News Releases

The City of Saskatoon’s (City) Summer Leisure Mini Guide (Mini Guide) will be conveniently delivered to households with The SundayPhoenix on Sunday, June 8, 2014, and is also available for pick up at any indoor Leisure Centre, Saskatoon Public Library, or the Mendel Art Gallery.

The Mini Guide is your community source for a variety of arts, culture, and recreational activities throughout the summer months.  It contains up-to-date information on summer sites and programs, including outdoor pools, municipal golf courses, playground programs, youth centres, skateboard parks, Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo, Gordon Howe Campground, Leisure Centres, and Red Cross Swim Programs. 

The Mini Guide also includes information on exciting new Recreation and Sport Summer promotions like the Summer Indoor LeisureCard and Saskatoon Kids Club Card.

The Summer Indoor LeisureCard is a limited time promotion that provides unlimited access to the City’s seven indoor Leisure Centres in July and August for one low price ($90/Adults; $55/Youth; $185/Families).  Sales end Sunday, July 20, 2014.  Restrictions apply.  Visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/leisurecard for more information. 
 
Designed especially for kids, the Saskatoon Kids Club promotion features a Club Card valid June 15 through to September 1, 2014.  Visit seven of the listed sites and receive the eighth visit FREE!  Club Cards are available for pick up at any City leisure facility or public library. 

Family Fun Packs are still available for purchase at any of the Leisure Centres for the discounted price of $100, plus GST, ($137 value) until Monday, June 30, 2014.  Fun Packs include nine family admission passes to the City’s most popular attractions. 

For more information on the Mini Guide or other summer programs and promotions, visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/leisure.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

8TH STREET FROM BROADWAY AVENUE TO CLARENCE AVENUE, JUNE 9-21

Starting at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, the following restrictions will be in place on 8th Street between Broadway Avenue and Clarence Avenue while crews pave the road. To minimize disruption to traffic the work will be carried out in two phases:

Phase 1: June 9-14

• 8th Street eastbound lanes will be closed from Broadway Avenue to Clarence Avenue.
• Two-way traffic will be accommodated in the westbound lanes.
• No access to 8th Street from Dufferin Avenue northbound, Landsdowne Avenue northbound or Albert Avenue northbound.

Phase 2: June 16-21

• 8th Street westbound lanes will be closed from Clarence Avenue to Broadway Avenue.
• Two-way traffic will be accommodated in the eastbound lanes.
• No access to 8th Street from Dufferin Avenue southbound, Landsdowne Avenue southbound or Albert Avenue southbound

IDYLWYLD DRIVE AND 25TH STREET INTERSECTION, JUNE 9-22

Starting at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, the right turn lane from 25th Street westbound onto Idylwyld Drive northbound will be closed as crews begin Phase 2 of streetscaping for the 25th Street Extension. Westbound traffic will be detoured to 24th Street. The work is expected to take three weeks.

Please note Idylwyld Drive northbound right turn lane onto 25th Street eastbound is also currently closed while crews work on streetscaping. This work is expected to continue for another two weeks.

CIRCLE drive northbound LANE FROM CLANCY DRIVE - TEMPORARILY CLOSED ON JUNE 9

Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, June 9, Clancy Drive eastbound traffic will not be able to turn onto Circle Drive northbound. Access to Circle Drive southbound will be maintained. 

Crews will be repairing the jersey barriers at the acceleration lane from Clancy Drive eastbound to Circle Drive northbound as part Circle Drive South Project.  The work is expected to be completed by 3:00 p.m. the same day.

PRESTON AVENUE AT WILLIS CRESCENT, JUNE 9

Starting at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 9, Preston Avenue southbound curb lane will be closed at Willis Crescent while crews work on the road. The work is expected to take four weeks.

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! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Aiming to reduce speeding and improve pedestrian safety, the City of Saskatoon is piloting a project to install flashing lights in school zones. Starting on June 9, flashing lights will be installed on the school zone signs on Clarence Avenue between 3rd Street and 5th Street.

