Saskatoon Freeway


The Saskatoon Freeway is a proposed four-lane limited access highway in and adjacent to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The route will connect Highway 11 with Highway 7, forming a partial ring road around the city of Saskatoon. When complete, it will serve as a replacement bypass route for the existing Circle Drive.

Route description

The Saskatoon Freeway is expected to be a four-lane highway that begins at Highway 11 south of Saskatoon and connects with Highway 7 west of the city, and will consist of:
  • of new roadway
  • 16 interchanges
  • 5 railway overpasses
  • 2 flyovers
  • 1 major river crossing
The project is divided into three phases. Phases 1, the northern leg, runs from Highway 16 east to the South [Saskatchewan River], and includes major interchanges at Highway 12 and Highway 11. As part of the project, Highway 11 would continue in Saskatoon along Wanuskewin Road, while its current connection to Idylwyld Drive would be permanently closed. Phase 2, the eastern leg, runs from the South Saskatchewan River to Highway 11, and will included connections with Highway 41, Highway 5, 8th Street, and Highway 16. Phase 3, the western leg, runs from Highway 16 to the Highway 7/60 intersection, and includes a connection with Highway 14. The project does not include a southeastern leg which would connect Highway 7 to Highway 11 and complete the circle, as it has been determined that the southwest leg of Circle Drive, completed in 2013, is sufficient to handle traffic for the foreseeable future.
The Functional Planning Study for Phase 1 was completed in February 2020, with the remainder scheduled to be completed in 2021. There is no timeline for construction.
It remains to be seen what highway number will be assigned to the Saskatoon Freeway; however, when the Regina Bypass opened, Highway 1 and Highway 11 were moved to the new roadway. Highways 7, 11 and 16 represent National Highway System routes that could be moved to the freeway.
Much as Circle Drive, at the time of its initial construction, encompassed most existing development in Saskatoon, the Saskatoon Freeway as currently routed will encompass most current and near-future development of the city, though some land within the city limits and beyond the freeway has been earmarked for future industrial, commercial and residential development.

Exit list

The following is a list of future proposed interchanges, heading counter-clockwise.