FIRST PHASE OF 2012 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION TENDERS RELEASED

The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure released Phase 1 of its highway construction tenders for the 2012 construction season today.

This year's Phase 1 tender release features 21 construction contracts, 32 bridge and culvert projects and 14 crushing and stockpiling contracts worth an estimated $157 million.

"Getting our work on the market earlier helps us secure contractors at more favourable prices," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "This helps put us in a position where materials and contractors are in place and ready to go when construction season begins in the spring."

Highlights of this year's Phase I Tender Release include:

• Highway 11 - 20 km of paving from north of Duck Lake to south of MacDowall, the final contract of the Highway 11 twinning project.
• Grading and paving the roads connecting to the new St. Louis Bridge.
• Highway 310 - 26 km of paving from Ituna, south.
• Highway 13 - 49km of improvements, including repaving 28 km from Griffin to Weyburn and upgrading 21 km between Viceroy Access and the west junction of Highway 36.
• Highway 953 - 11 km of thin lift overlay from the junction of Highway 2 to the Anglin Lake Campground.
• Highway 2 - 20 km of repaving from south of Buffalo Pound to Chamberlain.
• Highway 6 - 33 km of repaving from Naicam to north of Silver Park

The Phase 1 Tender Release represents the initial slate of projects that will comprise the ministry's construction program for 2012. Subsequent tender releases typically occur during the winter and in conjunction with the tabling of the provincial budget.

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For more information, contact:

Doug Wakabayashi
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804