Why is this project occurring?

The Montgomery Place neighbourhood has a unique network of ditches and culverts designed for storm water management in a rural setting.  Over time, the effectiveness of surface drainage has been compromised as new driveways, landscaping, and erosion altered the right-of-ways and contributed to basement flooding and nuisance ponding during spring snowmelt and intense rainfalls.

This project improves surface drainage by re-constructing the ditches along right-of-ways.

Why are there so many driveway crossings in Montgomery Place that do not meet the standards?

Many factors occurring over decades have contributed to the current situation of driveways and landscaping.  Some driveways were constructed prior to standards being in place or were constructed without a Right-of-Way Crossing permit, which involves a final inspection.  Some property owners may not have fully considered the impact of their driveways on their neighbours downstream.  The City has not had the resources in place to continually inspect the driveways and enforce compliance.  However, a new process is now in place to increase awareness of requirements and enforce permits.

How much will the project cost and how will it be funded?

The Drainage Improvement Project (Phase I to Phase III) total cost is $8 million. This will be cost shared between the Government of Canada, Government of Saskatchewan, and the City of Saskatoon. Property owners costs for non-compliant driveway construction is not included in the funding agreement.

What types of construction will occur?

The Montgomery Place Construction Project includes restoring ditches and culverts to provide a flow path for storm water, water main replacement, lead-line connection removal and replacement, and road reconstruction.  Driveways on City-owned right-of-ways will be impacted.​

Why aren’t underground storm sewers being installed instead of ditches and culverts?

The cost to install underground storm water pipes is very expensive, especially in older areas where there is other underground infrastructure.  Property owners in new neighbourhoods pay for those costs through a development levy.  In the past, new underground storm water pipes were included in the infrastructure proposed for Montgomery Place, to be cost-shared by citizens through a neighbourhood improvement levy.  However, neighbourhood citizens rejected this proposal so the ditch and culvert system has been retained.

What are the locations of the project?

Please go to the Background tab for descriptions and maps of the locations for each construction phase.

How did the City select the locations?

The City receives complaints of flooding and damage because drainage is blocked by driveway crossings that don't have proper culverts.  The City focused on the downstream end of the drainage system in Montgomery Place in Phase I and is working upstream. Phase II and III areas were also determined in collaboration with the Roadways Preservation program.

What are the construction timelines?

• Phase I: work on Lancaster Boulevard and Ortona Street will not be complete in 2022 and will carry over into 2023
• Phase II: to be completed over 2 years between 2023-2024
• Phase III: to be completed over 2 years between 2025-2026

Construction within each year is expected to occur between April and October.

During the ditch projects, can I have temporary access to my front yard while the ditch and roadway work is being constructed in front of my house?

Residents will be required to utilize the back alley or side yards to access their property during construction. For properties that do not have a back alley or side yard access, access will be determined on a case-by-case basis in collaboration with the City and the contractor.

For those residents who have mobility needs, please contact the City prior to construction beginning.

My property hasn’t flooded.  Why is a ditch and culvert being installed in the right-of-way adjacent to my property?

Driveways without culverts and right-of-ways without ditches impede the flow of storm water runoff and snow melt, and contribute to flooding and damage for upstream neighbours.  This project will provide a clear path for water to flow to the new catch basin being constructed on Dundonald Avenue, thereby reducing ponding and/or flooding conditions for the drainage area.​

Run-off storm water storage is also required for the neighbourhood as underground storm sewers are not installed. The ditch and culverts have been designed for similar storage compared to a residential neighbourhood with underground storm sewers.

Will the trees on City of Saskatoon right-of-ways be impacted?

Tree preservation will be completed if possible. Tree preservation will cause sections of steep ditch slopes to preserve tree roots.

Why was the tree preservation a priority over the maintenance of the ditches for Phase I?

City tree protection is required under the City Council Policy: Trees on City Property.

Trees on public property and right-of-ways are valuable assets and an important part of the larger urban forest, which provides economic, environmental, and social benefits to everyone who lives in or visits Saskatoon. Protecting and maintaining City-owned trees ensure they will continue to provide these benefits will into the future.

From feedback from Phase I, the City is currently reevaluating the tree preservation approach for the Montgomery Place Drainage Improvement Project. Tree preservation discussions will be completed between the City and property owners during the private ditch crossing contract discussions.

Why are the ditch slopes for Phase I (Caen Street, Dundonald Avenue, Lancaster Boulevard) inconsistent from property to property?

Steeper sections of ditch were required to work around and preserve trees. Power poles and above ground external utility infrastructure also required steeper sections of ditch.

As per our regular process, the City has completed surveys of the constructed ditches and is evaluating if there are any areas that were constructed at a steeper grade than what was designed. Additionally, due to feedback from residents, the City completed some spot checks on the drainage ditch slopes and identified some locations that were constructed steeper than designed. The City is currently evaluating how these construction deficiencies will be rectified.

