Transit, cycling and pedestrian improvements begin as part of BC’s Highway 99 Tunnel Program
Work is underway that will deliver more reliable transit and more accessible cycling to the Highway 99 corridor as part of the Highway 99 Tunnel Program.
The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is replacing the existing George Massey Tunnel on Highway 99 with a new, eight-lane immersed tube tunnel. The project includes bus-on-shoulder transit lanes, a new interchange and a multi-use pathway for cyclists and pedestrians.
The work currently underway includes adding southbound bus-on-shoulder lanes to Highway 99 between Highway 17A and the Ladner Trunk Road off-ramp and from Ladner Trunk Road to the existing start of the existing start of the high-occupancy vehicle lane on Highway 99. The ministry says the lanes will tie into the new tunnel once it is in service to improve transit reliability along the corridor.
“Extending bus-on-shoulder lanes will make trips by transit quicker and more reliable,” said B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming. “This is the first step to provide relief to traffic congestion on the corridor leading to a new eight-lane toll-free tunnel.”
M2K Construction Ltd. of Coquitlam was awarded the C$12.8-million (US$10.07-million) contract for construction of bus-on-shoulder transit lanes in late summer 2021. The new lanes are expected to be complete in 2023.
Another element of the project is the construction of the Bridgeport Road bus connection and improvements to the Highway 99/17A interchange that will also get underway early in 2022. This part of the Highway 99 Tunnel Program includes the creation of a new multi-use pathway from the Oak Street Bridge into the Richmond cycling and pedestrian network, improvements to the bicycle shuttle pullout on Highway 17A and improvements to cycling facilities along Highway 17A, including new ramp crossings and better connection into the existing network.
Lafarge Canada Inc. was awarded a C$5.28-million (US$4.15-million) contract for this work, which will improve access to the highway for transit and make for a faster commute from Bridgeport Station and the Canada Line.
A third component of the Highway 99 Tunnel Program, the Steveston Interchange Project, is also expected to begin construction in summer 2022. The project will improve traffic congestion in the area when the new five-lane overpass opens in 2025 and will improve connections for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, while addressing the current bottleneck. This project is in the request-for-proposals stage with a contract expected to be awarded this spring.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
