Letters #8 – Council reconsidering Johnson Street Bridge Replacement?

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Two weeks fly by. On Thursday city council will once again meet and likely hold a vote on whether to continue with the Blue Bridge replacement, or redirect efforts towards refurbishment. At the last meeting, with the announcement the project would not receive federal and provincial funding, council gave itself two weeks to ask staff questions – and hopefully look at all the implications, especially city financing, potential tax hikes, and the effects on other pressing projects.

Assistant city manager Mike McCliggott put it this way in a Times Colonist article last week.

The City of Victoria might be able to replace the Johnson Street Bridge without raising taxes — but it wouldn’t be able to do anything else.

Replacing the bridge without senior government grants or raising taxes would put Victoria in a financial squeeze for years. “It would financially strap the city,” said assistant city manager Mike McCliggott.

With existing debt slated to come off the books, the city has enough room to borrow the $63 million needed for the bridge project on its own without having a significant impact on taxes, McCliggott says.

Debts of $1.9 million and $2.3 million, including principal and interest, are due to be retired this year and in 2011, respectively, McCliggott said.

He estimates that at today’s rates, the cost of borrowing for the bridge would total about $4.6 million a year, compared to the $4.3 million that’s dropping off the books.

But if city council decides to build a new bridge without raising taxes, it has to raise taxes to do anything else. There’s a long list of projects, ranging from roads and underground pipes to walking trails, that had been ear-marked to go ahead once that debt is retired. Top of the list is the Crystal Pool — a facility which if it doesn’t see about $10 million in systems upgrades soon will have to be shut down — likely in the next five years.

Has council, and engineering staff, really researched refurbishment options?

Sent in by Miriam are pictures of the Washington state Whishkah River Bridge, one of a collection of historic bridges restored and maintained by the state, with their  own dedicated webpage.

“Here are two photos (May 2009) of the Whishkah River Bridge (heel-trunion) bascule bridge designed by Strauss, and built in the 1920′s. These photos were taken at low tide, and when you zoom in, you can see this bridge is well maintained. The Whishkah River bridge carries a lot of traffic; a main artery entering the city (highway from Olympia).
Aberdeen (on the edge of Gray’s Harbor) is a city with a lots of heritage/history, including this bridge. The historic website link I sent you last night has several more photos. One more example of preservation/heritage conservation!!” Miriam Nelson

More Letters and comments…

“A More Feasible and Democratic Solution to the Johnson Street Fiasco.
– MAINTAIN the Bridge.
– REPLACE the Mayor.
By any sane measure, fiduciary or managerial, an additional public expense of $40 million (and that a mere ‘estimate’ of likely debt) assigned without their consent to taxpayers is completely untenable. Especially now. For one tiny bridge.
On learning that provincial funding was unlikely the Mayor should have made it simple, “No Federal\Provincial aid – No Deal. It’s over.”
Instead? It’s full steam ahead?
Regardless of cost?
Is it time to initiate a RECALL CAMPAIGN?
That, and law suits to counter this boondoggle?
I think Victorians perhaps were too hasty in thinking that Mr. Fortin merited a first term in office.
Given the Mayor’s sudden indifference to public concern over how City Hall spends our taxes and pushes us further into debt – is a second term likely?” Avery Moore, Victoria

I have read an article that claims it is possible to fix the Blue Bridge for a much smaller expenditure than replacing it. As a concerned citizen with a keen eye on the present economic situation, I wish to voice my support for the repair option to this matter. Please do not put our community into deeper debt right now than need be. There is plenty of time to replace the bridge someday if that becomes necessary. We can wait. Thank you for your kind attention.
Tamara Ravenwood Victoria

Finally, two more photos sent in…The Johnson Street Bridge at night, with thanks to Marilyn Erickson

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