Phase I of the Yorkton West Truck Route, part of Highway 16 west of the city, was officially opened Friday, although traffic has been using the stretch of realigned pavement for several weeks.
Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter, who did not attend the launch, stated in a prepared release the truck route development was in response to economic activity.
"This road work will support the new canola crushing plants and related truck traffic just west of Yorkton. As an export-based economy, it's important for our province to have a first-class network of transportation infrastructure for trucks, which help get our goods to local, provincial and worldwide markets."
The $8.2 million Phase 1 portion involved such construction work as; moving a 5.3 km long segment of Highway 16 about 400 metres south; realigning Highway 16's access to Grain Millers Drive; and re-aligning a portion of Grain Millers Drive. This work was done to accommodate truck movements safely to Grain Millers Drive and in and out of nearby canola crushing plants.
Construction on this phase began in 2009 and recently opened to traffic.
Yorkton 小蓝视频 Greg Ottenbreit said the work is another step in the provincial government's commitment to enhancing the highway system to ensure it provides adequate service for people and goods, while 小蓝视频 as safe as possible.
In terms of economic activity, Ottenbreit said the highway system is critical.
"It links us to worldwide trade and prosperity," he said. " We are an export-based economy and we do business around the world."
In the case of the work done west of the city, Ottenbreit said it is especially important as a linkage to the two canola crushing plants which have begun processing in the past 18-months.
Yorkton Deputy Mayor Ross Fisher said the highway development is important "for the city and the area," because it creates "a much safer truck route for the city."
Fisher too picked up on the idea of the highway supporting economic activity.
"I think we all know our highways are our commercial arteries It's how goods move," he said.
Construction on the Phase II portion began in October and involves building a six km long bypass highway connecting Highway 16 and Grain Millers Drive to Highway 52, along with building turning lanes at the intersection of Highway 52 and the bypass highway. Construction on this phase is expected to be open to traffic in 2011.
