The 2020 construction season is wrapping up and the province says that the highlight was the opening of new passing lanes on Highways 7, 9, 10 and 39.

Highways Minister Joe Hargrave says “Passing lanes are an effective way to keep traffic flowing safely as we get our goods to market.”

Upgrades to Highway 7 include the completion of eight new passing lanes between Fiske and Kindersley in the western part of the province. Last year, four passing lanes were built between Rosetown and Fiske. More than $120 million in highway safety improvements have been made between Saskatoon and Kindersley since 2014.

Nine of 10 passing lanes have opened on Highway 39 between Estevan and Weyburn. The $78 million safety improvement project includes another two of four sets of passing lanes, which opened north of Weyburn earlier this fall.

Six additional sets of passing lanes on Highways 9 and 10, around Yorkton, opened in the fall. The $39.4 million project also included intersection improvements, access consolidation and 55 km of paving on Highways 9 and 10.

More than 1,030 km of improvements have been made this construction season including about 329 km of upgrades and repaving, as well as more than 705 km of seals and medium treatments which improve the surface and keep water out. In addition, 14 bridge projects and 112 culverts have been completed with more to be delivered over the winter.

Because of COID-19, the ministry and its partners developed protocols that allowed contractors, consultants and staff to complete the construction season.