Contract Awarded for More Work on Highway 103

TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC WORKS--Contract Awarded for More Work on Highway 103

Construction is underway on twinning another section of Highway 103.

A $4.6-million contract was recently awarded for the construction of about four kilometres of new highway on the eastbound lanes of Highway 103 between exits 4 and 5.

The work involves building the road base of the eastbound lanes from about four kilometres west of Exit 4 at Hubley to about one kilometre east of Exit 5 at Tantallon.

"The thousands of motorists who travel this highway every day will see visible progress this summer with another section of twinned highway," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "This project is another step forward in improving the safety and efficiency of this highway."

The project includes about 1.5 kilometres on the Trunk 3 access road at Sheldrake Lake.

The contract was awarded to Dexter Construction. Work is scheduled to be finished by Dec. 31.

The twinned section of Highway 103 from Otter Lake to Tantallon is expected to open in the fall of 2006.

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 offices in Bridgewater, Bedford, Truro and Sydney.