7993 replies to this topic

[G-Man]

It will cut the capacity for cars not for people moving along the corridor. For people the capacity is increasing.

I know that many people including myself do not love our current city council but council is only endorsing the project they are not in charge of it.This is not a city project! The bridge and this project are not related in any way with regard to financing them. It is not a choice, choose one or the other.

[Bingo]

The bridge and this project are not related in any way with regard to financing them.

Are they not drawing from the same shallow pool of money?

[Schnook]

I agree that Victoria's traffic problems are minor compared to those of a big city. That said, the intersection at Mackenzie is awful and dangerous and very much in need of improvement.

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I received an interesting call this evening from a representative of NRG Research. The lady who phoned had a couple dozen questions about my position regarding the quality of local transit and what should be done about access to the West Shore. I asked who was funding the research, and she said she was not permitted to know that information. Strange.

There were some general questions about the nature of my morning commute - what I use, have I used transit in the past year, quality of service, etc. - and one very strange question: "WHO DO YOU FEEL IS RESPONSIBLE?"

I said I did not understand the question, as responsibility is a matter of context (e.g., buses are the responsibility of BC Transit; funding comes from local municipalities). I asked her repeat the question. She refused and went on, probably as directed.

But in retrospect, that vague question strikes me as very important, because it is probably geared toward assignment of responsibility for the Johnson Street Bridge / West Shore access debacle. More specifically, it will be used as the basis for determining who should pay for it. I would wager that NRG was commissioned by the CRD.

IF the question had been explained to me in that context, I would have answered that the Johnson Street Bridge was the subject of a referendum to Victorians ONLY, hence funding for that piece is the responsibility of Victorians and Victorians alone. IF the question had been explained to me in the context of LRT / bus lane / widening the road / improved commute through the West Shore, I would have answered that it should be the municipalities that are traversed, especially those from which most of the passengers would come.

You can disagree or agree on the matter of cost sharing, but more importantly, the fact that the question was posed without context suggests to me that it will be SPUN TO SERVE AN AGENDA. BEWARE SPIN when the results of this poll are used in the shaping of policy on this matter. The question as it was phrased to me was not specific enough to be useful in this matter.

Regards

[Bernard]

While I agree the citiy's arguments about the bridge were specious, I disagree that Douglas is anywhere near capacity, so cutting the lanes in half may cut the capacity, it won't significantly cut the volume that travels the street.

Douglas is at capacity during various times of the day. Certainly in downtown it is at capacity from 8 am till after dinner. Near Saanich road it is at capacity for several hours every afternoon.

The new Johnson street bridge will have a different capacity issue, it is too large for what it is feeding into on either side.

[Bingo]

The new Johnson street bridge will have a different capacity issue, it is too large for what it is feeding into on either side.

Right on!

Now that vehicle capacity on Esquimalt Road and Craigflower Road has been reduced with medians and bike lanes, the present bridge could have been reduced to two vehicle lanes with the third lane converted to a cycling lane.

This would have also preserved the present rail span over the bridge.

Preserving rail over the new bridge is being debated at a council meeting this evening.

[Holden West]

We are less than a week away from March 2011; you may recall that date as the proposed opening date for the replacement Johnson Street Bridge!

[Bingo]

If excluding rail from the Johnson Street Bridge signals the beginning of the end for the E&N Railway, why has all the money been spent to install a new rail bridge over the Island Highway at Four Mile Hill, and for a new level crossing at Admirals and Colville Roads?

[Mike K.]

The cut in rail to downtown doesn't necessarily signal the beginning of the end for the E&N. It just hampers efforts to operate a proper commuter rail link into the city.

[G-Man]

Oh it is the end of the E&N I would bet. Via is always looking for an opportunity to kill that line. This change gives them the best opportunity in years. If I were them I would take it. They will say they have seen a dramatic drop in tourist revenue and cite concerns for safety in going to the next location. Let alone the fact that someone naow has to pay for new station. Who is going to do that? Why?

[Bingo]

With the disaster in Japan and the cost of human lives, there is going to be another reality check for Victoria concerning "the bridge".

What other priorities could the millions for a new bridge have been used for?
Seismic upgrading of sewers and firefighting water mains? Seismic upgrading of buildings in old town, or anywhere in town that it is still needed, including the Legislature buildings?

In an earthquake powerful enough to bring down the Johnson Street Bridge, what would be the maximum number of lives lost at the bridge, compared to lives lost in collapsed buildings, and the associated fires from ruptured gas lines?

Perhaps it is time to put the new bridge on hold and think about other priorities. The primary thing driving the panic to get the new bridge done, is the $21 million dollar funding from the Feds.

If Victoria gets hit with a major earthquake the $21 million dollars will seem insignificant. I would expect the federal government would then come up with the billions needed to rebuild the city, including the cash for a new Johnson Street Bridge.

[Mike K.]

Never mind the Johnson Street Bridge in an earthquake. Victorians should be wondering what will happen to their water supply if the Point Ellice Bridge (Bay St.) goes down.

[Baro]

After an earthquake we'll have to rely on bikes to get around the rubble and body strewn streets, this is why gold-plated bike infrastructure is the top priority and is worthy of any sacrifice.

[Bingo]

After an earthquake we'll have to rely on bikes to get around the rubble and body strewn streets, this is why gold-plated bike infrastructure is the top priority and is worthy of any sacrifice.

Try riding a bike around on roads full of broken glass and leaking sewage.

[Baro]

Dean and John needs to provide us all some sort of puncture proof "disaster tire" so we can all ride to the JSB in case of disaster.

Ok I'm done sorry.

[G-Man]

So I am confused, I again heard from the city that there will always be the opportunity to add rail in the future. How does this work? If there are two required designs one with and one without does that not mean that the one without would not be able to load bear a train. If this is not the case then the issue is just about adding rails to a deck and that couldn't cost 12 million dollars.

[aastra]

That's Victoria for you. They want to kill the rail line, but they also want to leave it intact (useless and unused) indefinitely? Is that supposed to be some sort of compromise?

[VicHockeyFan]

So I am confused, I again heard from the city that there will always be the opportunity to add rail in the future. How does this work? If there are two required designs one with and one without does that not mean that the one without would not be able to load bear a train. If this is not the case then the issue is just about adding rails to a deck and that couldn't cost 12 million dollars.

Rail will be a separate span.

[G-Man]

^ so the plan is that if in the future we want rail we need to build an entire other bridge but we are now going ahead with one that has no space for it??

I thought the design was the same but in the no rail version that part of the deck is reserved for cycling.

Wouldn't any new rail bridge have to be built in front of the new bridge blocking the view of the new masterpiece from view in the harbour?

Also with the train station moving to Vic West will the new bridge be load bearing enough to accomodate streetcar on the car deck?

If that was the case than problem solved. Keep the train in Vic West and in the future update the No. 6 route to street car from CFB Esquimalt to downtown with a stop at the new train station.

[aastra]

Methinks "perpetual limbo" would be a winning political slogan in Victoria.

[VicHockeyFan]

Luton said on CFAX this morning that the rail bridge must be closed now.

Engineeers say it's toast.