A trespasser who was allegedly high on drugs forced the closure of both the SkyTrain and the Pattullo Bridge during rush hour Monday.

The incident started when a man jumped onto the SkyTrain tracks at Columbia Station in New Westminster around 5:40 p.m., leading Translink to temporarily halt the Expo Line.

He ran down the tracks then somehow made his way onto the beams underneath the nearby Pattullo, which police blocked off as well for safety reasons.

Transit Police spokesperson Anne Drennan said authorities initially feared the man was suicidal, but later determined he was actually "very high and delusional."

"He got completely out of control, and in the middle of rush hour caused a huge transit system to be shut down and a major bridge to be shut down," said Drennan. "You can imagine how frustrated people were by this."

Officers watched on as the man teetered precariously walking from beam to beam, but they were eventually able to coax him off the bridge.

"It was a very dangerous situation. He could have died any number of different ways considering the things he was doing," Drennan said.

Clayton Morris Lambert, 57, was immediately arrested by Transit Police and taken to Royal Columbian Hospital for a medical assessment. Authorities said he seemed to be high, and was carrying what they believe to be crystal meth.

He has since pleaded guilty to mischief over $5,000.

Lambert apologized repeatedly in court, and said he wanted to try climbing the bridge as a challenge because it looked easy. He said he wasn't thinking straight and didn't mean to ruin people's day.

Lambert was given a one year suspended sentence with conditions, including that he not be found on any bridge except in a car or on a public sidewalk.

The incident raised questions about whether the Pattullo should have barriers preventing people from climbing over the side, but Transit Police suggested that would be unnecessary.

"This is a one-off," Drennan said. "This isn't a situation we've seen before actually."

With files from CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber