Highway 102 Enhancement and Improvement Project
Project Stage
About the Project
Highway 102 is a vital transportation corridor, linking the Halifax Peninsula to the broader region. It also serves as the primary connection to Highways 101, 103, and 107, acting as a central artery for regional and inter-provincial travel. The demand, particularly between Exits 0 and 4, makes this segment some of the most congested roadway in the province. The Regional Transportation Plan recommends that Highway 102 undergo a multi-year series of improvements and enhancements. These include:
- additional capacity, safety improvements, and multi-modal connectivity for approx. 20 km between Exits 0 and 4.
- upgrades to the interchange connecting Highways 101, 102, and 107, Hammonds Plains Road (Exit 3) and Kearney Lake Road (Exit 2).
Benefits
- Enhances efficiency by improving overall flow with an emphasis on supporting higher capacity modes.
- Improves safety, reducing collisions and minimizing disruptions.
- Supports multi-modal transportation options and facilitates improved connections.
- Supports development enabled through Special Planning Areas and additional development envisioned by HRM.
- Supports economic growth through more efficient goods movement.
STATUS
Travel demand forecasting has been completed to understand how future population growth may affect travel along the corridor, and detailed traffic analysis is now underway to quantify how the corridor performs under current and future traffic volumes.
A number of potential interchange improvement concepts have also been identified. These concepts are being assessed to determine how well they could improve traffic flow, safety and overall corridor performance.
In parallel with this work, environmental screening, archaeological investigations, stormwater assessments and geotechnical investigations are also continuing to support the development and evaluation of potential corridor improvements and inform the future detailed design phase.
WSP has been contracted to identify future corridor requirements and produce preliminary (30 per cent) design work for Highway 102 between exits 0 (Bayers Road) and 4C (Highway 107). Link Nova Scotia and The Department of Public Works are partnering on the Highway 102 project.
This work will:
- determine how best to move more people and goods while balancing the needs of different modes of transportation, including transit, active transportation and freight
- consider interchange updates, safety improvements and high-occupancy vehicle lanes and/or transit priority measures
- analyze the impact of development along the corridor, including several approved special planning areas
- confirm the feasibility of proposed upgrades, guide long-term investments in the corridor, and help inform future decision-making for the detailed design and construction phases.
The Department of Public Works has been completing planning work, including environmental screening, surveys, traffic studies, and preliminary design.
Upgrades for Exit 3 on Highway 102 were completed in December 2025. Additional upgrades will take place in summer / fall 2026.
FROM THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Action 1.2.2: Enhance the capacity of the Highway 102 corridor between Exit 0 (Joseph Howe Dr) to Exit 4C (Duke St/Glendale Ave) to support higher-capacity modes.
This is one of the most critical segments in the transportation system. Over 60,000 people use it daily and, like the MacKay Bridge, it is an essential link in the regional goods movement network. This significant investment will increase the capacity to move people in this corridor, support rapid transit service, and improve goods movement. Support for higher-capacity modes could include high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and transit priority measures. Upgrades to key interchanges will also improve safety, increase capacity, and provide multi-modal connectivity.