Construction work on Highway 39 near Macoun will begin very soon to mitigate the water problem that motorists have been experiencing for about a month.
The one kilometre low level stretch of the highway will be raised approximately two feet while some drainage work will be carried out to alleviate the pressure on the road bed, said Rosann Senchuk, executive director of communications for Saskatchewan's Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure.
But while there was good news pending on one part of this beleaguered roadway it was bad news further south, she said.
The stretch of No. 39 leading from the United States-Canada border at North Portal into Estevan was closed as of late Monday afternoon after it was learned that the bridge spanning the river near Roche Percee was no longer deemed safe for regular traffic. International traffic entering Canada at this port was to be re-routed to alternate entry points until the bridge is re-enforced, something that could take some time, she said.
And while the work to raise and resurface Highway 39 at Macoun is underway, traffic will have to be rerouted to Highway 13 and 47, said Senchuk. That work could take up to a week to complete.
"Typically the construction crews will layer the new materials in to prevent erosion and pumping water may be a part of the contracted work," she added.
The project could begin as early as this week. She said the ministry will do their best to forewarn the travelling public and commercial haulers about the more exact time for the closure and the reopening of this particular route once the tender has been awarded. At that time there will also be a budgeted cost associated with the project. She said she did not know what costs the ministry had incurred over the past month in keeping at least two flag people and other personnel at the waterlogged stretch of highway 24 hours per day to ensure the safety of the drivers and passengers in vehicles who were navigating this particular stretch of water-topped pavement.
With regards to other highway work, Senchuk said Highway 47, north of Highway 361 intersection near Benson that had been inundated with water earlier this month, is now back to near normal condition following some culvert replacements and road resealing. She said additional drainage and installation of more culverts will hopefully take care of some of the excess water in that region as well.
"We expect all this work will begin within a week," Senchuk said in conclusion.
