Round 2 Engagement

What Are We Asking?

In the second round of engagement (July 2024), we want to hear and gather feedback on the proposed design options for incorporating walking and cycling facilities along Millar Avenue. Based on Round 1 engagement (March 2024), we learned from Millar Avenue property owners, business operators, members of the public and community groups, and are now excited to share the design options we developed for improving accessibility, comfort, convenience and safety of walking and cycling on Millar Avenue.

The current design options include either:

1. shared-use pathways on both sides or 
2. a single shared-use pathway on the west side and a sidewalk on the east side of Millar Avenue.

These design options will not remove any current vehicle travel lanes.

Your feedback on the design options, in addition to other considerations (e.g. City standards, cost, best practices from other cities, objectives from the Active Transportation Plan, technical feasibility), will be used by the City to develop and inform the final design plan. This round of engagement is the second of three rounds to provide feedback on the project.

The final design is planned to be provided to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation and City Council in 2025.

What is the Project About?

The City of Saskatoon is reviewing Millar Avenue (from 43rd Street to Marquis Drive) for the assessment, engagement, and design of walking and cycling facilities. As part of Saskatoon’s Active Transportation Plan’s (AT Plan) implementation strategy to have shelf-ready plans, the outcome of this project is to plan and design walking and cycling facilities, and does not include construction. Additionally, this project will address the lack of a sidewalk network along Millar Avenue and will NOT be taking away vehicle travel lanes in the design.

In the first round of engagement (March 2024), we heard and learned from property owners, business operators, members of the public and community groups. Your feedback, in addition to other considerations (e.g. cost, technical constraints, design best practices, objectives from the AT Plan, technical feasibility), was used by the City to develop design options and will inform the final design plan.

The final design plan is planned to be provided to the Standing Policy Committee on Transportation and City Council in 2025.

Why Are We Doing This Work?

Saskatoon’s Active Transportation Plan (AT Plan) was established to increase transportation options within the city by improving the accessibility, comfort, convenience, and safety of walking and cycling. The AT Plan identified Millar Avenue as a future all ages and abilities cycling route to work towards creating a complete, and connected bicycle network throughout Saskatoon.

To better understand the challenges and opportunities with this design project, the City is engaging with property owners, business operators, members of the public and community groups.

What is the Project About?

The City of Saskatoon is reviewing the intersection of 51^st Street East and Millar Avenue to identify a permanent design that addresses the safety and operational issues that exist at this intersection.

Why Are We Doing This Work?

This intersection was original reviewed to assess the level of service after the construction of the North Commuter Parkway. A review of the intersection identified problems in the following areas:

• Safety concerns at the driveways north and south of the intersection,
• Poor level of service during peak hours,
• Does not meet accessibility standards,
• Delays due to train crossings on 51^st Street, east of the intersection, and
• Challenges for large vehicles heading westbound to make a right turn northbound.

Three different options have been developed to address these issues, including:

1. Improve Accessibility - Roll Plan A
2. Relocate Driveways - Roll Plan B
3. Complete Reconstruction - Roll Plan C

The engagement boards can be found here.