Overnight closures planned for the Bay Street Bridge as Victoria upgrade nears completion

Drivers in Victoria will face a new round of overnight closures on the Bay Street Bridge next week as the city moves into the final stage of a months-long repair project that has already reshaped traffic in the area.

The City of Victoria says the bridge will be fully closed overnight Monday through Wednesday, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., as crews complete critical remaining work on expansion joints before the project wraps up later this month.

Those overnight shutdowns come on top of existing daytime restrictions, with the eastbound lane from Vic West into downtown remaining fully closed around the clock since construction began. Westbound traffic continues to flow across the bridge.

Detours remain in place via the Johnson Street Bridge, which the city says has been adjusted to help absorb higher traffic volumes throughout the construction period.

Ross Kenny, assistant director of engineering and public works with the City of Victoria, says crews are now in the final push after months of staged work and early delays linked to supply chain issues. Despite not having a completion date, the city says they are on time and on budget.

Kenny says the overnight closures scheduled for Monday through Wednesday represent one of the last major steps before the bridge can reopen to full traffic.

“If we have a lot of rain Monday through Wednesday, a couple activities might not be able to be finished because we do need some dry weather, and then that might just push the opening a few days,” Kenny said. “If things go well, we could be opening by the end of next week.”

Once the Bay Street Bridge reopens, officials expect traffic to redistribute quickly across Victoria’s harbour crossings, though not instantly.

He added that while congestion on the Johnson Street Bridge is expected to ease, traffic patterns may temporarily shift as drivers adjust their commuting habits.

“We ask when we reopen roads that people are patient, things won’t look the same and you haven’t driven on it in a long time, just look out for people,” he said.

The city is also planning signal timing changes at nearby intersections once the project is complete, aimed at improving safety and managing turning movements into the bridge.

“Right now it’s a permissive left turn where you can turn anytime, to you’ll only be able to turn when the green arrow is on.”

Kenny says the work will improve the long-term durability of the 65-year-old crossing by replacing expansion joints that allow the structure to move with temperature changes and upgrading drainage systems designed to prevent water damage and corrosion.

Drivers are being encouraged to monitor ongoing updates through the city’s construction notification system as the project approaches completion.