HALIFAX – Flooding kept several streets closed through rush hour last night, and again this morning.
Just before dawn this morning, the rain was still coming down and the Bedford Highway remained closed. It was shut down late yesterday afternoon, after water started gushing up through manhole covers, flooding the street. It finally reopened around 9 a.m.
Halifax Water spokesman James Campbell said being at sea level will lead to floods, given the amount of rainfall, but changes could be made.
“Expand the capacity or separate the lines down in that area,” said Campbell. “Again these things all cost money, they cause disruption when the infrastructure’s installed.”
There was also flooding in other low-lying areas like Pleasant Street in front of the Dartmouth General Hospital and the Hammonds Plains Road, near Bluewater, where the road was shut down last night and will likely stay closed until tomorrow.
READ MORE: Storm brings heavy rain and snow to the Maritimes
“Halifax Water is now in charge of storm water and HRM has been working with Halifax Water and with the province and with the federal government to try and get money to improve storm water (infrastructure),” said Councillor Tim Outhit. “Some of the storm water (infrastructure), for example the Hammonds Plains Road down by Bluewater, I think that can be fixed with new infrastructure. The same for the Bedford Highway around the Mount, but it’s going to cost tens of millions of dollars.”
Campbell says they’re working on the issues, but it won’t be a short-term fix.
“We got a 30-year plan to try an upgrade our infra-structure and of 2.6-billion dollars, so it’s a lot of money and it’s a matter of prioritizing where you spend that money,” said Outhit.
There are also plans for construction of a major condo development at the top of Mount St. Vincent which could add further burden to the system along the Bedford Highway.
“This has to be part of the solution on the Bedford Highway with development,” said Outhit. “The same as you have to improve transit and roadways, you have to improve infrastructure as well, and H-R-M will certainly be working on that with Halifax Water.”
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