Highway 103 is an east-west highway in Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Yarmouth. The highway follows a route of along the province's South Shore region fronting the Atlantic coast. The route parallels its predecessor, local Trunk 3. The highway varies from 2-lane controlled access to 2-lane local secondary roads on the section between Yarmouth and Hebbville. East of Hebbville to Upper Tantallon, the highway is 2-lane controlled access, with the exception of a 4-lane divided freeway near Chester. From Upper Tantallon, to the interchange with Highway 102 in Halifax, the highway is 4-lane divided freeway. Similar to Highway 101, kilometer markers increase run west-to-east, increasing from Yarmouth to Halifax; however, exit numbers run east-to-west, increasing from Halifax to Yarmouth. In 2013, Highway 103 was redesignated as the Fishermen's Memorial Highway.
History
The highway has developed sporadically since the 1970s, with the 2-lane controlled access portion to Bridgewater being largely responsible for the abandonment of CN Rail's South Shore line, the former Halifax and Southwestern Railway. In November 2006, construction was completed that twinned 15 kilometers of highway between Exit 3 and Exit 5. In December 2006, an 8.3 kilometre bypass around Barrington was completed. In late September 2015 a new section of highway was opened to bypass the Port Joli area. In November 2016, a new section was completed which bypassed Port Mouton. Residents complained that the single exit east of the community had lengthened the trip for people heading west from Port Mouton. The new interchange in Ingramport opened in January 2017. Work on twinning Highway 103 from Exit 5 to Exit 5A began in February, 2018. Construction is expected to be completed by Fall 2020. Twinning from Exit 5A to Exit 6 will start in 2020 with an expected completion date of 2023.
Between 2006 and 2009, there were 29 deaths on the highway. In 2009, it was considered Nova Scotia's deadliest highway and was ranked the second most dangerous highway in Canada by the Canadian Automobile Association. In 2009 alone, ten people died in automobile accidents on the highway, according to the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. Between 2008 and 2012, there were 22 fatalities on the highway. In September 2018, local residents raised concern over the presence of a roadsign on the highway, near the turnoff to Port Mouton, that had a very confusing appearance, looking like a patchwork of several other road signs. It was supposedly revealed when a hotel removed its billboard advertisement, revealing the sign below.
