Saskatchewan Highway 1
Highway 1 is Saskatchewan's section of the Trans-Canada Highway mainland route. The total distance of the Trans-Canada Highway in Saskatchewan is. The highway traverses Saskatchewan from the western border with Alberta, west of Swift Current, to the Manitoba border east of Moosomin, Saskatchewan, where the highway continues as Manitoba Highway 1 to Winnipeg. The Trans-Canada Highway Act was passed on December 10, 1949. The Saskatchewan segment was completed August 21, 1957, and completely twinned on November 6, 2008. The speed limit along the majority of the route is 110 kilometres per hour with urban area thoroughfares slowing to a speed of 80-100 kilometres per hour. Portions of the highway; the section through Swift Current, an section east of Moose Jaw, and a section between the West Regina Bypass and Balgonie, are controlled-access. Highway 1 serves as a major east–west transport route for commercial traffic. It is the main link between southern Saskatchewan's largest cities, and also serves as the province's main link to the neighbouring provinces of Alberta and Manitoba.
The four-lane divided highway passes through three major urban centres of Saskatchewan: Regina, Moose Jaw, and Swift Current. A site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, an internationally acclaimed shorebird conservation strategy, is at the village of Chaplin approximately equal distance between Swift Current and Moose Jaw. Located southwest of the Trans-Canada is the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, which features Fort Walsh and the highest elevation of Saskatchewan. Highway 1 traverses ranch lands, the Missouri Coteau topographical area, and rolling prairie agricultural plains.
The highway generally runs west to east along the route, following parallel with the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway route. The Trans-Canada Highway traverses historical settlement areas. The transcontinental railroad of 1885 brought settlers to southern Saskatchewan. Commemorative historical sites along the Trans-Canada Highway mark the historical changes of the 72 years since the CPR came through.
On November 9, 2011, the section of Highway 1 between Moose Jaw and Regina was designated as "Saskatchewan's Highway of Heroes" to honour province's soldiers who died in service.
Origins
The Minister of Mines and Resources held the first Federal-Provincial Conference regarding the Trans-Canada Highway in December 1948. With consent from all provinces, the Trans–Canada Highway Act was passed on December 10, 1949. Following this a second Federal-Provincial Conference was held to bring together the final details for the agreement. The Highway Act aims for the completion of the Trans–Canada Highway route by December 1956. The third Federal-Provincial Conference hold April 25, 1950 saw Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Alberta sign the agreement which provided federal funding for the proposed transcontinental highway. The shortest and most practical routes could be chosen by each province respectively, given that provinces adjacent to one another agree on the meeting locations. The transcontinental hard-surfaced two lane highway was to have pavement widths of and ; shoulder widths, low gradients and curvature; bridge clearances and sight distances; few railway grade crossings; and be able to bear load capacities of 9 tons an axle. As of 1950, have been agreed to. By 1955, the Trans-Canada Highway program had only seen of highway completed in areas outside of Quebec. of the paved of the Canadian highway Trans-Canada highway system had been completed by November 1, 1955 to Trans-Canada Highway standards. Premier T.C. Douglas presided over the opening ceremonies on August 21, 1957, opening the Saskatchewan segment of the Trans-Canada Highway.The Special Projects Branch of the Department of Resources and Development administers the Trans–Canada highway Act checking specifications, and prior construction. The contributions from the Dominion Government to the provinces may be up to 50 per cent of the cost of construction approved by the Governor in council. The actual construction is controlled by each Provincial Highway Department respectively. The estimated length of mileage for Saskatchewan is of the total.
The Saskatchewan portion of the Trans-Canada Highway come to completion in 1957; it was the first province to finish their section in Canada. The year 1962 saw the entire Canadian highway completed which came to a total expenditure of $1.4 billion. The last of the highway between Moosomin and Wapella was twinned and opened on November 6, 2008, providing a completely twinned corridor. The total cost of twinning was $217 million with the Canadian government contributing $59 million.
History
A First Nation trail used by fur traders, and Red River carts pulling settlers effects was the first path between Moosomin and Fort Ellice, Manitoba. The transcontinental CPR paralleled this trail when coming through in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Provincial Highway 4, the precursor of the Trans-Canada Saskatchewan Highway 1 followed the surveyed grade of the transcontinental CPR between the Alberta and Manitoba border. Travel along Provincial Highway 4 before the 1940s would have been travelling on the square following the township road allowances, barbed wire fencing and rail lines. As the surveyed township roads were the easiest to travel, the first highway was designed on 90 degree right angle corners as the distance traversed the prairie along range roads and township roads. Two horse then eight horse scrapers maintained these early dirt roads.
One of the problems that came about was when the Manitoba survey met the Saskatchewan survey. The Manitoba survey allowed for road allowances placed east and west every. This system was followed west of Manitoba until just north of Indian Head. Whereas, the Saskatchewan survey conducted in 1887, allowed for road allowances and placed roads east and west every. The two surveys needed a correction which took years to smooth out.
Agriculture is Saskatchewan's main industry and taking grain to elevators was first accomplished by horse and cart, to be replaced around World War I by truck travel. Long haul trucking flourished between 1950 and 1970, and the trans-Canada was completed across Canada by 1970. Since the 1970s, 17 times the number of grain trucks and 95 per cent of goods transported now are hauled by truck across the Saskatchewan.
