Saskatoon Construction II

[Echoes]

Better transit will help build city

BY RYAN WALKER, THE STARPHOENIX AUGUST 3, 2013

Following is the viewpoint of the writer, a University of Saskatchewan professor of regional and urban planning and co-editor of Canadian Cities in Transition: New Directions in the Twenty-first Century (Oxford University Press).

The development of rapid transit is one of the most important exercises in citybuilding that Saskatonians will undertake in the next several years and is central to the city's Integrated Growth Plan.

Saskatoon is pursuing bus rapid transit (BRT), which has been effective in many cities and implemented at lower cost and shorter time frame relative to light rail.

BRT development leaves the prospect open for future light rail service in parts of the network if and when it becomes desirable.

If done correctly, rapid transit will transform our urban land market around stations and dedicated travel corridors. In addition to changing the way people move around the city, it will enhance public spaces and accessibility to shops, services, work and leisure. Celebrating 100 years of municipal transit history that began with the Saskatoon Municipal Railway's fleet of 12 streetcars in 1913 is a symbolic time for looking into Saskatoon's transit future. With Saskatoon's

2011 transit ridership at about four per cent of work commuters - the same as in 2006 - now is also an urgent time to improve the efficiency, reliability, and appeal of transit.

We have less than half the ridership rate of Calgary (16 per cent), Winnipeg (13 per cent), or Edmonton (11 per cent). We have less than a quarter of Ottawa-Gatineau (20 per cent). Saskatoon needs transitional change in transit services, not incremental improvements to the service as it currently operates.

The BRT system in Ottawa sets Canada's gold-standard, with ridership increasing, network expansion in the metropolitan area, and segments of light rail now being built. A well-functioning system, like Ottawa's, will have an uninterrupted network made up of exclusive busways, dedicated bus lanes, signal priority and real-time arrival information at stations.

Stations will be heated in winter and require pre-payment for boarding to maintain service times. Local neighbourhood bus service, park-and-ride facilities (for private automobiles and bikes), and improved public space inviting pedestrians to walk 5-10 minutes to and from stations all draw passengers into the BRT system.

Urbanist Dylan Reid posits three touchstones of 21st century Canadian urbanism: Sustainable transportation; increasing population density; and revitalizing public spaces. Rapid transit can weave all three together.

[....]

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/today...+will+help+build+city/8745857/story.html

[3minutes]

Bike/pedestrian path under the new bridge.

[Ruckus]

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[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by 3minutes

Bike/pedestrian path under the new bridge.

Thanks for the photo! Is this open now?

[Wyku]

It's funny that there was all the hoopla over having to name the bridge right away so the signage could be ready, yet the signage still doesn't show the name of the bridge...

[nook]

Originally Posted by Wyku

It's funny that there was all the hoopla over having to name the bridge right away so the signage could be ready, yet the signage still doesn't show the name of the bridge...

They'll hold out on naming it until Atchison steps down as mayor, then they'll rename it "Atchison Bridge."

[SkydivePilot]

OMG, why 'Atchison Bridge?' I'm sure (and hope) that the city could come up with something else.

[yoyoman]

Naming the bridge after atchison?
Is that for real a done deal?

Atch-hole bridge, huh?

[TechnicalRecession]

Seeing the pictures that have the old and new bridge side by side really highlights the old architectural style from the new. I have to admit the new bridge seems really plain and drab, lacking any intersting architecture features. It has a real freeway - concrete feel to it. I am sure a lot of that had to do with building for function and not aesthetic, plus budget constraints. But like a lot of new buildings/structures, appearance is considered an unneccessary expense, which is too bad. They really knew how to do it right in the old days. Looks like you get great views of the city though!

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by SkydivePilot

OMG, why 'Atchison Bridge?' I'm sure (and hope) that the city could come up with something else.

Originally Posted by yoyoman

Naming the bridge after atchison?
Is that for real a done deal?

Atch-hole bridge, huh?

I think nook was joking about Atchison Bridge? Nothing has been decided on the name.

I still like the Yorath Bridge idea.

[Wyku]

Originally Posted by Echoes

I think nook was joking about Atchison Bridge? Nothing has been decided on the name.

I still like the Yorath Bridge idea.

The official name is the "Circle Drive South Bridge", at least for the immediate future.

[marclikeschicken]

I noticed this morning that EllisDon is putting up their crane at the Art Gallery of Saskatchewan. Cant wait for this one to be done!

Also Escape Sports put their signage up and Leyda's as well. Both look awesome!

[nook]

I was joking about Atchison Bridge ha.

Should just sell the naming rights to a sponsor and put the money into fixing roads around the city.

... I'm half joking on that one too.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by marclikeschicken

Also Escape Sports put their signage up and Leyda's as well. Both look awesome!

Sure does!

[Morogolus]

Oh this gluten free fad is so silly, half of gluten free foods aren't even all that good for you and contain higher amounts of sodium and sugar than normal foods.

Question: What does the pedestrian walkway connect to on the west side of the bridge? Does the Meewasin extend out that far? I can't imagine it will get much traffic way out there.

[Echoes]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Question: What does the pedestrian walkway connect to on the west side of the bridge? Does the Meewasin extend out that far? I can't imagine it will get much traffic way out there.

I don't think the trail extends that far on the west side, but Spadina Crescent is right there, and it's a fairly quiet roadway in that area. Once Meewasin is connected to the bridge from the east side, I can see trail users doing an east-west loop using the bridge to cross the river.

There's also a multi-use path that was built with the project that, from my understanding, essentially connects Stonebridge to Montgomery/Fairhaven via the bridge. I wouldn't be surprised to hear of instances of, say, a Stonebridge resident using the path to get to their job at Cameco or something.

[circle33]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Oh this gluten free fad is so silly, half of gluten free foods aren't even all that good for you and contain higher amounts of sodium and sugar than normal foods.

True, but you can't discount the 800% increase in self diagnosed celiac disease over the past year and a half. Lucky coincidence.

[3minutes]

Originally Posted by Morogolus

Oh this gluten free fad is so silly, half of gluten free foods aren't even all that good for you and contain higher amounts of sodium and sugar than normal foods.

I agree that pre-packaged gluten free food is usually terrible and full of sodium. But I definitely think that their are benefits to eating fresh gluten free foods (ie: meat, rice, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and other things that don't come vacuum sealed)

[skSK]

... Anyway...

Glad to hear the streetscaping continues down 20th. In addition to the article about it in today's SP, this piece gives a bit more insight about what the additions will look like. Pretty neat getting kids involved.

http://www.newstalk650.com/story/art-and-culture-centre-stage-latest-streetscaping-project/124983

[S'toon guy]

Overall loving the new bridge, well planned, they did it right. Except...they ripped out 50-75ft of 20 yr old poplars from Holiday Park golf course. At the time I thought this 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵, but fair enough if it's in the way of the new bridge they need to go.

Drove by today, and they tore the trees out to make room for..the walking/biking path. 🞵🞵🞵? I'm thinking they could have a found a way to keep them. Appreciated by those on the path and provided a nice buffer between the golf course and freeway.

Just seemed kind of ridiculous to destroy a whack of nice trees for a 4ft wide chunk of asphalt.