Travelling smart by “knowing before you go” and preparing for “life as unusual” by residents, businesses and spectators alike will be the key to a successful transportation experience in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky region during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) shared this transportation advice today as part of the release of the first phase of the integrated transportation plan for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games by the Olympic and Paralympic Transportation Team (OPTT).

The plan is based on the need to transport athletes, officials and all Games participants safely, reliably and efficiently throughout the Host Region, while also taking into consideration the transportation needs of local residents, businesses and visitors. The local road network capacity to downtown Vancouver will need to be reduced by 20 per cent. Additionally, parking in Whistler will be limited. Comparable to past Host Cities, a minimum 30 per cent reduction in vehicle traffic into downtown Vancouver, on bridges crossing the Burrard Inlet, on the Sea to Sky Highway and in Whistler will need to be achieved.

Given these requirements, public transit in all key areas will be significantly increased to ensure easy and convenient travel options and walking and cycling will be encouraged. Public transit in Vancouver will be considerably expanded throughout the region, and in Whistler and the Sea to Sky corridor, transit service will more than triple during the Olympic Winter Games period.

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