In 2019, the Canadian National Railway (CN) is completing rehabilitation/ repairs on three cost-shared structures within the municipality at Quinpool Road, Belmont on the Arm and Marlborough Woods. The work includes:
- Rehabilitation to the arch bridge structures (responsibility of CN)
- Full replacement of the paved surface and railing at each location. The sidewalks at Quinpool and Marborough will also be replaced (responsibility of the Halifax Regional Municipality). Note: There is insufficient room for a sidewalk to be installed at Belmont (currently there is not a sidewalk at this location).
The Halifax Regional Municipality continues to work closely with CN, as well as colleagues at Halifax Water to ensure proper planning and coordination for the work at each location.
The nature of the work requires that the three bridges be closed for the duration of the CN Bridges Rehabilitation Project.
Motorists should expect traffic delays on routes normally requiring access to and from the CN bridges at Quinpool Road, Belmont on the Arm and Marlborough Woods.
The following highlights construction details at each location, as well as transportation detours where necessary:
Quinpool Road
- The work to be completed for the Quinpool Road bridge rehabilitation will occur from April 1 to mid-August 2019.
- The work, requiring a full closure of the CN bridge on Quinpool Road, is necessary to complete rehabilitation, repairs, and safety improvements to the aging CN bridge on Quinpool Road. This is essential to continue meeting requirements associated with current rail activity and associated safety standards.
- Through-traffic (excluding local traffic) is closed to vehicles on Quinpool Road, between the Armdale Rotary and Connaught Avenue. No traffic will be permitted to cross Quinpool bridge.
- Free, unrestricted on-street parking is available for motorists along the closed section of Quinpool Road between the Armdale Rotary and Horseshoe Island Park for the duration of the project. A reminder to residents that in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act, vehicles are not permitted to park on-street for more than 24 hours.
- A detour for vehicular, transit and truck traffic is in place and includes motorists being routed onto Chebucto Road, to Connaught Avenue, to Quinpool Road.
- Pedestrians and cyclists will be routed through Armview Avenue, to Tupper Grove, to Prince Arthur Street
- Rehabilitation of the Quinpool bridge requires Halifax Water to install a separate permanent structure adjacent to the Quinpool Road bridge for new water and wastewater pipes.
- Off-street (late fall 2018/ winter 2019): There will be no road closures and only minimal periodic traffic impacts to allow for material delivery and some tree removal during the structure installation phase.
- On-street (spring 2019): Connecting the new water and wastewater mains upstream and downstream of the Quinpool Road bridge will be coordinated to fall within road closures scheduled for the bridge rehabilitation.
- Flinn Park will be impacted by some easement and tree loss associated with the initial work completed by Halifax Water as well as the arch bridge rehabilitation. The municipality’s urban forestry division and Parks & Recreation department are working closely with the project team
Alternative forms of transportation
Residents are encouraged to plan ahead or find alternative forms of transportation wherever possible. This could include:
- public transit
- carpooling with friends and colleagues
- registering online for the municipality’s ridematching program
- using active transportation (e.g. cycling, walking, etc).
Halifax Transit bus detours
Due to the closure of Quinpool Road, between the Armdale Rotary and Connaught Avenue, Halifax Transit buses that service this section of roadway will be detoured.
Quinpool Road remains open for business
Residents and visitors are reminded that, for the duration of the project:
- Local businesses remain OPEN on Quinpool Road.
- While through-traffic (excluding local traffic) will be closed to vehicles on Quinpool Road, between the Armdale Rotary and Connaught Avenue, pedestrian access to Quinpool Road will ALWAYS be maintained - with a detour around the bridge (see detour map above).
- Taking the bus to the area will give you access to nearby businesses. See above regarding bus detours.
Belmont on the Arm & Marlborough Woods
- Beginning in late March, preliminary site preparation - including tree removal - will be completed to accommodate repairs to both CN bridges. The work is expected to take several days.
- CN is making every effort to remove only the trees required to accommodate repairs to the bridges and, wherever possible, mature trees will not be removed.
- Topsoil is being added to protect stumps which will encourage rapid tree growth once the bridge rehabilitation work is complete.
- Once the work is complete, CN will be working closely with the municipality’s urban forestry division to replace the removed trees with semi-mature trees.
- Access to these neighbourhoods will be provided by temporary bridge structures as there is no alternative access.
- Local residents will be updated with ongoing communications from the project team.
- Project updates will be available to the traveling public by visiting Halifax.ca
NOTE: Significant detours are not required. Temporary bridge structures will be positioned immediately adjacent to the current bridges.
