Atlantic Highways Thread

[Dengler Avenue]

I'd think that, between Exit 5A and the end of the highway at Sydney Port Access Road, the interchanges are way too close to one another to fit in another one, let alone one for another major freeway.

Between Blacketts Lake and Coxheath, it seems possible for the future divided freeway to descend the hill sideways to keep the grade low (i.e. 6% max) then fly over Truck Highway 4 and Highway 216 (East Bay) and run south of Trunk Highway 4 until St Peter's.

I guess I should have asked this question earlier: Where do trucks go in Sydney, NS? Straight to the ferry, Sydport or Port of Sydney? If it's the first 2, IMO having 104 end at Exit 5 definitely makes sense - direct access to Sydport and short distance to the ferry. Even if it's the latter, I still think Exit 5 makes sense.

[MonctonRad]

It is interesting that they are proposing rerouting the TCH south of the Bras d'Or lakes in CB, and there are a lot of good reasons to do this (shorter and less mountainous route, better weather), but planning a route and constructing a route are two entirely different things.

I seriously think that I will never see this route built within my lifetime. The NS government will continue dividing the TCH to just beyond Antigonish, but I think the economic justification to go further than this just doesn't exist. This doesn't mean I don't support this venture in principle, I just think it might not be justifiable in terms of AADT and the cost of deferred maintenance. These arguments are similar to those regarding dividing Route 11 to northern NB. It makes sense to divide up to and just beyond Bouctouche, but to divide the whole road is an entirely different story........

[Dengler Avenue]

In that case, I wonder what NS’s going to do next if it’s still down to expanding its highways. Burnside Connector? (Apparently we’ve debated it to death, lol.) Widening select part of 102 or 118 from 4 to 6 lanes? (Do we need HOV lanes?) Twinning 103 up to Bridgewater? (That town looks big.) Twinning 101 up to Middleton? (Kingston, NS looks built-up.) Reconstructing the 102/104 interchange in Truro? (The flyover’s probably badly needed soon.)

These are just suggestions. I can’t really think of anything else.

[MonctonRad]

If it were up to me:

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Burnside Connector?

Likely worthwhile. The area around Burnside and Dartmouth Crossing continues to grow exponentially. Also, since all good things in NS naturally flow to Halifax and area, this should be an easy political sell.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Widening select part of 102 or 118 from 4 to 6 lanes? (Do we need HOV lanes?)

Nothing needs to be done to the 118 as far as I'm concerned.

The Bicentennial Highway portion of the 102 could be widened to six lanes as far as the 101 interchange. I think the 102 between the 118 confluence and Stanfield International Airport also needs to be six lane (it's already five lane now, two inbound and three outbound).

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Twinning 103 up to Bridgewater? (That town looks big.)

Yes, probably. The Lunenburg/Mahone Bay/Bridgewater area is fairly built up.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Twinning 101 up to Middleton? (Kingston, NS looks built-up.)

They could justify twinning to Berwick for sure, and perhaps eventually to Kingston/Greenwood. The northern part of the Annapolis Valley is surprising ly built up.

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Reconstructing the 102/104 interchange in Truro? (The flyover’s probably badly needed soon.)

I would, yes. The current interchange works, but looks half finished and is awkward (especially the westbound on ramp from the 102 to the 104. Since this is arguably the most important interchange in the province, it should look the part.

The only other piece of highway infrastructure to be built/twinned I can think of is a connector from the 102 (Bicentennial Highway) to the 103 in the Hammonds Plains vicinity. I know this has been talked about in the past, and would provide a convenient shortcut for south shore traffic to access points north rather than having to detour all the way into the current interchange near Bayers Lake.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

If it were up to me:



Likely worthwhile. The area around Burnside and Dartmouth Crossing continues to grow exponentially. Also, since all good things in NS naturally flow to Halifax and area, this should be an easy political sell.



Nothing needs to be done to the 118 as far as I'm concerned.

The Bicentennial Highway portion of the 102 could be widened to six lanes as far as the 101 interchange. I think the 102 between the 118 confluence and Stanfield International Airport also needs to be six lane (it's already five lane now, two inbound and three outbound).



Yes, probably. The Lunenburg/Mahone Bay/Bridgewater area is fairly built up.



They could justify twinning to Berwick for sure, and perhaps eventually to Kingston/Greenwood. The northern part of the Annapolis Valley is surprising ly built up.



I would, yes. The current interchange works, but looks half finished and is awkward (especially the westbound on ramp from the 102 to the 104. Since this is arguably the most important interchange in the province, it should look the part.

The only other piece of highway infrastructure to be built/twinned I can think of is a connector from the 102 (Bicentennial Highway) to the 103 in the Hammonds Plains vicinity. I know this has been talked about in the past, and would provide a convenient shortcut for south shore traffic to access points north rather than having to detour all the way into the current interchange near Bayers Lake.

I think it’s innevitable that he highways are twinned to Kingston/Greenwood & to Bridgewater. The proposed highway 113 will eventually get built but it will be years before it ever does. They do have the right of way bought so that’s something. Imo he 102 should be 6 lanes from the start, all the way to the airport.

[Dengler Avenue]

The thing is, 103 west of Upper Tantallon only has undivided 2 lanes, so that needs to be twinned first before N.S. can put in 113.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

The thing is, 103 west of Upper Tantallon only has undivided 2 lanes, so that needs to be twinned first before N.S. can put in 113.

103 twinning to the new Ingramport interchange is under construction. Work on the section to Hubbards will start once this section is nearing completion.

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Likely worthwhile. The area around Burnside and Dartmouth Crossing continues to grow exponentially. Also, since all good things in NS naturally flow to Halifax and area, this should be an easy political sell.

