Construction on two new bridges in Saskatoon is officially underway.
Mayor Don Atchison and other officials marked the start of construction on both the new Traffic Bridge and the North Commuter Parkway at a ceremony Thursday on the city’s north edge.
The project will see the city’s Traffic Bridge replaced and a new bridge built connecting the Marquis Industrial and University Heights neighbourhoods.
“This is going to take a lot of pressure off the Circle Drive north bridge at this time and it’s going to make commuting a lot easier for a lot of families,” said Atchison.
He was accompanied at the ceremony by Saskatoon Southeast MLA Don Morgan, city manager Murray Totland and Graham Commuter Partners senior vice-president John Connolly. The four blew air horns to mark the start of construction.
The project is being funded under a public-private partnership model and — with capital, operating, maintenance and rehabilitation expenses — is estimated to cost at $497.7 million over 33 years.
Graham, which was awarded the project in October 2015, will be tasked with maintaining the project.
Both bridges are expected to be open by late 2018. Replacing the Traffic Bridge is expected to cost $41.2 million while building the north parkway is estimated at $211.4 million, according to the city.
The province is committing $50 million to the north commuter portion of the project while $66 million from the federal government’s P3 Canada Fund will contribute to both bridges.
