Released on April 4, 2000
The province is investing $250 million for highway construction and maintenancein 2000-01, the largest highways and transportation budget in Saskatchewan
history.
The budget has increased by $15.4 million or 6.6 per cent from the 1999-2000
budget and by $81.9 million since the 1995-96 budget.
"We are striking a spending balance between twinning on the national highway
system, addressing traffic operation and safety on our high volume highways and
preserving our rural roads," Highways and Transportation Minister Maynard
Sonntag said. "We have 101 major road construction projects on 53 different
highways."
$13.3 million will be dedicated this construction season to twinning on the
national highway system. 33 km of grading is planned for completion on Highway
1 east of Indian Head. Nineteen kilometres of grading will be tendered for
Highway 1 beginning at the Alberta border and moving east. There will be
grading of 16 km on Highway 16 west of Maidstone to east of Lashburn and paving
of 11 km from west of Lashburn to east of Marshall.
"We continue to meet our twinning commitment with equal effort on Highway 1 and
on Highway 16," Sonntag said. "The federal budget was a disappointment again,
so every piece of twinning will again be provincially funded."
Safety concerns at high traffic volume locations will be addressed through a
number of projects, including:
8.5 km of paving at a cost of $6.5 million on Highway 16 east of
Saskatoon;
$4 million to complete the interchange at Highway 11 and Pasqua Street
at Regina; and
$600,000 for starting a second bridge over the North Saskatchewan River
on Highway 16 at the Battlefords.
Highway maintenance spending will be approximately $99 million with about 430
km of highway resurfacing and strategic spot strengthening planned. An
additional $34.6 million will be spent to preserve, maintain and improve
northern roads, highways and airports.
Other budget highlights include:
Completing the upgrading of 12 km of Highway 13 between Stoughton and
Forget and starting the upgrading of 15 km of Highway 13 between Forget
and Kisbey;
Completing the surfacing of 11 km Highway 303 east of Lloydminster, 18
km of Highway 304 from Jct. Highway 4 to east of Makwa and 16 km of
Highway 55 North of Big River;
Completing the reconstruction of Highway 965 from Jct. Highway 155 to 8
km west (completes the reconstruction of Highway 965 between Highway
903 and Highway 155);
Completing the reconstruction of Highway 909 (the Turnor Lake Access
Road) with a 10 km grading contract;
In partnership with the province of Alberta, beginning the
reconstruction of 11 km of Highway 17 from the Meridian Bridge to Onion
Lake; and
Completing the surfacing of Fond-du-lac airport and Wollaston Lake
airport.
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For more information, contact:
Barry Martin
Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-4859