The Burnside Expressway has been planned since before I was born. As a former Bedford resident I know too well how desperately this expressway is needed but I also know it could just keep being a pipe dream.

The last I heard was about a week ago. Apparently the environmental assessment has been approved and the ammunition issue has been cleared. The province is applying to the federal government for infrastructure funding. If they get this construction could start in the next year.

Nothing needs to be done to the 118 as far as I'm concerned.

I agree. Highway 118 is the best built expressway in Nova Scotia.

They could connect the auxillary lanes between Highway 107 and the C/E system at Wright Avenue. Beyond that I would increase the speed limit between Highway 107 and Highway 102 to 110km/h.

They could justify twinning to Berwick for sure, and perhaps eventually to Kingston/Greenwood. The northern part of the Annapolis Valley is surprising ly built up.

Currently the gap in Windsor is being completed. After that I believe they will go to Coldbrook (Exit 14). The New Minas interchange that opened last month is designed for a twinned highway.

The only other piece of highway infrastructure to be built/twinned I can think of is a connector from the 102 (Bicentennial Highway) to the 103 in the Hammonds Plains vicinity. I know this has been talked about in the past, and would provide a convenient shortcut for south shore traffic to access points north rather than having to detour all the way into the current interchange near Bayers Lake.

Highway 113 probably won't be built for another 10 years. The province does own the R.O.W. though and it can be clearly seen in the new subdivision in West Bedford.

[Dengler Avenue]

Meanwhile...

Now that Feds have taken back (at least part of) the $272M for twinning NB 11, any guesses what it’ll go towards? Will it necessarily be road projects?

[Dengler Avenue]

Also, EA has been approved for TCH twinning between Sutherlands River and Antigonish:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...oved-1.4998364.

Ps: Ugh why can't QC 185 be done in 2024 as well...

[q12]

$200 Million plus Burnside Expressway (107) is going ahead this spring. This will almost complete a nearly continuous outer ring road around Halifax from Bayers Road (102) to Pleasent Street and/or Mackay Bridge (111). This expressway will connect all highways in the Halifax area uninterrupted. (101, 102, 103, 107, 111, 118)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ctor-1.5027668

UPDATED MAP:



Here is a repost from the Highway 107 - Burnside Expressway thread from 2009 to better show the routing in the new map from 2019.

Originally Posted by alps

This underpass, built a few years ago, caught my eye because it didn't have any apparent function, until I realized it must be for the slip road from the 102 northbound to the 107 extension. If that's true, then this would be the situation they have decided upon:



This would also explain why the Duke Street/102 overpass is so long:



(imagery credit: Bing & Google Maps)

[MonctonRad]

Apparently in the NB budget today, Higgs softened his stance regarding Highway 11 a bit. He is amenable to dividing the highway as far as Bouctouche, but not the bridges across the rivers. He is apparently going to negotiate with the feds to see if this is acceptable.

[Dengler Avenue]

So like how I-81 crosses St Lawrence River right before the border crossing at Thousand Islands (2-lane bridge, 4-lane divided roadway at both ends)?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

So like how I-81 crosses St Lawrence River right before the border crossing at Thousand Islands (2-lane bridge, 4-lane divided roadway at both ends)?

Indeed. I find this option silly, but there is no question they would save a lot of money by avoiding bridge construction. Hopefully they will get built later after the Higgs interregnum.

[Dengler Avenue]

It’s okay. I-95 past Bengor towards the border crossing used to be a super-2 that only widened to divided 4 lanes at interchanges.

My point? It’s nothing new.

[OUIR@random]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Apparently in the NB budget today, Higgs softened his stance regarding Highway 11 a bit. He is amenable to dividing the highway as far as Bouctouche, but not the bridges across the rivers. He is apparently going to negotiate with the feds to see if this is acceptable.

Reasonable counter offer, I think people using that very busy highway could agree to that compromise, it's been done elsewhere and it works, it's better than nothing.
I'm not sure how it will be received by the Feds though... Bitting the hand the feeds you and being arrogant usually doesn't work in any situation, especially with the federal government, so we will see. Perhaps the money is already gone, who knows! Ils l'attendent probablement avec une brique et un fanal à Ottawa anyways!

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by OUIR@random

Reasonable counter offer, I think people using that very busy highway could agree to that compromise, it's been done elsewhere and it works, it's better than nothing.
I'm not sure how it will be received by the Feds though... Bitting the hand the feeds you and being arrogant usually doesn't work in any situation, especially with the federal government, so we will see. Perhaps the money is already gone, who knows! Ils l'attendent probablement avec une brique et un fanal à Ottawa anyways!

Talking to the feds in March 2019 will be very different compared to talking to the feds in November 2019.

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

Apparently in the NB budget today, Higgs softened his stance regarding Highway 11 a bit. He is amenable to dividing the highway as far as Bouctouche, but not the bridges across the rivers. He is apparently going to negotiate with the feds to see if this is acceptable.

I believe a good portion of the roadbed north of the cocagne River has been started so cost wise it may not be as expensive as Higgs first thought. While not ideal, this may be the easiest way to get this highway built. Dominic maybe a little happier today. he was quite irked when the project stalled.

[drewber]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Talking to the feds in March 2019 will be very different compared to talking to the feds in November 2019.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by drewber

Don't count your chickens before they hatch

I wasn't even predicting a party other than the Liberals in office - a Liberal government post-election is going to be different than the current government in the buildup to the election. Usually pre-election incumbent governments pork barrel as much as they can, which is what my post was referring to.

[drewber]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I wasn't even predicting a party other than the Liberals in office - a Liberal government post-election is going to be different than the current government in the buildup to the election. Usually pre-election incumbent governments pork barrel as much as they can, which is what my post was referring to.

Didn't even occur to me even though they just released a budget full of goodies