Traffic closures, delays due to GranFondo Whistler

WHISTLER (NEWS 1130) – A massive and popular biking event is taking place this weekend and it’s leading to a lot of road closures and traffic delays throughout Vancouver, the North Shore and up to Whistler.

More than 4,500 cyclists are expected to part, riding over the Lions Gate Bridge, up Taylor Way and Cypress Bowl Road, along the Upper Levels Highway/Highway 1 and Highway 99, finishing in Whistler.

Drivers can expect delays on Highway 99 of up to three hours from West Vancouver to Whistler until 4:30 p.m.

LIST OF CLOSURES/DELAYS

• Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge – closed to northbound traffic from 5:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. One southbound lane will remain open on the Lions Gate Bridge and Causeway.
• Marine Drive westbound closed between Capilano Road to Taylor Way; Marine Drive westbound will be closed with the exception of buses destined for Lions Gate Bridge. For access to the Lions Gate Bridge and West Vancouver, vehicle traffic will detour to Lower Capilano Road, Welch Street, Wardance Street and Taylor Way until 8 a.m. Access to the Lions Gate Bridge southbound will remain open via Marine Drive eastbound from West Vancouver.
• West Vancouver — Taylor Way: Access to Taylor Way between Marine Drive and Highway 1 will be closed to traffic from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Local traffic is advised to use local residential streets as alternate routes. Expect some delays in this area.
• West Vancouver — Cypress Bowl Road: 500 event cyclists will travel along Cypress Bowl Road with police escorts, up and down the hill. Cypress Bowl Road will be closed from Highway 1 from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Local traffic only from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Cypress Bowl Road will be closed to southbound traffic from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Expect delays in this area.
• Highway 1 – Two eastbound lanes of Highway 1 will be closed between Taylor Way and Horseshoe Bay from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Motorists to use Marine Drive eastbound as the alternate route. Expect some minor delays along Marine Drive.
• Ferry traffic and local Horseshoe Bay traffic — eastbound ferry traffic and local traffic exiting from Horseshoe Bay eastbound will be re-routed to the Marine Drive detour route through West Vancouver from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Horseshoe Bay at Highway 99 Junction — eastbound heavy truck traffic traveling between Horseshoe Bay and Taylor Way and Highway 99 southbound will be redirected to a temporary storage location at Horseshoe Bay between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Heavy truck traffic will re-enter Highway 1 when the eastbound highway lanes are re-opened. Heavy truck traffic will be restricted from the Marine Drive detour route through West Vancouver during this period.
• Highway 99 southbound (4km north of Horseshoe Bay) at Pasco Road: southbound Highway 99 traffic will be detoured at the Pasco Road exit via the Old Highway 99 route (Horseshoe Bay Drive), to the Marine Drive detour in West Vancouver. This detour will be in effect between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m.
• Highway 1 westbound — at Exit 2 (Horseshoe Bay): detour for westbound Highway 1 traffic and northbound Highway 99 traffic, routed via Exit 2 to Old Hwy 99 (Horseshoe Bay Drive). Traffic will enter Highway 99 northbound at the Pasco Road Highway 99 access. Detour will be in effect between 5:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
• Highway 99 northbound — Horseshoe Bay to Tunnel Point — single lane alternating traffic will be in effect for 2.6km until 11 a.m.
• Highway 99 — at Porteau Cove Provincial Park — single lane alternating traffic will be in effect for 1.3km until 11 a.m.
• Highway 99 — at Furry Creek — local Furry Creek traffic re-routing via internal roads to access Highway 99 northbound and southbound. Local Furry Creek traffic to obey signs and traffic control persons. Expect delays in this area.
• Highway 99 — at Britannia Beach — single-lane alternating traffic will be in effect for one kilometre, with no northbound right turn permitted at Main Street (Copper Drive) until noon. Expect delays in this area.
• Highway 99 — Murrin Lake Park to Squamish — traffic signals along this section will be flashing with traffic control persons on site.
• Highway 99 — Valley Drive to Depot Road, Squamish — traffic signals will be flashing and traffic movements to and from the east side of Highway 99 will be restricted and/or closed between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. No right turns northbound from the highway will be permitted and no left turns southbound from the highway until after 10:30 a.m. Affected Highway 99 intersections for closures and restrictions are: Valley Drive, Scott Crescent, Mamquam Road, Garibaldi Way, Dowad Drive, Depot Road and Alice Lake Road; all closed between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Expect intermittent delays between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
• Highway 99 from Alta Lake Road to Function Junction (6km south of Whistler) — expect counter flow traffic adjacent to cyclists through this area. Cyclists will occupy the northbound slow lane. One lane northbound and one lane southbound will be available for motorists. Counter flow will remain in effect until 4 p.m.
• Highway 99 — Function Junction to Village Gate Boulevard, Whistler — signals will be flashing and traffic will be stopped intermittently at the entrances and exits to key Whistler destinations. Expect major delays entering and exiting the east side of Highway 99 in Whistler.
• Alta Lake Road — alternate route to Highway 99, Whistler — Alta Lake Road will be available as an alternate traffic route from Highway 99, Whistler.
• Whistler – various cross-street intersections with Highway 99:
  * Blackcomb Way West – closed in both directions
  * Village Gate Blvd. — closed to northbound and southbound traffic from Highway 99
  * Lorimer Road and Whistler Way — both roads are open as alternate routes to Village Gate
• Expect delays at Whistler Way — Northlands Boulevard at Village Gate – traffic signal will be flashing. Traffic control persons will be on site until 4:30 p.m.