Crews start construction on Saskatoon's traffic bridge

Construction work is underway on Saskatoon's closed traffic bridge, with Meewasin Trail detours finalized and ready with signage for the detours, the city announced Friday morning.

In an emailed release, the city said trail detours and construction fencing will be installed over the next few days, and in-river construction will start next week.

The company Graham Commuter Partners will be working with the city over the next three years to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new new bridge.

As for detours on the Meewasin Trail, restrictions will start Dec. 12. 

The first phase will last until spring, and it will include closures on the trail between Broadway Avenue and the Sid Buckwold Bridge, on the south side of the South Saskatchewan River.

Detours will run onto Saskatchewan Crescent E, at each end of this section. 

The city's special projects manager, Dan Willems, said "signage will be in place to ensure trail users understand where the trail is closed, the new temporary route, and where pedestrian crosswalks are located along Saskatchewan Crescent East."

Next week, crews will begin constructing a berm in the river. "GCP will be constructing an earthen berm that extends from the south bank of the river to the existing pier in the centre of the river," Willems said. "The berm will allow vehicles and equipment to access the river to work on the new bridge."

When the berm is finished, crews will begin demolishing the bridge.

The city and GCP plan to hold public information open house events on the Parkway piece of the project in early 2016.