Halifax councillor asks for plan to tackle traffic snarls on Hammonds Plains Road

A Halifax councillor is looking to tackle long-standing traffic issues on Hammonds Plains Road, saying the topic is especially critical given the province's move to take more control over city development.

Coun. Pam Lovelace will bring a motion on Monday to Halifax's North West Community Council, asking for a staff report on what's needed to develop a functional plan for the key corridor between Bedford and St. Margaret's Bay.

"People are spending a heck of a lot of time in traffic congestion and that goes against our climate action plans. It's not efficient," Lovelace said Friday.

"We don't have a road where people can stand safely waiting for transit. They can't walk to the pharmacy or to the parks."

Besides the daily rush-hour headaches, the only exit for many subdivisions empties onto Hammonds Plains Road — a bottleneck that led to chaos during the May wildfire and is a real "safety issue," Lovelace said.

Now is the time to do this work because Halifax took over ownership of the entire road from the province last summer, she added.

Lovelace said the report should consider lifting growth restrictions that have prevented new connector roads between subdivisions, improving storm water infrastructure, modernizing intersections and installing turn lanes for transit and traffic flow, and adding safety measures like crosswalks.

It's clear the road must be widened in some areas, including from Gary Martin Drive to Bluewater Road, Lovelace said.

She also wants the report to consider increased traffic due to large multi-unit buildings going up without public or council input. Lovelace is worried that could happen very soon, given provincial  legislation proposed this week that would allow Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr to approve any Halifax development.

Lovelace said she's aware of proposed projects totalling thousands of new units in the area that could be fast-tracked by Lohr — "which would increase traffic congestion beyond belief."

Brian Hatfield owns Hatfield Farm on Hammonds Plains Road, a popular venue for weddings. He said he plans his life around avoiding daily rush hour on the road, but is skeptical change will come anytime soon.

'There's been nothing done'

"Every new councillor talks the same talk about having a plan … there's been nothing done," Hatfield said.

His guests have trouble leaving the farm because it's nearly impossible to turn left across traffic. But Hatfield said the gridlock has advertising perks.

"They're watching the goats in the petting pen and they're sitting there and reading our road signs and looking around, and gives them something to look at while they're waiting in traffic," Hatfield said.

The North West Community Council will decide Monday whether to send the motion to regional council at a later date.