Province looks at 2 options to replace aging George Massey Tunnel
B.C. says it will decide between an 8-lane bridge or tunnel to replace traffic bottleneck
The B.C. government says it has received a business case outlining two options to replace the 61-year-old George Massey Tunnel in Metro Vancouver.
The 629-metre, four-lane crossing beneath the Fraser River is a daily traffic bottleneck, and the province says it will now decide whether to build an eight-lane bridge or an eight-lane tunnel.
The Liberals announced during the 2013 election campaign that the aging tunnel would be replaced, but the NDP cancelled the former government's 10-lane bridge proposal shortly after taking office in 2017.
The dispute over the tunnel simmered again briefly during this year's election campaign as the Liberals vowed to ditch the eight-lane proposal and immediately start construction of a 10-lane bridge.
The current government said in a statement that it will review the business case before making its decision, but it did not say when that could happen.
The Transportation Ministry says it has worked with the regional mayors' task force, Indigenous groups, TransLink and local municipalities to develop and evaluate options for the crossing.