WINTER TENDER SCHEDULE FOR CENTRAL HIGHWAYS

Released on November 15, 2002

Central Saskatchewan is set to benefit from 17 highway improvement projects

and four gravel stockpiling contracts worth $26.2 million, following the

release of the 2002 Winter Tender Schedule.



"This is the third consecutive year the province has released a substantial

Winter Tender Schedule, demonstrating the province's commitment to

improving our highways for today and the future," Highways and

Transportation Minister Mark Wartman said.



In central Saskatchewan, highlights of the Winter Tender Schedule include

43 km of improvements to three key thin membrane surface (TMS) corridors,

valued at $7.3 million. These improvements include:



Surfacing 10.3 km of Highway 31 from east of Salvador to west of

Salvador;



Widening and surfacing 18.9 km of Highway 40 from 3 km west of the

Battlefords to 22 km west of the Battlefords; and



Surfacing 14.3 km of Highway 349 from Naicam to 14 km east.



An additional $3.4 million has been identified for widening and resurfacing

three projects across the province. In central Saskatchewan, $2.4 million

has been dedicated to widen and resurface 11.8 km, which includes:



Widening and resurfacing 5.8 km of Highway 5 from 12 km west of St.

Denis to 17 km west of St. Denis; and



Widening and resurfacing 6 km of Highway 44 from Elrose to 6 km

west.



In central Saskatchewan, $14.3 million has been dedicated to resurface 155

km on 10 different highways. This includes:



Resurfacing sections of Highway 2 from Imperial, south;



Resurfacing 15.5 km of Highway 4 from the junction of Highway 378

to 2.6 km north of the junction of Highway 26;



Resurfacing sections of Highway 5 from Paswegin to Quill Lake;



Resurfacing 10.7 km of Highway 6 north and south of Spalding;



Resurfacing 8.9 km of Highway 10 northeast of Melville;



Resurfacing 10.2 km of Highway 11 from 8 km north of Dundurn to

south of Haultain;



Resurfacing 10.9 km of Highway 14 from Asquith, east;



Resurfacing 11 km of Highway 14 from Wilkie, east;



Resurfacing 22 km of Highway 16 from east of Viscount to west of

Colonsay;



Resurfacing 15.8 km of Highway 16 east of Marshall;



Resurfacing 17.5 km of Highways 21 and 31 from the junction of

Highway 307 to the junction of Highway 31 and from Luseland,

southeast; and



Resurfacing sections of Highway 21 from north of the junction of

Highway 374 to Unity.



Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation's 2002 Winter Tender Schedule,

valued at $70.9 million, will provide Saskatchewan road builders the

opportunity to deliver 36 different highway improvement projects and 12

gravel stockpiling contracts in the southern, central and northern regions

of the province.



Releasing the Winter Tender Schedule at this time will:



Minimize haul road damage, as gravel is hauled when the road beds

are frozen;



Generate seasonal employment for the road building industry and

ensure it has more time to prepare bids and determine workload,

staffing and equipment requirements for the upcoming construction

season; and



Help ensure timely delivery of highway improvements next spring.



In the central region, $2.2 million will be spent on gravel stockpiling to

ensure surface repair materials are in place for patching, sealing and

other maintenance work next spring.



For more information about road construction projects, and other

Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation activities, visit the website at:

www.highways.gov.sk.ca.



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For more information, contact:



Vanessa Gooliaff Beaupré

Highways and Transportation

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-4792