SASKATCHEWAN
Nine-month primary weight highways Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
The Government of Saskatchewan has made changes to the implementation of nine-month primary highways, which will be implemented in the spring 2018.
The nine-month primary weight highways resulted from a primary weight expansion, which supports truck-haul cost savings and economic activities, connecting communities to economic opportunities. Originally, the nine-month primary highways were designed and constructed to carry only lower secondary weight loads. Weights are reverted back to the design loads (secondary weight) during spring (from April 1 to June 30) to reduce damage from spring-thaw related deterioration.
Saskatchewan is a large province with considerable difference in climate in the north and the south. The new change takes into account the climatic differences in the north and the south of the province while also maintaining the original intent of providing primary weight access for economic activities.
In the north of the province, the annual weight increase on the 9-month primary highways will be same as before, from July 1 to March 31 of the following year. In the south of the province, the annual weight increase on the nine-month primary highways will occur earlier, from June 15 to March 15 of the following year.
This change will help to sustain road conditions in the south, where spring thaw occurs earlier.
The provinces of Alberta and Manitoba also incorporate seasonal restrictions that are similar to Saskatchewan’s practice of imposing spring bans on secondary highways. However, the nine-month primary highway in Saskatchewan is a category that is unique to the province. Therefore, it requires a more specialized implementation of the three-month weight-reversion periods.
Further information on the roads affected by these
changes is available on Saskatchewan’s Highway Hotline
at www.saskatchewan.ca/highwayhotline.