Released on June 27, 2008
Work is well underway on a $30 million investment to twin 35 kilometres of Highway 11 between Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
"Highway 11 is a major north-south artery for trade, commerce and tourism. Ensuring the smooth flow of traffic is critical to enhancing this province's economic growth and productivity while improving our competitiveness in the world market," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard said. "By late fall, this important economic corridor will see vast improvements to vehicle flow and enhanced safety on 24 kilometres of twinned highway north of Saskatoon, and more than 11 kilometres of twinned highway south of Prince Albert."
Final paving of a 12-kilometre segment of newly-twinned highway was completed earlier this month from north of Warman to north of Osler. Work is now progressing on the Osler service road with planned completion for the end of August, weather permitting. Construction is also underway on a 12-kilometre section from north of Osler to just south of Hague. Grading on this section is almost complete, with surfacing to follow in mid July. This section of twinned highway should be open to the public by the end of October, pending favourable weather and contractor progress.
"The Saskatoon bedroom communities of Warman and Osler are dynamic and growing, with traffic counts in the range of 7,500 commercial and personal vehicles per day on this section of Highway 11," Elhard said. "Twinning should help ease congestion along this vital corridor."
In the Prince Albert area, grading work is 80 per cent complete on an 11.3 km-section of twinned highway from north of Macdowall to the junction of Hwy 2 south of Prince Albert. Once grading is complete later in July, work will begin on surfacing this newly-twinned highway. The new lanes should be open to the public by the end of October, once again pending favourable weather and contractor progress.
"The mining, exploration, and oil and gas sectors across northern Saskatchewan funnel thousands of heavy trucks through Prince Albert on a daily basis," Elhard said. "Improving this vital gateway will not only make travel safer and far more efficient for commercial traffic, but it will enhance the drive for thousands of visitors who head north each year to take advantage of our northern lakes."
The government's long-range goal is to work toward completing the twinning of Highway 11 from Saskatoon to Prince Albert. The Province is looking at a number of funding options for this to occur, including accessing federal dollars under the Building Canada Fund.
"A fully-twinned Highway 11 will do much to expand inter-modal capacity for Saskatchewan shippers, connecting central and northern Saskatchewan to national and international trade routes along our National Highway System, as well as by air and rail," Elhard said. "These investments will do much to ensure the province continues on its path of growth and security, providing a better life for all Saskatchewan residents."
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For more information, contact:
Kirsten Leatherdale
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8484