The picture of what the George Massey Tunnel replacement will look like is starting to become a little clearer.
The 10-lane bridge will be built to the same height as the Alex Fraser Bridge - 57 metres - and will include a dedicated transit/HOV lane as well as a pedestrian/bike access and the capacity to accommodate rapid transit in the future.
While the final design has yet to be determined, Pam Ryan, director of planning for the project, told the South Delta Probus Club last week that while the bridge will be built over the tunnel, all existing roadways will remain open during construction, including the River Road exit ramp.
She told the crowd that when looking at replacing the tunnel, the government considered what was happening in other areas of the region.
"We're looking at not what's just happening at the tunnel but what's happening at other crossings," she said, adding the Alex Fraser Bridge is reaching capacity at peak times because many drivers have started using that crossing because of back-ups at the tunnel.
Ryan said that 60 per cent of traffic coming from south of the river is going into Richmond, not Vancouver, and daily traffic volumes on the Oak Street Bridge have declined.
The bridge construction will also include the widening of Highway 99 to extend the existing HOV/transit lane, as well as the replacement of the Steveston and Highway 17A interchanges.
Ryan said the new crossing is being planned to accommodate projected population, and traffic volume, growth through to 2045.
"We need to make sure that we're not over building,"
she said when challenged that the government should be building bigger to avoid ending up in a similar position again in 30 years.
As for the fate of the tunnel, Ryan said the government is still weighing its options - which include everything from complete removal to various states of decommissioning. It will, however, be closed to traffic once the new bridge opens.
Ryan said the project is still on schedule for construction to start in 2017 and for the bridge to open in 2022.
There is still no word on how much the project will cost, but Ryan said that number will become clearer as the design of the structure and plans for the tunnel are finalized.
Another round of public consultation is slated to take place this fall.
For more information, or to sign up for project and public consultation updates, visit www.engage.gov.bc.ca/masseytunnel, email [email protected] or call 1-8-555-MASSEY.
