Peer Review for Highway 104 Route

Three Ontario consultants will conduct a peer review of reports considered in the route selection process for a new Trans Canada Highway at Antigonish, Transportation and Public Works Minister Ron Russell announced today.

"We have a staff report. We have a consultant's safety audit and even reports done by other interested parties, yet the debate on Highway 104 at Antigonish is far from settled," said Mr. Russell.

"I've asked for some fresh eyes to look at this project and give me their assessment. I will consider their advice very carefully."

Two of the consultants, respected professionals with decades of highway project experience, will carry out the technical review.

Arthur Scott was selected from a list of professional engineers supplied by the Transportation Association of Canada. He and associate Jack De Chiara will consider all material produced by Transportation and Public Works staff or consultants who have examined the three options being considered for a new four-lane Highway 104 at Antigonish.

The third consultant is Jason Ducharme, an economic and financial analyst with KPMG, who will review an economic impact study and other materials produced for this project.

The review will cost $40,000 and should be completed by early April. A decision on the alignment will be announced as soon as possible after the review is complete, said the minister.

"A new highway will have a significant impact on this region and beyond for many years. The opportunities are tremendous with a major highway project like this," said Mr. Russell. "We want to be sure all the relevant information has been considered before we decide where this highway will be built, so the people of northern Nova Scotia and Antigonish can take advantage of those opportunities."

Arthur Scott is a transportation consulting engineer with close to 50 years experience in highway design, planning, and engineering. He has worked on projects across Canada, the United States, Britain, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. He has served as Chief Road Design Engineer for Delcan Corporation in Ontario and was an associate professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.

Jack De Chiara is a specialist in road and highway design. Since the 1960s, his work has taken him all over Canada, the United States, the Middle East and Thailand.

Jason Ducharme has a broad base of experience in business analysis, transportation, and infrastructure planning. In more than 15 years of consulting, he has examined the social and economic impacts of road projects across Canada.