REGINA – Shovels will soon be in the ground for the long-anticipated Regina bypass.
The highway will reduce traffic congestion in the city and redirect semi-trucks around Regina. The project comes with multiple new overpasses, designed to enhance driver safety.
White City Mayor, Bruce Evans, said the announcement couldn’t come soon enough. He fist-pumped when he first read the priority would be completing two nearby overpasses.
“It’s significant, not just to the safety of the people that live in White City, but the people who use this corridor on a daily basis,” Evans said. “Having this corridor built is terrific news.”
The mayor got emotional, thinking of friends he’d lost at the high-traffic intersections on the TransCanada.
“We’ve been lobbying to get this project done for decades,” he said through tears. “There has been a significant number of people who have lost their lives trying to access the highway.”
The government announced it will be working with Sask-Link Global Transportation Partners to build the $1.2 billion bypass, which is the largest infrastructure project in our province’s history.
“We’re pleased they’re moving forward with the project. This is an essential project for Southern Saskatchewan, Regina and all of our neighbours,” said Regina Mayor Michael Fougere. “Every major city in Canada has that function, so this is long overdue.”
Westbound through traffic will be able to leave the TransCanada at Tower Road to travel south, around Regina, and continue on to other destinations.
That will make life easier for truckers, according to the Trucking Association’s Executive Director, Al Rosseker. “It could be as much as 70 per cent of truck traffic moving around the city.”
Reduced truck traffic will benefit other drivers as well.
“He’s not going to be stuck in traffic and of course, creating problems for guys who drive cars on Victoria Avenue East,” Rosseker said of long-haul drivers.
However, not everyone believes this is the right road to travel down. The Why Tower Road group is actively opposing the location of the bypass.
“There are much better, cheaper options out there, including coming on the north end of the city, which is where the commercial or industrial area of the city is,” said co-founder Nestor Mryglod.
His company, Super Seamless Steel Siding, was planning to expand its manufacturing on Tower Road. Now he’s considering taking his business out of the province; however, he remains hopeful the province changes its mind.
“It’s never too late to do the right thing,” he said.
Whatever the location, Evans is elated to know the bypass is finally going ahead.
“I don’t know how you can put a dollar figure on it… on people’s safety,” he said. “It means that my children, and their children, will be able to live in this community, and have a safe way to get to and from.”
Construction is expected to create around 8,200 jobs and be completed in the fall of 2019.
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