Speed limits
From the Alberta border, Highway 1 is a four–lane divided highway with a speed limit of.. Moose Jaw has 4 lane traffic bypassing the main portion of the city with a strictly enforced speed limit with photo radar. At Regina, the official course is via the Regina Bypass, a controlled-access highway located south of the city that opened in October 2019, and has a speed limit of. After Regina, Highway 1 continues onward to Brandon, Portage la Prairie, and Winnipeg.Communities
Alberta to Swift Current
Travelling west along the highway on the Alberta side, Highway 1 reaches Medicine Hat, Brooks, and Calgary. Travelling east, the highway begins near Walsh, Alberta, and crosses into Saskatchewan, entering into the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek, which was established December 10, 1917. Maple Creek, a town of 2,198 residents, was established in 1883 and is located 8 kilometres south of the Trans-Canada Highway 1 via Highway 21.The next R.M. is Piapot No 110 and a ghost town of Sidewood an early ranching area of Saskatchewan. Sidewood served residents between 1911 and 1952. Piapot No 110 first provided infrastructure improvements for this rural area in 1913 and is now an administrative division for a rural population of 392 residents. The small village of Piapot has a southerly access to Highway 1 also via Highway 614.
The village of Tompkins, and the town of Gull Lake are among the communities of R.M. of Gull Lake No 139. Both Tompkins with its 173 residents and Gull Lake serving 965 residents have their own municipal government. Gull Lake is an older community establishing its post office April 1, 1889. The south Saskatchewan region, an early ranching area was home to the 76 Ranch. The ranch house, constructed in 1888, is now the Gull Lake School Division office. Within Gull Lake No 139, which was created in 1913, are several wind turbine generators that can be seen when traversing the Trans–Canada Highway.
A neighbouring village of Webb with its population of 44 is situated within the next R.M. of Webb No 138 just south of Highway 1. Webb No 138 incorporated on December 13, 1909 providing road construction and maintenance. The post office was set up in Webb on March 1, 1908.
Swift Current to Moose Jaw
becomes the next R.M. to travel through and here the unincorporated areas of Beverley and Java are the next communities along the route. Both of these communities are enumerated as a part of RM bringing its population to 1,587 residents. December 12, 1910, saw the incorporation of the RM of Swift Current No 137. The highway runs through three cities on the way from Alberta to Manitoba, of which Swift Current is the first. Swift Current was first established in the North West Territories in 1883 and has risen to a population of 14,946.The original route of this highway was via Chaplin Street through Swift Current. The Trans-Canada became a four lane expressway in 1968, and the new route went past Swift Current to the north. Motels, shopping malls and fast food enterprises are located along the highway route. Subdivisions and neighbourhoods now extend past the highway, so again highway 1 traverses Swift Current.
Excelsior No 166 R.M. is the next rural governing body out of Swift Current that encompasses the community of Waldeck directly on Highway 1 at the junction of Saskatchewan Highway 628. Rush Lake is 4 kilometres north of the highway. 1903 first saw Rush Lake become established, soon followed in 1906 by Waldeck, and 1909 for the RM in this area.
The town of Herbert with its post office established in 1904 has 742 residents now. Herbert once renowned as having ‘The
World’s Choicest Wheat Lands’ is at the junction of the Trans-Canada and Saskatchewan Highway 612. Morse, as well as Ernfold are unincorporated areas, which adds their populations to the 435 residents of R.M. Morse No 165. Morse is immediately north of Highway 1 at the intersection with Highway 644. The Morse Museum and Cultural Center celebrates pioneer history in a 1912 brick school house. Saskatchewan's third biggest grain marketing point in Saskatchewan as of 1912, continued on this route by setting a record for shipping 2-1/4 million bushels of wheat in 1915. Morse has erected large cattails for their roadside attraction. Ernfold is at the western edge of the separation of the east and west bound lanes of the Trans-Canada. The western route is about in length, and the eastern route is about long, before the highway comes together again.
Uren is the first community arrived at within Chaplin No 164. Uren bustled between 1911 and 1961. Chaplin, at the intersection of Route 1 and Highways 19 and 58, was established in 1907. It is an unincorporated area that adds its population to the 138 residents of Chaplin No 164. An American Avocet as well as Piping Plover are large statues built by the roadside commemorating the world-famous bird sanctuary at Chaplin, Saskatchewan. Valjean, and Secretan are also too small to have their own municipal governments and they are located along the highway proper. Valjean supported a post office between 1912 and 1968, whereas Secretan's post office survived from 1911 to 1970.
Wheatlands No 163 established in 1909 features the communities of Parkbeg as well as Mortlach. Parkbeg, an unincorporated area, had a post office established in the North West Territories in 1896. The community also lays claim to being the hometown of Saskatchewan Roughriders mascot Gainer the Gopher. Parkbeg is now located on Trans-Canada 1 east, a segment that is 16.5 kilometres in length. The Trans-Canada west is long and is about north of Parkbeg. Mortlach, a village of 254 people, is about south of the highway and established its post office just months before Saskatchewan became a province in 1905. Four major pipelines, TransCanada, Conoco, South Saskatchewan Pipeline, and Trans Gas find their home in Wheatlands RM.
There is only one community along the highway within R.M. Caron No 162, which is Caronport. The village of Caronport, 919 residents in 2006, did not receive a post office until 1947, but the RM was serving the area since 1912. Local Improvement District #9 started making area improvements as early as 1904.