ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSING WELL DESPITE ABOVE AVERAGE RAIN

Construction season is progressing well as the City of Saskatoon builds, repairs and maintains more roads than ever before.

“To date we have completed approximately 30 per cent of the 2014 roadway preservation and rehabilitation work,” says Chris Hallam, Director of Construction and Design. “This year we plan to resurface 178 lane kilometres of road, the same distance as from here to Kindersley and 100 kilometres more than last year.”

So far, crews have resurfaced 52 lane kilometres, including recent major projects on Circle Drive from College Drive to the Circle Drive North Bridge and on 51st Street between Faithfull Avenue and Wanuskewin Road. Work on both of these major projects was done at night only, opening the road to traffic during the day.

“As a result of the night work we have definitely seen reduced congestion and less of an impact on drivers and surrounding businesses,” says Hallam. “The same goes for the 24 hour cycles, where the work is being completed quickly, reducing the overall impact to drivers.”

Work to twin Claypool Drive is underway this week. Next week, resurfacing work will be happening 24 hours a day at the Circle Drive and Highway 16 cloverleaf intersection and beginning in late July, Millar Avenue will be repaved from 43rd Street to Molaro Place, in the evenings only.

“Above average rainfall in June delayed some projects by one to two weeks”, says Hallam. “Typically the weather is better during the months of July, August and September so we are confident crews will be able to make up that lost time.” 

The City encourages citizens to use the new Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map found on saskatoon.ca under Check This Out! or click on the link to Building Better Roads. The map allows users to pinpoint the exact location of work zones using GPS technology and get up to date information, schedules and timelines for each project.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map, find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.