Another Eye on Provincial Highways

Motorists now have another tool to help them check road and weather conditions before heading out on provincial highways.

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal has installed a new camera, identified as Lornevale Station, on the Cobequid Pass section of Highway 104 near the Mines Bass River Road overpass.

"This new camera provides more information for people planning to travel over the Cobequid Pass," said Deputy Premier Frank Corbett, on behalf of Bill Estabrooks, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

"Weather can vary widely across the province during the winter months, and we encourage everyone to check road conditions before getting behind the wheel."

Department highway cameras are attached to Road Weather Information Systems sites that have special sensors embedded in the road and on nearby towers to collect data on weather conditions affecting the road surface.

There are now 47 highway cameras on the department's website. Images from all of Nova Scotia's highway cameras are available online at www.gov.ns.ca/tran/cameras/camera.asp . The highway camera page on the department's website receives up to 250,000 visits per month, during the winter.

The cameras are part of the province's extensive road condition information system, which allows travellers to see weather and road conditions on computers, and to hear road conditions by calling 511. Road conditions can also be accessed on cellphones and hand-held devices via Mobile 511 at m511.gov.ns.ca .

More information on safe winter driving and winter road maintenance can be found on the department's website at www.gov.ns.ca/tran/winter .