A longtime trucker in West Central Saskatchewan is raising concerns about deteriorating highway conditions, saying poor roads are putting the safety of youth, seniors and professional drivers at risk, and leaving operators with hefty repair bills.
Wayne Whitney, a 78-year-old trucker based in the region, says he’s watched the highways break down for decades with what he describes as “very little action” from the province.
“The highway from Luseland to Macklin is so broken up, I have to drive my transport truck down the centre line to avoid busting it up,” Whitney said in a phone interview. “Then DOT is waiting at the other end to give you a ticket because your truck’s damaged. It’s garbage.”
Whitney singled out Highway 31 between Macklin and Major, a thin membrane surface installed 25 years ago, as particularly dangerous. Despite his repeated calls for upgrades since 2000, he says no significant repairs have been made.
“We’re putting our kids on these roads. Seniors are having to travel them to get to hospitals. It’s getting pathetic,” he said.
The veteran hauler described potholes large enough to “swallow a buffalo” and recounted one incident where a truck of his hit a rough patch near railway tracks, cracking its frame, a repair pegged at more than $20,000.
“I went to SGI and they told me there’s nothing they can do. Just wear and tear,” Whitney said. “Of course it’s wear and tear, look at the roads!”
He also raised concerns about the broader implications for public safety and Saskatchewan’s economic health.
“Our young people are learning to drive on these highways. Our elders are behind the wheel. It’s not just inconvenient, it’s dangerous.”
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways has responded. The department says it continues to maintain and improve the province’s 26,400-kilometre highway network, the largest per capita in Canada.
Recent and ongoing work in the area includes:
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A $4.6 million thin-lift overlay was completed in 2023 on Highway 17 between Macklin and Marsden.
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$840,000 for intersection safety improvements at Highway 31 and Highway 14.
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Micro-surfacing and rut-filling projects totalling $1.6 million along Highway 31 between Kerrobert and Macklin since 2018.
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New maintenance work is beginning this summer between Luseland and Macklin to improve the driving surface.
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A $20.1 million upgrade to 20 km of Highway 51 west of Major was completed in 2022.
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A $24.6 million investment in Highway 51 from Kerrobert to Major was completed in 2015.
Still, Whitney says patchwork repairs aren’t enough.
“We all pay taxes. So where’s the money going?” he asked. “We deserve better — especially out here in the oil patch.”
The Ministry says Highway 51 between Kerrobert and the Highway 317 junction developed a dip above a culvert this spring and will be repaired in August. A broader $15.9 million upgrade of Highway 51 west of Biggar is underway and expected to wrap up in 2026.
Whitney, meanwhile, says he’s still waiting to hear back from provincial officials after reaching out in recent weeks, including to the deputy minister of highways.
“It’s time for people to say something. I’ve been in this industry for 35 years. We’ve always tried to keep things safe, but this isn’t right.”