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Originally Posted by Vancouver Sun
Expect waits up to two hours for transit during the Olympics
METRO VANCOUVER — The unexpectedly long lineups that greeted the opening of Canada Line has TransLink now warning commuters and Olympic visitors to brace for waits of up to two hours at some transit stations next month during the 2010 Games.
But TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie added the Olympic waits would not be at every station and would likely only be during peak periods, such as the morning rush, in the afternoon between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. when events are happening, and after 11:30 p.m. following the medals ceremonies and the closure of the LiveSites.
The crowds are expected to be bigger than a night when a football game, a concert and the fireworks are all ending at the same time — but for 18 days straight.
In those cases, people often have to wait at least an hour for transit, Hardie said. "Expect peak conditions every moment of every operating day."
TransLink's transit population is expected to swell by 33 per cent during the Games, with more than one million people using public transit daily, up from the current 750,000.
Vanoc media official Lizette Parsons Bell said transit lineups at large-scale events are inevitable, but Olympic officials are convinced the "vast majority" of wait times at transit stations will be under one hour.
She said TransLink is used to dealing with lineups, which typically follow major downtown events such as the Celebration of Light fireworks shows or Canucks hockey games and rock concerts at GM Place.
Parsons Bell said people using transit following Olympic events downtown should "plan ahead and build more time into their travel time."
On the opening day for the Canada Line, huge lineups were seen snaking around the downtown core as people waited for hours for a free ride on the new rapid transit system between downtown Vancouver and the airport.
Hardie said the commuter crush will likely be at all SkyTrain stations in the downtown core, at Broadway and Commercial, the Lougheed station on the Millennium Line and at stations with park and rides, such as Surrey's Scott Road and King George stations.
The city of New Westminster is also opening a park-and-ride lot, Hardie said, which could boost commuter traffic at the New Westminster SkyTrain stations.
Canada Line stations including the airport, Bridgeport and Brighouse will also likely be crowded, he said.
"It varies from place to place but we anticipate at some key stations . . . it'll be busy," Hardie said. "We would not want people to go out there thinking there won't be any waits."
Hardie noted there could also be a crush in the mornings as more people give up their cars and take transit during the Games.
As a result, some buses may be forced to pass by passengers waiting at certain bus stops "depending on the number of people heading into the downtown core."
TransLink is urging transit-users to give themselves plenty of time to get to their destinations and try to adjust their schedules so they're not travelling during peak periods.
Although some buses will go all night long, he noted: "Passengers need to factor in longer travel times no matter where they're going."
Hardie noted, however, that the Olympic bus lanes on major corridors such as Hastings, Granville and Cambie, will mean riders are getting to their destinations faster than if they were driving.
Those walking to venues such as the Olympic oval, Hastings Park or the curling venue will also help space out the crowds, he said, depending on how fast or slow they walk.
"It's going to be really busy but it's going to be fun," Hardie said. "Yes, it's going to take longer and be crowded but people are going to be pumped up and excited. We'll do everything we can to make the whole scenario as comfortable as possible."
Bicycles will be banned from SkyTrain and Canada Line during the Olympics because of the anticipated crowds.
TransLink will be shifting some of its office workers to jobs as Olympic hosts while 100 people will be tasked with the job of managing the large queues around the transit hubs and stations.
The transit authority also plans to provide more licences to buskers, who will entertain the crowds as they wait for their train.
Tim Harpst, city transportation director for Salt Lake City, which hosted the Olympics in 2002, said his city didn't experience any major waits for transit downtown but noted having entertainment around the venues helped keep people occupied so that "time just flies."
Salt Lake City, like Vancouver, added extra buses and light rail to help move the crowds during the 2002 Olympics.
Harpst said the city also added temporary bus depots within a block from venues, closed off 25 per cent of its downtown streets and staggered its Olympic events to ensure there were no major traffic crunches.
He noted, however, it was difficult to compare Salt Lake City with Vancouver as the geography is so different.
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