Passing lanes open on Highway 6 south of Regina

Driving along a busy corridor south of Regina should be a little safer after the addition of new passing lanes.

The first set of passing lanes on Highway 6 between Regina and Corinne opened on Thursday, with another set expected to open next week depending on the weather.

It’s a stretch of road where close calls are common, some leading to deadly crashes. In June, a 60-year-old man from Emerald Park was killed when his northbound motorcycle collided with a southbound semi near the Highway 306 junction.

A YouTube video posted in April 2018 shows drivers move onto the shoulder as a semi tries to pass another semi, crossing into their lane.

“Passing lanes improve safety and traffic flow and the response to the addition of more passing lanes in Saskatchewan from first responders, municipalities and drivers has been overwhelmingly positive,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister Lori Carr said in a news release.

Several other sets of passing lanes are planned across the province including on Highway 2 north of Moose Jaw, Highway 5 between Saskatoon and Highway 2, Highway 7 from Rosetown to the Alberta border, and Highways 9 and 10 between Canora and Melville.

Another safety measure along the major trade route between Regina and Estevan includes twinning short sections of Highway 39.

Funding for the improvements along Highways 6 and 39 are split 50/50 with the federal government through the National Trade Corridors Fund.