‘Beast’ delays bridge traffic
Would-be crossers of the Johnson Street Bridge could find themselves delayed by construction this morning, and again on Saturday and Sunday.
Jonathan Huggett, project director of the Johnson Street Bridge replacement project, said he expects traffic to be disrupted this morning, likely between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
The existing bridge will be raised to allow for positioning of a barge carrying the Dyanamic Beast, one of the biggest cranes in Western Canada.
Huggett said on Saturday and Sunday the Dynamic Beast will be busy during the day. From time to time safety concerns will force the Johnson Street Bridge to close.
He advised motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to just keep clear this weekend.
Victoria Harbour Ferries is deploying a couple of their boats, which are normally laid up from October to February. The plan is to have the boats ferry people around the bridge work and keep downtown better linked to Vic West and Esquimalt. The fare will be $2 for all, adults, children and seniors.
Barry Hobbis, Victoria Harbour Ferries vice-president operations, said the vessels will operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Saturday and Sunday linking waterfronts near the Delta Ocean Pointe with the Victoria Regent Hotel and the Fairmont Empress.
“This time of year, the place you want to go is downtown,” Hobbis said. “We just want to make sure everybody has the opportunity especially if they are walking.”
The Bay Street bridge is an alternative for motorists.
Anyone interested in largescale engineering work can catch some fascinating glimpses by standing near the front of the Janion building at 456 Pandora Ave., Huggett said.
Sometime on Saturday it’s expected the Dynamic Beast will lift into place one of two enormous steel rings that are major components of the new bridge. Each ring weighs 290 tonnes.
Also to be lifted Saturday is the bridge counterweight. The counterweight structure weighs 160 tonnes but when it is eventually filled with lead, it will come in at 1,170 tonnes.
On Sunday, plans call for the Dynamic Beast to lift the other ring into position. The two huge steel rings form part of the mechanism that will lift the new bridge, allowing larger marine vessels to get through.
Huggett said it isn’t possible to specify when the crane will be lifting. He advised everyone — motorists, cyclists and pedestrians — to consider alternate routes and bypass the Johnson Street Bridge all day Saturday and Sunday.
“If you possibly can I would just stay out of the way,” he said. “If all goes well, hopefully the crane will set sail on Sunday evening and head back for Vancouver.”