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Chamber praises government funding for Hwy 101 passing lanes

By IAN FAIRCLOUGH Valley Bureau
Mon. Mar 16 - 5:24 AM

KENTVILLE — While disappointed that Ottawa and the province haven’t announced more Highway 101 twinning, the Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce is praising the governments for funding passing lanes on the highway west of Coldbrook.

The chamber "has repeatedly advocated both the twinning of Highway 101 to Coldbrook and improvements west of Coldbrook," chamber president Gary Morse said in a news release.

"This initiative demonstrates government’s ability to fast-track a project if it is the will of both the federal and provincial governments."

Earlier this month, Premier Rodney MacDonald and Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced more than $17 million in shared funding for eight kilometres of passing lanes on Highway 101 from Coldbrook to Kingston.

The 50-kilometre stretch of highway has only two lanes.

Approved twinning work only goes as far as Avonport.

The stretch from Avonport to Coldbrook, which the province has called a twinning priority, is still undergoing an environmental review and a federal-provincial cost-sharing agreement is not in place.

Mr. Morse said the projected date for completion of twinning to Coldbrook is 2017, provided that other priorities do not delay the work until 2022.

Mr. Morse said the provincial Transportation Department is hosting an open house to give an update on the twinning.

The event takes place at 6 p.m. on March 24 at Horton High School.