News Releases

The Senator Sid L. Buckwold Bridge will undergo a major rehabilitation beginning on Monday April 15, 2019. To minimize the impact on traffic and eliminate the need for a full bridge closure, the work will happen in two phases.

“The first phase will begin on the lanes leaving downtown and work will continue throughout the summer of 2019,” says Todd Grabowski, Manager of Asset Preservation for Bridges. “In the spring of 2020, the second phase of work will begin on the lanes heading into downtown and continue through the 2020 construction season.” 

Over the next two years, the Senator Sid Buckwold Rehabilitation project will include:

• Deck repairs and asphalt replacement
• Resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19^th Street 
• Strengthening of piers
• Barrier replacement
• Walkway widening with taller barriers for improved pedestrian protection
• New drainage system to help better traction by reducing puddles and splashing

The City’s preservation plan, with the results of the Deck Testing Program, identified the need to rehabilitate the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge to ensure it remains safe, serviceable and structurally sound for years to come.

“Allowing deficiencies to worsen over time would accelerate the need for a more extensive rehab or even full replacement, which is far more expensive, time consuming and disruptive,” Grabowski says.

Two-way traffic will be maintained during both phases of the project however there will be lane restrictions and as a result, traffic delays are expected.

This summer, the lanes leaving downtown will be closed and that traffic will be diverted to the other side. The walkway will stay open. During the 2020 construction season, the lanes heading into downtown will be closed, traffic will flip to the other side and the bridge walkway will be closed.  The Meewasin Trails on either side will stay open throughout the project with the possibility of temporary disruptions on the Rotary Park side during some phases to allow for repairs.

Necessary adjustments will be made to traffic signal timing, construction signage will be in place and restrictions will be advertised. The latest project information will be posted at Saskatoon.ca/sidbuckwold and restrictions will be listed in the Daily Road Report.

*For further clarification, two sentences have been added highlighted in italics below.

City Council, at its regular business meeting held on March 25, 2019 voted to pursue a moderate phase-in option as presented by the Administration regarding the implementation of the curbside organics program and funding for existing waste services.  

Option 2: Moderate Phase-In was presented as follows: 

• 2020 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2021 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2022 - 1.0% Property Tax Increase - No change to current waste services.
• 2023 - 0.93% Property Tax Increase - First year of curbside organics program. New waste service level (bi-weekly collection in summer).

This option attempts to balance financial investment with a view towards achieving the City’s waste diversion target. The first 1.53% (approximately $3M) of the 2020 and 2021 Property Tax impact is solely dedicated to addressing the funding deficit in the Waste Program while the remaining estimated 2.4% will go towards a new curbside organics program. The City will continue to seek alternative funding sources on an annual basis to reduce this impact. Precise timing for the deployment of the curbside organics program in 2023 would be determined by the terms of the successful proposal from the organics RFP process. 

“We will now focus on developing the implementation plan for the curbside organics program,” says Dan Willems, Acting Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer. “We look forward to providing this new service to residents in 2023 and making strides towards our waste diversion target.” 

The detailed report and all of its attachments can be found here. 

The City’s Neighbourhood Traffic Review (NTR) program has been selected as the 2019 recipient of the Exceptional Engineering/Geoscience Project Award by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS). The award recognizes accomplishments in engineering and/or geoscience.

The NTR program, established in 2014, addresses transportation related concerns like speeding and pedestrian safety on a neighbourhood-wide basis. The City works collaboratively with neighbourhood residents to develop recommendations for improvement.

“Prior to the program, we addressed traffic concerns on a case by case basis, which was not sustainable and issues were not always addressed in a timely fashion,” says Jay Magus, Acting Director of Transportation. “This award recognizes the engineering accomplishments of the team that deliver the NTR program are a significant achievement.”  

Neighbourhood meetings, data collection, traffic reviews and recommendations are typically completed within a year. Recommended traffic calming measures are installed on a temporary basis to determine their effectiveness.

Since 2014, the NTR program has:

• Completed 50 neighbourhood traffic reviews (11 neighbourhoods are scheduled for 2019)
• Held 90 community meetings to develop transportation plans
• Made nearly 1,100 recommendations for transportation related improvements
• Spent $4,062,000 on traffic calming measures, pedestrian safety devices and program delivery

The City would like to thank residents, the Saskatoon Police Service, Community Associations, School Boards and Great Works Consulting for their partnerships.

The Transportation Engineering team will accept the award at the APEGS Awards Banquet in May.

The City welcomes a decision of the provincial government to place further restrictions on social gatherings.

“Based on discussions with our Director of Emergency Management, City Council and Senior Administration I gave notice for a Special City Council meeting at 3:30 this afternoon,” says Mayor Charlie Clark.  “This was done in anticipation of needing to take further steps in addressing the growing concern that as we try to reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19, gathering in restaurants and bars was an ongoing risk in our community.

“Based on the announcement today by the provincial government that additional restrictions for bars and restaurants will be included in the Provincial State of Emergency restrictions, the Special City Council meeting is cancelled."

“We thank the Province for providing leadership with this difficult decision,” Mayor Clark says. “We know it has significant impacts on many local businesses”

Mayor Clark adds this decision will meet the local advice he is hearing from the City’s Emergency Management team about what is needed to keep our community as safe as possible at this time. 

Director of Emergency Management Organization Pamela Goulden-McLeod echoes Mayor Clark’s sentiment.

“The Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization would like to thank the Province of Saskatchewan for their leadership and direction in enacting the extended measures to support our provinces safety during this unprecedented event,” Goulden-McLeod says.

“The provincial government’s bravery in taking these extraordinary measures will make a significant difference within our communities. We value the hard work of our provincial partners and we continue to look forward working together in this ongoing rapidly changing situation.”