Pictou East MLA Tim Houston welcomed the government’s plan to twin Hwy 104 from Sutherlands River to Antigonish using a private contractor to cut construction costs.
Speaking in the legislature last Thursday, Houston said a consultant’s report outlined how using the private sector could save up to 14.5 per cent on the construction and operation of the 38-km section of Hwy 104.
It is estimated that highway twinning will cost nearly $300 million. A 14.5 per cent saving amounts to $43.5 million.
“I’m hopeful,” Houston told The News.
Houston pressed Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Lloyd Hines to table the consultant’s report so Nova Scotians could see where exactly savings will be made.
Hines replied that the potential $43.5 million saving could be redirected into other parts of Nova Scotia’s transportation budget.
The minister also pointed out that bulk purchasing of materials offers better prices. This includes 38 km of pavement and nearly 30 structures involved in the twinning process.
“We know that twinned highways save lives. Full stop. The quicker that we can bring these twinned highways to our Nova Scotia motorists, the better off we are as a society,” said Hines.
The 38-km section of untwinned highway east of New Glasgow has fairly sharp bends and can be dangerous to traverse in bad weather.
This stretch of highway has seen at least 15 fatal vehicle collisions since 2009 and hundreds more non-fatal accidents.
The steady stream of accidents has taken a toll on local firefighters, who have long pushed for a twinned highway that will save lives.
The latest accident on the 104 happened just last week, when two vehicles collided head-on.
“We ask a lot from our volunteer firefighters and we should be supporting them in any way we can,” said Houston.
If Hwy 104 is twinned using private sector help, the province will enlist a contractor through tender bidding.
The winning company will be responsible for highway maintenance work on the newly twinned section.
The province previously said that no tolls will be set up on this stretch of highway.
