News release

Phase 1 of Highway 104 Project Opens Near Antigonish

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (Oct. 2007 - Feb. 2021)

Nova Scotia's Five-Year Plan continues to allow the province to fix more roads, reach more communities, and work more effectively with partners.

The investment of time and money in construction on Highway 104 is now paying benefits in safety and convenience for drivers in the Antigonish area.

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Maurice Smith, and Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, announced today, Sept. 19, that Phase 1 of the Highway 104 twinning project is open to traffic.

Phase 1 is the first half of a twinning project that will carry four lanes of traffic safely around Antigonish. Construction of the 7.4 kilometres of Phase 1, from west of Addington Forks Road to just east of Beech Hill Road, required the tendering of seven contracts and cost nearly $76 million. The province contributed $51 million dollars and the federal government provided $25 million.

"The ongoing construction on Highway 104, not only around Antigonish but also at Sutherlands River, provides thousands of hours of good-paying jobs," said Mr. Smith. "As the work continues on Phase 2, it's great to have Phase 1 complete making travel safer and more convenient."

"I am pleased to see the opening of this new section of the Trans-Canada Highway system," said Mr. MacKay. "Thanks to the government of Canada's investment, everyone who uses this highway will be safer and will reach their destination faster."

By the time Phase 2 is completed in fall 2015, drivers will be able to travel from the New Brunswick border on highway 104 all the way to Aulds Cove at the Canso Causeway without going through a reduced speed zone.