REGINA — Prairie communities on both sides of the border would like to see some relief from increased traffic, but have to join the line of construction projects first.

According to a story in the Regina Leader-Post, residents in southeast Saskatchewan have allies in North Dakota when it comes to twinning the highway that connects the border communities.

Communities along Highway 39 are concerned about an increase in traffic and would like to see the stretch of road twinned that leads to the Portal border crossing. Residents along Highway 52 (the North Dakota border connection) couldn’t agree more, but right now other highway projects stand in the way.

In Saskatchewan, the current priority for highway twinning is the completion of the Highway 11 between Saskatoon and Prince Albert, which could take a couple of years to finish. Once it is complete Saskatchewan Highways and Infrastructure will evaluate a number of highways in the province that might need twinning and determine what the next project will be.

On the U.S. side of the border, Highway 52 from the border to west of Minot was widened a few years ago because of concerns for road improvements, but finishing the twinning of Highway 2 from Minot to the western North Dakota border, is the state’s current priority.

After that project is complete, discussions will begin on the next stretch of road to be twinned. While Highway 52 around Minot is likely to get consideration, it’s a question of whether or not that twinning will stretch north to the border, or south to Jamestown.