Route information | ||||
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Maintained by Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure & Transport Canada | ||||
Length | 262.7 km [1] (163.2 mi) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | Highway 9 at the Alberta border near Alsask | |||
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East end | Highway 14 in Saskatoon | |||
Location | ||||
Country | Canada | |||
Province | Saskatchewan | |||
Rural municipalities | Milton, Elma, Kindersley, Pleasant Valley, St. Andrews, Harris, Vanscoy, Corman Park | |||
Major cities | Saskatoon | |||
Towns | Kindersley, Rosetown | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Saskatchewan Highway 7 is a major paved undivided provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, running from the Alberta border to Saskatoon. Highway 7 continues west into Alberta where it becomes Alberta Highway 9. [2]
Highway 7 is an important trade and travel route linking Saskatoon with several of its bedroom communities such as Delisle and Vanscoy, as well as larger centres farther afield such as Rosetown and Kindersley. Its primary use, however, is by travelers heading for Calgary, Alberta and the Canadian west coast.
Despite being one of the most heavily used roads in the province, as of 2020, there is only approximately 36.5 km of the route that is divided highway; 34.5 km from Saskatoon to Delisle, [3] including a recently completed bypass of Vanscoy, and 2 km just east of Rosetown at the Rosetown Airport and Cargill inland terminal. In 2020, the provincial government announced funding to install eight passing lanes east of Kindersley, [4] as well as further plans for an additional six to the west, bringing the total number of passing lanes to 26 along the corridor and helping to improve safety until such a time as twinning the highway is financially feasible and traffic volumes require such. Extensive oil exploration and development has been occurring since 2010, primarily in the Kindersley Region, from Brock to the Alberta Border. Heavy traffic, agriculture, grain transport, and oilfield service, as well as oil and fuel transports, are common on this highway. Agriculture, and oilfield services are the main industries of the area. The only District hospital on Hwy 7 is located at Kindersley.
Agrium Vanscoy Potash Operations is Canada's third largest producer of potash fertilizer. In the 1930s early homesteaders would maintain Highway 7 as a means to supplement their income. Provincial Highway 7 followed the Canadian Northern Railway grade for direction of travel with the actual road way being on the square on the Dominion survey township lines. Highway 7 was widened in 1944 and rebuilt between 1960 and 1961.
Highway 7 currently terminates at its junction with 22nd Street West (Highway 14) in west Saskatoon, although it is marked to run concurrently to Highway 11 (Idylwyld Drive). In 2005, work began on realigning Highway 7 in order to make way for the Blairmore Suburban Centre development including the Bethlehem High School, Tommy Douglas Collegiate and the Shaw Centre located where Highway 7 linked with 22nd Street prior to 2006.
The entirety of Highway 7 is a primary weight asphalt concrete (AS) national highway within the Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure (SHS) West Central Municipal Government Committee planning jurisdiction. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] Travel on Highway 7 begins in the west at the Alberta - Saskatchewan provincial border through the Missouri Coteau which features mixed prairie vegetation. [11] Entering Alberta, the highway continues west as Alberta Highway 9. [1] Alsask is a village of about 150 people on the border and Highway 44. [12] The Military Dome site radar station is a heritage site and has been acquired by Alsask along with the 1960s airforce base. [13] At Alsask, Highway 7 turns northeast until km 3.9 when again the highway is routed east. Again at km 6.1 the highway turns northeast until km 19.8 just past the intersection with Highway 317. Marengo, a small village of about 50 residents is 0.8 kilometres (0.50 mi) north of the junction. [1] [12] Highway 7 continues for several kilometres east reaching the village of Flaxcombe, which has a population of just over 100. [1] [12] Highway 307 north provides access to the villages of Coleville and Smiley. This area belongs to the West Central Regional Economic Development Authority (REDA). [14] The town of Kindersley is the largest center featuring both oil and agricultural industries along Highway 7 and with a population of about 4,500 is almost at city status of 5,000 residents. [15] As of 2009, the Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) ranges from approximately 1,600 to 2,000 vehicles per day (vpd) near the Alberta-Saskatchewan border to over 3,000 vpd near Kindersley, updated statistics, and vehicle types in 2013 show evidence that the 2009 vehicle count is out of date and severely understates actual traffic flow. [4] Due to its being a key route between Calgary, the fast-growing city of Saskatoon, and economic drivers such as regional oil activity, inland grain terminal locations adjacent to Hwy 7, and Saskatchewan's strong economy, this highway's capacity is under pressure.
