News Releases

 

NEW
23RD ST E & 5TH AVE N NB, SB & EB LANES CLOSED
(Sewer manhole dig)
23rd Street E WB traffic will be maintained at intersection
Start: December 2, 9:00 a.m. End: December 2, 6:00 p.m.

ONGOING
ATTRIDGE DR NB & SB FROM FORESTRY FARM PARK DR TO FORESTRY FARM PARK RD
(Enchanted Forest Light Tour)
Start: November 21, 3:00 p.m. End: January 11, 11:30 p.m.

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! 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 @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

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NEW SUNDAY

8TH ST E EB LANES CLOSED FROM CLARENCE AVE S TO MCKINNON AVE S
(Water Connection Repair)
Start: November 30, 7:00 a.m. End: November 30, 6:00 p.m.

ATTRIDGE DR WB CURB (OUTISDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING CENTRAL AVE
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 7:30 a.m. End: November 30, 8:30 a.m.

CIRCLE DR NB OFF-RAMP TO PRESTON AVE WB CLOSED
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 7:30 a.m. End: November 30, 8:30 a.m.

CIRCLE DR SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN 14TH ST & 8TH ST
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 7:30 a.m. End: November 30, 9:00 a.m.

IDYLWYLD DR NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED NORTH OF 42ND ST
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 9:00 a.m. End: November 30, 10:30 a.m.

CIRCLE DR SB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED SOUTH OF 8TH ST
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 9:00 a.m. End: November 30, 10:30 a.m.

CIRCLE DR EB OFF-RAMP TO PRESTON AVE SB CLOSED
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 9:00 a.m. End: November 30, 12:00 p.m.

COLLEGE DR WB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED APPROACHING CENTRAL AVE
(Pole maintenance)
Start: November 30, 10:30 a.m. End: November 30, 12:00 p.m.

ONGOING
ATTRIDGE DR NB & SB FROM FORESTRY FARM PARK DR TO FORESTRY FARM PARK RD
(Enchanted Forest Light Tour)
Start: November 21, 3:00 p.m. End: January 11, 11:30 p.m.

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! 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 @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

For Release: November 28, 2014

An early release of a proposed budget provides for an opportunity for public feedback.  As a result of feedback and discussion this week, the City Administration has prepared some options that, should Council approve of all the options, the revised property tax increase could be 5.49%.

“This is part of the regular budgeting process,” says City Manager Murray Totland.  “We have already realized a savings of $200 thousand from the assessment growth figures which were finalized this week.”

With a finalized property tax roll, the proposed property tax increase reduces by 0.11% to 7.21%.  The Administration has also prepared some options that Council may consider such as the adjustment to funding plans, phase-in taxation plans and service levels as well as consideration of new information. 

“On top of the assessment figures, we have identified a number of other funding opportunities that amount to a further $2.98 million reduction, or an additional mill rate reduction of 1.72%,” says Chief Financial Officer Kerry Tarasoff.

“This includes a phase-in change to the road and sound wall levy; however it does not change the total investment originally proposed for each year for roads, or actual timing of the work in the case of the sound walls,” Tarasoff says.  “We’re proposing to stretch the remaining two years of the 2.92% road levy over three or more years. This would then become a 1.94% road levy.”

The difference needed to fund the road investments would come from one-time capital funding available from sources such as land development profits.

Other proposed adjustments suggest deferral of some civic facility and organizational funding items.

Tarasoff points out that moving to a three-year phase-in could reduce the proposed property tax increase by nearly a full percentage point. This adjustment would also have a beneficial impact to the 2016 budget as a similar reduction could be incorporated.

In all, with the assessment figures and adjustments there is a potential reduction of $3.18M or 1.83%.  The property tax increase, if all of these adjustments were included, would then be 5.49%

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.

The Saskatoon Fire Department reminds everyone that even though ponds and lakes are covered with snow, the ice is still too thin to be used for recreational activities. The snow covering we have received lately can insulate the ice and prevent it from thickening as quickly as one would expect. Please use caution around these bodies of water and stay off.

River safety is also a concern at this time of year. The current can create unstable ice at any point during the winter meaning it is never safe to be on ice that has formed on the river. Also, frost and ice make the riverbank slippery, increasing the risk of falling into the water. Please do not let children play near the river and/or riverbank.

Remember, in an emergency, call 9-1-1.

NEW
MAIN ST EB FROM BROADWAY AVE TO DUFFERIN AVE
(Material Unloading)
Start: December 1, 7:00 a.m. End: December 1, 5:00 p.m.
ONGOING
ATTRIDGE DR NB & SB FROM FORESTRY FARM PARK DR TO FORESTRY FARM PARK RD
(Enchanted Forest Light Tour)
Start: November 21, 3:00 p.m. End: January 11, 11:30 p.m.

