Olympic-sized Congestion: Traffic tips for the Games.

• Author: Clark, Bret
• Position: Olympics

The biggest problem with welcoming the world to Utah' is that the world [or at least what will feel like the whole world) is actually going to be coming to Utah. In just a few months, the streets of Salt Lake City and surrounding areas will be congested with an extra few thousand people. And residents are afraid traffic congestion will put the brakes on their lives.

On loan from the Utah Depar ent of Transportation (UDOT), Andrew Gemperline, who directs the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's (SLOC) transportation p1 ng, says SLOC, UDOT and venue cities have been working together to develop a transportation plan that will facilitate the transport of thousands of Olympic participants and spectators, while still allowing residents to go to work and get to the grocery store The gist for Utah businesses? Plan ahead.

Peak traffic times will be about three hours before events and two hours after, according to Gemperline, who stresses that if residents plan ahead so they are driving at other times they will have fewer traffic problems. Gemperline and other experts agree that there will be heavy traffic - there is no avoiding that - but residents can plan ahead to avoid the times of heaviest gridlock.

Fraser Bullock, SLOC's chief operating officer and executive vice president, says in developing its transportation plan SLOC looked at everyone who will be involved in transportation during the games, from athletes and their families, to residents and commuters. With their different needs in mind, SLOC developed specific advice for each group. For example, spectators are advised to carpool to designated park-and-ride lots near events and ride uses to the venues.

To help residents go about their llyes as routinely as possible, the plan calls for a widespread information campaign. Through a website (www.utahcommuterlink.com), an informational brochure and meetings with businesses, SLOC will educate Utah residents on how to maneuver Olympic traffic. "We're getting the message out about what to expect, providing the information that will help residents make better [commuting) decisions," Gemperline claims.

The commuterlink website will provide real-time traffic information and highway camera shots as well as event times and commuting advice. As residents go about their lives, these tools will be invaluable in avoiding delays, according to Gemperline.

SLOC is also trying to help businesses keep their operations running smoothly. Gemperline says employers...