Regina Bypass

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Regina Bypass

Regina Bypass highlighted in red
Route information
Length44.3 km[1] (27.5 mi)
Existed2015–present
Component
highways		Hwy 1 (TCH), Hwy 11
Major junctions
East end Hwy 1 (TCH) east / Victoria Ave
Major intersections Hwy 33
Hwy 6
Hwy 1 (TCH) west
North end Hwy 11 north / Hwy 11A
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceSaskatchewan
Rural municipalitiesSherwood No. 159
Major citiesRegina
Highway system
← Hwy 999→ Hwy 2
← Hwy 10→ Hwy 12

The Regina Bypass is a four-lane twinned highway connector road in Regina, Saskatchewan. The 44.3-kilometer (27.5 mi) route connects Highway 1 (the Trans-Canada Highway) with Highway 11, forming a partial ring road around the city of Regina.

Phase one, east of Regina from Balgonie to Highway 33, finished on-schedule in October 2017. The remainder was finished October 2019.[2] The bypass opened to traffic on October 29, 2019.[3] The project, slated to cost $1.8 billion overall, is the largest single infrastructure project in the history of Saskatchewan.[4] The bypass is owned on behalf of the public by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure with design, construction, operations, and long-term maintenance performed by the Regina Bypass Partners.

Scope

The full project scope encompasses 464 single-lane kilometres of work, roughly the distance between Regina and Medicine Hat.[5] It consists of:

  • 12 overpasses,
  • 40 km of new four-lane highway,
  • 20 km of resurfaced four-lane highway,
  • 55 km of new service roads, and
  • Twinning of about 5 km of Highway 6.[6]

The project is being built in three distinct sections: "Area 1", which will upgrade and extend the city's existing Pinkie Road into a full connection between Highway 1 and Highway 11 in the west of the city; "Area 2", which will construct a new route south of the city between Highway 1 and Highway 33; and "Area 3", which will complete the connection from Highway 33 back to Highway 1 in the east of the city adjacent to Tower Road, as well as further upgrades to the existing route of Highway 1 easterly to Highway 46.

The route runs west of the Regina International Airport.[7]

History

The Regina Bypass serves as a replacement bypass route for the existing Regina Ring Road. The Ring Road was originally constructed as an urban bypass route around Regina's city centre, however urban growth since Ring Road's construction effectively turned it into an arterial road with high traffic congestion along some portions of the route.

Plans for the Pinkie Road segment of the route were announced in 2009,[8] with the remainder of the bypass loop finalized in 2014.[9]

Pinkie Road will be a primary access highway with access points for the Global Transportation Hub (GTH). The project is undertaken by the City of Regina, Sherwood No. 159 rural municipality (RM) Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure (MHI) and Transport Canada to provide an Intermodal freight transport center and the road infrastructure between two National Highway System routes.[10] C$27 million will be contributed by the Government of Canada as part of the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative (APGCI) towards this $93 million project.[11] The provincial government will commit about $27 million to the project.[12] Former Highways and Infrastructure Minister Wayne Elhard discussed expanding the Government's role in the next phase of the development project.[13] The average vehicles per day on both Hwy 1 and Hwy 11 were examined in 5-year and 25-year projections. The traffic on Hwy 1 is expected to have an average of 10,140 to 11,210 vehicles per day on the west and east side of the proposed interchange in five years. This amount in 25 years is expected to increase to 21,040 vehicles per day on the west and 31,340 vehicles per day on the east side of the proposed interchange respectively. Hwy 11 is projected to increase from 13,060 to 23,870 vehicles per day in 25 years.

