$25.3 MILLION INVESTED IN MAJOR HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN SOUTHWEST SASKATCHEWAN

Released on September 4, 2007

Construction is progressing on $25.3 million worth of major highway and bridge improvements across southwest Saskatchewan in the 2007 construction season.

"The Province will continue to invest in transportation projects to support our booming and diverse economy through Transportation for Economic Advantage," Highways and Transportation Minister Buckley Belanger said. "This strategy will see $5 billion invested over the next decade to improve and realign our transportation system. While existing industries in southwest Saskatchewan, including oil and gas, mining, value-added agriculture, tourism and others, will benefit from these transportation improvements, they will also help to attract new business ventures to the area."

Major construction projects include:

Highway 1 - resurfacing 15 km from the Junction of Highway 19 to east of Herbert (eastbound lanes). This contract has been put up for tender to the roadbuilding industry and will be awarded within the next week, at an estimated cost of $3.1 million.

Highway 1 - resurfacing 5 km west of Gull Lake (eastbound lanes), at a cost of $2 million. The contractor, HJR Construction Ltd. of Saskatoon, will begin work the third week in September with an estimated completion date of early October.

Highway 1 - resurfacing 18 km from the Alberta border east (eastbound lanes), valued at $6.6 million. The contractor, HJR Construction Ltd. of Saskatoon, began work in late August with an estimated completion date of mid-September.

Highway 4 - resurfacing 16 km from south of the Wymark Access to north of the Junction of Highway 363, at a cost of $2.9 million. The contractor was HJR Construction Ltd. of Saskatoon. On-road construction got underway the third week in July and was completed the last week in August.

Highway 13 - resurfacing 15.8 km from Kincaid east at a cost of $3.5 million. The contractor was HJR Construction Ltd. of Saskatoon. Work on this project began in May and was completed mid-June.

Highway 21 - upgrading 14 km north of Leader to a granular pavement from a thin membrane surface and widening the shoulders. The cost of the project is $3.4 million. Construction started May 4 and is nearing completion. The contractor is Carmacks Enterprises of Saskatoon.

Highway 271 - the bridge on Highway 271 will be replaced at Maple Creek. Work will begin in early November and will be completed by early December by Highways and Transportation bridge crews, with an estimated cost of $350,000.

Highway 379 - grading and surfacing from the Junction of Highway 4 east to Redfield, at a cost of $3.5 million. The contractor was HJR Construction Ltd. of Saskatoon. On-road construction began on June 19, and was completed in late August.

"With a record provincial transportation budget of $433 million, this construction season has been busy in all regions of the province," Belanger said. "We will continue to work toward our 10-year, $5 billion commitment to fundamentally realign the transportation network to ensure our export-dependant industries can move goods efficiently and to provide more opportunities for business to invest and grow in Saskatchewan."

Motorists are reminded to slow to 60 km/hr in the construction Orange Zone when passing highway workers and equipment, for everyone's safety. Drivers who are caught speeding in the Orange Zone will face severe fines.

For more information on highway construction, maintenance and the Orange Zone go to www.highways.gov.sk.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Kirsten Leatherdale
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8484
Cell: 306-536-9692