Last updated: March 12, 2026
Project overview
Herring Cove Road is a key transportation corridor within the Halifax region, supporting various transportation methods. The Integrated Mobility Plan, Rapid Transit Strategy and Active Transportation Priorities Plan recommend closing gaps in the pedestrian network, addressing a lack of active transportation infrastructure, and providing upgrades required to enable high-quality transit, including Bus Rapid Transit, to the communities along Herring Cove Road.
The Herring Cove Road multi-modal corridor project aims to implement these planned improvements through the following upgrades:
- Extending and upgrading existing sidewalks to ensure safe, continuous access for pedestrians.
- Installation of multi-use pathways or dedicated bike lanes along the complete length of the corridor.
- Priority measures for buses (bus lanes and priority bus signals) to ensure smooth operation of current bus routes and the future Bus Rapid Transit Yellow Line.
- Transit infrastructure improvements along the corridor.
Project status
A review and update of the Herring Cove Road design is currently underway for the full length of this project.
This work is being done to incorporate new strategic considerations including updated data from the municipality’s new transportation demand model and Regional Council's directive to incorporate the future implementation of Bus Rapid Transit into the design.
Project timelines will be dependant on funding availability. Construction of this project is expected to begin no earlier than spring 2028.
Future public engagement
Owing to design updates and the length of time since the last public engagement process, new public engagement sessions are planned for summer 2026.
This public engagement process presents an opportunity to showcase the project, answer questions, and gather public feedback for consideration in the design process.
The municipality will communicate opportunities for public engagement once dates are available. The municipality will make specific efforts to engage nearby residents and businesses.
Project history
- 2026: With updated data from the municipality’s new transportation demand model available, the municipality is reassessing the project in consideration of this new information, which involves revisiting aspects of the conceptual design phase as part of the preliminary design to ensure the final plan meets current and future needs.
- 2023 to 2024: Detailed design efforts were underway for a portion of this project area prior to the availability of the updated regional transportation demand model data in 2025.
- 2020 to 2022: Integration of changes based on public engagement feedback and the Rapid Transit Strategy. The first iteration of the preliminary design was completed based on the data available at that time.
- 2019: The functional design was completed for the section of Herring Cove Road, between the Armdale Rotary and Greystone Drive. This included initial rounds of public engagement for this project.
Common questions
- Why is this project happening?
Herring Cove Road is the only practical route connecting many communities south of the Armdale Roundabout to each other and the Halifax Peninsula. As such, Herring Cove Road must be adapted to safely accommodate all modes of travel including personal vehicles, transit, pedestrians and cyclists. This project is directly aligned with Regional Council-approved Integrated Mobility Plan - the municipality's plan to connect our communities through safe, sustainable and accessible modes of transportation.
In addition, enabling improved transportation options along the route for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users, some of the expected benefits of this project include improved safety for all users, decreased travel times for those taking transit and improved connections between communities along Herring Cove Road and the Halifax Peninsula.
- What is changing?
The first phase of this project plans to add dedicated cycling facilities or multi-use pathways on Herring Cove Road between the Armdale Roundabout and Cowie Hill Road, as well as the addition of a northbound transit-only lane approaching the Armdale Roundabout. Additional changes will bring safety improvements at intersections along the corridor for people driving, walking, cycling or rolling.
- What is a “Multi-Modal Corridor”?
A Multi-Modal Corridor is a route that supports multiple different modes of travel and prioritizes them based on the context of the area and the principles of the municipality’s Integrated Mobility Plan. In the case of Herring Cove Road this includes pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and motorists.
- Why is the project being built?
Herring Cove Road is the only practical route connecting many communities south of the Armdale Roundabout to each other and the Halifax Peninsula. As there is a lack of alternative routes, Herring Cove Road must be able to safely accommodate all modes of travel. However, support for pedestrian, cycling, and transit users is currently minimal.
- What are the benefits of the project?
Benefits of the project are an increase to all-user safety (particularly pedestrians and cyclists), decrease in travel times for transit users, improved connectivity between communities on Herring Cove Road and the Halifax Peninsula, and an increase in pedestrian, cycling, and transit users for the corridor.
- Why are bike facilities necessary?
Cycling facilities are necessary to provide a safe operating space for cyclists along the corridor. The lack of parallel side streets means that cyclists have few or no alternatives to using Herring Cove Road, and the speed and volume of traffic on Herring Cove Road is high. Better active transportation connectivity is a key component both of supporting the bus system and managing the traffic impacts of growth.
- Why are bus lanes necessary?
Bus lanes are necessary to enable high-quality transit, including bus rapid transit, and prevent buses from becoming stuck behind traffic entering the Armdale Roundabout.
- What is Bus Rapid Transit?
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a public transit system designed to have more capacity, reliability, quality, and speed than a traditional bus service. BRT is typically defined by high frequency service (five to ten minutes headway), lower frequency of stops (400-800 meters), and transit priority measures such as bus lanes and priority signals to enable smooth, fast travel. For more information about BRT in the municipality visit the Rapid Transit Strategy page.
- How will bike facilities improve things?
Safe separation between cyclists and motorists and improved safety at intersections will allow Herring Cove to be accessed by a wider range of cyclists who are otherwise not confident cycling with traffic on high-speed roads. Improving safety for cycling is important for providing affordable and sustainable transportation options for current and future residents of Herring Cove Road.
- How will bike facilities impact vehicle traffic?
Providing dedicated bike facilities that remove cyclists from the roadway will decrease the number of vehicle-cycle conflicts. Encouraging and enabling more cyclists helps to reduce traffic congestion.
- How will the bus lanes improve transit?
Installation of these bus lanes will reduce transit travel times along Herring Cove Road, with the most significant improvements being improving travel time into Halifax between 7 and 9 a.m. by up to 15 minutes. These bus lanes will also significantly increase overall reliability and consistency of inbound and outbound transit.
- How will the bus lanes impact vehicle traffic?
Removing buses from the general traffic lanes will increase storage space for vehicles waiting for the roundabout. At the roundabout itself the bus lane will also serve as a new right-turn lane, which will result in a small increase to roundabout capacity from Herring Cove Road.
- Why not use two vehicle lanes in each direction near the Armdale Roundabout?
The capacity of Herring Cove Road in this area is limited by the capacity of the Armdale Roundabout. Adding more general vehicle lanes is not expected to increase capacity for motorists and would decrease all-user safety by increasing crossing distances and vehicle speeds.
- Why are bus lanes only being added in one direction near the Armdale roundabout?
This section of Herring Cove Road is limited by the Armdale Roundabout in the southbound direction. As a result, buses only experience significant delays in the northbound direction approaching the roundabout.
- I am a motorist, what benefit does the project have for me?
Enabling safe, effective, and accessible routes for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users on Herring Cove Road increases transportation options for commuters helping reduce the number of cars on the road. This reduces congestion and delay for those travelling by personal vehicles. Safety improvements planned for the project aim to decrease the number of vehicular collisions including dangerous collisions with pedestrians or cyclists. Investing in high-efficiency transportation modes helps to keep ongoing growth fiscally sustainable.
Questions?
Call 311 or email contactus@311.halifax.ca