The proposed expansion of Metro Transit’s Bridge Terminal is one step closer to reality, as Halifax council Tuesday gave its final OK to placing the new terminal on land occupied by the Urban Wilderness Park in the Dartmouth Common.
Council still has to approve architectural plans and allocate the money to build the terminal but, judging by councillors’ statements Tuesday, those actions should present no substantial impediments to the project. If all goes according to plan, construction will start this construction season, with completion in 2011.
Many Dartmouth residents say the removal of the wilderness park and building a large bus terminal next to Dartmouth high school is emblematic of Halifax disdain for Dartmouth. “If this was a proposal to build a bus terminal on the Halifax Common next to Citadel High, we wouldn’t be here,” said Jane MacKay, a former member of the old Dartmouth school board. “It wouldn’t be a question—it’d be impossible.”
City staff countered that there is simply no other site for the terminal. Placing it west of Wyse Road or at Alderney Landing was rejected for a variety of logistical reasons (see tinyurl.com/BadTerminalIdeas). An earlier plan to simply extend the existing terminal up Nantucket Avenue was changed after Dartmouth High students and staff objected that the terminal came within 80 feet of the school building.
The amended plan places the terminal perpendicular to Nantucket, stretching to Thistle Street. At it’s closest, the terminal will be about 300 feet from the school building, with the school’s sports field in between. The terminal will be dug into the hill—18 tonnes of slate will be removed—and so, argues staff, the hill will shield the school from the sound and glare of the terminal.
“It’s a very tough decision for me,” said Dartmouth councillor Gloria McCluskey. “If there was any other site, I wouldn’t be supporting this, but there is no other site.”
The new terminal will have 18 bus bays, a heated waiting area with snack bar and much-needed washrooms. It will cost $9.5 million to build.
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2010.
The report Tim links to pretty much answers most of the questions people have as to the whys and why nots. All things considered, this new terminal should reduce fuel burned and emissions from us drivers not constantly circling the block to stay out of each others’ way. If this is done right, I think the end result will be agreeable to all involved.
As for the loss of common land, the same residents who opposed the terminal for that reason may want to direct their attention towards the unused Wyse/Faulkner lot. It’s not much, but it could house green space if it just gets some TLC from the neighborhood and the city.
The terminal is a good idea. I just hope the washrooms stay open longer than a week.
From http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/doc…
“There has never been a specific site considered on Alderney Drive. The Alderney Drive area is not considered a suitable candidate site for the following reasons…There are no parcels of land available that are large enough to accommodate the footprint of the proposed terminal”
There is a shit load of city owned land in that area, and because of the grade on those lots across from Belmont house and next to Alderney Gate, they could’ve had a two level structure – one level for inbound, one level for outbound, tied into a pedway that connects to the ferry terminal.
Or, they could have used the lot across from the senior citizens complex (Geary Street) which is a parking lot for City officials… but yeah, wouldn’t want to inconvenience any of those single rider cars driven by members of our planning department who work at Alderney Gate! lol.
Then they go on to state “passengers would be forced to travel approximately two additional kilometers” with a Terminal at Alderney Landing. Even though, at most, it is an additional 450-750m away. So in other words they exaggerate on the facts to support their own suppositions.
They could’ve kept the Terminal they had at the Bridge for those wishing to travel between Halifax and Burnside, North Dartmouth, MicMac Mall, Westphal and Port Wallace… but I guess that would be too progressive for the ignoramuses who plan for transit in this city.
As with most things in this city, these studies and documents they put out after a “decision” has been made are only there to support their choices and offer no real substance or discussion on alternatives. Such a sad state of affairs.
Another knock for Downtown Dartmouth, or does City Hall consider the Bridge terminal area Downtown Dartmouth in the first place and can’t understand the distinction? Probably.
I don’t think that it’s a knock on downtown, Dartmouthy. Realistically, If they were to put the new terminal in the area you suggested, that’s still an extra 1.5 KM round trip, including one more light for them to wait at (and they would probably need to add another light to allow bus traffic to flow into Geary). While I’m sure that the projected extra $550 K is probably a grievous overstatement, there would be extra operating costs.
