More Road Improvements for Halifax

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--More Road Improvements for Halifax Regional Municipality

Residents and visitors will see continued highway improvements in Halifax Regional Municipality this year.

Three tenders have been advertised for improvements to Highway 102 and Highway 103. The tender for Highway 102 is for bridge work and repaving at Exit 2, Kearney Lake. Tenders for Highway 103 are for new interchange structures at Exit 4 at Hubley and Exit 5 at Tantallon.

"The upgrades to highways 102 and 103 will benefit Nova Scotians and those who visit our province," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "An improved transportation network is good for businesses and communities, and means faster commutes for motorists."

Construction on Highway 102 includes bridge repairs and repaving of more than 11 kilometres of road. Highway 102 southbound lanes will be repaved, from Exit 2 at Kearney Lake Road to Ralston Avenue. Highway 102 northbound lanes will also be repaved, from Ralston Avenue to Exit 1A on Highway 103. The tender closes Friday, Aug. 20, and work is expected to be complete by the end of October.

The work on Highway 103 at exits 4 and 5 includes new interchange structures at each exit and removal of the existing structures and approaches. The tender for work on Exit 4 closes Thursday, Aug. 26, while the Exit 5 tender closes Thursday, Aug. 19. Work on both exits is expected to be complete by January 2005.

Transportation and Public Works is spending about $16 million this year to upgrade Highway 103 to four lanes between Otter Lake and Tantallon.

The Department of Transportation and Public Works highways division manages more than 23,000 kilometres of roads in Nova Scotia. It maintains 4,100 bridges and operates seven provincial ferries. Staff provide services from district offices in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.