The community of Benson has put in place road bans for all of its roadways, the usual spring routine for the RM that's located half an hour north of Estevan.

The standing reeve for the community Dwight Monteyne said the roads are closed to heavy vehicles, but remain open for regular traffic, in effort to prevent damage to the roads as the frost wears off.

"Our roads right now are banned to 12,000 pounds," Monteyne said. "We don't issue any permits unless it gets down to minus 10 (degrees)."

He added that farmers in the area can also call the RM to get a permit to use the roads. The RM also issues emergency permits.

Monteyne says how long the roads will be closed for largely depends on the weather.

"We have more snow in the Benson RM than the Estevan RM, especially in the yards and any place that would stop it on the sides of the road, so we had some snow banked up pretty good on the sides of the roads in places," Monteyne said. "If we start getting a bunch of wet snow, that would keep it a little longer. Or if it stays like this and warm for the next while, the bans won't be on that long then."

He added that there is no threat of the roads flooding as of yet.

He said the closures mostly impact oil patch workers and farmers.