Translink and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games

The South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink) is responsible for the regional transportation network in the Vancouver metropolitan area. This article discusses how TransLink built on their operational expertise from other large events and cooperation with regional stakeholders to provide excellent mobility for the large crowds of visitors to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. TransLink was part of the planning process from the beginning, including developing a transit strategy that was part of the city’s winning bid for the Olympics in 2003. The strategy balanced the needs of visitors with those of existing transit customers. Five main strategies were identified: focus resources on a simple network of primary routes; provide a mixture of scheduled and dispatched services; manage peak demand surges; coordination with transportation partners; and commitment to accessibility. In anticipation of the event, significant capital investments were made to create a new rapid transit line, add rail vehicles and buses, and invest in a new SeaBus to replace an aging and smaller passenger ferry. Record transit ridership during the Games was achieved. Customer feedback was overwhelmingly positive. It is hoped that the positive experience of local travelers who used transit during the Olympics will have a permanent effect on their travel behavior.