Relief is on the way this weekend for approximately 20,000 Saskatoon drivers daily. The Broadway Bridge, shut down since May for significant rehabilitation, is set to reopen on Saturday night, as announced by the City of Saskatoon on Thursday. The exact reopening time was uncertain earlier on Thursday, with Matt Jurkiewicz, the City of Saskatoon’s construction and design director, mentioning to Saskatoon Morning host Stephanie Massicotte that the reopening was a day-by-day process. He hoped for completion by the end of Friday, noting that adverse weather conditions like rain or snow might cause delays but assured that the bridge would be ready for Monday morning commuters.
Upon reopening, motorists heading north towards downtown will find a revised intersection at Fourth Avenue and 19th Street, replacing the previous unconventional junction with a traditional T intersection featuring three sets of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. The bridge appeared nearly finished on Thursday, with lane markings and paving seemingly done. However, work on the bridge spans and other infrastructure below the bridge is anticipated to continue post-reopening.
During Wednesday’s city council meeting, Mayor Cynthia Block queried Terry Schmidt, the city’s transportation and construction general manager, about the bridge’s status. Schmidt indicated that efforts were ongoing to ensure completion by the week’s end, noting that road surfaces, pavement markings, and streetlights were ready, with only a few remaining issues to address.
Julmac Contracting Ltd., an Ontario-based firm specializing in bridge rehabilitation, secured the $15.5 million contract for the bridge upgrade. The contract encompasses deck renovations, new traffic barriers, railing and arch enhancements, and the removal of outdated utilities under the bridge. Originally constructed in just 11 months during the Great Depression at a cost of $850,000, the Broadway Bridge opened on November 11, 1932. It remains Saskatoon’s steepest bridge accommodating around 20,000 vehicles daily when operational.