Victoria’s $92.8-million Johnson Street Bridge project marked a significant milestone this week as crews began installation of the first piece of foundation, says Mayor Dean Fortin.
“Today marks putting into place a piece of the superstructure. It’s the first permanent piece going in,” Fortin said.
Work on the bridge has been underway for months but most work has been either under the water where it can’t be seen or in the planning, Fortin said.
“So this is the milestone where we see the first piece going in.”
The 42-tonne and 34-metre long steel pipe, also known as a caisson or large pile, was hoisted by crane Wednesday and will be secured in the bedrock during the next week.
The large steel pipe is one of 16 that will form the foundation of the new bascule pier for the new Johnson Street Bridge. About 40 workers will be constructing the foundation until February.
The plan is for the existing bridge to remain open until the new bridge opens in late 2015.
However, some traffic delays and detours can be expected as 100-year-old water, sewer and storm drain lines in the area of Wharf and Store streets are replaced in advance of new road alignments for the bridge.
“It’s also a reflection of the demand that’s coming. Much as predicted, the bridge is seeing a lot of new development come forward in the north end of downtown,” Fortin said.
Motorists travelling north on Wharf Street to head across the Johnson Street Bridge are being rerouted up Johnson Street to Government Street and down Pandora Avenue to cross the Johnson Street Bridge. Southbound traffic on Store and Wharf streets and eastbound traffic coming off the bridge will be unaffected. The detour is expected to be in place until Nov. 11.
The Johnson Street Bridge project is the largest capital project ever undertaken by the city. Fortin said it is still on time and on budget.
Victoria councillors were recently told that the Bay Street Bridge, also known as the Point Ellice Bridge, is in fair to poor condition and in need of repairs estimated between $11 million and $15 million.
