News Releases

The Clarence Downey Speed Skating Oval will be closed to the public for Provincial Championships from January 17 to 19, 2014; the Canada Cup Junior Selection Speed Skating Championships from January 22 to 26, 2014; and the Local Club Marathon on January 31 and February 1, 2014.

Following the competitions, the Oval will re-open to the public on January 19, 26 and February 1 at 4:00 p.m.

Regular hours of operation are Monday to Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

For more information, please visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/rinks.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

Starting Monday, January 6, 2014 traffic will be restricted south of the 1st Avenue North and Circle Drive intersection while crews complete further work on the primary water main. The following restrictions will be in place: 

• No turning on to 1st Avenue North from Circle Drive eastbound and westbound 
• Local access only along 1st Avenue North between 40th Street and Circle Drive northbound and southbound
• No parking on sections of 1st Avenue North. 

It is expected that this work will take three days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through the orange zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW

CIRCLE DR SB & NB MEDIAN LANES CLOSED AT HWY 16 CLOVERLEAF INTERSECTION
(Road paving)
Start: July 22, 7:00 p.m. End: July 23, 6:00 a.m.

CIRCLE DR SOUTH BRIDGE EB & WB CURB LANES CLOSED
(Bridge washing)
Start: July 22, 9:00 p.m. End: July 23, 6:00 a.m.

25TH ST EB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN IDYLWYLD DR & 1ST AVE N
(Weed trimming)
Start: July 23, 9:00 a.m. End: July 23, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR NB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED NORTH OF 25TH STREET
(Driveway installation)
Start: July 23, 9:00 a.m. End: July 24, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR & 23RD STREET INTERSECTION REDUCED TO ONE LANE IN ALL DIRECTIONS
(Shaw Cable manhole access)
Start: July 23, 7:00 p.m. End: July 24, 6:00 a.m.

ONGOING

20TH ST W EB AND WB LANES CLOSED ON 20TH ST W FROM AVE C S TO AVE D S
(Water Line Installation)
Start: July 22, 7:00 a.m. End: July 24, 6:00 p.m.
 

CENTRAL AVE SB LANES & NB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 111TH ST W TO GRAY AVE
(Water Main Lining)
Access to local businesses will be maintained. All other traffic will be detoured via Egbert Avenue
Start: July 15, 9:00 a.m. End: August, 5, 6:00 p.m.
 

3RD AVE N NB & SB LANES CLOSED 3RD AVE N FROM 25TH ST E TO 26TH ST E
(Water Main Lining)
Start: July 4, 9:00 a.m. End: July, 25, 6:00 p.m.
 

20TH ST W EB LANES CLOSED 20TH ST W FROM AVE G S TO AVE F S
(Streetscaping)
Two way traffic will be accommodated in the westbound lanes.
Start: July 2, 9:00 a.m. End: July, 30, 6:00 p.m.
 

8TH ST E EB CURB LANE CLOSED ON 8TH ST E FROM MUNROE AVE S TO CUMBERLAND AVE S
(Water Main Lining)
Start: June 23, 9:00 a.m. End: July, 29, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by check our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map, find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. you can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

Starting at 11:00 a.m. on January 13, 2014, traffic is restricted on Broadway Avenue between Maple Street and Isabella Street while City crews replace a water connection.

Motorists are advised to use Taylor Street to access either of Clarence Avenue or Victoria Avenue to bypass the maintenance work zone.

The work is expected to take two days to complete, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.  The City thanks everyone for their patience.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time when travelling through a work zone, watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Find up-to-date traffic detour information at www.saskatoon.ca/go/traffic and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

NEW

23RD ST E CLOSED BETWEEN 2ND AVE N & 3RD AVE N
(Road paving)
Start: August 21, 7:00 a.m. End: August 22, 6:00 p.m.

20TH ST & AVE B INTERSECTION FOUR-WAY STOP
(Traffic signal repairs)
Start: August 21, 9:00 a.m. End: August 21, 2:30 p.m.

COLLEGE DR EB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED BETWEEN BOTTOMLEY AVE & CUMBERLAND AVE
(Light pole work)
Cumberland Ave SB curb (outside) lane closed south of College Dr intersection.
Start: August 21, 9:30 a.m. End: August 21, 1:00 p.m.

25TH ST EB MEDIAN (INSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 3RD AVE TO SPADINA CRES
(Median cleaning)
No left turn to Kinsman Avenue northbound. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Ave intersections will remain open.
Start: August 21, 10:00 a.m. End: August 21, 1:00 p.m.

