The long-awaited Massey Tunnel replacement is one step closer to being built, with the province announcing Wednesday the project has hit a new phase.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure revealed that three bid teams have been invited to take part in the design-and-build proposal stage, with the winner expected to be on the job by next spring.
This comes more than 10 years after the initial plan to replace the aging Massey Tunnel was announced by the then BC Liberal government in September of 2012.
That $3.5 billion, 10-lane bridge program was well into pre-construction when it was scrapped by the new NDP government in 2017, taking the whole process back to square one.
In 2021, a new eight-lane replacement tunnel was settled upon, with Richmond South Centre MLA Henry Yao reassuring it should be completed by 2030.
“That’s what we are expecting unless there is some kind of unforeseen challenges,” Yao told OMNI News. “And while the new tunnel construction is going on, our government is trying its best to minimize unnecessary impacts.”
Yao says that includes keeping the old tunnel functioning and allowing traffic to keep moving while the work is underway.
“We all understand, at this moment, we already have traffic jams, unfortunately, the worst bottleneck in North America. That’s the reason our government is very eager to complete this Massey Tunnel replacement,” Yao asserted, adding that the project is on schedule and “progressing nicely.”
That should be welcome news for commuters often caught in traffic back-ups on Highway 99 approaching the aging Massey Tunnel, though the current timeline would mean completion won’t be until 18 years after the initial plan for a full replacement was pitched.
“Hopefully, by the year 2030, British Columbians will be able to go home early, enjoy dinner early, and spend more time with their families,” Yao said.
The new crossing will be an eight-lane, immersed tube tunnel with three general-purpose travel lanes and a dedicated transit lane in each direction, along with a separate path for pedestrians and cyclists, currently estimated to cost $4.15 billion.
The provincial government says construction of a new five-lane Steveston Interchange is on track for completion in 2025, with cycling and transit improvements along the corridor also nearing completion.
source:CityNews photo: B.C. Government
