Nova Scotia spending $390 million to twin key highways, without road tolls
HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government’s decision Wednesday to commit $390 million over seven years to improve highways was welcomed with relief by the chief of a small rural fire department in the province’s northeast.
Among the three sections of 100-series highway to be twinned beginning in 2018 is a 38-kilometre stretch of Highway 104 near Barneys River, which has seen at least 15 fatal collisions and 372 accidents since 2009.
Joe MacDonald, chief of the Barneys River Volunteer Fire Department, said the announcement by Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan would not only save lives, it would also help relieve the burden placed on his small cadre of volunteers.
“We’ve experienced our fair share of those numbers, probably more than the other departments, and it runs our volunteer firemen to the brink,” said MacDonald. “It will help save us and retain members.”