3519 replies to this topic

[aastra]

If they were to re-route the road on the west side, methinks the real estate they'd gain on the site of the old curve would be worth a lot of money.

[jklymak]

The problem is not a few cars falling into the water during an earthquake, it's losing the bridge!

Well, so we lose the bridge and have to build a new one which is whats being discussed anyway... All I'm suggesting is that seismic retrofitting seems to be a red herring.

I like the bridge too, and would be very sad if it was replaced by something like the Bay St. bridge. However, I do wonder if the existing structure is all that special (as opposed to the overall design). I compare it to the Ship Canal bridges in Seattle, and they have all the neo-gothic watchtowers made of stone, etc. The Johnson St Bridge just has a utilitarian metal shack. Maybe something with the same esthetic and basic design, but even better, could be built.

[amor de cosmos]

A-Channel:

Future Of Johnson Street Bridge To Be Decided

VICTORIA - The Future of Victoria's landmark Johnson Street bridge has become an urgent priority for city council.

Mayor Dean Fortin says deciding whether to rehabilitate or replace the 85-year-old structure is Victoria's number one infrastructure priority.

One plan may include deconstructing the existing rail portion of the structure and building a new road bridge in its place.

The existing road portion would then be decommissioned to make way for the new rail section.

Project Manager Mike Lai says regardless of the final decision, we can expect some traffic delays and road closures.

Replacing the bridge could cost up to 40 million dollars while the city says rehabilitating the existing structure may cost as much as 30 million dollars.

Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin says the city wants needs to act with a sense of urgency in order to be eligible for funding from the provincial and federal governments, as much as 25 million dollars.

Council is still looking at how best to engage the public on the issue. A final decision is expected April 23rd.

http://www.atv.ca/vi...news_67886.aspx

[G-Man]

If we allow them to tear it down, for 30 to 40 million we will get a concrete overpass bridge. Sorry but that is a drop in the bucket. Don't forget this either has to be a super high bridge or a drawbridge that they are building. Bridges are not cheap. If we allow this to happen it will be one of those things that we look back on and saw how did we let that happen?

How much was the Spencer overpass?

[ressen]

keep the bridge for rail , pedestrians and cycles. Then put in a tunnel for vehicles.

[VicHockeyFan]

keep the bridge for rail , pedestrians and cycles. Then put in a tunnel for vehicles.

Pedestrians, cycles and cars can go up and down a pretty good grade, rail cannot. So if you keep a rail bridge, it has to be low grade or a bridge of the type we have now.

[Baro]

A tunnel??? We could build a whole tram system in town for the cost of a tunnel.

[G-Man]

^ Exactly what I predict we get is that last one. Boring cheap and crappy. Its the Victorian way.

[jklymak]

"Do we spend $25-to-$30 million to rehabilitate a bridge that in 40 years we’re going to have to replace and spend another $50 million, or do you spend $35-to-$40 million to have a bridge that lasts 100 years? It’s a difficult place to be,”

Kind of like saying do I spend $10k refurbishing my 72 Dart when I may have to do it again in 10 years, or do I spend $18k and buy a new Neon that *may* last 20 years (but probably won't).

[aastra]

Opened in 1924, it is one of only a handful of bascule bridges left in Canada. It has become part of the city’s culture, and appears in such names as the Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre company, Spinnaker’s Brewpub’s Blue Bridge Double IPA beer and the book Beyond the Blue Bridge

Yeah, but why would officialdom care about any of that stuff?

How much did Kelowna's new bridge cost?

The folks in charge just seem to want to keep chipping away at everything that's unique and/or special about Victoria. But they get in a stew because somebody wants to build a condo building on a parking lot. It makes no sense.

[amor de cosmos]

The rest if the harbour would look more interesting in comparison. Maybe it's intentional.

[G-Man]

Certainly the closest ring of Songhees condo's would be more prominent...

Aastra - Exactly my point. We hear the city complain about 4 metres of height on a building over a parking lot but a local landmark that has made it into our culture and storytelling is "just an old beater". It is kind of demented.

[jklymak]

^ I wonder: According to the CPI $1 in 1924 is $13 today. The original bridge was $1 million so $13 million today. Seems with modern technology it should be even cheaper. Or do capital projects like this not track the CPI?

I suspect that the answer is that the old bridge we consider esthetic would be considered clunky by a structural engineer and that the new techniques are more expensive.

[Linear Thinker]

But Coun. Pam Madoff said the only urgency involved is in chasing senior government grant dollars.

“The bridge is not about to fall down,” Madoff said. “What we’re trying to plan for is that one-in-how-many-hundreds-of-years event that may hit Victoria and if it hits Victoria, it may affect the bridge.”


I hope Madoff's view of all municipal infrastructure is not as short sighted as this. Surely she can see the advantage of creating a new bridge BEFORE the existing falls down. All this infrastructure $$ won't be around for ever.

As for the designs, if Victoria wants a landmark bridge, how about this?
Picture the proposal with the slanted "1" spar, except replace the 1 with the city logo V~, with the cable leading down from the ~(waves).
(Kudos to the first one who can photshop that together)

[Caramia]

Not everyday in Victoria that someone calls upon a Hindu deity to preserve us from harm.

[concorde]

Spencer Rd bridge (and just the bridge) was $4.2 million for construction + soft costs

[victorian fan]

I'd like to see a view from the causeway without the Johnston St bridge. Just so I can see what it would look like.

[jklymak]

^ Its a one-way trip to Esquimalt!

[G-Man]

Spencer Rd bridge (and just the bridge) was $4.2 million for construction + soft costs

Really? Why were all the newspapers quoting 30 million?

[amor de cosmos]

^ Its a one-way trip to Esquimalt!

you mean from Esquimalt? What if Yates, Johnson & Pandora were 2-way again?