Saskatoon freeway west connector route worries Montgomery residents

People in Saskatoon got to see more plans for new highway construction Wednesday evening. It's all part of the ambitious project once known as the Perimeter Highway now called the Saskatoon Freeway.

The proposed West Connector is an interim route until the western portion of the Saskatoon Freeway is built.The connector is meant to reduce congestion on Circle Drive North.

Several alternatives are being consideredto connect Highway 7 with Circle Drive South.

Some people living in the Montgomery area are worried about one option that would funnel traffic down 11th Street.
They say their area is already under heavy pressure from development on its borders.

"We've got the new city facility, we've got the railway, we've got the landfill, we've got Viterra," said Barb Biddle, president of the Montgomery Community Association."And now they want to put a main arterial road right next to our community? It's a big concern."

Another option would link Highway 7 with CircleDrive South via HodgsonRoad and Valley Road, some distance to the south of Montgomery.

A third option would route traffic from the intersection of Highways 7 and 14 and Neault Road down 22nd Street to Circle Drive.

The province, the city and the RM of Corman Park will consider public feedback, and report back in the spring.