“Evidence has shown that flashing lights along with reduced speed limits are effective in improving safety in school zones,” says Angela Gardiner, Director of Transportation. “This pilot project is another step to alert drivers to reduce their speed and slow down.”
The maximum speed limit in school zones is 30 kilometres per hour. Reduced speed limits will continue to be in effect in elementary and secondary school zones from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, September 1 to June 30. No exceptions are made for statutory holidays or school breaks. The penalty for exceeding the school zone speed limit is a fine and SGI demerit points

The work is expected to be completed by June 20, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.
Drivers are reminded to watch for pedestrians as they travel through school zones.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2014
                                           

IDYLWYLD DRIVE, JUNE 6-7

Beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, June 6, the following lane restrictions will be in place on Idylwyld Drive while crews repair the guard rails.

Friday, June 6 – 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

- Idylwyld Drive northbound median (inside) lane will be closed between 39th Street and 44th Street. 

Saturday, June 7 – 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

- Idylwyld Drive northbound median (inside) lane will be closed between 39th Street and 44th Street.
- Idylwyld Drive southbound median (inside) lane will be closed between 44th Street and Circle Drive.

The restrictions will be taken down and reset each day.

4TH AVENUE FROM 21ST STREET TO 20TH STREET, JUNE 6

Beginning at 5:30 a.m. on Friday, June 6, 4th Avenue southbound lanes and the northbound median (inside) lane will be closed from 21st Street to 20th Street to accommodate the SIIT Annual President’s Breakfast. The road is expected to reopen by 11:30 a.m. the same day. 

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

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! Find traffic detour information on our website at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

For Immediate Release: June 5, 2014
                                             

Today the City of Saskatoon highlighted steps it is taking to build better roads and ensure this season’s patching, resurfacing and paving efforts last over a longer term. 

“With the road construction season now underway, it’s important for people to know that we’re not just building better roads.  The new funding for road rehabilitation will extend the life of our roadways and residential streets,” says Mike Gutek, Director of Major Projects at the City of Saskatoon. “We are resurfacing 178 lane kilometres of road this summer and drivers will start to see a big improvement over the next few years as funding levels increase.”

Measuring the time a road will be used from the beginning to the end of its life (known as a “lifecycle”) helps to determine the type and frequency of preservation treatments the roadway will require to maximize its life, rather than just building it and using it until it wears out. This lifecycle assessment balances the life of materials with the most effective preservation treatments.

“Treating roadways during their lifecycle is key to protecting our investment,” Gutek explains. “We want to catch a road before it fails, creating a network of better roads, in better condition, for a longer period of time.  The concept is essentially the same as maintaining your house; you replace your shingles before the roof leaks and you plan to paint your siding before it deteriorates and starts peeling.”

As road construction proceeds this year, new design features such as drainage layers to protect roads from moisture damage are being introduced.

The City will also introduce a new Roadway Preservation Funding plan to address road conditions earlier in their lifecycle, using the latest preservation techniques and treatments that are the most time and cost-effective.

 “With a properly funded rehabilitation program, we can move past temporary fixes and get to the root of the problem,” says Gutek. “Our proactive approach this year will result in better roads today and tomorrow.”

Saskatoon’s most aggressive program of road construction, maintenance and rehabilitation ever is now underway with over $50 million targeted to projects ranging from major roadwork to residential streets and sidewalks. Almost half ($23.4M) of this budget is dedicated to improving our road network.  This is an increase in funding of 79 per cent dedicated to road preservation compared to $13.06 million in 2013, allowing us to apply treatments to 178 lane kilometres, versus 78 lane kilometres in 2013, which is about the same distance as from Saskatoon to Kindersley.

Residents can view a list of the City’s 2014 construction projects at saskatoon.ca by clicking “Building Better Roads”.