Project Overview

The Town of Antigonish is working to improve Main Street between Haley Road and Marian Drive. These improvements include a full sanitary main and watermain replacement within a new utility corridor, street recapitalization, and the continuation of active transportation network.

It’s a large project and has been spilt into two phases.

Phase 1A

 The tender for Phase 1 of the Bay Street Project was awarded to Dexter Construction for $2,182,315.00 + HST in the Fall of 2025. 

From October to December 2025, construction was focused in the area between the bridge on the east end of Main Street (Haley Road) to the railway tracks. 

• New water lines were installed from Haley Road to under the railway tracks and these new lines were connected to customers. 
• New sewer lines were installed up to the railway tracks.   
• The street between Haley Road and the tracks was raised for flood prevention. 
• Prep work was done for new curb, sidewalks, and an active transportation trail.  

Phase 1B

Mainly due to weather conditions (rain in November and multiple snowstorms in December), all the work for phase one was not completed as planned before the end of the year. The remaining work includes:

• Extending the new sewer line under the railway tracks 
• New asphalt on the street and active transportation trail 
• New concreate curbs and sidewalks 

Project Updates: 

April 24, 2026

Construction crews have wrapped up their first week back on the site since December. The work this week was focused on preparing the site and a pit for the jack and bore  - instaling sewer pipes under the railway tracks. The work was done at night with traffic control being in place from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. to minimize traffic disruption. Small adjustments were made this week to the traffic control plan after feedback from the community. 

Work has been confirmed for next week as being night work. For details: Public Notice for April 26 to May 1, 2026

April 20, 2026

The Town's Electric Utility worked overnight and were able to successfully move power lines over to the new poles that were installed.

April 14, 2026

The Town's Electric Utility successfully installed new power poles to move lines. These new pole locatons will allow the street to be realigned. 

April 10, 2026

An arborist was on site this week to remove some trees to make room for the street to be realigned. This will help with traffic control as construction will begin on April 20. 

Phase Two

Phase two essentially picks up where phase one leaves off – at the railway tracks and continues up the hill to the hospital entrance at Marian Drive. 

Similar to the first phase, new water and sewer lines will be installed, there will be the continuation of the active transportation trail with new curb and crosswalks. Phase two also include an updated rail crossing that will include a safer pedestrian crossing.

Once complete, this corridor will be re-aligned for a better street configuration and will create a connection to the existing multi-use pathway at Marian Drive. 

A timeline for when phase two will be done has not been confirmed. 

Funding Partners

The Town has secured a total of $3.476 million in approved funding from the Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, and the Municipality of the County of Antigonish. There are additional funding applications pending. 

 

ICIP Funding - East Main to Adam Street - $466,199 
Active Transporation Trail, curbs, railway crossing

ICIP Funding - Bay Street - $1,808,400
Water lines, sewer lines, and storm instrastructure 

GRID Infrastructure Funding - $1,116,700
Road realignment, raising of the road, and moving utility poles 

Municipality of the County of Antigonish - $117,000
Sewer instrastructure

Why is this work being done?

Repairing Infrastructure 

The existing municipal services (water and sewar lines) in this corridor are over 100 years old and there was a failed sewer line near Haley Road. The infrastructure is in desperate need of repair and needs an upgrade to increase our capacity to better serve the surrounding community and accommodate future development. 

Street Realignment 

Bay Street will be realigned street layout for better traffic flow and safer sightlines. In phase one, the elevation of the street was raised to reduce the risk of flooding. 

Accessibility  

The current sidewalks going up the hill to the hospital entrance has utility poles in the middle of the sidewalk making them inaccessible. These poles will be moved outside of the walkway and the sidewalk will be transformed into a smooth, wider, active transportation trail.

None of the existing pedestrian ramps along Bay Street have tactile warning service indicators. These are a system of textured ground surface indicators to assist people who are visually impaired effectively navigate the environment and indicate where they are entering a traffic area. 

Relocating Utility Poles 

Several of the utility poles along the Bay Street corridor are located within the sidewalk, which is not convenient for pedestrians and particularly persons with disabilities.

Utility poles should be located off the roadway and sidewalk. These poles will be relocated to the grass boulevard between the roadway and the multi-use pathway for this project.  

This Project Includes:

When all phases are complete, Bay Street and the east end of Main Street will have the following upgraded utilities:

• Installation of approximately 520m of new 300mm sanitary main
• Installation of approximately 550m of new 200mm watermain
• Installation of approximately 170m of new storm sewer
• Reconnection of existing services
• Relocation of utility poles

Full Street Recapitalization:

• Upgrades to existing road geometry
• 1200m of new curb
• 810m2 of new sidewalk
• 1450m2 of new active transportation facility

At Grade Rail Crossing Improvements:

• Improved geometry
• Designated pedestrian crossing infrastructure

Bay Street - Project Corridor (1)

 

Bay Street - Project Corridor (2)

 

 

Key Improvements:

• Replacement of over 100-year-old water pipes.
• Reconstruction of a failed sewer main near Tim Hortons. 
• Realigned street layout for better traffic flow and safer sightlines. 
• New accessible sidewalks and a multi-use Active Transporation trail connecting East Main, Adam Street, and the Hospital. 
• Road raising near the river to reduce flood risk. 
• Relocation of utility poles outside of walkways. 
• Improved connections from the north and east to Downtown and the Landing trail. 

 

Key Features

Map of Project Area

 

Concept Renderings