SASKATOON, SASK. – The two-year, $20 million Sid Buckwold Bridge rehabilitation project is complete early and under budget.
The 54-year-old structure reopened on Sept. 6, ahead of its original completion date.
“Work progressed so well this summer that we are able to open the bridge approximately two months earlier than originally planned and within budget. We’ve improved the overall lifespan of the bridge by strengthening it and residents will notice a wider, safer walkway that better protects them from vehicular traffic,” City of Saskatoon engineering manager of asset preservation Rob Frank said in a statement.
The City of Saskatoon used $15 million of its Federal Gas Tax Fund (GTF) allocations toward the project. The GTF program in Saskatchewan is administered by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Government Relations.
“It is great news that the rehabilitation of the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge has been completed early. The improvements to the structure and walkway will keep traffic moving smoothly across this key Saskatoon crossing for years to come while also making it safer for pedestrians,” added federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Catherine McKenna.
Rehabilitation of the bridge included resurfacing Idylwyld Drive’s ramp over 19th Street to 1st Avenue as well as walkway widening with taller barriers for improved pedestrian protection. A new drainage system was installed to help improve traction by reducing puddles and splashing.
Piers were also strengthened, concrete decks were repaired and barriers and asphalt were replaced.
The bridge originally opened in 1966 and was renamed in 2001 to honour Senator Sidney L. Buckwold, the mayor of Saskatoon when the bridge was originally built. It is 183 metres long and spans over the narrowest point of the South Saskatchewan River within Saskatoon.
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