The debate surrounding the location of the bypass revolves around the chosen south route and a suggested north route. Building a south bypass around Regina has been discussed since the early 1990s but was only announced in 2014, while the north route was proposed by activist organization Why Tower Road. A north alternative, like they suggest, was never studied by the provincial government.
Since 1996 the province of Saskatchewan has been in the process of planning a bypass route to divert highway traffic flow around the city of Regina. This bypass seeks help to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety along a corridor of Highway 1, which sees a high rate of fatal collisions on an annual basis.
The interchange style selected for the Pilot Butte Access intersection – a “diverging diamond” – has never been tried in Canada.The interchange will require drivers to merge into what is typically the oncoming lane as they cross over Highway 1. Painted roadway lines are key to making the concept work, a potential challenge in snowy Saskatchewan.