Emergency maintenance snarls traffic on Alex Fraser Bridge

Photo by CTV News Vancouver's Pete Cline in Chopper 9 on Monday, June 4, 2018.

Drivers faced frustrating delays on the Alex Fraser Bridge Monday as crews completed emergency maintenance work on the busy crossing.

A welded joint broke and left a piece of steeling sticking up onto the bridge deck, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

As a result, the centre lane of the northbound side had to be temporarily closed while crews re-welded the joint.

"The ministry can confirm that the bridge is structurally secure and remains safe for travel. We apologize for the inconvenience this emergency repair work caused this morning, and appreciate the patience of travellers," the government said in a statement.

The modular expansion joint was flagged as needing repairs back in June, and was welded as a temporary measure until engineers could figure out a permanent fix.

It's unclear how far the piece of steel was jutting out as a result of Monday's break, but the ministry said it "could potentially damage a vehicle tire."

The Alex Fraser, which connects North Delta to Richmond and New Westminster, was fully reopened before 1 p.m., but DriveBC warned commuters to expect further delays in the early afternoon due to congestion.