Here's a look at Sask.'s highway construction plan for 2023

Highway construction season officially started in Saskatchewan on Wednesday with the province unveiling its list of projects for the summer months.

Highway construction season officially started in Saskatchewan on Wednesday with the province unveiling its list of projects for the summer months.

Road builders are calling the 2023 season “an average year.”

The government will spend $30 million less on highway improvements this year compared to 2022. The list of major projects is short, replacement of an existing overpass south of Regina, eight kilometres of twinning at Rowatt and 10 kilometres at Corinne, as well as some passing lanes east of Saskatoon.

“But you know we still have a very strong budget this year. We’re going to improve and upgrade over 1000 kilometres of highways in the network this year,” highways minister Jeremy Cockrill said.

It’s a return to normal following a pandemic stimulus package that kept the road-building industry moving forward.

“The plan is probably an average construction year for the industry in terms of what we’re going to see moving forward. We’re coming off two great years of stimulus, but we knew that wasn’t going to last so we’re looking forward to getting the construction season underway and starting to build,” Saskatchewan heavy construction association president Shantel Lipp said.

Saskatchewan has a 10 year plan to improve about 10,000 kilometres of highways. Four years in and it’s almost half way there and slightly ahead of schedule.