Two hurt in Thursday evening highway collision
Last Updated: Friday, July 30, 2010 | 2:49 PM AT
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2010/07/30/ns-crash-stolen-car-highway-103.html#ixzz0vkFSIP1L

A driver of a stolen car was discovered unconscious in the woods after fleeing a three-vehicle crash on a Nova Scotia highway, RCMP say.

The collision happened on Highway 103, between exits 7 and 8 near Chester, at about 7 p.m. Thursday.

RCMP said a car crossed the centre line and smashed into an oncoming truck. The truck then struck an SUV.

The car left the road and ended up in the woods. The driver took off, RCMP said, but officers found him two hours later with the help of a police dog. The unconscious man was taken to a Halifax hospital.

The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital. No one in the SUV was hurt.

Investigators at the scene said an RCMP officer clocked the car speeding by at 160 km/h only moments before the crash.

RCMP said the car was stolen earlier in the day from Lower Sackville and that the driver was banned from driving.

There was no word on charges. The investigation continues.

- CBC News Nova Scotia, 30 Jul 2010

Opponents of a connector road to Highway 103 near Head of St. Margarets Bay say the nays are outweighing the yeas in the debate.

Sean Kirby of Protect the Bay said Sunday that two-thirds of those who have written to provincial Transportation Minister Bill Estabrooks are opposed to the plan.

“Minister Estabrooks promised that he would listen to the community and scrap the connector if residents didn’t want it,” Kirby said in a news release.

“Most people are clearly opposed to it, so this should be the end of the road.”

Kirby’s group asked to see correspondence to the minister through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and found that of 63 letters, 40 opposed the new road, while 23 supported it.

The province has presented five routes for a connector road between exits 5 and 6 off Highway 103 and expropriation of homes has not been ruled out.

Residents heard about the proposed roadwork at a June public meeting. A fall open house is also scheduled.

Some residents say the road is unnecessary, while others worry about tourists bypassing Tantallon and Hubbards.

Kirby said in the release the Transportation Department documents were heavily edited and half the requested documents were not included.

- Chronicle Herald, 2 Aug 2010

Our thought is until Highway 103 is twinned and upgraded, it cannot handle additional traffic safely.

Less deaths.  Less serious injury.  More fear.  2009 on Highway 103 was a better year, but only thanks to fear.

Our efforts to have Highway 103 twinned have resulted in people fearing the highway. We’ve received such comments as “I avoid this highway whenever possible,”  “I’m terrified to drive this death road” and “What will it take to get this highway up to standard?”

How much action have we seen on developing Highway 103 between Exits 5 and 19 since we began this effort 3 years ago?  Patchwork & repaving.  That’s it!! No announcement of twinning between Exits 5 & 13, no upgrading to 100 series highway the rest of the way to Liverpool.

ZERO ACTION from provincial PC, provincial NDP, and the federal Conservative parties.

ZERO ACTION to save the lives of numerous Canadians and International travelers who have died.

ZERO ACTION to save the lives of numerous infants, children, adults and seniors who are seriously injured.

ZERO ACTION despite promises from all governments to fix Nova Scotia’s deadliest highway.

UNACCEPTABLE.  Fear will only work for so long, eventually the reaper takes over again.

*** Click this link to SIGN PETITION *** to twin/upgrade Highway 103

11 Jun - 1733H - Five vehicle accident between exits 11 and 12 near the Northfield Road overpass in Maitland.  Mahone Bay, Blockhouse, and Oakhill FDs, along with EHS and RCMP responded.  Highway shut down for a period of time between Exit 11 and 12.  Three people taken to hospital with injuries, checked out and released.

Fri. Jun 12 - Chronicle Herald

A five-car accident closed Highway 103 on the South Shore for about 90 minutes late Thursday afternoon.

“They were all very fortunate that nobody was seriously hurt,” said Const. Angela Atkinson of the Bridgewater RCMP detachment.

The accident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. between exits 11 and 12 in the Maitland area.

It was triggered by a car travelling west, which apparently began to hydroplane, the officer said.

That car crossed the centre lane, sideswiping an oncoming vehicle and crashing head on into another car.

A third car travelling east was able to stop to avoid the accident, but it was rear-ended by a car travelling behind it.

Three people were taken to hospital for observation, the officer said.

Let the candidates know you are concerned about the safety of Highway 103! Email or call their office. With 500 injured and 58 dead in five years, Highway 103 is the deadliest highway in Nova Scotia, yet it has no committed work between exits 5 and 19. Make it happen!

