EXTENSIVE WINTER TENDER SCHEDULE

Released on November 20, 2001

For the second straight year, a large Winter Tender Schedule for

Saskatchewan highway work will clear the way for major improvements to the

highway system.



The value of the tender schedule is $86.8 million and will provide

Saskatchewan road builders the opportunity to deliver 52 different highway

improvement projects. The Winter Tender Schedule in 2000-01 was an

estimated $90 million and was the largest in history - more than double the

previous year.



"Having such substantial winter tender schedules in back to back years

demonstrates the priority transportation is taking in our province,"

Highways and Transportation Minister Mark Wartman said.



Releasing the Winter Tender Schedule at this time helps to ensure timely

delivery of highway improvements next spring. With a winter tender

schedule delivered now, the road building industry has more time to prepare

bids and determine workload, staffing, and equipment requirements for the

upcoming construction season. More projects can be completed as planned

next year.



In spring of 2002, a spring tender schedule will be released to make up the

remainder of highway projects for 2002.



Highlights of the Winter Tender Schedule include:



138 km of improvements to eight key thin membrane surface (TMS)

corridors valued at $22 million;



300 km of pavement resurfacing on 15 main highways (22 projects)

valued at $39 million;



61 km of work to twin sections of Highway 1 East and West, as well

as Highway 16, valued at $20 million; and



$8.3 million in gravel stockpiling to ensure supplies for patching,

sealing and other maintenance work across the province.



"Our budget of $311.7 million this year was the highest ever. Next year

will be the second year of a commitment to spend $900 million on highway

improvements over three years," Wartman said.



"This schedule of projects sharpens our focus on rebuilding rural highways,

repaving major provincial highways and continuing twinning."



A copy of the Winter Tender Schedule, detailing specific projects province-

wide, can be found at the Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation website:

www.highways.gov.sk.ca



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For more information, contact:



Barry Martin

Highways and Transportation

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-4859