HRM council approves $3.5M plan for new roundabout at crash-prone Dartmouth intersection

A new roundabout is coming to a busy Dartmouth intersection that has seen at least 49 collisions over the past four years.

Halifax Regional Council approved the $3.5-million plan by a vote of 16-1.

Hammonds Plains – St. Margarets councillor Matt Whitman was the only vote against the motion.

The roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Lancaster Drive and Micmac Boulevard, which acts as a throughway connector to Dartmouth and Halifax. There have been 49 collisions at the intersection over the past four years, resulting in 13 injuries but no fatalities.

The motion was brought forward by Dartmouth Centre councillor Sam Austin, who has said the intersection is a “perfect place for a new roundabout.”

After the council meeting, Austin said it’s been a long road to get to this point.

“It’s been an issue in the neighbourhood for decades,” said Austin, “so it’s amazing really to have the province and the municipality not only agree that yes there is an issue, but also agree on what the solution is.”

“I think it’s the of the beginning of this issue … Government can be slow but it does move.”

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Whitman noted that he would prefer council explore other avenues to improve safety, including better speed enforcement, before forking over $3.5 million for a roundabout at the intersection.

He asked council to split the motion into three parts, so he can support immediate safety changes but not the roundabout.

1:53 HRM council to examine crash-prone Dartmouth roundabout

The funding will be split between the city and the province, but it has yet to be determined how much each will spend.