Nova Scotia is Proposing to Twin & Toll 300 Km of Highway

[ghYHZ]

Nova Scotia is proposing to twin and toll 300 km of highway over the next ten years....but first a feasibility study and to gauge public reaction.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tolls-proposed-for-8-sections-of-4-busiest-nova-scotia-highways-1.3120344

The proposed route shown between Port Hawkesbury and Sydney would follow the NS 4/104 corridor not the Trans Canada 105......but at Sydney it would connect into NS125 providing a divided highway to North Sydney and the Newfoundland ferry. I also note there is nothing about twinning the Causeway as the article says twinned to Aulds Cove.....then from Port Hastings on. Also the section of NS104 between Port Hawkesbury and St. Peters is not mentioned. This is currrently a Super 2.

[US 41]

At least most of these have a reasonable free option.

[SignGeek101]

Nova Scotia is proposing to twin and toll 300 km of highway over the next ten years....but first a feasibility study and to gauge public reaction.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tolls-proposed-for-8-sections-of-4-busiest-nova-scotia-highways-1.3120344

The proposed route shown between Port Hawkesbury and Sydney would follow the NS 4/104 corridor not the Trans Canada 105......but at Sydney it would connect into NS125 providing a divided highway to North Sydney and the Newfoundland ferry. I also note there is nothing about twinning the Causeway as the article says twinned to Aulds Cove.....then from Port Hastings on. Also the section of NS104 between Port Hawkesbury and St. Peters is not mentioned. This is currently a Super 2.

Any idea how much the toll would be?

[ghYHZ]

Any idea how much the toll would be?

The province's current toll road....the Cobequid Pass is 48 km long and the toll is $4 so I imagine other tolled sections would be similar.

https://www.cobequidpass.com/COB/Default.aspx

[AsphaltPlanet]

^ What do you think the public's reaction to the proposed toll roads would be?

I thought that there was somewhat of an aversion by the feds to allowing tolls on the TCH?  I've always thought that was the reason that the Coq in BC wasn't incorporated into the routing of the TCH when it was opened.

Perhaps that aversion has lapsed though, as the new Port Man bridge is obviously tolled.

[MisterSG1]

That sounds it will be quite pricey, let's just estimate what the costs will be to such a thing to use it.

The section just east of New Glasgow to Antigonish, throw another $3 there.

Then from Antigonish to the Canso Strait, (I like to imagine a Canso Skyway one day ) yet another $3

The actual new Canso Skyway bridge will probably be tolled, let's imagine this bridge is $2 toll.

Finally, from the Canso Strait over to Hwy 125, probably $6.

$18 in road tolls to drive across Nova Scotia....hmmmm. Fairly pricey when I can practically cover most of the NY Thruway for the same amount (Between the Williamsburg and Woodbury toll barriers of course).

Consider in Quebec, the new Autoroute 30 costs but $1.25 to use....imagine that.


Also I'd like to mention, the section of Hwy 105 from Hwy 125 to the boat is not a freeway but a Super 2....obviously that would have to be upgraded to have a freeway from here to the boat....usually do that drive once a year in the summer as both sides of my family are from Newfoundland.

[ghYHZ]

Also I'd like to mention, the section of Hwy 105 from Hwy 125 to the boat is not a freeway but a Super 2....obviously that would have to be upgraded to have a freeway from here to the boat....usually do that drive once a year in the summer as both sides of my family are from Newfoundland.

I really can't see the need to upgrade that section of 105 to a full freeway.......it's just over 2 km long and essentially an access road to the ferry terminal. Up to 500 vehicles arrive sporadically for a ferry every 12 hours and probably a lot of that traffic is using town streets to approach the terminal. The busier interchange is Exit 2 on the 125 at King St.

I could see some upgrade being done to this section and hopefully a longer merge lane leaving the terminal where you have all those cars jockeying for position to get ahead of the truck traffic when a boat docks.

