Circle Drive South bridge opens to traffic

The Circle Drive South bridge opened to regular traffic at 8 p.m. Wednesday after a public "bridge parade" earlier in the day.

It was an historic day in Saskatoon as the city celebrated completion of its largest-ever infrastructure project on Wednesday.

The official opening of the $300-million Circle Drive South project began in the afternoon with a parade as pedestrians and cyclists crossed the six-lane bridge for the first time.

And when the bridge and connecting roadways finally opened to regular traffic at 8 p.m. there was a long lineups of vehicles as motorists took the opportunity for their first-ever drive over the bridge.

The barricades on westbound lanes were removed at about 7:45 p.m., while eastbound lanes were open just before 8 p.m.

The opening of the bridge marks completion of the city’s Circle Drive, an encircling freeway that was first imagined by planners 100 years ago.The project involved the construction of the new south bridge, as well as five new interchanges, 10 kilometres of freeway/expressway, three railway interchanges, and pedestrian and cyclist pathways.

Cameras at the bridge site are still operational and can be seen viewed at www.circledrive.ca