Metro committee backs call for new eight-lane tunnel
In a unanimous vote, Metro Vancouver’s finance and inter-government committee has backed a task force’s recommendation to replace the aging George Massey crossing with a new eight-lane immersed-tube tunnel.
The item will now be sent to Metro’s board of directors for consideration, likely in November. A final board decision will be brought forward by the provincial government during public consultations.
An immersed tube was chosen from six options by the provincial government. It would have six lanes for regular traffic and two dedicated to transit, plus multiuse pathways on each side. Like the existing Massey tunnel, it would be constructed in pieces that are sunk into place and joined.
Township of Langley Mayor Jack Froese brought up the question of the environmental impact of the immersed-tube option, citing Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Ken Baird’s opposition to a tunnel, and support for a bridge, because of its effect on the river.
Lina Halwani, project director with the provincial ministry of transportation, confirmed it would have a significant environmental impact in and around the river during construction — due to excavation on both sides of the river, trenching and ground densification — and require a complex environmental assessment. A new tunnel would have a lower long-term impact than some of the other options.
“We’re working with our teams and continue to work with the First Nations to look into enhancement opportunities to make the river better than when we started,” Halwani said. “The tunnel, although the impact during the construction is high, it has the least impact past construction, while the bridge … it has more permanent environmental impacts with noise and light and shading.”
It’s expected to take three years for an environmental assessment and five years for construction.
Delta Mayor George Harvie said that while the environmental concerns are valid, “We have to keep in mind that this is only an option which the province has asked us to bring forward. It’s up to the province as the owner of the asset to go through the environmental process, and if that environmental process shows that it’s more detrimental, the province has to make the decision whether to proceed with this option or another option.”
A six-lane immersed tube was also presented as an option, but rejected because the old tunnel would have had to be used for transit lanes, a proposition that would require hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades. TransLink staff are against using the existing tunnel for transit because the trip would take longer.
A three-kilometre, six- or eightlane bridge was also considered. It would have the least complex environmental assessment because much of the work has already been done, however it would have greater noise, light, visual and shading impacts.
The estimated timeline for a bridge was the shortest: two years for environmental assessment and five for construction.
Two options that involved a six- or eight-lane tunnel bored deep below the river were quickly eliminated because such a tunnel would be high risk to construct and three times the cost of a bridge or immersed-tube tunnel.
No estimates for construction, operating or maintenance costs have been provided.