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[Old Johnson Street Bridge] General discussion


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#3481 Holden West

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Posted 06 December 2010 - 12:42 AM

A heritage bridge is targeted for replacement, a new bridge would better serve the public with lower overall cost, wider lanes, cycling lanes et cetera. However, heritage buffs would prefer a rehab option and say the present narrow lanes actually calm traffic.

Yes, it's happening in Saskatchewan, too.

"The bridge not only has a significant story to tell of the inception of the city, but embedded in it is a story of the construction techniques, building materials, the scale of the city and the optimism of Saskatoon at that time," said Mark Bobyn, Nutana Community Association president.

"It captures the very formation of our city."


Read more: http://www.thestarph...l#ixzz17Jqt1aME


"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#3482 G-Man

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Posted 06 December 2010 - 06:28 AM

That is a big bridge. So are draw bridges always like 60 percent more expensive? I can understand a them being at a premium but our price seems excessive in comparison to this.

#3483 jklymak

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Posted 06 December 2010 - 10:51 AM

^ One of the problems with the numbers the whole time is that they have been including all the "improvements" to the approaches, which can't be cheap.

#3484 Bingo

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Posted 07 December 2010 - 10:45 AM

The bridges over Victoria's Upper Harbour will play a more important role once the new $35 million Emergency Response Centre is constructed at CFB Esquimalt. During the bridge debate it seemed that the focus was on Vic West being able to access emergency services from the east sides of the bridges, but once this new facility is built it could be the other way around. In case of a major earthquake the docks in Esquimalt may be the lifeline for emergency sevices coming into the area for all of Victoria..

I wonder if it has been shortsighted to narrow Esquimalt and Craigflower Roads, and to not have a plan to upgrade the Bay Street Bridge to the same lifeline status that the new Johnson Street Bridge is promised to have? One would also hope that the Victoria Police Radio (Crest?) system will be working at 100% in such an emergency.

During this stalled economy, and an increasing tax burden, I hope the city hasn't burned the wrong bridge, and has enough eggs left for the other baskets in the coming years.

for more on CFB Esquimalt infrastructure projects:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/pri/4/bases/esquimalt-eng.asp

#3485 Bernard

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Posted 07 December 2010 - 04:40 PM

I went downtown today and the bridge is still standing, I was certain we would see John Luton and the Mayor taking it down already! :-)

#3486 Coreyburger

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Posted 07 December 2010 - 05:06 PM

I wonder if it has been shortsighted to narrow Esquimalt and Craigflower Roads, and to not have a plan to upgrade the Bay Street Bridge to the same lifeline status that the new Johnson Street Bridge is promised to have? One would also hope that the Victoria Police Radio (Crest?) system will be working at 100% in such an emergency.


There is still exactly the same roadway width as there was before (save a few islands), so in an emergency you can get the same number of vehicles through. And for the 99.99% of the time it is not an emergency, we get a slower, calmer, easier-to-use road for everybody: cars, cyclists, pedestrians.

#3487 Bingo

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Posted 07 December 2010 - 05:19 PM

And for the 99.99% of the time it is not an emergency, we get a slower, calmer, easier-to-use road for everybody: cars, cyclists, pedestrians.


That logic wasn't accepted by the city when it was suggested having two lanes on the bridge, and keeping the "S" curve to get a calmer road. By not upgrading the seismic on the Bay Street Bridge, access to the Emergency Response Centre in Esquimalt could be limited during other the .01% of the time that we do have a major emergency.

#3488 Bernard

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Posted 08 December 2010 - 01:39 PM

There is still exactly the same roadway width as there was before (save a few islands), so in an emergency you can get the same number of vehicles through. And for the 99.99% of the time it is not an emergency, we get a slower, calmer, easier-to-use road for everybody: cars, cyclists, pedestrians.


There are fewer lanes on Esquimalt road, it used to be two lanes both directions from the underpass to almost right to the base gate. There are still some areas of two lanes, but not many any longer and the speed on the street has slowed down and the volume of traffic is down on it but up on other streets

#3489 Bingo

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Posted 09 December 2010 - 03:11 PM

I don't live in the city and therefore wasn't able to vote no on borrowing money for a new bridge. So I find it bit bit distasteful when the city now comes looking for money from the municipalities to help fund the new bridge, when it didn't give them any say in which which bridge they might prefer to spend the money on.

See - City seeks help on rail costs.
http://www.timescolo...9862/story.html

#3490 Mike K.

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Posted 13 December 2010 - 01:49 PM

As we progress from discussing the old Johnson Street Bridge to the new replacement bridge, a dedicated thread merging the general, technical and design discussion has been created at http://www.vibrantvi...read.php?t=4987

The funding discussion will remain as a thread for the funding of the project throughout construction.

