A multi-year, multimillion-dollar strategy designed to make Saskatchewan’s transportation system more effective will soon be unveiled by the provincial government.
Highways and transportation minister Eldon Lautermilch said the strategy will be announced “in the next short while.” The government announced its intention during the Oct. 26 throne speech that opened the fall sitting of the legislature.
Lautermilch said the current infrastructure doesn’t meet economic needs. Manufacturing and processing facilities in rural areas aren’t well served by road systems that can’t handle significant weights.
A couple of months ago he presented his ideas to rural and urban municipalities and road builders. He said his analysis isn’t rocket science, but common sense.
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Designing a proper north-south and east-west system would cost about $1 billion, Lautermilch said. “Obviously it’s not going to be a one-year project.”
The province wants Ottawa to share the funding on at least some of the infrastructure that needs to be either built or upgraded.
Minimum provincial funding for roads will be set by legislation that will guarantee that all fuel tax collected each year from motorists will be put toward road construction and maintenance. That was also announced in the throne speech.
The fuel tax earns the government about $325 million a year, Lautermilch said, while the department will spend about $370 million this year.
The federal government takes in about $300 million a year on its fuel tax charged in Saskatchewan but returns only about $30 million, he said.
“They need to step up to the plate.”
Ottawa did so several years ago when the province announced plans to completely twin the Trans-Canada Highway and the Yellowhead Highway. Those projects should both be complete in 2007.
Lautermilch said twinning Highway 11 between Warman and Prince Albert will also be moving ahead.
As far as rail is concerned, the minister said customers increasingly want their goods in containers and the province has to be prepared for that. A well designed short-line railway system can keep goods moving, he said.
Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities president David Marit said he is anxious to see the plan. SARM has been working on a strategic primary roads network.
“It sounds like there’s going to be some long-term funding, which we’ve asked for,” he said after the throne speech.
Marit also hoped the money collected from fuel tax was higher than what the province has been budgeting for road work.
“They will not on occasion meet the needs that are there,” said premier Lorne Calvert of the taxes.
“It doesn’t set the budget for road work. It simply provides absolute assurance to the motorists of Saskatchewan that those taxes that they’re paying at the pump … that those revenues are going directly into the building and maintenance of roads.”
