Carol Baldwin
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Wakaw Recorder
Winter is upon us, and the shoulder erosion that happened west of Wakaw along Hwy #312 in August has had no repairs done to it.
With snow and blowing snow, having that segment of highway reduced to a single lane is not particularly safe. The westbound lane remains closed, leaving only one lane open for traffic and forcing snow-clearing equipment to maneuver around the pylon fence, which had been set up in the summer to keep traffic back from the damaged section. The solar-powered traffic lights, which were also installed in the summer to regulate traffic around the damaged stretch of highway, during the extremely cold and/or blustery winter weather Saskatchewan is prone to, either do not work at all or remain fixed on the amber light.
On the morning of Friday, Dec. 19, this reporter contacted the Ministry to ask what the plans are for repairing the highway, and when they will occur. Friday afternoon, the Ministry responded and also informed the Town of Wakaw that, on Sunday, December 21st, Highway 312 would be closed at the damaged portion for some work to be completed. That work included the placement of a more robust barrier and a different set of traffic lights, which the Ministry stated in its emailed response would occur.
A crew from the Ministry first noticed slumping along the shoulder of Highway 312, 12 km west of Wakaw and 28 km east of the intersection of Highways 11 and 312, on Monday, August 11, 2025. This observation came after a heavy rain event on August 8-9, during which some local residents 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.
In an emailed response in August to the Wakaw Recorder’s initial query, the Ministry of Highways said it appreciated the patience and understanding of all motorists as it determined the cost for repairs and worked to restore the highway to regular service, adding that 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.” However, as summer changed to fall, frequent travellers on the highway continued to look for evidence that repairs would be completed before winter, and none appeared.
In an emailed response to the query sent by the Wakaw Recorder last week, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways states it plans to issue a public tender in January for a contractor to repair the damaged portion of Highway 312 west of Wakaw. This repair work, to restore a two-lane gravel surface, is expected to take place in February and March. The final asphalt repair, the Ministry says, is planned to be completed in the summer of 2026.
The Ministry states it “appreciates the patience and understanding of all motorists as this repair has taken longer than initially anticipated.”
