It would likely cost $130 million to construct another bridge that connects South Hill to the north side, but such a project hinges on a larger population and upgrades to Highway 1.
During a May 2022 regular council meeting, city council approved a motion to discuss during its 2023 budget meetings the possibility of constructing a new bridge that joined Coteau Street West with Thatcher Drive Northwest along 16th Avenue Southwest.
The 2012 transportation master plan discusses building a bridge at 16th Avenue Southwest, but population growth — 45,000 to 70,000 people — and future connections or interchanges with Highway 1 must first occur, a budget report explained. The investment would only occur once officials had decided to connect the Trans-Canada Highway to 16th Avenue Northwest, 24th Avenue Northwest or 32nd Avenue Northwest.
The plan indicated it would cost $101 million — in 2012 dollars — to build a new bridge, but inflation has pushed that cost to $130 million without factoring in contingency funding, the report continued. City hall would require financial support from the federal and provincial governments to make this bridge happen.
The cost to build just the bridge itself is significant, while it doesn’t include other related road renovations and width upgrades necessary to support such a project, city administration told council during the budget meeting.
Mayor Clive Tolley appreciated learning what it would take to grant more access to southwest Moose Jaw, pointing out that traffic is regularly congested at Coteau Street West and Ninth Avenue Southwest and people often ask him about another route.
He noted that the city would have to grow significantly to attract attention and money from other levels of government.
“We’re not that far away from getting to 45,000 people, but we need to get there and to have those people in place in this community before we are even in a position to build this bridge,” he added.
The Ministry of Highways is performing a corridor study of Highway 1 through the community, so council needs to see the report’s results and what areas are picked for improvements before making any decisions about bridges, said Coun. Crystal Froese. Moreover, this initiative would be a “generational project” because of its cost.
This report is good to remind council and the public that it’s not just what’s happening on South Hill that matters, but also what’s happening on the surrounding highways, said Coun. Heather Eby. This will be a much bigger project than simply making a faster way to reach South Hill.
“I really appreciated the report … . Maybe we’ll see a bridge in the future,” she added.
Coun. Doug Blanc thought residents should use 24th Avenue Southwest more often but acknowledged that the problem with that road is trains regularly slow down to half a kilometre an hour and block the crossing for long periods.
“Yes, residents have to stop if there’s a train there, but it still is another access to get to South Hill,” he said, adding once the ministry has completed its report, council could look at upgrading that road.
Council then voted to receive and file the budget report and moved on to another topic.
