On March 26, the City of Saskatoon voted to look into the option of relocating the CP Rail line, which blocks traffic at five intersections in the city.
Relocating would leave the CN track, which impacts four intersections, including the crossing at 11th Street near the entrance/exit point of the Montgomery Place neighbourhood.
“What I continue to hear from Montgomery residents is that we need grade separation, so a full separation so that we’re simply not looking at delays there and not looking at that actual problem of blocked access,” Saskatoon’s Ward 2 Coun. Hilary Gough said.
Meanwhile, Regina city council voted to go ahead with a feasibility study that will produce the cost estimated for moving two rail lines at the Winnipeg Street and Ring Road location.
Regina’s mayor, Michael Fougere, had originally discussed exploring the cost of an over or under pass at the location but says this might be a cheaper option.
“If we pursue relocation, we won’t affect the projects to the north on the Winnipeg Street overpass which is close to failing and needs to be fixed right away,” Fougere said. “If we do an overpass or underpass at this location, it may affect the design or timing of that project and that’s not what we want to do. Plus, if we do relocation, we don’t have infrastructure renewal to do every few years.”
Fougere has spoken to Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale, as well as the provincial officials in general terms about funding support, but nothing has been promised.
The report will come back at the end of April.
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