Atlantic Highways Thread

[ghYHZ]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Something that I’ve been wondering:
Now that Antigonish Bypass is completed, what should be done to the original alignment of N.S.-104? Should we revert it back to 2 lanes, should we simply take out the road altogether (and basically make people detour through the heart of the town whenever the freeway’s closed for whatever reason), or what else can we do?

As an Antigonish resident who drives old 104 (now 4) every day....it's busy and provides a good bypass for local traffic that would otherwise have to flow through the downtown area with 6 sets of lights and lots of pedestrians (university students)

It has worked well between Post Road (Superstore/Walmart) and Church Street but beyond there when the new TCH104 bypass opened.....Beech Hill Rd.....once a gravel farm road became the eastern gateway to Antigonish along with a new Tim's/Sobeys Express/Gas Bar and a business park development....and now that's the problem! It's an uncontrolled intersection where Beech Hill meets old 104 with only stop signs on Beech Hill and there's almost weekly accidents with a fatality a month ago. The Municipality is calling for intimidate action by NSTIR and it's now the lead news item on their web page:

https://www.antigonishcounty.ns.ca/

Just two days ago....TIR closed a 2km section of old 104 from Beech Hill east to the jct with South River Road and implemented a 3-way stop. Traffic is now rerouted to South River Rd and once again it is signed as NS4.

https://goo.gl/maps/WptRK1wFNNX7KtLi9

Here's TIR blocking the eastbound section of the old 104 bypass (to the left in the photo) on Friday AM and making it a 3-way stop.


(photo from Vince H)

TIR is saying it will probably be 2022 before a permanent solution...and speculation is probably a roundabout.

[Dengler Avenue]

Here's TIR blocking the eastbound section of the old 104 bypass (to the left in the photo) on Friday AM and making it a 3-way stop.

I saw the closure on Google Map too. But why did TIR need to block the road off just to erect stop signs??

I’m just surprised that the old bypass remains busy even after the freeway’s been completed from one end of the town to the other. Why is that?

Also what do with the different branches of Trunk Road 4 now that the old bypass is numbered as such too? Does NSTIR ever sign business routes (i.e. Trunk Road 4B through town and Trunk Road 4 for the old bypass)?

[ghYHZ]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

I saw the closure on Google Map too. But why did TIR need to block the road off just to erect stop signs??

It wasn't just to erect the stop signs but a closure now for at least a couple of years until a permanent solution they say in 2022. Either a roundabout or lights. Concrete Jersey Barriers replaced those cones yesterday that you see in the photo across the intersection now blocking the original bypass heading east from Beech Hill Rd.

I’m just surprised that the old bypass remains busy even after the freeway’s been completed from one end of the town to the other. Why is that?

The original bypass really became just another 'town street'...hence the need for the new TCH104 Bypass. If I'm going from say Post Rd (Walmart) to Beech Hill....I wouldn't use the new bypass nor would I go through downtown.

Also what do with the different branches of Trunk Road 4 now that the old bypass is numbered as such too? Does NSTIR ever sign business routes (i.e. Trunk Road 4B through town and Trunk Road 4 for the old bypass)?

Going back.....NS4 came through downtown on Main St then headed east out South River Road. When the new full TCH104 Bypass opened in 2016....the old TCH104 Bypass assumed the NS4 designation. Now with the closure this weekend.....South River Road is again signed as NS4 'Detour'.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5411413

Maybe there’s now a slightly stronger (than before) case to twin Highway 7? Granted going down 7 then 1 adds more distance and time but with a twinned Route 7, it shouldn’t be too bad.

[ColSJ]

The Town of Rothesay (suburb of Saint John) released data from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

DYK? The daily traffic volumes measured by the NB Department of Transportation and Infrastructure on the Mackay highway at the city boundary are 35% higher than the second busiest stretch in the province, between Moncton and Shediac.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by ColSJ

The Town of Rothesay (suburb of Saint John) released data from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Do you have any link? I have a hard time finding one to NB’s highway AADT (annual average daily traffic).

