The 106-kilometre stretch of Highway 99 from Horseshoe Bay to Whistler Village that Vancouver officials have called the “Achilles heel” of their bid thanks to treacherous ice and show, sharp turns and frequent delays due to accidents, rock slides and roadwork, is to be upgraded.
The B.C. government will unveil options to upgrade the Sea-to-Sky Highway by May.
These could include new bridges, tunnels and three-lane sections – or something a bit more elaborate to accommodate needs for the next 25 years”, said Ted Nebeling, the minister responsible for the 2010 Winter Olympic bid.
Vancouver 2010 vice-chairman Don Calder has speculated that all private cars may be banned from the Sea-to-Sky Highway during the Games. In their place, the organization envisions a fleet of 720 buses – one every 15 seconds – between downtown Vancouver and Whistler during peak hours.
For the Games Nebeling said one rail option might include Amtrak, which has cars that could use the existing rail system. “I have had brief discussions with Amtrak and they’re very interested. They’re still trying to get a second train into Vancouver”.
Another option might be an electric train through the Capilano Corridor, which he said, “would be a safe option as people would not stop in the middle of the watershed”, he said.
