REGINA – According to early numbers from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways, the Regina Bypass has been averaging around 6,200 vehicles per day since it opened to public traffic last week.
Around 1,200 of those daily vehicles are commercial trucks.
“That’s 1,200 vehicles that would have been on either Victoria Avenue or Ring Road that are instead on the bypass,” said David Horth with the Ministry of Highways.
The Saskatchewan Trucking Association says most truck drivers and companies are fans of the bypass as a streamlined route around Regina, adding it expects even more drivers to use it as they become more familiar with the new road.
“Like anything new it takes people a little bit of time to get used to where they’re going,” said Susan Ewart, the STA’s executive director, adding that’s been the case for many trucking companies so far.
The bypass also keeps trucks from needing to constantly speed up and slow down for lights and other traffic.
“[The Bypass] definitely will help with congestion and move the traffic around the city so they don’t have to come through here and make that odd left turn off of Victoria Ave. East back onto the Highway,” Ewart told CTV News.
The Ministry of Highways is able to keep such a close eye on how many drivers are using the bypass thanks to automated scales called Weigh In Motion – weighing cars and trucks alike as they pass by.
The Regina Bypass was opened on Oct. 29 after years of planning, development and construction and is the largest infrastructure project in the province’s history with a price tag near $2 billion.
