Olympic road closures concern businesses in downtown Vancouver

The executive director of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association has said he hasn’t heard of any businesses planning to close their doors during the 2010 Olympics because of road closures and parking restrictions that will start as early as November 1.

However, Charles Gauthier noted that there are concerns from some business owners that these restrictions will adversely impact their bottom lines.

“Some of them, if they have a street-level business, they’re concerned about the loss of the on-street parking,” Gauthier told the Straight today (October 14) after Olympic organizers unveiled the second phase of their transportation plans for the Games. “I put that into context that you know one-fifth of our parking [downtown] is on street, and the balance is located in parkades. So it’s about them educating their customers about the other options they have.”

The following street closures will be in effect:

Ӣ Expo and Pacific Boulevard (between Nelson Street and Quebec Street): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Ӣ Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts: February 5 to March 2, 2010

Ӣ Quebec Street (between Terminal Street and 2nd Avenue): January 15 to March 25, 2010

Ӣ Quebec Street (between Keefer Street and Terminal Street, southbound only): January 29 to March 2, 2010

Ӣ Canada Place and Waterfront Road: January 27 to February 28, 2010

Ӣ Midlothian Avenue (between Dinmont Avenue and Ontario Street): February 1 to March 2, 2010

Ӣ Renfrew Street (between Hastings Street and McGill Street): January 24 to March 1, 2010

Lesli Boldt, a spokesperson for the City of Vancouver, explained to the Straight that, starting on November 1, both 1st Avenue and the Seawall from the Cambie Bridge to Quebec Street will be closed as Vanoc takes over the Olympic Village and begins preparation work.

“Games operations, training and other Olympic traffic will begin throughout the city as early as January 2010 and the majority of transit, spectator, workforce, athletes and official movements will occur between February 4 to March 1, 2010,” Boldt stated in an e-mail.

There will be 24-hour on-street parking and stopping restrictions on many streets in Vancouver between February 4 and March 1, 2010 (see the map on the city’s Web site).

Gauthier noted that some businesses located along Olympic lanes are also worried because they get their supplies delivered through the front door.

“And in those particular cases, the city has made a commitment to go in and talk to them and see whether there are some solutions that can be worked for them,” Gauthier said.

Olympic lanes in Vancouver for TransLink buses and Olympic vehicles will be in the curb, or right-hand, lane. This will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from February 4 to March 1, 2010, in these areas:

Ӣ Burrard Street, Burrard Bridge to Pender Street

Ӣ Seymour Street, Granville Bridge to Hastings Street

Ӣ Howe Street, Hastings Street to Granville Bridge

Ӣ Pender Street, Cambie Street to Howe Street

Ӣ Cambie Street, Cambie Bridge to 59th Avenue

Ӣ Broadway, Arbutus Street to Commercial Drive

Ӣ Georgia Street, Richards Street to the Stanley Park Causeway

Ӣ Hastings Street, Seymour Street to Boundary Road

More information on the Olympic transportation plans is available at olympichostcity.vancouver.ca/gettingaround/ and www.travelsmart2010.ca/.