The Port Mann Bridge has been shut down in both directions because of falling ice from the bridge, which injured at least one motorist and damaged dozens of vehicles.

"The closure was necessary because falling ice from the bridge injured a motorist who required ambulance attendance, and damaged vehicles," says Sgt. Peter Thiessen, spokesperson for LMD Traffic Services.

"The bridge was closed for safety reasons, and will be re-opened as soon as the weather situation improves," said Thiessen.

One person was knocked unconscious by falling ice, reports say.

As many as 60 vehicles were damaged, some with broken windshields or mirrors.

RCMP Sgt. Roland Pierschke, a spokesman for the Port Mann Freeway Patrol, said sometime before 1 p.m. large chunks of ice began falling off either the towers or cables on the bridge.

Transportation Investment Corp. CEO Mike Proudfoot said measures to ensure snow collecting on the cables of Port Mann Bridge did not drop onto cars did not work today.

He called today's weather an extreme event and said the bridge meets Canada's building code.

The bridge is expected to open between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

The falling ice hit James Lepp's car, a 2012 Volkswagen GLI, taking out the driver's side mirror and possibly denting his hood.

The golfer tweeted out a photo of the damage on Twitter.

Lepp described the falling ice on the Port Mann Bridge as "slush bombs" and said other cars were also being hit.

One photo posted on Twitter showed a shattered windshield.

Lepp, a golfer and businessman who was returning to Abbotsford from Vancouver, said the icy missiles were falling constantly from the wires on the Port Mann Bridge from all levels.

"I was actually trying to dodge them because they looked pretty damaging. But it was such a gridlock you couldn't do anything about it," he said.

"There was a couple of instances where I didn't go forward because I saw one was going to hit in front of me. I missed those. And I was almost through, and then suddenly 'bam, bam'," said Lepp.

The Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver area struggled during the day Wednesday to deal with the dump of snow that fell overnight and into the morning.

The University of the Fraser Valley, BCIT and UBC remained open but the Simon Fraser University and all Douglas College campuses were closed.

Abbotsford public schools remained open although the district warned buses might be running late.

High winds forced BC Ferries to cancel sailings on all major routes, including runs between Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay and Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay.

Authorities warned drivers that Lower Mainland roads and bridges were slick with ice and wet snow.

Abbotsford Police cautioned motorists to take care and ensure vehicles were equipped for winter conditions in the coming days, in which alternating bouts of snow and rain are expected.

-With files from Rochelle Baker

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