Victoria’s Solution: Johnson Street Bridge Vote and Its Results

Victoria Johnson Street Bridge

The residents of Victoria City Council participated in a vote regarding how to solve the issue of the Johnson Street Bridge. The vote proposed three alternatives for consideration:

  • Build a new bridge that could withstand a magnitude 8.5 earthquake (with a minimum cost of $77 million).
  • Fix the existing bridge to withstand a magnitude 8.5 earthquake (with a minimum cost of $80 million).
  • First, fix the bridge’s electrical and mechanical problems and then carefully evaluate the seismic risk before doing anything else.

Voting Results

Out of 26 votes, the majority of Victoria residents, 96%, favoured the third option – first, fix the bridge’s electrical and mechanical problems, and then carefully evaluate the seismic risk before proceeding.

Only a minimal 4% of the participants voted for building a new bridge. Interestingly, none of the residents supported the idea of fixing the existing bridge to withstand a magnitude 8.5 earthquake, despite the cost being only slightly higher than building a new one.

Public Opinion

One resident, clark_victoria, shared their opinion, arguing against spending excess on a solution that might exceed necessary safety requirements. They referenced the principle of diminishing returns, suggesting that investing to a point where each additional unit of investment yields less return is a prudent decision.

They highlighted the fact that an 8.5 magnitude earthquake, which both options 1 and 2 prepared for, has only been exceeded once in recorded BC history, thus questioning whether such a stringent standard is necessary or cost-effective. Clark_victoria suggested a more measured approach, focusing on immediate problems and evaluating seismic risk carefully before making large investments. Overall, the results of the vote and the comments suggest that the residents of Victoria City prefer a more cautious and measured approach to solving the Johnson Street Bridge problem, prioritizing immediate maintenance and a careful evaluation of seismic risks before making larger investments.