The Dunsmuir and Georgia viaducts, two major traffic arteries leading in and out of Vancouver, are now closed to traffic until March 3 as part of the final phase of the 2010 transportation plan leading up to next week's Olympic Winter Games.
An estimated 50,000 cars travel across the two viaducts every day.
Vancouver police officers began directing drivers around closed areas shortly before the midnight shutdown Friday morning.
The City of Vancouver is expecting the Burrard and Granville Street Bridges to see extra volume during the morning and evening rush hours.
A plan to reduce vehicle traffic by five per cent a week leading up to the Games has not gone as well as hoped.
In its fourth trial last Friday, there was only a four per cent drop in traffic into downtown Vancouver -- falling very short of its 20 per cent goal.
No major traffic delays were reported Friday morning.
TransLink augmented service on several routes to respond to the extra volume, including Main Street northbound, as well as Hastings and Pender Streets.
Additional "turnback" trains, running between Commercial-Broadway Station and Waterfront Station, helped keep platforms clear, a spokesperson said.
The viaduct closures come only a day after Olympic-only traffic lanes came into effect on many major Vancouver roads, including Cambie, Hastings, Broadway and Granville Streets.
Any cars stopped or parked in Olympic lanes face a $100 fine plus an automatic tow. Anyone caught driving in an Olympic lane will be handed a $121 ticket, plus two demerit points on your license.
Full details on road closures and bus re-routes can be found online at www.translink.ca or at http://www.travelsmart2010.ca.
