Transportation proposal for the Halifax Regional Municipality

According to studies conducted on recent urban growth patterns, residential and business expansion in Halifax is forecast to expand for some time to come. With the development of residential subdivisions in virtually all of the outlying areas, coupled with offshore and onshore industrial expansion, trans-metro commuting at peak times has become more congested and time-consuming. Currently, long travel times and crowded roads both into and off the peninsula contribute to delays, lost productivity, and the increased emissions that come with several hundred motor vehicles sitting at idle for extended periods of time. 

This proposal, utilizing selected portions of the rail route running from the Bedford basin to the southern Halifax peninsula, would maximize the use of the rail-bed between key points along the route by embedding the existing rail structure into a paved roadway, similar to the layout Toronto uses for it’s trolley system. If developed, this corridor could be effective in linking several known high-volume traffic areas into one express corridor, greatly expediting the travel time of both commuter and industrial transport. At the same time, this would serve to increase the productivity of shipping – particularly via truck - from the busy, space-strapped container terminals located at both ends of the peninsula.

In addition, further study may render it feasible for N.S. Power to incorporate it’s heavy-usage power lines into this design in an underground cable capacity in order to take advantage of the current initiative to reduce the number of vulnerable above-ground lines. This would further benefit the people of Halifax by providing a more scenic background, free of obstructive high-voltage towers, and free up real estate that could be better put toward environmental or residential development in the area.

Finally, for those familiar with related city initiatives such as the Halifax Greenway[i] and the Bikeway[ii], the development of this corridor is capable of easily integrating both plans to create an innovative new dimension to both the transportation and recreational profiles of our city. The sunken railway cut itself is of particular benefit to this plan, as this will save considerable amounts of funding in regard to excavation issues, and I believe the low profile of this ravine will greatly reduce both the noise and visual pollution which any other large-scale roadway plan into the downtown may create. In order to further illustrate this issue, I have compiled viable points from both the business and public perspectives for review:

Key public benefits and considerations:

§        To provide for the safety of commuters and the convenience of rail operations and residents along the roadway, public vehicle access to this corridor should be restricted to peak transportation hours: approximately 7:00-9:30 AM inbound, and 4:00 – 6:30 PM outbound, and additionally as rail schedules dictate. Bicycles and heavy trucks may be subject to different accessibility times.

§        Commuters to and from the downtown area will no longer need to slowly move all the way through residential Halifax to reach outlying areas, businesses and highways, as this limited access corridor will provide a direct route in and out of the downtown area.

§        The issue of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduction has become increasingly more prevalent on both the national and world stages with the development of the Kyoto protocols. Improved traffic flow as a result of this plan will provide a significant contribution to Nova Scotia’s effort to reduce GHGs through increased transportation efficiency as laid out by the National Climate Change Secretariat[iii] and several publications released by the Government of Nova Scotia[iv].

§        From an environmental perspective, it may be feasible to include the proposals for both the Halifax Greenway and the Bikeway into this plan, as portions of both follow similar courses. While the elevated walls in the southern end of this corridor may make public bus stops difficult to site, it may prove to be an ideal route as an express lane to the downtown from points north of the Armdale Rotary.

§        Residents would benefit from reduced downtown congestion caused by heavy truck traffic to and from the southern container terminal, as well as reduced wear and tear on city streets.

§        The ravine-like terrain along most of the corridor would allow traffic to remain relatively unseen, contributing again to the pristine image of the peninsula, as well as the HRM as a whole. In reference, Central Park in New York City has four such passages traversing it, from 65^th to 97^th Street[v], but thanks to their similar sunken layout, they go relatively unnoticed.

Business development benefits:

§        Container terminals at both ends of the peninsula would benefit from the increased accessibility to Canada’s highway network, allowing a quicker, more competitive shipment of goods to and from their ports. Such a corridor would also facilitate the transfer of cargoes between terminals, rather than trucking containers through the downtown streets. This connecting roadway may also make it more practical for both terminals to truck containers to some 3^rd storage location further inland, clearing space dockside for priority shipments.

§        Such a project may be eligible for additional Federal funding under Transport Canada’s Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program’s (SHIP) Highway Construction Component[vi], whereas several of their objectives include:

                                      i. Making the Canadian surface transportation system more reliable, efficient, competitive, integrated and sustainable. 

                                    ii. Supporting trade, tourism and investment in Canada.

                                  iii. Improving the quality of life for Canadians by promoting safer and more environmentally sustainable transportation.

§        Should the Canadian National Railway company express concern with any reduction in business due to increased shipment via trucking, it may be feasible to impose a nominal toll per axle for each truck moving through this corridor. Short-haul trucking to another staging/loading area for rail cargo may also be an option to consider.

§        This corridor was designed for large volume, dual-lane rail transport. From an engineering perspective, most of the capital development for such a project (demolition, leveling of the roadbed, etc.) has already been completed.

§        Bringing an access point to the downtown area near Barrington Street would provide much needed exposure for the business in the area of the access point.

§        This might be a good opportunity for NS power to put some of the high-voltage power lines parallel to this route underground. The cut runs along a major power conduit into the city, and the underground change could clear space for an on-ramp on the Quinpool rotary, as well as provide an additional source of revenue in the sale of unneeded real estate, and enhance the visual appearance of the city.

Security:

§        Currently, much of this rail corridor is obscured from view and difficult to patrol. Increased accessibility to the area may actually help to increase security at both terminals through ease of patrol and frequent use.

§        This route may prove to be extremely beneficial to both 911 services and the provincial Emergency Measures Organization as a quick-access corridor in and out of the city core.

References:

Under this concept, the original rail tracks will remain in place, but will be part of an additional asphalt roadway, not unlike the system used by the Toronto Transit Commission

 

                                          

Blue lines indicate the proposed route for the entire line beginning in Bedford and terminating near the south end of Barrington St. (Red circles indicate possible access points.)

     

This segment runs parallel to the Northwest arm, on the western side of the peninsula. It’s sunken profile and ready-made industrial bed would be deal for improved traffic circulation and reduction in vehicle emissions without a significant increase in noise pollution. (Looking north on Jubilee:)