Drivers can expect delays as communities all across Saskatchewan roll out road construction programs.
In Regina, more than $60 million is budgeted for road repairs. That includes bridge repairs on the ring road at Dewdney Avenue and Assiniboine Avenue.
“Our infrastructure is aging,” said Nigora Yulyakshieva, Manager of Roadways Preservation with the City of Regina. “We’re not building new roads under this program; we’re only doing rehabilitation of our existing roadways assets.”
Construction on both projects is expected to take until late August to complete, and for stretches traffic will be down to one lane on the ring road in each direction at Dewdney. Big projects are also planned for stretches of Lewvan Drive, Pasqua Street and McCarthy Boulevard, among others.
“Be patient and be cooperative with us,” said Yulyakshieva. “We’re trying our best to minimize the traffic disruption.”
The Saskatchewan government is also ramping up its road rehabilitation program, with more than $285 million in construction planned.
“We have highways all over this province that have seen traffic counts increase dramatically from where they were at four years ago,” said Highways Minister Jim Reiter.
More than 600 km of improvements are planned by the province for the 2011 construction season, to go with 790 km of repairs. Not yet budgeted for, but will be included, are repairs to highways damaged by flood waters this spring.
“Obviously when a highway’s flooding it becomes and emergency situation,” said Reiter. “We’re certainly not going to quibble over budgets when you make emergency repairs.”
So the plea for patience and safe driving is going out.
“Be aware, they’re going to be out there,” said Shantel Lipp, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association President. “From probably April until the middle of November, so keep a look out for them.”
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