Phase 2 Update
Starting Thursday, May 26, a dedicated transit-only bus lane will open on Bayers Road, between Windsor Street and Connolly Street.
The new, transit-only lane will operate outbound (north side of Bayers Road) on weekdays from 3-6 p.m. This interim transit priority measure will improve transit operations along this corridor, as part of the Bayers Road Transit Priority Corridor.
There will be no parking on the north side of Bayers Road on weekdays from 3-6 p.m., and no left turns from Bayers Road to Oxford Street during the same period. No new construction is required for this initiative, and on-street parking on the south side of Bayers Road will not be impacted.
Halifax Transit routes 1, 330, and 194 will be rerouted to travel on this new lane.
This is an interim solution while work continues on the final Bayers Road phase 2 approach.
Phase 1 Update
Construction of Phase 1 of Bayers Road (from Romans Avenue to Connaught Avenue) is now complete. This project is a key component of Halifax Transit’s Moving Forward Together Plan and the Integrated Mobility Plan.
Learn about the new features and how to use the street:
What has changed?
- Taking the bus
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- Bayers Road has been widened and the outside lanes (curb lanes) in both directions from Romans Avenue to Connaught Avenue are now transit priority lanes.
- Transit priority lanes allow buses to bypass traffic congestion and provide more reliable transit service
- The bus bypass lane at the intersection of Bayers Road and East Perimeter Road (Halifax Shopping Centre) allows outbound buses to travel past outbound vehicle traffic, and gives the buses priority when re-entering traffic or turning left to the Halifax Shopping Centre and to the Mumford Terminal
- Bayers Road has been widened and the outside lanes (curb lanes) in both directions from Romans Avenue to Connaught Avenue are now transit priority lanes.
- Driving
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- Vehicles travel on the inside lanes. The outside lines marked with a red box and a white diamond are transit priority lanes. You are not allowed to travel or park in these lanes at any time
- You can enter the lanes to make right turns at intersections and driveways.
- Right turns no longer allowed from Bayers Road to Micmac Street Right turns no longer allowed from Bayers Road to George Dauphinee Avenue
- The previous dual left turn lane on Bayers Road (westbound) to the Halifax Shopping Centre is now reduced to a single left turn lane, and a new dedicated left turn lane for buses has been added
- The right turn slip lane from Bayers Road (eastbound) to Connaught Avenue has been modified; right turning traffic will now travel directly into its own lane and will no longer yield to Connaught Avenue traffic.
- The previous right turn slip lane from Connaught Avenue (southbound) to Bayers Road has been removed and replaced with a standard right turn lane.
- Vehicles travel on the inside lanes. The outside lines marked with a red box and a white diamond are transit priority lanes. You are not allowed to travel or park in these lanes at any time
- Walking & Rolling
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- You can use the multi-use pathway on the south side of Bayers Road between Romans Avenue and George Dauphinee Avenue or the sidewalk on the north side of this segment
- Cycling
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- You can use the separated multi-use pathway on the south side of Bayers Road between Romans Avenue and George Dauphinee Avenue
- This connects to George Dauphinee Avenue, a future Local Street Bikeway
- People on bicycles can ride in the outbound bus lane
- People on bicycles travelling inbound use the multi-use pathway
- You can use the separated multi-use pathway on the south side of Bayers Road between Romans Avenue and George Dauphinee Avenue
How do the bus lanes work?
The curb / outside lanes on Bayers Road are designated primarily for the use of buses. Other vehicles are not allowed to travel or park in this these lanes but can to enter the lanes to make right turns at intersections and driveways. People on bicycles can use the outbound bus lane when safe to do so.
Why Transit Priority?
The IMP has recommended investment in transit lanes on several key corridors to give priority to buses over general traffic, improve transit reliability, and ultimately encourage more people to use transit. Served by five routes with a total of 25 buses during peak hours, the Bayers Road Transit Priority Corridors project is one of those key corridors. Once the lanes are complete, future service changes and BRT service will service up to 10 routes on the corridor and more than 40 buses during peak hours. The municipality is focused on moving people, rather than individual vehicles, to help manage congestion.
