Replacement of the Historic Traffic Bridge in Saskatoon: Fid-Bau Portal

Replacement of the Historic Traffic Bridge in Saskatoon

DeGrow, Kelvin / Medforth, Erin

Originally built in 1907, the Traffic Bridge was Saskatoon’s first bridge to carry vehicular traffic. The Traffic Bridge was designed as a 5-span Parker through truss and came into being when residents of the Village of Nutana agreed to merge with the Town of Saskatoon and the Village of Riversdale to form the City of Saskatoon. The heritage value of the Traffic Bridge lies in its status as a landmark in the community, its form, massing, and location, the engineering technology used (steel truss architecture), and the original concrete piers and abutments. Throughout its 103-year history, the bridge has been used for horse and carriage, streetcar, and modern vehicle use. The bridge was closed in August 2010 due to public safety concerns due to advanced deterioration of critical structural members. In 2010, the City commissioned a needs assessment and planning study of the Traffic Bridge, which investigated multiple alternatives and potential replacement, included extensive public consultation, regulatory review and debate, as well as City Council presentations. Many elements of the existing bridge were to be incorporated into the new bridge. Engineering studies were completed on the existing elements to determine strengths and compatibility with the new structure. City Council and public participation in all aspects of the bridge replacement process were an integral part of this project. A P3 model was used for the design and construction of the replacement bridge. Many challenges presented themselves during the design and construction of the structure and these challenges provided unique resolutions. The construction of the replacement bridge was completed in 2018, and upon completion, the contractor became responsible for the maintenance of the bridge for the following 30 years.