Commuters can expect major delays travelling in and out of downtown on the Burrard Bridge over the next 18 months.
The bridge is getting a $35-million facelift that includes improvements to Burrard Street on either side of the span from Davie Street to West 16th Avenue.
Construction is already underway but lane closures began Monday.
"I use this every day, twice a day. I go to work and back,” said Marc Harden, who lives in the West End. “It's my route. I've heard there's going to be some sort of congestion happening soon."
City staff say pedestrians, cyclists and drivers should pay close attention because traffic patterns could change from day-to-day.
The city plans to have two northbound lanes of traffic and one southbound open for most of the construction period.
Pedestrians and cyclists will also have routes in each direction.
During the construction phase some street parking along Burrard Street will be eliminated.
That has drycleaner Carolyn Larbi concerned about how customers will access her shop just north of Pacific Boulevard.
At the moment several metered spaces line the street in front of her business, and she worries if customers don’t have a place to park for drop-offs and pick-ups they will take their business elsewhere.
"If you don't have people coming in your store, you can't pay your rent. You can't pay for your kids, you can't buy food, you can't support your family,” she said.
Larbi would like the city to maintain a small loading zone for her and neighbouring businesses during construction but says she was told people will have to park on neighbouring streets.
According to the city, a Translink bus stop in the same block will also have to be moved.
The project includes converting a northbound traffic lane to a bike lane which will allow the city to reopen the east sidewalk to pedestrians.
"Gets more people out of their cars I think that's a great thing,” said Brian Cyr as he cycled over the span. “But as a driver myself, in vehicles, you look at that and there might be a little more congestion."
The intersection of Burrard Street and Pacific Boulevard will also be completely re-designed. City staff say it is the second-highest intersection for motor vehicle collisions in the entire city.
The city will also be replacing nearly 100-year-old sewer and water utilities under Burrard Street and installing a suicide prevention barrier on the bridge.
People are being asked to consider using the Granville and Cambie bridges during the construction period to ease congestion on the bridge.