[ColSJ]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Do you have any link? I have a hard time finding one to NB’s highway AADT (annual average daily traffic).

Unfortunately not. The town of Rothesay posted a little message on their Facebook page. It’s too bad NB DTI don’t share these kind of statistics. I’d be curious what the traffic count is on the Harbour Bridge.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...-104-1.5420814

Tolls are to stay for another year so the province can build pull-off area for motorists and maintenance centre midway in Cobequid Pass (aka the tolled portion of Highway 104 in N.S.).

I’m reposting this from the TCH thread in the main forum.

[JHikka]

They should keep the Cobequid toll. I don't mind paying it whatsoever.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by JHikka

They should keep the Cobequid toll. I don't mind paying it whatsoever.

That’s my thoughts too. We’ll need it to pay for 104 twinning further east.

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

That’s my thoughts too. We’ll need it to pay for 104 twinning further east.

I have family in Halifax, PEI. Liverpool and Moncton. We all travel TCH 104 often. I never hear a complaint over the $4.00 toll. The weather maybe, but never the toll,

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by PEI highway guy

I have family in Halifax, PEI. Liverpool and Moncton. We all travel TCH 104 often. I never hear a complaint over the $4.00 toll. The weather maybe, but never the toll,

It's still only 4 bucks? I can't even look at the 407 for that lol

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

It's still only 4 bucks? I can't even look at the 407 for that lol

In the winter, paying $4 is actually a great reminder that you're still alive after coming through the Cobequid pass alive.

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

In the winter, paying $4 is actually a great reminder that you're still alive after coming through the Cobequid pass alive.

Wentworth Valley really is that traumatizing for many...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Wentworth Valley really is that traumatizing for many...

Same trials and tribulations as the Cobequid Pass, but on a narrow two lane non divided highway.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

It's still only 4 bucks? I can't even look at the 407 for that lol

Love going back home and hearing people complain about highway tolls and parking at arenas.

Like, my Maritime people, it's $50+ to use the 407 one time in one direction, and I pay $20+ for event parking compared to your $5. Relax!

[q12]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

It's still only 4 bucks? I can't even look at the 407 for that lol

It's actually only $2 on Electronic Toll Collection (ETC or EPASS). I haven't paid $4 since they introduced it more than a decade ago. It's linked to most MACPASS users accounts in Halifax for the Harbour Bridges which is only 80 cents compared to $1 for the Bridges.

https://www.cobequidpass.com/COB/Abo...lsAndFees.aspx

https://macpass.com/toll-rates/

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by q12

It's actually only $2 on Electronic Toll Collection (ETC or EPASS). I haven't paid $4 since they introduced it more than a decade ago. It's linked to most MACPASS users accounts in Halifax for the Harbour Bridges which is only 80 cents compared to $1 for the Bridges.

https://www.cobequidpass.com/COB/Abo...lsAndFees.aspx

https://macpass.com/toll-rates/

If you do a road trip to say Florida, Will the MACPASS work in the EZpass lanes on the various toll roads and your tolls are billed later?

[q12]

Originally Posted by PEI highway guy

If you do a road trip to say Florida, Will the MACPASS work in the EZpass lanes on the various toll roads and your tolls are billed later?

I don't believe so.

But Straitpass for the very expensive ($48.50) Confederation Bridge can be linked:

Did you know? StraitPass can be used at multiple toll facilities across the Maritimes including the Halifax Dartmouth Bridge Commission’s MacDonald and MacKay Bridges (MACPASS); the Halifax Stanfield International Airport Parking Lots (MACPASS); and the Cobequid Pass (E-Pass).

https://www.confederationbridge.com/straitpass

[Dengler Avenue]

$48.50? Isn’t the bridge toll only $45.55 by cash? Did they raise the price?