Warman overpass expected to cut accidents, congestion

Construction is getting underway on two overpasses north of Saskatoon.

A sod-turning event was held Thursday for the overpasses, one to be built on Highway 12 at Martensville and the other on Highway 11 at Warman.
 
The total cost of $60.6 million will be split between Ottawa and the province.
 
Around 14,000 vehicles use Highway 12 each day. The new interchange is meant to disperse traffic along Main Street and Centennial Drive in Martensville.
 
In Warman, the overpass connecting Highway 11 and Highway 305 is meant to offer a safer route in and out of the community. It will also make it possible to divert traffic around future road work.

Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said once Highway 11 is moved four kilometres to the overpass site, they won’t allow left hand turns across highway traffic.

“They will just turn into local roads,” he said.

Cats and heavy machinery already moving dirt for the fall 2019 completion of the #warman overpass, will help traffic move more freely #yxe pic.twitter.com/6kpOQIF1O3

— JT Marshall (@jtmarshallCKOM) April 20, 2017

Residents look forward to new  route

SGI said the intesection being replaced for Warman saw 66 accidents reported between 2006 and 2015. Forty-eight of those involved injuries, but none resulted in deaths.

Warman’s Dennis Seib said he’s been waiting for the overpass since 1994.
 
“I’m shocked no one has been killed yet,” he said.
 
Caila Blackwood has lived in the community for five years.
 
“I’m happy when my younger kids grow up they’ll be safer on the road driving,” she said.

Completion of both overpasses is scheduled for the fall of 2019.