Tired of traffic in the Massey Tunnel? The BC Liberals say a bridge would have already opened

Rather than sitting in gridlock at one of the most congested traffic points in the province, could motorists instead be driving over a brand new bridge?

BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon says if his party had its way, drivers would no longer be sitting in gridlock at one of the most congested traffic points in the province.

While work on a replacement for the George Massey Tunnel is more than seven years away form being complete, Falcon says traffic was set to start moving across the bridge planned by his party this month.

"It should have been the date that ten-lane bridge would have opened to the benefit of all those commuters,” said Falcon who criticized the NDP government for cancelling the project, addig that $100 million had already been spent at the time of that decision.

BRIDGE VS. TUNNEL

The NDP instead opted for an eight-lane immersed tube tunnel which isn’t expected to open until 2030.

Falcon, performing a mock ribbon-cutting for the bridge that was never built, promised that if the Liberals were elected in 2024, they would build the bridge if tunnel construction was not underway.

”They (the NDP) are going to be stuck in the environmental process for years because the other problem with the tunnel they want to build is that it will have massive environmental impacts on very sensitive sturgeon, salmon and all of the impacts on the Fraser River,” said Falcon.

But B.C.’s transportation minister said Falcon has been inconsistent on this issue.

“You can be forgiven if you feel like you have whiplash because he’s taken about five different positions on the Massey Tunnel,” said Rob Fleming.

“But the position he took today…is to bring back tolls, to rip off our working families at a time when everybody’s talking about affordability. It’s also a position he’s taking for further delays because by going back to the drawing board -- should he form government in 2024 -- we’re going to be years and years further behind,” Fleming added.

For their part, the BC Liberals, who originally planned to charge tolls on a new bridge, say they have since scrapped that idea.

Local politicians did not seem impressed with Falcon's plans or promises.

“Almost the entire Metro Vancouver board supports the eight-lane immersed tube tunnel,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

“It’s not a panacea for all our congestion problems. The answer to decongesting that corridor is to decongest the entire corridor,” he said, adding that he believes the proposed bridge was too big and would be an environmental and agricultural “disaster”.

'RIDICULOUS HOW LONG IT'S TAKEN'

As politicians continue the debate -- drivers say they’re just sick of being stuck in traffic.

“Absolutely I wish there was a bridge now,” said Richmond resident Peter Evinger.

“I think it’s ridiculous how long it’s taken to sort that whole mess out. It’s crazy and I think it should have been dealt with a long time ago.”

Delta resident Bob Roche agrees.

“The line-ups are getting worse. They start…at least two, three hours before rush hour.”

He describes the traffic jams as frustrating.

“In one case, my wife had a medical appointment in Richmond, we had to cancel, we couldn’t get through the tunnel,” he said.

“The bridge would have been a superior option.”

Geeta Schallig of South Delta also supports the bridge option, saying traffic congestion has become much worse in the last eight to 10 years.

“I feel like we should go through with the bridge and not spend more time doing research on the tunnel,” she told CTV News.

“There were days when we had to coordinate our days based on our commute.”