Highway 103 Traffic Rerouted

Highway 103 traffic between Halifax and Nine Mile River is being rerouted to the new two lane twinning beginning Friday.

The new 4.7 kilometre twinning will be used exclusively for the next week as paving crews resurface the existing two lanes damaged during construction. The repaving is expected to last approximately seven to 10 days. All four lanes should be open to traffic by the end of October.

While traffic is diverted to only the two new lanes, no passing will be permitted and speed limits are being reduced to 80 km/h.

"With traffic volumes on this section averaging about 12,000 vehicles per day, this is a very important project," said Clifford Huskilson, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "The new divided highway will relieve congestion and provide a safer, more free-flowing route in and out of Halifax."

The twinning of Highway 103 from Beechville to Upper Tantallon is a five year, $22 million project. This year's construction brings Phase 1 to completion at a cost of approximately $4.5 million. It provides for four-lane traffic on a divided highway to and from a new interchange at Exit 3 with direct access to the new Halifax Regional Municipality landfill.

Construction is scheduled to continue next year on the ocean side of the highway as it stretches toward Upper Tantallon.