Continuing east, Highway 7 comes to a short 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) concurrency between Highway 658 south and Highway 658 north. The village of Netherhill is also located between the Highway 658 junction and Highway 30 junction. [1] [12]
Highway 30 south provides access to the village of Brock. The highway takes a few gentle curves north east at km 106.1 through the unincorporated areas of Fiske and McGee to the junction with Highway 4. Rosetown is a town about half the size of Kindersley located at this junction. [1] [12] The Goose Lake Plain landscape area of the Moist Mixed Prairie ecoregion is the main feature between Rosetown and Saskatoon. The bearing of the highway continues northeast until the town of Zealandia whose population is hovering around 100 people. [1] [12] After Zealandia, the highway continues in a north-northeast direction coming to junction with Highway 768 north and the junction with Highway 655 west and with Highway 655 south. The village of Tessier is next along this northeast section of highway, and then Delisle. Delisle, a town, with a population of about 800 residents is located at the intersection of Highway 7, Highway 45 south, and Saskatchewan Highway 673 on the east side of town. [1] [12] The AADT along the route fluctuates between 2,000 and 3,000 vpd until Delisle. [7] The newly aligned intersection Highway 673 is near the beginning of the divided highway leading to Saskatoon. The corner of Highway 672 south and Highway 762 eastintersects the old Highway 7 at the village of Vanscoy. Agrium Vanscoy Potash Mine is located 32 kilometres (20 mi) southwest of Saskatoon, just to the northwest of Vanscoy. [16] The potash mine was established in 1931 as Cominco Fertilizers Ltd. changing names in 1995 to Agrium Inc., the nation's third largest producer of potash [17] [18] The AADT on Highway 7 near Vanscoy increases to over 5,600 vpd. [7] Both Highway 762 provides access to Pike Lake Provincial Park. Highway 7 continues northwesterly arriving at a split intersection, initially built with the potential to be upgraded to an interchange at km 249.7 with Highway 60 south.
The highway then crosses the Canadian National rail lines on an overpass, and intersects 11th Street followed by an at-grade crossing of the Canadian Pacific line. This twinned section of the highway handles between 7,000 and 12,000 vpd on average throughout the year. [7] The 11th Street West intersection provides access from the south end of the City of Saskatoon to Highway 7. Highway 7 now ends at Highway 14 at the west end of Saskatoon: at a split intersection that includes the southern terminus for SK 684 (Neault Road); an interchange is planned for this location in the future. This is the new Blairmore Suburban Development Area (SDA) hosting seven new neighbourhoods and anchoring future growth on Saskatoon's west end.
