A new transport infrastructure
The Olympic Winter Games served as a catalyst for urban upgrades in and around Sapporo, turning it into a more international city.
A five-year plan of transport and utility upgrades was implemented between 1967 and 1971.
Part of these upgrades included investments related to projects initiated for the Games (JPY 200 billion in 1972 values), while an even greater amount of urban renewal work was accelerated by the Games (JPY 602 billion in 1972 values).
These transport and utility upgrades were far more significant than the building of sports infrastructure (JPY 10 billion in 1972 values), which accounted for just 5 per cent of the total expenditure related to the staging of the Games (estimated at JPY 210 billion in 1972 values).
Foremost among these upgrades was Sapporo’s new subway system, which opened in 1971. Its introduction helped deal with two problems faced by the city: rapidly increasing urbanisation, and road traffic often disrupted by snow.
The first section of the new subway ran for 12km, north to south, linking the competition venues in Makomanai and the Mikaho Indoor Skating Rink with the business district and city centre. The new Odori Station was designed to incorporate future lines, making it a central Sapporo hub.
During the Games, the subway carried nearly 200,000 passengers daily. It has since expanded further, with three lines covering 48km, and now carries around 60,000 people daily.
Sapporo’s main international transport hub, Chitose Airport, located 40km east of the city, was also upgraded. The official Games report stated that the airport was already cramped even before taking into account the increase in capacity that the Games would demand.
A five-year improvement plan was formulated for this airport, involving the extension of the runway, taxi strips and aircraft parking areas, and the renovation of the terminal building, including an observation deck.
Other enhancements included the upgrading of surrounding roads, new car parks and the improvement and modernisation of the facilities for ensuring air security. The airport became a permanent international hub in 1981, and was upgraded again, with new terminals and runways, in 1991.
A second airport used for the Games, Sapporo Okadama Airport, also underwent a facelift. New aircraft and car parking spaces were added.
The Sapporo road network also got a significant upgrade. Major routes interlinking the Olympic Village, competition venues and the city’s business district were targeted, with underground pedestrian passageways, interchanges and road-heating systems built where necessary. Five roads and 15 streets benefited from the upgrades.
This urban development, with roads expanding into the outskirts of the city, meant that access to the city and its airports was much improved. The construction of circular and radial road networks reduced traffic congestion in the city centre. Along with the construction of 12 new bridges, and the renovation of five existing bridges, traffic flow was significantly improved.
Sapporo Railway Station was also upgraded. The area adjacent to the station was extended, and eight buildings forming a block along this avenue were renovated.