and move in different patterns. However, the lights proved controversial; they cost the city $462,000, which was almost twice the city's original estimate. They also broke down frequently, fueling further complaints from the public about their high price tag. Permanent closure (2010) On August 24, 2010, the City of Saskatoon closed the original Traffic Bridge to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians following a preliminary inspection which could not conclude that the bridge was safe. "When the preliminary inspection results came back this afternoon, the inspectors were not able to certify that the lower steel structural members inspected so far were safe," explained Infrastructure Services General Manager Mike Gutek. "We knew there was corrosion under there, but based on the limits and the extent of the deterioration, and in the interest of public safety, we are closing the bridge indefinitely." According to Mayor Don Atchison on August 25, 2010, "The bridge is going to collapse. It's imminent that is going to collapse," further comparing it to the I-35W Mississippi River bridge collapse of 2007. The bridge's closure initially led to traffic tie-ups leading into the downtown, which were feared to be long-term if the bridge was not repaired or replaced. A 2010 poll conducted by Insightrix Research showed that the public was split over to repair or replace the bridge. Replacement Proposals The city commissioned Stantec Consulting to consider options for the future of the Traffic Bridge. The report came up with a number of recommendations, ranging from rehabilitating the existing bridge to replacing it with a new structure. City council voted to eliminate any options that removed vehicle traffic from the bridge. After a series of public meetings and online surveys, the city administration recommended that the bridge be demolished and replaced with a modern steel truss bridge, but one of similar design to the original. On December 6, 2010, city council voted 8–3 to proceed. Although the final design, funding and timeline for construction for the new bridge are yet to be determined, it will be wider and possibly shorter than the existing structure. Proposals to salvage sections of the original bridge and its LED lights were scrapped due to cost, as decided by an executive committee in May 2011. Funding for the replacement of the Traffic Bridge was announced in 2014. In 2015, the city's administration said it could save money on the project if restrictions on the design