A man who caused both SkyTrain and the Pattullo Bridge to be shutdown during rush hour has been sentenced to one year probation after pleading guilty to mischief.

Clayton Morris Lambert has also been ordered to abide by transit regulations and stay away from bridges, illegal drugs and alcohol.

The 57-year-old sparked an hour long police incident that began Monday in New Westminster around 5:45 p.m. PT.

It started when he jumped onto the SkyTrain tracks at Columbia Station and began walking through the tunnel towards Surrey. He then climbed a tree and scaled the side of the Pattullo Bridge all the way up to the bridge deck.

Lambert then climbed back down the side of the bridge at mid-span, before walking out over the water on a trestle.

Transit Police spokeswoman Anne Drennan described the trestle as "no wider than a gymnastics balance beam."

"He is very agile this man, considering he is 57," said Drennan.

"We had the [SkyTrain] system shut down and the bridge shut down. We had police at either end and up on the deck and a negotiator on the way thinking he may be suicidal."

'Extremely high'

But in short order Lambert turned back and returned to the New Westminster side where he was taken into custody and brought to hospital.

He was found to be in possession of a quantity of crystal meth. Drennan said doctors at Royal Columbian found him to be "extremely high," but not suicidal.

Lambert, who is known to police, was originally facing narcotics charges but those were dropped when he pleaded guilty to mischief.

Estimated cost of $300,000

Drennan said his actions cost police and SkyTrain an estimated $300,000 in operational expenditures and lost revenue.

"We wanted to do a show cause and submit the information with respect to the costing factor for this kind of a shutdown but the judge sentenced him right away," she said.

"We had hoped — given the frustration levels caused by his actions and the cost of this kind of situation — that we might see an in-custody sentencing and conditions that were perhaps stronger," she said.

"The judge didn't see fit to do that and we respect that."