HRM piloting new traffic calming measure on Robie Street

Crews are installing six sets of ‘speed cushions’

CITYnews halifax \ Meghan Groff

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Halifax Regional Municipality is piloting a new traffic calming measure on Robie Street.

Crews are installing six sets of “speed cushions” between Wells Street — in front of Highland Park Junior High — and Stairs Street.

There will also be one “speed table” between Livingstone Street and Stairs Street, which is a raised section of roadway with a flat-top.

“Like a speed table, speed cushions are vertical deflections in the roadway that drivers must slow to cross,” explained HRM on its website.

“They’re different from speed tables because they include channels designed for large vehicles like transit buses and fire trucks, to pass through with minimal impact.”

According to HRM, the wheels of regular passenger vehicles — like cars and SUVs — are too narrow to fit in the channels, so they need to go over the elevated section of road.

Cyclists can either ride through the channelled section, or go over the speed cushion.

“There is no impact to on-street parking, though drivers should use caution when driving on traversing speed cushions with vehicles parked on street,” the municipality added.

If speed cushions are successful, they could pop up in other areas.

This is the latest measure to slow down traffic on the section of Robie Street north of where it veers off from Massachusetts Avenue.

In May, HRM converted the intersections of Robie and Stairs streets, and Robie and Columbus streets, to all-way stops.