A stretch of narrow, rough, patchwork-pavement highway between Langham and Dalmeny originally built in the late 1920s or early 1930s is finally getting a major upgrade.
Construction work began in August on a $13.1 million project involving widening, subgrade and pavement for a total of 11.5 kilometers of Highway 305 from half a kilometer west of 1st Street in Dalmeny to the junction with Highway 16. The project is slated to be completed in August, 2024. The contractor is Nemanishen Contracting Ltd. of Langham.
Work crews are currently constructing a subgrade structure, with excavation operations on the south side of the highway. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure stated that motorists should be aware of work zones along the stretch of road, with speeds restricted to 60 kilometers per hour. There will be one-way traffic during the construction period, with traffic lights and flaggers.
The highway connecting Langham, Dalmeny, Saskatoon and Warman was one of the first major transportation routes in Saskatchewan. Originally known as Highway 5, it was renamed Highway 305 in the late 1960s when the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) was opened, shortening the distance between Saskatoon and Langham. Previous upgrades to the highway between Dalmeny and Warman were made within the past decade. This stretch of the original highway is the last to be rebuilt to modern standards.