Project made possible thanks to New Building Canada Plan
June 26, 2015 – Harris, Saskatchewan– Infrastructure Canada
Kelly Block, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, was joined today by the Honourable Nancy Heppner, Minister of Highways and Infrastructure and MLA for Martensville, and the Honourable Jim Reiter, Government Relations Minister and MLA for Rosetown-Elrose, to announce that new passing lanes on Highway 7 between Delisle and Rosetown are nearing completion.
Scheduled for official completion in the coming weeks, four new sets of passing lanes spanning a total of 16 kilometres will provide highway travellers with more opportunities to safely pass and improve traffic flow.
When properly used, the passing lanes will allow vehicles to pass slower vehicles travelling in the right hand lane without having to cross into opposing traffic. Yellow signs will alert drivers 300 metres before the end of the passing lane to let drivers begin to merge back into the left hand lane. Motorists will still need to watch for vehicles changing lanes and merging traffic at the end of the passing lane.
Highway 7 users will also benefit from additional major safety improvements:
- About 25 kilometres of highway is being twinned between Saskatoon and Delisle. The Government of Canada is funding half of the eligible costs of the project to a maximum of $32 million. Work could be completed as soon as fall 2018. The remaining balance of the project costs are being funded by the Government of Saskatchewan.
- The Government of Saskatchewan is also investing $2.8 million to repave about 30 kilometres of Highway 7 near Harris and recently completed a $3.1 million paving project east of Vanscoy.
The New Building Canada Plan is the largest and longest federal infrastructure plan in Canada's history.
This unprecedented commitment is providing $53 billion to support provincial, territorial and municipal infrastructure, between 2014 and 2024.
Over this ten–year period, Saskatchewan will benefit from more than $1 billion in dedicated federal funding, including almost $437 million under the New Building Canada Fund.
“Our Government's support for public infrastructure has never been stronger. We are pleased to work with the Province of Saskatchewan to approve projects under the New Building Canada Fund, to ensure that infrastructure funding continues to flow in Saskatchewan as we focus on creating jobs, promoting growth, and building strong, prosperous communities across Canada. Canadians rely on having safe and secure road networks to get them to work, to school and to their many other daily activities and we are proud to have invested in the Highway 7 passing lanes project between Delisle and Rosetown, which will benefit all travellers passing through this corridor.”
Kelly Block
Member of Parliament for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar
“This project is an example of our government investing in infrastructure that meets the increased demands of a diversified economy and growing population. These passing lanes increase traffic capacity on the highway and improve safety by providing additional opportunities to pass on this inter-provincial route.”
The Honourable Nancy Heppner
Minister of Highways and Infrastructure and MLA for Martensville
“Traffic volumes continue to increase on this busy interprovincial route, which connects Saskatoon and Calgary, and the passing lanes will improve safety and efficiency for shippers, commuters and all other motorists.”
The Honourable Jim Reiter
Government Relations Minister and MLA for Rosetown-Elrose
Vincent Rabault
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-943-1838
Steve Shaheen
Communications Consultant
Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
306-933-5641
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-free 1-877-250-7154
Email: media@infc.gc.ca
Twitter: @INFC_eng
Website: Infrastructure Canada
