Olympic road closures start in November
Olympic officials plan to start restricting traffic for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver as early as Nov. 1 to prepare the city for the international event in February, with further closures rolling out right up to the opening night of the Games.
A large part of the success of the plan hinges on convincing locals they need to switch to public transportation and avoid travelling through Olympic areas during peak hours in the weeks leading up to the Games.
"We need everyone to think of ways to reduce vehicle traffic into downtown Vancouver, on the Lions Gate and Iron Workers Memorial Second Narrows bridges, on the Sea to Sky Highway, and in Whistler by at least 30 per cent," said Terry Wright, VANOC's executive vice-president of services and Games operations.
In Vancouver, that means, whenever possible, travelling into the downtown area before 7 a.m. PT or after 9 a.m. and leaving by 2 p.m. or after 7 p.m., said officials
On Feb. 11, a roadblock will be set up north of Squamish at Alice Lake on the Sea to Sky Highway connecting Vancouver and Whistler from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and anyone driving in Whistler should allow extra time for travel delays, according officials.
Special permits will be issued for residents and businesses to access the highway north of the roadblock during the daytime hours.
