Summer Seal Coating Season is Underway on Provincial Highways
This summer, $23 million will be invested in seal coating more than 550 kilometres of provincial highway. Seal coating is a preventative treatment which adds about 10 years to the life of a highway.
“Our government is committed to making major investments to improve highway safety and to stimulate our economy, but also ongoing investments in maintenance which will help employ Saskatchewan people or return them to work,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Greg Ottenbreit said. “Seal coating maintains the integrity of the road and ensures that the infrastructure we enjoy now is preserved for years to come.”
Seal coating work is scheduled this week on Highway 13 between Stoughton and Carlyle.
A seal coat is the packing of oil and crushed rock into the pavement. This forms a protective layer, providing a waterproof, non-skid surface which reduces deterioration and cracking. Seal coats require about 24 hours to cure, resulting in speed reductions. These speed reductions allow the seal coat to cure properly, while also saving windshields from damage.
There are a variety of reasons work zones have temporary speed reductions left in place when workers are not present. Sharp pavement drop-offs, lane closures and loose gravel are examples of hazards that drivers may encounter that warrant a slower posted speed.
A weekly construction update provides Saskatchewan residents with the latest details on projects underway to help plan safe and efficient travel throughout the summer and fall. Additional travel information about emergency road closures, the status of ferries, barges and other road activities can also be found on the Highway Hotline at www.saskatchewan.ca/Highwayhotline.
Information and concerns about a provincial highway can be made by calling 1-844-SK-HIWAY.
The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $9.8 billion in highways infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 15,800 km of Saskatchewan highways. Another $300 million in highways stimulus funds will be invested over the next two years to support Saskatchewan’s economic recovery.