Released on December 19, 2017
The Government of Saskatchewan and the Rural Municipality of Reciprocity have entered a partnership to upgrade Highways 318 and 361.
As part of the agreement, Highway 361 will see more than 16 km of road converted to a primary weight super grid road, while Highway 318 will see 6 km of highway upgraded to an asphalt surface. 聽Upgrading this segment provides a safer road than what currently exists and creates a nine-month primary weight corridor.
鈥淭he Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is working closely with municipal governments to improve highways through partnership agreements aimed at providing benefits to local traffic and the economy as a whole,鈥� Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said. 聽鈥淏y upgrading this segment to a nine-month primary weight corridor, this will benefit both the local and provincial economies by generating truck haul savings as well as improving the overall safety of the road.鈥�
The cost-share projects will cost approximately $6.3 million.
The Government of Saskatchewan covering 70 per cent of the cost for Highway 318 and 73 per cent for Highway 361, and the rural municipality providing the remaining 30 and 27 per cent, respectively. 聽The RM will also be responsible for all the required construction including design, tendering and construction administration.
鈥淲e appreciate the opportunity to work with the Government of Saskatchewan to improve the highways for our ratepayers and the traveling public,鈥� RM of Reciprocity Reeve Alan Arthur said. 聽鈥淭his work allows us to complete our north/south corridor through the municipality and accommodate the oil and gas industry鈥檚 transportation requirements in the area.鈥�
Upon completion, the RM will be responsible for both winter and summer maintenance of these sections of highway. 聽There is currently no completion date set for this project.
鈥淧artnerships, whether they are with municipalities, private industry or the federal government, allow our government to consider the needs of the entire provincial highway network,鈥� Marit said. 聽鈥淲e are pleased we could come to a mutually beneficial agreement with the RM of Reciprocity and look forward to future partnership possibilities throughout the province.鈥�
The Government of Saskatchewan has invested $7.4 billion in transportation infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 12,000 km of Saskatchewan highways.