OVERNIGHT: IDYLWYLD DR SB CLOSED FROM 24TH ST TO 22ND ST
(Road paving)
Two way traffic set in NB lanes. 22nd St W WB curb (outside) lane also closed from Idylwyld Dr to Ave B
Start: August 21, 7:00 p.m. End: August 22, 6:00 a.m.

ONGOING

**AIRPORT DR NB LANES CLOSED ON FROM GATEWAY BLVD TO THE AIRPORT
(Roadway improvements)
Two-way traffic accommodated in the SB lanes. 45th St W closed from Koyl Ave to Airport Dr
Start: August 20, 1:00 p.m. End: October 29, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 30TH ST W TO 29TH ST W
(Sidewalk installation)
Restrictions reset daily.
Start: August 20, 9:00 a.m. End: August 22, 3:00 p.m.

CENTRAL AVE CLOSED FROM GRAY AVE TO 110TH ST W
(Streetscaping)
Detour via Egbert Ave.
Start: August 17, 7:00 p.m. End: August 24, 6:00 p.m.

IDYLWYLD DR N SB CURB (OUTSIDE) LANE CLOSED FROM 25TH ST W TO 24TH ST E
(Streetscaping)
Traffic will merge to one lane. Right turn from 25th St EB to Idylwyld Dr SB will be maintained
Start: August 13, 12:00 p.m. End: August 27, 4:00 p.m.

20TH ST W WB LANES CLOSED FROM AVE F S TO AVE G S
(Streetscaping)
Two way traffic will be accommodated in the EB lanes. Speed reduced to 30km/h
Start: August 7, 9:00 a.m. End: September 4, 6:00 p.m..

KINGSMERE BLVD AND WHITESHORE CR (E. LEG) INTERSECTION CLOSED
(Water pipe boring)
Bus routes will be affected. Please watch for temporary bus stop locations and allow extra time in case of delays. Call Saskatoon Transit at 306-975-3100.
Start: August 7, 8:00 a.m. End: August 22, 6:00 p.m.

All restrictions will be lifted as indicated, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.

Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by check our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map, find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. you can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.

The City of Saskatoon Landfill will be closed this morning to the general public due to high winds and the safety concerns.  It is anticipated the Landfill may open to the general public later this afternoon if the wind speeds are reduced.  Should conditions change and the Landfill is to remain closed in the afternoon, the City will advise residents through a Public Service Announcement and through Facebook and Twitter.

The City apologizes for the inconvenience and thanks you for your patience.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

The city-wide snow maintenance program is on hold until further notice due to the cold weather Saskatoon is currently experiencing. With the recent unseasonable temperatures, the snow pack on roadways has become hard ice.  Crews are having difficulty grading iced-packed roads properly under these cold weather conditions.  The ice chunks that are being pushed to the side of the roadway are not staying in piles and are causing obstructions on the sidewalks. Environment Canada is forecasting more of the same cold temperatures over the next week.  

“While the graders are still making progress through these frozen ice conditions, the City must be responsible stewards of tax-payer dollars and provide the best service possible,” says Director of Public Works Pat Hyde.  “We will put this program on hold for now and focus more efforts on streets where ruts are already developing.  When warmer weather is forecasted and the snow pack softens, we will resume the city-wide clearing program and reschedule missed neighbourhoods.” 

For today (Wednesday), graders will only address the most problematic streets in the two neighbourhoods that were scheduled for today: Forest Grove and Dundonald.  The yellow No Parking sandwich board signs will be removed from the streets that are assessed as lower risk.  Any No Parking signs that were in place for Thursday in Lakeridge and Confederation Park were removed this morning.  These neighbourhoods, along with Massey Place and Briarwood, which were scheduled for Friday, will be rescheduled when the program resumes. 

Contractor and city crews will be re-assigned to clearing streets in the core neighbourhoods, where ruts are more prevalent, and other identified streets where ruts are becoming a problem.  Today, these streets are being assessed and a schedule will be developed.  

Residents may continue to report a rutted street using the online form at www.saskatoon.ca/go/snow or by calling the Snow & Ice Infoline at
306-975-2476.  The yellow sandwich board No Parking signs will be posted in advance for parking enforcement and relocation towing.  Some identified streets may be cleared of ruts without the use of the No Parking signs if on-street parking is not a significant issue.  

