SASKATOON — The Saskatoon City Council has allocated $65.16 million for the maintenance of roads, bridges and sidewalks.
Once completed the projects cover a total of 186 kilometres.
The 2022 construction season for the summer months will be busy for the city as the Transportation and Construction division will focus on roads that are high traffic areas as well as bridge maintenance and continuing water main replacements in neighbourhoods.
The City of Saskatoon Transportation and Construction General Manager Terry Schmidt improvements in high traffic areas have the city asking for the public’s understanding during the hours crews work.
“For example, beginning in July, the 22-year-old overpass on Attridge Drive over Circle Drive that approximately 64,000 vehicles travel on daily will undergo preventative maintenance like repaving to make sure it lasts for years to come,” said Schmidt during Thursday’s briefing.
He added the Spadina Crescent Bridge between Queen Street and 25th Street is an example of a road structure that has lasted through the years due to preventative maintenance, as it is now 90 years old.
“It sees about 16,000 vehicles every day and it is due for another checkup. Starting next week, it will completely close for approximately one month as bridge deck, asphalt, concrete and security fencing underneath are rehabilitated or replaced,” said Schmidt.
He said the eastbound lane of Circle Drive North between Alberta and Millar avenues will be another major construction zone in the coming weeks where more than 56,000 vehicles of all sizes travel every day.
“I’m sure anyone who drives regularly will agree [the road], along with the concrete curbs and medians, are certainly showing wear and tear. We plan to redo the concrete curbs and medians before we begin to resurface the eastbound lanes of Circle Drive North,” said Schmidt.
“There will be lane closures and during the resurfacing work, eastbound traffic will be diverted into the westbound lanes to avoid major traffic disruptions on both sides in the same stretch of the road. We’ll return next year to resurface the westbound lanes to avoid major traffic disruptions on both sides at the same time.”
Resurfacing Warman Road over Circle Drive and intersection improvement at Warman Road and 33rd Street is another high-profile road project this construction season. Adding a new turning lane to accommodate southbound traffic on Warman Road that will turn right onto 33rd Street is still being planned.
Schmidt said pedestrian and cycling traffic are also included in their construction planning and projects, with improvements expected in the residential neighbourhoods of King George, Nutana and North Downtown.
“Pedestrian traffic [and] active transportation are considered in our traffic and construction plans to accommodate all modes of transportation,” he added.
Water main and lead service line connection replacements are also expected to be completed at the same time as road construction and improvements. The city is looking to replace all lead service line connections by 2027.
Once projects are complete, city crews and contractors will have painted 500 kilometres of road lines and 600 crosswalks, improved 70 kilometres of sidewalks, replaced and rehabilitated 24 kilometres of water and sewer main and replaced 627 water and sewer service connections.
