HIGHWAY 104 ANTIGONISH SAFETY REVIEW

Highway 104 is part of the National Highway System and the Trans Canada Highway System, extending from the New Brunswick border to Cape Breton Island. The primary function of this highway is the safe and efficient movement of people and goods over long distances. With increased dependence on trucking, and substantial growth in the tourist industry in recent years, providing a high level of service on Highway 104 is becoming more and more critical to the economy and social well being of the province of Nova Scotia. Highway 104 is 276 km in length, of which 170 km is four lane divided freeway and the remaining 106 km is two lane arterial with various levels of access control. Average annual daily traffic volumes (AADTs) on Highway 104 vary from 6000 vehicles per day (VPD) to 13000VPD. The percentage of heavy trucks on Highway 104 are as high as 25% at some locations. One of the most deficient sections along Highway 104 in terms of level of service and safety is the 12 km stretch from the Town of Antigonish to the community of Lower South River. This section is primarily two lanes with AADT's up to 13000VPD and summer daily peaks of over 18000VPD. Other deficiencies included intense roadside development with numerous driveways and intersections, very poor access control in some locations, poor geometric design features, extensive roadside signage, posted speed limits as low as 60km/hr, an inconsistent driving environment including eleven different speed zones and collision rates far above provincial averages for this class of highway. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E201066. (A)