Transportation in the Halifax Regional Municipality
Encyclopedia
The Halifax Regional Municipality
is a major multi-modal transportation centre for freight and passengers.
, is located in the northern part of the municipality near the border with Hants County
in Enfield
.
CFB Shearwater
, an air force base operated by the Canadian Forces
, is located on the eastern side of Halifax Harbour
; its runways are presently being decommissioned as the base converts into a heliport
.
There are also 5 separate heliports located in the HRM urban core, several for hospitals. Several privately run aerodromes are also located in rural areas.
manages many of the commercial port operations on Halifax Harbour
, including bulk cargo, general cargo and intermodal container terminals. The Canadian Navy
and Canadian Coast Guard
also have extensive waterfront facilities.
The second largest port facility in HRM is located at Sheet Harbour
. The port of Sheet Harbour operates as a local port and is primarily used to ship forest products from the Musquodoboit Valley
and the industrial Pictou County
area during the winter months (when Pictou
harbour is ice-bound).http://www.targetnovascotia.com/IPPDF/SheetHarbour.pdf
(CN), which provides direct freight service to Montreal
, Toronto
, and Chicago
for cargo arriving at either of the Port of Halifax's two container terminals, or the port's general cargo and specialized cargo piers. CN operates rail lines around both the east and west sides of the harbour, serving Halifax and Dartmouth respectively.
The Windsor and Hantsport Railway
is a short line railway which operates a former Canadian Pacific Railway
line in HRM from its interchange point with CN at Windsor Junction
through to the agricultural heartland of Nova Scotia at New Minas
in the Annapolis Valley
.
Via Rail Canada also operates from the Halifax Railway Station
where the Ocean
, a passenger train equipped with sleeper cars operates six days a week to Truro
, Moncton, and Montreal
. The Halifax Railway Station also serves as the terminus for Acadian Lines
intercity buses which serve destinations across Eastern Canada.
Two important branch rail lines operated by CN were abandoned in the Halifax Regional Municipality in recent decades. One line ran along the Eastern Shore
from Dartmouth to Musquodoboit Harbour
and up the Musquodoboit Valley
, serving the agriculture and forestry industries. The other line ran along the South Shore
from Halifax to Bridgewater
and on to Yarmouth
. The rail corridors of both routes are still intact and used as recreational pathways, preserved for possible reintroduction of rail service.
, since 1955, and the A. Murray MacKay Bridge
, since 1970. Residents refer to these as the Old (or South) Bridge and New (or North) Bridge, respectively.
Traffic is problematic in many older parts of the urban core area due to geographic constrictions and an aging road network designed for less vehicle capacity than is currently being handled. The Halifax Peninsula
, similar to an island, has several bottleneck points through which any traffic leaving the area must pass:
Vehicle traffic density is increasing somewhat on the peninsula, but the population of workers living in suburban areas or commuting from more distant exurban
/outskirts
has increased at a much higher rate in recent decades. Roads in existing developed suburban areas and the historic districts on the Halifax Peninsula cannot be easily expanded.
A proposed bridge across the Northwest Arm
to relieve traffic congestion on the Armdale Rotary (it would connect at South Street near Dalhousie University) has been rejected several times by residents of the affluent South End, as well as environmentalists advocating improved rapid transit
and better planning to densify residential development close to locations of employment. However, an advanced convergence indexing road traffic monitoring system was installed on the peninsula in June 2008.
Several controversial road widening projects are being debated, including one for Bayers Road, and for Robie Street
, the major north-south artery on the peninsula. The Chebucto Road Widening project was a controversial widening of 125m of roadway just before and after the Mumford intersection, but Chebucto Road largely remained a 3 lane roadway. It was controversial because the city would need to purchase land or buy out entire properties to make the intersections wider. The only other additions were overhead indicators lights that made the centre lane an inbound lane during morning commutes into downtown Halifax, and an outbound lane during evening commutes away from downtown Halifax, much like the MacDonald Bridge that connects Dartmouth and Halifax.
Many of the newer neighbourhoods include a network of expressways (Nova Scotia 100-series highways) which were designed for modern automobile traffic and were developed during the 1960s-1980s (Highways 101
, 102
, 103
, 107
, 111
, and 118
) however these roads serve mainly to dump high-speed traffic onto the existing urban low-speed street network.
The many of the roads in the rural areas of the municipality are two laned provincial collector and trunk highways the longest being Trunk 7 which runs from Bedford
to the Guysborough County
line at Ecum Secum
. Trunk 7 continues on to Highway 104
at Antigonish
.
. The main forms of public transportation are standard transit buses and a new bus-rapid transit system, as well as harbour ferries
.
The ferry system uses three vessels, and connects peninsular Halifax with Dartmouth, offering daily services. It is the oldest continuously-operating saltwater ferry service in North America. Controversial high-speed ferries are under consideration for connecting downtown Halifax with Shannon Park
, Bedford
, the South Mainland
, and Eastern Passage
.
The proposed high speed ferry services are viewed with concern by other harbour users and are viewed as a compromise solution for connecting travellers from points along the harbour with downtown Halifax
and Dartmouth
. Transit surveys have indicated that many existing and potential future users of public transit require service to areas such as universities, hospitals and shopping centres, many of which are located near or adjacent to railway corridors in the region. The current mayor, Peter Kelly, and several regional councillors have favoured instituting a commuter rail or a light rail
system on current and abandoned railway lines and several streets in the urban core, however such a proposal would require provincial and federal funding and agreement with railway companies. It has been shelved by HRM staff and politicians, pending the provincial government's creation of a regional transportation planning authority, similar to what eastern Massachusetts did in the 1960s when MBTA
was created.
, South Shore
and Musquodoboit Valley
area of the municipality; this has become a growing bone of contention driving the urban-rural tension within the region.
The rural area are dependent upon privately operated bus and shuttle services, as well as individual car pooling. The municipality plans to extend its community bus program along the Eastern Shore and Musquodoboit Valley which will see buses operate from Dartmouth
to Sheet Harbour
to Upper Musquodoboit
to Enfield
and return to Dartmouth, however there is no timeline for its implementation and the proposal is currently being studied and surveyed http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/news/RuralTransitStudy.html.
Halifax Regional Municipality is currently studying the possibility of implementing a series of expanded bus rapid transit
services along expressways such as Highways 102
, 103
and 107
. A Rural Express Bus (MetroX) began servicing Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia
in August 2009.
transport in the urban core, however since the 2000 municipal election little has been accomplished. A part-time coordinating position was created to oversee the planning and implementation of a bicycle transport plan but this position was eliminated during budget cuts in 2003 with little other than planning/reporting having been accomplished. Overall, HRM remains fairly difficult for bicycles, partially as a result of geography and climate, but also the increased traffic congestion. Despite these setbacks there has been a small increase in the number of bicycle lanes and designated bike routes in the urban core.
, which is envisioned to ultimately connect or construct trails around the entire perimeter of Halifax Harbour
and the Bedford Basin
to link downtown Halifax and Dartmouth, however these plans have yet to be enacted. Most streets in the urban core have sidewalks and pedestrian crossings for major roads are signalized. As a cost-cutting measure, property owners on the Halifax Peninsula
are required to shovel snow from any adjoining sidewalk during the winter months, with improper enforcement by HRM sometimes leading to poor walking conditions.
----
Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality is the capital of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The Regional Municipality had a 2006 census population of 372,679, while the metropolitan area had a 2010 estimated population of 403,188, and the urban area of Halifax had a population of 282,924...
is a major multi-modal transportation centre for freight and passengers.
Air
Halifax Stanfield International Airport, which serves HRM and virtually all of peninsular Nova ScotiaNova Scotia peninsula
The Nova Scotia peninsula is a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of North America.-Location:The Nova Scotia peninsula is part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada and is connected to the neighbouring province of New Brunswick through the Isthmus of Chignecto...
, is located in the northern part of the municipality near the border with Hants County
Hants County, Nova Scotia
Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
in Enfield
Enfield, Nova Scotia
Enfield, , is a Canadian exurban community located in the Shubenacadie Valley on the border of Hants and Halifax counties. Specifically, Enfield exists in both the East Hants Municipal District and the Halifax Regional Municipality and is divided by the Shubenacadie River.The history of European...
.
CFB Shearwater
CFB Shearwater
Canadian Forces Base Shearwater , commonly referred to as CFB Shearwater, was a Canadian Forces Base located in Shearwater, Nova Scotia on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Halifax Regional Municipality....
, an air force base operated by the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
, is located on the eastern side of Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
; its runways are presently being decommissioned as the base converts into a heliport
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
.
There are also 5 separate heliports located in the HRM urban core, several for hospitals. Several privately run aerodromes are also located in rural areas.
Water
The Halifax Port AuthorityHalifax Port Authority
The Halifax Port Authority is a port authority operating as a not-for-profit Crown corporation of the Government of Canada. HPA has responsibility for all federally-owned waterfront properties on Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.The HPA was created on March 1, 1999...
manages many of the commercial port operations on Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
, including bulk cargo, general cargo and intermodal container terminals. The Canadian Navy
Canadian Forces Maritime Command
The Royal Canadian Navy , is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the unified Canadian Forces. Operating 33 warships and several auxiliary vessels, the Royal Canadian Navy consists of 8,500 Regular Force and 5,100 Primary Reserve sailors, supported by...
and Canadian Coast Guard
Canadian Coast Guard
The Canadian Coast Guard is the coast guard of Canada. It is a federal agency responsible for providing maritime search and rescue , aids to navigation, marine pollution response, marine radio, and icebreaking...
also have extensive waterfront facilities.
The second largest port facility in HRM is located at Sheet Harbour
Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia
Sheet Harbour is a small community on the eastern shore of the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada in the Musquodoboit/Sheet Harbour region of the Marine Drive on Trunk 7, 87.44 kilometers from Halifax.-History:...
. The port of Sheet Harbour operates as a local port and is primarily used to ship forest products from the Musquodoboit Valley
Musquodoboit Valley
The Musquodoboit Valley is a Canadian valley and region in northeastern Halifax County Nova Scotia.Administratively located in the Halifax Regional Municipality's Musquodoboit Valley / Dutch Settlement planning area, the picturesque Musquodoboit River flows through the valley.The northeastern end...
and the industrial Pictou County
Pictou County, Nova Scotia
Pictou County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It was established in 1835, and was formerly a part of Halifax County from 1759 to 1835. It had a population of 46,513 people in 2006, which represents a decline of 6.3 percent from 1991. It is the sixth most populous county in Nova...
area during the winter months (when Pictou
Pictou, Nova Scotia
Pictou is a town in Pictou County, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Located on the north shore of Pictou Harbour, the town is approximately 10 km north of the larger town of New Glasgow....
harbour is ice-bound).http://www.targetnovascotia.com/IPPDF/SheetHarbour.pdf
Rail
HRM is the eastern terminus of the Canadian National RailwayCanadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
(CN), which provides direct freight service to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
for cargo arriving at either of the Port of Halifax's two container terminals, or the port's general cargo and specialized cargo piers. CN operates rail lines around both the east and west sides of the harbour, serving Halifax and Dartmouth respectively.
The Windsor and Hantsport Railway
Windsor and Hantsport Railway
The Windsor and Hantsport Railway is a railway operating in Nova Scotia between Windsor Junction and New Minas with a spur at Windsor which runs several miles east, serving two gypsum quarries at Wentworth Creek and Mantua....
is a short line railway which operates a former Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
line in HRM from its interchange point with CN at Windsor Junction
Windsor Junction, Nova Scotia
Windsor Junction is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is located 15.6 km north west of the HRM urban core, 3 km north of the Bedford Basin near the communities of Waverley, Fall River and Lower Sackville.-Railway history:The name of the...
through to the agricultural heartland of Nova Scotia at New Minas
New Minas, Nova Scotia
New Minas is a village located in the eastern part of Kings County in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley. As of 2001, the population was 4,300.New Minas borders the town of Kentville to the west and the unincorporated community of Greenwich to the east. The town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia is further...
in the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
.
Via Rail Canada also operates from the Halifax Railway Station
Halifax, Nova Scotia railway station
The Halifax Railway Station is an inter-city railway station in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is operated by Via Rail.-Current use:The station is the eastern terminus of the Ocean, Via Rail's eastern transcontinental train which operates between Montreal and Halifax; thus it is also the eastern...
where the Ocean
Ocean (passenger train)
The Ocean is a Canadian passenger train operated by Via Rail between Montreal, Quebec and Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is currently the oldest continuously-operated named passenger train in North America. The Oceans schedule takes approximately 21 hours, running overnight in both directions...
, a passenger train equipped with sleeper cars operates six days a week to Truro
Truro, Nova Scotia
-Education:Truro has one high school, Cobequid Educational Centre. Post-secondary options include a campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in the neighboring town of Bible Hill.- Sports :...
, Moncton, and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. The Halifax Railway Station also serves as the terminus for Acadian Lines
Acadian Lines
Acadian Lines, legally incorporated as Acadian Coach Lines LP/Autocars Acadien SEC, is a Canadian coach operator based in Moncton, New Brunswick....
intercity buses which serve destinations across Eastern Canada.
Two important branch rail lines operated by CN were abandoned in the Halifax Regional Municipality in recent decades. One line ran along the Eastern Shore
Eastern Shore (Nova Scotia)
The Eastern Shore is a region of Nova Scotia Canada. It is the Atlantic coast running northeast from Halifax Harbour to the eastern end of the peninsula at the Strait of Canso....
from Dartmouth to Musquodoboit Harbour
Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia
Musquodoboit Harbour is a Canadian rural community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.The community is situated on the Eastern Shore at the mouth of the Musquodoboit River. the community lies 45 kilometres east of downtown Halifax...
and up the Musquodoboit Valley
Musquodoboit Valley
The Musquodoboit Valley is a Canadian valley and region in northeastern Halifax County Nova Scotia.Administratively located in the Halifax Regional Municipality's Musquodoboit Valley / Dutch Settlement planning area, the picturesque Musquodoboit River flows through the valley.The northeastern end...
, serving the agriculture and forestry industries. The other line ran along the South Shore
South Shore (Nova Scotia)
The South Shore is a region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Although it has no formal identity and is variously defined by geographic, county and other political boundaries, it is generally understood as the Atlantic coast running southwest from Halifax Harbour to the end of Shelburne County...
from Halifax to Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
Bridgewater is a town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the navigable limit of the LaHave River. It is the largest town in the South Shore region. While the majority of the South Shore's economy is based upon the tourist trade, Bridgewater is more a commercial and industrial centre and...
and on to Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Yarmouth is a town and fishing port located on the Gulf of Maine in rural southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the shire town of Yarmouth County. The town is located in the heart of the world's largest lobster fishing grounds and has Canada's highest lobster catch.- History :The townsite may...
. The rail corridors of both routes are still intact and used as recreational pathways, preserved for possible reintroduction of rail service.
Road
The urban core is divided by Halifax Harbour and is linked by two suspension bridges: the Angus L. MacDonald BridgeAngus L. Macdonald Bridge
The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, locally known as "the old bridge", is a suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada; it opened on April 2, 1955....
, since 1955, and the A. Murray MacKay Bridge
A. Murray MacKay Bridge
The A. Murray MacKay Bridge locally known as "the new bridge" is the second suspension bridge linking the Halifax Peninsula with Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and opened on July 10, 1970....
, since 1970. Residents refer to these as the Old (or South) Bridge and New (or North) Bridge, respectively.
Traffic is problematic in many older parts of the urban core area due to geographic constrictions and an aging road network designed for less vehicle capacity than is currently being handled. The Halifax Peninsula
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
, similar to an island, has several bottleneck points through which any traffic leaving the area must pass:
- the Angus L. MacDonald BridgeAngus L. Macdonald BridgeThe Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, locally known as "the old bridge", is a suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada; it opened on April 2, 1955....
- the A. Murray MacKay BridgeA. Murray MacKay BridgeThe A. Murray MacKay Bridge locally known as "the new bridge" is the second suspension bridge linking the Halifax Peninsula with Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and opened on July 10, 1970....
- the Armdale traffic circleArmdale traffic circleThe Armdale Traffic Circle is a roundabout in the Armdale district of Halifax, Nova Scotia.The traffic circle receives vehicles from five different directions: Chebucto Road and Quinpool Road on the Halifax Peninsula, Herring Cove Road and St. Margaret's Bay Road on the Chebucto Peninsula, and...
- the Fairview interchange to the Highway 102Nova Scotia Highway 102Highway 102 is a north-south freeway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Truro. It is the busiest highway in Atlantic Canada....
freeway - the Bedford HighwayBedford HighwayThe Bedford Highway is a highway in the Halifax Regional Municipality , Nova Scotia that is part of Trunk 2. It runs around the western side of the Bedford Basin...
(Trunk 2)
Vehicle traffic density is increasing somewhat on the peninsula, but the population of workers living in suburban areas or commuting from more distant exurban
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
/outskirts
Urban Rural Fringe
The rural–urban fringe, also known as the outskirts or the urban hinterland, can be described as the "landscape interface between town and country", or also as the transition zone where urban and rural uses mix and often clash...
has increased at a much higher rate in recent decades. Roads in existing developed suburban areas and the historic districts on the Halifax Peninsula cannot be easily expanded.
A proposed bridge across the Northwest Arm
Northwest Arm
The Northwest Arm, originally named Sandwich River, is an inlet in eastern Canada off the Atlantic Ocean in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.-Geography:...
to relieve traffic congestion on the Armdale Rotary (it would connect at South Street near Dalhousie University) has been rejected several times by residents of the affluent South End, as well as environmentalists advocating improved rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
and better planning to densify residential development close to locations of employment. However, an advanced convergence indexing road traffic monitoring system was installed on the peninsula in June 2008.
Several controversial road widening projects are being debated, including one for Bayers Road, and for Robie Street
Robie Street
Robie Street is a north-south artery, street and provincial road that runs for 7 kilometres within the Halifax Peninsula area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, from Memorial Drive in the North End Halifax, to Gorsebrook Avenue in the South End. The street in most places is 4 lanes wide with a...
, the major north-south artery on the peninsula. The Chebucto Road Widening project was a controversial widening of 125m of roadway just before and after the Mumford intersection, but Chebucto Road largely remained a 3 lane roadway. It was controversial because the city would need to purchase land or buy out entire properties to make the intersections wider. The only other additions were overhead indicators lights that made the centre lane an inbound lane during morning commutes into downtown Halifax, and an outbound lane during evening commutes away from downtown Halifax, much like the MacDonald Bridge that connects Dartmouth and Halifax.
Many of the newer neighbourhoods include a network of expressways (Nova Scotia 100-series highways) which were designed for modern automobile traffic and were developed during the 1960s-1980s (Highways 101
Nova Scotia Highway 101
Highway 101 is an east-west highway in Nova Scotia that runs from Bedford to Yarmouth.The highway follows a route along the southern coast of the Bay of Fundy through the Annapolis Valley. Between its western terminus at Yarmouth to Weymouth, the highway is 2-lane controlled access. Between...
, 102
Nova Scotia Highway 102
Highway 102 is a north-south freeway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Truro. It is the busiest highway in Atlantic Canada....
, 103
Nova Scotia Highway 103
Highway 103 is an east-west highway in Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Yarmouth.The highway follows a route of approximately 300 km along the province's South Shore region fronting the Atlantic coast. The route parallels its predecessor, local Trunk 3...
, 107
Nova Scotia Highway 107
Highway 107 in Nova Scotia runs through the eastern suburbs of the Halifax Regional Municipality, from the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth to an intersection with Trunk 7 in Musquodoboit Harbour. It is long, and is mostly two lanes and controlled access....
, 111
Nova Scotia Highway 111
Highway 111 is a 13-kilometre controlled access freeway in Nova Scotia, Canada.Highway 111 varies from 4-12 lanes and is known informally as the Dartmouth "Circumferential Highway", or, more recently, "The Circ", since it is a partial orbital road. The highway runs from Pleasant Street in the...
, and 118
Nova Scotia Highway 118
Highway 118, in Nova Scotia, is a short suburban freeway connecting Victoria Road via Woodland Ave. in Dartmouth with Highway 102 at Fall River, to the north. The highway crosses the Historic Shubenacadie Canal. Running parallel to the highway from the Waverley Road to exit 14 is a portion of...
) however these roads serve mainly to dump high-speed traffic onto the existing urban low-speed street network.
The many of the roads in the rural areas of the municipality are two laned provincial collector and trunk highways the longest being Trunk 7 which runs from Bedford
Bedford, Nova Scotia
Bedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
to the Guysborough County
Guysborough County, Nova Scotia
Guysborough County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:Taking its name from the Township of Guysborough, which was named in honour of Sir Guy Carleton, Guysborough County was created when Sydney County was divided in 1836.In 1840, the Township of St. Mary's, in Guysborough...
line at Ecum Secum
Ecum Secum, Nova Scotia
Ecum Secum is a rural community on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. It straddles the boundary between Guysborough County and Halifax Regional Municipality....
. Trunk 7 continues on to Highway 104
Nova Scotia Highway 104
Highway 104 in Nova Scotia runs from the New Brunswick border near Amherst to St. Peter's. Except for the portion on Cape Breton Island between Port Hawkesbury and St. Peter's, it is part of the Trans-Canada Highway....
at Antigonish
Antigonish, Nova Scotia
Antigonish is a Canadian town in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. The town is home to St. Francis Xavier University and the oldest continuous highland games in North America.-History:...
.
Urban Core
The HRM urban core is served by Metro TransitMetro Transit (Halifax)
Metro Transit is a Canadian public transport agency operating buses and ferries in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality .Owned by the HRM, Metro Transit's operations area is the urban core in the western part of the municipality, namely the Halifax and Dartmouth Metropolitan Areas, along...
. The main forms of public transportation are standard transit buses and a new bus-rapid transit system, as well as harbour ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
.
The ferry system uses three vessels, and connects peninsular Halifax with Dartmouth, offering daily services. It is the oldest continuously-operating saltwater ferry service in North America. Controversial high-speed ferries are under consideration for connecting downtown Halifax with Shannon Park
Shannon Park, Nova Scotia
Shannon Park is a former military community on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is immediately south of the A. Murray MacKay Bridge in the city of Dartmouth...
, Bedford
Bedford, Nova Scotia
Bedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
, the South Mainland
Mainland Halifax
Mainland Halifax is a region in central Nova Scotia, Canada that refers to the central-eastern part of the Chebucto Peninsula in the Halifax Regional Municipality...
, and Eastern Passage
Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia
Eastern Passage is a Canadian urban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.Located at the southeastern edge of Halifax Harbour, fronting the Atlantic Ocean, Eastern Passage derives its name from the narrow strait separating the mainland from McNabs Island and Lawlor Island, both...
.
The proposed high speed ferry services are viewed with concern by other harbour users and are viewed as a compromise solution for connecting travellers from points along the harbour with downtown Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
and Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
. Transit surveys have indicated that many existing and potential future users of public transit require service to areas such as universities, hospitals and shopping centres, many of which are located near or adjacent to railway corridors in the region. The current mayor, Peter Kelly, and several regional councillors have favoured instituting a commuter rail or a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system on current and abandoned railway lines and several streets in the urban core, however such a proposal would require provincial and federal funding and agreement with railway companies. It has been shelved by HRM staff and politicians, pending the provincial government's creation of a regional transportation planning authority, similar to what eastern Massachusetts did in the 1960s when MBTA
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...
was created.
Rural Areas
A community transit bus service is also run by Metro Transit, serving the exurban communities of Beaver Bank, Fall River, East Preston, Lake Echo, Porters Lake and Grand Desert. However, there is little to no public transit available for residents in more rural areas especially for the Eastern ShoreEastern Shore (Nova Scotia)
The Eastern Shore is a region of Nova Scotia Canada. It is the Atlantic coast running northeast from Halifax Harbour to the eastern end of the peninsula at the Strait of Canso....
, South Shore
South Shore (Nova Scotia)
The South Shore is a region of Nova Scotia, Canada. Although it has no formal identity and is variously defined by geographic, county and other political boundaries, it is generally understood as the Atlantic coast running southwest from Halifax Harbour to the end of Shelburne County...
and Musquodoboit Valley
Musquodoboit Valley
The Musquodoboit Valley is a Canadian valley and region in northeastern Halifax County Nova Scotia.Administratively located in the Halifax Regional Municipality's Musquodoboit Valley / Dutch Settlement planning area, the picturesque Musquodoboit River flows through the valley.The northeastern end...
area of the municipality; this has become a growing bone of contention driving the urban-rural tension within the region.
The rural area are dependent upon privately operated bus and shuttle services, as well as individual car pooling. The municipality plans to extend its community bus program along the Eastern Shore and Musquodoboit Valley which will see buses operate from Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
to Sheet Harbour
Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia
Sheet Harbour is a small community on the eastern shore of the Halifax Regional Municipality, in Nova Scotia, Canada in the Musquodoboit/Sheet Harbour region of the Marine Drive on Trunk 7, 87.44 kilometers from Halifax.-History:...
to Upper Musquodoboit
Upper Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia
Upper Musquodoboit is a forestry and farming community in the Musquodoboit Valley in the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia home to the ENLIGNA Canada Inc. pellet mill, 75.16 kilometers from Halifax . Upper Musquodoboit is Located in the North Branch Musquodboit. Other Communities in this...
to Enfield
Enfield, Nova Scotia
Enfield, , is a Canadian exurban community located in the Shubenacadie Valley on the border of Hants and Halifax counties. Specifically, Enfield exists in both the East Hants Municipal District and the Halifax Regional Municipality and is divided by the Shubenacadie River.The history of European...
and return to Dartmouth, however there is no timeline for its implementation and the proposal is currently being studied and surveyed http://www.halifax.ca/metrotransit/news/RuralTransitStudy.html.
Halifax Regional Municipality is currently studying the possibility of implementing a series of expanded bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
services along expressways such as Highways 102
Nova Scotia Highway 102
Highway 102 is a north-south freeway in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Truro. It is the busiest highway in Atlantic Canada....
, 103
Nova Scotia Highway 103
Highway 103 is an east-west highway in Nova Scotia that runs from Halifax to Yarmouth.The highway follows a route of approximately 300 km along the province's South Shore region fronting the Atlantic coast. The route parallels its predecessor, local Trunk 3...
and 107
Nova Scotia Highway 107
Highway 107 in Nova Scotia runs through the eastern suburbs of the Halifax Regional Municipality, from the Burnside Industrial Park in Dartmouth to an intersection with Trunk 7 in Musquodoboit Harbour. It is long, and is mostly two lanes and controlled access....
. A Rural Express Bus (MetroX) began servicing Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia
Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia
Upper Tantallon is a community that extends from the Hammonds Plains Road to the crossroads of Trunk 3 and Route 333 within the Halifax Regional Municipality, 22.3 km west from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.-2008 fire:...
in August 2009.
Bicycle
Halifax Regional Council has stated an interest in improving bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
transport in the urban core, however since the 2000 municipal election little has been accomplished. A part-time coordinating position was created to oversee the planning and implementation of a bicycle transport plan but this position was eliminated during budget cuts in 2003 with little other than planning/reporting having been accomplished. Overall, HRM remains fairly difficult for bicycles, partially as a result of geography and climate, but also the increased traffic congestion. Despite these setbacks there has been a small increase in the number of bicycle lanes and designated bike routes in the urban core.
Walking
There are many parks and some disconnected trails in the HRM urban core. There are proposals for a Halifax Urban GreenwayHalifax urban greenway
The Halifax Urban Greenway is a concept for a multi-use recreational trail, called a greenway, in Nova Scotia on the southwestern part of the Halifax Peninsula...
, which is envisioned to ultimately connect or construct trails around the entire perimeter of Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
and the Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin
Bedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...
to link downtown Halifax and Dartmouth, however these plans have yet to be enacted. Most streets in the urban core have sidewalks and pedestrian crossings for major roads are signalized. As a cost-cutting measure, property owners on the Halifax Peninsula
Halifax Peninsula
The Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
are required to shovel snow from any adjoining sidewalk during the winter months, with improper enforcement by HRM sometimes leading to poor walking conditions.
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