Preliminary excavation work has begun on the long-anticipated commercial truck bypass near Estevan.
The expected route that will take most commercial carriers around the northern perimeter of the city is on the planning and construction schedule for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure to build in 2014.
The early construction movement is pretty well confined at present to the eastern side of Highway 47 while discussions and negotiations continue with a couple of landowners on the western side of the proposed project. The two families are worried that the current proposed route will severely restrict access to their farmland, including their home quarter sections and farm equipment movement.
Don and Dave Gallaway have not reached a settlement agreement with the provincial ministry yet, and Don informed The Mercury they have been advised by legal counsel to not discuss the current matter with the media prior to the proposed mid-December judicial review that has been ordered concerning their current stalemate.
It is believed that other landowners who have been affected by the 12-kilometre project have reached agreements with the ministry regarding easements and expropriation of their land for financial compensation.
Doug Wakabayashi, a spokesman for the ministry, said the early work underway involves the stripping of top soil and readying the bypass path for a more concentrated effort next spring.
"As they clear the ground they'll start doing some of the work on the road base," Wakabayashi said. The construction crew will do as much as they can now based on what the weather allows them to do and in the spring, the focus will be on the grading work.
The ministry's recent media release indicated that the Estevan bypass is on the books for 2014, as is the West Regina Bypass and the final paving for passing lanes between Balgonie and Fort Qu'Appelle and 158 km of repaving projects, 21 bridge and culvert projects and 217 km of major highway upgrades.
There was no indication that a proposed twinning of Highway 39 between the Bienfait intersection and Estevan, a stretch of about 10 km, is on the planning board for 2014 in spite of recent observations made by highways officials and Premier Brad Wall, that it would probably qualify for such a treatment due to increased traffic flows and the need to improve safety features.
The fall tender plan for Highways and Infrastructure has been released, and it contains 35 bridge and culvert projects and 83 km of major highway upgrades, as well as 68 km of repaving along with stockpiling and other work with an estimated value of over $120 million.
The past construction season saw 464 km of provincial highways improved and the minister responsible for Highways and Infrastructure, Don McMorris, said "since 2008, we've invested $3.7 billion to give people of Saskatchewan better, safer roads and to move our products to market more efficiently."
He went on to say, "transportation is key to achieving the objectives of the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth and our vision of a province with a population of 1.2 million by 2020."
The twinning of Highway 11 between Saskatoon and Prince Albert was completed in 2013 and a new overpass at Highway 1 near Regina was also done. Also completed this year were 310 km of repaving, 154 km of major highway upgrades and 22 bridge and culvert projects.
"Last year's record snowfall highlighted the challenges involved in treating snow and ice in the winter months," McMorris said. "Saskatchewan motorists can be confident in the fact we have a dedicated team of men and women who are ready to respond to the challenges that nature throws our way."
The ministry deploys a fleet of more than 300 snowplows and their crews within 85 winter maintenance sectors throughout the province.
