The Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan has unveiled its first phase of highway tenders worth $157m for the year 2012.

The first phase involves 21 construction contracts, 32 bridge and culvert projects, and 14 crushing and stockpiling contracts.

The highway projects involve paving 11 to 20km of highway from north of Duck Lake to south of MacDowall, grading and paving the roads connecting to the new St Louis Bridge, and paving a 26km stretch of highway 310 from Ituna, south.

The projects also involve 49km of improvement on highway 13, repaving 28km from Griffin to Weyburn and upgrading 21km between Viceroy Access and the west junction of Highway 36.

As part of the construction programme Saskatchewan also plans to build 11km of thin lift overlay on the highway 953, repave 20km on the highway 2 from south of Buffalo Pound to Chamberlain and repave 33km of highway 6 from Naicam to north of Silver Park.