Drivers hoping to use Saskatoon’s University Bridge will have to wait longer, as the city once again pushes back its reopening date to the general public due to construction delays.
The bridge will remain closed “near term” to non-emergency vehicles as nearby College Drive construction and bridge rehabilitation work continues, the city said in a Friday news release.
Currently, only emergency vehicles are allowed to use the bridge while construction continues, something the city said remains a “top priority.”
Saskatoon closed the University Bridge on April 6 for repairs, initially planning to reopen it in June. That timeline was later pushed to mid- to late July because of weather-related construction delays, according to the city.
The city has revised its opening plan after exploring “multiple options,” said Terry Schmidt, Saskatoon’s transportation and construction manager, in a statement to Global News.
Previously, the bridge was supposed to open to single-lane, two-way traffic. But now the city is waiting for three traffic lanes to become available so one lane can be dedicated to emergency vehicles, said Schmidt.
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Schmidt said this decision came after further review and discussions with emergency services and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
“No one wants to create a scenario where an ambulance, fire truck, or police vehicle is trapped in traffic,” Schmidt said in a statement.
The Saskatchewan Cancer Agency said in a statement to Global News that its shuttle has permission to use the bridge during the closure and recommends patients plan their trips accordingly.
The SHA said it has been collaborating with the the city and other stakeholders during the construction to ensure emergency vehicles have access to its facilities.
“The SHA supports the timely resumption of regular traffic across the bridge and along College Avenue Drive as soon as it is safe to do so, and is working with the city to maintain access for emergency vehicles, while also maintaining reasonable alternative access for all medical services it is safe to do so,” the health authority said in a statement to Global News.
The city has not provided a new reopening date.
Additional repairs increase project costs
The city is also increasing the budget for the University Bridge archway rehabilitation project after discovering more extensive deterioration during an inspection.
The city says crews discovered “greater than anticipated concrete loss” through an inspection when a temporary work platform was installed in early June.
“The decision was made to proceed with these repairs to take advantage of having the temporary work platform already in place and avoid needing to return to complete these necessary repairs within a few years,” the city told Global News in a statement.
These additional repairs are expected to increase the project’s cost by $213,000. The cost for the rehabilitation project was originally $1.5 million.
While the city cannot provide a date for the bridge’s reopening, its website now says it expects archway repairs to be completed by mid- to late September. It remains unclear whether general traffic will be allowed back onto the bridge before rehabilitation work is complete.
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