It would be an extra two minute trip for some select routes, but couldn’t they keep the present terminal they have at the bridge to service those routes, and build a smaller central terminal next to Alderney for the rest (majority) of routes it wouldn’t inconvenience?
Wouldn’t that save money (and GHG) AND be more convenient for everyone, while adding significant value to Downtown Dartmouth, which could use the help?
I just hate that Dartmouth is allowed to become (more of a ) fragmented cesspool from planners with their heads so stuck up their ass they wouldn’t know a viable alternative if it slapped them in the face.
The Bridge is not Downtown Dartmouth, why is it the recipient of all the infrastructure funding?? Anywhere else it would be a no-brainer to put a transit terminal in the downtown of a community – except of course here in the HRM.
I also noticed in that report there was no mention of Downtown Dartmouth, from HRM’s perspective it apparently doesn’t even exist.
They call it “Dartmouth Regional centre” now. There you go lol.
I see what you’re saying; so two separate terminals. However, they need to replace the bridge terminal. Even if you were to eliminate routes that service places like Cole Harbour or Eastern Passage, the existing routes that would strictly service the bridge terminal would still create overflow. Secondly, I’m sure that the costs would be similar or greater (to the planned terminal) separating the two.
To the point of Downtown Dartmouth: HRM barely focuses on Downtown Halifax, let alone Downtown Darkside. Secondly, Downtown Dartmouth has more of a problem than just access (primarily the VLT dens), although I’m sure it would help.
A bus terminal at Alderney would force Transit to integrate the ferry schedules with the bus schedules, something they are loath to do, or incapable of doing. If you live north of the Sportsplex it is virtually impossible to use the ferry in conjunction with buses on the Dartmouth side, because the routes and schedules are not designed to work together. After a 12 minute ferry ride to Dartmouth you are forced to wait 30-60 minutes for a bus to take you northbound. Unacceptable.
Bo Gus— actually, on Upper Water Street waits are usually in the 15 minute range, less at peak hours, and you can go just up the hill to catch any number of buses heading into the city. The buses that service just Alderney and not the bridge, match up with the ferry during peak hours. Not to mention, if you’re heading east into places like Eastern Passage, you can catch the Woodside ferry. Putting all of that traffic at Alderney makes no sense.
Yes all that traffic on a 4 lane arterial road, totally ridiculous… especially considering were talking foot traffic here with transit. LOL
What is totally ridiculous is the vacuous thinking of our city council. Tax tax, spend (poorly and unwisely)
And if everything was left as it was, you’d be complaining that there’s congestion at the existing terminal or that Metro Transit can’t expand service to Dartmouth. Can’t have it both ways.
Dr. Fever: I was referring to the Dartmouth side only. And there, you cannot get a bus heading north to the Bridge Terminal, where all other northbound/eastbound buses are found, without close to an hour wait at times in front of Queen Square. It is totally ridiculous scheduling.
It’s the loss of the “wilderness area” that hurts the community most. Now the students @ DHS will only be able to see the endangered Tim Horton’s Cup, Plastic Mickey of Lemon Gin, and Used , Ribbed, Pre-Lubed Condom with Reservoir Tip in zoos and nature documentaries – not their natural environment. Very sad.
I hate to say this but I’m happy about this move. I have to walk by there everyday and live not to far from it and that part is the most dangerous place in the area( all the residents who live in the area do know this). People have been murdered in the wilderness area, people go there to do drugs and people get robbed there. I bet the people who are oppose this don’t even live in the area or use the Bridge Terminal on a daily basis. The removal of this wilderness area will clean up this part of the city and what is even more funny there are ZERO animals that live there and the only wild life that use it are the drug dealers, people who dump murdered people and oh Yes the people who use it to do drugs. I bet if this was going on in Bedford, Lower Sackville, or in South end Halifax they city would have removed it and no one would be opposed to it.
When was anyone murdered there? What bodies were dumped there? Wow the imaginations of some to prove a point is ridiculous! Make up whatever you want, as you were, don’t mind me… lol!