COMMUNITY AND TOURISM ACCESS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS

The provincial government is investing $10 million to improve access roads to Anglin Lake, Wakaw Lake and the Village of Laird.

The road improvements are through a new program to improve access roads to small communities and tourist destinations established in the 2011-12 budget. The program provides funding to improve access roads - typically short Thin Membrane Surface (TMS) sections off provincial highways, often in poor condition.

Since 2007, 770km of rural highway upgrades will have been either completed or started. "However, the process we use for prioritizing highways for upgrading often doesn't respond well to the unique circumstances of community and tourism access roads," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "This new program makes funding available to provide residents safe and reliable access to their communities and that Saskatchewan's tourist attractions continue to be enjoyed by all."

The three roads seeing improvements are:

• The Anglin Lake Access road, which provides access to numerous recreation activities and the Anglin Lake Recreation Site. Improvements to this road including upgrading about 12 km of the existing TMS and drainage improvements.
• The Wakaw Lake Access road, which serves the Resort Village of Wakaw Lake and the regional park. About 10 km of the road will be upgraded from the existing combination of TMS and gravel.
• The Laird access road, which connects the Village of Laird, north of Saskatoon, to Highway 312. About 5.6 km of the existing TMS and gravel road will be improved.

The three projects will be tendered later this summer. Work on the Anglin Lake access is expected to be completed in this construction season, while work on the Wakaw Lake and Laird access roads are scheduled for completion in the 2012 construction season.

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For more information, contact:

Doug Wakabayashi
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804
Email: doug.wakabayashi@gov.sk.ca