The Circle Drive South Project involves:
- a new six-lane south bridge;
- five new interchanges (Idylwyld Drive, Lorne Avenue, Valley Road, 11th Street, and Preston Avenue South);
- 10 kilometres of freeway/expressway from Clarence Avenue to Clancy Drive;
- access requirements of surrounding lands;
- three railway grade separations;
- sound attenuation walls;
- relocation of utilities; and
- pedestrian and cyclist pathways.
Some Project Facts:
- 21,000 m3 of concrete was placed
- 2,000,000 m3 of earth was moved
- 120,000 tonnes of asphalt concrete pavement was laid
- 17,000 linear metres of steel piling was installed
- 3400 linear metres of concrete girders were erected
- 4300 tonnes of steel girders were erected
- 360 linear metres of earthen berm was installed through the South Saskatchewan River
- 95 full time direct jobs for 3.5 years
- 140 full time indirect jobs for 3.5 years
- Up to 460 workers were on site at one time during construction
- The new Circle Drive South Bridge is the longest in Saskatoon at 440 metres (approximately the length of three CFL football fields)
- The new bridge is Saskatoon’s 6th vehicle bridge
- The Idylwyld Flyover was constructed first (in 2010) because it needed to settle or “consolidate.” There are poor soil conditions in the area, so by building it early, the site was “pre-loaded” from the weight of the overpass. In addition, to accelerate the drying conditions, wick drains were installed throughout the overpass to take away the water.
- Because land was needed on the west end of the bridge for the new roadway, the 7th Hole at the Holiday Park Golf Course had to be re-routed.
- To help with the river flows, the new bridge piers (the giant structures that the bridge sits on) were situated to line up with the bridge piers of the CN Rail bridge.
