Saskatchewan Highway 35
Highway 35 connects with the following major Saskatchewan highways: SK Hwy 18, SK Hwy 39, SK Hwy 33, SK Hwy 48, SK Hwy 1, SK Hwy 22, SK Hwy 15, SK Hwy 16, SK Hwy 5, SK Hwy 3, and SK Hwy 55. Major communities along the highway include Weyburn, Qu'Appelle, Fort Qu'Appelle, Wadena, Tisdale, and Nipawin. Parks accessed from the highway include Oungre Memorial Regional Park, Mission Ridge Winter Park, Nipawin & District Regional Park, and Tobin Lake Recreation Site (Caroll's Cove Campground).
Mudslides and spring flooding were huge road-building and maintenance problems on various stretches of Highway 35, including along the southern portion through the Greater Yellow Grass Marsh and along the Souris River, in the middle section through the Qu'Appelle Valley, and in the northern section by Nipawin and at the Saskatchewan River. Several dams and water control measures were built over the years to control flooding.
The 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash occurred on Highway 35 at the intersection with Highway 335 about 28 kilometres (17 mi) north of Tisdale.
Route description
Highway 35 traverses three distinct topographical areas from its southern end to its northern terminus. The rolling moraines and valleys of the mixed grassland at its southern end give way to aspen parkland towards the middle section. The northern portion of the route is within the southern boreal forest which consists of agricultural land mixed with heavily forested areas. Beginning at the border with the US, the highway heads north crossing other major highways, such as the Trans-Canada and the Yellowhead, major rivers, such as the Qu'Appelle and the Saskatchewan, and ends at Tobin Lake in east-central Saskatchewan.
Port of Oungre to the Trans-Canada Highway
Highway 35 begins at the Port of Oungre border crossing. Going north from the border, it meets Highway 18 at Oungre, provides access to Oungre Regional Park, and crosses Long Creek. From Long Creek, the highway passes through Tribune and carries on to Weyburn where it crosses the Souris River and meets Highways 13 and 39. Weyburn is the only city on Highway 35 and has been dubbed the Soo Line City due its connection with Chicago on the Soo Line of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). Weyburn is located astride the Williston geological Basin which contains oil deposits, and several wells operate in the vicinity. Notable points of interest in Weyburn accessible from Highway 39 include the Soo Line Historical Museum, Tommy Douglas statue, Weyburn Heritage Village, and the Water Tower. Off Highway 35, at the north end of Weyburn, is access to the site of the former Souris Valley Mental Health Hospital, which at the time of its construction in the 1920s, was the largest building in the British Commonwealth. From Weyburn, the highway continues north past Cedoux and on to Highway 33 and Francis. After Francis, it continues north crossing Highway 48 before meeting Highway 1.
CanAm Highway
The southern portion of Highway 35 from the Port of Oungre at the Canada–United States border to the city of Weyburn forms the initial segment of the CanAm Highway in Saskatchewan. This segment is 74.6 kilometres (46.4 mi) long. Other highways in Saskatchewan that are part of the CanAm Highway network include 39, 6, 3, and 2. The CanAm Highway was a concept that begun in the 1920s and is an important route for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) super corridor connecting Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Trans-Canada to the Yellowhead Highway
Highway 35 has a short 700-metre (2,300 ft) westward concurrency with Highway 1 before turning north. About 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Highway 1, Highway 35 enters the town of Qu'Appelle where it follows N Pacific Avenue west then Qu'Appelle St north through town. Qu'Appelle had historic beginnings with fur trading posts in the area and was the former terminus of the CPR. From Qu'Appelle, Highway 35 heads north where it meets, and has a concurrency with, Highway 10 en route to Fort Qu'Appelle in the Qu'Appelle Valley. At Fort Qu'Appelle, Highway 35 is met by other highways including 22, 56, and 210. Fort Qu'Appelle is situated on the Qu'Appelle River between Echo and Mission Lakes of the Fishing Lakes. The town has a vibrant history being an early fur trading post. The 1897 Hudson's Bay Company store, 1911 Grand Trunk Pacific Railway station, Fort Qu'Appelle Sanatorium (Fort San), and the Treaty 4 Governance Centre are all landmarks of Fort Qu'Appelle. In Fort Qu'Appelle, Highway 35's concurrency with 10 ends as Highway 10 continues on eastward. It then begins a 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) concurrency with Highway 22 as it climbs out of the valley and heads north towards Lipton. At this point, Highway 22 branches off west while Highway 35 carries on north through the Touchwood Hills en route to Highway 15 and Leross. It crosses Highway 15 and traverses the western part of the Beaver Hills as it makes its way to the Yellowhead Highway and Elfros.
