Councillor voices concern about possible ‘core’ bridge impact
A Saskatoon city councillor is concerned that studies for a new “core” bridge could recommend a span connecting to a residential area.
City council has awarded a $1.5-million contract to consulting firm Urban Systems to develop and implement the city’s integrated growth plan, which includes infilling residential population along rapid transit routes, as well as looking at the possible need for a new bridge.
The core br idge strategy is intended to “identify and assess alternatives, impacts and associated land uses for future river crossing capacity within Circle Drive,” but does not identify a location.
“I wouldn’t want to see another river crossing punched right through the middle of two residential neighbourhoods,” Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill said Thursday.
Hill said he is “fearful” of a plan that might connect to the City Park or North Park areas, which lie on the west side of the South Saskatchewan River between the railway bridge and the University Bridge.
Hill also pointed out that 33rd Street, which divides the two areas, is not designed to accommodate the volume of traffic associated with a bridge.
In the presumed core area, there appear to be few options for another bridge that don’t encroach closely on an existing bridge or connect with either a residential area or the University of Saskatchewan.
The area directly across from where a potential 33rd Street bridge would extend consists of vacant endowment lands owned by the U of S adjacent to the Preston Crossing shopping district. The university’s Vision 2057 plan does not preclude opening these lands to business or residential development.
Ward 6 Coun. Charlie Clark said it’s important to look at “a new mix for the future,” such as studying river crossings, as the city focuses on infill growth, including increasing density downtown and in other areas as it grows.
“I think it’s a very critical part of the analysis,” Clark said. “Bridges are very expensive. We want to make sure we’re putting them in the right places.”
Clark added the study will look at various modes of transportation, including pedestrian, cycling and public transit.
The new Circle Drive South bridge project is slated to open July 31, while another $86-million commuter bridge is planned for the north end.
Meanwhile, the city continues to pursue funding options for the $35-million Traffic Bridge replacement connecting Nutana to downtown.
“I don’t understand the immediate need to replace the Traffic Bridge in its existing state until the core bridge study is completed,” Hill said of the downtown bridge, which has been closed since 2010.
Hill said he doesn’t know why studying a core bridge is part of the integrated growth plan.
“The study may tell us we don’t need another bridge downtown,” he said.
The $1.5 million in consulting work Urban Systems has been hired to do also covers making the business case for rapid transit and the strategy for communicating the integrated growth plan and engaging the community.
Urban Systems is a consulting firm with offices in 11 communities across Western Canada.
The integrated growth plan, adopted by city council in March 2012, sets the city’s strategies in a number of areas such as land use and transportation as Saskatoon adapts to population growth to 500,000 people.
Part of the plan includes “density corridors,” which would entail increasing the population density along major streets — specifically Eighth Street and 22nd Street — and complementing this growth with a transit corridor featuring frequent bus service.