We talked a while ago about the growth of Saskatoon and planning for a city of 500,000.   We’ve seen the new Traffic Bridge, Chief Mistawasis Bridge and North Commuter Parkway opened.  The new  Saskatoon Public Library is scheduled to open in 2026.  There is a movement to build a new arena as part of a downtown entertainment centre.   Then there is something I haven’t heard much about lately but will be necessary, which is a Perimeter Highway, called the Saskatoon Freeway. A previous estimate pegged the cost at around $2 Billion but that number is already outdated.   Public consultation of phase 1 of the freeway functional study was completed in 2020.  Phase 2 was/is to be completed this year and planning for phase 3 was at first deferred then cancelled indefinitely by the province.   The Saskatoon Freeway would alleviate higher traffic volumes and improve driver safety on existing roadways resulting from growth and reduce congestion by diverting large trucks from city roads.  We’ve no doubt noticed much higher traffic volumes as we (theoretically) come out of the Pandemic and Circle Drive North is a prime example of congestion, especially with large semi’s.  The trucking industry is vital to move goods to market, making a perimeter freeway that much more important.  However, as it stands today, we can’t see the situation improving, only getting worse, without progress on a Saskatoon Freeway. 

That’s Coffeetalk.  I’m Vic Dubois.