Transportation

“No city can manage Olympic transport demands without implementing changes - it cannot be business as usual.” – Paul Willoughby, Director, Corporate Affairs, Olympic Roads and Transport Authority, Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games

With tens of thousands of people expected to attend the 2010 Winter Games, transporting athletes, workforce, media, International Olympic Committee members, international sport officials, sponsors and spectators efficiently and safely to and from venues and within Vancouver and Whistler itself is a monumental task.

VANOC’s Games-time transportation strategy is based on our Sustainable Transportation Guidelines which promote walking, cycling, the use of public transportation and carpooling in combination with an aggressive Traffic Demand Management program. In order to accomplish this goal, a multi-jurisdictional traffic management plan will be developed in conjunction with a comprehensive public information program.

Greater Vancouver has more than 6,000 Park and Ride spaces operating in conjunction with public transit services. This parking capacity will be augmented to provide ample park and ride opportunities for spectators and workforce as venue-based parking will be restricted to accommodate operational functions at Games time.

In order to provide VANOC with input and support during the Games transportation planning phase, a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) was formed in February of 2006.

The TAC is comprised of members from a wide range of transport-related agencies within BC and Canada including West Coast Express and SkyTrain, TransLink, BC Transit, City of Vancouver, Transport Canada, Ministry of Transportation, Resort Municipality of Whistler,
VANOC Government Service Integration, VANOC Security Liaison, VANOC Transportation, Vancouver International Airport Authority and Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit.

The TAC brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to VANOC’s transportation planning process. This expertise, combined with the Games management experience of VANOC’s Transportation function, provides a strong foundation for the development of comprehensive transportation plans for all VANOC clients.

In addition to the expertise of the TAC, VANOC has contracted Bunt and Associates to conduct an analysis of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, Whistler and the Sea- to-Sky Highway Corridor to forecast how Games-related vehicular and pedestrian traffic flows will interact with background traffic. They will also assist us with assessing the impacts of road closures and change in direction on the traffic flow of surrounding streets; issues around transit capacity to non-competition and competition venues; and the effects of temporary “pedestrian malls” on the vehicular and pedestrian flow in the surrounding streets.

The information collected from this analysis will be incorporated in the VANOC Transportation Concept of Operations. The Concept of Operations outlines basic planning for transportation such as key roads, streets, loading zones, and general parking areas. It will also incorporate plans for bus and fleet operations, arrival/departure operations, client services, parking, traffic management and venue transportation management.

Working with our partners, VANOC’s goal is to create an accessible, safe and efficient transportation plan to enhance the 2010 Winter Games experience for all participants.