PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT CONTINUES INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT: RELEASES $166 MILLION IN HIGHWAY CONTRACTS

The provincial government issued the November 2009 Tender List for the 2010 construction season, featuring 38 projects with an estimated value of $166 million.

"These projects will see improvements on approximately 300 kilometres (km) of provincial highways, as well as eight bridges and culverts either replaced or upgraded," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "These investments will create better, safer roads for motorists and support the provincial economy.

Highlights of the tender list include:

• Approximately 40 km of paving and 30 km of grading to advance the twinning of Highway 11 between Saskatoon and Prince Albert;
• Upgrading Highway 55 from Peerless to the Alberta border to a 12-month primary weight corridor;
• Upgrading 7 km of Highway 263, the access road to Murray Point and Emma Lake; 
• Rehabilitation of the bridge over Buffalo Pound Lake on Highway 2; and
• Repaving of about 195 km of highways throughout the province.

The full list is available at http://www.highways.gov.sk.ca/tender/.

The projects released today are part of the Ministry's plan to advance tenders as early as possible in order to secure contractors at favourable prices. This will also ensure required winter work, such as rock crushing, is completed before the spring/summer construction season.

"Putting this work on the market now allows us to secure contractors before demand begins to peak in the spring," Reiter said. "It also allows contractors and consulting engineers to plan their work better in terms of staffing and material preparation."

Motorists are reminded to slow to 60 km/h in the Orange Zone as some construction activity, particularly bridge and culvert work continues during the winter months.

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For more information, contact:

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