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#3491 Annie

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Posted 09 April 2011 - 05:14 PM

Okay - they really did it. Nice timing for the "Tourist Season" !!! If the part of the bridge serves no purpose other than sticking up in the air - get rid of it. You are going to do this eventually anyway - get rid of this "Eyesore" sticking up in the air !!! The inconvenience to people is also going to be biting you in the butt !!! The city of Victoria has already been partially destroyed by rebuilding so many things. I would have thought that a "New Bridge" would have opened in the middle - somewhat like a gateway to "Victoria". Yes I was told there was a problem getting "Power" to the other side of the bridge - that can be done - not impossible, and would help in so many ways. Vibrant Glossy paint sure makes a difference too !!! Someone sure needs to think about what this is going to look like coming into the Inner Harbour or from any angle that it can be seen. If need be - run a little ferry for bicycles and pedestrians to get across when access is no longer available. Let people get to work, or people can work out of their homes or somewhere else until you get this mess sorted out. Ever since the "Eaton Centre" was torn down and rebuilt - none of this nonsense has stopped. It has been going on for over 20 or 25 years now (at least). Please, can someone "Clue in" to what they are doing to this city, and the people that are affected "?". The "New Bridge" that I have seen in pictures does not fit in with this city if you want to keep any part of the original look and any heritage of Victoria. We need a eye pleasing and functional "Gateway" into Victoria - not another modern "eyesore" that looks out of place. I have a friend that builds bridges on the East Coast - he would walk away from this one. You can have it if that's what you want Victoria to reflect to the people that come to this city, and for the people that live in Victoria and surrounding areas. Also a very sad loss of the E & N Railway ... You're sure blowing it with this one (as usual) !!! :( P.S. Has anyone noticed the combination of bridges that join Washington State to Astoria Oregon ?? Now that's a bridge !!!! Many other designs that would be beautiful and functional for Victoria. Grab a brain people "?" ...

#3492 gumgum

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Posted 09 April 2011 - 05:56 PM

There's nothing wrong with esthetics of the new bridge. In fact, I think it's beautiful. We should embrace architecture and design of yesterday and today. Should not move forward in that respect?

How the new bridge came to fruition is what I don't like...

#3493 SamCB

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Posted 09 April 2011 - 11:30 PM

So the rail span is going to be raised like that until the bridge is taken away? I hope so. It looks really cool.

#3494 Bingo

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Posted 10 April 2011 - 09:29 PM

All we need now is a fly through video to show how the new cycling paths over the bridge will work.

#3495 sebberry

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Posted 10 April 2011 - 10:30 PM

Police will be positioned at the Johnson Street Bridge Monday to direct a crush of commuter car and bike traffic that will share three narrow lanes following the weekend closure of the attached rail bridge, Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin said Saturday.

Read more: http://www.timescolo...l#ixzz1JC3isr3r


Honestly.. how hard can it be? Is the JSB the only road in town that drivers encounter cyclists on?

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#3496 jklymak

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Posted 11 April 2011 - 06:59 AM

^ Cyclists have to take a lane on the JSB. Which really should be fine, but a) some cyclists are afraid to, and b) some car drivers are so impatient, they can't slow down for 5 seconds it takes to go over the bridge. The alternative is the cyclists hugs the right, and the cars try to push by, and that is really dangerous.

#3497 Holden West

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Posted 11 April 2011 - 07:11 AM

I believe the time it takes for a car to cross the deck of the bridge is around three and a half seconds. I doubt even a slow bike would take much more than ten seconds. It's amazing what will infuriate a driver.

"Sorry I'm six seconds late for work, boss. I got stuck behind some idiot cyclist!"
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#3498 Bingo

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Posted 11 April 2011 - 08:52 AM

I walked over the bridge around 8:00 am, and traffic was flowing smoothly with cyclists actually waiting near the S curve until they had a group together before heading east across the bridge.

One vehicle lane and one cycling lane each way seems to work. I saw no cyclists using the pedestrian path on the south side of the bridge.

No honking and no fingers, but it's only day one with three years to go.

#3499 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 11 April 2011 - 09:50 AM

I walked over the bridge around 8:00 am, and traffic was flowing smoothly with cyclists actually waiting near the S curve until they had a group together before heading east across the bridge.

One vehicle lane and one cycling lane each way seems to work. I saw no cyclists using the pedestrian path on the south side of the bridge.

No honking and no fingers, but it's only day one with three years to go.


Yes, left to their won devices, it's amazing how much human-kind can figure out on their own. But these days, government figures it need police, city officials and bike volunteers to manage the whole thing.
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#3500 Gary H

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Posted 15 March 2015 - 09:44 AM

Something Serious?

 

It's raining on a Sunday and they've got some workers on a hoist blocking a lane while flaggers direct traffic and they inspect something at the top of the bridge (in the trusses) over the roadbed.

 

16798623326_188a1c5772_h.jpg

 

 

16823385012_c437997545_h.jpg

 

 

16798620226_4ae441e842_h.jpg


Edited by Gary H, 15 March 2015 - 09:49 AM.


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