The older ferries had two lanes of vehicles disembarking from the upper deck and another two lanes from the lower deck all merging down to a single lane. But it's not so bad now with the new ferries......a single lane from each deck so only two lanes merging into one. 

[MisterSG1]

Trucks are not really the problem.....RVs are!

That's right, with the Vision, only one lane exits from the top and bottom at once. Now look, 105 doesn't have to be a "freeway" per se, but what I'm saying is that Highway 105 from 125 to the boat should at least have two lanes in each direction. The road is a Super Two in that stretch already if I remember correctly, assuming there is enough room, I can't see simply widening the road and putting a concrete divider in the center being that much of an issue. It looks like there's enough space if memory recalls but I'm unsure.

[ghYHZ]

I could see it being widened to two lanes in each direction or at least outbound so you do get a chance to pass the trucks and RVs. But no conctere barrier......It's through a residential area with at grade intersections (flashing light) at Tobin Rd/Power St and Mapleview Dr......also 8 driveway accesses so probably no greater than 70 or 80 kmh.

Other than when a boat is in about every 12 hours.....there is very little traffic.

[ghYHZ]

I could see it being widened to two lanes in each direction or at least outbound so you do get a chance to pass the trucks and RVs. But no conctere barrier......It's through a residential area with at grade intersections (flashing light) at Tobin Rd/Power St and Mapleview Dr......also 8 driveway accesses so probably no greater than 70 or 80 kmh.

Other than when a boat is in about every 12 hours.....there is very little traffic.

I was in North Sydney yesterday and got a few shots of the 2.5km section of TCH105 between NS125 and the Newfoundland Ferry Terminal:

Looking east approaching the Toll Booth at the end of NS105.





The westbound lanes are on the left leaving the Ferry compound.





The lanes begin below the overhead signs and merge to a single lane at the top of the hill.






Looking west on 105 from the overpass in the first photo:





TCH105 looking west through a residential section about 1 km from the ferry. Speed is 70kmh. Another westbound lane could probably be added through here to allow a continuous passing lane to the jct with NS125.




Looking west on TCH105 with NS125 passing overhead.





And if you're wondering what tolls might be like? .......here's another toll facility of the Provincial Government: The Little Narrows Cable Ferry. Its $7.50 for the 1 minute, 500 ft. wide crossing!

[MisterSG1]

Hmm, that Newfoundland ferry sign in the first picture you posted is new, it looked different before, Clearview!

As for that fifth picture you posted, man I just wish there was a better "State Line" sign there. It doesn't have to be as grand as the one coming in from New Brunswick, but I just wish it was a little bit better than that.

The only thing that irks me about Nova Scotia in terms of signs is their distance signs with regards to towns. It's the only place I can think of, in North America at least, where the sign basically shows the distances centered. Like if you go into Microsoft Word and put the center feature on for the orientation of your text. It's not like everywhere else where the names and numbers are directly lined up correctly like a list.

I guess having a full freeway is practically a pipe dream, but you are right, it is not very long at all from Hwy 125. But I think at least widening it to 4 lanes would do the trick, as you say, the boats only come in on average once every 12 hours, only for a spurt that may last 20 minutes or so, there would be little traffic at all on that road.

[ghYHZ]

Hmm, that Newfoundland ferry sign in the first picture you posted is new, it looked different before, Clearview!......

That new sign went up just a month ago when the new Marine Atlantic Terminal Building opened on the west side of the marshalling area. Vehicle traffic still goes straight ahead to the Toll Booth but those dropping off foot passengers must now exit here.

[AsphaltPlanet]

^ Great pictures as always.

[ghYHZ]

^ Great pictures as always.

Thanks....and I certainly enjoy the photos you post also. Always know the new roads to be looking out for when I visit Ontario!

