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Highway 102

History

The Bicentennial Highway in Halifax was completed in the early 1960s and extended northward to Truro by 1970. The last section to open, between Shubenacadie and Stewiacke, was open by the late 1970s.

Future Plans

Guide

The 102 is Atlantic Canada's busiest intercity highway, connecting the region's largest city, Halifax, to the Trans-Canada Highway at Truro.

The route begins at Bayers Road at what was, when the highway was first built, the city's outskirts. Highway 102 is signed from Bayers Road along Connaught Street and Quinpool Road into downtown Halifax using "INBOUND" and "OUTBOUND" signage, although they are not officially part of the route.

Especially since the 1980s, a large amount of urban development has taken place along the 102 leading outside of the city's core to Bedford and Sackville. A large industrial park and retail development is located at Bayers Lake off exit 2A, while the areas around Kearney Lake (exit 2) and Hammonds Plains (exit 3) have also grown exponentially in recent years. The area around the newer exit 4C is now starting to develop. Exurban development has spread to Fall River (exit 5), Enfield (exit 7) and Elmsdale (exit 8). At exit 6 is the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

The urban development fizzles out for good around Milford at exit 9, and a series of agricultural communities begins: Milford, Shubenacadie Stewiacke and Brookfield.

Truro, located at the head of the Minas Basin, is known as the Hub of Nova Scotia and has always been a major road and rail junction. Being at the edge of the Bay of Fundy system, it experiences one of the highest tides and largest bores in the world.

Across the Salmon River from Truro is Onslow, where Highway 102 meets the Trans-Canada (Highway 104), where motorists travelling from Halifax have the option of going west towards New Brunswick or east towards Cape Breton.

Junction/Exit List

(c) 1997-2007 J.P. Kirby. All rights reserved.