Idylwyld Drive

Idylwyld Drive

Former name(s)	Avenue A
Maintained by	City of Saskatoon
Length	8.46 km[1] (5.26 mi)
Location	Saskatoon
Coordinates	52°07′11″N 106°40′08″W / 52.1197°N 106.6690°WCoordinates: 52°07′11″N 106°40′08″W / 52.1197°N 106.6690°W
South end	Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge
Major junctions	Hwy 16 (TCH) Hwy 11
North end	Auction Mart Road

Idylwyld Drive (/ˈaɪdəlwaɪld/ EYE-del-wild) is an arterial road in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It is one of the main roads in and out of the downtown area of the city.

On the south side of the Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge, it is a freeway and is known as the Idylwyld Freeway. It eventually turns into Circle Drive, just east of Prairieland Park. At its north end the road divides into two highways, Highway 11 and Highway 12.

The oldest section of Idylwyld Drive used to be known as Avenue A, the easternmost of the "lettered" north-south streets (continuing westward to Avenue Y). In 1966, the Canadian National Railway tracks were relocated out of the downtown; the former railway bridge was demolished and replaced by a traffic bridge; and the former railroad right-of-way south of the river was made into the Idylwyld Freeway. The freeway crossed the river at the bridge and connected at 20th Street to Avenue A, renamed Idylwyld Drive. Two blocks of Avenue A still exist south of 20th Street, as a small remnant.^[2][3]

As with the city's other major transitional arterials, 22nd Street West and 8th Street East, Idylwyld Drive features a mixture of uses. At its southern end, on the border of the Central Business District and Riverdale's business areas, commercial uses dominate. North of 25th Street, residential dominates the west side of the street, with a mix of hotels, motels, schools and institutional uses, including the city's main campus of SIAST. North of 33rd Street, a mix of single-family residential and commercial is featured until approximately 36th Street, at which point the road becomes a commercial district. North of Circle Drive, the street elevates to freeway status and passes through suburban commercial and industrial regions until it exits the city.

Exits and intersections

The entire route is in Saskatoon.

km[4]	mi	Destinations	Notes
0	0.0	Hwy 11 / Hwy 16 (TCH) / Circle Drive – Yorkton, Regina	No access from eastbound Circle Drive.
1.2	0.75	Hwy 219 / Lorne Avenue / Ruth Street	Four ramps together form a complete interchange. Access is provided via the side streets Adelaide Street, St. George Avenue, and Vernon Avenue.
2.1	1.3	Taylor Street	Northbound entrance only.
3.2	2.0	8th Street / Lorne Avenue	Southbound exit, northbound entrance.
3.9	2.4	Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge over South Saskatchewan River
4.0	2.5	1st Avenue – City Centre	Northbound exit, southbound entrance.
4.3	2.7	Avenue A to 19th Street	Southbound exit only.
Freeway ends; becomes arterial road with many at-grade intersections and property entrances.
4.4	2.7	20th Street	Traffic signals
4.7	2.9	22nd Street To Hwy 7 / Hwy 14 west	Traffic signals
5.0	3.1	Jamieson Street west / 23rd Street east To Hwy 5 east	Traffic signals
5.1	3.2	24th Street	Traffic signals
5.0	3.1	25th Street To Hwy 5 east	Traffic signals
5.6	3.5	29th Street	Traffic signals
6.4	4.0	33rd Street	Traffic signals Access to Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly SIAST Kelsey Campus)
6.9	4.3	36th Street	Traffic signals
7.4	4.6	39th Street	Traffic signals
Expressway resumes
7.9	4.9	Hwy 11 / Hwy 16 (TCH) / Circle Drive Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport	Diamond interchange Hwy 11 / Hwy 12 / Hwy 16 (TCH) concurrency begins.
9.2	5.7	Avenue C south / 51 Street east Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport	Parclo A4 interchange
10.4	6.5	Hwy 16 (TCH) west – The Battlefords, Lloydminster, Edmonton	Northbound exit, southbound entrance Hwy 16 concurency ends Hwy 11 / Hwy 12 concurrency continues
12.0	7.5	Marquis Drive To Hwy 16 (TCH) west	Traffic signals
12.8	8.0	71st Street (Auction Mart Road)	Stop signs on 71st Street
13.0	8.1	Hwy 11 north (Louis Riel Trail) – Warman, Rosthern, Prince Albert	Northbound exit, southbound entrance. Hwy 11 / Hwy 12 concurrency ends.
Continues as Hwy 12 north – Martensville, Blaine Lake, Shell Lake
Incomplete access       Route transition

References

1. Gmaps Pedometer
2. Jeff, O'Brien (2005). "Saskatoon Chronology: 1882-2005" (PDF). City of Saskatoon – Archives. Retrieved 2007-10-25.
3. "A View From Above – Key to Landmarks". City of Saskatoon – Archives. 2005. Archived from the original on 2007-11-27. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
4. "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 18 April 2016.