Delta officials have commissioned an economic study of traffic congestion at the George Massey Tunnel in a bid to persuade the B.C. government of the need for a new north-south crossing.
"I think it's probably overdue to have something there," said Richmond city councilor Derek Dang. "The last time was in the '80s. So it's basically been 1950's technology with an '80s update, and now we're in the 21st century."
The over 50-year-old tunnel has been notorious for its traffic jams and bottlenecks, not only during rush hour, but throughout most of the day. It's a problem Dang speculates will only get worse.
"There's actually more people driving through now because of things like the Canadian dollar being so high, more people are driving to the U.S.," said Dang. "So the situation's getting worse, not better."
These issues coupled with continuing developments by the Tsawwassen First Nation, the City of Surrey, the Deltaport Terminal 2 expansion and growth in ferry traffic, cause officials to believe traffic congestion will increase significantly.
Delta Mayor Lois Jackson said the three-month study, which will likely start in May, is aimed at gathering scientific data to show B.C.'s transportation minister that the 53-year-old crossing is already over-capacity, and should have been part of considerations when the government was planning its Gateway Project and four-lane South Fraser Perimeter Road.
"We have been meeting with our local MLA for something like this ever since I've been in council, which has been the past 16 years," said Dang.
"But it probably wasn't considered during other projects because the ministry is often saddled with looking at the greater picture."
The closest alternative Fraser River crossing, the Alex Fraser Bridge, is also heavily congested. Jackson warned this bridge will likely see even more traffic as a result of tolls on the new Port Mann Bridge, which opens later this year, and on the Golden Ears Bridge.
"Given the growth in the Lower Mainland we have to do the responsible thing by ensuring we have the capacity to move people and move goods," said Jackson.
Officials hope the study will determine the ability of existing infrastructure to handle current traffic and potential growth in 2021 and 2031 as well as future traffic patterns and growth, the costs to the economy from the delay in moving goods, travel pattern changes as a result of the South Fraser Perimeter Road and the effect on highway interchanges.
The B.C. Transportation Ministry said it would wait to see the study, but expects the South Fraser Perimeter Road will relieve congestion between the tunnel and the Port Mann, Pattullo and Alex Fraser bridges and allow motorists to choose the most suitable crossing.
"Even though there are improvements being made like at Steveston and No. 5 Road, the reality is, we're still funneling all those people through there in the end," said Dang.
"At the end of the day, there'll still be a bottleneck. So we're very supportive of the review."
"We just want to raise awareness of the issue, put it on the map, on the priority list."
