Cape Breton to Benefit from Road Improvements Plan

Motorists in Cape Breton will experience smoother, safer roads thanks to projects in the province's $265-million road improvement plan for this year.

Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Bill Estabrooks shared details of Cape Breton projects in the 2011-12 edition of the Five Year Road Improvement plan today, June 7, at Little Bras d'Or.

"The island will be a beehive of activity this summer from upgrading the historic Cabot Trail on the western side of the Island to the heavily travelled, Trunk 4 on the east," said Mr. Estabrooks.

This year's road improvement budget is the third-largest in the province's history. Almost $900 million has been invested in Nova Scotia roads over the past three years, employing thousands and contributing millions of dollars to the provincial economy.

The 2011-12 highway improvement budget will focus on paving, bridge repairs and replacements, and highway twinning. Improving paved roads and stabilizing others will also be a priority, using techniques such as chip seal paving to create smoother, dust-free roads.

"Cape Breton is a unique, beautiful part of our of province and a key contributor to the province's tourism industry and economy," said Mr. Estabrooks. "It is imperative we ensure its roads are modern, efficient and safe."

Mr. Estabrooks detailed road work specific to Cape Breton. Some of the major projects include:

• Paving roads throughout the region, including Highway 125, Route 216 and Trunk 4 in Cape Breton County; Trunk 19 (Inverness County); West Bay Road (Richmond County); and Upper Leitches Creek Road (Victoria County).
• Major construction projects, such as twinning on Highway 125, construction on sections of the Cabot Trail in Inverness and Victoria counties, and construction on Trunk 4 in Richmond County;
• Replacing and repairing bridges such as Bay St. Lawrence Bridge (Meat Cove Road) and Corsons Bridge in Victoria County, Little Bras D'Or railway overpass and bridge, and Point Cross on the Cabot Trial in Inverness County.

A complete list of this year's projects is included in the Five Year Highway Improvement Plan (2011-2102 edition), available at www.gov.ns.ca/tran. The plan also includes a review of the province's performance in the 2010-11 and 2009-10 roads programs as well as major projects planned 2015-16.

The five-year plan supports the goals of government's jobsHere economic development plan by creating jobs and improving the highway infrastructure relied on by Nova Scotia businesses and industries.