Delays caused by construction to expand the Canada customs facility at the Pacific Highway truck crossing in South Surrey have been creating extra work for police in Blaine, Wash.
Officers in the U.S. city have been called out to deal with threats of assault and actual fights involving Canadian motorists impatient to get home, Blaine police Chief Mike Haslip told Peace Arch News.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed," Haslip said Thursday (May 17), as his department prepared for an expected torrent of Canadians over the Victoria Day long weekend.
An overhaul by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) was intended to improve capacity at the truck crossing by adding more inspection booths and traffic lanes.
But that has meant fewer available lanes during construction.
"Unfortunately, there's only so much pavement, only so many booths," Haslip said.
"Tempers flare."
Though he did not provide precise figures, Haslip said the number of incidents requiring police intervention on the northbound route to the Canadian border crossing rose noticeably over the last six months. He attributed the increase to the construction-cased congestion combined with a general boost in the number of Canadians going south to shop.
He said it appeared most incidents were occurring because one driver would think another was trying to jump the lineup at their expense.
"[Usually] towards the end of the day as people are getting closer to the border."
Blaine police have been posting extra officers immediately before the crossing during times when traffic is heaviest to keep drivers following the rules, and that appears to be having a positive effect, said Haslip.
"Things are getting better."
The police chief was also looking forward to the scheduled completion of the CBSA overhaul, which was expected in time for Victoria Day.
Haslip's advice to Canadians is that those who "come down more than rarely" to the U.S. may want to invest in a Nexus card. The program allows pre-screened travellers to use an express lane and bypass border back-ups.