Upgrades to Port Hastings rotary aim to cut down traffic jams

A Cape Breton landmark is getting a major facelift this summer.

The Port Hastings rotary, located directly after the Canso Causeway, is on the Nova Scotia government's list for highway improvements.

The upgrades will allow drivers from Route 19 to travel freely to Highway 105 or Route 4 and not be stuck in causeway traffic, according to Inverness MLA Allan MacMaster.

Jim Cavanagh, the volunteerfire chief for Port Hastings, has experienced his fair share of delays caused by traffic backups.

When the canal bridge opens to allow boats to pass through the causeway, Cavanagh said there can be delays of upwards of 45 minutes. For first responders, he calls this an eternity.

"We've seen backups of two lanes of traffic back a mile-plus from the rotary," Cavanagh said.

This has caused delays for firefighters trying to reach the fire hall for a call, and delays trying to navigate a congested rotary.

Cavanagh said he would like the province to consult with the people in the area who have direct knowledge of how the traffic backs up.

"It would be really nice to have bypass lanes there to be able to have flowing traffic," he said.

Inverness MLAAllan MacMaster said the rotary has been a thorn in his side since he was elected to the legislature for the PC Party. He recalls many close calls on the roadway.

"I've actually witnessed people driving through this rotary in the wrong direction," he said. "They made it completely through the other side without hitting anyone, which is a small miracle."

MacMaster said the improvements at the Port Hastings Rotary will allow travellers from Route 19 easy access to Highway 105 or Route 4. Oftentimes, MacMaster said road users not looking to cross the causeway are held up in traffic jams.

The province is expecting roadwork to begin on the project this summer.