Final shipment of steel for Johnson Street Bridge arrives in Victoria

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WATCH: The final shipment of steel for the Johnson Street Bridge has arrived in Victoria. Calvin To has more on what happens next.

The final shipment of steel for the new Johnson Street Bridge arrived in Victoria Sunday night.

On Monday morning, crews unlashed the steel from the deck of the cargo ship. By the afternoon, the shipment was being transferred onto a barge, upon which the majority of construction will take place.

“I think the important thing is to recognize that in taking the time, this is of the highest quality possible and that’s been our number one consideration,” said Jonathan Huggett, project director for the City of Victoria.

One of the parts arriving was the main bascule span, weighing 380 tonnes.

It will be inspected and touch-up painted, if necessary, after being brought to the Point Hope shipyards.

Huggett says the assembled bridge will be lifted into place around Christmas by a special crane called “Dynamic Beast.”

But critics worry the project, already delayed and overbudget, could fall behind schedule and cost millions more.

“If we’re sitting at $120 [million] now, it could easily be at $130 [million] and $140 [million]. They still have litigation to get through with the different groups that were associated with this project,” said Brian Simmons, director of the watchdog group johnsonstreetbridge.org.

The bridge is set to open in March 2018, nearly three years behind schedule.

Calvin ToCalvin To

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