Talk about sour grapes! I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that mayors throughout the region were voicing objections to the provincial government's decision to move forward with a replacement for the George Massey Tunnel.
I fully admit that living in these parts has allowed me to develop a certain bias, but I don't think I'm too far off the mark in the belief that when Victoria spends large chunks of money, it's almost always done somewhere else. If there are big dollars to be allocated for a rapid transit line, a hospital expansion or a post-secondary institution, you can safely bet they're not being spent here.
I realize our geography and population density don't lend themselves to such major projects, but we pay provincial taxes and fees like everyone else, so it would be nice to share in the largesse every now and again. I know the South Fraser Perimeter Road is set to open soon, but I have a hard time swallowing the notion that highway is our goodie given it's primarily been constructed for the big rigs that call on the container port at Roberts Bank.
So when Premier Christy Clark made good on a promise to replace the aging and overburdened tunnel, it was heartening to see Victoria show some love to this part of the province. Say what you will about the project, and there are valid concerns surrounding it, the bottom line is that the provincial government is prepared to spend millions, even billions, on an undertaking that will improve the flow of traffic in this often-neglected part of the Lower Mainland.
Now mayors in the region are calling foul, demanding Victoria justify the decision to build a new crossing along the Highway 99 corridor. They have concerns over the way transportation projects are prioritized as well as the impacts a new bridge would have on land use and more.
I would think it's pretty easy to rationalize a new crossing of the south arm of the Fraser because all you've got to do is pay a visit to the tube during rush hour to see how the 54-year-old structure struggles to cope with today's traffic volume. However, if you do require documentation, Delta has a recent study that details how the regional economy pays a huge price for tunnel congestion.
There's no denying that politics played a role in the decision, but tell me what major project moves forward without a political push? The tunnel replacement is no different, but what is dissimilar this time around is that we're finally on the right side of the equation.