The Old Bone Trail was the name of the red river cart trail between Saskatoon and Rosetown. [19] The Saskatchewan Highway Act was established in 1922, in compliance with the 1919 Canadian highway act. At the initial stages of the Saskatchewan Highway Act, 10 miles (16 km) of provincial highways were gravel and the rest were earth roads. The road allowances were laid out as a part of the Dominion Land survey system for homesteading. [20] [21] Travel along the Provincial Highway 7 before the 1940s would have been traveling on the square following the township road allowances, barbed wire fencing and the Canadian Northern rail line. 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. [22] [23]
Mr. Ralph Glen Chapman an early 20th century settler in Pleasant Valley maintained 10 miles (16 km) of Highway 7. Mr. Block of the German Mennonite settlement at Fiske maintained a stretch of Highway 7 as a means of supplementing his income in the 1930s. [24] In 1939, Andy Anderson in the same fashion, kept a 10 miles (16 km) stretch of Highway 7 clear. [25] : 170
In 1944 the widening of Highway 7 was undertaken. The Elma rural municipality (R.M.) requested that an automatic warning system should be established at the level crossing of the Canadian National Railway and Highway 7. At this same time, the rural municipality requested that the hills be gravelled which are situated on either side of Flaxcombe. The third concern in 1948 was to construct an all-weather highway between Kindersley and Alsask, and this too was requested of the Department of Highways (DOH). In 1950, the rates of pay for roadwork were 60 cents an hour for a single labourer, 80 cents an hour for man and two horses, a labourer with four horses would earn C$1.00 per hour and for man with six horses $1.20 per hour In the 1950s the R.M. provided grants to the local snow plough club to keep the highway clear after storms. The 1951 oil strike at Coleville resulted in a Husky service station and bulk plant opening at Flaxcombe on Highway 7 in 1955. It was located on the railroad to facilitate loading crude oil into rail cars. Highway 7 was rebuilt between 1960 and 1961. [25] Highway 7 currently terminates at its junction with 22nd Street West (Highway 14) in west Saskatoon. In 2005, work began on realigning Highway 7 in order to make way for the Blairmore Suburban Centre development including the Bethlehem High School, Tommy Douglas Collegiate and the Shaw Centre located where Highway 7 linked with 22nd Street prior to 2006. Starting in 2006, Highway 7 was linked with Betts Avenue, a new city street, which in turn intersected 22nd Street at a traffic signal. The city and province built an intersection farther west (but still with the city limits) at the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 684 (Dalmeny Road), at which point the new Highway 7 alignment links with this intersection. Long-term plans call for an interchange to be constructed here, and a link to be created from Highway 684 to the Yellowhead Highway in Saskatoon's north side, though it has not yet been announced whether the Highway 7 designation will be applied north of Highway 14. [26]
From west to east:
Rural municipality | Location | km [1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Milton No. 292 | | 0.0 | 0.0 | Highway 9 west – Calgary | Continuation into Alberta |
Alsask | 1.2 | 0.75 | Highway 44 south – Eatonia | ||
| 18.7 | 11.6 | Highway 317 north – Marengo, Fusilier | ||
Kindersley No. 290 | | 40.0 | 24.9 | Highway 307 north – Smiley | |
Kindersley | 61.4 | 38.2 | Highway 21 – Kerrobert, Eatonia | Traffic signals | |
| 74.7 | 46.4 | Highway 658 north – Dodsland | West end of Hwy 658 concurrency | |
Netherhill | 83.6 | 51.9 | Highway 658 south – Snipe Lake | East end of Hwy 658 concurrency | |
| 92.6 | 57.5 | Highway 30 south – Brock, Eston Highway 657 north – Plenty | Prairie West Terminal Road | |
Pleasant Valley No. 288 | Fiske | 115.5 | 71.8 | Highway 656 north – Herschel | |
St. Andrews No. 287 | Rosetown | 145.5 | 90.4 | Highway 4 – The Battlefords, Biggar, Swift Current | 4-way stop-controlled intersection |
Zealandia | 164.4 | 102.2 | Highway 664 south – Sovereign | ||
Harris No. 316 | | 181.6 | 112.8 | Highway 768 north – Herschel | |
| 190.6 | 118.4 | Highway 655 – Perdue, Milden | ||
Vanscoy No. 345 | Delisle | 219.4 | 136.3 | Highway 45 south – Outlook Highway 673 north – Asquith | |
| 220.4 | 137.0 | Highway 766 east – Pike Lake Provincial Park | ||
Vanscoy | 233.7 | 145.2 | Highway 672 north – Grandora Highway 762 east – Pike Lake Provincial Park | ||
Corman Park No. 344 | | 249.7 | 155.2 | Highway 60 south – Pike Lake Provincial Park | |
City of Saskatoon | 255.1 | 158.5 | 22nd Street W (Highway 14 west) – Biggar Neault Road (Highway 684 north) – Dalmeny | West end of Hwy 14 concurrency; follows 22nd Street W | |
258.0 | 160.3 | Circle Drive (Highway 11 / Highway 16 (TCH)) – Prince Albert, The Battlefords, Regina, Yorkton | Hwy 7 / Hwy 14 eastern terminus; [27] access to Saskatoon International Airport | ||
261.4 | 162.4 | Idylwyld Drive to Highway 11 / Highway 16 (TCH) 22nd Street E | Former Hwy 7 / Hwy 14 eastern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Alsask is a special service area in the Rural Municipality of Milton No. 292, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Alsask is located 60 km (37 mi) west of the town of Kindersley. Highway 44 runs to the east of Alsask, and Highway 7 lies a few kilometres to the north. The community had a population of 113 in the 2021 Canadian census.
Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1997 to 2015.
Rosetown-Elrose is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Saskatoon West is a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1979 to 1988, and again in 2015.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 16, commonly referred to as Highway 16, is a major east–west highway in central Alberta, Canada, connecting Jasper to Lloydminster via Edmonton. It forms a portion of the Yellowhead Highway, a major interprovincial route of the Trans-Canada Highway system that stretches from Masset, British Columbia, to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, near Winnipeg. Highway 16 spans approximately 634 km (394 mi) from Alberta's border with British Columbia in the west to its border with Saskatchewan in the east. As of 2010, all but less than 96 km (60 mi) of the route was divided, with a minimum of two lanes in each direction. It is designated a core route in Canada's National Highway System.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 9, commonly referred to as Highway 9, is a highway in south-central Alberta, Canada, which together with Saskatchewan Highway 7 connects Calgary to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan via Drumheller. It is designated as a core route of the National Highway System, forming a portion of an interprovincial corridor. Highway 9 spans approximately 324 km (201 mi) from the Trans-Canada Highway east of Calgary to Alberta's border with Saskatchewan.
Highway 16 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is the Saskatchewan section of the Yellowhead Highway, and also the Trans-Canada Highway Yellowhead section. The main purpose of this highway is to connect Saskatchewan with Canadian cities such as Edmonton and Winnipeg. The highway runs from the Alberta boundary in Lloydminster to the Manitoba boundary near Marchwell. Major cities it passes through are Saskatoon, North Battleford in the central part of the province, Yorkton in the far east and Lloydminster to the far west.
The Rural Municipality of Vanscoy No. 345 is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 12 and SARM Division No. 5. Located in the central portion of the province, it is southwest of the city of Saskatoon.
The Northern Woods and Water Route is a 2,400-kilometre (1,500 mi) route through northern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba in Western Canada. As early as the 1950s, community groups came together to establish a northern travel route; this was proposed as the Northern Yellowhead Transportation Route. The Northern Woods and Water Route Association was established in 1974, and encouraged promotion of the route with the promise of an increase in tourist travel. The route was designated in 1974 and is well signed throughout its component highways. The route starts at Dawson Creek as the Spirit River Highway and ends at the Perimeter of Winnipeg, Manitoba, after running through the northern regions of the western provinces. From west to east, the Northern Woods and Water Route (NWWR) incorporates portions of British Columbia Highway 49; Alberta Highways 49, 2A, 2, & 55; Saskatchewan Highways 55 & 9; Manitoba Provincial Road 283 and Trunk Highways 10, 5, 68 & 6. The halfway point of the NWWR is approximately at Goodsoil, Saskatchewan.
Highway 11 is a major north-south highway in Saskatchewan, Canada that connects the province's three largest cities: Regina, Saskatoon, and Prince Albert. It is a structural pavement major arterial highway which is approximately 391 kilometres (243 mi) long. It is also known as the Louis Riel Trail (LRT) after the 19th century Métis leader. It runs from Highway 1 in Regina until Highway 2 south of Prince Albert. Historically the southern portion between Regina and Saskatoon was Provincial Highway 11, and followed the Dominion Survey lines on the square, and the northern portion between Saskatoon and Prince Albert was Provincial Highway 12.
