Victoria city council has sent a bylaw to borrow $42 million to replace the aging Johnson Street bridge to the province for approval.

The city had previously given preliminary approval to borrowing $63 million -- the entire cost of the bridge-replacement project -- but recently learned it would receive $21 million in federal assistance for the project.

Ross Crockford, director with the citizens' group johnsonstreetbridge.org, was critical of council for putting the borrowing bylaw on its agenda for Thursday's meeting too late for people to register to speak to it.

He noted it's the largest borrowing bylaw in the city's history.

"We have a bizarre process going on here. The agenda's full of motions to save heritage buildings, but we're going to race ahead and destroy a one-of-a-kind bridge," Crockford said.

Once provincial ap-proval is given, expec-ted by the end of next week, council will pass a bylaw triggering a coun-ter-petition process. Un-der the counter petition, if 10 per cent of register-ed votes sign a petition against the borrowing, a referendum must be held.

"It's a great way to consult in a cost-effective way," Mayor Dean Fortin said of the counter-petition option.

Fortin said the cost of a referendum is estimated at between $100,000 and $150,000.

Crockford asked council to retrace its steps to April, when it agreed in principle to replace the bridge. "Did you commit to spending $42 million, or were you just telling staff you wanted them to apply for federal funding?"

Earlier this month, when the city was turn-ed down for two-thirds funding under the federal-provincial infrastructure stimulus program, councillors were "asking serious questions" about refurbishing the 85-year-old bridge, Crockford said. "That to me suggests the approval was conditional."

But only Coun. Geoff Young didn't support the borrowing bylaw Thursday, saying there are still questions about the possibility of rehabilitating the old bridge.

Young said a new bridge would carry a high cost, both financially and to the "heritage fabric of the city."

Coun. Lynn Hunter said there is no time to lose, and not just be-cause of fear the bridge would not survive a significant earthquake. "The mechanical and electrical portions of the bridge are worn out. The concrete infrastructure -- the footings -- are eroding."