In ongoing efforts to make the 2008 Olympics an eco friendly event (and save everyone the hassle of sitting in constant rush-hour), Beijing is attempting to cut its vehicle traffic in half duing the games.

The city is preparing for the approximately 3.3 million vehicles expected to be present during this years' festivities. An increase in shuttle bus service is expected to encourage local residents and visitors to utilize public transportation, and special lanes will be reserved specifically for traffic to and from game venues.

Despite effots through the Blue Sky program to reduce Beijing's pollution - known as some of the worst in the world - air quality over the past nine years has not improved. An experiment last summer to test the effects of vehicle control on the roads certainly reduced the headache of sitting in traffic, but did little to improve air conditions in the city. Several competing teams have opted to train outside of the city over concern of the health of the athletes.

Let's do some math here: in nine years the air quality in Beijing has not gotten any better despite the measures taken to improve it. Now officials are hoping for something miraculous to happen in less than 200 days until the opening ceremonies? Furthermore, I respect the idea of protecting the athletes as much as possible, but what's going to happen to competitors that have trained while breathing clean(er) air when they suddenly inhale lungfuls of lingering toxins and crap? I'm worried it's not going to be a very pretty picture.

» The New York Times