Transportation expert says HRM needs to shift from cars to transit to curb congestion problem

CITYnews halifax / By Rachel Morgan

If all companies across Halifax Regional Municipality were to implement return to office measures, auto trips in the city could increase as much as 43 per cent. That’s according to transportation expert and professor at Dalhousie University, Ahsan Habib.

The new year brought return to office measures for many public servants and private companies are beginning to follow suit. As workplaces remove work from home options, there is bound to be more people on the roads. And Halifax is already struggling with traffic.

The annual traffic index released by geolocation company TomTom last week identifies Halifax as the third worst city for traffic in Canada, behind only Vancouver and Toronto.

TomTom also says Halifax drivers lose 111 hours to rush hour traffic every year, which is equivalent to four days and 15 hours.

If you’re a dedicated runner, it might be your fastest method of transportation. During peak rush hour, it can take up to 36 minutes to travel 10 km.

Habib said the return to office measures are playing a part, but also has the municipality’s growing population.

“We need to take steps, we need to plan our infrastructure, we have not responded enough with our population growth to grow our public transit system,” he said.

Habib said the situation in Halifax requires “all hands on deck” and a coordinated response from the municipality and the province.

What that looks like is more investment into bus rapid transit (BRT), or other forms of expediated transit, Habib said.

HRM’s Rapid Transit Strategy includes a network for four BRT lines and three new ferry routes, but that work could take up to eight years to complete. Habib said these solutions are needed now.

“We need to keep our downtown vibrant,” he said. “If we have a vibrant HRM, we have a better Nova Scotia.”

Once a robust transit system is implemented int he downtown core, Habib said it can expand to the suburbs and connect to the regional transit system.

“We need to shift our gear,” he said. “We need to take a demand management approach.”

While transit solutions won’t be implemented overnight, individual acts can help limit congestion. It you are returning to work or taking more trips than usual, consider taking public transit.