[brucester4]

Nova Scotia is proposing to twin and toll 300 km of highway over the next ten years....but first a feasibility study and to gauge public reaction.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/tolls-proposed-for-8-sections-of-4-busiest-nova-scotia-highways-1.3120344

The proposed route shown between Port Hawkesbury and Sydney would follow the NS 4/104 corridor not the Trans Canada 105......but at Sydney it would connect into NS125 providing a divided highway to North Sydney and the Newfoundland ferry. I also note there is nothing about twinning the Causeway as the article says twinned to Aulds Cove.....then from Port Hastings on. Also the section of NS104 between Port Hawkesbury and St. Peters is not mentioned. This is currrently a Super 2.

If you read the proposal the sections in Cape Breton are to be Super 2 with the option to twin in the future.  That is why the section already built as Super 2 is not mentioned. 

[ghYHZ]

One year later and the study is released...

https://www.novascotia.ca/twinning/

......and another study. Nothing Concrete yet!

[SignGeek101]

One year later and the study is released...

https://www.novascotia.ca/twinning/

......and another study. Nothing Concrete yet!

At least they're doing studies. In Manitoba, it's all talk (politics) and no action. It's funny to see what the politicians say about a new bridge or road, and how they would build it, and go back 10-15 years ago and hear them talk about the same project.

[vdeane]

Maybe they're afraid that they'll have nothing to talk about if the road/bridge does get built?

[SignGeek101]

Perhaps. Though it didn't help the governing party in last Spring's election (they lost power after 17 years). I guess some people weren't thrilled the 1% increase on taxes promised towards infrastructure didn't get spent on the major issues.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much though. It could always be worse.

[ghYHZ]

Here's the latest (Jan 2017) on Nova Scotia's plans to twin & toll sections of the 100 series highways:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/twinned-highways-toll-roads-public-consultation-1.3948597

https://novascotia.ca/twinning/docs/Master%20Feasibility%20Study%20Presentation.pdf

[vdeane]

Interesting that NS 4 is a corridor but TCH 105 is not.

[SignGeek101]

Here's the latest (Jan 2017) on Nova Scotia's plans to twin & toll sections of the 100 series highways:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/twinned-highways-toll-roads-public-consultation-1.3948597

https://novascotia.ca/twinning/docs/Master%20Feasibility%20Study%20Presentation.pdf

I've been watching this for awhile now. I wasn't sure if they just decided to end it or if it's still an active thing, but I guess I have my answer now.

I really don't know how the public will react to this. I'd like to believe they'd bite the bullet for safer roads, but who knows 
I guess it would depend on traffic, number of fatalities, sight distances etc.

[MisterSG1]

Interesting that NS 4 is a corridor but TCH 105 is not.

Not really, I've driven the Trans Canada on Cape Breton many of times and the vast majority of that road is a non controlled access roadway. Attempting to convert that road into a freeway would not be a good idea....especially the area where you descend "Kelly's Mountain" there's a nasty switchback before you get to the Seal Island Bridge.

If Hwy 104 is converted into a freeway all the way to Hwy 125, I reckon the TCH will carry 104 all the way to 125 and onward to 105.....thus we would almost have a freeway from my place to the boat..ahem...Newfoundland ferry.

[Henry]

To me, this is kind of like a scaled-down version of the Autoroutes in QC from back in the 1970s.

[vdeane]

Interesting that NS 4 is a corridor but TCH 105 is not.

Not really, I've driven the Trans Canada on Cape Breton many of times and the vast majority of that road is a non controlled access roadway. Attempting to convert that road into a freeway would not be a good idea....especially the area where you descend "Kelly's Mountain" there's a nasty switchback before you get to the Seal Island Bridge.

If Hwy 104 is converted into a freeway all the way to Hwy 125, I reckon the TCH will carry 104 all the way to 125 and onward to 105.....thus we would almost have a freeway from my place to the boat..ahem...Newfoundland ferry.

Interesting... I thought the NS 1xx routes were supposed to be limited access, even if not freeway.  But who's to say they won't pull a BC and keep the TCH right where it is?