Given that the bridge is not very relevant to most of the people that live in the City Victoria but is crucial for people in Esquimalt and View Royal, why is it that the City is bearing the full burden of the bridge?
Saanich is not expected to be responsible for Highway #17, Langford is not responsible for Highway #1, but it is up to Victoria to deal with the Johnson Street Bridge. This bridge is crucial to the whole region, but only about 25% of the regional population is expected to pay. The City is clearly going to go forward with the bridge, it is time for the other 12 local governments in the region to come to the table and pay for the bridge. The CRD has a moral obligation to pay for 75% of the local costs for this bridge.
If the other communities are not willing to contribute to the Johnson Street Bridge, then Victoria should refuse to contribute to any CRD projects to the extent of the cost of the Johnson Street bridge.
The idea that a $63 000 000 ball park estimate (the range of costs is $55 - $75 million if there are no unforseen problems) is going to be solely borne by Victoria is unfair and unreasonable.
Has anyone looked at the impact of building a much bigger Point Ellice bridge for traffic movement and getting rid of the Johnson Street Bridge completely? I think this is a much smarter traffic management solution and gets rid of the whole need for a bridge that opens. I guess I just feel that the whole process has not looked at what it is we need and who will pay. No one has considered innovative approaches to the the Johnson Street Bridge.
The Johnson Street Bridge is critical for bikes, as it connects downtown with the Galloping Goose easily. The Bay St/Point Ellice Bridge could be made 4 lanes, but you would still have the problem of choke points on either side. In sum, we need both bridges.
ReplyDeleteI think the issues can be dealt with by building the right sort of bridge at Point Ellice.
ReplyDeleteYou make Bay Street four lanes from Government through to Esquimalt road and you add purpose built bike lanes with a major commuter bike lane down Government street.
The current capacity for vehicle traffic on the Johnson street bridge is actually not very high given the limited lanes and the very slow traffic speed just over the bridge in Vic West.
Ha ha ha Victoria SUCKERS!!!! Hopefully saanich will pull out of the sewer thing too.
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