Life will finally return to normal for some people who have been living with the construction of underground sections of Vancouver's new rapid transit line along Cambie Street, officials say.

The section of Cambie Street from 29th Avenue to 39th Avenue was scheduled to open to traffic on Wednesday morning.

Allan Dever, the spokesperson for the new Canada Line, said they are planning a major celebration to mark the next road opening after that, of the business district further north between King Edward Avenue and West Broadway.
 
"On December 9 we are going to be having a very large event, 'Christmas on Cambie,' " Dever said.

The Canada Line, which will run mostly underground in Vancouver and above ground in the suburb of Richmond, began construction in 2005. It has been widely criticized for driving customers away from the Cambie shopping area, but Dever said he's hopeful customers will return.

"We're hoping that everyone comes down and marks the fact that we've finished our work through the Cambie village business district, and we're opening up to traffic," he said.

Many of the shops on the street have closed down though, and the stores now sit empty. At least one has launched a legal battle for compensation.

Construction will continue in other areas, but all of Cambie should be open to traffic in several months, Dever said.

Rail service on the new rapid transit line is scheduled to begin in late 2009.