Saskatchewan Highway 6 Explained

Province:SK
Type:Hwy
Route:6
Alternate Name:CanAm Highway (segment)
Maint:Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure
& Transport Canada
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:Highway 6 highlighted in red
Photo Width:250
Length Km:522.3
Length Round:1
Direction A:South
Direction B:North
Terminus A: at Canada–US border at Regway
Junction:
Terminus B: near Choiceland
Rural Municipalities:Surprise Valley, The Gap, Norton, Caledonia, Bratt's Lake, Lumsden, Longlaketon, Cupar, Kutawa, Mount Hope, Prairie Rose, Spalding, Star City, Kinistino, Pleasantdale, Willow Creek, Nipawin, Torch River
Cities:Melfort, Regina
Previous Type:Hwy
Previous Route:5
Next Type:Hwy
Next Route:7

Highway 6 is a paved undivided major provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.[1] It runs from Montana Highway 16 at the Canada–US border near the Canada customs port of Regway to Highway 55 near Choiceland. Highway 6 is about 523km (325miles) long. The CanAm Highway[2] comprises Saskatchewan Highways from south to north: SK 35, Sk 39, Sk 6, Sk 3, as well as Sk 2.[3] of Saskatchewan Highway 6 contribute to the CanAm Highway between Corinne and Melfort.

Major provincial highways that Highway 6 intersects are Highway 18, Highway 13 (Red Coat Trail), Highway 39, Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), Highway 11 (Louis Riel Trail), Highway 99, Highway 22, Highway 15, Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway), Highway 5, Highway 3, Highway 41, and Highway 55 (Northern Woods and Water Route).

Highway 6 passes through the cities of Regina and Melfort.

Travel route

Canada–United States border to Corinne

Highway 6 begins at the Canada–United States border. The border crossings are Raymond, Montana on Montana Highway 16 in the United States and at Regway, Saskatchewan on Hwy 6.[4] Two early name choices for Meyer were Meyersville or Fort Comfort the name of the neighboring North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) post to the north. Minton, became a hamlet in 1930 and in 1951 Minton incorporated as a village.[5] The initial stages of the journey are mixed grassland, and the main economy is ranching.[6] This area traversed is the Big Muddy Badlands area of the Missouri Coteau. The terrain of the Missouri Coteau features low hummocky, undulating, rolling hills, potholes, and grasslands. This physiographic region of Saskatchewan is the uplands Missouri Coteau, a part of the Great Plains Province or Alberta Plateau Region which extends across the south east corner of the province of Saskatchewan.[7] There are several unique geographical features. The Big Muddy Valley, The Hole in the Wall Coulee, Roan Mare Coulee are all deep valleys of the area. The Big Muddy Lake, an alkali lake, could be crossed at the Diamond Crossing was a rise in Big Muddy Lake. Outlaw gangs such as the Jones-Nelson Gang used this undulating landscape to cross the border and hide out.[8] Between the Canada customs port of Regway and Minton are several points of interest such as an old schoolhouse, and the historic Ceylon Park Memorial Garden.[9] Gibson Creek is dammed with Ceylon Dam providing water to the village of Ceylon, as well as the Ceylon Regional Park which is located just off Hwy 6.[10] Besides passing ranches, oil and gas wells, agricultural lands producing feed, there are also Pregnant Mare Urine barns along this route.[11] Hwy 6 intersects the Red Coat Trail near Pangman at Ceylon.

Highway 6 section of CanAm Highway begins

Corinne is located at the Hwy 6 and Hwy 39 junction, where the two routes share a short concurrency. It is here that the northern journey of the CanAm Highway continues on Hwy 6. The historic Wood Mountain - FortQu'Appelle Trail is marked with a point of interest marker.

Hwy 6 reaches Regina, which is the capital of Saskatchewan and is the second largest in the province (after Saskatoon). Regina was previously the headquarters of the North-West Territories, of which today's provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta originally formed part, and of the District of Assiniboia.[12] The city is situated on a broad, flat, treeless plain. There is an abundance of parks and greenspaces: all of its trees — some 300,000[13] — shrubs and other plants were hand-planted and Regina's considerable beauty is entirely man-made.[14] As in other prairie cities, American elms were planted in front yards in residential neighbourhoods and on boulevards along major traffic arteries and are the dominant species in the urban forest. The IPSCO Wildlife Park is located off Hwy 6 at Regina.[15] Hwy 6 and Hwy 1, the Trans-Canada Hwy, intersect at the Regina Bypass, located just south of Regina, at a partial cloverleaf interchange. The Regina Bypass is a $1.8 billion project that included 12 overpasses and of four-lane highway, and opened in October 2019.[16] As part of the project, the Hwy 1 and Hwy 11 designations were moved from Regina city streets to the Regina Bypass.[17] Hwy 6 continues north to a cloverleaf interchange at Ring Road (the former alignment of Hwy 1) at the south end of Regina, it is one of the first two Saskatchewan interchanges which opened in 1967. Hwy 6 formerly followed Albert Street through the city, although signage now points Hwy 6 to follow Ring Road and bypass the downtown area;[18] [19] however, some maps and remnant signage and still show Hwy 6 as following the former route. North of Victoria Avenue, Hwy 6 shared a concurrency with Hwy 11 (prior to the opening of the Regina Bypass) until the route reaches the north end of the Regina, where the routes rejoins Albert Street. Hwy 11A branches northwest towards Hwy 11 and Saskatoon and Hwy 6 leaves Regina.

