Released on March 20, 2019
The Government of Saskatchewan will invest $20 million in safety improvements across Saskatchewan’s provincial highway network in 2019-20.
“The tragic accident involving the Humboldt Broncos in April 2018 put the spotlight on intersection safety in Saskatchewan,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Lori Carr said. “Our government is committed to completing safety improvements at not only the Highway 35 and 335 intersection, but throughout the province with a newly developed multi-year safety improvement plan.”
In 2019-20, $13 million will be invested for the first year of a five-year $65 million Enhanced Intersection Safety Program. In addition, $7.0 million will be invested through the Safety Improvement Program to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions.
These investments fulfill the commitment in last fall’s Throne Speech to deliver a strategy to reduce the risk of collisions at intersections. The Enhanced Intersection Safety Program will accelerate the completion of intersection safety enhancements, complete major intersection improvements, install intersection rumble strips and clear sight triangles.
Some of the projects to be completed this year include:
- intersection improvements at Highway 35 and Highway 335;
- lighting improvements on Highway 3 at Shellbrook;
- intersection and lighting improvements at Highway 21 and Highway 307;
- intersection improvements at Highway 1 and Kalium Road; and
- intersection sight triangle improvements.
The Safety Improvement Program aims to reduce the frequency and severity of collisions through a variety of spot specific highway safety improvements like lighting projects, guardrails and rumble strips.
2019-20 projects include:
- pedestrian crosswalk improvements on Highway 55 at Flying Dust First Nation; and
- constructing a guardrail on Highway 376 at Maymont Bridge.
The 2019-20 Budget improves about 1,000 km of provincial highways and provides $351 million for capital projects, in addition to $89 million for the completion of the Regina Bypass in fall of 2019.
Capital projects include investment of $121.3 million into 920 kilometres of repaving and preventive maintenance and more than $60 million to begin, continue or complete work on twinning and passing lanes across the province.
With this year’s $706 million budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested almost $9.0 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 14,000 kilometres of Saskatchewan highways.
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For more information, contact:
Jill Sveinson
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804
Email: jill.sveinson@gov.sk.ca