Massey Tunnel replacement: Metro Vancouver board wants more time to study impacts

Metro Vancouver is asking the province to delay going ahead with the Massey Tunnel replacement bridge because it has a number of concerns it would like to see addressed first.

At a meeting on Wednesday, the board agreed with a staff recommendation toask the province for more time to review the project.

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"We do need more information in order to answer some very important questions," board vice-chair RaymondLouie told On The Coast guest host Michelle Eliot.

"Whether this project will have impacts on our regional growth for instance, what it will do to two nearby water mains a regional park is in the area."

Although the project needs to pass reviews related to environmental and agricultural impacts, Louie says he wants local government voices to be heard in those processes.

"There will be big impacts related to transportation, air quality, climate change and things that are important not only at a regional level but also for people living in those particular areas."

He alsosays the province was "unreasonable" in its requests for feedback, which he says gave local government less than two months to comment.

"It's unreasonable given the large impacts this bridge would have within the region," he said.

Louie says a better alternative to a 10-lane bridge would be further investments in rapid transit.

Construction of the new bridge is expected to begin in 2017.

To hear the full interview, click the audio labelled:Metro Vancouver board wants more time to study Massey tunnel replacement impacts