Yellowhead to Tobin Lake
Once Highway 35 crosses the Yellowhead, it passes by the western shore of the Quill Lakes and meets Highway 5 at Wadena. Points of interest in Wadena accessible from the highway include the Wadena & District Museum and the Jesmer & Milligan Marsh Projects Interpretative Centre with information regarding the Quill Lakes International Shorebird Reserve. Highway 35 continues north from Wadena passing Hendon, Highway 49, Fosston, Ponass Lakes, and Rose Valley before entering the village of Archerwill. As the highway enters Archerwill, it is met by, and begins a 14-kilometre (8.7 mi) concurrency with, Highway 349. At the north end of Archerwill, the highway turns west and follows the southern shore of George Williams Lake. At the west end of the lake, 349 heads west and 35 once again resumes its northerly routing towards the junction with Highway 3 and the town of Tisdale. Tisdale is located in the heart of an agricultural community and honours the farming community with a big roadside statue of a honey bee.
North of Tisdale, Highway 35 crosses Saskatchewan's tree line into boreal forest en route to Nipawin. The southern boreal forest is marked by aspen combined with jack pine, tamarack, and white spruce. Communities along this stretch of highway to Nipawin include Leacross, Armley, Pontrilas, and Codette. Armley, at the intersection of 35 and 335, is near the site of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. That intersection is known as "Armley Corner". Nipawin, known as "the Town on Two Lakes", is situated between two man-made lakes along the Saskatchewan River, Tobin and Codette Lakes. In 1963, Squaw Rapids Dam was built across the Saskatchewan River creating Tobin Lake. The dam was renamed in 1988 to E.B. Campbell Dam. Codette Lake is impounded by the Francois-Finlay Dam, which was completed in 1986. Access to the Francois Finlay Hydroelectric Dam Vista Viewpoint is from Highway 35, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Nipawin. Near the centre of town, the highway is met by Highway 55 where the two highways begin a 12-kilometre (7.5 mi) concurrency that leaves Nipawin, passes by Nipawin Regional Park, and crosses the Saskatchewan River. Just before White Fox, the two highways diverge with 55 headed west to White Fox and 35 continuing north for another 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) before turning east. Highway 35 then skirts along the north-western shore of Tobin Lake to a dead end, giving access to Carroll's Cove Campground and Pruden's Point Resort.
History
The valleys of southern Saskatchewan have been subject to landslides. Most landslides occur in the Cretaceous shale formations many years ago following the receding of the continental ice sheet. Over 20 early dams were built near the southern portion of the highway until the problem was addressed with the Rafferty-Alameda Project on the Souris River. In the 19th century this area was known as an extension of the Greater Yellow Grass Marsh. "Extensive flood control programs have created reservoirs, parks, and waterfowl centres along the Souris River." Between 1988 and 1995, the Rafferty-Alameda Project was constructed to alleviate spring flooding problems created by the Souris River.
In 1953, a rapid flow landslide destroyed a portion of SK Hwy 35 near Fort Qu'Appelle in the Echo Creek Valley. The construction of the Qu'Appelle River Dam in 1967 helped to eliminate washed out roads and flooded communities downstream. Twenty-one dams were built in the pioneering days to help with the yearly flooding in the Qu'Appelle Valley. The steel bridge built over the Qu'Appelle river at Blackwood Crossing eased problems of communication and commerce immensely.
The Doghide / Leather River, and the Leather/Carrot River fork between Nipawin and Tisdale have contributed to spring flooding in the region. The historic Leather River Bridge is no longer being used but is an example of a steel truss bridge.
The completion of the combined railway and traffic bridge over the Saskatchewan River at Nipawin in the late 1920s retired the ferry and basket crossing for traffic north of Nipawin. The railway/traffic bridge that formed part of Highway 35 was the only crossing utilized at Nipawin until a new traffic bridge was constructed in 1974. The new bridge then became part of the combined Highway 35 and 55 until the highway parts just east of White Fox. The railway/traffic bridge continues to be utilized for one lane vehicle traffic controlled by traffic lights, and continues as the "Old Highway 35" on the west side of the river until it joins with the current Highway 35/55.
The ferry was the first method of transport across the Saskatchewan River at Nipawin. A basket which was propelled above the river on wire could safely transport persons and mail across the river when travel was unsafe because of the ice break up. The CPR bridge opened to traffic in 1932, to be replaced by a steel bridge with concrete piers which was opened by the Saskatchewan Department of Highways in 1974.
The highway runs south to north, and historically did not run on the square following both range and township surveyed road allowances, but rather was allowed to run straight and true along township roads for the most part. The road travelled parallel to the rail between Wadena and Nipawin.
