HALIFAX – With The Big Lift project well underway, it’s time to start thinking about what will happen with the Macdonald Bridge bike lanes, and proposals are plenty.
Several options are being suggested in a staff report, scheduled to be discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The approach to the Macdonald Bridge on the Halifax side has been a sore spot for several years. The previous on-ramp meant cyclists had to go down a steep slope on North Street, known as “the gully” which was shared with cars and buses, and then make a sharp turn onto a sidewalk then climb a 10% slope.
“If you go up to somebody who bikes in the city and say ‘what is the most challenging piece of infrastructure?’, nine times out of 10 they’re gonna say’ the Halifax side of the bridge,'” said Halifax Cycling Coalition board member Blair Barrington.
Improving access to the bridge was the second highest priority project the community wanted to see in the “Making Connections: 2014-2019 Halifax Active Transportation Priorities Plan.” The number one priority was developing a bicycle network.
“If we’re serious about increasing the amount of people that bike in the city, then this main corridor connecting the downtowns of Dartmouth and Halifax is pretty important.”
On the Halifax side, the recommendation is that staff continue to develop a “flyover ramp” option for getting on and off the bridge. There are currently two options, one that would decend on a 3% slope for 90 metres and have cyclists land just before Lorne Terrace.
“That’s the ideal solution,” said Barrington.
The estimated cost for the first flyover ramp us about 2 million dollars.
The second option, which is more expensive, would see cyclists land and merge into the North and Gottingen intersection. Something Barrington says would create confusion with trying to navigate the intersection.
When accessing the Macdonald Bridge from the Dartmouth side, the issue comes from cyclists trying to navigate the intersection, says Barrington.
There are two developments being discussed for the Dartmouth side. One of which would see access directly from the bridge bikeway to Lyle and Dickson Streets and connect with proposed bike routes in downtown and north end Dartmouth.
The second would see enhancements at the Wyse Road and Nantucket Intersection to improve access from the bridge bikeway to nearby streets and to a bike route that is planned through the Dartmouth Common and communities east of the bridge.
A rally is being held on Tuesday morning by members of the cycling community to bring attention to the issues cyclists currently face when accessing the bridge on both sides, and encourage council to vote to accept these recommendations.
“We’re really happy with the Number 1 recommendations for Dartmouth and Halifax,” said Barrington. “And we wanna make sure that this opportunity is not missed.”
The changes will impact the commutes of cyclists who use the bridge bikeway now, but Barrington thinks making these changes will allow people who are hesitant to see cycling as more of an option.
“When you have good infrastructure between home and work, it’s a wonderful way to start the day” Barrington said.
Comments