HALIFAX TRANSIT MEGAPOST FOR 2019/2020
It is budget time for Halifax Regional Municipality which means
Halifax Transit's Annual Service Plan (2019-2020) has been released.
1) The last schedule adjustments of this fiscal year are set to come into effect on February 18th. Route 39 (Bridge-Lacewood) will have a new last run leaving Bridge Terminal at 10:57pm. Route 123 (Timberlea Express) will include stops along St. Margaret's Bay Road and it will travel along Chebucto Road. Route 194 (West Bedford Express) will now use the southern entrance to Broad Street and will travel along Dunbrack Street. The Alderney Ferry now has Easter Sunday service. Finally in a sign that the new Gottingen Street transit lane is working Route 330 (MetroX Tantallon) will be using Gottingen Street outbound starting at Cogswell.
2) The proposed Annual Service Plan includes a $0.25 fare hike. According to the information provided Halifax Transit has the lowest adult fare for mid-size Canadian cities, second lowest Revenue/Cost ratio and our monthly passes are $22 cheaper than average.
3) Transit is planning to spend $940'000 on transit priority measures this year. The only projects specifically mentioned are Main Street Phase 2 and a project on Portland Street.
4) This is year #3 of
Moving Forward Together Plan which means major changes to transit in Bedford, Sackville, Burnside, Purcell's Cove and Fairmount.
Like previous years the changes are broken down into Groupings. These should occur in the order listed below. Changes are planned to occur in May and November.
Grouping A:
- Route 90 (Larry Uteck): This existing route will extend service to West Bedford via Larry Uteck Boulevard, Broad Street, Gary Martin Drive to Innovation Drive.
Grouping B:
- Routes 64 Akerley, 66 Penhorn, 80 Sackville, 82 First Lake, 83 Springfield, 84 Glendale Express, 85 Downsview Express, 86 Basinview Express, 87 Glendale and 88 Bedford Commons, 187 Sackville Link, 400 Beaverbank will be discontinued/altered.
- Corridor Route 8 Sackville: This new route will provide corridor level service between communities in Sackville and Downtown Halifax, following the same routing as the existing Route 80 Sackville.
- Route 64 Burnside: This altered route will provide service between Marketplace Drive/Wrights Cove and Highfield Terminal. It will provide service to City of Lakes and areas off of Akerley Blvd.
- Route 66 Penhorn: This existing route will have a routing adjustment to terminate at Highfield Terminal, no longer providing service to Cobequid Terminal or within Burnside Industrial Park. It will maintain existing levels of service.
- Route 82 First Lake: This altered route will provide service between Sackville Terminal and Cobequid Terminal, via First Lake Drive. No service into Millwood.
- Route 83 Springfield: This altered route will provide service between Springfield Estates and Sackville Terminal. It will expand service into new areas of Middle Sackville including Snset Ridge.
- Route 84 Glendale: The altered Route 84 Glendale will provide service between Sackville Terminal and Downtown Halifax via Windmill-MacKay-Barrington. This route will provide service throughout the service day and on weekends, and will service all bus stops along the route. This route will not provide service between Scotia Square and Summer Street.
Route 85 Millwood: This new route will provide service between Millwood subdivision and Sackville Terminal.
- Route 86 Beaver Bank: This new route will provide service between on Beaver Bank Road between Kinsac Road and Sackville Terminal.
- Route 87 Sackville - Dartmouth: This altered route will provide service between Sackville Terminal and Dartmouth Bridge Terminal via Dartmouth Road and Sackville Drive.
- Route 88 Bedford Commons: This altered route will provide service between Sackville Terminal and Bedford Commons via Old Sackville Road and Cobequid Terminal.
- Route 182 First Lake Express: This new route will follow the same routing, in the local area, as the new Route 82 First Lake, at Cobequid Terminal it will continue to Downtown Halifax.
- Route 183 Springfield Express: This new route will follow the same routing, in the local area, as the new Route 83. At Sackville Terminal it will continue to Downtown Halifax.
- Route 185 Millwood Express: This new route will follow the same routing, in the local area, as the new Route 85. At Sackville Terminal it will continue to Downtown Halifax.
- Route 186 Beaver Bank Express: This new route will follow the same routing, in the local area, as the new Route 86 Beaver Bank. At Sackville Terminal it will continue to Downtown Halifax.
- Route 196 Basinview Express: The existing Route 86 will be renumbered to Route 196 Basinview Express. This will keep the existing routing and level of service.
Grouping C:
- Routes 81 Hemlock Ravine and 89 Bedford will be discontinued.
- Route 91 Hemlock Ravine: This new route will provide service between West Bedford and Mumford Terminal, via Bedford South and Bedford Highway. It will expand service to new areas including Starboard Drive, Nine Mile Drive, Oceanview Drive, and Moirs Mill Road.
- Route 93 Bedford Highway: This new route provide service between Bedford and downtown Halifax via Bedford Highway - Lady Hammond - Devonshire.
Grouping D:
- Routes 5 Chebucto, 15 Purcells Cove, and 32 Cowie Hill Express will be discontinued.
- Route 25 Governors Brook: This new route will provide service between Governors Brook and Mumford Terminal via Williams Lake Road and Purcells Cove Road.
- Route 26 Springvale: This new route will provide service between Springvale and Mumford Terminal via Route 5's current route but will not continue onto downtown.
- Route 127 Cowie Hill Express: This new route will provide peak hour express service from Cowie Hill and surrounding areas to Downtown Halifax in the AM peak and in the opposite direction at PM peak. It will have the same level of service and follow similar routing as current Route 32 Cowie Hill Express but will travel on Chebucto instead of Quinpool.
- Route 415 Purcells Cove: This new rural route will provide service between York Redoubt and Mumford Terminal via Purcells Cove Road during the weekday peak period.
Route maps can be found at the end of the report linked above.