Highway 103 Contract Award

Construction of the new section of Highway 103 at Barrington, Shelburne Co., is one step closer to starting.

Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works, has announced that Grant Brothers Construction of Antigonish is the successful low bidder to shape and build the new section. The $2.5-million project, paid for completely by the provincial government, covers the 3.2 kilometres between the existing Highway 103, near Barrington, northwesterly to Barrington River.

"This is one of the largest highway capital projects this year," said Mr. Russell. "It's another example of the important investments that this government has been making in the roads of rural Nova Scotia. An investment like this will be reflected in the growing economy of the South Shore."

The subgrade work announced today, Aug. 22, is expected to be completed by mid-2003. The entire 8.3-kilometre bypass around Barrington is scheduled to be open by fall 2005.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works' 2002-03 capital budget for road improvements is $85.5 million, an increase of $32 million over last year. It's the third year in a row that the capital portion of the roads budget has increased.

The department's highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains an inventory of 3,800 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Four district offices are located in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.