What is the City Standard for private driveways that cross the City-owned right-of-ways in Montgomery Place?

Prior to 2021, the maximum driveway width for interior lots and corner lots with crossing(s) only on one side of their property was 20 ft (6.1 m). Corner lots with a driveway crossing on the front and side yard could have up to 32 ft (9.75 m) of crossing width. The City has adopted a new maximum driveway width for Montgomery Place in 2021. The new maximum width for driveway crossings on right-of-ways is based on lot frontage; residents may have up to 1/3 lot frontage for their driveway width if they can be in compliance with drainage requirements, City-owned trees, and other utilities. Culverts are also required as applicable.

How will my driveway be impacted?

A 300 mm culvert will be installed underneath all driveways within the City's right-of-way.  Impacted driveway crossings will be restored with the pre-construction material (i.e., concrete driveway will be restored with concrete) and width.  Property owners that are required to cost share will have the opportunity to reduce the driveway width to lower the cost share amount.

How much will I have to pay for my driveway reconstruction?

The cost-sharing program for individual properties, approved by City Council in June 2020:

1. Compliant driveway crossing with culvert (driveway is equal or less than 6.1 m width)
   • City will pay all culvert installation and driveway restoration costs.
2. Non-compliant driveway crossing with culvert (driveway is greater than 6.1 m width)
   • City will pay costs equivalent to a standard asphalt driveway crossing, which includes a new culvert.
   • Restoration costs exceeding the standard amount will be cost-shared (60% City/ 40% property owner).
3. Non-compliant driveway crossing with no culvert
   • Property owner will pay 100% of culverts installation costs.
   • Driveway resurfacing costs exceeding the standard amount will be cost-shared (60% City/ 40% property owner).

Property owners required to cost share will have the opportunity to decrease their crossing width and/or alter restoration material to reduce their costs, and/or spread the costs on a property tax deferral program similar to the lead line replacement program.

In 2021, driveway reconstruction cost sharing was estimated to be between $100 to $12,000 for private property owners based on driveway configuration. Actual cost sharing amounts will be based on construction quantities.

Property owners in the footprint of Phase II were mailed a cost sharing contract in the spring of 2023. Property owners in the footprint of Phase III will be provided cost sharing contracts at a later date.

Who is responsible for maintaining right-of-way drainage in Montgomery Place?

The City seeks to minimize property taxes by not assuming the responsibility and cost of activities that benefit individual property owners and/or can be carried out cost effectively by them. As a result, property owners have the primary responsibility for maintaining the right-of-way area on their property, which includes mowing the grass and keeping drainage paths clear. Property owners can apply for permits to construct driveways across the right-of-way but must adhere to crossing standards in place to maintain drainage for their neighbours. Property owners who have driveway crossings through the right-of-way are responsible for ensuring that culverts are clear and that drainage is not blocked.

How steep will the newly constructed ditch be? Will it be difficult to maintain and mow the grass? 

The side slopes of the ditches are 3H:1V with the exception of some locations with trees.  The regular ditch slope is blended to approximately 2H:1V (similar to the slopes on Haida Avenue) near the base of trees to preserve them throughout and after the project. Additional effort to maintain the ditch should be expected for property owners.

What happens if property owners don't mow the drainage ditches?

The City requires residents to mow and maintain the right-of-way next to their property. In Montgomery Place, it is especially in the best interest of property owners to do so as a poor drainage path may cause issues for yourself and neighbours.

Where are people supposed to walk in the areas of the new ditch projects? With the new roadway and ditch design, the informal walking areas along the road have now been eliminated.

The previous and new ditch and roadway design were not designed to be used as walking paths or for other active transportation uses. The current project prioritizes the improvement of the overland ditch and culvert drainage system and will not impact the long-term active transportation plan for the neighbourhood.

If you have specific active transportation questions, please contact the Customer Care Centre at (306) 975-2476. If you're interested in other active transportation locations within Saskatoon, please visit our Walking Routes & Maps web page.

With the new roadway and ditch design, the informal parking areas along the road have been eliminated. Where on the road should people park when the work is complete?

Neither the existing or new roadway and ditch system were designed for parking on the street, even though we recognize that was occurring. People will be required to park in driveways or other parking areas within the neighbourhood. For parking related questions or concerns, please call (306) 975-2400.

Can we have more no-parking signs in the neighbourhood now with the larger ditches to prevent people from parking on the shoulder or roadway?

The City has reviewed The Traffic Bylaw and additional no-parking signage is not required in the areas receiving ditch improvements. If residents want to inquire about signage in a specific area, please contact the Customer Care Centre at (306) 975-2476.

Why did the City install a gravel shoulder on the roadway instead of an asphalt shoulder?

Gravel road shoulders are less expensive and these roadway shoulders are not designed for biking and other forms of active transportation. Asphalt shoulders may contribute to additional cyclist and pedestrian safety concerns within the project area. Constructing a larger asphalt surface may also lead to increased speeding in the neighbourhood.