Highway 103 is being neglected
Unfortunately, so much publicity has been focused on Highway 101 in the Valley, there is a great concern that the 103 on the South Shore will continue to be neglected in the planning of the Department of Transportation.
True, 101 has been the scene of many unfortunate accidents and deaths and Valley residents have been lobbying for years to have their highway twinned. No one knows if that is the correct way to go. The RCMP recently released statistics revealing that not all accidents can be attributed to the condition of the highway. Driver inattention and high speed were two other causes cited as being responsible for the jump in accidents and tragic deaths on Highway 101. To illustrate the point, the RCMP stated they have clocked some motorists at 140 km an hour, excessive at any stretch of the imagination.
While we naturally share the concern for safety on Highway 101, it is urgent that the Minister of Transportation not lose sight of the necessity to improve 103, which has fallen far below the Highway 100 standards. For instance, the Barrington bypass has finally been completed, after a 10-year construction session, and the highway from Sable River, Shelburne County to Liverpool, Queens County is substandard, to be kind, and the section from Summerville Centre to Liverpool is absolutely dangerous in a rainstorm, due to ruts that collect and hold water.
Highway 103 still runs through many communities, including Clyde River, Jordan Falls, Sable River, and Port Mouton. Just how safe is that condition?
The South Shore area from Halifax to Yarmouth could become a forgotten route between Halifax and Yarmouth and the economic spin-off from that could be disastrous for the South Shore. There is no doubt in my mind that tourists will choose the Valley Road over the South Shore route. It is obvious that the provincial government has a tough choice to make. How do you weigh economic factors against human lives?
This issue is a touchy one. Anyone who speaks out about twinning 101 is immediately labeled as uncaring and even inhumane. The fact remains — Highway 101 is not the only road of concern in Nova Scotia.
It just isn't right that our provincial government appears to favour one region at the expense of another region.
Some time ago, a committee representing municipal representatives throughout this region was put together to urge provincial officials not to forget Highway 103. Recent publicity seems to suggest that the provincial government has already done so and that is unfortunate.
