BC moves forward on $57 million of contracts for new Massey Tunnel

BC government moves forward on $57 million of contracts for new Massey Tunnel planning

Artistic rendering of the new eight-lane immersed tunnel replacement for the George Massey Tunnel. (Government of BC)

The BC government is showing that active work is being performed behind the scenes on the new replacement George Massey Tunnel, despite its timeline of starting construction in 2026 for completion in 2030.

It was confirmed in August 2021 that the provincial government will proceed with detailed planning for a new, immersed eight-lane tube tunnel to replace the 1959-built, four-lane tunnel, which is aging, seismically vulnerable, and creates a bottleneck in the regional transportation system.

However, the choice of a tunnel requires performing a new, years-long rigorous environmental assessment.

You might also like:

In a release issued today, the provincial government states it has awarded nine various contracts for technical and engineering work, including $15 million to COWI North America for immersed tunnel engineering services, $15 million to RF Binnie and Associates for highway and civil works engineering, $14.8 million to Golder Associates for environmental services, and $4.4 million to Northwest Hydraulic Consultants for hydrotechnical and river hydraulics service.

“We are moving ahead with a new toll-free tunnel to replace the George Massey Tunnel and these contracts will support the ministry’s work as we move from development to construction,” said BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming in a statement.

“The new tunnel, along with a new Steveston Interchange and Highway 99 improvements, are being designed to improve safety, reliability, and connectivity while aligning with regional interests.”

While construction on the tunnel is still years away, the provincial government is moving forward with various Highway 99 corridor improvements starting this year. This includes the extension of bus-only lanes on the shoulder of the highway south of the existing tunnel in Delta, an upgraded Steveston interchange near the north end of the tunnel, and a new bus-only, surface-level ramp from Bridgeport Road to the highway’s southbound direction near the south end of Oak Street Bridge.

The entire new tunnel and Highway 99 corridor improvement project is expected to carry a cost of $4.15 billion. The provincial government is still years away from starting its procurement process for a major contractor.

In 2017, following a change of provincial government after an election, the original plan to build a 10-lane bridge to replace the tunnel was cancelled. The bridge plans were in a highly advanced stage, with $100 million in on-site construction works underway, and the procurement process for a major construction contractor nearing its end. The lowest bid received by the provincial government was $2.6 billion, within the total project budget of $3.5 billion. Construction on the bridge was set to begin construction in late 2017 for an opening in 2022.

You might also like: