Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Highway Hotline reports that an “Incident Exists on HWY 312”. The “incident” which has resulted in a width restriction of 3.7 metres and a speed reduction to 60 km/h, is a slump in the shoulder of the highway.
Although the Hotline reports that a flag person is in attendance, traffic lights have been installed to regulate traffic around the damaged stretch of highway. The westbound lane is closed, 12 km west of Wakaw and 28 km east of the intersection of Highways 11 and 312, leaving only one lane open for traffic.
Although the Highway Hotline has attributed the damage to flooding, a response from the Ministry of Highways has stated that it has not yet determined the cause of the slumping. A crew from the Ministry noticed slumping along the shoulder of Highway 312, west of Wakaw, on Monday, August 11, 2025. This observation came after a heavy rain event on August 8-9, during which some locals reported nearly 70 mm of rainfall.
Due to this slump, the Ministry of Highways restricted the width of vehicles travelling over this section of Highway 312 and reduced traffic to one lane. Drivers should be prepared to stop at the temporary traffic lights. The Ministry of Highways reminds motorists to check the Highway Hotline at https://hotline.gov.sk.ca/ before heading out for updates. Saskatchewan’s provincial road information service provides details about construction zones, ferry crossings, closures and incidents related to wildfires.
In its emailed response, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways said it appreciates the patience and understanding of all motorists as it determines costs for repairs and works to restore the highway to regular service.
“The ministry continues monitoring this location multiple times daily to determine if any additional slumping is occurring and impacting the driving surface… and is working on a repair design and aims to have the repair completed before winter,” the email stated.
This section of highway was rebuilt and elevated less than ten years ago in response to high water levels in the adjacent water bodies. In the intervening years, the water level has dropped, but evidence of the water’s height can still be seen on the shoreline. At that time, during the spring melt, winds could create waves of water washing over the highway surface, creating dangerous driving conditions.
The fluctuating patterns of droughts and heavy rainfall can greatly impact soil stability. In times of drought, the soil dries up and shrinks, losing its support capacity and allowing openings to lower soil levels to appear. As heavy rain saturates the soil, it increases its weight and reduces friction, providing lubrication for the material to slide. These factors increase the rate of slumping, especially on hillsides and in this case, on the ‘downhill’ side of the curve.
Drivers are reminded to be cautious, alert and obey all signage when approaching work zones throughout Saskatchewan – we want everyone to get home safely.
