There are now more opportunities to pass safely on Saskatchewan highways.
One of four new passing lanes opened to traffic last week on Highway 7 west of Rosetown, while a second lane is scheduled to open later this week.
“Safety is top of mind for our government when it comes to investing in new projects, especially on our province’s busiest highways,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Lori Carr said. “These passing lanes will improve safety and efficiency for everyone who uses Saskatchewan highways.”
This is another milestone in a multi-phase, multi-year plan to improve safety on Highway 7 between Saskatoon and the Saskatchewan/Alberta border. The cost of the passing lanes as well as more than 30 km of paving is about $16.2 million. The final set of passing lanes between Kindersley and Rosetown are scheduled to be open later this month.
Passing lanes can reduce collisions by 25 per cent at 80 per cent less cost than that of twinning.
Since 2014, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $85 million in major safety improvements on Highway 7. This includes passing lanes, which were installed on Highway 7 east of Rosetown to Delisle in addition to twinning of Highway 7 from Saskatoon to Delisle, which is nearly complete near Vanscoy.
Check the Highway Hotline at www.saskatchewan.ca/highwayhotline, before you hit the road. It provides up-to-date information on construction, emergency road closures, the status of ferries/barges and other road activities. Information is also available by calling 511.
The Government of Saskatchewan has invested $9 billion in highways and infrastructure since 2008.
