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First Traffic Bridge Span Going Up Next Week

For immediate release: August 29, 2016 - 10:48 am
TU16-156

The Bridging to Tomorrow Project is running on schedule, with completion of the North Commuter Parkway, new Traffic Bridge, and related road infrastructure slated for completion in October of 2018. Graham Commuter Partners (GCP) has been contracted to carry out the entire project.

“A lot of progress has been made since work started in late 2015,” says Dan Willems, Director of Major Projects. “Right now, GCP is mainly focused on pier and road construction for the North Commuter Parkway, intersection improvements at Central Avenue and Attridge Drive, and next week, they will start putting up the south span of the new Traffic Bridge.”

The new Traffic Bridge will support the growing city centre by allowing drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to cross the South Saskatchewan River. Once complete, it will resemble the original bridge, but will be wider. It is being built with weathering steel which will initially result in a two tone colour, but will eventually turn the entire bridge into one brown colour tone. Demolition of the last original Traffic Bridge span is scheduled for November.

The North Commuter Parkway will support the transportation needs of citizens who live in Saskatoon’s northeast and work in the Marquis and North Industrial Areas. As a result of the new bridge and roadways, upgrades are required at Central Avenue and Attridge Drive in order to accommodate additional traffic and minimize congestion. The widening of this this intersection as well as the realignment of the eastbound off-ramp from Circle Drive East to Attridge Drive, is expected to wrap up by November of 2016.  

Bridging to Tomorrow project updates, including detailed monthly summaries, links to live cameras at each bridge site, and quarterly video updates, are available at saskatoon.ca/bridging. In person, anyone can watch Traffic Bridge progress at the River Landing viewing area. North Commuter Parkway construction can be viewed from the Meewasin Trail just east of the cul de sac at the north end of Kinnear Avenue (north of Silverwood Golf Course).