WEIGHT SURVEY GATHERING DATA FOR BETTER HIGHWAYS

Truck drivers in Saskatchewan are being asked to help provide information on the trucks that travel the province's highways this summer.

Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation will be conducting weight surveys in July and August. The purpose of the survey is to gather current and representative information on truck weights.

"The information being gathered by this survey is a necessary part of our continuing work to improve the province's transportation network," Highways and Transportation Minister Buckley Belanger said. "The use of truck traffic on our highways has increased significantly in recent years. We conduct annual surveys in different regions of the province every year to help assist with highway planning and design to best handle this industry-driven traffic."

One-day surveys will be conducted during July and August across the province. During a 12-hour period, all trucks passing the survey site, including farm trucks, will be weighed.

In addition, other information such as commodity, point of origin, destination and truck type will be recorded. The weight survey will be conducted at 15 sites across the province.

The following areas will be surveyed:

Week of July 9:
Highway 4 near North Battleford and Meadow Lake
Highway 303 near Turtleford
Highway 16 near Lloydminster

Week of July 16:
Highway 21 near Kerrobert
Highway 14 near Unity and Macklin
Highway 7 near Kindersley

Week of July 23:
Highway 40 near Hafford
Highway 14 near Asquith
Highway 45 south of Delisle

Week of July 30:
Highway 16 near Langham and Clavet
Highway 5 east of Saskatoon

"Increased truck traffic on provincial highways is one of many signs that our export-driven economy is on a roll," Belanger said. "Through Transportation for Economic Advantage, the province will invest $5 billion over 10 years to upgrade and realign the provincial transportation network to best serve the needs of our growing and diverse economy. This weight survey will help us determine where those transportation dollars are best spent."

For more information about Transportation for Economic Advantage, construction projects and current road conditions visit the department's website at www.highways.gov.sk.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Kirsten Leatherdale
Highways and Transportation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8484
Cell: 306-536-9692