What's new on the Massey Tunnel replacement project front?

The George Massey Tunnel continues to be a point of contention for residents of the Lower Mainland. The tunnel, opened in 1959, was an amazing engineering feat at the time. It was the first project in North America to use immersed tube technology, where segments were sunk into place after being built on dry land.

But today, it has become a structural problem. Independent experts have said that it will collapse in an earthquake. It has also become obvious any commuters coming from Richmond that it simply cannot handle the increased traffic that it has seen over the past 59 years.

The plan decided by the Liberal Government was to replace the tunnel with a $3.5 billion, 10-lane bridge that would also see improvements to Highways 99 and 91. When this bridge was first announced in 2016, construction was planned for the following year, with construction to be completed by 2022.

The new NDP Government, however, has halted the construction plans and announced in September that they were starting an “independent technical review” to research the best solution. Even though 75% of Vancouver residents supported a bridge, there were still some in government who felt that more work needed to be done before construction could begin. Currently, the review is still ongoing and the results are expected in spring 2018.

One option could be repairing the structure. Repairing is much trickier than first thought as durability and constructability are both huge considerations. For something like the Massey Tunnel, waterproofing, earthquake-readiness, and scheduling and cost must all be considered.

This is why a company like Vector Construction is the first place to go for proper repair and restoration services. There are no easy jobs, such as a tunnel, a bridge, or a platform. Each requires the expertise and experience that Vector Construction brings to every job they take.