We grumble a lot about traffic delays caused by construction on our roads in Saskatoon. For those who’ve lived in the city for decades, it’s still sometimes hard to get used to taking half an hour to 45 minutes to get somewhere when it used to take 10 to 15. But this year all that construction is showing some seriously tangible results that will make driving easier and traffic flow more smoothly depending on where it is you’re going on the East side of Saskatoon. The Chief Mistawasis Bridge is open this week in the Northeast and the Traffic Bridge downtown is now open once again, finally. The overpass at Boychuck Drive and Highway 16 opened Sunday and the opening of the overpass at McCormand and Highway 5 is imminent. Imminent means ready to take place; happening soon. Actually the word is used mostly when something bad or dangerous is about to happen, so maybe I should phrase it better, as in the opening is near, close at hand, fast approaching, on the horizon, just around the corner. I’ve turned onto McCormond Road from Highway 5 on my way home since October, 1989, exactly 29 years. I remember when it was a gravel road, then two lanes paved, then four lanes paved, and now an exchange with an overpass. The city has grown and with it, traffic. Construction delays are the price of progress in the land where the automobile is still King, especially in the suburbs where there ain’t no bike lanes.
That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.