Provincial, Federal Governments Celebrate Completion of Twinned Highway

Motorists will soon enjoy driving on a new and improved four-lane section of twinned Highway 101 between Falmouth and Avonport. It opens Monday, Dec. 8.

The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia today, Dec. 7, marked the completion of the 11.8 kilometres of twinned highway.

"Modernizing our roads is a priority for government and we are pleased to open this new four-lane section of Highway 101," said David Morse, Minister of Natural Resources, on behalf of Murray Scott, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. "This is just the latest twinning project, and we will continue to improve our roads, making them more efficient and safe for the travelling public."

"The government of Canada is proud to invest in the twinning of this section of Highway 101. We are committed to working with the government of Nova Scotia for real results," said Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence. "This highway expansion is further proof that government is doing what it takes to put people to work and create infrastructure that will make our country and our economy stronger."

"The federal government is proud to deliver new and improved highway to the citizens of Nova Scotia," said Transport and Infrastructure Minister John Baird. "We are committed to partnering with the province to create better infrastructure for Canadians."

The cost to twin the section of Highway 101 was about $47 million, and it took four years to complete. Minor work, including centre-line painting and other finishing, s expected to be completed within weeks.

The twinning of Highway 101 between Mount Uniacke and Ellershouse was completed in 2004 under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program, a federal-provincial initiative. The section between St. Croix and Three Mile Plains, funded through the federal-provincial Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, is under construction and will be completed in 2010.

Nova Scotians benefitted from about 475 kilometres of newly paved roads during the 2008 construction season. The paving was part of a $333-million investment by Nova Scotia in highways this fiscal year, for paving and road construction, building and repairing bridges, and filling potholes. It was a 15 per cent budget increase over last year.