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Good morning,

Our own William Johnson has weighed in on Sunday’s Highway 1 closure after getting stuck in traffic for three and a half hours. He and his family were headed home from North Vancouver to Chilliwack—the trip usually takes them 80 minutes.

Check out William’s thoughts below on how thousands of drivers trapped in gridlock, running low on gas, managing tired kids, just trying to get home from work or weekend fun was entirely avoidable and a complete communications failure.

– Emily

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🌤 Local forecast: Langley | Chilliwack | Abbotsford | Hope | Mission

🚘 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google, and find DriveBC’s latest updates.

🛣 Click here for links to road cameras across the Fraser Valley, including those for the Coquihalla, Highway 7, Hope-Princeton, Fraser Canyon, and Highway 1 in Langley and Abbotsford.

No one expects highway construction to be convenient. Roads need maintenance. Infrastructure projects require lane closures, detours, and occasional disruption. Most drivers understand that. It's part of living in a growing region.

What happened on Highway 1 this past Sunday night was something different.

My family was driving home from North Vancouver to Chilliwack. Under normal conditions, it's a trip of roughly 80 minutes. Instead, it took more than three and a half hours.

And we were far from alone.

As the evening wore on, social media filled with stories from people trapped in the same gridlock. As we drove on, it looked as though some people had potentially run out of gas. We could see parents in vehicles with tired children. Workers trying to get home. Others on a night shift perhaps trying to get to work.

Taken together, the result was thousands of people stuck in traffic, frustrated, exhausted, and increasingly stressed. That isn't merely an inconvenience. It's a safety issue.

William’s perspective»

🤝 Langley City will launch its new Resilient Neighbourhood Networks initiative on June 26 at Linwood Park, announcing the first pilot neighbourhoods chosen through a community vote. [Langley City]

⚡ Investigators found multiple electrical non-compliances at Cultus Lake Waterpark, including issues with a recently installed lighting system near the slide where 12 children were shocked on June 15. The park remains closed pending a full safety review. [CBC News]

🔫 Langley RCMP confirmed the June 12 shooting at a home on 45A Avenue was extortion-related, after initially saying there was no indication of a connection to gang activity. [CTV News]

🎸 Six B.C. bands — including Hope's False Flags and Chilliwack's The Bobby's — will perform at Rock the Chalice at Hope Local House on June 27. Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance online. [Hope Standard]

🛣️ Langley Township council approved a $3-million project to widen and upgrade about 260 metres of 80 Avenue in Willoughby, partly funded by delays to a separate road project on 216 Street. [Aldergrove Star]

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Summer Kickoff Family Event at the YMCA: A free afternoon of swimming, games, and crafts for all ages at the Bob Chan-Kent Family YMCA in Chilliwack on June 20. Free for members and guests with a valid pass.

Watercolour Workshop at Sidekick Brewing: An all-levels watercolour workshop at Sidekick Brewing on June 23, combining creativity and community connection.

Taste Around the World: Archway Community Services and the City of Abbotsford host a free cultural food celebration at Clearbrook Library on June 27, featuring dishes and stories from Abbotsford's diverse communities.

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