Traffic Solutions, Safety Improvements for Major Highways

CANADA, October 24 - NOTE: A summary document about the traffic solutions and safety upgrades is available in Resources, at the upper right on desktop and at the bottom of the release on mobile.

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People who travel between Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), the Annapolis Valley and Truro and also between dozens of HRM communities can expect changes in the coming years that will provide solutions designed to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety.

The Province has identified the need for a new strategic link between Hammonds Plains Road near Sandy Lake and Exit 2 on Highway 101 and will be initiating the planning process. Increasing the capacity of Highway 102 and assessing options and routes for light rail are also being evaluated.

“Our province is experiencing significant growth, and this investment in Highway 102 is the largest upgrade ever for a provincial highway in HRM,” said Premier Tim Houston. “People need to know they can get where they need to go efficiently. By creating new options and enhancing the ones we have, we have the opportunity to improve the commutes of hundreds of thousands of Nova Scotians every single day.”

The Hammonds Plains to Highway 101 connector would give motorists a new option. This would help reduce congestion on several surrounding roads, including Hammonds Plains Road, and create another way out of several neighbourhoods in an emergency. Transit routes could also be created or adapted in the area.

Upgrades are being planned for the interchange where highways 101 and 102 meet near Bedford. On Highway 102, Exit 2 at Kearney Lake Road and Exit 3 at Hammonds Plains Road will also be upgraded to improve efficiency and safety.

Efforts to add capacity to Highway 102 will be examined through planning work underway between the Joint Regional Transportation Agency and the Department of Public Works. This expansion would help with the movement of people and goods between Exit 0 at Joseph Howe Drive and Exit 4 at Duke Street in Bedford.

Public Works will lead the projects over the next 10 years. Traffic and environmental studies, land acquisitions, consultations, cost estimates and detailed design work will be required before construction can begin. The Department will also look for opportunities to partner with the federal government and apply for funding.

The agency will also support work on a light-rail feasibility study and corridor assessment in its regional transportation plan, which is due to the government at the end of November.

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Quotes:

“Put together, these projects have the potential to transform the way we move around this province. Faster and safer travel times opens up more opportunities for people to get to work, and it supports our economy through the efficient movement of goods and services that we all want and need. It is going to be a big job, but I’m proud that my Department has this important responsibility.”
— Kim Masland, Minister of Public Works

“For more than two years, we have brought people and organizations together with the common goal of creating a safe, equitable and resilient regional transportation system. In our conversations with global experts and leaders in this field, we have heard consistently that the time is right for Nova Scotia to make these strategic investments before land is acquired for other uses. Other cities have failed to be forward-thinking and it cost them financially and in terms of efficiency.”
— Mark Peck, President and CEO, Joint Regional Transportation Agency

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Quick Facts:

• the new Hammonds Plains-Highway 101 link will be about five kilometres long
• Highway 101 near Lower Sackville averages about 44,000 vehicles per day, while Highway 102 near Bedford sees more than 52,000 vehicles per day
• the Joint Regional Transportation Agency was created in the fall of 2021 and has six core partners

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Additional Resources:

Joint Regional Transportation Agency: https://jrta.ca

Department of Public Works on X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/NS_PublicWorks

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