Resolution No. 13-01A

WHEREAS, due to the rapidly eroding highway and rail network in Saskatchewan, the use of municipal roads for the transportation of grain, oil and movement of general trade and commerce has increased dramatically; and

WHEREAS, the Provincial Government allows road designation for truck routes in The Urban Municipality Act; and

WHEREAS, rural municipalities can not designate roads for weight limits greater than secondary weight without issuing individual permits; and

WHEREAS, rural municipalities need more effective rules and regulations to better control the use of roads within their boundaries;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that SARM lobby the Provincial Government to enact legislation to allow Rural Municipalities to designate truck routes within their boundaries and to set weight limits, up to primary weights, on these truck routes.

Response from Hon. Ron Osika:

The use of designated vehicle routes in rural municipalities could create traffic problems between municipalities, especially when one municipality has designated a connecting road as a heavy haul route and the other has implemented a road ban restricting all heavy traffic. 

MAH will consider this request as part of its ongoing legislative review; however, a method to coordinate RM decisions would have to be found. SARM is invited to suggest a solution to this problem.