Route 134 (New Brunswick)

Route 134 (New Brunswick)
State	NB
Type	Provincial
Route	134
Length km	150
Direction a	South
Terminus a	Grand Manan Island
Direction b	North
Terminus b	Hillsborough
Counties	Charlotte County, Saint John County, Kings County
Maint	New Brunswick Department of Transportation

Route 134 (New Brunswick) Route 134 is a provincial highway on the Canadian province of New Brunswick that links coastal and inland communities across Charlotte County, Saint John County, and Kings County. The route serves as a secondary arterial route paralleling sections of Route 1 and connecting to heritage centres, industrial districts, ferry terminals, and regional markets. It functions both as a local collector and as an alternate for interurban traffic between St. Stephen, Saint John, and Hillsborough.

Route description

Route 134 begins in the south near the Grand Manan Island ferry terminal and progresses northeast along the coast through communities such as St. George and Black's Harbour, before entering the urban fringe of Saint John. Within Saint John the highway traverses industrial waterfront areas adjacent to the Port of Saint John and passes landmarks including the Irving Oil refinery and the Saint John City Market. Northward it follows older alignments of Route 1 through suburban districts like Welsford and Scotch Settlement before reaching Hampton and continuing to Hillsborough. Along its length Route 134 intersects provincial collector roads and provides access to nodes such as the Saint John Airport environs, heritage sites linked to New Brunswick Railway history, and regional recreational areas near the Kennebecasis River.

History

The corridor now designated Route 134 comprises former alignments of major trunk routes that were reclassified as part of system rationalization in the mid-to-late 20th century following construction of limited-access segments of Trans-Canada Highway and Route 1. Early 20th-century development of the New Brunswick Railway and maritime ferry services to Grand Manan Island shaped settlement patterns that the highway later served. Postwar industrial expansion associated with the Irving Group of Companies and growth of the Port of Saint John increased traffic on coastal roads, prompting provincial upgrades and the eventual assignment of the Route 134 number to continuity sections bypassed by new alignments. Local initiatives, often involving municipal authorities such as the Rural Community of Fundy Bay and county governments, influenced reconstruction phases and streetscape improvements, while federal infrastructure programs periodically funded resurfacing and bridge rehabilitation projects.

Major intersections

- Southern terminus: access to ferry terminal serving Grand Manan Island and connection with local marine routes. - Intersection with Route 820 near coastal communities providing access to island-linked services. - Junction with Route 3 and access toward the Canada–United States border at St. Stephen. - Multiple interchanges and at-grade intersections with Route 1 throughout the corridor, offering connections to Moncton and Fredericton. - Urban crossings in Saint John with arterial links to the Reversing Falls area and the Harbour Bridge approach. - Northern connections near Hampton and terminus at Hillsborough providing continuity toward Sackville-bound regional routes.

Communities along the route

Route 134 serves numerous communities that reflect a mix of maritime, industrial, and rural economies. Key settlements along the highway include Grand Manan Island, St. George, Black's Harbour, St. Stephen, Saint John, Welsford, Hampton, and Hillsborough. These communities maintain cultural institutions tied to regional history, such as local museums cataloging Loyalist settlement patterns, fisheries museums connected to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic tradition, and conservation areas adjacent to Fundy National Park influences.

Traffic and maintenance

Traffic volumes on Route 134 vary from low-density local flows in coastal hamlets to higher urban and industrial traffic within Saint John and approaches to Route 1 interchanges. Freight movement related to the Port of Saint John and energy facilities like the Irving Oil complex contributes to heavy-vehicle percentages on the corridor. The New Brunswick Department of Transportation is responsible for routine maintenance, winter snow removal, pavement rehabilitation, and bridge inspections, often coordinating with federal programs and industry stakeholders. Safety interventions have included signage upgrades, targeted shoulder widening, and corridor lighting in built-up areas to accommodate mixed commuter, commercial, and tourist traffic associated with summer maritime travel.

Future developments and upgrades

Planned and proposed investments affecting Route 134 focus on asset renewal, improving multimodal connectivity, and managing traffic spillover from expansion projects on Route 1. Short-to-medium term priorities involve resurfacing segments, replacing aging bridges, and enhancing intersections with turn lanes to reduce delay near industrial access points. Regional planning efforts led by entities such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and provincial transport planners consider active transportation links, transit service integration near Saint John suburbs, and resilience upgrades to address coastal storm surge risks informed by research from institutions like University of New Brunswick. Long-term scenarios contemplate realignment, context-sensitive design in historic districts, and coordination with port expansion or marine terminal modernization that would alter freight patterns on the corridor.

Category:New Brunswick provincial highways Category:Roads in Saint John, New Brunswick