Following are the places where bike lane augmentation to existing pavement would remove the biggest barriers to a safe cycling itinerary on the South Shore from Hubbards to White Point Beach. The list is divided into two levels of priority based on our experience and opinion after years of leading groups and individuals along the route:

Priority one:
The first 2km of route 329 from Hubbards, as far as Fox Point wharf.
The hill on route 329 between Shatford's Lobster Pound and Fox Point Beach, especially the north side.
From the East River end of route 329 to Buccaneer Road.
From South end of Mahone Bay (near public wharf) to Mader's Cove Road.
From Dean's Corner (where Second Peninsula Road meets route 3) to the old train trestle on the way into Lunenburg.

Priority two:
Sections of route 329 where sightlines are restricted or sunlight creates temporary blind spots. These include the stretches through Northwest Cove, Aspotogan, Blandford, and both approaches to Bayswater Beach.
Route 3 from Hubbards to Chester. The point here is that the rail trail will only become usable if it is a) paved, or b)surfaced with crusher dust and restricted to non-motorized vehicles. Neither seem as practical as expanding the existing roadbed.
Chester (old train station) to east end of Borgald's Point Road, on route 3.
West end of Borgald's Point Road to Gold River Bridge, on route 3.
Western Shore (Shoreline Park, west end) to Martin's River (Indian Point Road), on route 3.
Route 332 from First South to Rose Bay.
Route 3 from Brooklyn through Liverpool to White Point Beach Resort.

I've done some Halifax to Valley rides along the Highway 1 for a couple years now. I usually take HWY 1 (Evangeline Trail) all the way, but there is a very spooky part where the 1 melts into the 101, and then becomes HWY 1 again after the Grand-Pre exit.

If that's not bad enough, you have to go across a bridge that has next to no shoulder room, and even though it is a divided highway, cars either still try to overtake each other when passing you, or they simply don't move over.

Again... very spooky.

The choke points that you refer to are areas of serious concern. These areas pose real safety issues for the riding / walking public and also limit mobility for the more timid rider. The two that immediately come to mind in Yarmouth are the two feeder roads that come into the town. Specific problem areas are the #3 highway between Arcadia and the town border (known as the Airport Stretch). and the #1highway between Dayton and the town border (known as the Milo Stretch). Both of these areas have been constant concerns to the biking public of Yarmouth and to the many biking tourits who visit. Both of these areas also have very wide unpaved shoulders so the cost of the improvement would be only the cost of laying the asphalt in my humble opinion. Sadly the Milo stretch was just completely repaved this summer with no consideration to bike lanes.

Many of you will know that the TIR began repaving part of the Wentworth Valley this fall and began, yup, to tear out the paved shoulders and turn tem to gravel. There was public outcry and a public meeting was held with over 100 people in attendance. The following is a letter from the government about this situation:

"Friedemann Brauer
VP Transportation & Advocacy
Bicycle Nova Scotia

advocacy@bicycle.ns.ca
www.bicycle.ns.ca

> Dear Mr Friedemann:
>
> Thank you for your e-mail of November 4, 2009 to Minister Bill Estabrooks regarding bicycle lanes on Highway 104 in the Wentworth Valley. I am responding on behalf of the Minister.
>
> The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) is in the process of repaving Trunk 4 through the Wentworth Valley. As I'm sure you are aware, this road was previously the main highway through this part of the province. Now that we have the Cobequid Pass, the classification of Trunk 4 in this location has changed, and it is no longer necessary to have such a high standard road. As we repave, we will be turning this section of road into the standard appropriate for the volume and type of traffic it now carries.
>
> The new classification of road does not actually call for paved shoulders. We do recognize however, that this is an area marketing itself for recreation, is used by cyclists, and is included in the Colchester-Truro Bikeways Plan. Therefore, TIR has decided to retain 1.2m wide paved shoulders along the road, for cycling.
>
> TIR is in the initial stages of developing an Active Transportation Policy, which will help the Department make decisions on things like shoulder paving. While this policy is under development, I encourage you to keep in touch with us, so we can develop a good knowledge base of issues around the province. The person working on Active Transportation issues is Elizabeth Pugh, P.Eng, and she can be reached at pughel@gov.ns.ca or 424-6418, if you would like to contact her directly.
>
> Thank you again for your interest in bicycle lanes in Nova Scotia.
>
>
>
> Philip Corkum, MBA,PEng
> Manager Highway Planning & Design
> Highway Engineering Services
> Nova Scotia Department of Transportation & Infrastructure Renewal
> 4th Floor Johnston Building, 1672 Granville St
> POBox 186, Halifax, NS, B3J 2N2
> Office: 902-424-3508
> Cell: 902-456-1949
> Fax: 902-424-0571
> e-mail: corkumph@gov.ns.ca"

