Saskatchewan Highway 40

Highway 40
Route information
Length:	291 km (181 mi)
Major junctions
West end:	Alberta border near Marsden continues as Hwy 14
	Hwy 21 Hwy 29 near The Battlefords Hwy 4 / Hwy 16 (TCH) at The Battlefords Hwy 340 near Hafford Hwy 12 at Blaine Lake
East end:	Hwy 3 near Shellbrook
Location
Rural municipalities:	Blaine Lake No. 434 RM-Leask No. 464 RM-Canwood No. 494 RM- Shellbrook No. 493RM-North Battleford No 437 RM-Douglas No 436 RM
Major cities:	North Battleford
Highway system
Provincial highways in Saskatchewan ← Hwy 39 Hwy 41 →

Highway 40 is a highway in the northwest portion of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan connecting Alberta (where it continues as Highway 14) to Highway 3, four km west of Shellbrook, Saskatchewan. Areas of this highway between the Alberta border and North Battleford are called The Poundmaker Trail. Pitikwahanapiwiyin (c. 1842 – 4 July 1886), commonly known as Poundmaker, was a Plains Cree chief known as a peacemaker and defender of his people.^[1] The main feature along this highway is access between North Battleford and near Prince Albert. This is a primary Saskatchewan highway maintained by the provincial government. All of this highway is paved.

Communities along the route

• Marsden
• Neilburg
• Baldwinton
• Cut Knife
• Sweet Grass
• Battleford held the Government House, the seat of government of the NWT from 1876-1883 which burned down on July 7, 2003.
• North Battleford is located directly across the North Saskatchewan River from the town of Battleford. Together, the two communities are known as The Battlefords.^[2]
• Hafford
• Krydor
• Blaine Lake
• Marcelin
• Leask
• Parkside
• Shellbrook One of Canada’s most respected writers, James Sinclair Ross, was born in the Wild Rose school district just northeast of Shellbrook in 1908.^[3]

Rural Municipalities along the route

• Blaine Lake No. 434 RM
• Leask No. 464 RM
• Canwood No. 494 RM
• Shellbrook No. 493
• North Battleford No 437 RM
• Douglas No 436 RM

Junctions

• Ardland Road is a grid roadway which connects the highway to Sufferin Lake Regional Park
• Grid road access to Manitou Lake Park and the Manitou Lake Campground.^[4]
• Grid Road access to Manitou Lake Bible Camp.
• HWY-675
• HWY-21
• HWY-674 turn off to the Cutknife Hill Historic Site, Chief Poundmaker Historic Center, Poundmaker Reserves
• Grid road access to Attons Lake Regional Park and area Golf Course
• Grid road access to Table Mountain Ski Hill
• HWY-29
• HWY-16A
• HWY-4
• HWY-687
• HWY-376
• HWY-12
• HWY-786
• HWY-792
• finishes at HWY-3

Major Attractions

Highway 40 hosts the following lakes, beaches, historical sites and buildings, and provincial parks.

• North Battleford Court House List of National Historic Sites of Canada 1909 symbol of justice in new province
• North Battleford Airport: The North Battleford Gliding Centre, a Royal Canadian Air Cadet gliding centre, stores its gliders in Hangar IV of the airport, and has an office in the terminal building.^[5]
• North Battleford is the home of one of four branches of the Saskatchewan Western Development Museum. This branch focuses on the agricultural history of Saskatchewan. This branch includes a pioneer village.^[6]
• Battle River
• there is a provincial marker point of interest where the highway crosses The Battle River
• Shellbrook Museum

Nearby

• The Battlefords Provincial Park
• Fort Battleford National Historic Site
• Cutknife Hill Historic Site
• Chief Poundmaker Historic Center
• Poundmaker Reserves
• Attons Lake Regional Park and area Golf Course
• Table Mountain Ski Hill is a downhill ski mountain for skiers and snowboarders. There are available 8 separate runs with the longest being 1,100 m (3,600 ft).^[7]
• Former Prince Albert City Hall List of National Historic Sites of Canada

History

• Battle of Cut Knife occurred near this highway.
• Highways and Transportation Minister Pat Atkinson announced that Highway 40 is due for improvement spring of 2001.^[8]
• Highways and Transportation Minister Maynard Sonntag announced that Highway 40 underwent improvements summer of 2004. This re-surfacing was a joint program with the federal government through the Prairie Grain Roads Program (PGRP)^[9]

See also

• National Historic Site of Canada
• List of National Historic Sites of Canada

References

1. "Saskatchewan Road Map Travel Guide: #40 The Poundmaker Trail ...". Mile By Mile Media. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
2. North Battleford
3. Shellbrook
4. "Saskatchewan Road Map Travel Guide: #40 The Poundmaker Trail ...". Mile By Mile Media. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
5. North Battleford Airport
6. North Battleford
7. "Virtual Saskatchewan - Downhill Skiing Guide for Saskatchewan". Virtual Saskatchewan. 1997–2007. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
8. Government of Saskatchewan. "IMPROVING HIGHWAY 40 NEAR BATTLEFORD". News Release - May 1, 2001. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
9. Government of Saskatchewan. "IMPROVING HIGHWAY 40 WEST OF CUTKNIFE". News Release - July 13, 2004. Retrieved 2007-05-10.

External links

• A document from Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation: Winter Highway Conditions
• Saskatchewan Highways Website-- Highway Numbering
• Saskatchewan Road Map RV Itineraries
• Big Things of Canada, A Celebration of Community Monuments of Canada