Halifax asks public to weigh in on overhauling major intersection

If you've ever spent your commute stuck in traffic at one of Halifax's busiest intersections, the municipality wants to hear from you.

It's looking for input as it plans to redevelop the Windsor Street exchange, which connects Bedford to the northwest corner of Halifax and leads to Dartmouth via the MacKay Bridge.

The city has put forward two design options and plans to begin working on the major overhaul in 2024. Construction is expected to take between two and three years to complete.

Megan Soroka, program engineer for strategic transportation planning, said the goal is to help cars move more easily through the intersection at the Bedford Highway, Lady Hammond Road and Windsor Street. The municipality is also trying to make the area safer and simpler for pedestrians, cyclists and people who use transit.

Better access to the Fairview Cove Container Terminal and Africville Park will also be part of the project, Soroka said.

"We're trying to do a lot with one project, but it's a key area," she told CBC Radio's Information Morning on Wednesday. 

2 design options on the table

There are two design options outlined in a video the municipality has posted online. One option uses roundabouts to help traffic move more smoothly through the area, and the other has five intersections with signals that will direct more traffic to side streets.

"Both options have an overpass that connects the Bedford Highway to the MacKay Bridge approaches," Soroka said. "That's the highest volume of traffic that's moving, so getting that traffic out of the rest of the road network will have a major improvement."

Both designs also include new multi-use paths for people not using vehicles. 

Soroka said work is needed on the intersection now more than ever given the growth of nearby neighbourhoods such as Fairview, Clayton Park and Bedford.

Before the pandemic, about 48,000 vehicles drove through the Windsor Street exchange every day, but Soroka said it's projected that will increase up to 100,000 vehicles a day.

On Tuesday, the municipality announced another major project involving a Halifax intersection. Mayor Mike Savage revealed plans for a new 6.5-hectare neighbourhood built where the Cogswell Interchange now stands, designed to connect downtown with the city's north end and waterfront.

Soroka said the Windsor Street exchange overhaul will take time and patience, but the intersection won't be entirely closed to traffic during construction.

"We're looking at very minor impacts to private property, if any," she added. "We're trying to work with a design that works within the existing road right-of-way."

People have until Nov. 17 to give their input on the two design plans on the municipality's website. The preliminary design for the project is expected to be shared with the public this spring.