BC Ferries warns of major traffic delays on Sea to Sky Highway this weekend

The annual RBC Gran Fondo cycling race between Vancouver and Whistler returns this weekend to the Sea to Sky Highway, and drivers are warned to expect traffic delays during their commutes.

More than 5,500 cyclists are expected to ride in the 17th-anniversary event, with organizers warning of “significant delays.”

BC Ferries urged travellers to give themselves plenty of time to arrive for sailings departing Horseshoe Bay on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 12.

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“Please note that Westbound Highway 1 and northbound Highway 99 traffic will be rerouted via Exit 2 to Old Highway 99, also known as Horseshoe Bay Drive, and will re-enter northbound Highway 99 at Pasco Road,” said BC Ferries in a travel advisory.

“The detour will be in effect from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. We suggest customers allow enough travel time to arrive at the terminal before the scheduled sailing of their choice.”

Customers on sailings that arrive at Horseshoe Bay before 9 a.m. on Saturday will be rerouted to exit on Marine Drive through West Vancouver.

Heavy trucks travelling east between Horseshoe Bay, Taylor Way, and southbound Highway 99 will be diverted to a temporary holding area in Horseshoe Bay between 5:30 and 9 a.m.

Large vehicles are restricted from entering Marine Drive through West Vancouver during this time and may only re-enter Highway 1 after the eastbound lanes are reopened.

Traffic impacts begin bright and early on Saturday morning for the 122-km ride.

Access to Stanley Park Drive from Georgia Street will be closed from 4 to 8 a.m.

There will be a full closure of northbound traffic from 5:30 to 8 a.m. on the Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge. Traffic will also be reduced to a single lane southbound.

Extensive traffic pattern changes and delays will also take place in West Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler from the early morning up until 4 p.m.

“Obey traffic-control personnel, be prepared to stop, and allow extra travel time. Roads will reopen progressively as riders pass,” said RBC Gran Fondo in its online traffic advisories.

“Expect lane shifts, counterflow traffic, reduced speeds, temporary traffic stoppages, and restricted access at some communities and intersections.”

The Resort Municipality of Whistler is also warning that “major delays are expected for all buses, coaches, and passenger vehicles.”

A full list of traffic advisories can be found online.