Provincial Highway 12 was originally the designated route which connected Saskatoon and Prince Albert, following present-day Highway 12 to the Hepburn area, then following present-day Highway 312 to Rosthern, before continuing northwest to Prince Albert.[4][5] In the mid-1950s, the route was renumbered to Highway 11;[6] however, in the 1960s Highway 11 was realigned to follow a more direct route to Rosthern through Warman and Hague. Combined with the opening of the Petrofka Bridge in 1962,[7] Highway 12 was revived and went to Highway 40 at Blaine Lake.[8] In the 1970s, Highway 12 was extended north to Shell Lake.[9]