Hollis Street bike lane tender issued before Halifax council approval

A proposed bike lane for Hollis Street in downtown Halifax is beginning to move forward, even though Halifax regional council hasn't approved it yet.

Council is expected to vote on the lane, which will extend from Cogswell Street to Terminal Road, by the end of the month.

• Hollis Street bike lane proposal faces little opposition

Although the original plan was to install the lane on the west side of the street, for safety reasons it will now be on the east side.

Brendan Elliott, a spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Municipality, said the change will help prevent collisions between motorists and cyclists by accommodating people with disabilities and truckers' blind spots.

"We want to make sure everyone is safe," he said.

The downtown street, with its heavy truck traffic, will also see a 60-centimetre buffer installed to protect cyclists.

A tender has been issued for the painted lane even though final approval hasn't been given. Elliott said the tender is out but doesn't close until after Halifax councillors have had their say.

The timing will allow the lane to go forward this summer but can be pulled if council votes against it, he said.

"We can hit the ground running within a week," said Elliott.

Another part of the lane installation is the addition of a stop sign at the corner of Hollis Street and Terminal Road, he said.

"We've been listening to everything the biking community wanted us to hear, even the position of the grates," Elliott said.