Since January 20, 14 neighbourhoods have been graded to reduce the snow pack that can lead to the development of deep ruts.  The overall feedback from residents has been positive, although many have expressed concerns with the windrows that can impact on-street parking.  

“This is the first time the City has enforced parking and used relocation towing for snow clearing,” says Hyde.  “While it’s been an adjustment for many residents, as they become more familiar with the process the compliance for removing vehicles from the streets is improving each day.  This allows us to provide a more effective process and the end result is better for all.” 

Daily Snow & Ice Updates are available at www.saskatoon.ca summarizing completed and scheduled snow maintenance operations day-by-day. 

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.

CITY ADOPTS “AGRESSIVE APPROACH” FOR BRIDGE & OVERPASS SNOW CLEARING

The City has changed the way it clears snow from bridges and overpasses.  This action follows concerns that on December 30, 2013, accumulated snow along the barriers on the Circle Drive North bridge aided an out of control vehicle to jump the barrier and fall into the river.

“The City is extremely thankful the woman involved in this incident was able to get to safety without major injury and it wishes her a quick recovery,” Pat Hyde, Director of Public Works says.

At the meeting of City Council Monday evening January 6, 2014, Jeff Jorgenson, General Manager of Transportation & Utilities, advised Council and the public that he has directed an “aggressive approach” to the snow clearing practices on City bridges and overpasses.

“We have a new approach to clearing snow along the bridges and overpasses to prevent something like this from happening to anyone else,” Jorgensen says.

The City took immediate action to remove the snow following the incident and is using new procedures for regular clearing that will minimize the accumulation of snow along the guard rails and barriers.

“When a major snow fall occurs, snow is cleared first along Circle Drive, including the bridges and overpasses because of the high traffic and high speeds,” Jorgenson says. “Snow will be temporarily stored along the barriers in a safe manner, with crews returning to remove it from the high-traffic bridges within 48 hours.”

Previously, there was a maximum height allowance before snow was removed.  Over the past two weeks, engineers and crews have been modifying various methods to safely and effectively remove the snow quickly and efficiently.  Crews will begin removing accumulated snow along Circle Drive tonight, beginning with the outside lanes, using this new format:

1. A grader and a front-loader will plow it into a ridge,
2. A snow blower follows to remove it, and
3. Trucks will haul it away to the snow storage facilities or, in some cases, the snow can be safely stored at either end of the bridge, away from the roadway.

Signage will be in place to direct traffic around the work zone for the safety of crews and drivers.  Drivers are reminded to watch for signs, slow down and use extreme caution when passing this large equipment. Snow removal priority is the Circle Drive North and South bridges, and the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge, followed by ten high-speed overpasses (22nd Street, for example), the Broadway and University bridges, and then the remaining overpasses. Drivers may notice accumulation along these areas, but there are strict monitoring procedures in place to ensure no safety hazards exist.

Given the recent power disruptions in Central and Eastern Canada, the Saskatoon Fire Department and the Emergency Measures Organization would like to remind everyone that in the event of loss of electrical power during cold weather requiring the use of an alternative source of power, the following key safety rules should be followed:

1) Gas powered portable generators used to supply electrical power should be positioned outside, in a well ventilated area, in order to avoid the dangers of in home carbon monoxide poisoning caused by the exhaust system.

2) All types of outdoor barbecues used for cooking during power outages must placed outside, in a well ventilated area. These appliances cannot be used inside due to the extreme risk for fire, explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning.

3) Do not leave candles burning unattended in a room. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.

• Keep candles away from items that can catch fire such as clothing, books and magazines, or curtains – as they are all highly combustible.
• Use sturdy candle holders that will not tip or burn and are large enough to collect dripping wax.

4) Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning in your home by verifying your air intake vents for accumulation of snow and when warming up your vehicle, ensure that it is not close to air intake vents.

As Environment Canada forecasts, Saskatoon and area could face extreme gusts and sustained winds into this evening.  Environment Canada also forecasts falling temperatures, which may affect road conditions.

The City anticipated, and was prepared for, a number of service disruptions or operational challenges.

As a result, the City issued an Emergency Level 1 Alert; this opens up an information- sharing process across civic departments and divisions.  The following is a summary of service disruptions throughout the day, and the action that the City took to address them. 

