Saskatoon Construction III

[blacktrojan3921]

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...box=1707161403

Next phase of Saskatoon Freeway plan up for discussion at city council

The provincial government has asked Saskatoon city council to endorse a functional planning study for the next phase of a long-proposed highway bypass around the city.

The Saskatoon Freeway project has been in the works since 1999; it was previously been known as the “perimeter highway” project before the name was changed.

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The project is meant to create a 55-kilometre stretch of four-lane highway running from Highway 11 south of the city and looping east and north to connect with Highway 7 west of Saskatoon.

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The planning study launched in 2019 is meant to finalize the right-of-way plan, produce project cost estimates and determine locations and configurations of interchanges.

All told, the project is expected to require 16 interchanges, five railway overpasses, at least two flyovers and one major river crossing.

...

It might be my inner OCD, but the fact it isn't a full ring (much like the Regina Bypass) is triggering me lmao.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by blacktrojan3921

It might be my inner OCD, but the fact it isn't a full ring (much like the Regina Bypass) is triggering me lmao.

Kind of like how Circle Drive wasn't a circle for several decades?

[phone]

Originally Posted by blacktrojan3921

It might be my inner OCD, but the fact it isn't a full ring (much like the Regina Bypass) is triggering me lmao.

Too hard to build it through all the acreages in Furdale and Grasswood. For all intents and purposes that's already a built up area. Plus adding another river crossing would massively increase the expense of the project.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by blacktrojan3921

It might be my inner OCD, but the fact it isn't a full ring (much like the Regina Bypass) is triggering me lmao.

It still boggles my mind that there isn't enough truck traffic from highways 7 and 14 to highways 16 and 11 to justify that southwest segment. Although perhaps the justification is that Circle Drive South is free-flowing enough to handle that traffic, while Circle Drive North with its traffic lights and congestion isn't?

The proposed bypass could potentially end up being the most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken by the province; former highways minister Don McMorris estimated in 2014 that it would take $2 billion to complete.

The Regina Bypass, a 60-kilometre route around the Saskatchewan capital opened in 2019, took four years to build at a cost of just under $1.9 billion. That project included less infrastructure than is proposed for the Saskatoon Freeway; Regina’s bypass required 12 overpasses, two intersections, two bridges across Wascana Creek and 55 kms of service roads.

The $2 billion price tag should probably be doubled, if you ask me. When you consider the Saskatoon project would have more interchanges and a major river crossing and add inflation, there's no way it'll be in the same ballpark cost-wise as the Regina Bypass.

I know something has to be done about Circle Drive North congestion. But I like to imagine what $4 billion could accomplish if it was spent on other infrastructure in and around Saskatoon. Is it reasonable to think the library, events centre, arena, and a three line BRT system could all be completed with money to spare? If so, maybe we could be more forward-thinking and upgrade the BRT system to a grade-separated light metro

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by phone

Too hard to build it through all the acreages in Furdale and Grasswood. For all intents and purposes that's already a built up area. Plus adding another river crossing would massively increase the expense of the project.

I don't think a southwest leg would touch Furdale. The freeway's western terminus is meant to be at the intersection of highways 7 and 60, which is already almost as south as Furdale. If the freeway was built north of Grasswood between the river and Clarence, and then south of Grasswood between Clarence and Highway 11, almost no homes would be impacted.

[phone]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

It still boggles my mind that there isn't enough truck traffic from highways 7 and 14 to highways 16 and 11 to justify that southwest segment. Although perhaps the justification is that Circle Drive South is free-flowing enough to handle that traffic, while Circle Drive North with its traffic lights and congestion isn't?

I believe the justification, at least with Hwy 7, is that those movements can use Hwy 15 and cross the river at Outlook rather than travelling to Saskatoon only to double back

Edit: As for Hwy 14, I'd imagine that that just isn't a busy enough highway to justify the SW quadrant of the freeway on its own. Plus it spits out directly onto 22nd giving is relatively easy access to Circle Drive.

[Oiler]

For reference, from 2015 before south portion got axed:

[Echoes]

City of Saskatoon unveils more design concepts for proposed downtown arena





https://www.ckom.com/2024/02/08/city...owntown-arena/

[Echoes]

Saskatoon Downtown Event and Entertainment District - Conceptual Design Report



















https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeeting...umentId=204697

[Echoes]

https://www.facebook.com/TCUPlaceSK/

[Stormer]

I sure hope they stick with the orange dome so that Saskatoon can finally catch up to Regina's Arena!

[mmx]

Originally Posted by Stormer

I sure hope they stick with the orange dome so that Saskatoon can finally catch up to Regina's Arena!

The Brandt Centre does have a certain brutish charm to it.

[Saskabusher]

Haha, Stormer, that's a good one, but crossing my fingers it doesn't come true by the time they cut all the corners. Stucco cement and corrugated metal sheets. Ouch.

Thanks for posting the update, Crisis.

That huge glass roof with the amount of sun and snow we get doesn't seem necessary, and will leak before ribbon cutting. That'll go. Maybe they'll have a bit at the edges. And this Saskatchewan Place name is thankfully, just a place name. I really like the render where you can't see the dome. It looks pretty cool for the street presence, and hopefully that's got bar and other retail/commercial access when completed. Oops, that's the convention centre, haha. Isn't orange and grey as a colour palette passed it's prime by a decade? They could tweak that and go brick and wood color to blend into the warehouse district if that's what they're attempting. And the sand brick and orange interior reminds me of the Provincial Court building on 19th St. They're really lowering expectations here. Then there's the massive swaths of clear glass panels. They're have to hire a full time dead bird sweeper upper. Ugh!

Back to Regina's iconic coliseum, if it didn't say Brandt Centre on the side, I'd swear it was the correctional centre. Same across the province. There must've been only one architect residing here 40 years ago. And he's still working today!!

Well, I've got to go for a walk and clear my vision. I'm looking forward to more renders next year. See any positives in this round, anyone?

[roryn1]

I wonder if they’re targeting BHP as a main sponsor with that orange

[Leadly]

Originally Posted by roryn1

I wonder if they’re targeting BHP as a main sponsor with that orange

That is a possibility that I feel could actually happen.

[RobD]

History of Saskatoon's arenas over the years

Story by Guy Quenneville | Photos from Saskatoon Public Library

October 21, 2018

https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/long...-great-debate/

[Leadly]

https://pub-saskatoon.escribemeeting...umentId=205072

[prairieguy]

Summary of City Councils Wednesday meeting with design consultants for entertainment district. i know this is not a done deal and a long way off, but I still am hopeful for this to proceed and be something this city and province can truly be proud of.

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/loca...centre-project

[Stormer]

Originally Posted by Leadly

That is a possibility that I feel could actually happen.

I believe competitor Mosaic paid $20 million for Mosaic Stadium. The Saskatoon Arena would have a lot more events, but it is hard to predict what is worth without a true pro team that has regular national TV exposure.

$30 million seems achievable given inflation and the cache that goes with a shiny new stadium.

[RHINO]

What's the capacity?