Saskatoon summer road construction season in full swing

Construction crews are set to undertake a number of projects this week on Saskatoon’s roads as the city reaches the midpoint of their summer construction season.

Overnight resurfacing work began Thursday evening on parts of Airport Drive, Circle Drive and Idylwyld Drive.

READ MORE: Nightly closing of Airport Drive for road resurfacing

Crews will remove a layer of damaged pavement and replace it with a new layer of asphalt.

Microsurfacing work will also start this weekend on various Saskatoon streets.

The treatment helps preserve roads and typically is applied in July and August because warmer temperatures are needed for a successful application.

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In a construction season update Thursday, Celene Anger, Saskatoon’s director of construction and design, said the city has replaced close to 4,000 sidewalk panels and painted roughly 700 kilometres of roadway and crosswalk lines.

READ MORE: 3 Saskatoon intersections to receive makeovers

Intersection work at 22nd Street and Diefenbaker Drive has been completed, while similar work at 51st Street and Warman Road, as well as Taylor Street and Preston Avenue, is on schedule, according to Anger.

“We’ve had some really great weather to get construction done, so that’s helped us a lot in making a lot of great progress,” Anger said.

READ MORE: $61M Saskatoon road project budget targeting residential streets

She added that the city is taking steps to minimize the impact on drivers.

“With so many active construction projects underway around the city, we know what a pain it can be for people trying to navigate the roads,” Anger said.

“We plan our construction season to lessen these impacts as much as possible, but of course it’s not possible to avoid traffic delays altogether. We’re asking everyone to remember the work is necessary and will be worth it in the long run.”

The construction season typically finishes by the end of October according to Anger, however she added that work on the city’s lead water pipe replacement program will continue into the winter.