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! 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 @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Crews continue to work around the clock cleaning up and removing snow from the weekend’s snow event to make room for another 15-25 cm expected to start today.  In addition, light snow and dropping temperatures is causing icing at intersections, and on bridges and overpasses, so we are also out in full force sanding and salting priority streets.

“The past weekend’s snow and ice event started with one inch of freezing rain, followed by heavy snow, keeping our city crews and contractors busy on priority streets.  With the changes we implemented this year, increasing the number of contractor crews, we made excellent progress and graders made at least one pass on all of the priority streets in 58 hours, well below the targeted 72 hour timeframe,” says Pat Hyde, Director of Public Works. “Once all of the priority streets are graded, we go back and begin to remove the snow stored in the center of the roads.  So far this week, we have removed 612 large tandem truckloads of snow.”

More snow is forecast today and tomorrow, so graders will be back snow grading the priority streets before they can remove the snow piles (windrows) within the school zones.

When it rains or snows, salting, sanding and grading occur on the following Priority Street System;

Priority 1: Highest traffic streets – major roads such as Circle Drive, 8th Street, 22nd Street and College Drive, access to fire halls, hospitals and emergency sites.

·     Snow grading - within 12 hours after a snow storm ends

Priority 2: Streets adjacent to emergency services, rapid transit bus routes, busy roads such as Clarence Avenue, Taylor Street, Ruth Street, Fairlight Drive, McCormack Road, 37th Street and Centennial Drive.

·     Snow grading – within 36 hours after a snow storm ends

Priority 3: Includes local bus routes, access to schools, and main streets such as Emmeline Road, parts of Main Street, and Wiggins Avenue, 29th Street, Forrester Road.

·     Snow grading – within 72 hours after a snow storm ends

Another snowfall or blowing snow within the 72-hour timeframe may require crews to return to Priority 1 streets, causing snow grading to take longer.  A Priority Route Map is available at saskatoon.ca by clicking on Better Winter Roads.

During a snow event, regular Snow & Ice updates will be issued in the morning and late afternoon and the Snow & Ice Interactive Map will be updated as priority streets are graded. These updates will be shared on our social media channels and Saskatoon.ca.

“Residents are reminded that residential streets are not included in the priority system, and will only be graded once the snow pack reaches 15 cm (6 inches) to prevent ruts that form when the snow softens,” says Hyde. “We want this to occur later in the season because the graded snow is pushed to the side of the road and reduces on-street parking, which can be frustrating for residents.  Residents can report excessive rutting that may occur prior to performing the residential snow grading. We will then investigate and take appropriate action as may be required."                                                                        

Residents can report problem areas by calling Public Works Customer Service at 306-975-2476.

The City is Plowing Ahead and is ready for whatever winter brings this year! For more information on these and all of our Snow & Ice programs, visit Saskatoon.ca and click on Better Winter Roads.

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 Release: November 27, 2014

The Website Project Steering Committee is pleased to invite residents of Saskatoon to preview the new City of Saskatoon website and provide feedback. Users will be able to see the website’s new structure and some of the new features planned for the full launch. And for the first time, users will be able to experience a version of the City’s website on mobile, tablet and desktop devices.

“Residents have already participated in a number of surveys and online exercises during various stages of development, which has proven valuable in guiding decisions and priorities for the new website,” says Rob Gilhuly, Project Manager.  “If we want a site that residents find easy to use, we know we have to consult with users on decisions that affect the experience. And we know we have to have those consultations at every step along the way.”

Using feedback obtained from residents during various engagement activities, the navigation system has been completely redesigned, providing users with the experience they said they wanted and needed. 

“With the amount of input we’ve been able to gather, this has really felt a like a collaboration with residents,” says Gilhuly.

The new Saskatoon website is scheduled to replace the existing site in January. In December, we encourage residents to visit new.saskatoon.ca to preview the new website and to provide feedback.

For more information on the website project, please also visit new.saskatoon.ca.

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Winter wreaths are now available for purchase and placement on gravesites at Woodlawn Cemetery.  The 12-inch wreaths cost $70 each and are made of fresh mixed evergreens and decorated with beautiful holiday decorations.  Wreaths will be available while supplies last.
Please call 306-975-3308 to order a wreath or to speak to one of our staff members for more information.
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.

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NEW
33RD ST EB LANES CLOSED BETWEEN AVE Y & AVE W
(Water main connection dig)
2-way traffic setup in WB lanes
Start: November 28, 7:00 a.m. End: November 28, 6:00 p.m.

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! 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 @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

NEW
CIRCLE DR WB SPEED RESTRICTIONS APPROACHING LORNE AVE EXIT
(Crash cushion repair)
Speed reduced to 60km/h for work zone
Start: November 27, 9:00 a.m. End: November 27, 12:00 p.m.

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! 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 @YXEServiceAlert and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.