Traffic Studies

The City of Saskatoon is reviewing the intersection of 51^st Street East and Millar Avenue to identify a permanent design that addresses safety and operational issues at this intersection. Engagement on this project is currently ongoing, and additional information can be found on the Connecting Millar engage page.

The City of Saskatoon has completed a review of the intersection of 22^nd Street West and Confederation Drive to identify a permanent design that addresses the safety and operational issues that exist in the eastbound direction.

A functional plan that includes the following improvements was approved by City Council at the March 2025 Regular Business Meeting of City Council:

• 22nd Street West
  • Construct an eastbound slotted left-turn lane and an exclusive eastbound right-turn lane at the intersection of 22nd Street West and Confederation Drive.
  • Convert the existing right turn out access at Fairmont Drive to a right turn in access from 22nd Street West.
  • Construct a new right turn out access to 22nd Street West from Fairlight Crescent.
  • Relocate the existing overhead guide sign and roadside safety system located between Confederation Drive and Fairmont Drive farther west.
  • Construct a third eastbound travel lane with curb and gutter between Diefenbaker Drive and Confederation Drive.
  • Realign the pedestrian crosswalk, adjust pedestrian accessible ramps, and correct drainage deficiencies on the southwest corner of the intersection at 22nd Street West and Confederation Drive.
  • Install a shared-use pathway on the south side of 22nd Street West between Diefenbaker Drive and Confederation Drive.
• Intersection of Fairmont Drive and Fairlight Drive
  • Upgrade the traffic signal infrastructure to the latest standards.
  • Add a curb extension in the southwest corner and remove the existing right turn channelization.
  • Improve the pedestrian accessibility by:
    • Realigning the west and south pedestrian crosswalks.
    • Reconstructing the pedestrian accessible ramps on the northwest and southwest intersection corners.
    • Addressing any drainage deficiencies in the pedestrian accessible ramps.

Additional information can be found in the report.

The City of Saskatoon has reviewed 2nd Avenue / 3rd Avenue between King Street and 33rd Street. The purpose of the project was to design 2nd Avenue / 3rd Avenue to improve safety for people walking, cycling, and driving. On May 29, 2024, City Council approved Option 2A – Widen to the West – Separated Sidewalk, which includes the following features:

• Widening traffic lanes to 3.6 metres
• Widening the west sidewalk to 2.5 metres wide
• Widening the east sidewalk to a 3.0 metre shared-use pathway
• Constructing a cul-de-sac to close 3^rd Avenue at 2^nd Avenue
• Installation of pedestrian accessible curb ramps
• Installation of pedestrian actuated signals at King Street and at Duke Street

Additional information on this project can be found in the report. Construction is anticipated for 2027.

Following a traffic review on Clarence and Main Street, modifications were made to improve the safety of the intersection for all road users. Modifications included:

• Right turn only lanes for drivers on Main Street at Clarence Avenue. Drivers on Main Street are now required to turn right at the intersection and are no longer able to drive straight through or turn left onto Clarence Avenue.
• A pedestrian signal on the south side of Clarence Avenue to allow crossings on both the north and south side of the intersection.
• Cyclist push buttons on Main Street to activate the pedestrian signals. Cyclists are still permitted to cross Clarence Avenue or turn left onto Clarence Avenue.

Additional information on the changes to the intersection can be found in the report. Construction is complete. 

The City of Saskatoon has prepared a long-term plan for Circle Drive West between Clancy Drive and Laurier Drive. The Recommended Plan includes the following key features: 

• The existing unconventional interchange configuration with 22nd Street will be replaced with a more compact Single-Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) design that better accommodates all current movements on/off Circle Drive and improves mainline geometry. 
• The Laurier Drive and Clancy Drive traffic signals are removed and replaced with grade separations that accommodate turning movements off/on Circle Drive, to/from the north at Laurier Drive, and to/from both directions at Clancy Drive. In addition, traffic from Clancy Drive can now reach 22nd Street (without entering Circle Drive), a movement not currently permitted. Access to Clancy Drive from 22nd Street using Circle Drive is not possible because of the short 800m distance along a freeway (a movement the traffic signals currently make possible). 
• The existing southbound exit from Circle Drive to Fairmont Drive is retained. 
• Eastbound 22nd Street includes a new right/off movement to Fairmont Drive (to the south mall area) and the existing right/on movement from Fairmont Drive (to 22nd Street eastbound) has been relocated south to Fairlight Crescent. This permits traffic to cross 22nd Street from the south mall to the north mall via Confederation Drive, a movement not currently permitted. 
• The southbound exit from Circle Drive to 11th Street is moved to the south side of 11th Street, converting the interchange to an all-movement Parclo AB configuration. This change permits restoring all turning movements at the Clancy Drive interchange. 
• The design speed along Circle Drive is increased from 90 to 100 km/h by removing the low-speed curves through the existing interchange crossing 22nd Street.

More information can be found in the report to Council, Technical Report, and Appendices. 

The North Saskatoon Network Planning Study will determine the future transportation network needs for the major roads in the study area. This includes, among other things, ensuring traffic flow throughout the north industrial area is safe, optimal and aligns with the Official Community Plan. The study will also establish how the transportation network will connect to the provincial highway system and the future Saskatoon Freeway.

