Highway 101 Alignment Approved

Highway 101 is a step closer today to becoming a controlled- access highway. Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works, has approved the route location for a new stretch of highway between Digby and Weymouth North.

The minister made the announcement today in the legislature. The 26-kilometre route will be a two-lane highway with passing lanes, running roughly parallel to the existing Highway 101. Controlled access will remove the ability of drivers to enter and exit the highway via driveways; access will be allowed through on- and off-ramps.

"This controlled-access alignment will increase both safety and efficiency for people and businesses," said Minister Russell. "This good news is the result of years of hard work and dedication by my department's engineers and planners in co- operation with the people of this region."

The next stage for the project is to undergo federal and provincial environmental impact assessments. Following those studies, the department will be working on a more detailed design of the highway and buying any necessary property along the route, a process expected to last several years.

Any decision on the actual construction will depend on financing. Because Highway 101 is part of the National Highway System, the project will be eligible for cost-sharing between the province and the federal government. However, at this point, Ottawa has not committed to a long-term agreement to help the province's roads.

"This project is another example of how important it is to get federal support for our deteriorating highway system," said Mr. Russell. "That support is long overdue and I am dedicated to securing such a deal."

A map of the new alignment is available online on the department's web site at www.gov.ns.ca/tran .