Halifax faces challenges in implementing complete streets and promoting active transportation due to its historic street grid. The city must diversify its modes of transportation and consider a balanced approach in future projects, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution that prioritizes alternative modes over electric vehicles.
Traffic congestion on the Halifax Peninsula poses risks for emergency services and potential evacuations, highlighting the need for change. When designing rapid transit, transit hubs, and bike lanes, Halifax must also consider the impact on area residents and those with accessibility needs.
With population growth since the creation of the Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP), Halifax should conduct a review to update the plan. Looking to cities like Portland and Saskatoon for inspiration could provide valuable insight.
- s for Halifax’s transportation planning.https://www.saskatoon.ca/moving-around/walking/active-transportation
- https://www.portland.gov/transportation/walking-biking-transit-safety
Action:
Ensure all public transportation is safe and secure to promote public use and employee safety.
Analyze population growth in relation to current IMP policies. Find a balance between urban forest preservation and transportation requirements.
Halifax’s historic urban core faces challenges in developing multimodal corridors. I suggest categorizing streets into priority transport segments, reviewing street layouts, and establishing organized transport routes within a restructured grid pattern. Take suggestions from other cities https://thecityfix.com/blog/from-emergent-to-permanent-3-steps-to-transform-cycling-infrastructure-beyond-the-pandemic/
HRM needs light rail or trackless light rail. If reduction of automobile use is going to happen public transit needs to become effective and convenient to bridge the gap between suburban and potential provincial population with Halifax’s core.
In the past Halifax had regular rail which went from Bedford to the downtown station. Now with Halifax so rapidly expanding this would provide relief for the traffic jams now occurring on the Peninsula.
Halifax needs to explore trackless trams:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/trackless-trams-help-revitalize-suburbs/
What are trackless trams?
Trackless trams have emerged from high-speed rail technology. Versions of trackless trams have been in development for almost 20 years, but in 2017 the Chinese Rail Corporation, CRRC, introduced an autonomously guided tram, a significant advance of the design and technology known as Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART).
ART has the ride quality and service characteristic of light rail, but at significantly less cost as it avoids the disruption caused by installing rail in the roadbed. The vehicles travel on rubber tyres, guided autonomously using optical, lidar, radar and GPS technology. They are bi-directional, and have multiple carriages, as well as safety features and communication technologies that contribute to fleet management and ride quality.
With advances in battery and charging technologies, trackless trams operate without overhead wires and get a booster charge at dedicated stations while passengers’ board. ART has been operational in China since 2018, first in Zhuzhou, before expanding to Yibin and Harbin, with planning and construction of new systems underway in five other cities in China. There is strong interest globally in this technology, with proposals for routes in Malaysia, Israel, Zimbabwe, Australia and elsewhere. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/trackless-trams-help-revitalize-suburbs/
Ensure there is a clear evaluation plan for evacuation of the Halifax Peninsula: