IMPROVING HIGHWAY 40 NEAR BATTLEFORD

Shoulder widening and surfacing on 3.1 km of Highway 40 near Battleford

will begin this week.



"Work for this $1.2 million surfacing project is anticipated to begin April

30th and should be completed by late August," Highways and Transportation

Minister Pat Atkinson said. "Completion of this job will require an

estimated 43 full-time workers."



G & C Asphalt Services Ltd. was awarded this project.



This improvement project on Highway 40 will begin at the junction of

Highways 40 and 4 and continue to the west for 3.1 km. A subgrade drainage

system will also be installed at the junction of Highways 40 and 29. This

installation will correct a frost heave problem that has occurred each

winter for the past several years.



"This project on Highway 40 will fix the underlying problem of poor

drainage that has caused the highway to deteriorate," Atkinson said. "By

fixing the drainage problem, this road will be less susceptible to damage."



This surfacing project was identified in the 2000/2001 Winter Tender

Schedule for Saskatchewan highway work, worth an estimated $90 million.

The Winter Tender Schedule has ensured timely and efficient delivery of

highway improvements this spring.



Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation's budget this year is a record

$311.7 million, which will help to resurface and upgrade 550 km of rural

and northern highways.



-30-



For more information, contact:



Ray Connoly, Director

Engineering Projects

Saskatoon

Phone: (306) 933-6117

(cell) (306) 230-5272