Nova Scotia's new highway plan released

[DBaz]

OldDartmouthMark,

Bottom line up front: I largely agree with you. Motorists pay their fair share in fuel taxes, registrations, and general revenue.

I also think that the amount the NS Government spends from both dedicated "fuel" taxes and general revenues is mostly correct for the current fiscal environment. I think the suburbs don't realize how much of an infrastructure burden they are in total (for openness, I just moved to the outer suburbs from Cole Harbour).

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I'm not sure what there is to disagree with, as it is plainly stated in the government document that "Almost every dollar from Registry of Motor Vehicle (RMV) fees and the fuel tax goes back into provincial roads".

That's why I said "philosophically," I disagree with how the government does it. Registration fees should be used to manage the registration processes, in order to be transparent. All fuel taxes should go to transportation infrastructure, and it should be transparent how much general revenue is applied to that.

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I wasn't really wanting to say anything about bike lanes, as it's not on topic of the provincial road budget.

I'm not sure what you mean by your last sentence, by the way.

I agree... the provincial budget for roads should be discussed on it's own merits and cost benefit. My last sentence was disagreeing with other's who had already linked the discussion with bike lanes (from both sides).

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by DBaz

OldDartmouthMark,

Bottom line up front: I largely agree with you. Motorists pay their fair share in fuel taxes, registrations, and general revenue.

I also think that the amount the NS Government spends from both dedicated "fuel" taxes and general revenues is mostly correct for the current fiscal environment. I think the suburbs don't realize how much of an infrastructure burden they are in total (for openness, I just moved to the outer suburbs from Cole Harbour).



That's why I said "philosophically," I disagree with how the government does it. Registration fees should be used to manage the registration processes, in order to be transparent. All fuel taxes should go to transportation infrastructure, and it should be transparent how much general revenue is applied to that.



I agree... the provincial budget for roads should be discussed on it's own merits and cost benefit. My last sentence was disagreeing with other's who had already linked the discussion with bike lanes (from both sides).

Fair enough. Thanks for clearing that up!

[Patrick Matthews]

Sure would have been nice to see any of the following be more than a fantasy of mine

1. HWY 113
2. 107 from Lake Loon to Preston
3. Margeson extension (or one of any 3 originally planned routes to Beaverbank)

[someone123]

It's interesting to look at old provincial capacity planning. I saw a report about the 102 and they had projected years for when 4 vs 6 lanes would be required. There's no way that the population hasn't blown past the 2026 projections from 2016 by now, and maybe 2036 or 2046 projections.

A difference between highways and transit in NS is that the province has a sense of long-term direction for highways including land acquisition. Fixed transit infrastructure is basically ad hoc in comparison. There isn't an equivalent of building out the 102 corridor or the 113 of transit.

[Corker]

I'm sure everyone has a pet project that they would like to see on this list or higher on this list. For me it is adding (at least) a third lane to the 102 in both directions between Joe Howe and Dunbrack and outbound between Dunbrack and Bayer's Lake. It seems like such low hanging fruit that would make a huge difference to rush hour and traffic in general. The overhead signage and bridge over Washmill Lake Road are already wide enough so the only complicating factor would be the excavation and retaining wall along School Street.

I'm often puzzled by the Circ having up to 6 lanes in each direction and the 102 having only 2.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by someone123

A difference between highways and transit in NS is that the province has a sense of long-term direction for highways including land acquisition. Fixed transit infrastructure is basically ad hoc in comparison. There isn't an equivalent of building out the 102 corridor or the 113 of transit.

I think this is really what differentiates many North American cities from a lot of the rest of the world when it comes to transit, and also active transportation. Every project is a "pilot project" and involves copious engagement, design experimentation, capacity building, etc. In contrast, in areas that do transit and AT well... it's just part of the standard engineering specifications and processes and is built into the day-to-day business of public works departments.

[dreamcamera]

Originally Posted by Corker

I'm sure everyone has a pet project that they would like to see on this list or higher on this list. For me it is adding (at least) a third lane to the 102 in both directions between Joe Howe and Dunbrack and outbound between Dunbrack and Bayer's Lake. It seems like such low hanging fruit that would make a huge difference to rush hour and traffic in general. The overhead signage and bridge over Washmill Lake Road are already wide enough so the only complicating factor would be the excavation and retaining wall along School Street.

I'm often puzzled by the Circ having up to 6 lanes in each direction and the 102 having only 2.

I agree, entering the 102 from Joe Howe or Connaught feels old and small. 2025 (?) Windsor St Exchange redesign is due to help Joe Howe traffic but only toward the bridge of course.

[Keith P.]

After a very long gestation period - the piece linked says it began in 2017 but to me it seemed to start much earlier than that with tree clearing and site grading - the twinned stretch of the 103 from Tantallon to Hubbards has finally opened. NS highway construction projects always seem to move very slowly with long periods where one sees no activity whatsoever, which is what happened with this. Or alternatively, long periods where there are a handful of workers with just a few pieces of equipment puttering around. I suppose my perception is skewed from having watched large projects in the US when I was a kid when they were building the Interstate system. It seemed you would go for miles seeing an army of workers and equipment generating large clouds of dust working hard and building those.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6453684

[Dengler Avenue]

A stretch of new highway between Upper Tantallon and Hubbards is opening later than expected, but it's coming in under budget.

How did that work??
We’d like to learn in other provinces.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

After a very long gestation period - the piece linked says it began in 2017 but to me it seemed to start much earlier than that with tree clearing and site grading - the twinned stretch of the 103 from Tantallon to Hubbards has finally opened. NS highway construction projects always seem to move very slowly with long periods where one sees no activity whatsoever, which is what happened with this. Or alternatively, long periods where there are a handful of workers with just a few pieces of equipment puttering around. I suppose my perception is skewed from having watched large projects in the US when I was a kid when they were building the Interstate system. It seemed you would go for miles seeing an army of workers and equipment generating large clouds of dust working hard and building those.

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6453684

Highway 104 between New Glasgow and Antigonish I thought was done quite fast. Also, I heard the main reason Highway 103 was delayed was because resources had to be reallocated last summer towards flood repair.

[terrynorthend]

Ultimately if they can twin the 103 to Bridgewater that would be fantastic. Past there the traffic volumes reduce enough. There are still issues, but a European style 2+1 with centre cable barrier from Bridgewater to Yarmouth would be sufficient and much less expensive.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

Highway 104 between New Glasgow and Antigonish I thought was done quite fast. Also, I heard the main reason Highway 103 was delayed was because resources had to be reallocated last summer towards flood repair.

That would fail to explain the lack of activity for a number of years prior though. I suspect the PNS bean counters at Finance choked off funding for several years.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

Ultimately if they can twin the 103 to Bridgewater that would be fantastic. Past there the traffic volumes reduce enough. There are still issues, but a European style 2+1 with centre cable barrier from Bridgewater to Yarmouth would be sufficient and much less expensive.

I always found it jarring when travelling from Bridgewater towards points south how the 103 abruptly stops being limited access and essentially becomes old Route 3 with driveways, intersections and small businesses beyond exit 14.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

That would fail to explain the lack of activity for a number of years prior though. I suspect the PNS bean counters at Finance choked off funding for several years.

True, it did seem quite slow on that project for some reason.