Bay Street Bridge construction and closure to begin in early February

The City of Victoria has confirmed a starting date for the Bay Street Bridge (Point Ellice Bridge) construction and closure. 

Construction will begin on Monday, February 9th, and will involve completely closing eastbound traffic (towards downtown) across the bridge.

The scope of this project will see a replacement of the main deck joint that allows the bridge to expand and shrink with temperature changes. 

Additionally, crews will be making improvements to the 65-year-old drainage system that runs under the bridge. 

Because this project will interrupt eastbound traffic for four months, crews will be marking clear detour routes to Johnson Street Bridge for those travelling towards the downtown core. 

Despite eastbound lanes being closed, westbound traffic (towards Esquimalt) will remain open throughout the duration of the project. 

Furthermore, pedestrian, cyclist and wheelchair access will be maintained during construction. 

The project was initially supposed to get underway back in October 2025, but had to be postponed until early February due to delayed specialized construction materials. 

Alternate routes for motorists are limited to Johnson Street Bridge and Tillicum Bridge, which will likely be seeing increased traffic delays throughout the project, especially for eastbound traffic.