The Qu'Appelle River flows east–west across the province, Highway 6 goes through the Qu'Appelle valley north of Regina. A crosswalk was installed at Southey, with overhead lights giving higher visibility to pedestrians crossing Hwy 6 at Assiniboia Avenue.[20] In the Aspen Parkland ecoregion, deer and other large ungulates are a hazard to traffic, resulting in potential animal or human deaths, especially in the autumn mating months or when deer are searching for feeding grounds in the spring. The defence mechanism of deer in the face of a threat is to freeze. There are over 3,500 deer–auto collisions per year in Saskatchewan. A number of measures have been implemented to increase awareness such as fencing, feeding programs, automobile whistles.[21] Deer mirrors along the edges of highways were installed for reducing deer-vehicle collisions.[22] The Wildlife Warning System is triggered by highway vehicles, setting off lights, sounds and or odours ahead of the approaching vehicle to frighten away animals. A system that detects vehicle was installed in 2002 near Harris to reduce the quantity of mule deer–automobile accidents for a two-year testing period.[23] Another system detects large animals and sets off a warning system to drivers of vehicles, alerting them that an animal is on or near the highway ahead of time.[24] [25]

McNab Regional Park is located south of Watson featuring pool and golf course.[26] Watson is located amid the junction of Hwy 5 and Hwy 6.[27] In this area Hwy 6 is travelling through the boreal-transition ecoregion. The highway travels east of Lake Charron upon which Lake Charron Regional Park offers camping, fishing, nature trails, and snowmobiling trails.[28] Naicam is served by Hwy 6, and Hwy 349.[29] This area is sustained by agriculture, with the ecosystem changing from the rolling parkland to boreal forest. The Barrier river valley, Kipabiskau Regional Park, and Lake Charron Regional Park are nearby features.[30]

Highway 6 section of CanAmHighway ends

Melfort, a city of about 6,000, is located on Hwy 6, Hwy 3, and Sk Hwy 41.[31] [32] The CanAm Highway continues north on Hwy 3. The South Saskatchewan and North Saskatchewan Rivers join together west of the highway. The highway thus crosses the Saskatchewan River. The Fort à la Corne Provincial Park and the confluence of the Saskatchewan River Basin are two major attractions in this area.[33] Choiceland is located 1miles north of Hwy 55, the terminus junction of Hwy 6.[34] The Rural Municipality of Torch River No. 488 is located past the tree line of Saskatchewan. There are several recreational sites in the area such as Scot's Landing on the Saskatchewan River and Carrolls Cove Campground, Pruden's Point at Tobin Lake.[35]

History

In 1999 the asphalt concrete pavement section of Highway 6 north of Raymore was tested with a Cold in-place recycling or “CIR” method to rehabilitate highways. This CIR process is a cost-effective method which recycles the top surface of a road. This pulverized material is mixed with asphalt emulsion and spread and compacted back onto the highway surface. This surface is then recovered with a new seal dependent on traffic volume.[36]

Major intersections

From south to north:[37]

