Victoria went through a citizens' counter-petition campaign to stop plans for a new Johnson Street Bridge, with rail, in 2009. Council went back to residents with more information, a reduced scope excluding rail and clarity on costs and funding. The referendum passed with a substantial majority in support of the project as proposed.

New councillors now want to put the brakes on and start fresh with a new design, ostensibly to bring back rail, but also now promising to reduce costs to ensure "other priorities" are funded.

Who is most at risk as a result of this new agenda?

The cycling community was a strong supporter of the new bridge early in this process. Cyclists have known for years that the existing bridge can't be reworked to improve levels of service or attract new riders. They know, too, that the new bridge has been designed with their needs specifically in mind, and that the cost of the additional features for cyclists (and pedestrians) is a big slice of the overall project cost.

The rush now to ask for a new engineering charter would jettison $2 million in design work, threaten federal funding and, among the more disturbing suggestions, deliver a cookie-cutter crossing that betrays the city's commitment to an architectural expression worth celebrating.

What will they target next? The city and its funding partners could save $17 million up front if the trail and bike lanes were left out (although the $8 million gas tax funding would disappear, as could federal infrastructure funding). But you can do anything if you insist on starting a new design with a blank slate.

Cyclists and pedestrians have the most to lose in this ill-considered proposal.

Citizens voted for change on council and, as one new councillor has suggested, expect them to plan for the future. But they didn't vote to refight the referendum and rewrite what has passed. Victoria has had a thorough conversation about the bridge and both council and our citizens made a clear choice.

Councillors new and old need to respect those decisions and get on with the project we voted for.

Former councillor John Luton is executive director of Capital Bike and Walk.