Highway 11 Regina

The new connector road across Dewdney Avenue will carry 5,500 vehicles per day projected in 5 years increasing to 33,000 vehicles per day in 25 years.[14] Currently the Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) on Hwy 1 is 9,280 vehicles per day west of Pinkie Road, and 11,680 on the east side of Pinkie Road. On Hwy 11 east of the interchange the AADT is 8,840. On Pinkie Road south of the interchange the traffic volume is 7,740 vehicles per day.[7][15] John Law, Deputy Minister of Highways and Infrastructure estimated that it will cost about $45 million to upgrade service roads to Pinkie Road and the intermodal facility to support approximately 1,400 commercial trucks per week in the area.[16] The current proposal is looking at a 4 lane twinned highway with service roads. It will become part of the long term bypass route around Regina, and will accommodate future growth of the city to a population of 300,000.[7][17] Pinkie Road will be approximately 26 kilometers (16 mi) in length.[18] The annexation of land by the city from the RM of Sherwood is being negotiated and the city will pay about $1,500,000 and supply water to the RM for the land segment.[19][20]

The city initially considered four industrial land options for development Argyle Park - IPSCO lands, Regina Airport, Ross Industrial Park and the Pinkie Road and Trans-Canada Highway areas.[21][22] In November 2007, Regina City Council examined a report which studied projected industrial growth for the city of Regina until 2027. The study proposed a new industrial area west of the Regina airport. The major roads would be constructed by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure and they would be supported by a $7 million payment by the City of Regina. The city also examined at this concept plan the cost of $54 million for infrastructure servicing of facilities.[23] Regina's general manager of corporate services is looking at servicing fees and development levies to help repay the loan.[24] A 20-year time frame will extend land use to also include a light industrial park.[23] A number of open houses were held with the public to determine planning, road alignments, access points and general location of the new connector road.[25] Following the advisement of two consultation firms the City of Regina has determined to proceed with the land development and water, drainage, and wastewater management procedures outlined for the Regina Inland Port. There will be two phases of land development the land development west of Pinkie Road will constitute phase 1 and east of Pinkie Road will be Phase 2.[26]

The first overpass of the Trans-Canada Highway section of the bypass was partially finished and into operation on July 27, 2017, in the town of Balgonie.[27] The second overpass of this section of the bypass was partially finished and put into operation on August 10, 2017, in the town of White City.[28] CBC stated that the Balgonie overpass would be fully functional by Labour Day and the White City overpass would be fully functional by the third week of September, since the ramps need finishing touches. In 2016, construction began on a diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at the Pilot Butte Access Road (Hwy 362); completed on March 9, 2018, it is the first DDI in Saskatchewan and the second in Canada.[29][30][31]

A northeast leg of the Bypass, from Highway 11 to the Trans-Canada Highway (Victoria Avenue) remains to be constructed. As of fall 2021, no time frame for this work has been suggested. In the meantime, the northeast leg of Ring Road within the city continues to serve its purpose as a central-city bypass.

Cost

In 2015, the Government of Saskatchewan committed $1.88 billion for design, construction, and 30 years of operations and maintenance.[5] Of this, the construction budget is approximately $1.2 billion.[32]

The first concept of a bypass, in 2013, was considerably smaller in scope and focused only on a route to divert traffic south of the city. The Ministry of Highways had two other, related projects under consideration at that time: overpasses east of Regina to improve safety for White Butte communities, and a project west of the city to divert traffic of Dewdney Avenue. Each of these small projects were estimated at $400 million. A decision was made to combine these individual components into one project, the Regina Bypass, with a cost estimate (construction only) of $1.2 billion.[32]

The project is being undertaken as a public-private partnership (P3). Financial analysis from Ernst & Young determined the P3 option was $380 million cheaper than a typical government-led build.[33]

Value for Money Comparison (2015 dollars)
Conventional Public-Private Partnership (P3)
Payments to private sector $1,646.2 M $1,787.0 M
Ancillary costs $89.0 M $45.1 M
Risks borne by government $476.9 M $49.4 M
Competitive neutrality adjustment (tax implications) $49.3 M n/a
Total NPV $2,261.4 M $1,881.5 M
P3 Savings $379.9 M (16.8%)

Other benefits attributed to the P3 include a faster construction schedule, better technology, and protection against cost overruns.[32]

Economic benefits

The Regina Bypass is Saskatchewan's single largest single job creator since the railroad crossed western Canada in the 1880s.[34] Construction alone was expected to create 8,200 jobs,[35] in addition to spin-off effects generated by capital spending. In the long-term, the bypass will enhance the productivity of local businesses by providing cheaper, faster access to major trade routes including Highway 1 east–west and the Highway 6 connections to Edmonton and the United States.

