When it opened a prediction was made by the builder of the Deas Island Tunnel that it would be too small to handle traffic volumes in the not so distant future.
In July 1959, when Queen Elizabeth paid a visit to Delta to celebrate the grand opening of the four-lane crossing, which had opened to motorists a few weeks prior, the forecast was made by Lassen Neilson of Copenhagen, head of the firm that designed the tunnel and supervised its construction.
At a final banquet of the Lower Fraser River Crossing Improvement Association, Neilson was one of the special guests, saying the other tunnel of its kind at the time, which his firm had built in Rotterdam, Holland, was too small before it was finished, so a second tunnel already had to be built.
Fast forward almost 60 years and the crossing, a choke point that accommodates over 80,000 vehicle trips daily, is on the verge of being replaced with a 10-lane bridge. Construction on the project began this spring and was scheduled for completion in 2022, at which time the tunnel would have been decommissioned.
That is until the Liberals failed to win a majority in May’s provincial election and a Green-backed NDP government assumed power.
Now the project is on hold and in doubt with Green Leader Andrew Weaver having already stated his opposition to the $3.5-billion project, saying another tunnel would be a better option.
Premier John Horgan has been non-committal, saying he’d defer the issue to Metro Vancouver mayors, who have already voiced opposition and indicated the bridge is not necessary. It means the tunnel could be around for a lot longer if the bridge project is killed.
“History has demonstrated the world over, you can’t reduce congestion by simply building more roads,” said Greg Moore, chair of Metro Vancouver, in a news release last summer. “This project represents an expansion of car-oriented infrastructure and diverts crucial funds from transportation projects that support the regional growth strategy.”
Metro Vancouver understands the congestion issues facing Highway 99 and the George Massey Tunnel, but is unable to support the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project as proposed based on an evaluation of potential impacts to regional assets, infrastructure and legislative responsibilities, according to the regional district.
“We recognize the necessity to enhance the movement of people and goods on Highway 99 and throughout the region, but the magnitude of a 10-lane bridge estimated at $3.5 billion has not been demonstrated and cannot be justified,” added Moore.
In one of several third party reports compiled by Delta, it was noted the tunnel’s current volume has surpassed the structure’s capacity.
“Even with a counterflow, the congestion at the tunnel results in significant delays that can range up to 30 minutes on a typical weekday, and can be several hours if there is an incident at the tunnel or adjoining Highway 99 corridor,” the report states.
The report adds significant traffic is diverted to the Alex Fraser Bridge as a result, resulting in additional pressure on that crossing that will see its capacity being “used up faster.”
The report also notes opportunities to improve transit on Highway 99 are limited without additional traffic capacity at the tunnel.
The province commissioned an independent technical review of the tunnel crossing and the proposed alternatives. That study is expected to be made public this spring.
