The crowds coming out to see the 2010 Olympic flame are expected to get even larger as the relay gets closer to Vancouver, and traffic headaches are on the way. CTV News explains how to steer clear of trouble when the torch hits home.
The torch is expected to enter Vancouver at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, at Kinsgway Avenue and Boundary Road.
From there, it will zigzag across city, passing along Victoria Drive, Cambie Street, Main Street, University Boulevard and Broadway before ending up at downtown's David Lam Park, the site of LiveCity Yaletown, a free party zone put on by the Cultural Olympiad.
The relay picks up again on Friday morning, moving east back to Boundary Road before heading downtown again along Hastings Street. The torch will then pass through the downtown core, circle around Stanley Park, and finish at the 2010 Aboriginal Pavilion at Georgia and Homer Streets.
That means plenty of road closures -- and massive crowds. Hundreds watched the relay in Langley on Monday afternoon. Behind the scenes, traffic ground to halt.
Tania Campbell works at the City Square Family Practice, located just down the road from City Hall. The torch is due to pass by the office at about 2:45 p.m. Thursday, and Campbell said the staff has been preparing patients for possible setbacks.
"As patients have been calling, we've been warning them," Campbell said. "They had no idea it was coming."
Vancouver city officals are downplaying the issue, saying the closures will be quick and relatively painless.
"The torch comes through, for any of you who've seen it, very quickly," said city manager Penny Ballem. "It's a 10 to 20 minute roving closure."
But short or not, it will have an impact. Motorists planning to drive on Thursday or Friday would do well to plan ahead.
A full torch route, including projected arrival times, can be found at the Olympic Host City website.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Stephen Smart
