BY KIRK STARRATT
Kings County Register
After several years of lobbying, planning and construction, the newly-twinned section of Highway 101 between Falmouth and Avonport is open.
The province’s agricultural heartland, the Annapolis Valley, is honoured, as Highway 101 will now be known as the “Harvest Highway.”
In a ceremony at L.E. Shaw Elementary School in Avonport Dec. 7, federal and provincial governments marked the completion of 11.8 kilometres of twinned highway. The newly-twinned section was to be opened to traffic at 10 a.m. Dec. 8.
Kings South MLA David Morse, Natural Resources Minister, said on behalf of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Murray Scott the twinning was a dream that began at the grassroots level, as people first campaigned over 10 years ago to stop the carnage on the 101 between Mount Uniacke and Coldbrook.
“I want to recognize that it was the paramedics, the medical community, firefighters and first responders who all brought the message - and we listened to them,” he said, pointing out modernizing highways is a provincial priority and it would continue to work to make highways safer.
Morse said the total cost of twinning this section was about $47 million. Minor work, including centre-line painting and other finishing work, will be completed within weeks. The section between St. Croix and Three Mile Plains, funded through the federal-provincial Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, will be completed in 2010.
He said the twinned section between Falmouth and Avonport is important to both the province and the communities that surround it, and there would be no more needless catastrophes at the dangerous Ben Jackson Road intersection.
Kings North MLA Mark Parent, Environment Minister and Minister of Labour and Workforce Development, said on behalf of Agriculture Minister Brooke Taylor the opening is an opportune time to give the highway an extra name. “Harvest Highway” recognizes the important role of farmers in the province, especially in the Valley. The new name is timely, considering many are working to promote “buy local” campaigns and support the agricultural community.
“The name recognizes the important role of agriculture,” he said, pointing out we live in the third most productive agricultural area in the country.
Parent said he wants to see the twinning continue to Coldbrook - and beyond. The twinning is based on safety concerns, although there are also many economic benefits . He sees it as part of the Atlantic Gateway economic development initiative. The highway was built originally for 10,000 vehicles per day, but traffic counts were reaching 16,000 by 2000.
New Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture president Richard Melvin, an area farmer on hand for the unveiling of the new Harvest Highway signage to be erected in four locations along the 101, said our province’s farmers are an important element of rural infrastructure and signage reminds travellers to think local.
Hants West MLA Chuck Porter, a former paramedic, said he has seen a number of needless accidents and deaths on the 101. He looks forward to seeing infrastructure improvements continue.
Central Nova MP Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defense, Minister for the Atlantic Gateway; said the twinning means greater economic prosperity and business opportunities. The federal government will continue to work with other levels of government to improve transportation infrastructure.
Harvest Highway joins other highway designations in Nova Scotia, including Miners Memorial Highway, Peacekeepers Way and Veterans Memorial Highway. The highway will continue to be referred to as Highway 101 by emergency personnel.
BY KIRK STARRATT
Kings County Register
After several years of lobbying, planning and construction, the newly-twinned section of Highway 101 between Falmouth and Avonport is open.
The province’s agricultural heartland, the Annapolis Valley, is honoured, as Highway 101 will now be known as the “Harvest Highway.”
In a ceremony at L.E. Shaw Elementary School in Avonport Dec. 7, federal and provincial governments marked the completion of 11.8 kilometres of twinned highway. The newly-twinned section was to be opened to traffic at 10 a.m. Dec. 8.
Kings South MLA David Morse, Natural Resources Minister, said on behalf of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Murray Scott the twinning was a dream that began at the grassroots level, as people first campaigned over 10 years ago to stop the carnage on the 101 between Mount Uniacke and Coldbrook.
“I want to recognize that it was the paramedics, the medical community, firefighters and first responders who all brought the message - and we listened to them,” he said, pointing out modernizing highways is a provincial priority and it would continue to work to make highways safer.
Morse said the total cost of twinning this section was about $47 million. Minor work, including centre-line painting and other finishing work, will be completed within weeks. The section between St. Croix and Three Mile Plains, funded through the federal-provincial Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, will be completed in 2010.
He said the twinned section between Falmouth and Avonport is important to both the province and the communities that surround it, and there would be no more needless catastrophes at the dangerous Ben Jackson Road intersection.
Kings North MLA Mark Parent, Environment Minister and Minister of Labour and Workforce Development, said on behalf of Agriculture Minister Brooke Taylor the opening is an opportune time to give the highway an extra name. “Harvest Highway” recognizes the important role of farmers in the province, especially in the Valley. The new name is timely, considering many are working to promote “buy local” campaigns and support the agricultural community.
“The name recognizes the important role of agriculture,” he said, pointing out we live in the third most productive agricultural area in the country.
Parent said he wants to see the twinning continue to Coldbrook - and beyond. The twinning is based on safety concerns, although there are also many economic benefits . He sees it as part of the Atlantic Gateway economic development initiative. The highway was built originally for 10,000 vehicles per day, but traffic counts were reaching 16,000 by 2000.
New Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture president Richard Melvin, an area farmer on hand for the unveiling of the new Harvest Highway signage to be erected in four locations along the 101, said our province’s farmers are an important element of rural infrastructure and signage reminds travellers to think local.
Hants West MLA Chuck Porter, a former paramedic, said he has seen a number of needless accidents and deaths on the 101. He looks forward to seeing infrastructure improvements continue.
Central Nova MP Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defense, Minister for the Atlantic Gateway; said the twinning means greater economic prosperity and business opportunities. The federal government will continue to work with other levels of government to improve transportation infrastructure.
Harvest Highway joins other highway designations in Nova Scotia, including Miners Memorial Highway, Peacekeepers Way and Veterans Memorial Highway. The highway will continue to be referred to as Highway 101 by emergency personnel.
