Halifax commits $15M to bike lane network

Halifax has committed an additional $15 million to grow its network of bike lanes.

 “I can’t see an issue. I can’t see what would be the problem with that. It would increase the safety of cyclists, that’s for sure,” says cyclist Kent Ritchie.

Halifax Council passed a motion to turn Morris Street into a one-way for traffic and add a bike lane on Tuesday. A two-lane bike path is also being built on the median of University Avenue at the current site of the tent encampment.

“As a biker, I definitely appreciate that. If I was driving, I don’t know how much I would like it but definitely a plus for us bikers,” says Matt Simms.

The vote on the staff proposal was not unanimous.

“I’m not against the bike lane development as they have proposed,” says Coun. Paul Russell, who, along with Trish Purdy, voted against the plan

Russell noted the inclusion of a reconfiguration of a number of downtown streets and the routing of heavy truck traffic carrying material from the south end port through the city.

“What they’re looking at in this report is using the Lower Water Street as the primary route for trucks and then Inglis Street and Robie Street for a secondary route for large and heavy trucks and I don’t think they should be there at all,” Russell says.

The new bike lanes will be ready by 2028.

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