Bridges on track for October ’18 completion

People can watch construction of Saskatoon’s new bridges in real time, thanks to two livestreams on Shaw TV’s YouTube channels.

Dan Willems, the city’s director of major projects and preservation, said he’s been told the streams attract a regular following.

“I enjoy touching base every couple of days and just taking a peek and seeing how things are going on site while I’m sitting in my office, and it’s nice to hear there’s a good portion of the public that enjoys it as well,” Willems said.

Both bridges are scheduled for completion in October 2018. Two summers of good construction weather and two mild winters have been helpful, Willems said.

All of the structural steel on the north bridge has been installed, and crews are constructing the new bridge deck.

“That one’s going very well. The last of the steel was lifted into place last week and so they’re busy bolting that up right now and then they’ll start putting in the concrete panels that go into place there,” Willems said.

At the Traffic Bridge, all the trusses are in place and crews are also working on the bridge deck, he said.

The old Traffic Bridge served 10,000 vehicles per day. Willems said he expects it to handle the same number when the new one opens.

The north commuter bridge is expected to get 20,000 vehicles per day, mostly moving from northeast residential areas to the Marquis industrial area.

“That should result in a dramatic decrease in the amount of traffic on Attridge and Circle Drive North,” Willems said.

The cost of the two bridges and associated roadwork, plus operating costs, maintenance and rehabilitation over 33 years, is estimated at $497.7 million.

Traffic Bridge progress can be seen in person at the River Landing viewing area, while North Commuter Parkway construction can be viewed from the Meewasin Trail, just east of the cul-de-sac at the north end of Kinnear Avenue, according to the city.