Phasing
In February 2018, Regional Council approved the preferred option for Bayers Road. The project will be completed in phases:
• Phase 1, which covered Romans Avenue to Connaught Avenue, is now complete.
• Phase 2, which covers Connaught Avenue to Windsor Street, was originally planned to be tendered in fall/winter 2021 with construction in 2022. However, due to the status of the land acquisition schedule, it is expected that Phase 2 construction will take place in 2023 at the earliest.
• Since Phase 2 construction is now delayed, staff have explored options to provide an interim solution to address transit operational challenges on Bayers Road.
o In March 2022, the Transportation Standing Committee approved the solution for an interim bus lane. The interim solution will repurpose the existing outbound (westbound) curb lane between Windsor Street and Connolly Street as a bus lane. View the Transportation Standing Committee Report.
o The bus lane will terminate at Connolly Street, where it will transition back to a general-purpose traffic lane between Connolly Street and Connaught Avenue.
o This will reduce transit delays, improve transit service reliability and eliminate the interim routing that currently diverts outbound buses on Route 1 to a parallel local street (Roslyn Road).
o The lane will be designated as a bus lane on weekdays during the afternoon peak period (3:00-6:00 p.m.).
• When the bus lane is operational (3:00-6:00 p.m.), the lane will not permit general purpose traffic, however, vehicles will be allowed to enter the lane to make right turns at intersections and driveways.
• On-street parking and loading will also not be permitted in the lane during these periods.
• When the bus lane is not operational (any time other than weekdays between 3:00-6:00 p.m.), on-street parking and loading will be permitted where indicated by signage.
o At the Bayers Road / Oxford Street intersection, left turn restrictions will be implemented in both directions on Bayers Road when the bus lane is operational (3:00-6:00 p.m.). This will reduce potential traffic delays and mitigate the potential for collisions at the intersection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Why is this project necessary?
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Traffic congestion on Bayers Road has significant impacts on Halifax Transit and reduces the ability to provide a high quality, reliable service to residents. Since the current road is too narrow to accommodate the desired transportation vision included in the Integrated Mobility Program (IMP) and the Moving Forward Together Plan (MFTP), roadway widening is required to add dedicated bus lanes. For details, read the staff report.
- Q: How will this project improve things?
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Bus lanes will allow buses to move freely through congested traffic conditions, improving transit travel time, reliability, and allowing more people to travel more conveniently and efficiently.
- Q: How will this project impact vehicle traffic?
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The loss of one outbound traffic lane on Bayers Road between Connaught Avenue and Windsor Street may increase traffic congestion during peak periods; however, the remainder of the Bayers Road corridor will not see a reduction in traffic lanes and traffic congestion is expected to remain similar to current conditions. The removal of buses from general purpose traffic lanes will have a benefit to traffic flow. New turn restrictions will prohibit vehicles from turning right onto George Dauphinee Avenue and MicMac Street from Bayers Road.
- Q: How will this project affect pedestrians and cyclists?
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The addition of a multi-use path on the south side of Bayers Road between Romans Avenue and George Dauphinee Avenue will provide a significantly improved pedestrian and cycling experience.
- Q: How will on-street parking be impacted by the project?
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Dedicated bus lanes require that on-street parking is prohibited in order to allow buses unimpeded use of the lanes. The time periods during which dedicated bus lanes are in effect can vary, and a final decision has not yet been made on the time period during which the lanes on Bayers Road will be operational.
- Q: When will Phase 2 begin?
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The construction timeline for Phase 2 from Connaught Avenue to Windsor Street is tentatively scheduled for 2023.
- Q: What impacts will construction have on the area?
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This project is expected to cause disruption for local residents, and the project team continues to coordinate with utilities and other stakeholders to develop a plan that will minimize the impacts as much as possible.
- Q: Is the municipality purchasing land as part of this project?
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Yes, since the current road right of way is too narrow to accommodate the planned bus lanes, roadway widening and property acquisition in some areas will be required. Municipal staff have been in contact with affected property owners since summer 2019.