Ingramport Interchange and Connector

Project Description

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) has finalized plans for the Highway 103 Ingramport Interchange and Connector.

The new interchange is located approximately 10.3 km from Exit 5, near Upper Tantallon, and 10.8 km from Exit 6, near Hubbards. The connector road will connect Highway 103 to St. Margaret's Bay Road (Trunk 3), a distance of approximately 1.6 km. The roadway will be a controlled access facility and built as a 2-lane minor arterial with 3.5 metre wide lanes and a posted speed of 70 km/h.

Background

Six (6) connector options were considered and each underwent an environmental screening, costing and traffic study analysis to determine the best option. The results of environmental investigations helped define measures to be taken to eliminate, minimize, or compensate for any environmental impacts. A connector option (3B) was chosen by the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure renewal in August 2011. The alignment was re-designed in July 2012 as part of a value engineering exercise. Please see attached sketch. For more background information on the Ingramport Interchange and Connector see the link for "HWY 103 Exit 5 at Upper Tantallon to Exit 6 at Hubbards Twinning".

The Ingramport Interchange is required to provide safe access to properties on the north side of Highway 103 whose current accesses off Highway 103 will be eliminated when Highway 103 is twinned. The twinning cannot proceed without the construction of the interchange and, where necessary, a gravel access road adjacent to Highway 103.

The advantages of a connector road relate to the fact that Exits 5 and 6 are 21 km apart, if traveling on Hwy 103. Along Trunk 3 this distance is greater as the road follows the curves of the coastline. A connector road will enhance the safety of those using Hwy 103 and Trunk 3 as well as those living in the communities along Trunk 3. Here are some of the ways that safety and emergency response are enhanced by constructing the interchange and connector road:

  • Emergency response time will be reduced for fire, police and ambulances traveling to incidents on Hwy 103, Trunk 3 and the communities along Trunk 3. Minutes could mean the difference between life and death or have a profound influence on the resulting severity of an incident.
  • Ambulance trips to a Halifax hospital from incidences on Tk 3 and in the communities along Tk3 will be faster with a Connector. Any emergency response person or medical professional can talk at length about the importance of getting people to a hospital ASAP after a traumatic incident.
  • Evacuation of the coastal communities along Trunk 3 in case of a catastrophic event would be much faster with a Connector in place. Community isolation may have certain advantages until disaster strikes and then it may not seem like an advantage if the proper facilities are not in place.
  • Leaving Hwy 103 between Exits 5 and 6 in case of a personal emergency would be possible with a Connector whereas now, a motorist must drive upwards of 20 km, depending on how close they are to Exit 5 or 6, in order to get help.

Disruption in traffic flow resulting from an incident on Hwy 103 and/or Trunk 3, such as construction, a collision resulting in road closure, or a road or bridge washout, would be greatly improved with a connector. This was quite evident in 2010 when a bridge on Trunk 3 washed out resulting in Trunk 3 being closed. This resulted in young school children taking hours longer to get home. On top of that, if there would have been a call for emergency response on the western side of that bridge failure, Exit 6 would have been the closest access to Trunk 3 from Highway 103 and the result could have been disastrous. Both the interchange and connector will improve highway and public safety.

Construction of the Highway 103 Ingramport Interchange and Connector began in the summer of 2014. The scheduled completion date is the fall of 2016.

Public Consultation