It's not been openly declared but it sure looks like a battle between two cities.
Supported wholeheartedly by the Corporation of Delta, the George Massy Tunnel replacement bridge project is drawing heated and vocal opposition from the City of Richmond across the Fraser River.
Although neither side is publicly criticizing the other directly, polar opposite viewpoints when it comes to the planned $3.5 billion tunnel replacement couldn't be more pronounced.
Noting project director Geoff Freer recently made a presentation to Delta's agriculture advisory committee, Delta Coun. Ian Paton told the Optimist consultation on both sides of the river has been extensive.
"This has been going on for over two years and yet the other municipalities act like 'we don't know anything about it' and 'this is news to us' and 'we need more time to think about it.'
That's crazy," said Paton. "These people, they need to get out of their living rooms and come experience what it's like to get through the tunnel or over the Alex Fraser Bridge."
Saying she feels like she's "talking in the wind", a frustrated Mayor Lois Jackson in a recent interview said there's a lot of politics in play.
Jackson was commenting on cold water being thrown on the project by other mayors, as well as a Metro Vancouver staff recommendation for the province to delay moving forward. That recommendation was recently endorsed by the Metro board but opposed by Delta council.
"The new Massey Bridge is a $3 billion subsidy to Port Metro Vancouver for shipping fossil fuels. It will also open up Richmond and Delta to the development of 2,500 acres of farmland that the port wants. Claims that the bridge is being built for commuters is a hoax. Reports going back to 2006 show that it will simply add traffic pressure to the Oak and Knight Street bridges," said Richmond Coun. Harold Steves.
The longtime Richmond politician was commenting on his city getting Freedom of Information documents from bridge opponent Doug Massey that suggest Port Metro Vancouver and Fraser Surrey
Docks lobbied hard for scrapping the tunnel prior to Premier Christy Clark's announcement the tunnel would be replaced.
Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie has also been raising concerns about the bridge moving northbound congestion from Delta to Richmond, as well as the potential loss of farmland.
Saying mayors have been lining up to take shots at the project ever since it was announced because they want provincial money to go into their own wish list projects, Jackson responded that Brodie's statements the new bridge will move the bottleneck to the Oak Street Bridge and that there will be a loss of farmland are unfounded. Delta does have in ally in the province which has given no indication its willing to delay the replacement project.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone noted that 60 per cent of the tunnel's current traffic heading north ends in Richmond and the bridge won't create traffic jams at the Oak Street Bridge.
Responding to Richmond's contention the government did an about-face, Stone in an open letter said his ministry has "spent considerable time briefing Richmond and Delta municipal councils and staff and answering their questions every step of the way meeting with them over 70 times over the last three years."
