Saskatoon Roads & Infrastructure

[Arts]

Originally Posted by esquire

Hard not to feel extreme rage over something like this... what a horrible tragedy. I don't consider myself an advocate for vigilante justice but it would be satisfying to see some meted out to the idiot who caused this to happen.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskat...rash-1.3388602

But that being said, there doesn't appear to be anything inherently dangerous about the intersection in question (judging by the Google map; I've never actually driven it). The problem is when some mouth breather imbecile gets loaded and gets behind the wheel.

It is only inherently dangerous when someone on Wanuskewin Rd or RR3052 needs to cross hwy11 or make a left onto it (which seems like virtually every time I drive hwy11). The sightlines are OK, but the speed of approaching cars seems too difficult for many people to judge or process.

When it comes to this kind of crossing I tend to be overly cautious when driving onto a high speed hwy, I give several hundred meters of space before pulling ahead (and I'm a hard accelerator) but there are usually too many vehicles to do this here, and stopping in the median is the worst thing to do because 1 in every 5 SB vehicles is making the left turn onto Wanuskewin so you gotta do all 5 lanes at once (and the crown of the road makes it hard to tell if approaching vehicles are in the left or right lane). Also those left turning vehicles make it hard to judge timing because it takes them a long time and distance to slow down. Knowing how many careless drivers there are in general I get incredibly anxious at locations like this, as do others and it only makes conditions worse.

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by Arts

It is only inherently dangerous when someone on Wanuskewin Rd or RR3052 needs to cross hwy11 or make a left onto it (which seems like virtually every time I drive hwy11). The sightlines are OK, but the speed of approaching cars seems too difficult for many people to judge or process.
When it comes to this kind of crossing I tend to be overly cautious when driving onto a high speed hwy, I give several hundred meters of space before pulling ahead (and I'm a hard accelerator) but there are usually too many vehicles to do this here, and stopping in the median is the worst thing to do because 1 in every 5 SB vehicles is making the left turn onto Wanuskewin so you gotta do all 5 lanes at once (and the crown of the road makes it hard to tell if approaching vehicles are in the left or right lane). Also those left turning vehicles make it hard to judge timing because it takes them a long time and distance to slow down. Knowing how many careless drivers there are in general I get incredibly anxious at locations like this, as do others and it only makes conditions worse.

I'd disagree with a couple of points in your post which I've bolded. The number of SB vehicles turning left onto Waneskewin is exactly what obscures the sightlines at the intersection. As for the number of vehicles making that turn, I'd estimate that approximately half of the SB Highway 11 vehicles are turning onto Waneskewin during the morning commute.

At that time of day, I'd say that it's virtually impossible to safely cross Highway 11 from east to west all in one shot, as you suggest and not much better if you stop in the median area, as you still can't see.

It's just a terrible situation during peak traffic flow. Given that Highways are not going to install traffic lights it sounds like a reduced speed limit through there will be the most likely change. It won't fix the problem, but should somewhat lessen the carnage.

[Arts]

Originally Posted by Crisis

I'd disagree with a couple of points in your post which I've bolded. The number of SB vehicles turning left onto Waneskewin is exactly what obscures the sightlines at the intersection. As for the number of vehicles making that turn, I'd estimate that approximately half of the SB Highway 11 vehicles are turning onto Waneskewin during the morning commute.

At that time of day, I'd say that it's virtually impossible to safely cross Highway 11 from east to west all in one shot, as you suggest and not much better if you stop in the median area, as you still can't see.

It's just a terrible situation during peak traffic flow. Given that Highways are not going to install traffic lights it sounds like a reduced speed limit through there will be the most likely change. It won't fix the problem, but should somewhat lessen the carnage.

I can agree with all your points. I drive that stretch about once a month but never during morning rush hour, and even then I have witnessed numerous bad judgements. Not long ago I looked up vehicle counts (from 2014 IIRC) and the stretch of hwy11 south of that intersection was 18500 cars daily, and 6000 on Waneskewin between 71st and hwy11) and I imagine nearly all of those 6000 made the left off of hwy11.

I just wonder why the director of highways doesn't see it the same way as you or I.

[The Bess]

Here's something that could be good if they get everyone together on this

City to examine moving rail lines; report to cost up to $400K
The city of Saskatoon would need to spend $300,000 to $400,000 to determine the total, much larger cost of moving the CN rail lines out of the city centre, according to a new report.

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local...examine-moving

[Kokkei Mizu]

Spadina Crescent:

• Video Link

[The Bess]

I believe that the majority of the freeway in the north, west and east has been approved by everyone involved, the south portion may be a little harder to make everyone happy. That area has not been involved as much in future growth as north of the city has. Could be an interesting negotiating process.