Common questions
Why does the CN bridge on Quinpool Road need to close entirely?
A full closure of the CN bridge on Quinpool Road is necessary to complete rehabilitation, repairs, and safety improvements to the aging infrastructure. The bridge cannot be open to traffic as the structure would not be able to support any mode of transportation while extensive work is being completed.
Why were Chebucto Road and Connaught Avenue chosen for the detour?
When mapping out a detour involving an arterial road, the municipality must do its best to direct the traffic onto roads of similar classification. Chebucto Road and Connaught Avenue are also arterial roads, so that is why they were chosen for the detour. The goal is to get motorists back on their original path as efficiently as possible, and avoid deliberately detouring vehicles on to local roads wherever possible.
Why can't I use Armview Avenue as a detour route onto the Peninsula?
Armview Avenue at Quinpool Road will be impassable for several weeks at the beginning of the closure due to accommodate required infrastructure work by Halifax Water. This work involves connecting new water and sewer pipes in the Flinn Park area to the existing pipes in the street.
The sidewalk on the south west corner of Quinpool and Armview will not be impacted. This is why pedestrians and cyclists (who will have to dismount and walk for a short section of 20m or less) can use this route but motorists cannot.
Following completion of the Halifax Water infrastructure work, access to Armview from Quinpool is for local traffic only (no through traffic).
What is being done to prevent shortcutting on streets between Quinpool Road and Chebucto Road?
The chosen detour route on Chebucto and Connaught is where the municipality is advising trucks, buses and regular traffic to travel. It’s important to note that when dealing with detours of this nature, it is typically faster and more efficient to remain in the flow of traffic, as it can be very difficult to re-enter after taking a shortcut.
The barricade sign will say, “Street Closed, Local Traffic Only”. What will be considered “local traffic”?
Quinpool Road will be closed at the Armdale Rotary (inbound) and Connaught Avenue (outbound) for the duration of the project to all through traffic. Any traffic with a destination inside the local traffic only area is considered local. All residences, businesses, and institutions in the local traffic area will remain accessible. However, motorists should not be entering the area with the intention of using residential streets as a means to detour around the bridge closure. Local services such as school buses, garbage collection, and mail delivery will continue to have access. Routes that do not service addresses in the local traffic area will be required to follow the posted detour route.
Will someone be onsite at the barricade to confirm whether a vehicle qualifies as “local traffic”?
Staff will be onsite to remind motorists that they will only be able to access local streets, that they cannot cross Quinpool bridge, and that through traffic is not permitted.
How will this affect emergency services in the area?
We have communicated project details with first responders to ensure proper planning and coordination. Proper planning will allow emergency crews to access the same areas surrounding the bridge, they just won’t be able to cross the actual bridge while it’s under construction.
Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency uses a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system that regularly adapts to road closures, so there is no anticipated delay in service delivery.
I currently use an electric scooter to get around. Will I be able to use the bicycle/pedestrian detour?
All licensed motor vehicles will be detoured via the posted motorist detour route on Connaught and Chebucto. Pedestrians (including those who may use a motorized wheelchair) and cyclists (including those on e-bikes) will be detoured via the pedestrian/cyclist detour routes on Armview, Tupper Grove and Prince Arthur.
What will the construction hours be for this project?
The exact hours of construction are still to be determined. However, the contractor is required to follow the municipality’s noise bylaw. This means any construction that takes place will be within the hours of 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and on holidays.
Does the work being done to the Quinpool Road bridge have anything to do with potential commuter rail?
No. This work is strictly related to infrastructure repairs, restoration and and safety improvements to the aging CN bridge on Quinpool Road. This is essential to continue meeting requirements associated with current rail activity and associated safety standards.
Will residents in the Armview Avenue/Tupper Grove area be able to turn left onto Quinpool Road during the bridge closure?
No. The intersection of Armview and Quinpool will be closed to motorists during construction. Traffic is normally restricted from turning left from Armview onto Quinpool and traffic management is not intending to remove this restriction during the closure.
How much will the municipality be contributing to this project?
The municipality’s capital budget has allocated $845,000 for the bridge rehabilitation on Quinpool Road. The contribution for the Marlborough Woods and Belmont on the Arm bridges is currently being finalized. The municipality’s contribution for the three structures is anticipated to be $1.8M based on preliminary estimates provided by engineers.
How will I be informed of progress with the CN Bridges Rehabilitation Project?
Regular project updates will be posted to this web page, once work commences. Information regarding the impact on traffic, including detour routes, will be posted here. Also, you can follow @hfxgov on Twitter for ongoing updates.