Saskatchewan Drive from the surface road to the railway tracks will be resurfaced this construction season. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

By Cam Lee

Road resurfacing

Melfort council approves funding of Saskatchewan Drive rehabilitation

May 1, 2024 | 2:59 PM

The City of Melfort is funding a portion of the continued rehabilitation of Saskatchewan Drive.

A Special Council Meeting was held Monday to approve the funding for the project. The city issued an Expression of Interest to the Ministry of Highways to rehab the remaining portion of Saskatchewan Drive in September 2023, but they received notice of approval just last week.

Director of Public Works Lydia Steffen told northeastNOW approval from the Urban Highway Connector Program (UHCP) came after the finalization of the city’s 2024 Capital Budget. Therefore, a Special Council Meeting was held to get council’s approval to access almost $389,000 from the General Capital Reserve.

“We were called with the good news after the budget had already been finalized, so…our process is that we would have to seek council’s approval to add any additional projects after budget has already been finalized.

The UHCP will provide nearly $568,000 of funding for this operational project, which will cost just over $957,000. The paving overlay will take place on the stretch of Saskatchewan Drive from the railway tracks south to the service roads.

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Steffen said the resurfacing and interlay is expected to extend the life of that portion of the road. She added council realized approving the funding for the project was important.

“Delaying this project could lead to escalating costs later, making it financially impractical,” said Steffen. “It was crucial to ensure the viability and cost effectiveness of this program to do it now.”

Steffen expects the work to take place this construction season.

The city has been approved for a ministry capital project to rehabilitate the remainder of Saskatchewan Drive from the service road to the intersection of Highways 3, 6, and 41. Steffen said that project likely won’t happen until 2026 or 2027.

Saskatchewan Drive was resurfaced from Anderson Avenue to the railway tracks in 2019.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK