Alex Pierrard, a Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways sign truck operator, is pleading with drivers to respect workers who will be out on the highways this summer.
On average, roughly 184 collisions happen each year in Saskatchewan work zones. Between 2019 and 2023, there was an average of 36 injuries and one death per year.
“Everybody who is out on that roadway is there for a reason,” Pierrard said. “Whether it’s a police officer or a highway worker or a tow-truck operator, everybody is there to do something and they’re just asking people to help them get home safe at the end of the day.”
Pierrard said he hopes that by sharing different stories the road workers can connect with people so that they will take that extra few seconds to slow down.
“All we can do is ask the public for their help to get home safe,” Pierrard said.
The provincial government has invested more than $700 million into road repair and construction this summer. Highways Minister David Marit said municipal and rural governments will also be doing roadwork, so drivers can expect to see plenty of construction workers while travelling the province.
With summer just a few weeks away, Marit urged drivers to check online to see where construction work is underway. Doing so, he said, can help those workers say safe.
“The big thing we really want everybody to be aware of is that there’s a lot of construction work going on right now in various parts,” said Marit.
“You can go on the highway hotline and you can check where the construction is being done, so then you can time your trip. If you’re going to be held up, if it’s going to be slow, you’re going to have a zone or whatever the length of distance it might be, you can find that out. It’s important that we get that acknowledgement out there.”
check the route online and time your trip if you’re going to be held up, if it’s going to be slow or going to have a zone or for whatever the length, the distance it might be you can find that out and it’s important that you know.”
Marit said the Moose Jaw overpass project is one of several major projects where workers will see a high volume of traffic pass by. The province is raising the overpass by a meter so vehicles with high loads won’t hit it.
Other major infrastructure projects include replacing the Montreal River Bridge on Hwy 2 near La Ronge, and ongoing corridor improvements on Hwy 5 east of Saskatoon.
In total, the province plans to improve more than 1,000 km of highway this summer.
Marit said road and utility workers, first responders, tow truck operators and many other are all working on or near highways, streets and roads.
“Road and utility workers, first responders, tow truck operators and many other are all working for you on and near our highways, streets and roads,” Marit said in a press release. “We ask all motorists to slow down, follow the signs and respect flag persons no matter where their summer travels take them. We want everyone to get home safely.”
