Victoria cyclists could soon have a safer and smoother ride from West Victoria to downtown now that they are getting a new Johnson Street Bridge.

The “blue bridge” (as it’s often referred to because of its color) has been in service since 1924, but in April of this year, the City of Victoria decided it finally needed to be replaced.

“The Johnson Street Bridge has been a bone of contention since cyclists have been using it,” said Darren Marr, President of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC), adding that replacing the bridge is the best case scenario for cyclists.

Other requests that fall into the best case scenario category for the GVCC include adding bike lanes, a non-slippery surface and easier approaches to the bridge from the surrounding trails.

John Luton, a City of Victoria councilor, said that not only will those requests be made, but there is also talk of having the bike lanes on the bridge raised. “It physically impairs cars from intruding into your space,” Luton said.

A five-meter wide multi-use path on the north side of the bridge – which connects to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail – and a 2.5 meter wide sidewalk on the opposite side are included in the bridge plan.

On a less positive note, the proposed bike lanes that would go over the bridge itself would be significantly smaller – at 1.8 meter – than the requested three meters from the GVCC.

The bridge, which presently has about 4,000 cyclists riding over it each day, will be built in a rolling bascule style.

Luton is sure that the new bridge will usher in more commuter and recreational cyclists, especially those who are wary of riding on the road. Although, he said, the infrastructure upgrades may not have as much of a positive impact on Victoria’s cycling community as Portland’s improvements did. In 2008, Portland saw more than 16,000 cyclists use their bridges.

There are many problems associated with the current bridge for cyclists, said Marr. For example, cyclists are supposed to dismount once they go on the bridge. In reality, however, many aren’t willing to disrupt their riding, so they try to merge into traffic, which can throw drivers off guard. If cyclists choose to ride on the bridge with traffic, they are supposed to be able to use the whole lane, however many drivers do not adhere to this rule.

The upgrade means cyclists could soon enjoy a continuous ride over the bridge, legally. Changes to transition points for cyclists approaching and leaving the bridge will also improve rider safety, according to Luton.

The new bridge is targeted for an October 2011 completion date; however, the city is still unsure if the bridge will stay blue or not.

“I’d be happy to have a referendum on color,” joked Luton.