By paNOW Staff

UPDATE: Spring road bans on provincial highways coming Monday

Apr 2, 2018 | 12:00 PM

UPDATE: After below-average temperatures pushed the date back, the Saskatchewan Government announced the spring weight restrictions on provincial highways will come into effect Monday.

Road bans will be introduced April 9 in southern Saskatchewan, along with the Kindersley, Saskatoon and North Battleford areas. Up-to-date information on restrictions can be accessed online.

“We temporarily suspended road bans on provincial highways to let farmers and truckers haul legal weights on secondary weight provincial highways,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said in a statement. “We are resuming road bans next week in order to protect these highways for all road users.”

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With the chilly temperatures recorded so far this spring, the province has suspended its spring weight restrictions on Saskatchewan highways.

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Allowable weights are typically reduced by 10 to 15 per cent as the roads thaw in spring in order to protect them from potential damage caused by heavy trucks. According to the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, air and road temperatures will be continually monitored and the spring bans will be reinstated as conditions warrant.

Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said suspending the bans will let farmers move heavier loads of grain this spring.

“Suspending road bans lets farmers take advantage of the recent cold snap, while also protecting roads from unnecessary damage,” Marit said in a statement. “With the backlog in the grain handling system, our producers need to be able to haul as much grain as possible when they have the opportunity.”

While spring road bans are not coming into effect on provincial highways, the ministry noted that some RMs do have bans in place. Up to date information on seasonal restrictions across the province can be accessed online.

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