No. H141/13
For release - October 25, 2013
A major milestone to support Saskatchewan growth was reached today as the last section of twinned lanes on the busy Highway 11 corridor between Saskatoon and Prince Albert opened to traffic.
Prince Albert MP Randy Hoback and Prince Albert Carlton MLA Darryl Hickie were on site near MacDowall today to officially open the last remaining 13-kilometre section of Highway 11.
"The Government of Canada is proud to have invested in this important job-creating initiative to twin Highway 11," said MP Hoback. "This project will have long-lasting benefits for the communities and businesses along this heavily used highway, as well as for the Saskatchewan economy at large. These improvements will also help reduce collisions and will make driving safer for everyone in the region."
"Highway 11 is a vital link between Prince Albert, Saskatoon and Regina, which serves our province's resource-rich north, and supports significant mineral and timber resource development, manufacturing and tourism," said MLA Hickie. "The second set of lanes will provide for increased capacity, reduced logistics costs and improved access for local industries, while at the same time making for a much safer and more efficient drive for shippers, tourists and other motorists who use this busy highway."
Back in February of 2009, the federal and provincial governments announced that they would each contribute $62 million to twin the last 75-kilometre section of Highway 11 from north of Saskatoon to Prince Albert. Both the federal and provincial contributions have since been reduced to $49.5 million each to reflect savings in project costs.
Highway 11 carries as many as 20,000 vehicles per day on a stretch just south of the Corman Park Industrial access north of Saskatoon. The average overall traffic count for Highway 11 between its junction with Highway 2 south of Prince Albert and Saskatoon has increased an estimated 33 per cent over the past five years.
Other work on Highway 11 this construction season included the construction of 1.6 kilometres of newly twinned northbound lanes west of the junction of Highways 11 and 2 south of Prince Albert, which re-aligned the intersection for safety. This was opened to traffic in September.
As the new lanes are opened, motorists are reminded to be cautious of changing traffic patterns, and to be alert and aware of signs directing traffic.
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For more information please contact:
Province of Saskatchewan
Kirsten Leatherdale
Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
306-787-8484 (office)
306-533-8054 (cell)
Government of Canada
Ashley Kelahear
Senior Communications Advisor
Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
Ottawa
613-991-0700
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
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