Saskatoon Roads & Infrastructure

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Macroman520

Thank you for your help, Stormer. A long time mystery (to me) is finally solved. A small caveat (if you care to hear) I found while researching Florence is that she is my Great-grandaunt by marriage. Her husband John, my patrilineal Great-granduncle, was apparently also politically involved; he ran as a Conservative candidate in the 1930 provincial election, although I don't have any published sources to back that up. Obviously her achievements overshadow his. Anyway, thank you kindly for your assistance.

John also ran in 1934 when the Conservatives were wiped out:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskat...election,_1934

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Awesome! I love genealogy. It is so rare when you can find something concrete (or is it asphalt in this case?).

Here is the book excerpt with a picture of her with John Diefenbaker:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=XhH...chewan&f=false

That is not McOrmond in the photo with Dief, it's Charlotte Whitton.

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Arts

That is not McOrmond in the photo with Dief, it's Charlotte Whitton.

Oops, McOrmond is in the photo on the right.

[The Bess]

Here's some news on Saskatoon Freeway

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...katoon-freeway

[The Bess]

The final study from 2017 which includes the 2015 study, dry reading but if your into roads it is interesting.

http://publications.gov.sk.ca/docume...inalreport.pdf

[YXE]

IMO we've invested enough already into our current roadway system. What kind of benefit would this really have? Saskatoon isn't like Toronto where you drive down the 401 and have to pass a line of trucks going through the city. I would much rather see the hundreds of millions if not billions that this project would cost be put into transit, infill infrastructure. I understand this is comparing apples to oranges, but how about dedicate all this effort to relocating inner-city rail lines instead?

I encourage anyone to disagree with me! That's the beauty of this forum.

[djforsberg]

Don't be fooled into thinking this is nothing but a handout to the trucking industry to bring their delivery times down.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Don't be fooled into thinking this is nothing but a handout to the trucking industry to bring their delivery times down.

Saskatchewan is losing immensely to Winnipeg Edmonton and Calgary on our transportation costs. We need to do anything and everything to lower transportation costs or say goodbye to any new manufacturers that want higher margins. From food products sourced by Sask commodities to steel, it makes sense to build everything not in Saskatchewan unfortunately - hence why Roquette built their half billion dollar pea processor in Manitoba when 80% of peas are grown in sask.

[hunter12]

Originally Posted by YXE

IMO we've invested enough already into our current roadway system. What kind of benefit would this really have? Saskatoon isn't like Toronto where you drive down the 401 and have to pass a line of trucks going through the city. I would much rather see the hundreds of millions if not billions that this project would cost be put into transit, infill infrastructure. I understand this is comparing apples to oranges, but how about dedicate all this effort to relocating inner-city rail lines instead?

I encourage anyone to disagree with me! That's the beauty of this forum.

It is more like comparing apples to dog food. As Saskatoon grows to 500,000 and beyond the purpose of the perimeter highway will be to move provincial and interprovincial traffic around Saskatoon rather than through Saskatoon in a safe and efficient manner. That is where the benefit comes in. The purpose of infill is to limit urban sprawl. The purpose of transit is to move people from point to point within the city. Infill and Transit has nothing to do with the perimeter highway. Those using the highway will not be using transit and as for infill ?????

Using your logic, the money spent the twinning the highways to Edmonton and Prince Albert should have been spent on infill and transit. Remember, the perimeter highway is a provincial project and infill and transit are city projects.

Bottom line is that there is a need for all three projects and all three have costs. Population growth both in Saskatoon and in Saskatchewan requires expanding and improving everything from roads, to bridges, to airports, to transit, to hospitals, to schools, to landfills, and on and on and on. As the need arises those costs will have to be incurred and the money will have to be found to pay for it. (where are we going to find $150million+ for a new landfill)

Finally, as I understand it the perimeter highway is potentially decades away from construction so the money will not be required for a long time. Where as infill and transit require funding right now.

