Highway Construction and Maintenance: A Look Back
The last three provincial highway
budgets have been record-setting-totaling nearly $900 million.The department has paved over 1,300 kilometres
in the past two years with another 500 kilometres
planned in 2011-12.
The province has maximized federal stimulus
funding. In fact, in 2010 the province committed
100 per cent of the federal stimulus dollars to
infrastructure projects. Combined with provincial
and municipal investments, a total of almost
$230 million was committed to infrastructure
projects, including many road and bridge projects.
In 2009 the federal government allocated
$104 million to Nova Scotia to complete
infrastructure projects before March 2011.
The province and municipalities contributed
about $126 million under the program. It should
also be noted that although the federal funding
contributions have declined, the provincial
investment in highways has increased by
$11 million. The total highway capital budget is
$265 million in 2011-12-with an additional
$80 million in operational funding allocated for
highway maintenance improvements-meaning
close to $350 million will be invested in Nova Scotia
roads this construction season.