Road construction season in Saskatchewan kicking into gear

Road crews are set to put the pedal to the metal in Saskatchewan.

The provincial government marked the unofficial start to road construction season Thursday, saying most of the projects planned for this year are either underway or will be in the near future.

“Spring and summer 2021 will be one of the largest construction seasons the province has seen in a while,” Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw said in a media release. “With nearly $440 million in work resulting from this (fall) tender, motorists will see over 820 (kilometres) of roadway improvements across the province.”

The scheduled work includes:

• Completion of a multi-year, multi-passing lane project on Highway 7 from Saskatoon to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border;
• Highway 2 passing lanes north of Prince Albert;
• Highway 3 passing lanes west of Prince Albert;
• Highway 5 passing lanes east of Saskatoon;
• Highway 7 passing lanes west of Kindersley;
• Highway 8 resurfacing north of Moosomin;
• Highway 11 bridge work near Lumsden;
• Highway 12 passing lanes north of Martensville;
• Highway 14 passing lanes west of Saskatoon to Asquith;
• Highway 15 resurfacing west of Highway 2 junction;
• Highway 16 passing lanes west of Yorkton to Springside;
• Highway 16 passing lanes east of Clavet to Highway 6 junction;
• Highway 18 paving partnership with Lake Alma;
• Highway 55 grade and paving near Carrot River;
• Highway 322 resurfacing near Rowan’s Ravine;
• Highway 905 gravel upgrade from Cigar Lake to Mclean Lake; and
• Various culverts and bridge rehabilitations and replacements.

The government said 1,350 km of the province’s highways are to be improved in 2021. The province plans to have worked on 10,000 km of its highways and roads by the end of 2030.