KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Hazards on, steer right, and stay buckled in unless you can reach a barrier.
- Call 911 first if anyone is hurt or you are stuck in a live lane.
- Name your spot: direction, and the nearest exit such as Sea Island Way.
- A flatbed suits AWD, lowered, crash-damaged and electric cars.
- You choose where the car goes, and the price is confirmed before hook-up.
By Zip Towing Bridgeport BC · Published October 28, 2026
What should you do first after an Oak Street Bridge breakdown?
The Oak Street Bridge carries Highway 99 on four lanes across the North Arm of the Fraser River, from the Marine Drive interchange in Vancouver's Marpole to Richmond, so there is very little room to stop. If the car starts to fail, steer right while it still rolls, aim for the shoulder past the end of the deck, and put your hazards on. Our Hwy 99 roadside safety checklist covers those first minutes step by step.
If the car quits in a live lane, stay buckled in unless you can reach a safe spot behind a barrier, and don't walk along the deck looking for help. Once the car is off the road and everyone is fine, you have time to plan. Many cars here need a tow off the highway, but a flat battery can sometimes be boosted where you stopped, if the spot is safe to work in.
Where exactly are you between the bridge and Bridgeport Road?
Telling us your exact spot is the most useful thing you can do on the call. Heading south into Richmond, the first exit off the bridge is Sea Island Way toward the airport, then No. 4 Road, then Shell Road. Heading north toward Vancouver, the Bridgeport Road exit is the last one before the bridge. Use these exits as markers, and say which side of them you are on, so our 24 hour roadside crew can come in from the right direction. If you are out of fuel rather than broken down, say that too.
| Where you stopped | Direction | What to tell us |
|---|---|---|
| On the bridge deck | Either | Which end you are closer to, and your lane |
| Just off the bridge, before Sea Island Way | Southbound | Before or past the Sea Island Way exit |
| Near the No. 4 Road or Shell Road exits | Southbound | The last exit sign you passed |
| Near the Bridgeport Road exit | Northbound | On the highway, the off-ramp or the on-ramp |
| Off the highway on Bridgeport Rd | Either | The cross street, such as No. 4 Rd or Shell Rd |
Who do you call: 911, a tow truck or ICBC?
Call 911 first if anyone is hurt, if there is smoke or fire, or if the car is stopped in a live lane and you can't get out safely. Police can manage traffic around you in a way no tow operator can. If nobody is hurt and the car is out of the way, call a tow company next. Zip Towing works from our base on Bridgeport Rd, and we confirm the price on the phone before we hook up.
If another vehicle was involved, the tow is only part of the job. ICBC lets you report a collision claim online or by phone and asks for a police file number if you have one. Our accident towing service can take the car straight to the body shop you and ICBC agree on, which saves moving it twice.
Which truck is right for towing off the Oak Street Bridge in Richmond?
Most cars that simply stop running can go on a wheel-lift, which raises one end while the car rolls on its other wheels. A flatbed tow is the safer choice for all-wheel-drive cars, lowered cars and anything with crash damage, because all four wheels sit on the deck. Many electric cars and hybrids are also best moved on a flatbed; our notes on EV and Tesla towing explain why.
A motorcycle that dies on the bridge goes on a flatbed with a wheel chock and soft straps, the setup we use for motorcycle towing. Tell us what you drive, whether it is AWD, and whether it still rolls and steers, so the right light-duty truck is sent the first time.
Where does your car go after an Oak Street Bridge breakdown?
You decide the destination, and we quote it before pickup. From the Bridgeport Road exit, the car can head into Richmond to your own mechanic, back north over the bridge to a dealer or EV service centre in Vancouver, or to a body shop after a crash. If you broke down heading south toward the Tsawwassen ferries, ask about long-distance hauling instead of a short tow now and a second trip later.
If your shop is closed late at night, the simplest plan is often a tow home and a call to the mechanic in the morning. More local guides are on the Zip Towing blog, including what to do after a Knight Street Bridge breakdown, the other North Arm crossing near Bridgeport.
From the Oak Street Bridge to Bridgeport Station, Tait and River Drive
Hwy 99 runs just west of Bridgeport, so the bridge approach is close to home for towing in Bridgeport. Traffic is fast and the shoulders are narrow, which is why we ask callers to stay in the car with their belt on, or behind a barrier, until the truck is in position. Once its lights are on, passing drivers must slow down and move over for the crew.
If home is in Tait, off No. 4 Rd, the car can go straight into your driveway. If home is a Parc Riviera condo on River Drive, mention the underground parkade, and we will bring a low-profile truck or wheel dollies, the kit we use for parkade towing. If the car is staying at your mechanic, Bridgeport Station on the Canada Line is nearby for the trip home, and if you left a car parked near the station all day, a car that won't start there is often a flat battery.
Questions drivers ask
Can I push my car off the Oak Street Bridge?
No. Pushing a car on a narrow, fast bridge puts you in the traffic lane. Stay buckled in or behind a barrier, and call 911 if the car is in a live lane and you can't get out safely.
Is there a Bridgeport Road exit heading south off the Oak Street Bridge?
Southbound, the first exits are Sea Island Way and then No. 4 Road. The Bridgeport Road exit serves northbound traffic just before the bridge, so use the exit you actually passed when you describe your spot.
Do I need to call ICBC before I call a tow truck?
No. Get safe first and arrange the tow, then report the claim to ICBC. If you already know which body shop you want, tell us when you book the crash tow.
How much does towing from the Oak Street Bridge in Richmond cost?
It depends on the vehicle, the truck needed and where the car is going. We confirm the price before we hook up, and you can also send us the details ahead of time.
What if it is only a flat tire on the bridge approach?
Don't change it beside live traffic. If the car is on a wide, safe shoulder or off the highway on Bridgeport Rd, a mobile tire change may be possible; if not, it is towed somewhere safe first.