Halifax adding protected bike lanes on Morris Street and University Avenue

Halifax is moving forward with plans to add protected bike lanes to University Avenue and Morris Street in the city's south end.

Morris Street will become one-way for motor vehicle traffic to make room for bike lane

Andrew Sampson CBC News Posted: Oct 02, 2024 7:56 PM EDT | Last Updated: October 2

A cyclist passes a pedestrian at a crosswalk. Trees can be seen in the background. — New bike lanes have been approved for University Avenue and Morris Street in Halifax. (Patrick Callaghan/CBC)

Halifax is moving forward with plans to add protected bike lanes to University Avenue and Morris Street in the city's south end.

On Tuesday, city council passed a motion toinstall multiple new cycling paths in the city, including two-way lanes on University Avenue from Lemarchant Street to South Park Street, and on Morris Streetfrom South Park Street to Lower Water Street, by a vote of 15-2.

District 15 Coun.Paul Russell and District 4 Coun.Trish Purdy were the only dissenting votes.

The two-way bike lane on University Avenue will be built along the street's centre median, while the Morris Street lane will be created by changing the street to one-way only for motor vehicle traffic.

A mock-up shows a two-way bike lane in the centre of a street. The bike lane is surrounded by trees and grass on both sides. — The bike lane on University Avenue will be built in the centre of the street, as seen in this rendering provided by the Halifax Regional Municipality. (Halifax Regional Municipality)

Mark Nener, a city planner who prepared the report recommendingthese changes, said the approval brings the city one step closer toits goal of having an integrated cycling network.

"The new University Avenue and Morris Street infrastructure would be a key east-west connection in the south end of the peninsula," he said at council on Tuesday.

"It would connect to seven north-south cycling routes, three Dalhousie campuses, the IWK and QEII hospitals, the waterfront and the downtown."

A rendering of the planned Morris Street bike lane. (Halifax Regional Municipality)

Three additional shared bike pathsnear Dalhousie University's main campus that will lead to the Halifax Urban Greenwayon Beaufort Street were also approved Tuesday.

They will be located onSeymour Street, Carteret Street, and Oakland Road.

A small two-way protected bike lane on South Street that will connect Seymour Street to Carteret Street will also be built.

A map shows the planned location for three new local street bike paths that will connect to the Halifax Urban Greenway on Beaufort Avenue. (CBC)

The Morris Street lane is estimated to cost$5.1 million, while the University Avenue lane has an estimated cost of $8.6 million. The lanesleading to the Halifax Urban Greenway are expected to cost $1.2 million.

These estimates come with a cost contingency of 35 per cent, said Nener.

The project will now move forward to a detailed design phase ahead of tendering and construction.

The lanes are expected to be ready by 2028.

The city'sfull report is available here.

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