Extra margin included in Regina overpass clearance signs

In recent weeks, multiple overpasses in Saskatoon have been struck, as well as a highway overpass just east of Moose Jaw. The City of Regina says it maintains a margin of error to help ensure large vehicles don’t hit one of the 39 overpasses it’s responsible for.

Regina’s director of roadways and transportation, Chris Warren, said one of the ways the city tries to prevent such strikes is by giving an extra cushion for truck drivers navigating low overhead clearance.

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“The overpasses that are maintained by the City of Regina are assigned at a lower height than the actual height, and that’s typically about 0.2 meters or eight inches,” Warren said in an interview. “That’s really to allow for any soil or road movement, or any kind of anomalies or error in a load measurement that a trucker might have.”

Warren said the road surface thickness usually doesn’t change as a result of a resurfacing job, because the existing pavement is milled down first by a depth of six to eight inches and replaced by as much new pavement.

He also said bridges and overpasses are inspected every year by the city, with a third-party inspection every three years or more frequently if warranted.

“Overpass heights are usually only rechecked or adjusted if the overpass is rehabilitated or if the roadway under the overpass is paved or improved in some way, shape or form,” he explained.

Vehicles or equipment taller than 4.2 metres (13 feet 9 inches), wider than 3.7 metres (12 feet 2 inches), or longer than 25 metres (82 feet) have to get a permit from the city. Warren believes the lowest overpass in Regina is around 4.5 metres.

In addition to the 39 overpasses the city is responsible for, railways own and are responsible for another nine. However, Warren said if there is roadwork under one of those bridges, the city will work with the railway, including in getting the necessary permits.

Who pays for the damage?

Warren says there’s usually one major overpass strike in Regina every two to three years. The last was in 2025 and resulted in around $300,000 in damage.

When that happens, the city will send the bill either to the company responsible or its insurance company.

“When an overpass is hit, the city immediately will inspect the structure for damage and determine if it requires any kind of closure for public safety,” Warren explained, “and then, as well, to assess the damage and determine a method, a repair, or the requirement for repair.

“In most cases, the city will have a police file number and information from the responsible party that made the hit, and then the city would submit a claim. Basically, the city would then repair the bridge, ensure public safety, and take care of that work with a specialized contractor, and then we would send the invoices to recover those costs from the insurance company or the company that impacted the structure.”

Warren is satisfied the city is doing a good job in communicating requirements for large loads and keeping overhead clearance at the proper height.

“We also work very closely with the Saskatchewan Trucking Association,” he said. “We meet with them on a monthly basis, and we we talk about many different things, including over-dimensional permits.

“We talk about road work and impacts to trucking companies, and also kind of any changes – either temporary or permanent – to the movement of those trucks throughout the city.”