Politics by the province is behind the latest report by Delta on the George Massey Tunnel, says Doug Massey.
A vocal critic of the government's 10-lane bridge to replace the tunnel, Massey, whose father George spearheaded the construction of the now 57-year-old tunnel, isn't impressed with the recent report by the municipality highlighting safety concerns from a first responders' perspective.
"It's all a plan in order to make it (tunnel) distasteful for the public and favourable towards a bridge," said Massey.
Transportation Minister Todd Stone last week commended the municipality for preparing the report that outlined a number of safety issues.
Saying the new bridge is unnecessary and twinning the tunnel makes better sense, Massey contends the report is merely an attempt by the province to use Delta to try to justify the $3.5-billion mega project.
"They're playing a game of making the tunnel look bad. Of course it doesn't have the safety features of a brand new tunnel but a lot of the accidents they're talking about are not even in the tunnel, they're on the approaches, and if they had proper warning signs well in advance to keep your headlights on, that would definitely help," he said.
Continuing to gather information, including a study he says concludes a tunnel is a better option than a long, high-level bridge, Massey said a number of measures could be taken to increase safety, including installing tiles to brighten the crossing's interior as well as not allowing big trucks to enter during certain times.
"Some of these immersed tunnels are 37 metres down and 12 miles long, so, come on, you don't build these things if they're not safe. Ours is less than a mile long," said Massey.
"There's a lot of things they could be doing to make it safer, but they're making it more difficult. It's just a game and they're playing with people's lives by doing it," he said.
A TV news report last week noted the Ministry of Transportation denied requesting the information from Delta.
At the Nov. 7 Delta council meeting, when CAO George Harvie and fire Chief Dan Copeland made a presentation outlining the report, Harvie noted that a Delta delegation, including police Chief Neil Dubord, at this year's Union of B.C. Municipalities conference met with the premier's chief of staff and Ministry of Transportation officials.
Harvie said both chiefs felt the safety message hasn't really been out there and that the Delta delegation was asked to provide information, hence the recommendations in the report.
Harvie added, "It is very, very dangerous in that tunnel."
In a subsequent letter to Steve Carr, the premier's chief of staff, Mayor Lois Jackson wrote she was pleased to provide additional information, as requested, regarding the safety benefits of a bridge compared with the George Massey Tunnel.
Asked by the Optimist to clarify what was requested, the ministry responded, "The ministry wasn't aware that Delta was studying the safety of the tunnel, nor did the ministry ask Delta for a report or more information. However, the ministry appreciates the municipality highlighting safety issues at the tunnel, and thanks Delta responders and those from other jurisdictions for the work they do in dealing with emergency situations at the tunnel."
Massey said it's all semantics and believes a member of government asked for the report, even if it wasn't the minister of transportation.