Yeah, believe it or not, ripping up paved shoulders "on principle" because ..."The new classification of road does not actually call for paved shoulders"...

We have a long way to go in this province.

Mark Beaver

Here's copy of a letter sent by Velo Cape Breton to NS Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal officials Elizabeth Pugh, Special Projects Engineer, Highway Planning and Design with copy to Gerard Jessome, Director Eastern District in regards of the above. 19 pictures were accompanying the letter; unfortunately they cannot be posted on this forum/website... yet.
______________


The Canso Causeway is the gateway to Cape Breton, with over 50 years of service its annual traffic count still seems to be increasing, but it remains the most unfriendly part of the Nova Scotia Trans-Canada Highway system.
Despite the recent replacement of the Causeway road lights there has been no thought or consideration put towards the safety of someone who chooses to cycle or walk across the Causeway. A recent survey of the east and west approaches of the Causeway and several measurements taken on the Causeway constitutes the basis of this report. See attached pictures.
As the approaches to the Causeway were upgraded over the years to include passing lanes and wide paved shoulders the traffic still funnels down onto the narrow Causeway road, an embarrassing bottleneck!
The narrow gravel shoulders are often washed out by severe weather, leaving deep ruts at the pavement edge, a hazard for cyclists and motor vehicles!
The lack of paved shoulders and narrow road width does not allow for safe Active Transportation (AT) traffic, cyclists have to “take” a paved road lane to safely cross the Causeway.

This report may be prepared by an AT group but the hazards are real for all traffic, vehicle or cyclist. With severe weather, vehicles are often moved by the winds, especially high sided vehicles, meeting a wavering truck you only have a narrow poorly maintained gravel shoulder to move onto before the guardrails. Every year, especially during the winter, the guardrails provide testimony to the hazards! Dozens of guardrail posts are broken every year by accidents.
The attached photos of the Causeway hazards discussed here ( narrow roadway, gravel shoulders) were taken during daytime, in September, these hazards are magnified during night time or severe weather. Waves break over the Causeway road during late Fall storms, not only is visibility affected but rocks are often carried onto the Causeway. During Winter, when the ice is in the North side, “white outs” are common when high North winds whip up any loose snow on the ice.
The Causeway swing bridge does have walkway on its North side, we accept that little can be done for the East bound AT traffic at this time.
It is acknowledged that widening the total Causeway would be very costly, although there is talk of continuing the four-lane divided highway from New Glasgow to Sydney, so it may have to be done at some time.
We feel that a more cost effective and timely way to improve safety on the Causeway would be to take advantage of the available lateral space between the railroad right of way and the lamp posts on the north side. Move the guardrails back and pave the shoulders, this 10 m of space would allow two paved lanes of 3.6 m and 1.5 m of safe shoulders, for vehicle emergency conditions and AT traffic.
Thank you for reading so far and we hope that this report will bring support to a much needed improvement of this important artery in the development of the Nova Scotia highway system and the economy of Cape Breton in particular. Should you need further information, please don’t hesitate to ask, we would be pleased to respond in a timely manner.
Regards