Government meets with Highway 5 communities

Representatives from along HWY 5 met with the Department of Highways at a meeting in Bruno on March 28 to discuss Phase 1 of passing lane construction on the highway.

The meeting was sponsored by the Department with Regional Executive Ron Gerbandt and Tracy Danielson, Director of Traffic Engineering and Development, giving a Powerpoint presentation and opening the floor to questions from the mayors, reeves, administrators, and councillors from communities and RMs from Humboldt to Aberdeen. This included Humboldt Mayor Rob Muench and Bruno Mayor Dale Glessman.

The 2017 budget has set money aside for two sets of two kilometre long passing lanes, which will be developed this summer on Section 507 between Humboldt and the Junction of Hwys 5 and 2, one between the Carmel and Bruno turnoffs where there was construction last summer to fix some flooding issues and the other between Bruno and Peterson.

The flooded section that was worked on last summer was widened with the construction to make way for the passing lane but repairs on that section are already starting to breakdown.

The Department of Highways says that it was only a quick fix to alleviate the flooding, says Muench.

Representatives were told that the two passing lanes that have already been budgeted for are just the start.

Funding has not yet been approved for widening the shoulder and constructing two more passing lanes on Section 508 between the junction and Saskatoon for Phase 2. If funding does get approved, the project may even be broken up over a couple of years, says Muench.

It was discussed at the meeting and the Department of Highways is aware that that is the worst of the two sections, says Muench, but construction will start with Section 507 because it will be easier to do according to the Department.

“They’ve already had some of the work done with the water that was there and it’s an easy stretch. The highway is already in good shape.”

More engineering still has to be done on the project, says Muench, with some landscape construction also being part of the plan. It is not going to be a quick fix according to the Department of Highways.

“They’ve got to get all the logistics figured out before they go ahead.”

With few detours available thanks to washed out grid roads, the department does want to keep construction down to one lane during construction but nothing has been finalized, says Muench.

“There are a number of locations that have narrow shoulders, limited passing zones and are experiencing an increase in traffic volumes,” said the department’s presentation and adding passing lanes will reduce the number of collisions by 25 per cent, they said.

“The principle is people know the passing lanes are coming up so they’re not going to pass when they shouldn’t be,” says Muench.

Glessman says this is a positive step towards improving Hwy 5 and making it safer but the fact that Section 508 is not being done first is a serious concern.

Glessman does have plans to start a petition with Muench and Mayor Amie Bussiere from Vonda to ensure that Section 508 will eventually be completed and fixed and there are plans to include communities east of Humboldt as well in the discussion.

Our previous article on the dangers of Highway 5.