- June 3, 2012
- About Saskatoon
New Saskatoon Bridge – Circle Drive South
New Saskatoon Bridge Expected Completion September 2012
Circle Drive South Saskatoon Bridge Project
The new Saskatoon bridge on Circle Drive South is still under construction as of June 2012 and is expected to be completed by September 2012. It is the biggest infrastructure project in the history of Saskatoon. It crosses the Saskatchewan River on the South side of the city and will connect the east and west sides of Saskatoon. It will make Circle Drive complete around the city and improve traffic flow. It is expected to handle 30,000 vehicles in the near future when Saskatoon’s population hits 250,000 people.
It is quite the spectacle to see how they were able to put the base of the bridge into the ground by blocking the flow of the river. That must have taken a lot of dirt!!
Bridge Pilons in the Riverbed
The roadway leading up to the bridge on the East side goes from Circle Drive South just before it turns into Idylwyld then passes through Deifenbaker Park. On the West side it continues on to near the Saskatoon Landfill area then it will connect with the existing Circle Drive that passes right beside Confederation Mall.
From their website:
The Circle Drive South Project involves:
- a new six-lane bridge
- five new interchanges (Idylwyld Drive, Lorne Avenue, Valley Road, 11th Street West, and Preston Avenue South)
- ten kilometres of freeway/expressway from Clarence Avenue to Clancy Drive
- access requirements of surrounding lands
- three railway grade separations
- sound attenuation walls
- relocation of utilities
- pedestrian and cyclist facilities
Traffic modelling indicates that the new South Bridge will carry approximately 30,000 vehicles per day when Saskatoon reaches a population of 250,000. One of the primary benefits is the shorter commuting distances for traffic and a 35% reduction in traffic using the Idylwyld Bridge at afternoon rush hour.
The proposed roadway will be a four to six lane divided freeway, with provisions for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river and access the MVA Trails and other recreation trails on both sides of the river
The Circle Drive South Project is the largest single project in the City’s history at an estimated cost of $300 million. It is being cost shared between the City of Saskatoon, the Province of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Canada.
On March 29, 2010, City Council awarded the design/build contract to Graham Flatiron Joint Venture. The design/build process is where the contractor designs and builds the project. This process establishes costs up front, helps with better scheduling, and shortens the construction period. Construction began in spring 2010.
The project is expected to be open to traffic by September 30, 2012.
For more information or updates, please call the project hotline at 1-888-851-5303.
UpperEastAbutmentStandpoint
On the City of Saskatoon website you can read a lot more about the project:
Music by Matt McFarland at http://www.mattmcfarland.com
View New Saskatoon Bridge – Circle Drive South in a larger map
- August 30, 2011
- Pet Adoption
Please adopt Felicia from Saskatoon SPCA
Felicia Lying Down at the Saskatoon SPCA
Felicia is a cute little thing staying at the safe shelter at the Saskatoon SPCA. She is very quiet and needs confidence building from a patient, understanding and dedicated family. She was rescued in a seizure in Northern Saskatchewan. She is a husky cross. She didn’t want to play very much. She just wanted to lie there safely. She did let us pet her and hang out with her but was scared. She behaved really adorably. She did not want to come with us on the leash at first but with a little patience she came with us. Please watch the video to see how cute Felicia really is. They say pictures are worth a thousand words, but video is worth a million pictures. Please share this video with as many people as you can. Share the video with all of your friends. Someone out there may be interested in meeting with her.
PLEASE CLICK LIKE BELOW!!!
For more information please visit http://www.saskatoonspca.com.
For more videos on adoptable pets or other Saskatoon videos please visit http://www.saskatoonupclose.com.
- August 22, 2011
- About Saskatoon, Things To Do
Stew Uzelman Pedway under Circle Drive Bridge in Saskatoon
Mural on Stew Uzelman Pedway Saskatoon
We watched the Stew Uzelman Pedway under Circle Drive Bridge in Saskatoon get built and was amazed at how they were doing it. We decided to finally check it out while walking Turk, our dog. at the Sutherland Beach Off Leash Dog Park. What a really cool pedway. It is kinda loud with the traffic above and a little shaky but is pretty neat. It is so much better than crossing the Circle Drive Bridge when they had that sidewalk on the top. I am sure a lot more people use it now that is is suspended under the bridge. Plus it connects two sides of the river with amazing walking, running and cycling trails. A neat architectural accomplishment for sure. The art work is neat and you can spend a few minutes just looking at and noticing the people and their activities within the scene. You have to check it out if you have not been there yet and it is easy to get to. You can park in the parking lot of the Sutherland Beach Off Leash Dog Park and walk or park on the other side of the river on Spadina and walk from there. Also, this video was entirely shot with my iPhone 4. Not bad.
If you are interested in other bridge viewing we posted a video showing the various Saskatoon bridges spanning the South Saskatchewan River. Click below to view.
http://saskatoonupclose.com/2011%20/stew-uzelman-pedway-under-circle-drive-bridge-in-saskatoon/
- August 1, 2011
- About Saskatoon
About the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
The city of Saskatoon is an awesome city that is clean, easy to get around, has 4 great seasons that bring a unique beauty, gets the most sun of any city in Canada, boasts a whole bunch of bridges spanning the South Saskatchewan River that goes right thorugh the city, (they are building another bridge to be up by 2013 or something like that), is often called the Paris of Prairies for its bridges, has great festivals and attractions, and currently in 2011 has one of the greatest economies in Canada. This quote is directly from the Virtual Canada who made the video,
“Established as a city in 1906, Saskatoon is Saskatchewan’s largest city. Known today as “The City of the Bridges,” much of the city’s appeal comes from the river running through it, capped with a network of trails, promenades and parks. A busy hub of commerce and industry, and home to many high tech and mining companies, Saskatoon is a cultural oasis with professional and amateur theatre groups and art galleries, and where history and agricultural bounty are celebrated through festivals and public displays.”
The city of Saskatoon is a great place to live and work. Keep coming back to visit this website, www.saskatoonupclose.com for more cool videos.
Saskatoon Shines!
Saskatoon Shines
- February 20, 2011
- Things To Do
Saskatoon- Paris of the Prairies
Saskatoon is often called the Paris of Prairies. Saskatoon has several bridges spanning the South Saskatchewan River. They even have another one being built to complete Circle Drive. Spend an afternoon and go check them all out. Get as close as you can and gaze at the coolness of each bridge.
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