Full Breakdown
Saskatoon’s Busiest Construction Year Triggers Widespread Traffic Disruptions
By Drooid · · How we work
Construction Surge and Road Closures
Saskatoon city hall announced in May that the municipality is entering its “busiest construction year in history,” with projects that include sewer upgrades in the Nutana neighbourhood, the Link bus-lane build on College Drive, and routine road maintenance. To replace aging sewage infrastructure, the city closed Dufferin Avenue and, later, the intersection of Dufferin and 12th Street for several weeks. A separate, months-long closure affected College Drive and the University Bridge, forcing drivers to detour through residential streets. City director of construction and design Matt Jurkiewicz advised motorists to use 11th Street or 8th Street as alternatives and warned that speed reductions on Circle Drive southbound near 108th Street would remain in place while water and sewer work continues.
Official Responses
Veteran councillor Zach Jeffries said the council will consider a motion to obtain detailed information on how the city decides on construction schedules and road closures, emphasizing that the effort “isn’t about assigning blame.” After public complaints about daytime repaving on McOrmond Drive created a “traffic nightmare,” officials shifted that work to night hours (7 p.m. – 7 a.m.). Jeffries noted that next year is shaping up as another “blockbuster” construction season, and the city continues to advise motorists to avoid College Drive unless traveling to the Royal University Hospital or the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
Impact on Residents and Businesses
Nutana residents described the shifting closures as “mind-boggling.” Business owner Aiden Haichert, manager of D’Lish by Tish Café on 14th Street, reported a 10-15 percent dip in sales compared with the previous year, attributing the loss to motorists encountering multiple detours.
Verbatim Quotes
- “On the one hand, I appreciate that infrastructure is important and that we need to keep on top of things — it's just been too much for too long this summer,” — Kristi Federoff
- “My advice? Well, just plan a little more carefully and think about what it's like to be in the middle of all of this,” — Nutana Monday. Brent Burlingham, nutana resident
- “Opening the University Bridge and then having the downtown side [on 25th Street] immediately closed off has been a bit mind boggling for how that sequencing of the road construction has been,” — Nutana
- “I'm sure logistically it's a little tougher than the average person would assume it is,” — Aiden Haichert, d'lish manager