George Massey Tunnel to be Replaced by a New, Eight-Lane Immersed Tube Tunnel by 2030

On August 18, 2021, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced that a new, eight-lane immersed tube tunnel (ITT) will replace the existing George Massey Tunnel on Highway 99.

Construction to the highway corridor near the crossing will begin later this year. The new eight-lane tunnel will be in operation in 2030, with the cost estimated to be $4.15 billion. Two of the eight lanes will be dedicated for bus rapid transit, and there will be separated pathways for cyclists and pedestrians. In the interim, the Province has started work to reduce traffic congestion by launching projects to improve transit and cycling infrastructure along the Highway 99 corridor and replace the Steveston Interchange.

Two options were presented in the business case – an eight-lane tunnel and eight-lane bridge. The Province chose the tunnel as the best option because it:

Best meets regional vision/interests, as endorsed by the Metro Vancouver Board;
Limits any new visual, noise, shading and lighting impacts over the life of the structure;
Has the fewest impacts to agricultural land and will not introduce new navigational restrictions to the Fraser River;
Allows for work to start immediately on the bottleneck areas of the Highway 99 corridor;
Best facilitates the movement of trucks and cyclists with a much lower overall elevation change; and
Provides protection from inclement weather for everyone who uses this crossing.

The next step is to initiate the environmental assessment process, including ongoing engagement with Indigenous peoples and preparing for procurement. In the interim, improvements to transit and cycling infrastructure along Highway 99 will begin this fall, as will work on the new Steveston Interchange, which will be completed in 2025.

While BCTA is pleased that a decision on this critical aging piece of infrastructure has been made, we remain concerned that:

the project will not be completed until at least 2030, and is subject to an environmental review process;
the project approved may not have sufficient capacity to meet future transportation capacity demands;
Is only being built to a height clearance of 5m which does not support the efficient movement of over-dimensional loads; and
Is still unclear if the new tunnel will support the transportation of dangerous goods.

BCTA looks forward to engaging with government on these concerns. More details on the George Massey Crossing Project can be found here .

For background and BCTA’s advocacy on the George Massey Tunnel, please see related Bulletin articles: