Halifax hints at possible new bus routes, ferry service in municipal survey

A new survey launched by the Halifax Regional Municipality on Monday hints at the possibility of four new bus routes and a change to the municipality’s ferry service.

The municipality says they’re looking for the public’s input as they work to develop a rapid transit strategy under it’s Integrated Mobility Plan

“The aim is to get you where you want to go, when you want to go, faster and more frequently — seven days a week,” according to the municipality’s description of what rapid transit means.

That could include an expanded ferry service featuring “new connections between Bedford, north Dartmouth and downtown Halifax using vessels capable of high speeds than the current ferries,” according to a background planning document accompanying the survey.

The new ferries would be operational at peak commuting times and include a single deck area with a limit of 150 passengers.

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The proposed ferry service would depart from the downtown Halifax ferry terminal and travel to either Shannon Park, Mill Cove or Larry Uteck.

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Mill Cove is listed as the “best option for near-term service” with a one-way travel time of 18 minutes.

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The planning document indicates that Shannon Park and Larry Uteck are reliant on future development but would be shorter one-way trips at 16 minutes and 10 minutes, respectively.

The survey indicates there are four new proposed Bus Rapid Transit routes. The routes include:

• A purple line that would connect Clayton Park with north Dartmouth and Dartmouth Crossing. There would be 23 stops in each direction.
• A green line that would connect Clayton Park with the southern half of the Halifax peninsula via Lacewood Drive and Robie Street. There would be 13 stops in each direction.
• A yellow line that would connect Armdale and Spryfield with downtown Halifax. It would link key destinations on the peninsula including the Halifax Shopping Centre, Quinpool Road, Spring Garden Road and downtown Halifax. There would be 20 stops in each direction.
• A red line that would connect Portland Street with downtown Dartmouth and downtown Halifax. There would be 16 stops in each direction.

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The proposed routes would operate every day with daytime and evening service providing a bus every 10 minutes or less, according to the planning document.

The municipality is committed to hosting 10 pop-up events that would collect additional data outside of the online survey.

Events will be held between March 4 and March 7 with details and locations available on the municipality’s website.

The feedback will help inform the strategy that will be presented to the Halifax Regional Municipality’s Transportation Standing Committee in Spring 2020.