Police incident closes Granville Street Bridge for 13 hours

Vancouver police closed the Granville Street Bridge in both directions from Friday afternoon to early Saturday morning.

A major artery into and out of Vancouver's downtown core was closed for 13 hours due to a police incident.

The Granville Street Bridge was reopened at 5 a.m. Saturday, after closing down entirely around 4 p.m. Friday.

Officers have provided few details, but said there was some kind of incident that was "resolved peacefully." On Friday afternoon, police said there was no risk to public safety, but asked that drivers, cyclists and pedestrians avoid the area.

The closure caused traffic backups downtown for most of the evening.

In a statement to CTV News, Const. Jason Doucette said police face a variety of challenges while maintaining public safety during their day-to-day duties, and that most incidents are resolved without disruptions to the public.

"There are going to be situations that require our officers to restrict access to certain areas in order to create a safe environment for everyone involved," he said.

"The impact on the general public is considered in our decision making, however, the safety of those directly involved has to be our top priority."

He said police recognize unplanned closures can have an impact on the public and urge them to be empathetic during those times. Officers are thankful for their patience, he said.

"Citizens of Vancouver should be proud of the professionalism and expertise shown by their police department during these highly volatile situations."