Nova Scotia Trunk 4 - History

History

Trunk 4 originally started at the New Brunswick border in Fort Lawrence. In the early years of the Trans-Canada Highway system, Trunk 4 was the designated Trans-Canada Highway route across mainland Nova Scotia. When controlled-access sections of Highway 104 were first built in the 1960s, the number replaced Trunk 4 entirely west of New Glasgow. As four-lane sections of Highway 104 were built in the late 1990s, the number 4 was again used to mark the former Mount Thom and Wentworth Valley sections of 104.

Original sections of historic Trunk 4 (west to east)

NB-NS border to Monastery

• part of Cumberland Loop in Fort Lawrence serving the Nova Scotia Dept of Tourism visitor information centre is a former Trunk 4 alignment
• Laplanche Street in Fort Lawrence
• Laplanche Street and Church Street in Amherst
• Highway 204 from Amherst to Streets Ridge (old road alignment visible at realigned intersection)
• Highway 368 from Streets Ridge to Mahoneys Corner
• current section of Trunk 4 from Mahoneys Corner to Glenholme
• Glenholme Rd in Glenholme
• current section of Trunk 4/Trunk 2 from Glenholme to Masstown (old road alignment visible at realigned intersection)
• current section of Trunk 4/Trunk 2 from Masstown to Onslow
• Onslow Rd in Onslow and Upper Onslow
• current section of Highway 311 from Upper Onslow to Bible Hill
• Pictou Road in Bible Hill and Valley
• current section of Trunk 4 from Valley to Kemptown
• Loop Old Highway 4 in Kemptown
• current section of Trunk 4 from Kemptown to Westville with some minor exceptions
• Truro Road and Westville Road in Westville
• Westville Road, Stellarton Road, George Street, Archimedes Street, Marsh Street and Merigomish Road in New Glasgow
• current section of Trunk 4 from Linacy to Sutherlands River
• School Road in Sutherlands River
• current section of Trunk 4 across Sutherlands River (old bridge - old road alignment visible at realigned intersection)
• current section of Trunk 4 from Sutherlands River to Barneys River Station
• Robertson Road at Barneys River Station
• current section of Highway 104 from Barneys River Station to Marshy Hope (old road alignment visible at some places along this section)
• current section of Trunk 4 from Marshy Hope to Addington Forks
• old road alignment visible at realigned intersection in Addington Forks
• Post Road, James Street, West Street, Main Street, St Andrews Street in Antigonish
• current section of Trunk 4 from Antigonish to South River Road
• current section of Highway 104 from South River Road to Lower South River
• unused old road alignment visible in Taylors Road
• Dagger Woods Road in Dagger Woods
• Heatherton Village Road in Pomquet Forks and Heatherton
• current section of Trunk 4 from Heatherton to Monastery

pre-1955 (Monastery - Port Hawkesbury)

• current section of Old Mulgrave Road from Monastery to Mulgrave
• Wallace Street in Mulgrave
• public car ferry operated by NS Dept of Highways from Mulgrave to Port Hawkesbury; Mulgrave slip located between Wallace Street and Dale Avenue; Port Hawkesbury slip located at foot of MacSween Street
• MacSween Street, Granville Street, and Sydney Road in Port Hawkesbury

post-1955 (Monastery - Port Hawkesbury)

• current section of Trunk 4 from Monastery to Aulds Cove
• current section of Highway 104 in Aulds Cove
• current section of Highway 104 across Canso Causeway
• current section of Trunk 4 from Port Hastings to Port Hawkesbury
• Reeves Street and Sydney Road in Port Hawkesbury

Port Hawkesbury to Glace Bay

• current section of Trunk 4 from Port Hawkesbury to River Tillard
• old road alignment visible at realigned intersection in River Tillard
• current section of Trunk 4 from River Tillard to Sydney River (with some exceptions)
• Kings Road in Sydney River
• Kings Road, Esplanade Road, Prince Street, Welton Street and Grand Lake Road in Sydney
• current section of Trunk 4 / Grand Lake Road from Sydney to Reserve Mines
• Sydney Road in Reserve Mines
• Reserve Street in Glace Bay