OVERALL CITY OPERATIONS: JANUARY 15, 2014

Saskatoon Light & Power: promptly responded to all reported power outages and Service Alerts were issued in approximately 30 minute intervals
Public Works: operating normally
Transit: operating normally
Fire Department: responding to numerous calls regarding safety concerns

The City continues to be in contact with other external agencies which have not requested support at this point.

Saskatoon Light & Power (SL&P)

SL&P is able to keep up with outages and is not anticipating any long-term outages at this time.  Crews are able to respond, determine the cause and make repairs as necessary.  The wind creates challenges to crew safety, which is of utmost importance.  As a result, some repairs may have to wait until the wind speed diminishes significantly.  The bucket trucks are only certified up to 30 kilometres per hour (km/h).

Transit Division

If high winds persist into late afternoon, there may be traffic issues on all roads leading to Credit Union Centre (CUC) due to the sold-out Pink concert. There were some delays earlier in the day due to traffic signal loss of power, but service has been restored.  

Public Works Division

Snow & Ice

As Environment Canada forecasts a falling temperature and in light of today’s warm and slushy conditions, Public Works has the following operational plan in place:

Ten tandem sanders and four one-ton sanders are available to address deteriorating road conditions should the City experience freezing rain and/or snow.

If wind is the only weather issue, sanders will still be utilized to address the road conditions.  Wind can ‘polish’ the roadways to an icy surface.

The City has sufficient sand and salt supplies to address the conditions.

Area contractors (grader crews) and developing neighbourhood contractor loaders have been alerted to be prepared to mobilize, should the City experience snowfall or significant drifting conditions.

Additional staff will be available on Thursday, January 16 to augment crews with pre-scheduled load-out locations. They can also be utilized for addressing any resulting snow/freezing rain/drifting conditions.

The regular crew shift is on tonight and will be re-deployed as required to address potential storm conditions.  Again, if needed, Public Works will call in additional staff.

Saskatoon Landfill

The Landfill closed at 1:30 p.m. to the general public due to high winds and the associated safety concerns.

Unless safety becomes an issue, City garbage trucks and other commercial haulers will still be allowed on site but the blue transfer bins will not be accessible.

Recycling and Garbage Collections

By nature of what is in the recycling carts, they tend to be light-weight and the heavy winds are blowing many of them over.  However, Loraas Recycling continues collection as scheduled today.  Operators will turn carts upright for collection and pick-up as much material on the ground as possible in these windy conditions.  

Garbage collection continued as scheduled today in Eastview, Hampton Village, Stonebridge, Westview and Wildwood.  The heavy wind is blowing some of these carts over as well, and operators are turning them upright where possible in order to collect them, but may not be able to manage all of them in this weather.  If your garbage is not collected today as scheduled, garbage collection will resume tomorrow, Thursday, January 16.  Residents are asked to bring carts in and out of the wind, and place them out again by 7:00 a.m. for collection tomorrow. 

Residents are encouraged to be a good neighbour and pick up overturned carts and loose material on the ground where possible. 

Parks Division

A number of calls were received and at last word, Parks crews have confirmed seven City trees have been downed in the wind.  As a result, two pruning crews have been pulled off scheduled work and are exclusively responding to wind-related tree damage.

Tree damage assessment teams are out in the field responding to the calls and prioritizing responses and service by assessing level of hazard.

Phone systems have been modified in attempt to handle increased phone enquiries. We have confirmed that two external contractors are able to help out if deemed necessary.

Transportation Division

All traffic signals are now operational with power restored.

The only outstanding item is a traffic signal pole down at Central Avenue and Attridge Drive.  This will be replaced once the wind speeds are reduced below 30 km/h (the bucket trucks are only safety certified for up to 30 km/h).

Information for Residents and Visitors

The City would again like to remind residents to keep safety a priority during extreme weather events such as this one.  In an emergency, residents are to phone 911 for immediate assistance.

Should a power outage affect traffic lights, please remember to treat intersections as a four-way stop, pull over and call 306-975-2981 to report the outage. 

Residents are also reminded to avoid all downed power lines, and call 306-975-2621 to report a live wire emergency. 

If City-owned trees are damaged and residents are concerned they may be a safety hazard, please phone the Parks division at 306-975-2890 which will be open until 6:00 p.m. today.  After 6:00 p.m., January 15, 2014 you can call the 24-hour Public Works hotline at 306-975-2476.

For more City of Saskatoon Public Service Announcements, News Releases, Traffic Detours and Service Alerts, visit www.saskatoon.ca or connect with the City of Saskatoon on Twitter and Facebook.