Idylwyld Drive

Idylwyld Drive

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°W / 52.1197; -106.6690Coordinates: 52°07′11″N 106°40′08″W / 52.1197°N 106.6690°W / 52.1197; -106.6690
South end	Senator Sid Buckwold Bridge
Major junctions	Hwy 16 (TCH) Hwy 11
North end	Auction Mart Road

Idylwyld Drive (/ˈaɪdəlwaɪld/ EYE-del-wild or /ˈaɪdəwaɪld/ EYE-da-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

This is a diagram of exits and intersections on Idylwyld Drive, from North to South:

Idylwyld Drive Exits

Begins north of Saskatoon as Highway 12 Highway 11 north to Prince Albert Highway 11 enters freeway; Northbound exit, southbound entrance only Entering the City of Saskatoon Auction Mart Road (a.k.a. 71st Street) At-grade intersection Marquis Drive At-grade intersection Highway 16 – Yellowhead Highway west to Lloydminster Avenue C North (southbound), 51st Street E (eastbound) – to Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport Highway 16 – Circle Drive Highway 16 exits freeway Idylwyld Drive becomes arterial road through Saskatoon with many at-grade intersections and property entrances 33rd Street At-grade intersection Future 25th Street intersection Planned at-grade intersection with extension of 25th Street Jamieson Street/Highway 5 – 23rd Street E Highway 5 continues east; At-grade intersection Highway 7/Highway 14 – 22nd Street Highways 7/14 continue west; At-grade intersection 20th Street – Becomes Idylwyld Freeway past this point At-grade intersection Avenue A to 19th Street Southbound exit only 1st Avenue to Downtown Saskatoon Branches off from main lanes; Northbound exit, southbound entrance only 8th Street Southbound exit, northbound entrance only Taylor Street entrance Northbound entrance only Highway 219 – Lorne Avenue, Ruth Street To Lorne Avenue Circle Drive South interchange Continues as Circle Drive

References