The future of Highway 39/6 from Regina to North Portal, and of U.S. Highway 52 in North Dakota, was discussed by U.S. and Saskatchewan government representatives in Regina on July 11.
Three members of a committee promoting a safer U.S. Highway 52, and a representative of the North Dakota Department of Transportation, met with Saskatchewan Minister of Highways and Infrastructure Dave Marit in Regina to discuss the future plans for the highways. The U.S. representatives included Rep. Dan Ruby, the chairman of the transportation committee in the North Dakota House of Representatives, and newspaper editor Marvin Baker of the Kenmare News of Kenmare, N.D., who provided an account of the discussions with Minister Marit.
Both highways connect at Portal, and while work has begun on Highway 39, including twinning it near the U.S. border, no changes are planned for U.S. Highway 52 from the border to U.S. Highway 2 near Minot.
The representatives discussed a number of issues, including a four-lane highway from Regina to Minot, but the American representatives indicated this most likely won’t happen on their side of the border because of funding shortfalls, and cutbacks to the twinning project on the Canadian side. According to a report from Baker of the meeting, Marit said the twinning plan has been scaled back. Improvements will continue, including sections of the highway that will be four-laned. Other stretches of the highway will become a “super 2”, which is a two-lane highway with frequent passing lanes.
“We should have a strategy between North Dakota and Saskatchewan,” Marit said. “We should have changes on both sides of the border.”
Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Minot, agreed with Marit saying a super 2 would be far more cost effective than four-laning 80 miles of highway in northwest North Dakota.
According to Marit, the ministry has done detailed studies on installing passing lanes as a follow up to the four-lane strategy and found it more efficient to add passing lanes on Highway 6, which goes south out of Regina until it connects to Highway 39 near Wilcox.
Marit suggested future meetings to sync some of the logistical issues between the province and the state. “There’s weights and logistics of trucks hauling freight. We need to have a discussion about that. I think this is important. It just makes sense.”
Ruby told Marit the North Dakota group wants to address weights of heavy trucks on each highway as well as the safety of the road itself.
Deputy Minister Fred Antunes asked the North Dakota group if both sides could discuss weights and measures. “This might be an opportunity to have some further dialog,” Antunes said. “We can also get together with trucking companies to exchange our information.”
Marit asked Ruby if there are any plans to improve U.S. 52, and Ruby said no. Marit countered that by 2020 he hopes to have the entire Highway 39 route improved.
“I would expect there would be an appetite to do that in North Dakota,” Marit said. “It’s important to meet and engage in this.”
Conducting the meeting also on behalf of Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, Marit said the premier was recently in Iowa to speak about trade issues, which falls in line with this meeting about the highway route.
“It’s important dialogue with trade relations and infrastructure,” Marit said. “I would also like to link with Montana.”
One of the biggest challenges, at least for Marit, is the province has two 24-hour ports of entry, at North Portal and at Regway/Raymond, Mont.
Most heavy truck drivers are using North Portal and that’s why he would like to link with Montana, to spread out the traffic a bit.
