WHEREAS as recently as two years ago the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure maintained the road approaches to highways where that approach was within the highway right-of-way, and specifically where the right-of-way was adjacent to a railway right-of-way; and

WHEREAS the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure is apparently formulating a policy document, as a matter of budget constraint, which deals in part with the discontinuation of road maintenance on portions of the highway right-of-way; namely road approaches where municipal roads cross highways adjacent to railways; and

WHEREAS the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure apparently has not been in consultation with individual rural municipalities affected or with SARM on this matter;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM approach the Minister of Highways and Infrastructure regarding this issue with the objective of influencing the policy formulation so that;
• The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure does not unilaterally off-load maintenance
and the cost of maintenance for road approaches on the provincial highway right-of- ways especially when the highway right-of-ways are adjacent to a railway;
• That SARM, on behalf of rural municipalities, have ongoing input into the policy being
developed by the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure; and
• That the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure's policy include full maintenance of road approaches within their right-of-way when adjacent to railway or other non- municipal right-of-way.

Response from Honourable Don McMorris, Minister of Highways and Infrastrcuture:

This Resolution addresses SARM"s request that the Ministry maintain approaches within the highway right-of-way and include the maintenance of all approaches as part of the highway network.

The Ministry is responsible for maintaining approaches which are part of the highway network such as highway/highway intersections, community access, service roads and ramps. In some cases, the Ministry has maintained municipal approaches as a goodwill gesture; however, it is the responsibility of the owner/administrator to maintain their approaches.

The Ministry is formalizing its current standard practice regarding approach maintenance. The standard will reiterate that the Ministry allows these approaches to exist in the right-of-way; however, the primary user or administrator is responsible
for their maintenance.

View updated response dated August 17, 2017 from the Ministry of Highways