The University Bridge spans the

South Saskatchewan River The South Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada that flows through the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. For the first half of the 20th century, the South Saskatchewan would completely freeze over during winter, creating spectacular ...

between Clarence Avenue and College Drive on the east shore with 25th Street on the west in

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway, and has served as ...

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

. The bridge is also known as the 25th Street Bridge and is a major commuter route between the two halves of Saskatoon. Between its opening in 1916 and the opening of the Circle Drive Bridge in 1983, it was the northernmost vehicular river crossing in the city. It is named for the fact that it provides access to the

University of Saskatchewan A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase ''universitas magistrorum et scholarium'', which ...

. The University Bridge was originally planned to be of steel truss construction, much like the

Traffic Bridge The Traffic Bridge is the name given to two truss bridges constructed across the South Saskatchewan River, connecting Victoria Avenue to 3rd Avenue South and Spadina Crescent in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The original bridge opened on ...

. Instead, a new design was used and Saskatoon saw the start of its first reinforced concrete arch bridge in 1913. Unfortunately the original contractor, R.J. Lecky, badly underbid on the tender, had problems with its concrete, and faced conflict of interest charges. One pier of the bridge had to be rebuilt and, due to the impact of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

on the global economy, the company went bankrupt and the provincial government had to finish building the bridge itself. When completed in 1916 it was the longest bridge of its kind in Canada. A number of urban legends have surrounded the bridge since its construction. One of the stories was that the original contractor mixed straw in with the concrete to save money. Another rumour said that a worker fell to his death into one of the forms when the bridge piers were being poured, and his remains lie entombed to the present day. While sensational, none of these stories are supported by actual evidence. In February 1969, the City of Saskatoon included a replacement of University Bridge (a task estimated to cost $7 million) within a 15-year capital plan. These plans did not come to fruition and the original University Bridge has undergone rehabilitation and repair work in 1972, 1985, 1998 and 2015. With the closure and demolition of the original Traffic Bridge in 2016, the University Bridge became Saskatoon's oldest surviving vehicular bridge.

References

{{Crossings navbox , structure = Crossings , place =

, bridge = University Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream =

Broadway Bridge Broadway Bridge may refer to: ;Canada * Broadway Bridge (Saskatoon), in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ;United Kingdom * Broadway Bridge (Liverpool), in Liverpool, Merseyside ;United States * Broadway Bridge (Clarkdale, Arizona), listed on the Nation ...

, upstream signs = , downstream = CPR Bridge , downstream signs = Bridges completed in 1916 Bridges in Saskatoon Road bridges in Saskatchewan

See also

References