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  #1  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2008, 8:13 PM
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Dmajackson Dmajackson is offline
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Haifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission

I was browsing the web today and stumbled upon a video on the HDBC's website (click here) that lists what's going to happen with the commission for the next couple of years. I didn't manage to get everything down so i would suggest watching it. Here's the facts i did get though:

-Repairs ongoing on the four approaches from Dartmouth.
-New signs on both sides of the MacKay displaying weather conditions and construction activity,
-They now own the Victoria Street Overpass and are planning to fix it up.
-They are going to dismantle the "Abandoned bridge" on the Halifax side.
-They are painting the bridges a lighter shade of green.

Some HDBC related threads:
Third Bridge By 2016

Last edited by Dmajackson; Jul 24, 2008 at 8:23 PM.
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  #2  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2008, 9:42 PM
hfx_chris hfx_chris is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ View Post
-Repairs ongoing on the four approaches from Dartmouth.
The four approaches? Huh?
Quote:
-New signs on both sides of the MacKay displaying weather conditions and construction activity,
Good, good. Permanent signs I assume, not just those ones they wheel in place every time they do construction...
Quote:
-They now own the Victoria Street Overpass and are planning to fix it up.
That'll be good; I know they're doing construction under the overpass, hopefully resurfacing, that whole stretch is a huge mess.
Quote:
-They are going to dismantle the "Abandoned bridge" on the Halifax side.
Also good! That hasn't been used as an overpass in over 10 years now; I remember when I was young going over that overpass, it always seemed scary because it was so high up in the air
Quote:
-They are painting the bridges a lighter shade of green.
Ugh, I hope it's not that shade of puke green they have in some spots...what's wrong with dark green?
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  #3  
Old Posted Jul 23, 2008, 10:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hfx_chris View Post
The four approaches? Huh?
Good, good. Permanent signs I assume, not just those ones they wheel in place every time they do construction...
The two bridges (four approaches) on the Dartmouth side of MacKay Bridge (Windmill Rd and Princess Margaret Blvd). Yep they will be permnament signs. I think they said 3 on each side of the bridge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hfx_chris View Post
That'll be good; I know they're doing construction under the overpass, hopefully resurfacing, that whole stretch is a huge mess.
The Q&A section on their website implied they are going to redo the whole interchange. They said they are in the design phase and construction should begin later this year.
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Ugh, I hope it's not that shade of puke green they have in some spots...what's wrong with dark green?
Yep that's the colour. They said they have some of it done already.
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  #4  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 12:11 AM
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Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ View Post
-New signs on both sides of the MacKay displaying weather conditions and construction activity
When they redid the MacDonald they bought similar signs for use on the bridge and they use them in a totally worthless manner. 99% of the time they just say "Speed Radar Checked" or something similarly useless. When it snows they have a "Slippery" version that goes up. There may be one or two others they have but I can't remember. Regardless, they are worthless they way they are used. Hopefully these will be better.

I'm disappoionted they don't have on their list a redevelopment of the MacDonald deck where it meets the toll plaza to widen it out and remove a constant bottleneck. That is a very poorly designed area that could be fixed relatively easily.
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  #5  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 6:20 PM
hfx_chris hfx_chris is offline
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Originally Posted by Keith P. View Post
When they redid the MacDonald they bought similar signs for use on the bridge and they use them in a totally worthless manner. 99% of the time they just say "Speed Radar Checked" or something similarly useless. When it snows they have a "Slippery" version that goes up. There may be one or two others they have but I can't remember. Regardless, they are worthless they way they are used. Hopefully these will be better.
I think when the center lane is changing, it displays a message to let you know. But that's about as useful as it gets.
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  #6  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 7:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hfx_chris View Post
I think when the center lane is changing, it displays a message to let you know. But that's about as useful as it gets.
Don't forget that it tells you the speed limit that never ever changes!
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  #7  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 8:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Wishblade View Post
Don't forget that it tells you the speed limit that never ever changes!
I don't use the bridge much but i think there are real signs telling you the speed limit as well. It would be more useful if they put "Have a Nice Day" or "Drive Safe".
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  #8  
Old Posted Jul 24, 2008, 11:54 PM
hfx_chris hfx_chris is offline
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Hell, even if they just interspersed the speed limit with other public service messages it would be a hell of a lot better.
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  #9  
Old Posted Jul 25, 2008, 12:42 AM
terrynorthend terrynorthend is offline
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Time and temperature!! Lets start a petition..
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  #10  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2008, 3:50 AM
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Anyone attending Bridge Walk this monday? I'll be there in full Jedi regalia, with some friends.
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  #11  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2008, 5:15 AM
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Not planning to walk it but if i do i'm sure you'll stick out of the crowd...

Just a little fact i found out recently. The HDBC is planning to take-over the Burnside Expressway (with tollbooths naturally) when its built. I imagine that they will also pursue buying the roads between them (Circ & Burnside Dr).
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  #12  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2008, 2:12 AM
terrynorthend terrynorthend is offline
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Originally Posted by Amanita View Post
Anyone attending Bridge Walk this monday? I'll be there in full Jedi regalia, with some friends.
What is your rank/role? I just discovered an old friend of mine is a Stormtrooper.. member of the 501st.. nice looking suit..
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  #13  
Old Posted Jul 31, 2008, 11:19 AM
hfx_chris hfx_chris is offline
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  #14  
Old Posted Aug 1, 2008, 1:04 AM
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I'm not in the Rebel Legion yet- that's the costuming group for the "good guys" of the Star Wars universe, the sister of the 501st.
I'll have to get some pics during bridge walk and post them, not to mention hoping and praying that the weather forecast changes- calling for fuckin rain. Ugh.
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  #15  
Old Posted Feb 26, 2010, 9:57 PM
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I was looking at Halifax Harbour Bridges' 2008-2009 Annual Report. I found it interesting to read. It says that in 2009 the will "conduct a study on the impact peak period tolling and one-way tolling might have on reducing congestion at the bridges". I know that one-way tolling may have some minor unintended consequences like shifting traffic patterns, but it otherwise seems like a good idea to me.

https://www.hdbc.ca/docs/2208-2009%2...20report-2.pdf
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  #16  
Old Posted Feb 27, 2010, 1:18 PM
Halifax Hillbilly Halifax Hillbilly is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by macgregor View Post
I was looking at Halifax Harbour Bridges' 2008-2009 Annual Report. I found it interesting to read. It says that in 2009 the will "conduct a study on the impact peak period tolling and one-way tolling might have on reducing congestion at the bridges". I know that one-way tolling may have some minor unintended consequences like shifting traffic patterns, but it otherwise seems like a good idea to me.

https://www.hdbc.ca/docs/2208-2009%2...20report-2.pdf
Peak period tolling is an excellent idea.
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  #17  
Old Posted Nov 17, 2010, 12:35 PM
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No hike in peak-time bridge tolls
By DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporter
Wed, Nov 17 - 7:26 AM

Quote:
Commuters who travel the bridges spanning Halifax Harbour won’t be paying high peak-time tolls.

Halifax Harbour Bridges has released results of a study looking into ways to lighten traffic during rush hour on the two bridges. In particular, the study considered the impact of imposing peak-period tolls and one-way tolling.

About 32 million vehicles cross the harbour each year, with weekday crossings often exceeding 100,000, Halifax Harbour Bridges numbers show.

But to get commuters to travel at non-peak periods or to use Metro Transit’s buses and ferries would require a huge jump in tolls, the study found.

"I was a bit surprised," said Halifax Harbour Bridges general manager and CEO Steve Snider in a telephone interview Tuesday.

Even an increase to $3 from the current 60-cent toll for Macpass users would only result in a drop of about 15 per cent during rush-hour traffic at 7-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m.

"A 15 per cent shift would basically be unnoticed by commuters," Snider said.

According to the study, the only way to significantly cut rush-hour traffic on the bridges would be to impose a $6 toll.

"At this stage, the potential benefit of peak-period tolling is not enough to justify the cost to our users," Snider said in a release.

One-way tolling has also been ruled out by the commission after the study showed it could lead to increased congestion in the non-tolled direction and would likely cut bridge revenues.

It’s the commission’s mandate to provide safe, efficient and reliable crossings at an appropriate cost, Snider said.

And at this point there’s not much else Halifax Harbour Bridges can do, he said.

The answer is to improve the transit system and carpooling, the bridge boss said.

To get commuters out of their cars, transit buses would have to have priority on city streets and transport passengers to their destinations faster, he said.