Instructions below on how to email all candidates, or a full list is below if you would like to contact them individually.

1) Copy this message into the body of an email, or write/add your own words.
***
I am concerned about the safety of Highway 103. Did you know 58 people have died on the highway in the past five years? That’s all of the candidates running in every riding from Yarmouth to Halifax! ALL OF THEM!!!

Please make a commitment to twin the worst sections of this highway, from Exit 5 to 13, and upgrade the highway from Exit 13 to 19. No more people need to die.

We are asking you and your party to make a decision based on reality – not political motivation. This highway is Nova Scotia’s deadliest, yet there are no commitments to improve Highway 103 from exits 5 to 19. Until then, the highway will continue to be stained with the blood of its victims.

We all know someone who has been hurt or killed on the highway – so please, commit to twin and upgrade now!
***

2) Copy and Paste this list into your email “send to” field.
***
office@liberal.ns.ca, NDPCAUCUS@gov.ns.ca, jim.david@pcparty.ns.ca, pambirdsallndp@ns.aliantzi

12 May - 0117H - Single vehicle rollover at distance marker 266 between exits 5 and 6. Driver was out upon arrival. HRM FD, EHS and RCMP responded.  One injured.

9 May - 2145H - Single vehicle on the eastbound ramp exit 10.  Patient was out of vehicle upon arrival.  EHS, RCMP, Mahone Bay FD responded.  One injured.

We are pleased with this announcement, as this section of Highway (Port Mouton) was a section of highway which was never completed.  Some four decades later, it finally will be! The Premier wasn’t born when this was to be completed, and Gerald Keddy was in diapers!

Here are a few issues with this announcement:

• 2061 - the date all upgrades/twinning will be complete.

— The time line is to start construction of this announcement in 2011 with completion in 2013.  At that rate it will take until 2061 to complete what the governments announced here (8km plus an additional 22km), and the twinning from Exit 5 to 13 (approx. 82 km), and upgrading from 13 to 18 (approx. 25 km).

• 624 dead + 5400 injured

—That is how many lives will be bloodied in the next 52 years until the work is completed.  This is one of the safest sections of Highway 103, as are the numerous other sections noted in the 30km they want to upgrade down to Sable River.  Necessary, yes, but relatively safe.  The governments should be focusing on upgrading the sections from Port Mouton to Sable River, twinning from Tantallon to Bridgewater and further upgrading from Bridgewater to Liverpool - all at the same time!

No more blood on this highway!

See the announcement

See Herald story

*** Click this link to SIGN PETITION ***

24 Apr - 1848H - At least one vehicle at exit 14.  Injury to a 55 year old.  Hebbs Cross FD, EHS, RCMP responded.

23 Apr - 2218H - West of exit 5.  Hubbards and HRM FDs responded.  No injuries known.

19 Apr - 1450H - Single vehicle overturned in the ditch east of exit 11 between exits 11 and 10 near the Cornwall Road overpass, westbound lane.  RCMP, EHS, Blockhouse and Mahone Bay FDs responded.  Patient was out and there was no entrapment. One injury.

04 Apr 09 - 1530H - Head on collision involving three vehicles between Exit 17 and 17A.  EHS, RCMP and Mill Village FD responded.  Four injuries assumed.

04 Apr 09 - 1539H - Single vehicle off the road between Exits 11 and 10 heading towards Halifax. The vehicle was smoking and there was an injury to a 55 year old male who was conscious and breathing.  DOT was notified as the Exit 10 sign to Mahone Bay was knocked down from the crash. Blockhouse, Mahone Bay FDs,  RCMP, and EHS responded.

03 Apr 09 - 1345H - Single vehicle rolled over five times between Exits 5 and 4A. Male patient was out of vehicle upon arrival.  HRM Fire, EHS, RCMP responded.  (not counted in total as not between Exits 5 and 19)

*** Click this link to SIGN PETITION ***

Yesterday the provincial government made a lofty announcement that Highway 103 construction could begin “as early as 2011″ after an environmental assessment. OUR SOURCES TELL US THIS IS A LIE.

We have been told that the environmental assessment, the last step before construction can begin, will be finished this year. Therefore construction could begin THIS YEAR.

If they waited until 2011, it will take until at least 2014 to complete a section. This is unacceptable, as at that pace it will be 2020 to complete all upgrades to Exit 19.

To put it in perspective, at least 125 people would be killed and 1300 injured in that time. Is that worth waiting for?

*** Click this link to SIGN PETITION ***