The newly formed Metro Vancouver George Massey Crossing Task Force has started its lobbying efforts with the provincial government.

Delta Mayor George Harvie, who is a member of the task force, which is chaired by Metro board chair Sav Dhaliwal, brought jurisdictions along the Highway 99 corridor together in February to achieve consensus and present a united voice to the provincial government.

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On Wednesday, the task force made public a letter that was sent to Premier John Horgan in late March.

In the letter, the task force urges the province to take immediate action to address congestion at the George Massey Tunnel.

“We request that the provincial government work with TransLink through Phase 3 of the Mayors’ Council plan to provide additional funding for higher-frequency transit services to encourage people to leave their cars at home,” the letter states. “We understand that curb improvements for more buses on Highway 99 have already been made, for example.

“With the timelines currently being contemplated by the province, construction on a new crossing may not be completed before 2030 – a delay that greatly impacts the lives of tens of thousands of residents who make use of the tunnel each day, and the overall livability of our region.”

At its Feb. 21 meeting, the task force reached a consensus on a number of issues that were also shared in the letter to Horgan. They include:

· The crossing should include six lanes for regular traffic and two lanes dedicated for rapid transit bus, with dedicated facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, and include immediate access to enhanced rapid transit capacity at opening. It should also have the potential for conversion to rail in the future, including consideration for potential high speed rail.

· Any solution must address the matter in a timely manner, hopefully with construction completed by 2025/2026.

“Our communities are those most directly impacted by tunnel congestion and we have been successful in finding a solution that we can all support, including achieving consensus on the scale and defining parameters of the crossing,” the letter states. “We believe only tunnel options, including a cost-effective deep bored tunnel if possible, should be considered.”

The task force includes representation from the City of Delta, City of Langley, Township of Langley, City of Richmond, City of Surrey, Tsawwassen First Nation, City of Vancouver, City of White Rock, the Mayors’ Council, and the Metro Vancouver board.