Final design work on a new Fraser River crossing along Highway 99 is set to begin now the province has chosen its preferred bid team to replace the again George Massey Tunnel.

On Tuesday (July 23), B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced Cross Fraser Partnership will take on design-build work for the Fraser River Tunnel Project, a new toll-free eight-lane immersed tube tunnel to replace the 65-year-old crossing.

The project will now enter the development phase, which, building on extensive design work already completed by the province, "allows a transparent and collaborative approach to tunnel design, and agreement on project costs and risks between the province and Cross Fraser Partnership," the ministry said in a press release.

The final design and cost submission will culminate in a design-build agreement with the bid team comprised of Bouygues Construction Canada Inc., Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas Canada Ltd., Pomerleau BC Inc. and Arcadis Canada Inc.

"This is a huge step for the Fraser River Tunnel Project," Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming said in a press release. "With this team in place, we can finalize the project design and ready it for construction, helping us improve travel for people moving along Highway 99 between Richmond and Delta."

, the new tunnel will feature three general-purpose travel lanes and one dedicated transit lane in each direction, as well as a separate multi-use path to support walking, biking and other active transportation options.

The crossing, which will be located immediately upstream of the existing tunnel, will be about one kilometre longer and three metres deeper, the latter to accommodate double-decker transit buses.

"We're addressing traffic congestion at this bottleneck to make it quicker and easier for people to get where they're going," Dan Coulter, minister of state for infrastructure and transit, said in a press release.

"Dedicated lanes through the tunnel will make public transit along the corridor faster and more reliable, and for the first time ever at this location, people will be able to cross the river on foot or by bike."

Environmental assessment of the project continues alongside design and early site work, with major construction planned to start in 2026. The new tunnel is expected to be operational by 2030 and cost an estimated $4.15 billion, a price tag which includes replacing the Deas Slough Bridge and decommissioning the existing tunnel.

Corridor improvements along Highway 99 in advance of tunnel construction are already underway. A new connection for transit buses between Bridgeport Road and Highway 99 southbound opened in October of 2022, and new bus-on-shoulder lanes south of the Massey Tunnel were .

Meanwhile, the related Steveston Interchange Project will reach a key milestone this year with construction of the first half of the new structure.

In June, crews began erecting the 21 concrete girders that will support the first half of the new interchange. Steveston Highway traffic will then move on to the new structure so the old overpass can be removed and work can begin on the second segment.

The project is on schedule for completion in 2025.

"Along with the new eight-lane tunnel, the new five-lane Steveston Interchange under construction will make it easier for people to travel within our community," Kelly Greene, MLA for Richmond-Steveston, said in a press release.

"Improved transit connections, facilities for biking and walking, reduced traffic congestion and easier access to, from and across Highway 99 all make this project an important one for Steveston and Richmond residents."

Also in Richmond, preloading of soil for an additional southbound lane on Highway 99 between the Westminster and Steveston highways will get under way this summer. The additional lane will result in a consistent, eight-lane configuration from Westminster Highway in Richmond to Ladner Trunk Road in Delta once the new tunnel is in place.

According to a ministry press release, the new tunnel and approaches, once complete, will allow traffic to flow smoothly at 80 kilometres per hour — well above the current average of 30 kilometres per hour.