Upgrades to Saskatchewan’s Highway 7 are underway, including eight new passing lanes and 40 kilometres of paving.
The passing lanes are being constructed between Fiske and Kindersley, west of Saskatoon, with an expected completion date of October.
“Passing lanes are an effective and affordable way to keep traffic flowing safely as we get our goods to market,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Greg Ottenbreit said in a news release.
They can also cut collisions by 25 per cent, the province said.
Last year, four passing lanes were built between Rosetown and Fiske.
The province plans to build another six passing lanes between Kindersley and the Alberta border. Once construction is complete, there will be 26 passing lanes on Highway 7.
Construction crews are also paving 40km of the primary highway, west of Delisle.
It’s also working on intersection improvements east of Kindersley.
Over the past decade, traffic volume on Highway 7 has increased by about 20 per cent, the province said.
It has invested more than $120 million in highway improvements between Saskatoon and Kindersley since 2014.
The province plans to invest another $300 million in highways over the next two years.