Fatal collision on Highway 103 sparks renewed calls for extended twinning

A deadly head-on collision along Nova Scotia's Highway 103 this weekend has renewed calls for that highway’s twinning project to be extended.

First responders were dispatched to the collision on Highway 103 in Maitland at about 5 p.m. Saturday.

According to police, a driver in a Ford Escape crossed the centre line and collided with a Toyota Tacoma travelling in the opposite direction. A few seconds later, a Honda Civic crashed into the Tacoma.

The driver of the Escape, a 71-year-old Bridgewater man, died as a result of the crash. Two 66-year-old female passengers, from Bridgewater and Hebbville, lost their lives in the collision as well.

The driver and sole occupant of the Tacoma, a 31-year-old Chester Basin man, also succumbed to his injuries.

“It’s just a shock for the community and we have to process it,” said David Mitchell, Mayor for the town of Bridgewater.

“Accidents happen but when it claims the lives of multiple people, especially when it’s the 103. And I wish I could say it’s uncommon but it’s not.”

According to data from the RCMP,  the Mounties have responded to 13 fatal collisions along Highway 103 since 2016.

Four of those crashes happened in 2022.

It’s unclear how those numbers compare to similar 100 series highways in the province.

Bruce Hetherington has fought for Highway 103 to be twinned since his son died in an accident on the roadway in 2008.

“There’s nothing that the province can do that is satisfying unless they’re gonna say ‘OK we’re going to twin it right to Yarmouth and we’re going to save those people on the south shore – save their lives, but up until now we haven’t had that commitment,” he said.

The province has already twinned the highway from Upper Tantallon to Ingramport and plans to open a twinned stretch of highway to Hubbards this summer.

Toby Koffman, a provincial spokesperson with the Department of Public Works said as part of the Province’s $583 million investment in new major projects, Highway 103 will be twinned from exit 6 to exit 8 -- which is Chester.

“Generally, average daily traffic needs to be more than 10,000 vehicles per day before a highway is a candidate for twinning,” said Koffman.

“Traffic volumes in the area between exits 11 and 12 does not yet meet that level. However, this tragedy will remain at the forefront of our thoughts as we plan future twinning projects.”

Mayor Mitchell said the highway twinning should be extended because many residents from Bridgewater commute back and forth between HRM and the south shore.

“We’re the largest centre on the south shore,” Mitchell said. “The logic would dictate that twinning it at the very least to Bridgewater.” 

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