Saskatoon city council decides on rapid transit design for First Avenue corridor

Saskatoon’s city council has decided what First Avenue’s rapid transit route will look like.

At a city council meeting on Wednesday, council heard presentations and speakers address three options before it for the bus rapid transit (BRT) system downtown.

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In a 6-4 vote, council decided to proceed with Option 1, which was the route city administration recommended. Councillors Robert Pearce (Ward 3), Troy Davies (Ward 4), Scott Ford (Ward 8) and Zach Jeffries (Ward 10) were opposed.

Council heard from CIMA+ transportation engineer Ellen McLaughlin, who gave an overview of the three options.

Option 1 was similar to an option that had been presented at a council meeting earlier this year and resulted in a loss of 59 parking spots.

The second option included a change that allowed parking spots that also serve as a loading space for the Capitol Music Club to be preserved, following consultation and conversations the city had with the business over concerns it had with the system’s suggested route.

The third option did not include a complete, uninterrupted designated bus lane for the system along the entirety of the First Avenue corridor.

She shared that First Avenue typically sees about 1,000 vehicles during a peak hour, which she said is fairly low.

Overall, McLaughlin noted throughout her report that Option 3 had penalties for the transit system, leading to longer driving times along the route, though it offered 68 more parking spots than the other options. Aspects of the third option’s design for First Avenue were also projected to result in greater side-swipe and rear-end collisions due to poor lane continuity and a higher chance of last-minute lane changes, resulting in greater safety concerns for that design option.

Dan Willems, director of technical services for the city, outlined the city’s winter maintenance planning for First Avenue once the new BRT system is implemented. He described crews being deployed after a snowfall to clear sidewalks and rapid transit platforms along the route in the late afternoon or evening, pushing snow onto the road to be cleared while roadway work is completed.

The council heard that clearing snow lanes during snowfall is not meaningfully helpful and that routes in neighbourhoods farther from the centre of the city are more impacted by blowing snow during snow events in Saskatoon.

Terry Schmidt, general manager of transportation and construction, shared that various parking studies have been completed, all indicating that downtown parking capacity is adequate to meet demand, even with a possible loss of spaces due to the BRT. The city’s director of transportation, Jay Magus, explained that a person might not be able to park directly in front of the store they wish to visit, but will still be able to find parking within the broader area of their destination downtown.

Concerns over whether changes to the rapid transit design would impact provincial and federal funding received for the project were discussed during the meeting, as well as transit safety, completed public consultation and how the Downtown Event and Entertainment District (DEED) would factor into travel times for downtown commuters.

Various speakers took the mic to offer comments on their preferred design option for the city to consider. Bruno Bartel, representing Midtown Plaza, was in support of Option 1 and confirmed his support of the rapid bus route and dedicated bus lanes.

Curt McCoshen of Bus Riders of Saskatoon said members of that organization wish to see transit improvements made without further delay. He voiced concerns about seeing improvements to a bus system in the city that he said, at this time, is “not good.” He was in support of Options 1 or 2, but asked for no support for the third option before council.

Sherry and Cary Tarasoff both voiced concerns about the rapid bus transit system generally, citing unanswered questions about how the system will run.

Keith Moen, executive director of the North Saskatoon Business Association, and Shawna Nelson, executive director for DNTN Saskatoon, voiced support for council to explore a blend of Options 2 and 3, after hiring their own engineering firm to study public information about the BRT and weigh the options that would best benefit businesses along and around First Avenue.

North Saskatoon Business Association executive director, Keith Moen, speaks to council on Sept. 23, 2026. (Libby Gray/650 CKOM)

As council engaged in questions and discussion about the various options, Magus told council that he was “100 per cent certain that Option 1 will work.”

All councillors thanked city administration for its work providing such detailed information on the proposed BRT route along First Avenue.

Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block said it might have been one of the most detailed items she’s encountered in her decade of experience on council.

“I think it mattered. I think the decision before us really sets the template for how a modern public transportation system is going to work, and it was important. I think that we listened to every detail and asked every tiny question we could possibly challenge to make sure that we are considering this in the best way possible to make a good decision,” Block said in her comments.

“I think that Option 1 is what gives us the best chance to have a successful network, and perhaps the piece that really stood out to me was when Ms. McLaughlin was talking about the confusion it creates when you’re coming down First Avenue going south, and then suddenly it’s something else or the opposite direction. That confusion of how you move around and the safety risks that poses to pedestrians is a big concern for me,” Block explained.

The mayor also voiced the importance of considering businesses and Midtown Plaza’s preferences in her vote, supporting the first of the three design options.

While some councillors did voice interest in the proposed hybrid option suggested by DNTN Saskatoon and the NSBA, Nelson shared that she was frustrated that council did not vote on the option that she felt would best benefit businesses in Saskatoon’s downtown area.

In the lobby of City Hall, DNTN Saskatoon’s Shawn Nelson speaks with reporters after the city council vote on the First Avenue corridor’s BRT design. (Libby Gray/650 CKOM)

She said that, considering administration and the city had put all three options forward, it is upsetting that greater consideration was not given to the rejected options that had been created.