Passing lanes added to Highway 10

Motorists travelling between Fort Qu'Appelle and Balgonie now have a smoother and safer trip.

New passing lanes are now open to traffic on Highway 10. Passing lanes increase the traffic capacity of a highway and improve safety by providing additional opportunities to pass.

"This project is an example of our government investing in infrastructure that meets the increased demands of a growing population," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Don McMorris said.

Four sets of passing lanes were built for a total length of 16 km. In addition, about 30 km was repaved. The total cost of the project is about $16 million. While the passing lanes are open to traffic, motorists are advised that some work remains, particularly on the shoulders and sideslopes. Drivers should watch for workers and construction signs and slow to 60 km/h in the work zones. The final layer of asphalt will be put down during the 2014 construction season.

"The Qu'Appelle Valley and Echo Lake Provincial Park are among Saskatchewan's top tourism attractions," Fort Qu'Appelle Mayor Ron Osika said. "The new passing lanes will make travel on Highway 10 safer, especially during the busy summer months when campers and travellers are prevalent on the road."

"There are school buses coming to our town, our fire department frequently uses Highway 10 to respond to calls, and more and more people are working in Regina," Balgonie Mayor Frank Thauberger said. "This will be a great safety improvement for everyone."

When using passing lanes, drivers should stay in the right lane except when they are passing other vehicles. Yellow signs alert drivers 300 metres before the end of the passing lane and traffic should begin to merge back into the left hand lane at that point. Motorists are reminded to watch for traffic changing lanes and to be courteous as the passing lane ends.

The new passing lanes are part of a record $3.7 billion the government has invested in transportation infrastructure since 2008.