Halifax council scraps overhaul of Windsor Street exchange
Councillors say they cannot support spending millions without dedicated bus lanes
Halifax council has decided to stop the Windsor Street exchange redesign in its tracks, just months before construction could begin on the multimillion-dollar project supported by all three levels of government.
After a lengthy debate Tuesday, council voted 8-6 to abandon the project first announced in 2019.
Several councillors said they couldn't justify spending large amounts of money on the overhaul of the intersection when dedicated bus lanes in both directions were not included in the plan.
"This is not a worthwhile investment given the skyrocketing costs for us, and us getting not even half of what we need to get out of this intersection," said Coun. Shawn Cleary.
The federal and provincial governments committed a combined $34.2 million to the project when it was announced. The funding hinged on improving traffic flow for trucks headed to the Fairview Cove container terminal.
But costs have ballooned since then. That's due in part to inflation and because the city widened the scope of the project to include areas surrounding the exchange itself, said a staff report.
The original $47 million total had the provincial and federal governments paying most of the bill at $34.2 million, with Halifax's share being $10 million. That has now jumped to a $150 million project total, with HRM making up the difference — bringing the city's share to $53.7 million.
Municipal staff presented council with the latest numbers and a recommendation to move ahead with the design brought forward in June 2024.
That would see free-flowing traffic between the Bedford Highway and the MacKay Bridge, bypassing the main intersection. It would also include a dedicated bus lane in some areas, and a new multi-use path for both pedestrians and cyclists.
One of the city's planned bus rapid-transit routes would run through the interchange, which is why some councillors said dedicated bus lanes are key to ensure the whole system works properly.
Staff said to get two dedicated bus lanes, they would have to reallocate traffic lanes, or widen the road to encroach into St. John's Cemetery or the Port of Halifax marshalling yard. This would take up to six years, the report said, and cost another $50 million in construction without including land purchases.
It would also result in the loss of federal funding because truck traffic would be delayed and the project would go beyond the 2028 expected completion date.
Anne Sherwood, director of design and construction, said staff would "future-proof" the project to make sure the new exchange could align with any MacKay Bridge replacement, or allow for cycling or bus lanes in years to come.
"It is not the ultimate, but it gets us significant steps toward that," Sherwood said.
Mayor Andy Fillmore voted to move ahead, telling reporters outside council that he didn't want to see the project scrapped.
"We can't let perfect be the enemy of good," Fillmore said. "We need to solve congestion and keep people and goods moving in HRM."
"The Windsor Street interchange is dreadful, and any slight improvement … for a short period of time would be, I think, what our residents want," said Coun. Janet Steele.
But some councillors said spending millions of dollars for a project that had buses stuck in traffic did not make sense.
'Plan it the way we want it'
"This whole thing has kind of been predicated on going after this grant for moving goods, which I was on board with back when our share was 10 million bucks — but I don't think it really lines up anymore," said Coun. Sam Austin.
"I think this federal funding is in our way. I think maybe we let that go, plan it the way we want it to be, and then fund it," said Coun. Laura White.
Coun. Cleary said that there could be other federal funding that could help pay for a design that prioritized transit, or the province might decide to chip in money given the Joint Transportation Authority's aim to improve transportation in and around Halifax.
The federal dollars for the exchange redesign are also tied to another Port of Halifax project to connect the South End and Fairview Cove container terminals through a rail shuttle. It would move most of the truck traffic from downtown to the Windsor Street exchange, bringing an extra 1,000 trucks to the area.
Program manager Megan Soroka said without the Windsor Street redesign, those "additional trucks and goods that are moving through the port will experience worsening congestion and delays."
Staff said that Halifax alone will now be on the hook to pay for the design, consultants and other works done so far.
But there is still a chance this might not be the end of the road for the redesign.
Coun. David Hendsbee, who voted for the project, said he plans to bring the issue up for reconsideration at a later council meeting.
Three councillors were missing from the vote: Cathy Deagle Gammon, Billy Gillis and Becky Kent.
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