$69 million announced for Highway 101 twinning project

Federal and provincial governments commit over $34.5 million each for Highway 101 twinning project

Representatives from the provincial and federal government announced new joint funding for the Highway 101 Three Mile Plains to Falmouth twinning project of up to $69 million in Windsor last week.

The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia are each contributing $34.5 million toward this project through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial Territorial Infrastructure Component – National Regional Projects program.

The province of Nova Scotia will handle the remaining funds necessary to pay for the project, which is estimated to total approximately $90 million.

The provincial government recently announced a major boost in infrastructure funding, to help pay for twinning projects like the one near Windsor.

The project involves twinning approximately 9.5 kilometres of highway between Exit 5, Three Mile Plains to west of Exit 7, between Falmouth and Hantsport.

Several structures including new on-ramps, bridges are included in that cost, which, when completed, would mean 70 total kilometres of twinned highway from Halifax to Hortonville in King’s County.

THE TWINNING

Lloyd Hines, Nova Scotia Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, said the department has dedicated people on staff to make sure the twinning project comes online on schedule and on budget.

The project is slated for completion in 2022.

Hants West MLA Chuck Porter said he’s been lobbying the government to improve safety along Highway 101 for approximately 12 years, adding that he’s happy to see construction finally begin.

“It takes a lot of money to get a major project like this done,” Porter said. “I’m pleased to be partnering with the federal government on this and to get this thing going.”

Porter, who was a paramedic before entering politics, said the safety of commuters on Highway 101 has been his top priority.

There’s no word yet on how construction of the project could impact traffic flow as it ramps up, but Porter said he doesn’t antici- pate major delays.

“That’s part of working on any road, secondary or highways, will there be some pain to the driving public? Some delays? When we’ve done previous sections, usually there isn’t much of an impact but as you start tying things together there may be some traffic stoppages,” he said. “I think early stages there shouldn’t be too much in terms of delays.”

NOT INCLUDED

What wasn’t included in the funding announced is the upgraded causeway and aboiteau, between the Avon River and Lake Pisiquid in Windsor, which is still in the design phase, officials said.

The funding for that phase of the project is expected at a later date.

MP for Kings- Hants and President of the Treasury Board Scott Brison said he was happy to make the announcement, saying it would enhance safety and create jobs for the region. Brison also said that he’s aware of the environmental concerns surrounding the aboiteau aspect, especially in terms of fish passage. Brison also said there would be a communications strategy to engage the Mi’kmaq population on the aboiteau project as well. Multiple government departments at the provincial and federal level will be involved with the aboiteau project to ensure fish passage is handled appropriately, he said.

The province of Nova Scotia will handle the remaining funds necessary to pay for the project, which is estimated to total approximately $90 million.