N.S. plan sets out road projects

Nova Scotia road builders are applauding the provincial government's five-year highways plan.

Minister of Transportation Bill Estabrooks released the document at a provincial highways depot outside Halifax, on Monday.

The plan sets out major highway and bridge projects for the next five years. Government officials said all of the major road projects have been approved for federal funding.

Spending during the first year is expected to exceed $300 million.

Estabrooks said a multi-year approach will make it possible to improve planning and maximize that federal funding.

"It will also allow tenders to be called earlier than ever before, which will result in better prices and better quality," Estabrooks said.

He said the plan will make it easier for communities to find out whether secondary roads in their part of the province have been approved for paving or upgrades. Once the yearly capital budget for roads is approved, the transportation department will, for the first time, release a full list of projects to be completed during the construction season and a list of multi-year projects planned for the years ahead.

"We will make sure we are providing services as openly as we can do it," Estabrooks said. "I will have to justify which projects we didn't get done, and that could happen."

The plan also includes the criteria to be used in setting road and bridge project priorities. Estabrooks said it would help the province work more effectively with communities and road builders.

"In the past, most funding has gone to the most damaged roads, so the overall budget will be directed to improve paved roads before they become more severely damaged and require more costly repairs."

Grant Feltmate, Executive Director of the Nova Scotia Road Builders Association, said industry is pleased with the long-term, sustainable approach it has long been asking for.

"We look at it as proactive versus a reactive strategy which we think is going to be of great benefit, not just to our industry, but also to the taxpayers of Nova Scotia," Feltmate said.

He said a five-year outlook will allow the industry to offer prospective employees a career in road building.

"It will allow industry, when we know where we're going, it gives us a much better ability to invest in capital and resources," said Feltmate.

He said the economic spinoffs of Monday's announcement will be wide-ranging, from the truckers employed by road builders, to the motels and hotels where road crews stay.