DIAMOND INTERSECTION
Traffic rolling on Pilot Butte overpass
The Pilot Butte overpass opened to traffic on Friday morning — 20 months ahead of schedule and a Saskatchewan first.
The new overpass addresses long-standing safety concerns at the Pilot Butte access.
The interchange has criss-crossing lanes on a bridge over the bypass, with two controlled intersections moving traffic to opposing sides of the road. That means drivers can merge onto the highway in both directions without crossing oncoming traffic.
By using curbing and the lines on the pavement and traffic lights, traffic is moved over to the lefthand side of the road, a Highways Ministry official explained recently.
“Easing traffic congestion and improving safety along Canada’s major trade routes is a priority for our government, and I look forward to seeing the new economic opportunities this major work will bring to the region,” Amarjeet Sohi, minister of infrastructure and communities, said in a news release.
The interchange is only the second in Canada to use the diverging diamond design.
The configuration is becoming increasingly popular in North America due to its safety and operational benefits.
“We are pleased to be able to provide the residents of Pilot Butte with a safer access to their community earlier than expected,” Highways and Infrastructure Minister David Marit said in a news release.
The Pilot Butte interchange was originally pushed back because of delays securing passage over what was once First Nations land, a process that provincial officials said the feds made “cumbersome.” But good weather last year sped up construction.
The project was also pushed ahead of a less heavily-travelled intersection at Highway 33.
“The community of Pilot Butte is thrilled with the opening of the Diverging Diamond overpass,” Pilot Butte Mayor Peggy Chorney said in a news release. “We have been eagerly waiting for a design that addresses firstly and most importantly traffic safety, and secondly to increase access and flow of traffic. We recognize that the design is new to many drivers, but anticipate fewer collision since turning vehicles no longer have to cross traffic.”
Lane Campbell Antosh lost his life in a fatal collision on Aug. 9, 2013.
The bypass is the largest transportation infrastructure in Saskatchewan’s history. The federal government, through PPP Canada, is investing up to $200 million in the project.