George Massey’s son, Doug, is fighting to keep his father’s namesake intact after Premier Christy Clark announced the aging tunnel will be replaced by a bridge in 2017.
Massey plans to start an online petition to keep the tunnel open as a secondary route after the province builds the new span between Richmond and Delta.
The province said the bridge will cut down on bottlenecks and replace the need for a tunnel by offering more HOV lanes, bus lanes and room for both cyclists and pedestrians.
However, Massey is convinced the government has an ulterior motive and is building the bridge so that larger freighters can move down the Fraser River, enabling the growth of both the Surrey Docks and commercial trade.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said he was stunned by the plan, saying that public transit should be a higher priority.
Robertson said a regional transit plan has suffered for years while the province pushes freeway and bridge expansion.
The province hasn’t released any details on how much the new bridge will cost or whether it will be tolled.
Comments