As of March 2017, construction had involved 95 Saskatchewan companies[36] including Graham, the Broda Group, Brandt, Clifton Associates, Crestview Chrysler, Fraser Strategy, Inland Aggregates, Lonesome Prairie, Urban Systems, and Noremac.[37]

Environmental and heritage impact

Burrowing owl

The proposal is studying the impact the new roadway will have on protected species of fauna in Saskatchewan such as the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), Sprague's pipit {Anthus spragueii}, peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis), monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens). Flora of Saskatchewan which may be impacted would be the prairie ragwort (Senecio plattensis) and Geyer's onion (Allium geyeri). The Presbyterian Indian Residential School Cemetery is also located in this vicinity north of Dewdney Avenue and east of Pinkie Road.[38] The project is being planned to meet any requirements set forth under the Building Canada Plan as well as evaluation of project procedures for environmental concerns as set out by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.[39]

Exit list

Excludes the 15.6 km (9.7 mi) section of existing Saskatchewan Highway 1 that was upgraded as part of the project.

Locationkm[1]miExitDestinationsNotes
Sherwood No. 1590.00.0 Hwy 1 (TCH) east – WinnipegContinues east
232Victoria AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit numbers follow Hwy 1
2.01.2234Victoria AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance; follows Tower Road
5.23.2237 Hwy 33 (Arcola Avenue) – Francis
10.06.2242Fleet StreetWestbound right-in/right-out
Range Road 2193Eastbound right-in/right-out
15.89.8247 Hwy 6 (Albert Street) – Weyburn, U.S. Border
20.812.9253Courtney StreetAt-grade
24.5–
26.8		15.2–
16.7		258
0		 Hwy 1 (TCH) west / Ring Road east – Moose JawSouthbound signed as exits 0A (east), exit 0B (west), and exit 0C (C/D);
northbound signed as exit 258 (to Hwy 11 north) and exit 0 (east)
West end Hwy 1 (TCH) designation • South end Hwy 11 designation
29.618.44Pinkie RoadExit numbers follow Hwy 11
Regina32.119.96Rotary Avenue
32.820.47Dewdney AvenueSouthbound exit, northbound entrance
36.122.4119th Avenue N
Sherwood No. 15939.324.414Armour RoadAt-grade
44.327.519 Hwy 11 north / Hwy 11A south – Saskatoon, City Centre
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Google (December 7, 2019). "Regina Bypass" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  2. ^ "Phase 1 of Regina's $1.8B bypass is complete". Regina Leader-Post. October 30, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  3. ^ Piller, Thomas (October 28, 2019). "Final touches added as Regina Bypass ready for traffic Oct. 29". Global News. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  4. ^ "Province marks construction of first phase of Regina bypass, but admits to delays". CFRE-DT, December 9, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Regina Bypass Value for Money Report" (PDF). SaskBuilds.ca. November 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "Regina Bypass Project | Regina Bypass | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c "Proposed Alignments Diagram of proposed alignments" (PDF). About Highways/Transportation Hub/Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  8. ^ "Changes to West Regina; Dramatic plans in the works for motorists on the west side of city". Regina Leader-Post, November 5, 2009.
  9. ^ "Regina Bypass route finalized". Regina Leader-Post, April 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub". About Highways/Transportation Hub/. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  11. ^ "The Government of Canada and the Province of Saskatchewan invest in Infrastructure". Transport Canada > Media Room > News Release >. Government of Canada. Archived from the original on February 18, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  12. ^ Hall, Angela (January 6, 2009). "Plans for 'global transportation hub' growing". Leader Post. Canwest Publishing Inc. Retrieved February 9, 2009.[dead link]
