Houston says province will use new powers to overturn Halifax bike lane decision

The premier of Nova Scotia says his government will use a new bill to overturn Halifax council's decision on a local bike lane if councillors do not reverse the move, citing public safety and economic concerns.

On Wednesday evening, Premier Tim Houston posted a letter to social media addressed to Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore, regional councillors and chief administrative officer Cathie O'Toole.

Houston said he had great concerns about council's vote last Tuesday to move ahead with a bike lane design for Morris Street that would eliminate a vehicle lane and make the stretch one-way for car traffic.

"To say that I find it disappointing that public safety and economic impact concerns have been dismissed with a simple shrug of the shoulders would be a serious understatement," Houston wrote.

Houston said he remains hopeful that "common sense will prevail," and asked council to reverse their decision by Aug. 6.

If that does not happen, Houston said "the provincial government will be forced to act" and use Bill 24 for the first time. The bill was passed this spring but not proclaimed, and allows the public works minister to override decisions by municipal councils related to transportation.

Halifax council debated the Morris Street design for more than an hour and a half last Tuesday, and asked municipal transportation planning staff multiple questions. 

Many councillors said the chosen design of a two-way bike lane on Morris was the best option for cyclists in an east-west connection across the peninsula that kept most of the parking spaces and mature trees intact.

The premier wrote that the move will "contribute to traffic congestion, create unnecessary public safety risks and potentially jeopardize port activity."

Houston said serious attention should be paid to a recent letter from Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMCI) raising concerns about emergency services in the area.

Ambulance service warns of potential delays

EMCI, which operates the provincial government's Emergency Health Services division including ground ambulance, TeleCare, and air medical transport operations, sent the letter to Fillmore, Houston and other councillors and the provincial health minister on Wednesday.

"Our first responders on and around the peninsula are facing increasing challenges due to increasing traffic congestion and call volume. This directly impacts on our ability to efficiently provide pre-hospital care, particularly in time-sensitive situations where every minute counts," wrote Matthew Crossman, chief operating officer for EMCI.

Crossman said turning Morris into a one-way street could have "unintended consequences" for emergency health services. Emergency vehicles may need to be rerouted, leading to delays in reaching the scene of an accident or a hospital. 

Since January, Crossman said about 22,000 calls have occurred in the area with most vehicles using Morris Street. However, the "full scope of traffic impact," especially during peak hours, remains unclear without further study by the municipality, he said.

A municipal traffic analysis has found the change would increase congestion and delay at two intersections without stoplights at Barrington and South streets as well as Spring Garden Road and Brunswick Street. Vehicles would be diverted to adjacent roads, which are residential streets that "may not be appropriate for increased traffic volumes," the report said.

In his letter, Houston referenced concerns from Halifax's Port Authority and PSA Halifax, which operates the south-end container terminal, who have told the city they were worried about impacts to their operations. 

"Simply put, it is irresponsible to prioritize bike lanes over a key economic driver for the province, which is exactly what the port is," Houston said.

Port, container terminal operator say alternative option not ideal

Trucks leaving the south-end container terminal now take Morris Street as a secondary route when Lower Water Street is not available, a staff report said. 

But after consulting the port and the trucking industry, the municipality suggested an alternative option using Terminal Road, Hollis Street, Barrington, Inglis and Robie streets to replace Morris as that secondary route.

However, a June 19 letter from the Halifax Port Authority said that alternative option involves "many more turns" and narrow streets compared to Morris, sending trucks by residential homes, schools and Saint Mary's University.

"This presents added risks and operational complexity for both drivers, residents and students," wrote Jonathan Chia, deputy managing director for PSA Halifax, in a letter on June 20 to Halifax staff.

A Halifax staff report has noted that the planned rail shuttle solution between the south-end and Fairview Cove container terminals is expected to shift 75 per cent of port-related container traffic out of the downtown area and onto rail by the end of 2027.

"This will significantly reduce the number of port-related trucks using Lower Water Street, Morris Street, and other truck routes in the area," the report said.

Halifax council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 5.

Resident reaction

James Boudreaux, a resident of the area, says he opposes the changes to Morris Street, as he says it could make congestion worse. 

He says he appreciates the premier's involvement in the situation and hopes the city reconsiders. 

"The street's too narrow. There's too many one-way streets in the city right now. I'm a courier and it's a nightmare maneuvering through the city with the one-way streets that are here now, so I don't think that is a smart move," said Boudreaux. 

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Chris Green, owner of Atlantic News located in the corner of Queen and Morris Street, says he is in favour of adding a bike lane because it will improve access for pedestrians and cyclists. 

He believes it will encourage biking over driving, reducing cars on the street and congestion.

"They're setting up a zero-sum argument where if you have more bike lanes, it's gonna lead towards more congestion, which that doesn't make sense to me," he said. "You create better bike lanes and that makes it easier for people to ride bikes and that puts less people in cars."

Read the premier's letter: