[1][3] The highway follows a 310 km (190 mi) route along the southern coast of the Bay of Fundy through the Annapolis Valley, the largest agricultural district in the province.

From the Gaspereau River crossing near Grand Pre to 3 km west of Exit 6 (Falmouth) the highway is a 4-lane freeway.

In the late 1960s, sections between Mount Uniacke and Windsor, as well as between Avonport and Coldbrook began development and opened in 1970.

The highway was built to provide a modern limited-access route between Halifax and Yarmouth, and the many towns and villages in the corridor.

The proposed interchange would be a diamond configuration with roundabouts and an overpass to accommodate future twinning of Highway 101.