Halifax Mobility Response: Streets and Spaces

In anticipation of the further lifting of Public Health restrictions, the municipality is preparing to implement adjustments to the transportation network, as part of the collective effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

As the need for physical distancing will remain in place for the foreseeable future, and as transportation patterns evolve throughout the recovery phase, the municipality is identifying required adaptations to the use of its streets, sidewalks and bike lanes.

Municipal staff are actively engaged in planning temporary measures that can be deployed quickly, while also considering what will be needed over the coming months in response to Public Health directives. The implementation plan includes short, medium, and long-term actions to adapt the use of public space and municipal transportation networks.

The municipality will focus on the following key areas:

• Maintaining transportation systems to safely move all residents and goods as the city reopens
• Keeping front-line workers safe, and actively managing and supporting both operational and remote office workforces
• Accommodating delivery & pick-up needs (e.g., restaurants new delivery models)
• Relieving crowded areas (e.g., parks and narrow sidewalks) to support health department guidance for physical distancing
• Creating clear messaging of the recovery effort as it relates to transportation

Our short-term actions include:

• Focusing on solutions to create:
  • Space to Move
  • Space to Queue
  • Space to Load
  • Space to Support Business
• Expanding sidewalks on Spring Garden Road
  
• Adjusting traffic signal timings at major intersections to reduce wait times for pedestrians
• Creating temporary loading spaces for businesses
• Limiting residential streets to local traffic to create slow streets to allow for physical distancing while walking, rolling and cycling
• Creating space to support business by closing Argyle Street to all vehicle traffic between Prince and Blowers streets leaving lots of space for pedestrians to safely move and queue.

We are looking for your input on where additional actions are needed. Your input will help us determine the next steps to ensure all residents have the space to move safely through our streets. So place a pin on the map and fill in the question. Help us understand how we can make moving around safer for you.