New freeway between Lower Sackville and Dartmouth, N.S., delayed again
The multi-million-dollar highway connector between Lower Sackville and Dartmouth has been delayed again.
The freeway was originally scheduled to be completed by fall of 2023 but was pushed to fall of 2024. The province says the project will be finished later this year, but it hasn't provided a completion date.
Councillor Paul Russel explained the importance of the project for the communities that will be connected by it.
“I think we will see some traffic patterns change,” said Russel. “I don’t think we will see it diminish. I think we will only see the population and traffic increase. But it will be at least another way out in case of an emergency or in case something critical happens, or just easing the traffic flow.”
Currently, the main link between Lower Sackville and Dartmouth is Magazine Hill. The Burnside connector will be a nine kilometre four-lane highway that provides an alternate route to relieve traffic.
The heavy equipment employed in the freeway project adds to the congestion. Robin Knight, the owner of Arctic Spas in Halifax said that the construction hasn’t had a huge impact on business. He said customers take alternate routes to get to his store.
“It wasn’t the best timing wise because this is a busy time of year for us,” said Knight. “But all in all, I don’t think it has had a major impact on business, but probably a light impact I would say,”
The province said weather, relocation of utilities and black ash trees were factors that delayed the connector’s completion.
“This project has been in the works for 25 or 30 years,” Russel said. “We finally started seeing construction a few years ago and that’s great. We noticed it coming out of Burnside and its finally connected to Sackville.”
“It will bring more people through the Burnside area which I think will be positive for our business,” said Knight.
The estimated cost for the connector was $210 million but the province said an updated figure will be released when the work is complete.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard found not guilty of sexual assault
Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
Following child's death in Ontario, here's what you need to know about rabies
An Ontario child died last month after coming into contact with a rabid bat in their bedroom, which was the first known human rabies case in Canada since 2019.
NDP house leader laments 'agents of chaos' in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
A French judge in a shocking rape case allows the public to see some of the video evidence
A French judge in the trial of dozens of men accused of raping an unconscious woman whose now former husband had repeatedly drugged her so that he and others could assault her decided on Friday to allow the public to see some of the video recordings of the alleged rapes.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.