This paper was presented at the session titled `Planning and design considerations for transportation gateways, border crossings and trade corridors'. Since 1997, Saskatchewan Department of Highways and Transportation has partnered with various private and public stakeholders to investigate common transportation problems and identify mutually acceptable opportunities and solutions to promote increased trade and efficient traffic movements through the province's border crossings with the United States. The paper specifically addresses two partnership projects for infrastructure improvements at Saskatchewan's largest border crossing - North Portal/Portal. This NAFTA corridor has experienced a large increase in truck traffic in recent years. North Portal/Portal joins Saskatchewan Highway 39 to U.S. Route 52 in North Dakota. Partnership #1 - In 1998, Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation completed a partnership project with North Dakota Department of Transportation to upgrade 1) the North Portal/Portal border area, 2) Saskatchewan Highway 39 southbound lanes; and 3) U.S. Route 52 through the town of Portal. Partnership #2 - In the spring of 2000, North Portal's duty free shop constructed a new shop north of Canadian Customs. Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation worked with a steering committee comprised of North Portal's duty free shop, Tourism Saskatchewan, Customs Canada, and the Village of North Portal to design traffic flow patterns to accommodate both passenger and commercial traffic through this area. (A)
Abstract