NORTH BATTLEFORD - Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill provided an update on a more than $30-million investment in west-central Saskatchewan by the province for highway improvements.
He spoke on behalf of Highways Minister Lori Carr at a press conference in North Battleford Sept. 5.
The work includes a more than $5.2 million investment in repaving various parts of Highways 4 and 16 at the Battlefords, which was completed in the spring of 2024.
"This means that motorists travelling west as they enter this community at Highway 16 this summer had a better and smoother ride, driving near places like the WDM [Western Development Museum] and the Gold Eagle Casino," he said. "Traffic heading east on Highway 16 as they head into the Battlefords would have also had a similar improved experience."
Another big project is installing a cable barrier along Highway 40, west of its junction with Highway 4 west of the Battlefords. This project valued at more than $461,000 started in August and is expected to be finished this fall.
"The highways in our province are how we safely get to and from the things that ensure our quality of life," Cockrill said. "And second, that same highway network supports our province's strong and growing export-based economy. That's why our Saskatchewan government continues to make strategic investments that enhance safety, enable our citizens to access what they need and enjoy, and to support strong economic growth that keeps Saskatchewan strong for generations to come."
Cockrill said people will see improvements for repaving of eastbound lanes done on Highway 16 between Borden Bridge and Radisson, a more than $10.5 million project.
"We know that highway 16 is a key inter-provincial corridor supporting tourism and trade, and commuter traffic," he said. "Really thousands of vehicles travel that stretch of road every day."
Another project that was done that will also add to safety was adding a new acceleration lane heading eastbound out of the growing community of Langham.
"We all know there is more work to do," Cockrill added. "But our government is doing that work and continuing to figure out how we can support the transportation network."
He said looking ahead, the province is also looking at 8 km of twinning the highway on Highway 4, north of North Battleford.
"The goal there is to address traffic capacity issues" Cockrill said. "This is a busy highway with more than 5,000 vehicles per day. For those of us who travel to the lake or to our farms or to our businesses north of North Battleford, we know that that is a busy stretch of highway. There are many councillors here today from the RM of North Battleford. You guys know well the challenges we have on that stretch of road, and we're looking forward to that improvement to hopefully happening very soon."
He said the Ministry of Highways has undertaken some public engagement and is now examining that feedback, and is "developing a functional plan" for this project. A construction timeline isn't available currently, but the province knows this is an important project.
"This is a project I speak regularly with Minister Carr about to improve our local region," Cockrill said.
Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie is encouraged to see the province's efforts to continue to look for ways to make the highways better and safer.
"It's good on the Ministry of Highways to continually listen to municipalities and listen to the people of the area as to what types of improvements are required to make things safer," he said. "The investment a few years ago of the passing lanes [on Highway 4] going north, that's saved major incidents happening in those corridors happening where it is. Is it perfect today? No, as we have seen a major incident on that highway this summer. But that was in a section where there are no passing lanes. The next step would be to re-evaluate the potential of adding some of those passing lanes."
Leslie said on Highway 4 south there is a larger corridor heading to Biggar that could benefit from some improvements too.
"There are some hidden hills there as well, so the success we have seen in the passing lanes north maybe that is something we could have conversations with the Ministry of Highways to add some of those passing lanes going south," he said.
Breakdown
Here is the full breakdown of the province's work entailed in the funding support announced Thursday:
Repaving work includes:
- More than $10.5 million to repave 18 kilometres (kms) of the eastbound lanes between Borden Bridge and Radisson of Trans-Canada Yellowhead Highway 16, a key inter-provincial corridor supporting tourism, trade and commuter traffic, which sees thousands of vehicles daily. The work began in June and was completed in late summer.
- More than $5.2 million for repaving various portions of Highways 4 and 16 at the Battlefords. The work began in the fall of 2023 and was completed in the spring of 2024.
- More than $2.4 million to repave more than 19 km of Highway 21 around Maidstone. The work is anticipated to start in the fall.
Culvert and bridge work includes:
- More than $1.8 million to install a culvert under Highway 40 west of the Battlefords. The work began in the spring and was completed in the summer.
- More than $1.2 million to replace culverts on Highway 15 near Broderick, Highway 16 near Maymont and Highway 219 near Cutbank. The work began in the spring and was completed in the summer.
- About $1.3 million to replace two old timber bridges on Highway 21 south of Pierceland. The work will begin in September and is planned to be completed this fall.
- About $4 million to rehabilitate a bridge - often informally referred to as the Deer Creek Bridge - on Highway 3 over the North Saskatchewan River about 11.5 km west of Paradise Hill. Work began in April and is expected to be completed this fall.
- About $2.5 million toward replacing an old timber bridge on Highway 376 over Eagle Creek west of Asquith with a concrete bridge. Work is expected to begin this fall.
Safety improvements include:
- More than $741,000 to install an additional lane at the intersection of Highway 14 and Asquith Access Road. The work began in July and was completed this summer.
- More than $461,000 to install a cable barrier along Highway 40 west of its junction with Highway 4 west of the Battlefords. The work began in August and is expected to be completed this fall.
- More than $840,000 to improve the intersection of Highways 14 and 31 near Macklin by adding a turn lane. The work was completed earlier this year.
