Construction is set to begin on passing lanes for a stretch of highway in south Saskatchewan known for serious crashes.
The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure highlighted passing lanes for Highway 6 and the Highway 39 junction among the list of major projects at the launch of the summer construction season Tuesday.
Local residents who travel Highway 6 and the Highway 39 junction have been raising concerns on social media about the safety in the high traffic corridor for several years.
The trucking association also highlighted Highways 6 and 39 as a major corridor for trucks shipping goods to the U.S., saying the passing lanes will improve safety.
“Passing lanes along these highways will make the movement of goods along these key trade corridors both safer and more efficient,” Saskatchewan Trucking Association Director of Policy and Communications Nicole Sinclair said in a news release.
Construction will also begin on passing lanes for Highway 4 between North Battleford and Cochin. The stretch of Highway 4 north of North Battleford is also on the list for repaving work.
The provincial highways budget of $924.5 million dollars will also cover continued work on overpasses by Warman and Martinsville, twinning Highway 7 and the Regina Bypass.
Within the budget, $118 million is earmarked for repaving and preventative maintenance work on 700 kilometres of provincial highway. Highway 2 south of Chamberlain and Highway 35 south of Weyburn are on the list for repaving along with Highway 26 between Vawn and Mervin.
The province is also reminding drivers to slow down and pay attention to workers in all of the various orange zones across the province. Drivers can find the map of highway restrictions to plan their route on the Highway Hotline website.