PUBLIC EDUCATION SESSIONS PLANNED AS PILOT BUTTE INTERCHANGE SET TO OPEN AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
Construction on the Pilot Butte overpass continues to proceed ahead of schedule and is now expected to fully open to traffic within the next couple of weeks.
Originally scheduled for completion in October 2019, the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure and the Regina Bypass team worked together to move the completion date for the interchange up a year to October 2018.
Thanks to the pace of construction, the completion date has been brought forward again.
“The primary reason our government focused on accelerating the construction of the Pilot Butte interchange was safety of drivers, passengers and residents in the communities east of Regina,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said. “The P3 partnership has allowed this new timeline to be accomplished without an increase in the project’s overall cost.”
The Pilot Butte overpass features a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) design. This design sees traffic signals shift vehicles to the opposite side of the road over the interchange before crossing back at the next traffic signal, helping to maintain traffic flow and allowing for easier left turns.
DDIs are becoming increasingly popular in North America due to their safety and operational benefits. The Pilot Butte interchange is the first to be built in Saskatchewan and the second in Canada.
“With the opening of the Diverging Diamond Interchange ahead of schedule, our government feels it is paramount to provide the public with the best understanding of how this type of interchange works as well as the benefits it provides,” Marit said. “This is why we are engaging the public in a number of public information and education sessions ahead of its opening.”
The Regina Bypass team will be holding the following information sessions:
- Tuesday, February 27 – Public information session – Cornwall Centre (Centre Court) from 10:30 a.m. – 1: 30 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 28 – Open house – Pilot Butte Recreation Centre from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- Thursday, March 1 – Public information session – Sandra Schmirler Leisure Centre from 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, March 3 – Public walk through of Diverging Diamond Interchange from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Details on accessing the walk through will be available in the coming days.)
The first phase of the Regina Bypass construction between Balgonie and Highway 33 was completed in October 2017, including overpasses at Balgonie, White City and Tower Road.
At that time, the Pilot Butte overpass also partially opened to traffic. The remainder of the Regina Bypass will be completed in 2019.
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For more information, contact:
Paul Spasoff Highways and Infrastructure Regina
Phone: 306-787-4804
Email: [email protected]