14,500 cruise ship passengers headed for Vancouver

Vancouver is bracing itself for a busy long weekend downtown, with cruise passenger volumes at Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier terminals expected to peak on Saturday.

More than 14,500 passengers are expected to embark and disembark at the terminals in the Downtown and Downtown Eastside areas between 7 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT.

As a result, Port Metro Vancouver is anticipating more traffic than usual in the city and greater demand for taxis and public transit.

Spokesperson John Parker-Jervis says the port is working with cruise lines, the City of Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver and taxi companies to try to raise awareness.

"In order to minimize congestion, it is particularly important that arriving passengers do not come to the Canada Place or Ballantyne cruise terminal prior to their scheduled embarkation time in order to avoid further congestion while disembarking passengers are leaving their ships," said Parker-Jervis.

Overall, Parker-Jervis says more than 812,000 passengers on 243 calls by 29 cruise ships will arrive in Vancouver this year, contributing an estimated $486 million to the local economy.

This weekend, Parker-Jervis advises passengers going to the terminal are advised to arrange transport in advance and says the port will have extra staff and police around to help passengers and manage nearby traffic.

All passengers embarking at Canada Place are asked to report to Hall C in the Vancouver Convention Centre-East.

For more information, check Port Metro Vancouver's list of cruise lines and schedules.

More traffic disruptions downtown

The City of Vancouver is also advising Vancouverites to watch out for several other disruptions on the roads this weekend.

Broadway will operate with one lane in each direction between Bayswater Street and MacKenzie Street on Saturday from 7 a.m. PT to 8 p.m. PT and Sunday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT due to sewer work.

For the same periods, East 1st Avenue will also be restricted to one lane in either direction between Nootka Street and Lillooet Street, also due to sewer work.

For more information, check the City of Vancouver's map of road construction and closures.

There will also be rolling closuresWest Georgia, West Pender and Thurlow Street on Saturday from 1 p.m. PTto 2 p.m. PTfor Day 65 of Claras Big Bike Ride.

• Clara Hughes cycles across Canada to promote mental health

The ride involves a 110-day bicycle tour through every province and territoryby ClaraHughes, six-time Canadian Olympic speed-skating and cycling medallist.

Hughes is riding to help end the stigma surrounding mental illness. She will be arriving in Jack Poole Plaza, escorted by Vancouver police,between 12:30 p.m. PT and 2:30 p.m. PT.