The government is looking into options that would boost transportation between rural communities and Halifax Regional Municipality, helping lower congestion through the peninsula.
According to a memo from the province, it is seeking partners for an “inter-municipal transit service” to connect people from Truro, Wolfville and Bridgewater with reliable transportation in and out of Halifax. A request for information was issued to gauge the interest and ability to operate such a system within 100 kilometres of the provincial capital.
The interest is offering “regular, dependable schedules and routes” for daily commuting.
“Frequent, reliable and affordable transit service means more options to access jobs, schools, healthcare and daily needs,” Public Works Minister Fred Tilley, said in the press release.
The information will help the government determine if partners have an interest and what challenges officials could face by providing such a service. It would ideally connect to existing routes run by municipalities with reasonable prices, park-and-rides, and buses would be equipped for comfort on longer travels.
The deadline to submit comments is May 20.
“We’re pleased to see this initiative moving forward, and we support the expansion of affordable transportation options for Nova Scotians, airport workers and the travellers we serve every day,” Joyce Carter, President and CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority, said. “Better regional transit connections will help improve access to jobs, services and communities across the province, while enhancing the overall travel experience for those travelling to, from and within our region.”
Stemming from transportation plan
This project is linked to a blueprint the province outlined last year that looks at public movement over the next two decades. The first-of-its-kind plan in Atlantic Canada aims to look into the infrastructure to increase the movement of goods and people.
The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), focuses on Halifax Regional Municipality, with expansions in East Hants, West Hants, Chester and portions of Lunenburg, Kings and Colchester. The report notes that 63 per cent of Nova Scotians live in HRM and it notes that congestion in the area will only increase due to population growth.
Transportation expert and professor at Dalhousie University, Ahsan Habib, said that if all companies across HRM were to implement return-to-office measures, auto trips in the city could increase as much as 43 per cent.
“When developing the Regional Transportation Plan, we heard loud and clear across citizen and community engagement sessions that this kind of regional public transit service is needed,” Tilley said.