Infrastructure
The Canadian Press February 1, 2021
HALIFAX Nova Scotia says it will spend nearly $500 million this fiscal year to improve and upgrade the province’s roads, highways and bridges.
Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines said in a news release the province’s five-year highway improvement plan includes more than 150 major construction and improvement projects for 2021-22.
Hines says spending on roads and bridges is an “investment in public safety.”
The plan calls for 11 major construction projects in 2021-22, with the focus on the ongoing twinning of Highways 101, 103, 104 and Highway 107.
Other work involves improving intersections, constructing passing and turning lanes and building new interchanges and roundabouts.
Nova Scotia cancels season for Yarmouth to Maine ferry for third straight year Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines says the province was left with no choice but to cancel the 2021 sailing season because of the ongoing uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic
Feb 1, 2021 1:09 PM By: Canadian Press
HALIFAX The provincially subsidized ferry service between southwestern Nova Scotia and Maine has been cancelled for the third consecutive year.
In a news release issued today, Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines says the province was left with no choice but to cancel the 2021 sailing season because of the ongoing uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Canada-U.S. border is closed to
HALIFAX For the second straight year, the ferry service connecting Yarmouth, N.S. to Maine will be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a release issued Monday, Nova Scotia confirmed that the ferry run by Bay Ferries Ltd. will not operate during the 2021 season, which was scheduled from May to October. It is a disappointing decision to have to make, but given the ongoing uncertainty, it is really the only choice we have. We must keep Nova Scotians safe, said Lloyd Hines, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, in a statement. The province remains committed to this service in the long term. It will resume when circumstances allow. Many Nova Scotians invest time, effort and money based on this ferry service, and many highly skilled people work on it. We are appreciative of their service and effort and know they will understand the circumstances.
The province says it will spend $500 million to improve and upgrade roads, highways and bridges this year.
A Five-Year Highway Improvement Plan released today includes more than 150 construction and improvement projects for the coming year.
The projects include the continued construction of rotaries to Weidner Drive on King’s Road in Sydney as well as a new Mira Gut bridge.
Intersection improvements at Seaside Drive and Gardiner Road are also on the list, and the Department of Transportation plans to repave sections of the 125 Sydney Bypass, the Sydport Access Road and Caribou Marsh Road.
This year’s plan also includes the conversion of the Port Hastings rotary to a roundabout.
Country Harbour Ferry Out of Service until May
The Country Harbour ferry in Guysborough County is out of service due to mechanical problems.
“This is disappointing news, especially during a year that has already been hard,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Lloyd Hines. “We had hoped the old ferry would takes us through to the arrival of the brand new ferry. The Stormont II served the community well for more than 40 years, but unfortunately the mechanical issues are significant.”
The replacement for the Stormont II was announced in 2019 and is expected to arrive on schedule in May.
The Stormont II has been out of service since November. It is unable to be repaired. During the pause in service, a detour has been in place. It runs from Port Bickerton, Guysborough Co., on Route 211 to Route 7 and then to Melrose Country Harbour Road and onto Route 316.