Earlier this week, it was announced that Highway 35 north of Weyburn had been voted one of the worst roads in Saskatchewan, finishing in 10th place in the annual poll conducted by CAA Saskatchewan. The road made the list due to potholes, according to the submissions to the vote.
The list, submitted annually to government and business leaders, is intended to push for road improvements. But when it comes to fixing this specific stretch of Highway 35, the question becomes: who is responsible?
Highway 35 runs through Weyburn and is known as King Street and Government Road within the city limits. The City’s responsibility for the repairs extends up to 1.72 kilometres north of the intersection of King Street and 5th Avenue North. Beyond that, the repairs are the responsibility of the provincial Ministry of Highways.
The City of Weyburn did apply for funding from the provincial government under what is known as the Urban Highway Connector Program for repairs to be made to the city’s portion of the road, among other requests. The province approved $245,000 in funding for a culvert project on Highway 39 near Highway 35, but nothing for the repairs on Highway 35 near the city limits.
Weyburn has received substantial funding through the program for other projects in the past, however.
“In 2024, the City of Weyburn received $810,000 in provincial funding toward the rehabilitation of Highway 13 project from the Highway 13/Highway 35 intersection to the 13th Street intersection,” the Ministry of Highways noted in a written statement, referring to past investments.
On the side of the boundary that is the responsibility of the provincial government, there are no plans at this time to make any repairs on Highway 35. The Ministry of Highways stated they have committed to one key project in the area for 2025.
“Outside of City of Weyburn limits and responsibility, a $29 million project under the Ministry of Highways capital program will see 5.8 km of twinning on Highway 39 near the community, and a roundabout at the intersection of Highways 13 and 39,” the written statement read. “The project is funded by both the federal and provincial governments.”
Residents of the Weyburn area have mentioned for years the state of Highway 35 as being a concern, with it finishing in the Top 10 Worst Roads according to CAA Saskatchewan in 2021. No major repairs were made to the road at that time, either.