikblog previously covered a similar incident involving a Highway 99 closure near Squamish after a serious crash.

Drivers who could delay travel or avoid downtown routes altogether were encouraged to do so. Transit users also faced extended travel times because of ongoing bus detours through the affected corridor.

The closure likely impacted commercial deliveries, rideshare drivers and service vehicles as well, since the disruption hit during one of Vancouver’s highest traffic demand periods.

As of the latest available updates, there was still no confirmed reopening time for the Granville Street Bridge. Police remained at the scene and continued asking the public to avoid the area.

The incident highlighted how dependent Vancouver’s transportation system is on its downtown bridge network. A single unexpected closure on Granville Bridge was enough to disrupt traffic, delay buses and create congestion across multiple neighbourhoods.

Anyone travelling through downtown Vancouver was advised to check official traffic updates before leaving and allow extra time, as congestion on nearby routes could continue even after the bridge eventually reopened.