SASKATOON — Transportation and Construction General Manager Terry Schmidt said Tuesday that the city’s other bridges and major roads are capable of handling an increase in vehicular traffic, going in and out of the downtown area while the Broadway Bridge undergo repairs.
With the city having a short construction season, there is a lot of activity, with the repair of the 93-year-old bridge, which has been closed for vehicular and foot traffic since May 12, being one of them. Schmidt assured they are on schedule to finish the project by October.
Schmidt, during a media availability outside the Broadway Bridge’s construction area, said vehicular traffic has been impacted by the closure, especially going to the Broadway Business Improvement District.
“We thank the residents for their patience and their understanding. We work closely with emergency services and transit to put detours in place that will help move traffic as efficiently and safely as possible,” said Schmidt.
“For example, on the Broadway Bridge, with it being closed, there were lots of interactions with the Broadway BID and the downtown before closures to get their input about how we can best address that and support them to continue to have business during the bridge closure.”
He said the city’s other bridges — University, Chief Mistawasis, Circle Drive, Gordie Howe, Senator Sidney L. Buckwold, and the Traffic — can handle the detours with the ongoing construction of Broadway Bridge.
“The Broadway Bridge is a major investment that has impacted traffic in and out of the downtown and Broadway areas. However, overall, the project volume is similar to past years. The focus remains on impactful coordinated work across the city,” he added.
Schmidt said that the city’s construction budget of $78.3 million for the roads and bridges, despite an increase from $71.8M last year, is not impacted by the current inflation, as they anticipated that after having an inflationary impact of $7.5M on road projects last year.
“The Broadway Bridge project has a full budget for completion. It is on schedule to be done within the existing budget. We have a planning budget, and when we award the contract, we ensure that the budget is in place for delivery,” said Schmidt.
“The Broadway Bridge project is proceeding on schedule and budget for completion in October of this year. Work has been progressing as planned, and I'm not aware of any unique things that have come about because of the construction.”
