YORKTON — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe was at Richardson Oilseed just outside Yorkton Wednesday to pledge provincial support for improvements to Grain Millers Drive, north of the city.
Moe told a small gathering at a press conference the Government of Saskatchewan has committed to funding up to 50 per cent of the cost of improvements of the roadway citing Grain Millers Drive as a vital transportation corridor that supports significant economic activity in the region.
"Grain Millers Drive is a critical access point for several major agri-businesses and industries," Premier Scott Moe said. "This is a key artery for the movement of goods and services, connecting local producers to national and international markets."
However, few details came with Wednesday’s announcement including no actual dollar amount tied to the province’s 50 per cent, how the partnering municipalities – the City of Yorkton and RM of Orkney – would share their 50 per cent of costs, or when the project might actually get under way.
Before upgrades can begin, the Ministry of Highways, City of Yorkton and Rural Municipality of Orkney have launched a functional planning study to understand what improvements are needed and how to ensure the road is able to support current traffic and planned industrial growth.
Grain Millers Drive is a seven-kilometre primary weight road that connects with two provincial highways. Both ends of the road are paved. There is a gravel portion of approximately 4.5 km in the middle. The study will identify options on paving Grain Millers Drive and on improvements to the road's intersections with Highway 9 and Highway 16.
Yorkton Mayor Aaron Kienle said while there have been some “hiccups’ surrounding the study, he is hopeful it will be finished by year-end, and then the project will follow pending finalizing funding arrangements.
The planning study is a step forward in regional collaboration, with the city and the rural municipalities are working closely with the ministry to ensure the road can safely accommodate increasing traffic volumes and support long-term economic development.
Kienle also said the city welcomes the provincial commitment and the plan for work.
“We know just how critical Grain Millers Drive is,” he said, adding that upgrades to the highway connector “have been talked about for many years.”
Kienle said it was “exciting to finally see” the project gaining some real momentum toward upgrades actually being undertaken.”
RM of Orkney Reeve Randy Trost echoed the Mayor’s sentiment.
“I’m just super excited,” he said, adding the need for the project has been “talked about for probably the last 10 years already.”
Trost said that the connector project is finally moving forward is testament to the three governments “working together . . . as a team to get stuff done.”
Moe noted that while the connector road will primarily serve agriculture processors along it, and farm producers delivering to those facilities, work on the intersections of the drive with highways #16 and #9 are also within the scope of the project and that goes to ensuring public safety too.
Kienle too noted safety was a big part of the project’s scope.
While noting Grain Millers Drive plays a vital role in supporting Yorkton’s agri-business sector, the improvements will ensure the road can safely and efficiently accommodate growth, both now and in the future.
That the road meet current needs as well as the of course hoped for growth of processing and business along the drive is paramount to the project, said Moe.
"This partnership is a great example of the province and municipalities working together to support our export-based economy," Highways Minister David Marit said in a government release also sent Wednesday. "There are exciting things happening north of Yorkton and governments are working to support the industries that are the backbone of our continuing economic growth."
Grain Millers Drive provides access to Grain Millers Oat Mill and Richardson Oilseed, the largest canola crush facility in North America. Louis Dreyfus Company operates a canola crush facility nearby and has plans to add a new pea protein production facility that would be situated on Grain Millers Drive.
While in Yorkton for the announcement, the Premier highlighted some of the highway projects occurring this construction season in Yorkton and east-central Saskatchewan:
- A $10.2 million project to repave 26 km of Highway 10 and Highway 16 near Yorkton wrapped up in July. The project included repaving roughly one km of Broadway Street East in Yorkton.
- A $12.7 million project to upgrade 24 km of Highway 8 between Moosomin and Rocanville is expected to conclude by the end of August, weather permitting.
- An $8.8 million project to repave 24 km of Highway 16 near Guernsey is slated for completion in October, weather permitting.
- A $1.4 million project to replace a short span bridge on Highway 38 over Duck Creek south of Kelvington is expected to wrap up at the end of August, weather permitting.
- A $1.1 million project to install culverts on Highway 16 near Tufnell and Highway 49 near Norquay wrapped up in July.
- A $500,000 project to install culverts on Highway 9 near Whitewood and Highway 318 near Carnduff wrapped up in July.
Ministry of Highways crews are investing $12 million in routine maintenance this year in the Yorkton region. These are short term projects typically completed within a day or two, and consist of road surface patching, gravel blading, dust treatment, crack sealing, surface sand sealing and other minor pavement repairs.
Some maintenance highlights include:
- Crack repairs and seal coat on a six km section of Highway 5 west of Canora.
- Full seal and flush of a five km section of Highway 15 west of Leross.
- Crack repairs and seal cost on a 12 km section of Highway 38 at the north access to Greenwater Lake Provincial Park.
The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $13.8 billion in transportation infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 21,800 km of highways across the province.