The $175,000 study took about eight months, Snider said.

Bridge commissioner Coun. Sue Uteck (Northwest Arm-South End) defended the study, calling it a "worthwhile exercise."

For Uteck, the solution is to buy more ferries and create more parking at the terminal lots.

Both Uteck and Snider say a third harbour crossing, be it a bridge or tunnel, would be too expensive, with a projected cost of more than $1 billion.

"We’ve got to do a better job of providing alternative transportation and we haven’t. We got denied funding for the Woodside ferry. It’s 35 years old, and not only do we need to replace it, we need two of them," Uteck said.

And to fund that infrastructure, Uteck suggests imposing a toll of 25 cents per car at the Armdale Rotary. "We’re at capacity right now with what we can afford to fund. So we have to find alternative sources of funding."

In the meantime, Halifax Harbour Bridges is looking to increase its revenues through general toll increases. Starting Monday, the commission will appear before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to present its case to have tolls increased 25 cents to $1 for commuters who pay cash.

The commission wants Macpass users to pay a 20-cent increase to 80 cents per crossing. If approved, the increases will be effective Feb. 1, 2011, Snider said.

The last time tolls were increased — to 75 cents from 50 cents — was in 1992.

( djeffrey@herald.ca )
Chronicle Herald Article
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  #18  
Old Posted Nov 17, 2010, 12:50 PM
fenwick16 fenwick16 is offline
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I think that tolls should be increased on the Harbour Bridges and part of the revenue generated could be used for better cross-harbour rapid transit (ferries or other) and to build a tunnel under the North West Arm. I think that the tolls should realistically be about double what they currently are. Maintaining low toll rates will simply encourage more cars on the Halifax peninsula coming from Dartmouth and further growth on the Dartmouth side of the harbour (I have nothing against Dartmouth except that splitting the population on two sides of the harbour is costly). Encouraging growth to the southwest of Halifax will be a cheaper option.

PS: The Halifax Harbour Bridges commission would also be responsible for building and collecting tolls on a North West Arm tunnel.

(source: https://www.hdbc.ca/mandate.asp )
Quote:
With the approval of the Governor in Council, HHB may construct, maintain and operate transportation projects across the Halifax Harbour and/or the North West Arm.

Last edited by fenwick16; Nov 17, 2010 at 2:51 PM.
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  #19  
Old Posted Nov 24, 2010, 12:42 PM
fenwick16 fenwick16 is offline
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In the Chronicle Herald today, there were a few more details about replacing the deck and vertical suspension cables on the MacDonald Bridge. This is a major project at $139 million dollars.

(the complete story is at: http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1213622.html )
Quote:
Lions Gate makeover a preview of what’s ahead for Macdonald By IAN FAIRCLOUGH Staff Reporter Wed, Nov 24 - 4:53 AM


The process of replacing the suspended span of the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge over Halifax Harbour will be the same as what was done to the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver 10 years ago.

The Macdonald and the Lions Gate were both designed by noted engineer Philip Pratley and they are very similar in construction. In 2000 and 2001 the entire suspended section of the Lions Gate was replaced. That meant everything on the driving surface, including the steel underneath.

It was the first replacement anywhere in the world of the deck of a major suspension bridge.
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  #20  
Old Posted Jan 27, 2011, 8:48 PM
halifaxboyns halifaxboyns is offline
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From the Halifax Herald...

Halifax-Dartmouth bridge tolls to rise to $1

By CLARE MELLOR Staff Reporter | UPDATED 1:40 p.m.
Thu, Jan 27 - 12:48 PM

As of April 1, motorists will pay more to cross the two Halifax Harbour bridges.

Those paying cash will shell out $1 per crossing, 25 cents more than they pay now.

Subscribers to MACPASS, an electronic toll collecting system, will see the fare jump from 60 to 80 cents. However, that increase for MACPASS users will be phased in over two equal steps April 1 of this year, and April 2012.

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, which regulates the bridge tolls, released a written decision on the matter Thursday after an application last year by the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission.

The board held a hearing on the matter in November.

The commission has said it requires the fare increase to help pay for significant and expensive construction projects on the bridges coming up in the next few years.

The written decision can be found here.

Personally; I support the increase - it's been a while and the bridges do need maintenance, but I suspect you'll see the ridership on Metro Transit increase too - as more people take the bus.
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