Making Roads and Bridges Better
Nova Scotia is maximizing federal funds to build
infrastructure that communities need. The province has
leveraged available federal dollars to support projects that
make a difference for communities. Since 2009, nearly
$500 million in total project funding has been invested in
major highway projects through federal cost-shared
agreements such as the Building Canada Fund, the stimulus
fund and the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund.
Funding partnerships are building better bridges in many
communities, such as Northport, Cumberland County,
Sydney River in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and
in Heatherton and Lower South River in Antigonish.
Funding partnerships are building better highways, such as:
- Highway 104 Antigonish Phase 1 and 2, which will
make the TransCanada Highway safer, less congested
and quicker
- twinning sections of Highway 104 between
New Glasgow and Sutherlands River
- twinning Highway 125 in the Sydney River area
- improvements to the Cabot Trail and Trunk 4
in eastern Cape Breton
- the Highway 101 Margeson Drive Overpass and Trunk
Connector and the Larry Uteck Boulevard Interchange
and Overpass on Highway 102, to ease traffic
congestion
- improvements to roads in Southern Nova Scotia,
such as a new Highway 103 near Port Mouton,
repaving sections of Highway 103 near Broad River,
Route 331 near Volgers Cove, Route 303 near Digby
and Highway 101 near the Annapolis and Digby
County line
Connecting communities
The province is investing an additional $3 million into a
new Highway 125 interchange that will support the growing
economy of Membertou and benefit all of Cape Breton.
The $7-million Membertou Interchange is being built in
partnership with the Federal government ($3 million from
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) and
Membertou First Nation ($1 million). It will improve
community connections and the local economy by linking
people, services and businesses on both sides of Membertou
First Nation.
Nova Scotia is also investing in a new Highway 104
interchange at Paqtnkek First Nation. The interchange will
support the growing community and provide access to
community lands severed more than 45 years ago during
the original highway construction. The department is working
closely with the community and with consulting firms to
prepare the project for construction in 2014.