Saskatchewan rebuilding 50 kilometres of highway

SPIRITWOOD, SASK. — Fifty kilometres of Saskatchewan highway is getting rebuilt.

Officials announced crews will be working on Highway 24 between Spiritwood and Chitek Lake. This is another piece of the province’s $7.5-billion two-year capital plan to stimulate its economic recovery following the pandemic.

“This construction season we have built or upgraded more than 1,000 kilometres of Saskatchewan Highways, putting us well on our way of reaching our goal of 10,000 kilometres in the next decade,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a statement.

“Highway 24 is a large part of this goal, it will be upgraded to a structured pavement highway, which will improve the road surface and enhance safety.”

The 50-kilometre project will be done in two stages. The first will tackle a 21 kilometre section from Spiritwood to Leoville. This work will be tendered in the fall, while the second segment, from Leoville to Chitek Lake is expected to be tendered in the spring. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2021.

Highway 24 is located west of Prince Albert and provides community access to the village of Leoville and Pelican Lake First Nation and access to Chitek Lake. According to the province, the corridor has high vehicle and truck traffic for a regional road with more than 1,000 vehicles per day north of Spiritwood.