Released on June 16, 2011
The Weekly Provincial Highway Construction Update
The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure urges motorists to slow down and be alert as repair and maintenance work continues on the unprecedented number of potholes and surfaces failures caused by excessive moisture this year.
"Record rainfall last year and high spring run-off this year have caused extensive flooding and high water tables across a large area of the province, which, as motorists know, has negatively impacted our provincial highway system," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "As roads dry out sufficiently, drivers will see more work happen in the near future to repair them. I also want to thank motorists for their continued patience."
Several roads damaged by moisture are already at various stages of repair or ongoing maintenance to keep traffic flowing, such as Highway 18 between Frobisher and Bienfait, Highway 47 north of Stoughton, portions of Highway 48 west of Kipling, Highway 220 near Rowans Ravine Provincial Park, Trans-Canada Highway 1 west of Maple Creek and Highway 2 north of Wakaw, which is also expected to see deep patching work begin later this construction season.
Meanwhile, new road activity expected to be underway for this update period includes micro surfacing on Highway 16 near Paynton and on Highway 31 near Primate and the Luseland-Salvador area; a bridge rehabilitation on Highway 35 over Jewel Creek, 25 km north of Highway 18 junction, north of Tribune; and the installation of two new culverts under Highway 20 near Govan. For more details, potential impacts to motorists and information about other road work, please see the attached backgrounder.
"As always, please remember to obey all flag persons and slow to 60 km/hr when passing highway workers and equipment in the Orange Zone," Reiter said. "Also, please be cautious and alert when approaching any road construction or highway activity ahead."
For information about emergency road closures due to severe weather or other events, status of ferries and barges, along with other road activities, motorists and media can also get additional travel information from the Highway Hotline.
The Highway Hotline is online at www.highways.gov.sk.ca/road-conditions/ and via telephone or wireless device is as follows: Regina and area at 306-787-7623; Saskatoon and area at 306-933-8333; on the SaskTel cellular network at *ROAD; toll-free across Canada at 1-888-335-7623; and at http://roadinfo.telenium.ca/mobile.html. This update is also posted to Facebook on the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline page.
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For more information, contact:
Doug Wakabayashi
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804
Cell: 306-536-0049