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TYPE ADMN_CLASS TOLL_RD RTE_NUM1 RTE_NUM2 ROUTE 1 Gravel ... . Government of Canada . 2008-02-17 .
  2. Web site: Macdonald . Julian . Provincial Highways @ Saskatchewan Highways Website . 1999–2003 . 2008-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080215212302/http://saskhighways.homestead.com/provincial.html . 2008-02-15 . dead .
  3. Web site: Western Canada Group Travel Planner: Getting to Western Canada . 1999–2003 . 2008-02-17 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070919001049/http://www.grouptravelplanner.net/WesternCanada/GettingHere/ . 2007-09-19 .
  4. Web site: Border Crossings . PBB Global Logistics . 2006 . 2008-05-04.
  5. Web site: Minton . Sask Biz . Geography of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2009-02-04.
  6. Encyclopedia: Natural Vegetation. Thorpe. J.. Atlas of Saskatchewan Celebrating the Millennium. University of Saskatchewan. 1999. 978-0-88880-387-0. Kai-iu Fung. Millennium. Saskatchewan. 132–138. Bill Barry. Wilson, Michael.
  7. Richards . J.H. . Saskatchewan: Atlas of Saskatchewan . Saskatoon . Modern Press . 1969 . University of Saskatchewan.
  8. Web site: Surprise Valley . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  9. Web site: Saskatchewan Road Map Travel Guide: #6 Canada / United States .... Mile By Mile Media. 2007. 2008-05-04. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080515172809/http://www.milebymile.com/main/Canada/Saskatchewan/State_6/Canada_Saskatchewan_road_map_travel_guides.html. 2008-05-15.
  10. Web site: Ceylon . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  11. Web site: Rural Municipality (RM) of The Gap #39 (The Gap) . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  12. http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/regina.html Daria Coneghan, "Regina," The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan.
  13. Coneghan.
  14. http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/regina.html "Regina," The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan
  15. Web site: Trans-Canada Highway: Regina, Saskatchewan's Top Attractions . FoundLocally.com Media Inc. . 1999–2007 .
  16. News: Newly opened $1.8B Regina Bypass 'will save lives,' premier says; truckers say it will end 'nightmare'. Allen. Bonnie. October 29, 2019. CBC News. December 14, 2019.
  17. Web site: Highway Name Changes At The Regina Bypass. October 10, 2019. Government of Saskatchewan News and Media. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20191010220034/https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2019/october/10/construction-update. October 10, 2019. December 12, 2019.
  18. Web site: SK 6 north at TCH 1. Google Street View. September 5, 2017. September 2016.
  19. Web site: SK 6 south at Ring Road. Google Street View. September 5, 2017. September 2016.
  20. Web site: PREMIER OFFICIALLY OPENS SOUTHEY CROSSWALK. Government of Saskatchewan. June 13, 2002. 2008-05-04. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610234732/http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=bed3b651-8668-409f-b036-0fa9923c30c0. June 10, 2011.
  21. Web site: Nov. 15, 2006 - Deer Can Be A Roadside Hazard Deer Can Be A Roadside Hazard . www.environment.gov.sk.ca . Government of Saskatchewan . 2006 . 2009-01-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720033426/http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=a13eb012-12c1-40b9-bbf6-4d2aafcf2591 . 2011-07-20.
  22. Web site: Critique of Averse Reports and tests swareflex and strieter-lite Wild Animal Highway Warning Reflector System . www.strieter-lite.com . Strieter-lite . 2006 . pdf . 2009-01-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720033426/http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=a13eb012-12c1-40b9-bbf6-4d2aafcf2591 . 2011-07-20.
  23. Web site: Deer Can Be A Roadside Hazard . November 15, 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720033426/http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=a13eb012-12c1-40b9-bbf6-4d2aafcf2591 . 2011-07-20 . 2013-10-11.
  24. Web site: Bushman . Rob . Development of a warning system for the reduction of animal/vehicle collisions . www.irdinc.com . International Road Dynamics Inc. . 2006 . pdf . 2009-01-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110720033426/http://www.environment.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=a13eb012-12c1-40b9-bbf6-4d2aafcf2591 . 2011-07-20.
  25. Web site: Overview of Technologies Aimed at Reducing and Preventing Large Animal Strikes . Standards Research and Development Branch Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate . Transport Canada - Government of Canada . 2006 . 2009-01-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111006090910/http://www.wildlifeaccidents.ca/docs/E063E9492A82FBB7.pdf . 2011-10-06 . dead .
  26. Web site: Accommodations—The Official Web Site of Humboldt, Saskatchewan . City of Humboldt . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  27. Web site: Watson . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  28. Web site: Spalding No. 368 . Sask Biz . Geography of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2009-02-04.
  29. Web site: Infrastructure. Naicam, Saskatchewan, Canada. 2008. 2008-05-04. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20080430063511/http://www.townofnaicam.ca/infa.htm. 2008-04-30.
  30. Web site: Pleasantdale No. 398 Geography The Rural Municipality (RM) of Torch .. . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  31. Web site: Melfort Community Profile . City of Melfort . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  32. Web site: Melfort . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  33. Web site: Kinistino No. 459 . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  34. Web site: Choiceland, Saskatchewan: Choice Route to Northern Saskatchewan . Naicam, Saskatchewan, Canada . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  35. Web site: Torch River No. 488 Geography The Rural Municipality (RM) of Torch .. . Sask Biz . Government of Saskatchewan . 2008 . 2008-05-04.
  36. Web site: Ron Gerbrandt . Tim Makahoniuk . Cathy Lynn Borbely . Curtis Berthelot . Guidelines must be followed strictly - No exceptions . Effect of Cold-in-place recycling on the Heavyweight Trucking Industry . 6th International Conference on Heavy Vehicle Weights and Dimension Proceedings . 2000 . 2013-10-11 . 2018-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181006025505/http://engrwww.usask.ca/entropy/tc/publications/pdf/cirheavyweighttruckingpostedfinalpdf.pdf . dead.
  37. MapArt. MapArt. 2007 . Saskatchewan Road Atlas . 1:540,000 . Oshawa, ON . Peter Heiler Ltd . 20, 26, 34, 42, 50 . 1-55368-020-0 . 2007 .

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