Halifax Transit - Page 86

Reesor · #**1701** Posted **Feb 4, 2019, 2:47 PM**

The 84 running all day will be a huge benefit to those of us getting to the Dockyard from Sackville at non-peak hours. I hope they keep the same frequency at peak hours that they have now. The 182 will help with some of the load from Cobequid in the mornings.

someone123 · #**1702** Posted **May 27, 2019, 10:26 PM**

BRT report: https://www.halifax.ca/sites/default...0523tsc111.pdf

atbw · #**1703** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 12:39 PM**

Looks like commuter rail is dead in the water for now. Sounds like council didn't think it would work given the amount of control CN has over the rail infrastructure.

OldDartmouthMark · #**1704** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

Looks like commuter rail is dead in the water for now. Sounds like council didn't think it would work given the amount of control CN has over the rail infrastructure.

OMG... you're kidding me.

I guess I have to agree with Keith now - we need to get some council members in there that actually want the city to succeed....

Phalanx · #**1705** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 3:11 PM**

That's the problem with half-measures. If you want to be cheap, there will be consequences one way or another. (Which is fine if everything works, but then you don't get to complain about those consequences)

OldDartmouthMark · #**1706** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 4:21 PM**

I don't want them to be cheap. I want them to make it happen.

Honestly, I've been supportive of improving bike transportation, but IMHO this should be of much higher priority than bike lanes... and it would also help bicyclists who commute as well.

https://www.thestar.com/halifax/2019...-proposal.html

IMHO, everybody who lives in Halifax and cares about this has to complain to their councilors... now. These guys are really disappointing.

Keith P. · #**1707** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 7:11 PM**

Here's the worst part - because the city signed a NDA with CN during the discussions, they won't release any of the details to allow people to see what might have been the sticking points or determine other possible courses of action. All we know are a few vague statements like "I could not in good conscience agree to the deal proposed" and other platitudes.

OldDartmouthMark · #**1708** Posted **Jun 19, 2019, 7:12 PM**

Ugh.

atbw · #**1709** Posted **Jun 20, 2019, 10:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Here's the worst part - because the city signed a NDA with CN during the discussions, they won't release any of the details to allow people to see what might have been the sticking points or determine other possible courses of action. All we know are a few vague statements like "I could not in good conscience agree to the deal proposed" and other platitudes.

I feel like it came down to the city operating transit on lines that would be completely controlled by CN, even if they added new lines. What good is a transit option if another company - that has no real interest in commuter rail - determines how and when you can use the lines?

One point I've seen raised is that there isn't as much density along the Bedford Highway as there is a bit off it -- Larry Uteck, Clayton Park West and in Bedford itself. A BRT system that gives more direct service to those areas (and that services the core, instead of the periphery of downtown) would be far more convenient for people. Throw in some bus lanes through the Windsor Exchange to bypass the parking lot, limited stops, and you suddenly have a viable alternative to driving that can grow with the city.

Keith P. · #**1710** Posted **Jun 20, 2019, 11:12 AM**

If there had been any foresight by HRM it would have been relatively easy to do some sort of dedicated transit route from those areas, likely bus or light rail or a combo system. You have the existing Dunbrack corridor and you also have/had the abandoned rail ROW from the end of that roughly paralleling the 102 down to Joe Howe which is now a trail. Presto, you're on the peninsula. If it was BRT then you are most of the way there already and just need a way to/from the downtown.

I can already hear the anguished screams of the cyclist activists at the prospect of a trail ROW being used for the greater good.

OldDartmouthMark · #**1711** Posted **Jun 20, 2019, 2:37 PM**

Do the feds not have any control over rail service in our country anymore? Is it possible to get them in on this to help move it along?

I dunno... regardless of the situation, it seems a little negligent to just shut down the idea without pursuing it further. The ROW is there, and one would think there must be a way to work around it.

There was recently an agreement reached to improve the container terminal situation using rail, so I'm thinking if it can be done to improve the moving of containers, why can we not also achieve some method of moving people using the same ROW??

It is the lack of details which make it more difficult to accept, though. The way it looks now, we will be tied to depending on diesel buses on existing roadways to eternity, despite the fact that Halifax is growing by leaps and bounds. There seems to be no vision that will carry us into the future, only enough political will to see what will work for in 4-year blocks to hopefully have good enough optics to get elected again...

swimmer_spe · #**1712** Posted **Jun 20, 2019, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

I feel like it came down to the city operating transit on lines that would be completely controlled by CN, even if they added new lines. What good is a transit option if another company - that has no real interest in commuter rail - determines how and when you can use the lines?

One point I've seen raised is that there isn't as much density along the Bedford Highway as there is a bit off it -- Larry Uteck, Clayton Park West and in Bedford itself. A BRT system that gives more direct service to those areas (and that services the core, instead of the periphery of downtown) would be far more convenient for people. Throw in some bus lanes through the Windsor Exchange to bypass the parking lot, limited stops, and you suddenly have a viable alternative to driving that can grow with the city.

Many of the GO, EXO and even the WCE uses CP trackage. This is likely more down to not reaching an amicable agreement than CN simply saying "No".

j.graham · #**1713** Posted **Jul 18, 2019, 7:41 PM**

Halifax council moves ahead with Young and Robie bus lanes

Zane WoodfordStar Halifax
July 16, 2019

HALIFAX—Council is moving ahead with bus lanes for Robie and Young streets that could speed up some of the city’s most popular routes.

At its meeting on Tuesday, Halifax regional council voted unanimously in favour of moving to detailed design on the bus lanes, planned for next year on Young St. between Windsor and Robie streets, and Robie St. between Young St. and Quinpool Rd.

Combined with bus lanes on nearby Bayers Rd., which could be built this year, the new lanes would significantly reduce commutes for riders on Halifax Transit routes 80 and 81, which go to Bedford and Sackville, along with Route 7, which travels Robie and Gottingen streets.

While the bus lanes will benefit transit users, a staff report notes they’re expected to increase traffic congestion for other vehicles.

The first phase of the project, scheduled for construction next year, would put outbound bus lanes along the curb on the full stretch of Robie St. from Quinpool Rd. to Young St. and on Young St. to Windsor St.

The lanes would run in both directions on Robie St. between Young St. and Almon St., and between Cunard St. and Quinpool Rd.

None of the Robie and Young bus lanes require the municipality to widen the streets or buy any land, municipal engineer Mike Connors told council.

The detailed design will cost $250,000, and the construction is expected to cost $1.9 million, based on early estimates.

The second phase would require the municipality to buy land and widen the streets to enable bus lanes in both directions, and the cost is unknown.

“We have a reasonable idea of what property we might need, but we want to do a little bit more design work to test the alignment and see what the changes might be,” Connors told council.

Councillor Waye Mason hoped the detailed design would investigate extending the bus lane on Robie St. to Spring Garden Rd., one of the city’s main transit corridors.

“Ultimately, I think that this is a great start toward the goal of getting transit priority all the way to Spring Garden Rd. and that main corridor there,” Mason said.

Councillor Sam Austin agreed, and argued there may be sections of Robie St. south of Quinpool Rd. that wouldn’t require buying any land.

The bus lanes would be in effect between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, meaning there’d be no parking at the 57 on-street spots in the area during the day. Parking and loading restrictions would be lifted on evenings and weekends.

https://twitter.com/zwoodford

https://www.thestar.com/halifax/2019...bus-lanes.html

Keith P. · #**1714** Posted **Jul 19, 2019, 10:35 AM**

Good luck doing this on Robie between Almon and Cunard. Clearly Mason, Austin and their ilk are trying to drive private vehicles off the peninsula.

someone123 · #**1715** Posted **Jul 27, 2019, 6:23 PM**

An article about reviving the Bedford ferry idea since commuter rail is dead:
https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/bu...evived-328088/

It mentions that council in 2011 considered building ferries that could run at 37 km/h. At 31 km/h, the Bedford ferry would take 21 minutes to downtown.

