The City of Victoria's Bay Street Bridge is getting a multi-million dollar makeover. But cyclists and pedestrians may not be happy with the upgrades.
The City of Victoria's Point Ellice Bridge, more commonly known as the Bay Street Bridge, is in-store for a 3.622 million facelift in 2018. The 59-year-old Bridge will get upgrades on the span's expansion joints, concrete abutments, its road deck, pedestrian handrails and light standards.
But according to Mayor Lisa Helps, it would have cost an additional 11 million dollars to widen the bridge in order to add dedicated cycling lanes and an expanded pedestrian walkway. "Not everything can be a triple A cycling facility I do think we will at least have a proper sidewalk, but no bike facilities.
Mayor Helps says the Johnson Street Bridge connects to Harbour road trail and Vic west and will serve as the main cyclist & pedestrian crossing point.
The $3.622-million is going to be shared evenly between the federal, provincial and municipal governments.