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Protest planned for Massey bridge's environmental hearing

A report to Richmond city council from city hall’s transportation department has outlined a number of concerns being raised by local transportation planners about the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project.
Tunnel
An open house regarding the Massey Tunnel Replacement Project will be held Sept. 13 in Richmond. Photo by Rob Newell

A report to Richmond city council from city hall’s transportation department has outlined a number of concerns being raised by local transportation planners about the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project.

The report comes ahead of a public open house this coming Tuesday, hosted by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (EAO), at the Sandman Hotel on St.Edwards Drive, which will outline information pertaining to the 10-lane bridge and the Province of B.C.’s application for an environmental assessment certificate. That open house will be the stage for a protest by the grassroots group Fraser Voices, between 4-6 p.m.

“We are going to be there at [the EAO] open houses saying NO to their 10-lane boondoggle and YES to investments in better transit, school earthquake upgrades, and more,” stated the group on the Fraser Voices Facebook page. The open house otherwise runs from 2 - 8 p.m.

The city’s report made clear that “there are significant gaps in the assessment of the impacts of the project, omissions of technical analysis as well as unsubstantiated claims of predicted project benefits.”

Director of Transportation Victor Wei suggested the Ministry of Transportation has tunnel vision when it comes to the new bridge. He said the province is failing to see the bridge as part of a whole transportation system.

“They just see the Highway 99 corridor. They don’t seem to care about anything else,” said Wei. Even still, Wei notes the project doesn’t address congestion at the Oak Street Bridge, a concern long-raised by Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

At a committee meeting Tuesday, council went over the city’s report, which will be forwarded to the EAO. They spoke to the fact the project has not addressed how traffic at interchanges will be handled. For instance, there’s no signs that the project will improve traffic flow at Steveston Highway.

“It’s another example of the lack of thought that’s going into parts of this project,” said Brodie.

As it stands, traffic jams may very well back onto the bridge, at the off-ramps, should more traffic pass over it. Wei said the Ministry has given varying forecasts of traffic for the new bridge. The report states the higher traffic volumes of 115,000 vehicles per day by 2045 are used to justify the need for a new bridge. Meanwhile the bridge can only expect to see about 84,000 vehicles per day by that time, if it is tolled (which it will be). 

As for the Ministry’s claim that the bridge is “green” and will reduce carbon emmissions, Wei noted any reductions achieved by reducing idling (on Highway 99) could be lost by inducing demand for more vehicles. Furthermore, more traffic jams on local streets will also negate the reductions.

At the meeting, councillors continued to seek out answers. 

“Outside of (Delta mayor) Lois Jackson, who the heck knows what’s going on here?” said Coun. Derek Dang. “There just doesn’t seem to be a rational reason for this thing to go forward. I mean its $3.5 billion.”