I am a bit more skeptical of the idea of regular service to areas like Shannon Park or Burnside. Outside of downtown Halifax or Dartmouth, the ferry needs to connect up with other forms of transit, active transportation, or park and ride to be useful.

Mill Cove in Bedford is good because it saves some distance to follow the harbour, the land routes are very congested, and the ferry route would be part of many different transit trips around the north end of the metro area. There is also potential for development around the ferry terminal.

Purcell's Cove has been mentioned a lot too. It would save travel time but the served population would be very small.

OldDartmouthMark · #**1716** Posted **Jul 29, 2019, 3:33 PM**

I've always been a supporter of the Bedford Ferry idea. Mill Cove has a lot of infill that hasn't been tagged for use (AFAIK) yet, so there is available real estate. The water is an unused resource for commuting in that area, that would place no additional strain on our road systems (and our rail systems, apparently).

I think it's a great idea that should be further examined, and most definitely be made to connect with other transit systems (like the existing Halifax-Dartmouth ferry system already does).

Council has always found reasons to 'not' do it in the past, but hopefully there will be some free-thinkers who will work towards doing something vs 'not doing' something...

We need to look toward expanding capacity for the future... now. Halifax is growing and will eventually be handcuffed by the lack of transit options if the city doesn't act soon.

swimmer_spe · #**1717** Posted **Jul 29, 2019, 10:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I've always been a supporter of the Bedford Ferry idea. Mill Cove has a lot of infill that hasn't been tagged for use (AFAIK) yet, so there is available real estate. The water is an unused resource for commuting in that area, that would place no additional strain on our road systems (and our rail systems, apparently).

I think it's a great idea that should be further examined, and most definitely be made to connect with other transit systems (like the existing Halifax-Dartmouth ferry system already does).

Council has always found reasons to 'not' do it in the past, but hopefully there will be some free-thinkers who will work towards doing something vs 'not doing' something...

We need to look toward expanding capacity for the future... now. Halifax is growing and will eventually be handcuffed by the lack of transit options if the city doesn't act soon.

Would it be faster than the current drive from Bedford to Downtown? If so, what is the issue?

someone123 · #**1718** Posted **Jul 29, 2019, 11:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Would it be faster than the current drive from Bedford to Downtown? If so, what is the issue?

The article linked above has a little bit of discussion of this. The ferry trip could be 21 minutes. It's about 20 minutes with no traffic or Google Maps says 20-40 by car with traffic, or possibly more on the bus.

One issue mentioned in the article is a 25 km/h speed limit in the harbour.

I would guess commuter rail was another holdup. Council has never committed to any specific form of transportation for this route. There have always been a few different options.

Nouvellecosse · #**1719** Posted **Jul 29, 2019, 11:47 PM**

I think the issue with a ferry vs commuter rail or other land transit is that with the ferry there's very few options for any intermediate stops. And if there were additional stops each one would require a lot more time and procedure than with a land vehicle. So basically you won't get traffic from anyone except those who want to go to/from one specific location in Bedford giving lower ridership potential and diminished possible benefit.

It might make a bit more sense to expand the current ferry service to include a terminal in Shannon park where there was a large park & ride garage that people could drive to via the cirque allowing them to avoid bridge congestion. Maybe some express buses could serve it was well .

Keith P. · #**1720** Posted **Jul 30, 2019, 10:39 AM**

A ferry from Bedford would be a very inefficient investment. A few runs to DT in the morning and a few at the end of the work day back to Bedford would be busy, the rest of the time, not so much. Since there would be only a couple of vessels the number of people able to use it would be necessarily limited. And of course it would be a very unpleasant ride on stormy or windy days.