Broadway Bridge

Description of the Historic Place

The Broadway Bridge crosses the South Saskatchewan River from Broadway Avenue to 19th Street and 4th Avenue. Constructed in 1932, the Broadway Bridge provides an important link between the neighbourhood of Nutana and the downtown.  

This historic place is listed under Bylaw No. 6770 (Holding Bylaw). This Bylaw provides short-term protection of the structure from demolition by providing for a 60 day holding period in the event a demolition permit is received. Within that 60 day period heritage designation is considered by City Council.

Heritage Value

The Broadway Bridge is a significant historic landmark in Saskatoon. The plan for the city's third bridge was initiated in 1926 by the Town Planning Board and J. E. Underwood, an alderman who became Saskatoon's mayor by the time the bridge was completed. The bridge was designed by engineers from the University of Saskatchewan and was built by the City in partnership with the federal and provincial governments as a ‘make work project’ during the Depression. It was finished in just 11 months, opening on November 11, 1932. A total of 1,593 men worked around the clock to build it. The total cost at the time of construction was $850,000.

With the east bank of the South Saskatchewan River being more than 60 feet higher than the west, the Broadway Bridge was designed with a four percent grade. The five arches of the bridge get gradually wider and higher toward the east side. Because the ratio of width to height in each arch remains constant, the bridge maintains an attractive symmetry. The Broadway Bridge’s simple, yet bold design, at the end of one of Saskatoon’s most prominent streets (Broadway Avenue) makes it an important landmark within the city of Saskatoon.

Through the City’s Heritage Awards Program, the Broadway Bridge received an award for the renovation of a public site in 1989.

Source: City of Saskatoon Built Heritage Database

Character Defining Elements

Key elements which contribute to the heritage value of this historic resource include:

• Those features that relate to its historic value such as its original location, materials, form, massing and scale.