Hosting an event on a global scale is no small feat. Preparing to accommodate an influx of tourists and visitors expected in any host city can be a challenge, especially when it comes to how they’ll get around. This is why developments and improvements to public transportation are a major component in staging a world event. From the Olympic Games to the World Cup, public transportation has proven to quickly and efficiently move the masses to and from sports stadiums, and all around the host cities.
Think back to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games held in Vancouver. The city saw the record use of mass transit both during and after the Games, which has changed commuting habits. Mass transit ridership increased by more than 50 percent during the Games and remains well above previous- year levels according to an official Olympic facts and figures report. The city launched a transportation expansion plan which included 48 new SkyTrain cars, a new SeaBus, and 180 diesel-electric hybrid buses, which have lower fuel consumption and fewer emissions, to accommodate visitors.
The UK also saw the success of its $673 million dollar public transportation improvements during the 2012 Olympics in London, where nearly one million people used the system. 900,000 people, almost half of the overall 2 million people who visited Olympic Park, used public transit including shuttles, bikes routes and special light rail. London is already known for its advanced underground Tube system, yet the improvements were part of an over-arching initiative to make the games “greener” and were also implemented as a long-term infrastructural investment.
It comes as no surprise then, that Brazil invested $700 million dollars into bus infrastructure development to be ready ahead of the June 12th start of this year’s FIFA World Cup hosted in Rio de Janeiro. The Transcarioca, a 39 km BRT line with dedicated lanes for buses, officially opened on June 1st and is expected to carry 320,000 passengers daily during the tournament.
Next year, it’s Toronto’s turn in the spotlight as host of the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. There are already plans for transit development and improvement in place to combat traffic congestion and poor air quality. York Region and The City of Markham are pleased to be hosting a sporting event during these games, right on the viva system.
Providing quick and efficient transportation during any large world event ensures that the focus remains on the thousands of people who come together to compete, volunteer, or cheer on – people like you and I. Great transit is just the link that connects us all.