  13. ^ "More cash for growing transport facility". Leader Post. Canwest Publishing Inc. January 6, 2009. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  14. ^ "Forecast Daily Traffic Volumes Diagram illustrated forecasted traffic volumes on Pinkie Road" (PDF). About Highways/Transportation Hub/Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub. Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  15. ^ "Highway Traffic Volume Map trafficvolume-2007.pdf ( 1.5 MB )". About Highways/Saskatchewan Maps. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original (pdf) on December 16, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  16. ^ "Loblaw announces plans to build a distribution centre". Leader Post - Canwest Publishing. Global Transportation Hub (Regina) - SkyscraperPage Forum. January 6, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  17. ^ "Study Schedule Timeline for the Pinkie Road study" (PDF). About Highways/Transportation Hub/Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  18. ^ Microsoft Streets and Tips (Map) (2004 ed.). Microsoft Corporation Redmond Washington.
  19. ^ Rhodes, Veronica (November 4, 2008). "Mayor banking on approval of annexation". The Leader-Post - Can west publishing. Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association - iCompass Technologies Inc. Retrieved February 9, 2009.[dead link]
  20. ^ Blackwell, Justin (January 29, 2008). "It's a Go For the Global Transportation Hub". News Talk 650. Rawlco Radio. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  21. ^ Smith, Geoff (January 20, 2009). "Avison Young Forecasts More Growth for Regina". Newstalk radio 980. Rawlco Radio. City of Regina. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  22. ^ "Newsletter Fall Winter 2007/2008" (PDF). Avison Young Intelligent Real Estate Solutions. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  23. ^ a b "EX08-46 - International Report - IMF Industrial Expansion Area Concept Plan". Regina. September 17, 2008. Archived from the original (pdf) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  24. ^ Rhodes, Veronica (November 3, 2008). "City planning for inland port project". The Leader-Post - Canwest Publishing. Saskatchewan Uban Municipalities Association - iCompass Technologies Inc. Retrieved February 9, 2009.[dead link]
  25. ^ Land Use and Servicing Plans for the Regina Inland Port (pdf) (Map). City of Regina. Nov 2008. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  26. ^ November 5, 2008 RPC08-62 To: Members, Regina Planning Commission (Map). City of Regina. November 5, 2008. Archived from the original (pdf) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  27. ^ "Balgonie overpass to open early next week". Regina Leader-Post. July 20, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  28. ^ "White City overpass section of Regina Bypass opens". CBC News. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  29. ^ "Project Schedule - Regina Bypass". www.reginabypass.ca.
  30. ^ "New diverging diamond interchange coming to Regina Bypass project". CBC News. August 15, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2017.
  31. ^ "Sask.'s first diverging diamond interchange opens east of Regina". CTV News. March 9, 2018.
  32. ^ a b c "Regina Bypass Project | Regina Bypass | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  33. ^ "Ernst & Young Report Confirms Regina Bypass P3 Saves $380 Million | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  34. ^ Wyant, Q.C., Gordon (October 25, 2016). "Hansard, October 25, 2016" (PDF). Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.
  35. ^ "Regina Bypass will Improve Safety and Save $380 Million | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  36. ^ Wyant, Q.C., Gordon (March 20, 2017). "Hansard March 20 2017" (PDF). Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly.
  37. ^ "Saskatchewan Companies Busy with Regina Bypass Construction | News and Media | Government of Saskatchewan". Government of Saskatchewan. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
  38. ^ "Environment and Heritage concerns Discussion of potential heritage and environmental concerns" (PDF). About Highways/Transportation Hub/Saskatchewan's Global Transportation Hub. Government of Saskatchewan. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
  39. ^ "Regina becoming transportation hub - Vive" (pdf). Vive le Canada. December 8, 2008. Retrieved February 9, 2009.

External links

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