Significant changes to plan for Link Bus Rapid Transit  

After further investigation of what needs to be done to implement the Link Bus Rapid Transit System on College Drive, the City of Saskatoon has discovered that two major changes to its original plan need to be made.

Originally, the City had hoped to construct a contraflow lane on College Drive to be specifically used for buses. This would have had vehicles travel in the opposite direction of adjacent traffic. The City also intended to leave the pedestrian overpass from the Stadium parkade to the University Campus.

Instead, Administration is now recommending that the transit lanes are constructed to flow with adjacent travel, and that the pedestrian overpass be converted into an at-grade Signalized Pedestrian Crossing.

The changes will be considered at Tuesday’s Transit Committe meeting.

Organics program for multi-units

The City of Saskatoon is trying to determine how to go about collecting organics waste from multi-unit residences.

At Tuesday’s Environment, Utilities, and Corporate Services meeting, Administration will present four options.

Option one, the choice Administration is recommending, would see the City deliver a city-wide multi-unit organics service to all properties and charge residents on their utility bill.

Option two would have the City determine a service level, conducts procurement, and negotiates a multi-year service agreement with one service provider for a city-wide collection service.

The third option relies on a bylaw requirement for all multi-unit residential properties to divert organic waste, but each property can pick the service provider of their choice, whether it be the City or a private service provider.

Finally, Option 4 is quite similar to option three, except the City would not be an option as an available service provider.

Option 1 would cost the average household $2.95 per month. The Committee will make a decision which will then go to City Council.

Making snow clearing more efficient

For the last five years, the City of Saskatoon has been unable to clear snow and ice from Priority 2 streets within the allotted time frame of 36 hours. Administration is now looking for options to ensure these timelines are met for Priority 2 streets.

At tomorrow’s transportation committee meeting, Administration will be presenting two options which could fix this reoccurring issue.

Option one, Administration’s top choice, is to increase the timeline from 36 hours after snowfall ends to 48 hours, considering the average time it took crews to clear priority 2 streets has been 45 hours.

Option two would mean an increase of Crew and Equipment Resources for Snow Event Responses. This could cost roughly $890,000 per winter season. In addition to this operating funding, the City would also require additional capital funding to purchase four graders at $2 million which is currently unfunded.

E-scooters

Saskatoon’s Transportation committee will be reviewing the decision to allow privately owned e-scooters on public streets at its meeting Tuesday.

Administration is recommending that the committee chose to allow the new change, Option 2, as it will provide another transportation option that is less expensive than driving a vehicle.

The new bylaw would also provide a recreation opportunity for many, and travel on scooters is more environmentally friendly than driving a vehicle. This would also mitigate parking congestion.

If the committee is to choose Option 2, helmets would still be required, scooter operators must be at least 16 years old, and the maximum operating speed is 24 km/h.

If the committee chooses Option 1, privately-owned e-scooters will not be allowed on public streets.

No front lane pick up in Eastview

After conducting a survey among homes in Saskatoon’s Eastview neighborhood, City Administration is no longer recommending a change to garbage collection locations in that area.

Currently, garbage collection takes place in the back alley of about 25 per cent of homes in Saskatoon as opposed to the front street.

To determine whether a location switch needed to be made, 650 homes in the area were surveyed. Results how that 82 per cent of residents did not want to change their collection location, while 15 per cent did, and 3 per cent said they had no preference.

When asked why they did not want to change their collection location from the back lane, respondents cited convenience, established storage location for carts, and impacts to curb appeal. Of those who would like a change, reasons included snow build up in the back lane, convenience and perceived reduction of scavenging.