HALIFAX — Nova Scotia says it will spend nearly $500 million this fiscal year to improve and upgrade the province's roads, highways and bridges.

Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines said today in a news release the province's five-year highway improvement plan includes more than 150 major construction and improvement projects for 2021-22. 

Hines says spending on roads and bridges is an "investment in public safety."

The plan calls for 11 major construction projects in 2021-22, with the focus on the ongoing twinning of Highways 101, 103, 104 and Highway 107.

Other work involves improving intersections, constructing passing and turning lanes, and building new interchanges and roundabouts. 

A total of 19 bridges are to be replaced or repaired at a cost of $29.1 million, while more than 500 kilometres of asphalt and gravel road work are also planned. 

Last year, $385.3 million was budgeted for road and highway projects. 

The province says 612 kilometres of road were paved in 2020-21, while 15 new bridges were built and 13 were repaired.

More than 216 tenders were issued last year for highway and road work.

Nova Scotia has 23,000 kilometres of roads and highways and 4,100 bridges.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan 27, 2021.

The Canadian Press