News Releases

The City and its project partners, Graham Commuter Partners (GCP), continue to make progress on the North Commuter Parkway and the new Traffic Bridge which will be complete in October 2018. A new project update video is now available.

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, reducing traffic on the city’s existing bridges. The new Traffic Bridge will support the growing city centre by allowing motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river between the downtown and residential areas in the south sector of the city. The new bridge will look similar to the old bridge, but will be wider to accommodate emergency vehicles. 

Traffic Bridge Update – July 2016

This month, concrete work on Pier 3 was completed. The pier is now able to support the installation of the new span expected later this summer. Work on the new south abutment was also completed and the south abutment walls are now being built. Construction on the north abutment has now begun. Renderings showing the design concept for the new pathways on the south side of the river were also released.

North Commuter Parkway Update – July 2016

Parkway Bridge

Crews continue construction on Pier 1 - the diaphragm for the pier has been poured and is being backfilled and the columns are being reinforced. Pier 1 construction will continue over the summer. Progress on earthworks for the east embankment of the bridge remains steady and in mid-July, pile driving for the east embankment will begin. Crews have also begun stripping and backfilling work on the west embankment. 

Parkway Roadways

Clearing and topsoil stripping for the new roadways is now complete and earthwork operations continue along McOrmond Drive and Central Avenue. Storm sewer construction for the new lanes of Central Avenue between Attridge Drive and Fedoruk Drive continues and should be complete in July, at which time overhead power lines will be relocated.

Work to improve the Attridge Drive and Central Avenue intersection continues and this work, as well the Marquis Drive and Wanuskewin Road intersection, should be complete by fall.

Traffic and Trails

Residents can continue to expect increased traffic at Marquis Drive and Wanuskewin Road as trucks haul materials to the bridge construction site. Traffic restrictions and lane closures remain in place to accommodate work at Central Avenue and Attridge Drive. Beginning in July, work will start at the intersection of the Marquis Drive and Wanuskewin Road. Citizens will be notified of traffic detours through the City’s Daily Road Report, road signage, and social media.

The Spadina Crescent detour the Broadway Bridge and 3^rd Avenue will remain in place until the end of the construction period. The Saskatchewan Crescent eastbound detour to 11^th Street and westbound detour to the Victoria Avenue on/off ramps will be in place until August 2016. Rotary Park and River Landing trail detours will continue through the construction period. Access to Crocus Prairie Trail from Central Avenue is closed until winter 2016. At times, the east sidewalk at Wanuskewin Road and Marquis Drive will be restricted for vehicle crossings

Ways to Watch Construction Progress

Anyone interested can keep an eye on construction progress on the City's website. The webpage, saskatoon.ca/bridging,  includes quarterly video updates, live project webcams, time lapse videos, and photographs. Construction viewing areas are also in place at River Landing, and from the Meewasin Trail located just east of the cul de sac at the north end of Kinnear Avenue (north of Silverwood Golf Course).

Stay Safe Near Construction Zones

Citizens are reminded to obey traffic and Meewasin Trail detours, and to respect all safety measures in place including site fencing and site markings. The City is also reminding pedestrians to stay clear of work areas near the construction sites.

Summer construction season is in full swing and hundreds of potholes and utility cuts are repaired across Saskatoon every day. Since April, the City has used 1,670 tonnes of asphalt to repair the equivalent of an estimated 100,900 potholes on city streets. Favourable weather and an early snow melt have contributed to quicker repairs than in previous years.

“Better roads is a top priority for residents and everyone can help by reporting potholes online,” says Trent Schmidt, Acting Director of Public Works. “We use the information to prioritize our repair locations and continue to improve our roads throughout the summer.”

In addition to pothole repairs, utility cut repairs are ahead of schedule with the backlog of outstanding repairs from winter work expected to be completed by mid-August.

“We’ve repaired more than 675 utility cut locations so far this season, compared to approximately 500 at this time last year.” says Schmidt. “We are not only repairing utility cuts faster, we are holding ourselves and contractors to higher quality standards.”

A utility cut is a straight-edged break in the pavement from an excavation to access underground utilities. Utility cuts are maintained with sand and gravel until they can be repaired with asphalt, and are often mistaken for large potholes.  

The City thanks everyone for respecting work zones and their patience as we repair potholes and utility cuts around Saskatoon. 

Residents are encouraged to use the City’s Report-A-Pothole Map to report potholes and to consult the Utility Cuts and Repair Schedule. For more information please visit saskatoon.ca/betterroads. Emergency road repairs can be reported by calling Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

At 4:00 p.m. today, the Water Security Agency removed restrictions for Arbor Creek, Erindale, Evergreen (with the exception of Pohorecky), Forest Grove, University Heights Suburban Centre and Willowgrove under its Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory after extensive testing confirmed the water in these areas is safe to drink.