Major intersections
From south to north:
| Rural municipality | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Souris Valley No. 7 | Port of Oungre | 0.0 | 0.0 |    US 85 south (CanAm Highway) – Fortuna, Williston | Southern terminus; continuation into North Dakota |
| Canada–United States border at Fortuna–Oungre Border Crossing | |||||
| | 9.8 | 6.1 |   Hwy 707 west – Beaubier | ||
| Oungre | 16.2 | 10.1 |  Hwy 18 – Minton, Estevan | ||
| Tribune | 27.9 | 17.3 | |||
| Lomond No. 37 | | 46.2 | 28.7 |  Hwy 705 west – Colgate | South end of Hwy 705 concurrency |
| | 52.7 | 32.7 | Hwy 705 east – Halbrite | North end of Hwy 705 concurrency | |
| City of Weyburn | 74.6 | 46.4 |  Hwy 39 – Moose Jaw, Regina, Estevan | CanAm Highway follows Hwy 39 north | |
| 74.7 | 46.4 | Crosses the Souris River | |||
| 75.7 | 47.0 |  Hwy 13 (1st Avenue NW / Red Coat Trail) – Assiniboia, Carlyle | |||
| Wellington No. 97 | | 98.4 | 61.1 |  Hwy 742 east – Fillmore | |
| | 107.1 | 66.5 |  Hwy 306 west – Colfax, Riceton | ||
| Francis No. 127 | Francis | 124.0 | 77.1 |  Hwy 33 – Regina, Stoughton | |
| 124.6 | 77.4 |  Hwy 708 east | |||
| | 147.1 | 91.4 |  Hwy 48 – Regina, Montmartre | Between Vibank and Odessa | |
| South Qu'Appelle No. 157 | | 171.8 | 106.8 |  Hwy 1 (TCH) east – Indian Head, Winnipeg | Hwy 35 branches west; south end of Hwy 1 concurrency |
| Qu'Appelle | 172.4 | 107.1 | Hwy 1 (TCH) west – Regina | Hwy 35 branches north; north end of Hwy 1 concurrency | |
| North Qu'Appelle No. 187 | | 192.2 | 119.4 |  Hwy 10 west – Regina | Hwy 35 branches east; south end of Hwy 10 concurrency |
| Fort Qu'Appelle | 202.5 | 125.8 | Hwy 10 east – Melville, Yorkton | Hwy 35 branches north; north end of Hwy 10 concurrency | |
| 202.7 | 126.0 |  Hwy 210 west (Broadway) – Echo Valley Provincial Park | |||
| 203.2 | 126.3 | Crosses the Qu'Appelle River | |||
| 203.4 | 126.4 |  Hwy 56 – Fort San, Indian Head | |||
| Lipton No. 217 | Lipton | 218.3 | 135.6 |  Hwy 22 west – Southey | |
| | 246.9 | 153.4 |  Hwy 731 – Ituna | ||
| Leross | 261.3 | 162.4 |  Hwy 15 – Raymore, Ituna, Melville | ||
| Emerald No. 277 | | 290.9 | 180.8 |  Hwy 743 – Wishart | |
| Elfros No. 307 | Elfros | 311.7 | 193.7 |   Hwy 16 (TCH/YH) – Saskatoon, Yorkton | |
| | 315.2 | 195.9 |  Hwy 745 east | ||
| Lakeview No. 337 | Wadena | 335.6 | 208.5 |  Hwy 5 – Saskatoon, Humboldt, Canora | |
| Hendon | 351.7 | 218.5 |  Hwy 758 west – Quill Lake | ||
| ↑ / ↓ | | 358.2 | 222.6 |  Hwy 49 east – Kelvington, Preeceville | |
| Ponass Lake No. 367 | Fosston | 363.9 | 226.1 |  Hwy 760 east | |
| Rose Valley | 374.5 | 232.7 |  Hwy 756 east | South end of Hwy 756 concurrency | |
| | 377.8 | 234.8 | Hwy 756 west – Spalding | North end of Hwy 756 concurrency | |
| Barrier Valley No. 397 | Archerwill | 391.0 | 243.0 |  Hwy 349 east | South end of Hwy 349 concurrency |
| | 404.5 | 251.3 | Hwy 349 west – Naicam | North end of Hwy 349 concurrency | |
| | 419.6 | 260.7 |  Hwy 733 west – Pleasantdale | South end of Hwy 773 concurrency | |
| | 422.8 | 262.7 |  Hwy 773 east – McKague, Chelan | North end of Hwy 773 concurrency | |
| Tisdale No. 427 | | 432.8 | 268.9 |  Hwy 776 – Sylvania, Bjorkdale | |
| Tisdale | 449.2 | 279.1 |  Hwy 3 – Melfort, Hudson Bay | ||
| Connaught No. 457 | | 473.0 | 293.9 |  Hwy 748 east – Zenon Park | |
| | 473.8 | 294.4 | Ridgedale access road | ||
| Armley | 478.7 | 297.5 |  Hwy 335 – Gronlid, Arborfield | Site of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash | |
| Nipawin No. 487 | Codette | 498.2 | 309.6 |  Hwy 789 – Carrot River | |
| Nipawin | 506.8 | 314.9 | Old Highway 35 north | Connects to the Crooked Bridge (Old Nipawin Bridge) | |
| 508.3 | 315.8 |  Hwy 55 east (Nipawin Road / NWWR) – Carrot River | South end of Hwy 55 concurrency | ||
| ↑ / ↓ | | 512.4 | 318.4 | Nipawin Bridge across the Saskatchewan River | |
| Torch River No. 488 | | 518.1 | 321.9 | Old Highway 35 south | Connects to the Crooked Bridge (Old Nipawin Bridge) |
| White Fox | 520.3 | 323.3 | Hwy 55 west (NWWR) – Prince Albert | North end of Hwy 55 concurrency | |
| Tobin Lake | 568.9 | 353.5 | Northern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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