Nova Scotia road paving projects are outpacing available funds each year, says Nova Scotia’s auditor general. Kim Adair, the province’s auditor general, released a report Tuesday examining road paving projects and decision-making. She ultimately found the Department of Public Works – which maintains roughly 23,000 kilometres of paved and gravel roads in Nova Scotia - is not making evidence-based decisions when choosing and prioritizing pavement projects. The report suggests the department isn’t providing clear evidence or data as to why certain road-paving projects are selected versus others and argues there’s no consistent approach. “The Department of Public Works does not have accurate or up-to-date information on the condition of Nova Scotia’s paved roads and there’s no consistent approach for paving decisions,” said Adair. “If questioned, the Department would be unable to clearly explain why a certain road was selected over another.” According to Statistics Canada, over 70 per cent of roads in Nova Scotia are in fair or worsening condition. The province has spent more than $850 million on pavement preservation and restoration work over the past five years, according to the auditor general’s report. The auditor general pointed out many Nova Scotians require a safe provincial road network to get to work and access services. The report includes nine recommendations, all geared at making better evidence-based road maintenance decisions, which Adair confirmed the province has accepted. Among the recommendations is the establishing of a criteria to ensure priority pavement projects are completed first and are supported by evidence which incorporate factors like lane kilometres, pavement conditions, traffic volume, and lifecycle conditions. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