The Pohorecky area in the Evergreen neighbourhood will remain under advisory, including Pohorecky Bay, Cove, Close, Crescent, Court, Lane, Place, Rise, Street, Terrace and Way until further flushing of the system produces water samples that meet the high quality standards of the provincial regulatory agency. Yellow Drinking Advisory doorhangers will be delivered to these affected addresses as soon as possible tonight; followed by a green lifted notice when the water is confirmed safe to drink.

“After repeated flushing of the distribution system, water samples taken on Pohorecky Drive in Evergreen tested positive for a bacterial growth that we don’t like to see in drinking water,” says Acting Director of Public Works Trent Schmidt. “While it is not a serious threat to public health, we maintain high quality standards for public consumption and any level is unacceptable.”

“We are pleased to have these results before the long weekend,” says Schmidt. “The six neighbourhoods under the Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory can safely drink their tap water after running their taps for at least one minute.”

Arbor Creek, Erindale, Evergreen (except for Pohorecky) Forest Grove, University Heights Suburban Centre and Willowgrove no longer need to boil tap water for consumption and can begin using the tap water as normal after the following steps are completed:

1. Run cold water faucets and drinking fountains for at least 1 minute before using the water.
2. Drain and flush the ice-making system in your refrigerator.
3. Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
4. Drain and refill hot water heaters set below 45°C (normal setting is 60°C).

Business and residents have been boiling water for consumption since Monday afternoon in Arbor Creek, Erindale, Evergreen, Forest Grove, University Heights Suburban Centre and Willowgrove, after a primary water main was damaged. The City has been providing daily updates by phone, email or text message to those in the affected area using the City’s Emergency Alert System, notifynow. This will be the primary communication tool once the advisory is lifted.

“We encourage people in the six affected neighbourhoods to pay attention to our notifynow alerts or check the status of the water advisory regularly at saskatoon.ca,” says Acting Director of Public Works, Trent Schmidt. “With Friday being Canada Day and a long weekend for many people, we are telling people now what they will need to do once they get the message.”

Once the Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory is lifted, affected areas will no longer need to boil tap water for consumption and begin using the tap water as normal after the following steps are completed:

1. Run cold water faucets and drinking fountains for at least 1 minute before using the water.
2. Drain and flush the ice-making system in your refrigerator.
3. Run water softeners through a regeneration cycle.
4. Drain and refill hot water heaters set below 45°C (normal setting is 60°C).

The Water Security Agency requires two sets of water samples from multiple representative locations in the affected area be laboratory tested and confirmed safe before ending the Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory. Results from the second set of tests will be available late Thursday.

Residents affected by the Drinking Water Advisory in six Saskatoon neighbourhoods – Arbor Creek, Erindale, Evergreen, Forest Grove, University Heights Suburban Center and Willowgrove – are asked to reach out to family and friends in unaffected areas for their potable water needs.

“We know most people will look after getting their own water and we’re hoping to make that a bit easier for residents,” says Assistant Fire Chief Anthony Tataryn. “Of course family, friends and employers in unaffected areas are encouraged to help where they can by allowing those people to fill jugs of potable water from their unaffected taps.”

For those who don’t have that resource, the City has organized water filling depots at Fire Station #9 on Attridge Drive and at Fire Station #5 on Central Avenue. Residents will be able to fill large, clean water jugs at these locations. 

Residents in affected areas are advised to:

• Boil all water used for drinking or activities where it may be ingested (brushing teeth, washing fruit and vegetables, making ice cubes, etc.).
• Use an alternative water source known to be safe if you do not wish to boil tap water.
• Consult saskatoon.ca for more updates and tips.

For residents who require extra support in meeting their drinking water needs, bottled water will be available at Fire Stations #5 and #9.

“We want everyone to help each other as much as possible,” Tataryn says. “So, if you are able to get a water supply from an unaffected area, please go that route. We want to keep the Fire Stations open for the folks who may not have that as an option.”

The Water Security Agency issued a Precautionary Drinking Water Advisory for several neighbourhoods Monday afternoon, after a private contractor damaged a primary water main near McOrmond Drive, which in turn depressurized the water distribution system.

The advisory is expected to be in place until at least Thursday, once laboratory tests confirm the water is safe to drink.

Due to the size and scope of the advisory area, NotifyNow will be used on a daily basis to provide updates to people in affected areas using public phone numbers or contact information provided by subscribers until the Drinking Water Advisory is lifted.

Also, everyone can stay informed with timely Water Outage Service Alerts on our website and @YXEServiceAlert on Twitter.