By Samantha Maciag

Ministry of highways kicks off construction season

Apr 20, 2011 | 5:21 PM

There is more money for Saskatchewan highways this year than ever before after the province announced a capital budget of $285.3 million on Wednesday.

“We have another huge construction schedule planned for this year, just like we have for the past few years,” said Jim Reiter, minister of highways and infrastructure.

The funding is part of an overall budget of $556.2 million and is to provide 1,400 kilometres of upgrades and maintenance work — the equivalent of the distance from Regina to Kelowna, B.C.

This year the list is ambitious — with major paving projects to take place on 17 highways along with 25 bridge and culvert replacements. The biggest project is the $11 million replacement of the 96-year-old St.Louis bridge off Highway 2 south of Prince Albert.

In the Regina area, construction should wrap up on the Lewvan Drive and Highway 1 interchange and begin on the new interchange at the West Regina Bypass and Highway 1, improving access to the Global Transportation Hub. Three ramps will also be built on Highway 1 east will help ease traffic congestion.

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Those who regularly travel a dangerous stretch of road from Saskatoon to Prince Albert can breathe a sigh of relief, with the planned completion of the twinning of Highway 11 by 2012.

Other highways being repaired or upgraded will include the Highway 16 Dalmeny access road, and Highway 305 from Warman to Dalmeny.

Highway 16 east and west of Saskatoon is not planned for twinning, but Reiter says that, along with Highway 6 and 39 in the southeast, could be evaluated next year. Those highways have seen a drastic spike in the traffic in the last several years.

“We want to make these decisions not based on politics, but based on safety and economic growth,” he said.

And, despite all the weather and flooding issues last year, Reiter says the ministry of highways completed 86 per cent of its projects.

Reiter says they have learned some lessons from last year.

“I think the biggest thing has already been put in place, being prepared,” he said, adding that they've been working closely with the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to identify areas most at risk for flooding.

“We made sure we had culverts open, we ordered in extra steamers to open culverts to make sure water flows would be adequate, we either stockpiled or kept lists so we'd be prepared for equipment that we'd need,” he said.

In the east region, construction is to be complete on a new bypass highway — phase two of the Yorkton truck bypass — connecting Highway 16 and Grain Millers Drive to Highway 52.

In the northeast, Highways 21 and 55 are in for major upgrades.

There are several repaving jobs as well, including Highway 4 between the Helene and Turtle Lake turnoffs, Highway 16 west of Saskatoon, Highway 17 south of Lloydminster and Highway 21 between Highway 40 and the Yellowhead.

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