The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Councillors discuss proposed pedestrian crossing
Over the past decade, multiple people have been struck by vehicles trying to get across Highway 101 in Lower Sackville.
Two of those people died making the shortcut, including a 60-year-old man who was hit by two vehicles on the Beaver Bank Connector, near the offramp of Highway 101, in 2018.
The highway has been recognized as a major barrier to pedestrian access for the roughly 775 residents who live in Sackville Manor and the homes along Walker Service Road.
To cut down about 30 minutes of travel time, some of those residents have been walking along the access ramps to Highway 101, then waiting for gaps in traffic to dash across two major legs of traffic — the Beaver Bank Connector and the Exit 2 off-ramp of Highway 101.
On Thursday, members of Halifax Regional Municipality's transportation standing committee agreed that something needs to be done to improve pedestrian access and safety in the area.
They voted unanimously to recommend that Halifax regional council direct municipal staff to work on functional planning in 2022-23 to determine the feasibility of a formal pedestrian crossing from Sackville Manor across Highway 101.
Coun. Paul Russell (Lower Sackville) said he was “absolutely thrilled” to see the motion about the proposed pedestrian crossing come forward, noting residents have been making the dangerous shortcut for decades and continue to do so today, despite the risk.
“This is absolutely needed to make this section of this crossing a little bit safer,” he said.
But Russell said he had one concern with the motion — that it includes a piece about directing staff to initiate talks with the provincial government to install measures such as fencing to serve as a deterrent to pedestrian crossing between Sackville Manor and Old Sackville Road for the time being.
“My fear is that, no matter the circumstance, it would make it more dangerous. Trying to prevent people from using it, they would still use it, I am absolutely convinced of that and it would make the situation more dangerous,” he added.
He suggested that the motion be amended to change the wording from “install measures” to “consider measures,” which was seconded by Deputy Mayor Tim Outhit (Bedford-wentworth).
Coun. Tony Mancini (Harbourview-burnside-dartmouth East) voiced his support for a pedestrian crossing in the area.
"Two fatalities is two too many," he said.
Mancini questioned whether there has been a conversation with the provincial government about cost sharing on the proposed project.
There are three different options proposed for a pedestrian bridge, ranging from $3.4 million to $4.6 million.
HRM active transportation planner Siobhan Witherbee said staff have been in conversations with the province to talk about potential routing and cost sharing to build and maintain the infrastructure, but the understanding was that HRM would be funding the project in whole.
“It could be breached in the functional planning, as we get a little bit closer, the costs get a little bit more clear and we build the community support for it, but right now the understanding is that HRM is paying for it fully,” she said.
Mancini said it's “not too surprising” that the province did not want to pitch in to fund the project, but that it should be a joint responsibility to improve safety for residents.
“This is their community too,” he added.
David Hubley, HRM'S manager of design and construction services, said the municipality has approached the provincial government on this topic numerous times, but the province has maintained that it doesn't share costs for “projects similar to this type of construction.”
Coun. Waye Mason (Halifax South Downtown) said he expects things will change “rapidly” over the next couple of months with Premier Rankin and his new government.
Councillors and municipal staff also discussed potential amendments to the municipality's traffic calming administrative order, which is currently under review.
The transportation standing committee is set to meet again on April 29.