Halifax Transit seeks feedback on 'dated' Mumford bus terminal

Halifax Transit officials are soliciting feedback from the public while moving ahead with plans to expand or relocate the Mumford bus terminal.  

"It's a bit dated now and not able to meet our current ridership demands, let alone future," said Patricia Hughes, Halifax Transit's manager of planning and scheduling.

Hughes said Halifax Transit is hoping the redesign will create a "more comfortable" place for passengers to wait for the bus. Another issue, Hughes noted, is lack of space, which means buses don't have designated spots.

10,000 passengers daily

The municipality's third busiest hub handles nearly 10,000 passengers daily.

Hughes said the redesign could involve relocating the terminal, currently on a strip of land opposite Halifax Shopping Centre.

"It's not big enough, therefore there's jockeying," said Linda Macdonald, who attended an open house Wednesday at St. Agnes Parish Hall on Mumford Road.

Macdonald said she uses Mumford terminal about once a week.

"I've seen people who miss connections because buses can't pull up to a certain spot and be there," Macdonald said.

'Confusing' terminal

Shelley Adams, a program leader at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, said she hopes the new terminal will have designated bay for each incoming bus in the terminal.

"I'm blind and I have no idea what buses stop where," said Adams, who rides the bus daily. "It's a really confusing terminal, so I try to avoid it as much as possible." 

Halifax Transit is considering expanding the existing site or relocating the terminal altogether.

Options on the table

Hughes said one proposed location is near the village of Bayers Road, where a number of routes start and end.

Another site under consideration is Joseph Howe Drive by the Superstore, where there's a lot of passenger activity.

Hughes said Halifax Transit plans to choose the location for the new Mumford bus terminal within the next eight months, and to complete construction by 2022.