Highway 2 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It is the longest highway in Saskatchewan at 809 km (503 mi). The highway has a few divided sections but is mostly undivided. However, only about 18 kilometres (11 mi) near Moose Jaw, 11 kilometres (7 mi) near Chamberlain, and 21 kilometres (13 mi) near Prince Albert are divided highway. Highway 2 is a major north-south route beginning at the Canada–US border at the Port of West Poplar River and Opheim, Montana customs checkpoints. Montana Highway 24 continues south. It passes through the major cities of Moose Jaw in the south and Prince Albert in the north. Highway 2 overlaps Highway 11 between the towns of Chamberlain and Findlater. This 11 kilometres (7 mi) section of road is a wrong-way concurrency. The highway ends at La Ronge, where it becomes Highway 102.
Highway 5 is a major highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It begins in downtown Saskatoon and runs eastward to the Manitoba border near Togo, where it becomes Provincial Road 363. The highway is approximately 393 kilometres (244 mi) long. Between the early 1900s (decade) and 1976, Provincial Highway 5 was a trans-provincial highway travelling approximately 630 kilometres (390 mi) in length. At this time it started at the Alberta border in Lloydminster and traveled east to the Manitoba border.
The Rural Municipality of Milton No. 292 is a rural municipality (RM) in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within Census Division No. 13 and SARM Division No. 6. Located in the west-central portion of the province, it is adjacent to the Alberta boundary.
Highway 41 is a provincial highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from Highway 5 in Saskatoon to Highway 3 / Highway 6 in Melfort. The highway also intersects Highway 2. It is about 163 kilometres (101 mi) long.
Highway 13 is a highway in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It runs from the Alberta border until it transitions into Highway 2 at the Manitoba border near Antler. Highway 13 is about 676 km (420 mi.) long. Highway 13 passes through Shaunavon, Assiniboia, Weyburn, Redvers and Carlyle. It is also referred to as the Red Coat Trail, as much of its length follows the route of the original historic path. A majority of the route between Wauchope and Govenlock going through the Palliser's Triangle is also referred to as the Ghost Town Trail.
Vanscoy is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Vanscoy No. 345 and Census Division No. 12. Vanscoy is located on Highway 7 near Highway 762 in central Saskatchewan, 29 km southwest of the City of Saskatoon. Rice Lake is to the west, Goose Lake is to the north, and Pike Lake and Pike Lake Provincial Park are to the east. One of the largest economic industries near Vanscoy is Agrium Vanscoy Potash Operations which produces 1,790,000 metric tonnes of potash a year. Community facilities include a circle hall, ice rink, curling rink and ball diamond.
The Red Coat Trail is a 1,300-kilometre (810 mi) route that approximates the path taken in 1874 by the North-West Mounted Police in their March West from Fort Dufferin to Fort Whoop-Up.
Flaxcombe is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Kindersley No. 290 and Census Division No. 13. The village is located approximately 30 km west of the Town of Kindersley, on Highway 7, and approximately 27 km east of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border.
The economy of Saskatchewan has been associated with agriculture resulting in the moniker "Bread Basket of Canada" and Bread Basket of the World. According to the Government of Saskatchewan, approximately 95% of all items produced in Saskatchewan, depend on the basic resources available within the province. Various grains, livestock, oil and gas, potash, uranium, wood and their spin off industries fuel the economy.
Alberta Provincial Highway No. 570 is a highway in the province of Alberta, Canada. It runs east-west from Highway 10 within Town of Drumheller, 1.6 km (1.0 mi) east of the former hamlet of East Coulee, to the Saskatchewan border south Alsask, Saskatchewan. Highway 570 continues east in Saskatchewan as an unnumbered highway for 1.1 km (0.7 mi) before ending at Saskatchewan Highway 44.