The goals of this project are to:

1. To develop an urban form and land use pattern that will promote transportation options and be accessible to all users, encourage walking, cycling, and public transit use, and help to promote a balanced transportation network that meets the needs of Saskatoon’s residents and visitors.
2. To support the economy of the Saskatoon region by providing a transportation network that supports the movement of people and goods throughout the city and region.
3. To plan a street network for all modes of travel that support the movement of people of all ages and levels of mobility in all seasons of the year, while integrating the street environment with existing and future land uses.

For more information on the North Saskatoon Network Planning Study please visit the project’s engage page.

A functional planning study for the Highway 11 and Highway 16 Interchange was completed to determine what improvements can be made to improve the safety and function of the interchange.

Background

The junction of Highways 11 and 16 in southeast Saskatoon is currently operating as a 1960’s era cloverleaf interchange. Both highways are considered national and provincial primary routes and any future interchange will require a system-level interchange function and need to be flexible for conversion to an urban service-level interchange in the future.

The Stonebridge partial interchange opened in the fall of 2016 and has facilitated additional traffic through the cloverleaf interchange.

Scope of Functional Planning Study

The objectives of the functional planning study were to:

• Improve overall traffic operations at this junction
• Reduce collisions (improve safety)
• Add capacity for critical movements
• Facilitate good interconnections between the two provincial highways
• Minimize environmental impacts
• Minimize right-of-way acquisition and impacts
• Optimize costs and benefits

The study included connecting roads, the interchange, and the nearest upstream and/or downstream interchanges or intersections in the analysis (no significant changes were considered at Preston Avenue, Taylor Street, Boychuk Drive and Vic Boulevard).  

Additional information can be found in the Functional Planning Study report.

Central Avenue and Attridge Drive are classified as major arterials and are expected to carry 10,000 to 30,000 vehicles per day. The most recent traffic counts on Attridge Drive showed an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 30,000 vehicles per day. Central Avenue had an ADT of 15,000 vehicles per day.

Regular monitoring and traffic studies have determined the intersection of Central Avenue and Attridge Drive experiences lengthy delays during daily peak hours. Those living in surrounding neighbourhoods use this intersection as access core areas of the city such as downtown. As development in the area continues, traffic pressures are expected to increase. 

The development of the North Commuter Parkway will help alleviate some congestion in this area. However, a functional plan was developed to assess the operational needs of the intersection and includes a number of suggested improvements that will promote improved traffic flows. Highlights include: 

• No interchange, intersection modifications only
• Construction of a southbound right-turn bay from Central Avenue to Attridge Drive
• Construction of a new westbound lane on Attridge Drive from Central Avenue to the Circle Drive North on-ramp
• Eastbound and westbound left-turns from Attridge Drive onto Central Avenue will operate on signal arrow only (i.e., fully-protected)
• Construction of a second eastbound left-turn bay from Attridge Drive onto Central Avenue, as well as left-turn bay lengthening to provide more storage
• Move the Circle Drive North off-ramp (to Attridge Drive eastbound) to increase the distance from the off-ramp to Central Avenue and address merging and weaving issues
• Change traffic signal timing to reduce delays (pending shifted traffic patterns after opening the Chief Mistawasis Bridge)

Pending funding, most changes may be phased-in.  Other changes, such as major modifications to signal operations to reduce delays, have been completed since the opening of the Chief Mistawasis Bridge.

A comprehensive review was conducted to consider future traffic demands along Preston Avenue between 14th Street and Circle Drive.  During the consultation and review process, the City was able to identify current and future operations of the roadway and needs and priorities. As a result of this review, the Transportation Department has developed a number of modifications and improvements to the Preston Avenue Corridor.

All the intersections along the Preston Avenue corridor were reviewed and analyzed using current data, including traffic and pedestrian volumes as well as collision statistics and specific recommendations and countermeasures were identified.​

The Southwest Transportation Study (formerly 11^th Street Corridor Study) was initiated to identify concerns and examine opportunities to improve safety and efficiency of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists in the southwest area of the City. The increase in traffic since Circle Drive South opened and the incessant traffic and safety concerns in the neighbourhoods support the need for a comprehensive study of the southwest area of the City.

The study includes a long term plan for the desirable connection between the west sector and the downtown (identified in the West Industrial Concept Plan, approved by City Council on May 20, 2008). 

The purpose of Imagine Idylwyld is to develop a vision and conceptual plan to improve the function, safety, connectivity and quality of the roadway and public realm along Idylwyld Drive, between 20th Street and 25th Street East.

Idylwyld Drive is, and will continue to be, a major north-south arterial corridor in Saskatoon and a key gateway into the city centre for motorized vehicles. However, its current configuration poses a challenging environment for pedestrians to navigate and divides surrounding neighbourhoods and districts. Improvements to Idylwyld Drive will help link the neighbourhoods and the business districts making it easier for people to get around the city centre and help define the street as a gateway by cultivating a sense of arrival.

The Imagine Idylwyld Corridor Concept Plan report was received for information at the June 11, 2018 Standing Policy Committee on Transportation.