NOVA SCOTIA ROAD CONSTRUCTION TO TOP HALF-A-BILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR
The Transportation Department has just announced its 5-year plan for road and highway construction across Nova Scotia. The plan puts $500-million into eleven major construction projects the rest of this year and into next year. They’re aimed at twinning parts of Highway 101, the 103, our section of the 104, for a total of 150 projects. And those other projects include laying new pavement on the Trenton Connector. That runs from Highway 106 to Granton-Abercrombie Road and there’s also a plan replace the traffic signals with a modern roundabout, with a design plan for that now in the works. Nothing is guaranteed until tenders care awarded but the plan is for this work to be completed this year and next, as noted in the 5-year plan (barring any unforeseen circumstances).
County Council has been asking the provincial government for improvements to the area because the intersection has been the site of several motor vehicle accidents.
Other projects for Pictou County in 2021-22 include:
Highway Twinning in Sutherland’s River
Highway 104:East bound lane from Exit 20 to Exit 21 – 4.8 km repaving
Truck 6: from Battist Road to Three Brooks Road – 5.6 km repaving
Glengarry Road: from Dryden Lake Road to Lorne Station Road – 4.6 km repaving
Meadowville Station Road: from River John to Trunk 6 – 6.2 km repaving
Trenton Connector: from Highway 106 to Granton-Abercrombie Road – 4.3 repaving
East River West Side Road: from 2 km east of St. Paul’s Road easterly to Route 348 – 4.4 km maintenance paving
Route 347: from 2.8 km south of French River Road northerly – 4 km maintenance paving
Loch Brook Look: from 5 km north of Maple Street northerly to Alma Road – 4.6 km double chip resurfacing
Brookland Road: from Trunk 4 easterly – 8.8 km Gravel Road Program
MacKean Road: from end of maintained to O MacLean Road – 2.6 km Gravel Road Program
Toney River Road: from 1.2 km north of River John Road to Trunk 6 – 7.1 km Gravel Road Program. (Bing Images)
deCOSTE CENTRE, FESITVAL ANTIGONISH AND CREAMERY SQUARE AMONG GRANT RECIPIENTS FOR EMERGENCY PANDEMIC AID
The province has today announced new emergency funding meant to help local arts and culture organizations stay afloat for the rest of the pandemic. A total of $2.1 million dollars is being spent to help theater and other cultural venues as the pandemic prevents people from attending their events. The deCoste Centre is getting $45,000 and Creamery Square in Tatamagouche picks up $2,000, with more than $3500 going to Creative Voices of Truro and Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre is getting a grant of $35,000. (deCoste Centre Photo)
ONLY ONE NEW COVID CASE IN NOVA SCOTIA, MOBILE TESTING IN MASSTOWN
With just one new case of COVID-19 in the latest Nova Scotia update, we know from watching our neighbours in New Brunswick that if that changes, it could create a major reversal in our own public health policy. But for now, Dr. Robert Strang says he is pleased that Nova Scotians have stepped up by taking part in the slow and cautious approach to protecting ourselves from COVID-19. There were 11 new infections reported in the Tuesday update. Tomorrow (Thursday, January 28th) will see free public testing using a Mobile Testing Clinic at The Peg Meeting and Convention Centre in Masstown, Colchester County from 10 am until 4:30 pm.
Premier Stephen McNeil says to his knowledge, the amount the province needed to pay up to make sure federal aid to municipalities in our region and province-wide met the mark of pandemic agreements with Ottawa has been paid. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI were singled out for not doing that in a report from the Canadian Centre on Policy Alternatives yesterday. The Premier is calling that report useful and has promised to check into the precise numbers.
Meanwhile, the province says it’s putting half a million dollars into a new municipal partnership program. The plan is to cover up to 90% of eligible costs in projects that create or improve regional services, infrastructure, land-use planning and a series of smaller projects.
BUSINESS GROUPS REACT TO MINIMUM WAGE HIKE ALONG WITH WORKERS
Reaction is coming in to Nova Scotia’s minimum wage increase on April 1st. Pay for our lowest-wage earners will rise to $12.95 an hour starting on the first day of April this year. On that same day, the minimum wage on PEI will increase to $13.00 an hour. Business groups in both provinces say the pandemic’s effect on small business makes it un-affordable, but low-paid workers trying to keep up with sky-rocketing grocery costs say it’s needs to rise even faster. (Bing Images)
LOCAL POLICE OFFER TIPS ON DISTRACTED DRIVING
As New Glasgow Regional Police continue their campaign to eradicate distracted driving, here ‘s a new daily fact as they look to crack down. If you need to make a call or text or use social media to check messages – pulling over to a safe area that could include a a nearby parking lot is a good idea. Studies show that nearly 80 percent of crashes involve some form of driver inattention within 3 seconds before the collision takes place, and that’s why they’re making the issue a safety priority.
Pictou County RCMP are putting out a reminder for local drivers about the “Move Over – Slow Down” law that’s been in place on Nova Scotia roads and highways for more than ten years.
Emergency workers say some drivers are not slowing down or moving over when approaching emergency vehicles. The law that’s been in effect since May of 2010 mandates drivers to slow down to at least 60 kilometers per hour in these cases. If the posted speed limit where you encounter that emergency vehicle is below 60 km/h, the law says you need to be driving a speed that’s lower than that posted limit when emergency lights are flashing. The law applies to everything from police, fire and ambulance vehicles to tow trucks and motor vehicle inspectors. Local RCMP Corporal Natasha Farrell says if you don’t obey the law, the fines start at $350, and a judge can decide to boost those fines to a higher amount if it’s warranted.
MADE IN CANADA VACCINE COMING
A made-in-Canada vaccine to protect against COVID-19 has begun its first human trials as of this week. That, as the European Union vows to review how much vaccine is being shipped to Canada and other countries outside its borders. Toronto-based Providence Therapeutics says this the first time a vaccine designed and manufactured in Canada has begun checking how effective and safe it’ll be for people. Besides the clinical trials in Toronto, the company has also bought a 20-thousand square foot site in Calgary, and is preparing to mass produce the vaccine by January of next year. (Reuters Photo)
