Highways Stays on Track to Improve Saskatchewan Roads With $846 Million Budget

Released on March 23, 2022

The Ministry of Highways is investing $846 million to make our roads safer while continuing to stimulate economic growth. 

"Three years ago, our government set a Growth Plan goal to improve 10,000 kilometres of highways and with this year's budget, we are ahead of pace to meet that goal," Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw said. "Our investments this year will continue to make our roads safer while supporting our economy." 

The 2022-23 Budget will invest $453 million in capital projects. Several major construction projects will continue or be completed to improve safety and traffic flow, including:

• Twinning Highway 3 to nearly eight kilometres west of Prince Albert;
• Completing a total of 10 sets of passing lanes on Highway 12 north of Martensville and Highway 16 between Clavet and Dafoe and between Springside and the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border;
• Two sets of passing lanes on Highway 7 to complete multi-year corridor improvements from Saskatoon to the Saskatchewan-Alberta border;
• Two sets of passing lanes and widening on Highway 5 east of Saskatoon; and
• Planning and pre-construction for twinning projects on Highways 6 and 39 near Regina and Weyburn.

This year's budget will improve more than 1,100 kilometres of highways, for a total of more than 3,500 kilometres of highways improved over the past three years. Those improvements include:

• 170 km of repaving;
• 550 km of pavement sealing;
• 100 km of medium treatments, like micro surfacing;
• 15 km of gravel rehabilitation;
• 200 km of Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) and rural highway upgrades, including 160 km delivered through stimulus funding; and
• 67 km of twinning and passing lanes. 

This year's highways budget includes $62.7 million to build, operate and maintain the transportation system in northern Saskatchewan. This includes design work to complete Saskatchewan's portion of the Garson Lake Road, with construction planned to start in 2023, as well as improvements to sections of Highway 155. 

"Both of those highways have been identified as priorities by people in north-west Saskatchewan and our government is addressing those concerns," Bradshaw said.

Highways will invest $55.2 million to repair or rebuild 15 bridges and replace 100 culverts across the province. 

Government will continue to make significant investments in intersections and road safety. This is the fourth year of a five-year, $100 million commitment. In 2022-23, Highways will invest $19.2 million in road safety investments around the province. Projects to be completed this year include turning lanes, streetlights, flashing warning lights, rumble strips, crosswalks and sightline improvements. 

Highways will continue its increased investment in pavement marking to ensure pavement lines have good reflectivity to assist drivers when it's dark and in poor weather conditions. Highways will repair, replace and install new signs to keep our inventory of roughly 120,000 road signs in good condition. The ministry will mow approximately 42,000 hectares along highway rights of way to ensure good sightlines for drivers. 

The budget also includes investments in shortline railways and municipal transportation infrastructure, including:

• $22.5 million to support economic growth and safety on rural municipal roads and bridges, including $7.5 million through stimulus;
• $6.6 million for construction and maintenance partnerships with urban municipalities;
• $850,000 to support community airport improvements that when combined with matching partner funds create a $1.7 million investment; and
• $530,000 for improvements to shortline railways.

With this year's budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested about $11.5 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 18,400 kilometres of Saskatchewan highways.

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