Province to Upgrade Trunk 7

Transportation Minister Ron Russell said today, May 22, the province will call tenders for repaving on Trunk 7 along the Eastern Shore this year. The exact nature of the work to be done and how long it will take will be determined when the Trunk 7 Corridor Study is completed in early June.

"Trunk 7 is the only arterial highway serving a large portion of eastern mainland Nova Scotia," says Mr. Russell. "It's an integral part of Marine Drive, and we know there are sections that need resurfacing or strengthening. We will set aside funds as part of this year's capital budget to begin to address their needs."

Mr. Russell said the province will develop a cost-effective strategy to address sections of Trunk 7 that need upgrading, but cautions that work will have to be spread out over several years.

"This would be an important first step," he said. "We can't lose sight of the fact that while our capital budget for road construction has increased significantly, we have a $3.4-billion shortfall in Nova Scotia that will take many years to correct."

"Residents and tour operators should know that we will address Trunk 7 improvements as quickly as we can."

The Trunk 7 Corridor Study will include rough cost estimates and time frames. Its assessment covers about 215 kilometres from the end of Highway 107 to Highway 104 at Antigonish.

The highways division of the Department of Transportation and Public Works manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains an inventory of 3,800 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Its four district offices are located in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.