[The Bess]

Here's what they decided on so far

http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local...katoon-freeway

[The Bess]

City looking at closing portions of Spadina west by water treatment plant, maybe that will hasten 17th street upgrade.

http://ckom.com/article/1569130/spad...bate-city-hall

[Brutopian]

Tank: Saskatoon Freeway set to bypass scrutiny

By Phil Tank, Saskatoon Star Phoenix
May 29, 2017

The provincial government says it wants input on its preferred route for the proposed Saskatoon Freeway, but it seems fair to question the level of its desire for people’s opinions.

The freeway, once known as the perimeter highway, will likely become the largest and most expensive transportation infrastructure project in Saskatchewan history, surpassing the $1.88-billion Regina Bypass.

Given the size and scope of the project, the selection of a preferred route happened awfully quietly.

[........]

Read more:
http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/co...ypass-scrutiny

[The Bess]

Some nice aerial shots of interchanges in Saskatoon

http://www.saskatoonpics.com/Aerial/...es/i-5DGpxGD/A

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by The Bess

Some nice aerial shots of interchanges in Saskatoon

http://www.saskatoonpics.com/Aerial/...es/i-5DGpxGD/A

Nice photos! Thanks for posting that link.

[Brutopian]

Key east-side Saskatoon interchange work behind schedule

Phil Tank, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
September 8, 2017

Work on a new interchange that will play a key role in traffic flow on Saskatoon’s east side when a new bridge opens next year has fallen behind schedule.

The City of Saskatoon held a news conference Friday and issued a news release saying work on the interchange at College Drive and McOrmond Drive is not on track to be completed by the Oct. 31, 2018 deadline.

[........]

Read more:
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local...ehind-schedule

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by The Bess

Some nice aerial shots of interchanges in Saskatoon

http://www.saskatoonpics.com/Aerial/...es/i-5DGpxGD/A

wow beautiful pictures. Did you take these?

do you mind if i share the link so some people outside this forum? if thats you who took these pictures.

[The Bess]

Share with whom ever you want the person should be stated in the link. I did not take these pictures, wish I did.

[mitchellk12]

curious pointless question, but if someone knows

when does the city start to re-name major roadways?

since we have boychuk/#16 interchange under construction right now, at what point does Highway #16 east/west be given a name.

can the city right now establish a name for lets say #16 east? from the highway 11/16 interchange, theres a fair drive out east..i just refer to it as #16 east. or do we have to grow a little more east beyond costco for the city to consider re-naming the road.

if anyone knows...not important, just one of those ?'s

[Arts]

Originally Posted by mitchellk12

curious pointless question, but if someone knows

when does the city start to re-name major roadways?

since we have boychuk/#16 interchange under construction right now, at what point does Highway #16 east/west be given a name.

can the city right now establish a name for lets say #16 east? from the highway 11/16 interchange, theres a fair drive out east..i just refer to it as #16 east. or do we have to grow a little more east beyond costco for the city to consider re-naming the road.

if anyone knows...not important, just one of those ?'s

Those segments of road are still technically outside of the city limits, so until the city legally annexes the land they are on I doubt they have the jurisdiction to name them.

[phone]

Is there really a need to rename Hwy 16? There are plenty of places where roadways are referred to exclusively by their Highway names... Highway 97 in Kelowna, for example, or the entire network of 400-series highways in Ontario (including the ones passing through urban areas).

Maybe it's just lingering resentment over the hasty and inappropriate renaming of Dalmeny Road to Neault Road...

[mitchellk12]

Originally Posted by phone

Is there really a need to rename Hwy 16? There are plenty of places where roadways are referred to exclusively by their Highway names... Highway 97 in Kelowna, for example, or the entire network of 400-series highways in Ontario (including the ones passing through urban areas).

Maybe it's just lingering resentment over the hasty and inappropriate renaming of Dalmeny Road to Neault Road...

Nope no need to rename, i could care less if they did or not. Just curious on how the process goes for major roads like #16

[Echoes]

You could call or email the City to ask. They have a page on "Naming Saskatoon", along with a phone number and email address:

https://www.saskatoon.ca/community-c...ming-saskatoon

[roryn1]

Highway 16 is also known as the Yellowhead Highway. Problem solved. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowhead_Highway

The highway is named for the Yellowhead Pass, the route chosen to cross the Canadian Rockies. The pass, and the highway are named after a fur trader and explorer named Pierre Bostonais. He had yellow streaks in his hair, and was nicknamed "Tête Jaune" (Yellowhead).