Dutch, Korean and French firms shortlisted for new George Massey Tunnel

Dutch, French, South Korean, and Spanish firms shortlisted to build new George Massey Tunnel

2023 concept: Artistic rendering of the new eight-lane immersed tunnel replacement for the George Massey Tunnel, with the multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists located next to the northbound tunnel. (Government of BC)

Three private consortiums have been shortlisted by the Government of British Columbia to design and build the new replacement George Massey Tunnel linking Richmond and Delta on the Highway 99 corridor.

The new crossing will be a brand new immersed tunnel built on the bed of the Fraser River.

This follows the launch of the procurement process for a major contractor in Summer 2023 seeking prospective bidders.

These three teams will now create detailed design-build plans for their bid submission to be considered for the multi-billion dollar contract.

Each consortium is led by a foreign-owned company in partnership with a handful of global subcontractors.

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One of the teams — called Cross Fraser Partnership — is led by the Canadian division of France-based Bouygues Construction, in partnership with Spanish construction company Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, Quebec-based Pomerleau, architectural and engineering firm Arcadis (formerly known as IBI Group), and Netherlands-based dredging and marine services firm Boskalis.

Bouygues is best known for playing a key part in building the 50-km-long Channel Tunnel between France and the UK. It is currently involved in the major tunneling construction projects of the Grand Paris Express Metro Line 15 subway and the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.

Another team is jointly led by South Korean firms Daewoo Engineering and Construction, and GS Engineering and Construction, with contributions from Ontario-based engineering Hatch and Denmark-based engineering firm Ramboll.

Daewoo’s previous work includes the 2017-built, 11-km-long Inje Tunnel of the Donghongcheon-Yangyang Highway on South Korea’s east coast, while GS built numerous extensive subway lines in Incheon, Seoul, and Singapore, and the seven-km-long Seohae Grand Bridge on South Korea’s west coast. As well, both South Korean firms are known for their high-speed railway projects.

Channel Tunnel between France and UK. (Bouygues Construction)

Inje Tunnel of the Donghongcheon-Yangyang Highway, South Korea. (Shutterstock)

Fraser River Tunnel Constructors is the third team, jointly led by the Canadian division of Spain’s Acciona Infrastructure and Canada’s Aecon Constructions. Other partners include the Canadian division of US-based engineering firm Flatiron, and Netherlands-based firms Strukton Immersion Projects and TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants.

Both Acciona and Aecon also have a joint venture in the ongoing project to build the new Pattullo Bridge.

Acciona is also currently in the process of building SkyTrain Millennium Line’s Broadway Extension to Arbutus and the Site C hydroelectric dam, and was previously involved in the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant. Aecon is currently building the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Finch West LRT, and GO Train commuter rail expansion in Toronto, the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Ontario and Michigan, and the REM train network in Montreal.

Although Strukton and TEC are minor partners in Fraser River Tunnel Constructors, their involvement is highly notable as both Dutch firms have major prior experience with immersed tunnels, which involves dropping pre-fabricated concrete tunnel segments into an excavated underwater trench on the bed of a water body. After the tunnel segments are dropped and connected, the tunnel is buried with a layer of backfill and rock to protect the structure.

For example, TEC is deeply involved with immersed tunnel projects, such as the 1999-built, 3.5-km-long immersed tunnel segment of the Oresund Link between Copenhagen and Malmo, the 2010-built, 3.4-km-long immersed tunnel segment of the Busan-Geoje link in South Korea, the 2018-built, 6.7-km-long immersed tunnel segment of the crossing linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai, and Macau in China, and the ongoing construction project of the 17.6-km-long immersed tunnel of the Fehmarnbelt Link between Denmark and Germany, which will become the world’s longest immersed tunnel when it opens in 2029.

Oresund Link immersed tunnel between Copenhagen and Malmo. (TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants)

Construction process of dropping pre-fabricated concrete tunnel segments for the Busan-Geoje link immersed tunnel in South Korea. (TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants)

Artistic rendering of an entrance into the immersed tunnel for the Fehmarnbelt link between Denmark and Germany. (TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants)

Map showing the segment of immersed tunnel for the Fehmarnbelt link between Denmark and Germany. (TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants)

In comparison, the new immersed tunnel for the George Massey crossing will have a length of 1.05 km, and a width of eight vehicle lanes (four vehicle lanes in each direction, including one bus lane in each direction) and a protected multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists.

A newly updated artistic rendering by the provincial government shows the multi-use pathway could be situated down the centre median between the vehicle lane directions. The previous conceptual artistic renderings indicated the multi-use pathway would be configured on the outer side of the northbound vehicle lanes.

This multi-use pathway will replace the need for the provincial government to operate a free shuttle service across the tunnel, given that cyclists are not permitted to use the existing tunnel which forms a part of Highway 99. Moreover, the expanded vehicle lanes and tunnel height will enable oversized trucks to use the crossing, which is not permitted in the existing tunnel due to spatial constraints and safety considerations.

Previous preliminary conceptual cross-section of the new tunnel:

2019 concept: Highly preliminary conceptual cross-section of an immersed-tube tunnel replacement for the George Massey Tunnel, with two separate multi-use pathways on the sides of the tunnel. (Government of BC)

2021 concept: Cross-section of the new eight-lane immersed tunnel replacement for the George Massey Tunnel, with the multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists located next to the northbound tunnel. (Government of BC)

2021 concept: Artistic rendering of the new eight-lane immersed tunnel replacement for the George Massey Tunnel, with the multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists located next to the northbound tunnel. (Government of BC)

Newly revised conceptual cross-section of the new tunnel:

The selected consortium will also be responsible for building a new 350-metre-long highway bridge between the new south tunnel portal and Delta, and the demolition of the existing 1959-built, four-lane tunnel, which is expected to be a 2.5-year-long deconstruction process.

The provincial government states it expects it will be in a position to finalize the selection of a consortium by Spring 2024.

When the procurement process began, it was indicated that major construction work on the new tunnel would begin in Fall 2025, but the newly revised timeline shows construction will now begin in early 2026 for a completion and opening in the middle of 2030.

The provincial government’s years-long environmental review process that first began in Summer 2021 is now expected to conclude in Fall 2025, when a potential certification will be issued. This environmental review process was previously expected to come to a close in early 2025. An approved certification is needed before major construction in the river can begin.

“We are moving ahead on delivering improvements for the thousands of people who rely on this crossing each day and for better goods movement across the region,” said Rob Fleming, BC Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, in a statement.

“Advancing the new tunnel will also increase trade to the United States and support a vital link to Vancouver International Airport.”

Artistic rendering of the construction process for the immersed tube tunnel of the Fehmarnbelt link between Denmark and Germany. (TEC Tunnel Engineering Consultants)

When the provincial government finalized the eight-lane immersed tunnel option in August 2021, before the rampant market inflation that first began in early 2022, it was stated the entire Highway 99 corridor project would carry an estimated cost of $4.15 billion. The provincial government maintained the same estimated cost figure for its announcement on shortlisted bidding teams.

This cost figure includes preliminary Highway 99 corridor improvement works under separate smaller contracts, including the ongoing construction projects to extend the bus-on-shoulder lanes along the highway and the $88-million new interchange with Steveston Highway, which is scheduled to reach completion in 2025.

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