Heavy rain has caused a significant washout at Highway 903 from Cole Bay to Meadow Lake forcing motorists to seek alternate travel plans of either paved Highway 155 or Highway 965 as the road is closed.
But the detour is affecting the communities of Canoe Lake First Nation, Jans Bay and Cole Bay in northern Saskatchewan.
The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is well aware of the “inconvenience and hardships” the washout has caused and is working on a design plan to fix the issue.
“We will be replacing the old culvert with four 2.7 meter culverts. So, that’s like four culverts that are nine feet in diameter,” Doug Wakabayashi, Executive Director of Communications for the Ministry said. “
That should increase the capacity there and reduce the risk of future washouts at that location.”
Wakabayashi described the repairs as complex, given the additional culverts and 15 to 18 meters.
It is expected the culverts may take two-to-three weeks for delivery, giving the department time to tender the project and find a contractor.
Wakabayashi says there is no estimated time-frame on when the repairs will be complete. The washout occurred July 31.
(Photo: Highway 903 washout. Courtesy of Shawna Gardiner Facebook.)