REGINA — With $250 million earmarked for new highway construction and paving in Saskatchewan, the province’s budget includes the second largest highways capital program in the province’s history.

In total, the 2010-11 budget for Saskatchewan allocated $551 million to build, operate and maintain the provincial highway system.

"With this investment, our government will have invested $1.7 billion into the provincial transportation system in the first three years of our mandate," Highways and Infrastructure Minister Jim Reiter said. "We made a commitment to the people of Saskatchewan to invest $1.8 billion over our four-year mandate to fix our highways and roads. We are well on our way to significantly exceeding that commitment."

Some of the highlights for the highway budget include, $63 million for multi-year projects like another 30 km of twinning on Highway 11, year two of the Lewvan Interchange and West By-Pass at Regina, and The Yorkton Truck By-Pass.

Other highlights include: $86 million to commence or complete 470 km of work under the rural highway strategy; $76 million to commence or complete 600 km of resurfacing across the provincial highway system; and $36 million to repair or replace bridges and culverts, including continuing work on the new St. Louis Bridge.