TENDER AWARDED FOR RESURFACING ON HIGHWAY 5

A tender has been awarded to resurface an 11.7 km section on Highway 5 from

Mikado to Canora.



Potzus Paving & Road Maintenance Ltd. of Yorkton was awarded this project as

the lowest of six bidders.



"Road work will begin on this $1 million project in June 2001 and should be

completed by mid-July 2001," Highways and Transportation Minister Maynard

Sonntag said. "Completion of this job will require an estimated 24 full time

workers."



Gravel for this project will be crushed during the winter. Travellers in the

Veregin and Mikado regions should be watching for large trucks hauling gravel

during the months of January and February on local RM roads and on Highway 5.



This project is an extension of the 13.1 km resurfacing improvements from

Veregin to Mikado on Highway 5 completed this past summer. This 11.7 km

resurfacing project was identified in the 2000/2001 Winter Tender Schedule for

Saskatchewan highway work, worth an estimated $90 million.



Tendering next year's projects now allows for crushed gravel and sand to be

hauled during the winter when roads are frozen, avoiding damage that would be

caused if the material was hauled in the spring or summer. The Winter Tender

Schedule also ensures timely and efficient delivery of highway improvements

next spring.



Highlights of the Winter Tender Schedule include work to provide for 121 km of

surfacing work on 11 key thin membrane surface (TMS) corridors valued at $21

million; and 266 km of pavement resurfacing on 18 main highways (23 projects)

valued at $34 million. As well, the Winter Tender Schedule will also provide

for 70 km of twinning on sections of Highway 1 East and West, and Highway 16

valued at $18 million; and $9 million in gravel stockpiling to ensure supplies

for patching, sealing and other maintenance work across the province.



"Motorists will be noticing an improvement in our highway network," Sonntag

said.



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For more information, contact:



Les Bell, Director

Engineering Projects

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-0825

(cell) (306) 539-9189