Premier Rodney MacDonald has unveiled details of a plan he hopes will turn Nova Scotia into an international powerhouse for handling cargo.

The Atlantic Gateway plan includes building roads for trucks alongside urban-area railway tracks, a cargo-handling logistics centre, and twinning of sections of the Trans-Canada Highway.

"Certainly it's my hope that by summer we could see something go forward," MacDonald told the Nova Scotia Chambers of Commerce Wednesday.

He said the province should take advantage of its location and deep, ice-free ports to take on more container traffic from around the world.

Federal infrastructure funding would cover some of the costs involved, the premier said, though most of the money would come through private-sector investment.

Specifically, the $300-million plan calls for:

• Widening the rail line through Halifax and building roads for trucks next to it.
• Building a freight-handling facility in Dartmouth's Burnside Industrial Park.
• Creating a new connector road to get in and out of the Burnside site.
• Twinning of Highway 104 from Antigonish to Port Hawkesbury.
• Dredging Sydney Harbour to allow for larger vessels.

"Yes, they are ambitious projects, but a multi-transportation corridor is going to get product onto the 100-series highways much more quickly," MacDonald said. "It's safer for our residents. It gets large truck traffic off our streets."

The premier said these changes to build up the freight business would revamp the province's economy.

Promise of public consultations

For people living in south-end Halifax, the new roads would change the shape of the neighbourhood.

Coun. Sue Uteck said the municipality looked at the possibility of using the existing railway cut for a trucking lane, but decided the estimated $52-million cost was too much.

The proposal didn't go over well with local residents, she added.

"There was a lot of objection to having additional trucks, as well as trains, in the cut," Uteck told CBC News.

Uteck said she has been assured by the premier's office there will be a round of public consultations when there are more details.

There's also a benefit to the municipality, she said, noting the premier's plan allows emergency vehicles and MetroLink buses to use the trucking corridor.

Port of Sydney pleased

Don Rowe, with the Port of Sydney, welcomed news that the port is included in the premier's transportation plans.

"It's the fact that they consider Sydney Harbour part of the gateway for Atlantic Canada," he said. "It gives it another level of support, and we think that's important."

Rowe estimates dredging the harbour will cost about $40 million. He said it needs to be completed by 2011 if Sydney is to take advantage of new opportunities.