Side paths along new Traffic Bridge will offer more elbow room for cyclists and pedestrians

The pathways on both sides of Saskatoon's new Traffic Bridge will offer more elbow room than cyclists andpedestrians may be used to.

The bi-directional pathways will measure three metres wide, compared to the original Traffic Bridge's sole sidewalk, which was a comparatively cozy 1.8 metres wide.

"On both sides it's going to be a lot better than, say, the Broadway Bridge [2.2 metres] or the University Bridge [2.2 metres], or, worst of all, the Sid Buckwold Bridge [1.8 metres]," said Cathy Watts, a member of biking advocacy group Saskatoon Cycles.

Cyclists travelling on the new Traffic Bridge will also be allowed to ride on the bridge deck itself. Pictures of bicycles are painted on the road to signal that fact to drivers.

"We're providing choice," said Angela Gardiner, the city's acting general manager of transportation and utilities. "Those cyclists that are comfortable riding in vehicular traffic, they have the opportunity, but others may choose to travel on the walkways. We're not being prescriptive."

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The bridge is scheduled to open to all traffic on Wednesday. At $41.2 million, the project is on-budget, according to the city. The terms of the private-public partnership, or P3, with general contractor Graham Construction has Graham on the hook for any construction cost overages.

A raised cycle track, which separates cyclists from drivers and from pedestrians on the sidewalk, opened on the portion of Victoria Avenue leading to the south end of the bridge earlier in September.

"It's just great. What a deal. It's really like a model in the city of how to do this," said Watts.

Watts is hopeful the Traffic Bridge can be closed to motor vehicles at certain intervals, like once a month.

"There's so much wonderful stuff that goes on, you know, people walk the bridges or they ride down to Gordie Howe [Sports Complex] and back again."

Gardinersaid that's notimpossible but that city council would need to OK such a decision.