In the summer of 1970, the section of highway between Lloydminster and Saskatoon was designated to be a portion of the Yellowhead Highway. This section of highway maintained the Highway 5 designation until 1976, when it was redesignated as Highway 16 to maintain the same number through the four western provinces (Manitoba followed suit the following year, redesignating its section of the Yellowhead Highway from PTH 4 to PTH 16). This redesignation shortened the length of Highway 5 to its current length of .