$500M earmarked for N.S. roads and bridges in 2025-26

The Nova Scotia government plans to spend $500 million on road and bridge projects from Yarmouth County to Cape Breton Island in the next fiscal year. 

Public Works Minister Fred Tilley said the five-year highway improvement plan he released Tuesday includes two new major projects: the replacement of the rotary adjacent to the Port Hastings visitors' information centre and passing lanes at exits 18 and 19 on Highway 107.

The province has set aside $200 million for those and 14 other major construction projects going ahead in 2025-26.

Those other projects include continuing work on the Seal Island Bridge in Cape Breton, the Aerotech connector near Halifax Stanfield International Airport, the construction of new wharfs in Blandford and Big Tancook Island to accommodate a larger vehicle ferry, and pre-engineering work for a new connection to Highway 101 from Hammonds Plains Road.

Although the plan includes the Three Mile Plains to Falmouth twinning and aboiteau upgrade needed to complete that much-delayed project, Tilley noted that work remains stalled because of the dispute between the province and the federal government over how best to protect fish passage in the Avon River. 

The remaining $295 million in the plan will be spread across the province on regular maintenance and upgrades, including:

• $161 million on asphalt and resurfacing.

• $55 million on gravel roads.

• $60 million on bridge replacement and rehabilitation.

• $7 million to buy land.

• $7 million on equipment, machinery and ferries.

• $5 million on highway design and surveys.

"With more than 150 highway projects planned for the next year, we're going to be busy," said Tilley. "All these projects provide not only good jobs but careers for Nova Scotians."

Changing weather impacting budget

The $500 million is roughly what the province has spent in each of the past four years on road and bridge work.

The plan noted the province has had to spend more on designing "more resilient" roads and bridges meant to withstand an increase in significant weather events. Tilley said the five-year plan allows time to adjust the work to accommodate higher bids or costlier repairs.

Mark Peachey, chief engineer at Public Works, said rising costs has had an effect on projects.

"The last two or three years, we've had significant escalation for reasons such as labour costs, material costs, that sort of thing," said Peachey. 

"We've had to adjust what we do sometimes, whether that be cancel jobs that come in significantly over budget or reduce the scope of the work."