By TERRY PUGH
Public consultations on the third phase of the functional planning study for the proposed Saskatoon Freeway are underway and slated to wrap up on Friday, July 3.
The consultations included an online portal (saskatoonfreeway.org) and in-person open house on June 25, both of which are intended to provide feedback to planners from the Ministry of Highways and consulting firms AtkinsRealis, AECOM and Praxis.
The summary of the results from the public consultations will be available online in the fall. There is currently no timetable for when construction of the freeway will begin once the functional planning study is complete.
The Phase 3 portion of the study focuses on the 16.5 kilometer-long section of the proposed freeway between Highway 16 West and the Highway 7/Highway 60 intersection on Saskatoon’s northwestern edge.
The proposed route for the freeway includes four major interchanges and an earth embankment crossing of the West Swale, an environmentally-sensitive seven-kilometer long slough that provides habitat for many species of wildlife.
In addition to analyzing the impact on the environment, the study is intended to assess how the freeway will fit with existing infrastructure, including water and natural gas pipelines, underground and above-ground electrical lines, and the Saskatoon airport.
Another major consideration in the study is the impact on landowners and businesses within and adjacent to the proposed freeway corridor.
The current public consultation has unveiled proposed interchange designs at several key locations. Diagrams of these proposals are online at saskatoonfreeway.org.
The intersection of Beam Road and Dalmeny Road would see a diamond interchange on Dalmeny Road. Beam Road would have a flyover to cross the freeway. Range Road 3064 would be closed at Beam Road.
The intersection with Claypool Drive would also see a diamond interchange on Claypool Drive, with closures for Range Road 3064 north of Claypool Drive, Township Road 372 (Whelan Road) where it crosses the freeway, and also Township Road 370 where it crosses the freeway.
The interchange at Highway 14 would be a partial cloverleaf, with traffic signals on Highway 14 on the southbound and northbound exit ramps from the freeway. Range Roads 3064 and 3065 would remain open across Highway 14 and provide access to lands east and west of the freeway.
A partial cloverleaf is proposed for the interchange of Highway 7 and Hodgson Road, with traffic signals on Highway 7 on the southbound exit ramp from the freeway. The ramp from Highway 7 westbound to northbound freeway is two lanes wide to accommodate heavy traffic volumes in the evening peak hour. Highway 7 out of the City of Saskatoon transitions to Highway 60, which then crosses over the freeway on a flyover. Access to Highway 60 from the freeway is via the Highway 7 interchange or the Hodgson Road interchange. There would be no direct access to Range Road 3064 from the freeway. Range Road 3065 provides access to lands west of the freeway. All directional access from the freeway-Highway 7 to Hodgson Road is via a diamond interchange what loop in the southwest quadrant.
The study proposes an earth embankment across the West Swale, noting that while a bridge crossing was considered, it would have a similar impact due to the need for piers and embankments.