December 6, 2006 – According to a recent CP report, the IOC had not envisaged how fast Beijing’s traffic situation would worsen, and they are waiting to see the city’s plans to avoid gridlock during the 2008 Summer Games.

The IOC’s Hein Verbruggen said the increase in cars and trucks had taken the IOC by surprise, but indicated that he didn’t see this as an insurmountable problem.

Traffic and pollution was a big concern for IOC officials when they met in Bejing in October. Verbruggen said the IOC was confident Beijing would come up with a plan that worked, saying local organizers had met its Olympic commitments so far.