The province is asking the City of Regina and the Rural Municipality of Sherwood to chip in money for two proposed interchanges along the Regina Bypass.

One of the interchanges would be located at Ninth Avenue North, while the other would be built at Hill Avenue.

Under the proposal, the city would pay $23.3 million or just over 35 per cent of the estimated $66 million cost of building the two interchanges.

The RM of Sherwood would cover $9.7 million or 14.8 per cent, while the province would provide $32.8 million to fund the remaining half of the project.

The city would be able to make annual payments over a period of up to 30 years, with interest equal to the province’s long-term borrowing rate.

On Monday night, Regina city council voted in favour of negotiating with the province to come to a fair price.

According to a city report, there is no immediate need for the interchanges.

“(The) Hill Avenue interchange does not have any real importance for the city for the life of the current growth plan,” the report states.

“The Ninth Avenue interchange does have importance for the city’s current growth plan primarily related to accessing the (Global Transportation Hub), although the project may not technically be warranted until a future date.”

The report notes that once the interchanges are constructed, the city may have to fast-track other projects, such as the extension of Ninth Avenue North to the bypass and Hill Avenue to the RM of Sherwood.

The province has said it will be responsible for the operations, maintenance and rehabilitation of all Regina Bypass structures.

The bypass will begin on Highway 11 northwest of Regina and run south to the Trans-Canada Highway. It will then wrap around the city about five kilometres south of Highway 1, and will be routed 400 metres east of Tower Road to connect back with Highway 1 on the east side of Regina.

The project will also include three overpasses at the Pilot Butte access road, Highway 48 near White City and Highway 46 near Balgonie.

The province says the cost of the public-private project will be determined through a competitive bidding process. The federal government has committed up to $200 million in funding toward the project.

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer, and the bypass is expected to open to traffic by fall 2017 and be completed by fall 2018.