Construction starts on Highway 104 between Antigonish and New Glasgow

Twinning project aims to make roadway safer, more efficient

HALIFAX — Construction has begun on the $718-million highway twinning project to make one of the province’s most important roadways safer.

Crews broke ground Friday to begin twinning Highway 104 from exit 27 east of New Glasgow to exit 31 at Antigonish.

According to a press release sent by the Nova Scotia Department of Infrastructure and Renewal on Friday, there have been 391 collisions on that stripe of untwinned highway since 2009. Out of those, 14 were fatal and 19 people died.

Along with making the roadway safer, the twinning is expected to improve traffic flow.

The contract includes design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of a section of this roadway, which is part of Trans-Canada Highway. Construction is expected to be completed before the end of 2023.

The maintenance part of the contract between the provincial government and Dexter Nova Alliance includes snow removal, pothole repair and repaving required for the twinned part of Highway 104 plus another 25 kilometres of existing roadway. The maintenance agreement is until 2040.

The federal government contributed $90 million under the National Trade Corridors Fund.

Construction of the section from Antigonish to Sutherlands River is expected to cost $364.3 million. About $196 million is allotted for the 20year operational period to cover maintenance and upgrades to the existing stretch of highway. The remaining amount will be used for other fees such as insurance, professional fees and financing.

Along with two new interchanges and 24 new bridges, the project includes twinning 28 km with a two-lane highway and 10 km with four lanes.