The huge line-ups at the Peace Arch border crossing have made drivers increasingly frustrated, with some social media users reporting a wait of up to five hours.
Images from the British Columbia Department of Transportation’s highway cameras showed vehicles moving from armor to armor well along 8 Avenue in Surrey as families flocked to the United States for day trips and weekend getaways.
Some drivers were also blocked from waiting 90 minutes or more to cross the Pacific. The lines at both intersections were long enough to trigger a Surrey RCMP traffic advice, which advised passengers to check with DriveBC before leaving.
“While waiting in line, do not block streets, intersections or alleys, as people in local neighborhoods must have access to their homes,” said a staff sergeant. Andrea McKinney said in a press release.
The waiting time was shorter at Sumas and Aldergrove, but still often 30 minutes or more.
The busy limits came as no surprise, coming less than two weeks after Canada eased its pre-entry testing requirements by allowing fully vaccinated Canadians to return home without providing a negative COVID-19 test.
Travelers still need to fill in their vaccination information in the ArriveCAN app.
Does anyone know why the border of #PAChwy to the south is not moving ?? We have been waiting since 5 o’clock and we are only halfway between 8th and 4th avenues.
– Amy Rugieri (@amyruggieri) April 15, 2022
BC Ferries also warned passengers to expect a busy weekend, which could mean waiting to sail for those without a reservation.
Friday morning and Monday afternoon are expected to be the busiest times for ferry traffic. BC Ferries encouraged unreserved passengers to arrive 60 minutes early to depart during these periods.
“If you’re traveling without a reservation, consider traveling as a pedestrian or at a less busy time to avoid waiting to sail,” the company said on Twitter on Friday.
This is the first long weekend since Canada has eased pre-test requirements, and many are taking advantage of … at least three hours of waiting here at the Pacific Highway @CTVVancouver pic.twitter.com/CdeuPUUPHI
– Ben Nesbit (@BenNesbitTV) April 15, 2022
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