Highway 101 Twinning May Go Concrete

Concrete may be king, at least on one section of new road in Nova Scotia.

The province is twinning new sections of Highway 101 this summer. A tender in newspapers is looking for bids from concrete companies -- and asphalt pavers -- for work on 11 kilometres of new road, from the railroad overpass to Ellershouse Road.

"Highway 101 has always been and continues to be a priority for this government," said Michael Baker, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "We are investing substantial amounts of money into this road and we will continue to do so in the future."

The work -- part of an existing cost-shared highways agreement with the federal government -- stretches from Mount Uniacke, near Exit 3, to Ellershouse.

The highway work has been ongoing since July 2001, when Nova Scotia and Ottawa signed a $34.6-million highways agreement under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program.

As part of that deal, about $27 million was set aside to twin 21 kilometres of existing two-lane road on Highway 101.

Bids for asphalt paving will also be accepted. Another tender for the remaining 10 kilometres of new road will be called soon.

Concrete roads are rare in Nova Scotia but commonplace in other provinces and states. There are two existing concrete roads in Nova Scotia -- near Oxford on Highway 104 and on the Bridgetown interchange off Highway 101.

The new highway should be ready to open in the fall.