Released on March 19, 1998
Highways and Transportation Minister Judy Bradley today announced theprovince's 1998-99 investment in highway construction and maintenance
will be $219 million. The investment includes immediate action to
twin 27 kilometres on Highway No. 1 west of Gull Lake and completion
of engineering work and issuing tenders to begin twinning
21 kilometres, east of Indian Head.
"Twinning at Gull Lake and east of Indian Head are large steps toward
fulfilling our commitment made in our Investing in Transportation
strategy to twin all of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway No. 16
from Saskatoon to Lloydminster within 15 years," Bradley said.
The 1998-99 highway program reflects an increased investment of
$20 million compared to the 1997-98 highways budget bringing the
total, two year increase to $50 million.
"The department is increasing funding and gradually increasing our
construction and maintenance levels to meet the 10 year, $2.5 billion
commitment set out in last year's budget," Bradley said.
The 1998-99 budget includes spending $23 million on upgrading projects
for highways affected by changing grain haul and agricultural
diversification.
"The province is greatly increasing its investment in upgrading
grain dependent highways," said Bradley. "Ottawa's Canada
Agriculture Infrastructure Program falls far short of what is
needed to rebuild highways which are deteriorating due to federal
changes which have off loaded traffic from the rails to our
roads. The province is being forced to pay the additional
costs."
Other highlights of this year's program include completion of the
Outlook Bridge over the South Saskatchewan River on Highway
No. 15 and completion of the Athabasca Seasonal Road on Highway
905 to Black Lake. An estimated 3,600 kilometres of roads and
highways will be repaired or resurfaced.
"These projects will help maintain our huge investment in
Saskatchewan's highway system," Bradley said.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Terry Blomme
Director of Planning & Research, Engineering Services
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-4834