The highway crosses the historic Shubenacadie Canal and also runs along the western shore of Lake Micmac and the western edge of Shubie Park and is known as Lakeview Drive. Running parallel to the highway from the Waverley Road to exit 14 is a portion of the Halifax Lateral of the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline (natural gas).
The southern limit of provincial maintenance is at the Highway 111 interchange.[3]
History
Originally an undivided highway, the road opened in 1971.[4] The southbound carriageway between Highway 102 and Dartmouth was completed during the 1979/80 fiscal year.[5]
The interchange with Highway 107 opened in 1986/87.[6] Originally there was no connection to Akerley Boulevard, one of the main roads in Burnside Industrial Park. During planning and construction of the interchange, the Industrial Commission and the former City of Dartmouth lobbied the province to make provision for a connection between Akerley Boulevard and Highway 118.[7][8] The Akerley Boulevard access was constructed in the early 1990s.
In the early 2000s, development of the Dartmouth Crossing commercial area next to Highway 118 led to construction of the Wright Avenue interchange. The interchange was built by contractor Dexter Construction and includes a pedestrian bridge to permit access to Shubie Park.[9]
^1972 Annual Report. Nova Scotia Department of Highways. 1972. p. 7.
^Annual Report. Nova Scotia Department of Transportation. 1980. p. 10. Work was completed on the south bound lanes of this highway and now provides a four lane divided facility from Dartmouth connecting with Highway 102 in Waverley, a distance of over seven miles.
^Annual report for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1987. Nova Scotia Department of Transportation. 1987. p. 14.
^"City Council Minutes"(PDF). City of Dartmouth. 18 September 1984. p. 2. Ald. Heatherington felt that a connecting highway from this point on 118 through to the Burnside Park would serve commuters from the Forest Hills/Colby Village area to better advantage. The Mayor pointed out that the City has requested such an extension to the Park, but we have been informed by the Transportation Department that they are not planning for this project in the forseeable (sic) future.