SASKATOON — The Broadway Business Improvement District has laid out plans to help divert foot and vehicle traffic once the city begins the rehabilitation project of the Broadway Bridge, which connects 19th Street East and 4th Avenue Â鶹ÊÓƵ to Broadway Avenue.
BBID Executive Director Anne-Marie Cey, in a media briefing with City of Saskatoon Transportation and Construction General Manager Terry Schmidt, said they knew beforehand of the bridge’s closure in spring for rehabilitation.
The Broadway Bridge will be closed starting on Saturday, May 12. The rehabilitation project for the 93-year-old structure, which underwent renovation and other repairs in the mid-1980s, is expected to take six months to complete.
“A group of business owners and the BBID started meeting to discuss how it might affect businesses and what we could do to help alleviate the impacts [of the closure]. There are several events and activities planned for the summer,” said Cey.
“We are going to offer a free bike valet service in the summer on Saturdays."
They are also encouraging people to use alternate methods of transportation, like bikes and, the scooter program and, of course, walking.
Schmidt added that they had already planned the detours and discussed them with Saskatoon Transit and first responders, including paramedics, the Saskatoon Fire Department, and the Saskatoon Police Service.
“We coordinate this all with emergency services. Police, MEDVAC, and fire are all part of our discussions when we're undertaking construction projects of this magnitude that will affect traffic,” said Schmidt.
“People are probably anticipating some frustration, not being able to use the Broadway Bridge. I'm sure some people recall the construction on the College Drive Bridge last year. We understand that there may be some delays in people's daily traffic patterns.”
He added that the city appreciates the public’s understanding and asks everyone to be patient once the Broadway Bridge closes and detours are in place, which could cause delays and increased vehicular traffic in other areas.
Cey said Broadway Avenue will host its regular street fair and spring fling as the weather improves. They are also hosting some Thursday night block parties in July, as well as other outdoor events that are typically held every summer.
Parking will not be an issue, she said, as they have already discussed this with the business owners, city officials, and Saskatoon Public Schools to provide ample space for those who still choose to drive in to attend their outdoor events.
“We have backup plans regarding parking. We are speaking to the landowner on the point of 8th and Broadway now and looking at potentially working with them to clear that space and offer it as free parking, and there are other alternatives,” said Cey.
“We are speaking with the schools, of course, in the summertime, there isn't anyone parking in their lot, so we're hoping that we'll be able to work with them and do some signage and encourage people to park there as well.”
She added that they expect some frustration from the public who frequently visit businesses and other establishments along Broadway Avenue. Still, she is asking for some patience, as the city will put up detour signs to guide them in accessing alternate routes.
“We are working with the city on the signage. We will be posting signs to mark the detour routes. There's been a lot of talk about pedestrianizing Broadway for many years. So, this isn't anything new, and a lot of the community is very supportive of the idea,” said Cey.
“We love activities on Broadway. However, we feel there needs to be a little more time to study the ramifications for the businesses. What we hope is we can work with them, and right now with the Thursday night block parties, that's sort of our test to see the public response.”
