Editing Alex Fraser Bridge (section)

==Recent history==
In December 2016, "ice bombs" (also called "slush bombs") dropped from the Alex Fraser Bridge and the nearby [[Port Mann Bridge]] onto vehicles, causing damage to windshields. The Alex Fraser has its cables along the sides of the driving lanes, whereas on the Port Mann, they cross over top of the driving lanes. In addition to 2016, this also happened on the Alex Fraser in 2005, 2008, and 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2016-12-12 |url=https://theprovince.com/news/local+news/massey+tunnel+replacement+have+bombs/12516473/story.html |title=Massey Tunnel replacement won't have ice bombs: B.C. government |last=Saltman |first=Jennifer |newspaper=[[The Province]] |access-date=2017-02-27 |language=en-CA |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228075045/http://www.theprovince.com/news/local+news/massey+tunnel+replacement+have+bombs/12516473/story.html |archive-date=2017-02-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Alex Fraser needed to be closed a few times during December 2016 due to the possibility of ice bombs; this caused major traffic problems in the region.<ref>{{cite web | access-date=2017-02-27 | url=http://www.torontosun.com/2016/12/10/ice-bombs-forcealex-fraser-bridgein-vancouver-to-close | title=Ice bombs force Alex Fraser Bridge in Vancouver to close | publisher=Toronto Sun | work=[[Toronto Sun]] | last=Tufnail | first=Tracey | last2=Network | first2=Postmedia}}</ref> To combat this issue, the BC government announced that a heavy lift helicopter will be used to blow snow and ice off the cables to prevent it from accumulating and falling onto the cars below.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/helicopter-to-prevent-snow-ice-bombs-falling-on-vehicles-from-alex-fraser-bridge|title=Helicopter to prevent snow, ice bombs falling on vehicles from Alex Fraser Bridge|date=2016-12-17|work=Vancouver Sun|access-date=2017-02-27|language=en-US}}</ref>

An announcement was made on January 19, 2017, that a new seventh travel lane would be added on the bridge by slightly narrowing the existing lanes and removing the shoulders.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/3192205/new-lane-to-be-added-to-alex-fraser-bridge-by-narrowing-existing-lanes/|title=New lane to be added to Alex Fraser Bridge by narrowing existing lanes|last=Judd|first=Amy|newspaper=Global News|access-date=2017-02-18|language=en}}</ref> A reversible lane system with a [[Barrier transfer machine|movable barrier]] was added to help ease traffic during morning and afternoon [[Rush hour|rush hours]]. The new seventh lane opened to traffic on September 14, 2019,<ref>[https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/seventh-lane-now-open-on-alex-fraser-bridge/ Seventh lane now open on Alex Fraser Bridge]</ref> with the moveable reversible zipper in operation beginning December 16, 2019.<ref>[https://www.citynews1130.com/2019/12/16/alex-fraser-counterflow-lane-sees-first-rush-hour-commute-since-opening/ Alex Fraser counterflow lane sees first rush hour commute since opening]</ref>