The morning commute turned tragic Tuesday as a fatal collision shut down eastbound lanes of the Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, forcing thousands of commuters to find alternate routes. Emergency responders arrived at the scene near 240th Street shortly after 5:30 a.m., according to Ridge Meadows RCMP.
“We’re asking motorists to please avoid the area completely,” said Constable Julie Klaussner during an early morning media briefing. “This is a complex investigation scene requiring specialized collision analysts.”
The crash involved two vehicles – a sedan and a pickup truck – with the impact severe enough that one driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The second driver was transported to Royal Columbian Hospital with what paramedics described as serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Local resident Marie Thibault was among the first to encounter the aftermath while driving to her early shift at a nearby coffee shop. “I’ve never seen anything like it. The cars were completely destroyed,” she told me when I arrived at the scene. “People were already out of their cars trying to help before emergency crews arrived.”
Ridge Meadows RCMP quickly established a perimeter around the collision site, stretching from 232nd Street to well past 240th Street. By 7:30 a.m., the traffic backup extended nearly five kilometers westbound, with drivers reporting delays of more than 90 minutes.
The Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service (ICARS) deployed a team to document the scene methodically. Their work typically involves detailed measurements, photography, and analysis that can take several hours to complete.
BC Transportation Minister Rob Fleming acknowledged the situation during an unrelated press conference in Victoria. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this morning’s tragic incident. We’re monitoring the situation closely and working with local authorities to manage the traffic impacts.”
For the thousands who rely on Lougheed Highway daily, the closure created significant disruption. Local schools reported higher than normal absence rates, and several businesses in downtown Maple Ridge noted customer traffic was noticeably lighter throughout the morning.
Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy called the stretch of highway where the accident occurred “an area of ongoing concern” for the municipality. “We’ve been in discussions with the province about additional safety measures along this corridor for some time,” Ruimy said. “Today’s tragedy underscores the urgency of those conversations.”
Traffic analysts with DriveBC estimated the highway would remain closed until at least mid-afternoon, recommending Dewdney Trunk Road as the primary detour. However, that route quickly became congested as well, with local residents reporting gridlock conditions through normally quiet residential areas.
Fraser Valley resident Jim Markson, who commutes daily to Burnaby, found himself stuck for nearly two hours. “This is terrible for everyone involved, especially the families of those in the crash,” he said while waiting in the backed-up traffic. “But it also shows how vulnerable our transportation network is. One incident and everything stops.”
The identity of the deceased has not been released pending notification of next of kin. RCMP victim services personnel were observed at the scene, providing support to witnesses and others affected by the collision.
This marks the third fatal accident on this stretch of the Lougheed Highway in the past 18 months. Last November, a motorcyclist died after colliding with a commercial vehicle near 232nd Street, and in June of last year, a pedestrian was struck and killed while attempting to cross near 222nd Street.
Local safety advocates have long pushed for improvements to this section of highway, citing increasing traffic volumes as Maple Ridge and Mission continue to grow. The Maple Ridge-Mission Transportation Action Committee released a statement Tuesday afternoon calling for “immediate safety reviews and concrete action before more lives are lost.”
By early afternoon, BC Hydro crews were also on scene repairing a power pole damaged in the collision, which had caused localized power outages affecting approximately 230 customers in the immediate area.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage from the area between 5:15 a.m. and 5:45 a.m. to contact the Ridge Meadows RCMP detachment.
As rush hour approached Tuesday evening, authorities were working to have at least one lane reopened for eastbound traffic, though full cleanup and investigation activities were expected to continue well into the evening.
