The Government of Saskatchewan is going to invest more dollars to improve conditions on highways in Saskatchewan鈥檚 smaller cities.
This week Premier Scott Moe announced an additional $3 million in capital funding to boost capital dollars in the Urban Highway Connector Program (UHCP) to $10 million over two years.
鈥淲e committed to making the investments necessary to ensure a strong economic recovery for our province,鈥� said Moe in a recent press release. 鈥淭his funding boost will create jobs, enhance safety and support transportation infrastructure in our municipalities.鈥�
Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley said added dollars from the province is always a positive thing.
"Anytime they're handing us money we say tank you very much," he said.
Hippsley noted there are three urban connector highways in the city, so funds which may flow to projects specific to the care or upgrades of those is a positive.
York Road in the city is currently the connector requiring significant work, and Hippsley said planning is taking place to be prepared for a major upgrade one day.
When that day might be however remains unclear, admitted Hippsley.
"But, very much it's on the radar (of the province)," he assured.
The UHCP was created in 2008 to provide stable funding and service levels on highways within city limits that connect to the provincial networks.聽 The program provides financial assistance to urban municipalities for the maintenance, operation and rehabilitation of these roadways.
UHCP funded significant rehabilitation projects in Regina, Estevan, and Yorkton in the 2020-21 budget year,
Rehabilitation projects in Prince Albert, Estevan, Meadow Lake, Lloydminster, Humboldt, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Yorkton have been identified as priorities in the UHCP鈥檚 multi-year plan, noted the government release.
Through a detailed review of UHCP, towns and cities requested changes to the program. One of the most significant changes is the Ministry of Highways assuming 100 per cent of the maintenance and rehabilitation costs for urban connectors in Saskatchewan towns as of April 1, 2021, reducing the number of municipalities competing for UHCP dollars each year.
The Government of Saskatchewan is meeting its target of improving more than 1,000 km of provincial highways this year, the first of its 10-year Growth Plan goal to build and upgrade 10,000 km of highways.
Since 2008, the province has invested more than $200 million into improving urban highways in Saskatchewan over and above municipal revenue sharing.聽 During that same period, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $9.8 billion in highways infrastructure, improving more than 15,800 km of Saskatchewan highways.
