CBRM is accessed from the Trans Canada Highway via Highway 105 from the Canso Causeway. An alternative route is also available via Route 4, however the route 4 section of this highway is in poor condition, and is not appropriate for transport trucks.

Within the CBRM, Highway 125 is a circumferential highway, connecting the former city of North Sydney to Sydney. The majority of this highway is four lane divided, however some sections are still undivided two lane roads. The former towns of New Waterford and Glace Bay are not connected to Highway 125. Ac-cess into the downtown core of Sydney is available from Highway 125 via exits at Kings Road, George Street, and Grand Lake Road/Welton Street. The traffic volume for each of these collectors is illustrated on Figure 2.2.

The Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works (NSTPW) have examined three large highway projects that could affect access to CBRM: the pro-posed extension of Highway 104 from Sydney to St. Peter’s south of the Bras d’Or Lakes; the proposed Fleur de Lis Trail between Louisburg and Gabarus; and, the twinning of two lane sections of Highway 125 within CBRM. These proposals are shown on Figure 2.2. According to discussions with the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Work’s, their current priority within the region is the twinning the remaining two lane segments of Highway 125.

The possible extension of Highway 125 north to the Lingan Road has been discussed for many years, and has been documented as a key action item in the CBCEDA economic growth strategy for CBRM. The proposed extension would be a two-lane controlled access section approximately 4 kilometres in length, with the ability to be upgraded to four lanes at a later date.

There are two options that have been considered for the Welton Street/Highway 125 intersection. One option is a divided highway, complete with grade-separated interchanges and cross-section sufficient for a 100 km/hr design speed. The second option would be an undivided highway, with at-grade, signalized intersections and a cross-section sufficient for approximately 80 km/hr. Given Lingan’s population and relatively low probability of large growth in the New Waterford and Glace Bay areas, the second option is more likely in the longer term. This extension is currently a very low priority for NSTPW.

With the re-development of the former SYSCO property, the impacts of increased vehicular traffic on the existing road network required examination. Currently the main entrance to the property is from Prince Street via Inglis. Unless a new access road is built, any new traffic generated by the re-development of the SYSCO site will enter and egress from Prince Street. Prince Street becomes Welton Street, which then becomes Grand Lake Road and intersects Highway 125, the main access road into and out of Sydney.

Welton Street recently received up-grades to its cross-section between Maple and the old City limits, increasing the width to 60’ curb to curb to allow for the addition of a centre turn lane. While the remaining portion of Welton Street to Highway 125 is 4 lanes wide, there is room to expand the cross section to include a centre turning lane, although the land would need be purchased from adjacent owners.

Alternate access routes to the SYSCO site were considered as part of this study, including a road over the Coke Ovens property, joining the MAID access road which enters and egresses from Welton Street, and a road over the Coke Ovens site which runs parallel to the DEVCO rail line to Highway 125. These potential access routes are shown on Figure 2.2.

An analysis of the current road configuration, including: number of lanes; their current widths; the current placement of signalized intersections; and, the phasing of these intersections, indicates that the road network of Prince/Welton to High-way 125 is capable of supporting the increasing traffic associated with the re-development of the SYSCO property, as well as the naturally occurring growth in traffic at a good level of service until 2011 to 2016. (See Appendix A).

The analysis also identified several issues in the local traffic pattern that need to be addressed. Whitney Pier has only one connection (Victoria Road) to the rest of Sydney. A second access to Whitney Pier is a benefit to CBRM in reducing emergency vehicle access costs. In addition there are no cross town connections across Welton/Prince Street with the exception of Victoria Road. A second cross town connection would provide significant relief of the congestion at Ashby Corner (intersection of Victoria Road and Prince Street).