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by roryn1

Saskatchewan is losing immensely to Winnipeg Edmonton and Calgary on our transportation costs. We need to do anything and everything to lower transportation costs or say goodbye to any new manufacturers that want higher margins. From food products sourced by Sask commodities to steel, it makes sense to build everything not in Saskatchewan unfortunately - hence why Roquette built their half billion dollar pea processor in Manitoba when 80% of peas are grown in sask.

So after the Regina Bypass fully opens up next year, we should expect to see a rush of manufacturing flood into the GTH in west Regina? I won’t hold my breath.

[roryn1]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

So after the Regina Bypass fully opens up next year, we should expect to see a rush of manufacturing flood into the GTH in west Regina? I won’t hold my breath.

With Edmonton, Calgary, and Winnipeg laid out with solid bypasses, it just means you won’t be seeing much industry leave once plants are close to the end of their lifespan with this new bypass lol. It doesn’t have much do with Regina or the GTH, it just makes us increase our competitiveness when shipping by truck, since we won’t be competitive logistics wise with the latter provinces ever.

[The Bess]

A potential new way to cross the river by bike. It is not in the most ideal location but at least it would be for pedestrians and bikes only. Maybe will be used more when that area gets built up.

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/bridge-...2021-1.4297881

[Brutopian]

First phase of rehab on Sid Buckwold Bridge starts mid-April, says City of Saskatoon

Saskatoon StarPhoenix
March 27, 2019

A two-year rehabilitation project for Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge is set to begin on April 15.

According to the City of Saskatoon, the work will happen in two phases stretched over 2019 and 2020. The project will include deck repairs and asphalt replacement, resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19th Street, strengthening of piers, barrier replacement, widening of walkways and a new drainage system.

[........]

Read more:
https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...arts-mid-april

[The Bess]

Mcormond work should be done by this summer

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/constru...ange-1.4362542

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Brutopian

First phase of rehab on Sid Buckwold Bridge starts mid-April, says City of Saskatoon

Saskatoon StarPhoenix
March 27, 2019

A two-year rehabilitation project for Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge is set to begin on April 15.

According to the City of Saskatoon, the work will happen in two phases stretched over 2019 and 2020. The project will include deck repairs and asphalt replacement, resurfacing of the Idylwyld Drive ramps over 19th Street, strengthening of piers, barrier replacement, widening of walkways and a new drainage system.

[........]

Read more:
https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...arts-mid-april

I just realized the timeline of this project, it is going to be a major obstacle for drivers. This is going to cause much congestion going into and coming out of downtown and is really going to stretch the patience of drivers, and transit users alike.

[The Bess]

A different opinion of the Saskatoon Freeway

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saska...hway-1.5090962

[Wyku]

"Avi Akkerman, a professor of regional and urban planning at the University of Saskatchewan, said Saskatoon would be better off shelving the perimeter freeway and limiting its geographic growth.

"We are repeating the same mistakes," Akkerman said. "Forty-five years ago, Circle Drive was supposed to be a bypass perimeter highway or freeway, and we ended up with a clogged arterial road."

So Saskatoon should never have grown more than the area within the size of Circle Drive? Circle Drive is a great case study for mistakes to avoid with future freeways though.

[Westsider4life]

"Maybe we can think about having them move outside peak hours, for example," Diab said.“ ... yikes! Having run a logistics company in my past life, this suggestion is as bad as saying that we should demo the Bess for parking.

[Westsider4life]

On an unrelated note:

Does anyone know if the Idywyld Bridge Rehabilitation project will include any aesthetic upgrades? are there any images or plans?

It a neat bridge to cross and some lighting or barrier upgrades or whatnot would really make it cool!

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Arts

I just realized the timeline of this project, it is going to be a major obstacle for drivers. This is going to cause much congestion going into and coming out of downtown and is really going to stretch the patience of drivers, and transit users alike.

It really is unbelievable how long bridge re-hab takes in Saskatchewan. Even small flyovers take a whole season. To me the issue is that the cost of traffic disruption is not considered. At times it seems like they are closing more lanes than necessary for longer than necessary, just because they can. There is a real and substantial cost to this that need to be considered. There are safety issues, sure, but using concrete barriers rather than closing extra lanes should be considered and extra shifts work on key bridges should be mandatory.