Herring Cove Road bike lanes nixed by Halifax council

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Halifax council Tuesday voted 13-9 against placing bike lanes on Herring Cove Road in Spryfield. The road is scheduled for a $1.2 million repaving project from Old Sambro Road to Hartlen Avenue, and the present four car lanes are considered excessive for the 18,000 cars a day using them. So the city's traffic division recommended that after the paving project, the road be repainted with just two traffic lanes and two new bike lanes.

It's long been established that bike lanes, narrower roads and slower car traffic are good for adjoining businesses---fast moving cars have a hard time slowing down to turn into parking lots---but the Spryfield & District Business Commission would have none of the bike lane plan. "It is vital to the vitality of our Business District and for the Community as a whole that the four lanes of traffic that have served both businesses and the community effectively should continue to do so uninterrupted," the commission wrote in a letter to councillors.

Councillor Stephen Adams presented a petition from over 2,000 Spryfield residents against the plan. While councillor Sue Uteck noted wryly that petitions from thousands opposed to the widening of Chebucto Road fell on deaf ears, the majority of council was not disposed to upset the business commission, and so Herring Cove Road will have no bike lanes.

For the full vote tally, see here.