PROVINCE TENDERS FIRST PHASE OF 2009 CONSTRUCTION SEASON WORTH $168.6 MILLION

Preparations are underway for the 2009 highway construction season with the province issuing $168.6 million in tenders today. This is the first phase of work to take place leading up to the 2009 season.

"This first phase of construction tenders provides for $168.6 million in improvements and upgrades to 484 km of provincial highways," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard said. "These investments will advance our long term transportation strategy that focuses on supporting economic growth, enhancing traffic safety and developing partnerships with local governments and industry."

Highlights of the Tender Release include:

• 165 kilometre (km) of "grade and pave" projects to completely rebuild highways from the roadbed up, including Highway 32 between Shackleton and Prelate, Highway 219 south of Saskatoon, Highway 303 near Lloydminster, Highway 310 near Foam Lake and Highway 368 near St. Brieux;
• 284 km of resurfacing projects to maintain the quality of some of the province's most heavily travelled highways, including Highways 1, 3, 4, 11, 13, 23, 33, 35, 39, 40, 41, 106;
• A 33 km paving project on Highways 13 and 47 near Stoughton;
• Three bridge replacements on Highway 1 west of Chaplin; and
• 374,000 tonnes of aggregate to be stockpiled for highway maintenance and other projects.

"This tender release continues the momentum our government started in this year," Elhard said. "By the end of the construction season that is just wrapping up, improvements to more than 1,500 km of highways will be completed."

This year's tender release is the largest release in the Ministry's history. It has been made available to the road building industry earlier than has generally been standard practice as this will mitigate concerns regarding capacity within the heavy construction industry, and inflation pressures. In comparison, fall tender releases over the last five years have averaged $83.7 million.

"This tender plan represents an important milestone in our government's objective of returning Saskatchewan to its position as a North American leader in building and managing transportation infrastructure," Elhard said. "It also allows for better long-term planning on the part of the road building industry and communities and businesses served by the corridors that will be improved."

For more information on the 2009 Tender Plan visit www.highways.gov.sk.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Doug Wakabayashi
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina, Phone: 306-787-4804
Email: dwakabayashi@highways.gov.sk.ca