        
  Tweet
  
  Pin It
  
Share

« Atlantic Gateway fallacies | Tall Buildings »

Thursday, April 10, 2008

A transit proposal

Posted by Tim Bousquet on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 1:06 PM

My job over the next few years, I fear, is to document exactly how Nova Scotia refuses to take global warming seriously.

It’s true that last year the legislature passed the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act, which mandates, as law, that we meet a greenhouse-gas emission reduction target of 10 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 (we are presently about 20 percent above 1990 levels). And if the stars align just perfectly---if politically powerful industrial giants don’t derail the provincial energy efficiency program, if the requirements for the use of renewable energy are ramped up considerably and if (sadly, but true) the economy stumbles into recession---it may yet be possible for us to just barely meet the GHG reduction target in the electrical generation sector of the economy.

Electrical generation accounts for about 45 percent of our GHG emissions, so meeting the target in that sector is a good start. But there’s no chance of meeting the overall dictates of the law if we don’t also address the next biggest chunk of GHG emissions---the 27 percent or so that comes from transportation.

When it comes to transportation, however, we are poised to increase, not decrease, GHG emissions. Last month, for instance, the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission called for building a six-lane bridge from Halifax’s south end to Woodside, increasing cross-harbour traffic by 20,000 single-occupancy vehicles each day by 2016.

How do you increase the use of cars while decreasing GHG emissions? The best anyone could come up with was the rather lame “you increase engine efficiency” offered up by a city staffer. Don’t hold your breath on that one---average fuel consumption per vehicle has gone through the roof since 1990 as we’re driving bigger vehicles (SUVs) and longer distances (the suburban commute). Even adopting the vaunted California emission standards (which we were supposed to do last year, a non-event that has been swept under the rug) won’t bring us anywhere near our 1990 GHG emission levels, much less below them.

Let’s be clear: There is no way to meet our GHG target without getting people out of their cars and onto transit. And we can’t do that by building a car-friendly bridge. As I see it, the only possible way to meet our legally required GHG goal is to implement a congestion surcharge in Halifax and use the proceeds to fund transit.

Luckily, our geography is helpful. We have just two bridges connecting the fast-growing eastern suburbs to Halifax. The tolls on those bridges are absurdly low---75 cents. If we increased the toll to $2 (the same price as bus fare), we’d raise about $40 million annually that could be used to fund a fast ferry to Eastern Passage and to add enough cross-harbour buses that most commuters would not wait longer than five minutes. Giving buses the right of way across the bridges would be further incentive for commuters to use transit.

The same sort of system (hello, MACPASS) could be used on the Bedford Highway, the Bi-Hi and through the Rotary to fund quick, reliable transit systems to our northern and western suburbs.

Yes, it’ll take rare political leadership to make such a system a reality. But it’s either that, or we fail to meet the targets that are intended to save the planet. And I really don’t want to write that future editorial about how today’s “leaders” should be held criminally responsible for ignoring the law.

Survey Asks

Do you agree with Halifax's school board cutting 152 teachers?

Comments (1)

Showing 1-1 of 1

Add a comment

Notwithstanding the fact that San Fran already has a $4-$5 toll on the Golden Gate, they're looking at a specially increased "congestion fare" ... peak pay for peak periods. Add to that special carpool lanes and fierce fines for infractions. Given the parking and traffic situation in downtown Hali, few people actually want to drive there. A better mousetrap is all it would take, with the right carbon-conscientious cheese. "For Preventing The Poor People in HalifaxFrom Being Aburden to Their City or Country, andFor Making Them Beneficial to The Planet"

report