The Government of B.C. is rolling out new technology that it says will help prevent costly and time-consuming overpass collisions in one of the region’s most frequent accident sites.
A new overheight-detection system (OHDS) on Highway 1 at No. 3 Road in Chilliwack was introduced on Monday, March 9, by Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit.
According to the Ministry, the OHDS will protect travellers and property by helping stop the accidents from happening in the first place.
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“Overheight collisions are entirely preventable,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit, in a release. “This new system will help ensure overheight commercial drivers get advanced warning before reaching the overpass.
“By combining proven detection tools with stronger enforcement methods, we are taking action to reduce the number of strikes and keep people and goods moving safely.”
Construction to install the OHDS began this week. According to the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, the new system will utilize a combo of beam-break sensors, radar, cameras and flashing beacons.
The OHDS will detect vehicles that are over height limits and alert the drivers, giving them a chance to divert before they reach the overpass.
@AbbyPoliceDept/Twitter
The site at Highway 1 at No. 3 Road was selected because six collisions have occurred there since 2021, causing costly repairs, major traffic delays and extended closures.
“Preventing overpass strikes is a shared priority for industry and government,” said Dave Earle, president and CEO, BC Trucking Association, in a statement. “Commercial carriers move over 90 per cent of the goods that keep British Columbia’s economy running, and when infrastructure is damaged, it creates safety risks and major disruptions for all road users.
“Combined with proper training and ongoing enforcement, this type of investment supports safer highways and a more reliable transportation network for the movement of goods.”
The Province has suspended over 45 carriers under investigation and given out over $66,000 in violation tickets to drivers and carriers involved in overpass crashes.
The number of overpass collisions is on the decline, dropping from 29 incidents in 2024 to 17 in 2025.
BCHP
Earlier this year, drivers on two major highways in Metro Vancouver experienced delays due to truck overpass crashes.
A commercial truck towing an excavator on a flatdeck trailer hit the 192 overpass on Highway 1 in Surrey, near the Golden Ears Bridge exit, on Jan. 14.
Less than a week later, commuters on Highway 99 ran into some delays when the load on a commercial transport truck struck an overpass in Richmond.