Editor:
The B.C. Liberals have only themselves to blame for the delay in a new George Massey crossing. They hoodwinked the public with a bogus process and an oversized, overpriced bridge.
The Liberals and Delta council used scare tactics and warned of catastrophic failure of the tunnel. They claimed that a retrofit of the existing tunnel was not technically feasible and cancelled a second phase of ground improvement retrofit of the tunnel.
The recent independent review, commissioned by the NDP, confirms that seismically retrofitting the tunnel is technically feasible and recommends improvements to lighting, safety and mechanical improvements. The review found that another immersed tube tunnel is feasible and may result in cost savings in comparison to a new bridge, especially if the existing tunnel is upgraded as well.
This could have been initiated 10 years ago if the B.C. Liberals hadn’t cancelled ongoing plans for the tunnel and regional transportation corridors.
Out of the blue, the Liberals claimed the tunnel had to be removed and a massive bridge was needed. They called it the “George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project” without any evidence that the tunnel needed to be removed. They buried reports and ignored new technology that is being used in similar projects globally.
They have a nerve accusing the NDP of delays when they are the culprits.
Susan Jones
