By François Biber

Saskatoon businesses awaiting final decision on University Bridge traffic

Jan 29, 2015 | 4:15 PM

We won’t know what’s going to be allowed on the University Bridge this summer while it undergoes massive repairs this summer.

And even with the prospect of losing customers, downtown businesses said the City of Saskatoon should at least keep public safety a priority and allow ambulances to use the one eastbound lane that is planned to remain open during the project.

“It’s going to be inconvenient no matter what so let’s not put people at risk doing that,” said Darryl Caudle, general manager with the Park Town Hotel.

When asked how he feels about shutting the entire bridge in favour of a shorter construction time, Caudle disagreed.

“Whether it’s a four-month closure or a three-and-a-half month closure, really the inconvenience is so big it doesn’t matter so I favour public safety and getting people in and out of downtown.”

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And while city council has yet to approve any traffic for the bridge – Caudle is still hopeful the city will let his hotel’s shuttle service to continue.

“There’s a percentage that stays here that’s university based that we shuttle over so we’ll have some issues with it. Now there is still a walkway that people can use but if you’re coming here for a surgery I don’t think that’s something you’re going to do,” Caudle said.

There’s no doubt business will take a hit this summer, but Caudle, like every other downtown business will wait until the end of March when the city finalizes what to do with University Bridge traffic.

“I think people are going to stay away from downtown because – we see from every day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. the road 25th Street and Spadina Crescent is at a standstill the traffic just creeps and I don’t know how downtown will operate without that bridge.”

The tenders for the bridge repairs closed Feb. 4.

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