PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – The City of Prince Albert has received the preliminary findings of a study concerning a second gateway to the north.
Vemax Management submitted its findings to city council Monday. The study was initiated by the city, other partner municipalities and organizations.
The goal was to examine the economics of restricting the Diefenbaker Bridge and the case for another one across the North Saskatchewan River.
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The financial loss for lane closures on the Diefenbaker Bridge is projected at $100,000 per day and $1.8 million per day for closing it to traffic.
According to the study, around 22,000 to 24,000 vehicles travel over the bridge daily, with 92 per cent consisting of passenger vehicles.
The city stresses that the aging Diefenbaker Bridge only has two decades of service left.
“What is clear is if we continue to do nothing we run considerable economic risks,” said City Manager Jim Toye.
“What’s been revealed is that we are no longer simply talking about a second river crossing, but a proper infrastructure management plan for the existing crossing.”
Prince Albert says implementing a proactive treatment schedule and replacement plan is paramount to addressing the future transportation needs of the north.
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