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Feds, N.S. commit $33m to bypass around Port Mouton

By BEVERLEY WARE South Shore Bureau
Tue. Apr 7 - 10:15 PM

LIVERPOOL — The provincial and federal governments announced here Tuesday they will build an eight-kilometre bypass around Port Mouton, a section of Highway 103 that falls below the standard for national highways in Canada.

The $33-million cost of the two-lane controlled access section will be divided between the two levels of government and the bypass will open in four years.

Premier Rodney MacDonald said it will improve safety on the winding stretch of highway that runs in front of homes and is known for sharp turns that require the speed limit to drop in parts to 50 km/h.

South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy said Tuesday’s announcement marks the first phase of a plan to upgrade the highway for a total of 30 kilometres, from Broad River to Sable River, 22 kilometres of which is considered a secondary highway, despite being part of Highway 103.

Mr. MacDonald said the bypass is needed to improve safety for truckers, residents, tourists and business people travelling through the region.

Queens MLA Vicki Conrad questioned the timing of the announcement.

“This piece of highway was identified well over 30 years ago,” and she said residents have been calling for improvements that whole time.

The riding had been represented by a Conservative MLA from 1953 until Ms. Conrad of the NDP won in 2006.

“I think this is indicative of having an NDP MLA raising the awareness and the government finally taking this riding seriously, and I think if we look back over the last many years, this riding was taken for granted under the Conservative watch. The squeaky wheel gets the grease at the end of the day and I think I’ve been a very squeaky wheel.”

Transportation Minister Brooke Taylor said the bypass does not obviate twinning of Highway 103, which last year was the deadliest of the 100-series highways in the province.

“No, this doesn’t preclude us at all from doing twinning on the 103. ... We plan on doing the environmental assessment this year between exits 5 and 6 and hope to have that part of the 103 ready for twinning, ready to go to tender, as early as 2011.”

Mr. MacDonald said the twinning would be extended under a Tory government.

“We have made a commitment to upgrade and modernize and twin highways from Yarmouth straight through to Sydney and to have that completed by the year 2020, so we have 11 years to go and our commitment to the people living along the 103 and the other 100-series highways is that it’ll all be complete by that year.”

But the premier said the necessary framework, such as the Port Mouton bypass, must be put in place first, just as interchanges were built before Highway 101 was twinned.

While some of the land for the Port Mouton bypass has already been acquired, an environmental assessment will determine the exact route. It will take about two years to complete the assessment, surveys and design work and another two years to build the bypass.

Mr. MacDonald said the province’s $33-million contribution falls under its economic stimulus plan called Building for Growth. He estimates each dollar invested under the program generates about $1.50 in the community.

“That means this project alone will inject about $49.5 million in nearby communities.”