Welcome

Welcome to the first Johnson Street Bridge Replacement Project eNews. This newsletter will keep you updated on the project progress, construction activities and opportunities to get involved and learn more.

Please feel free to share this information with anyone you know who is interested in the Johnson Street Bridge Replacement Project.

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The Project

Work to replace the Johnson Street Bridge began this year and must be completed by March 2016. The new bridge will have some exciting amenities that will ensure this transportation link meets the needs of our community for the next 100 years. These include on-road bicycle lanes; a multi-use path designed for bikes, pedestrians, strollers, and scooters; a dedicated pedestrian walkway; improved and safer road approaches; a connection to a future harbour pathway; and improved connections to the Galloping Goose and the future E & N Rail trails.

The new bridge will also be built to the highest seismic standard, ensuring the safety of the travelling public and the protection of this asset in an emergency. It will create approximately 900 jobs and contribute an estimated half billion dollars in economic benefit.

Pre-Construction Work Awarded to Island Company

The contract for the pre-construction work has been awarded to Ruskin Construction Ltd. This contract includes the removal of the rail bridge and relocation of Telus communication lines which service Victoria West, Esquimalt and the Department of National Defence.

Ruskin Construction Ltd. is a local company with an office based in Mill Bay. They have listed Ralmax Group of Companies of Victoria as their subcontractor for the project.

The contractor will submit a schedule of work to the City within the next two weeks. The work is expected to begin in early December and be completed by spring. MORE INFO

How Will This Affect My Commute?

The new bridge is being built slightly to the north of the existing bridge, allowing the current bridge to remain open to the travelling public throughout construction. Some minor lane or minimal full bridge closures may be required for short durations to accommodate the need to move materials or equipment.

Some pedestrians and cyclists have been affected by the early closure of the rail bridge due to safety reasons. Pedestrians are asked to use the sidewalk on the south side of the road bridge and cyclists have the option of either walking bikes along the sidewalk or cycling across the bridge on the roadway. MORE INFO

This week, a new signal crossing for pedestrians and cyclists is being installed at the intersection of Esquimalt and Harbour Roads. The push-button activated signal will make it easier and safer for pedestrians to connect between Harbour Road and the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge and for cyclists to access the bridge from the roadway.

Once the new signal is in operation, the current pedestrian and cyclist detour over the rail overpass will become a construction area and will be closed to the public.

Buildings Come Down to Make Room for New Bridge

Earlier this fall, three City-owned buildings on the west side of the bridge were dismantled. This work was done in order to make room for the relocation of Telus communication lines and construction of the new Johnson Street Bridge.

New Public Space for Victoria West

This October, Council approved retaining City land left over from straightening out the Esquimalt Road S-curve on the west side of the Johnson Street Bridge as public space.

The S-curve will be eliminated with the new bridge being built to the north of the existing bridge, opening up approximately one acre of waterfront land. Retaining this area as green space is consistent with the current Official Community Plan (1995), the new Official Community Plan (expected for 2012), and the Victoria West and Harbour Plans.

Decisions regarding the look and use of the green space will involve community consultation over the next year. Planning for this new area will involve the bridge project team but it will be managed as an independent project with a separate timeline and budget. MORE INFO

Project Webcam

The Johnson Street Bridge Project now has a webcam which is live on the project website. The webcam is currently taking a photo every hour and this will increase in frequency as more construction activity occurs in the months ahead. The images will eventually be used to create a time lapse video of the construction of the new Johnson Street Bridge.

Public Involvement

Over the next several months the City will be consulting with the public and stakeholders in regards to final design elements including landscaping, road approaches, accessibility for cyclists, pedestrians and those with mobility challenges.

Opportunities for public input will be posted in the eNews as well as the project website, the City’s Twitter and Facebook pages, and through the media.

What information is most important to you? Let us know what you’d like to see included in the eNews by contacting johnsonstreetbridge@victoria.ca.