$131 MILLION IN NEW HIGHWAY TENDERS RELEASED

Preparations are underway for the upcoming highway construction season with the release of 53 new highway and bridge construction projects worth an estimated $131 million.

These projects are part of the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure's 2013-14 Budget announced on March 20.  The overall budget provides a total of $576 million to build, maintain and operate Saskatchewan’s 26,000 km highway system.

“This phase of construction and maintenance tenders will continue to improve safety and efficiency on Saskatchewan’s highway network by putting contractors in place throughout the province,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Don McMorris said.  “It’s an investment to improve safety and to keep the provincial economy moving and growing.”

Highlights of the tender release include:

• Grading (building the roadbed) on 13 km of the new Estevan Truck Bypass from its east junction with Highway 39 to its west junction with Highway 39;
• Paving 38.3 km on Highway 16 from the Dalmeny Access to east of Langham
• Paving 19.7 km on Highway 46 from the junction with Highway 1 to the Regina city limits;
• Paving 21.9 km on Highway 27 from the Junction of Highway 2 to Vonda;
• Paving 14.2 km on Highway 310 from 28 km north of Balcarres to Ituna;
• Major resurfacing projects on Highways 1, 2, 5, 21 and 106; and
• 25 projects to replace bridges and culverts.

“The ministry typically releases tenders in the fall and spring to make sure plans are in place for the upcoming construction season and to provide work to the heavy construction industry as soon as funding for projects is confirmed,” McMorris said.  “We’re looking forward to another busy construction season.”

For more information on the 2013 Spring Tender Plan visit, www.highways.gov.sk.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Kirsten Leatherdale
Highways and Infrastructure
Regina
Phone: 306-787-8484
Email: kleatherdale@highways.gov.sk.ca