The specially-crafted steel for the Johnson Street Bridge has finally begun its journey across the Pacific Ocean.
After travelling by barge down the Yangtze River to Shanghai, the steel components will then be loaded onto a heavy-lift ship and transported to British Columbia.
To track the steel’s progress, the City of Victoria has provided an interactive link. Through marinetraffic.com, you can get live updates on the steel’s whereabouts.
The steel will take approximately 25 days to cross the Pacific Ocean and will arrive in mid-late August.
The shipment includes the north and south rings, a lower counterweight, and a temporary structure used to support components during installation.
Inspection Upon Arrival
Once the steel arrives in Victoria it will be cleaned and inspected for any possible damage during shipping. The north ring will also receive a final paint job.
The second steel shipment is scheduled to leave China in September and arrive in Victoria by October.
Current estimates put the bridge’s completion date as March 30, 2018, nearly three years behind schedule.
The original budget estimate of $63-million has also grown to $105-million.