Halifax Harbour Bridges

Halifax Harbour Bridges is the operating name^[1] of a Nova Scotia provincial agency legally named the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission^[2] responsible for operating, maintaining, and constructing bridges over Halifax Harbour between the Halifax Regional Municipality communities of Halifax and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. They also have authority over any bridges over the Northwest Arm, although no such bridge currently exists.The Commission reports to the Minister of Finance and the Nova Scotia Cabinet approves the Commission's financing. The Commission has nine board members. The Province can appoint five members, including the Chair and Vice-Chair; and the Halifax Regional Municipality appoints four Councillors. The Commission's toll rates are approved by The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Bridges

Angus L. Macdonald Bridge

The Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, known locally as the Macdonald bridge or the "old bridge", was opened on April 2, 1955. The bridge was designed by Phillip Pratley, a bridge designer also responsible for the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver. The Macdonald bridge often suffers from traffic problems due to its narrow width, so a lane addition project was completed in 1999.

A. Murray MacKay Bridge

The A. Murray MacKay Bridge, also known as the MacKay bridge or the "new bridge", was opened on July 10, 1970. It is located to the north of the Macdonald bridge, at the Narrows of Halifax Harbour. The bridge feeds into Highway 111, the Circumferential Highway.

Third Harbour Crossing

In February 2008, consultants McCormick Rankin Corporation of Halifax released a report on the need for a third harbour crossing, commissioned by the HDBC. The report shows that cross-harbour traffic is nearing the capacity of the existing two bridges, and concluded that a third harbour crossing would be required by 2016-2026.^[3] The report suggested either a six-lane bridge, costing $1.1 Billion, or a four-lane tunnel, costing $1.4 Billion, from the southern terminus of the Circumferential Highway to the CN Rail cut on peninsular Halifax. The bridge option would allow for two dedicated lanes for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), in keeping with HRM's regional planning goal of increasing public transit use.^[4]

The report listed several options for the third harbour crossing, including twinning of the MacKay bridge, a bridge across the Northwest Arm, and several BRT only tunnels under the harbour, but the Woodside crossing was determined to be the most beneficial.

Initial talks with officials of the Halifax Regional Municipality to construct a third bridge or tunnel across Halifax Harbour began in July 2006^[5] which lead the HDBC to commission the needs assessment study.

The subject of a third harbour bridge has come up several times in the past few decades. The idea for a Woodside crossing was originally envisioned by traffic engineers in the 1950s and 1960s as part of a larger system ^[6] connecting the Circumferential Highway, Bicentennial Drive, and the cancelled Harbourview Drive.

Toll collection

In May 2008 the HDBC introduced axle-based tolling on both the MacKay and Macdonald bridges. This system replaced the old weight-based tolling system that was used since the opening of the Macdonald bridge in 1955. The switch to axle-based tolling put the HDBC in line with most other toll facilities in North America, making it easier for them to maintain their electronic toll collection system, MACPASS.

As of April 1, 2011 the toll for a regular passenger vehicle is $1.00 when paid by cash, or $0.80 when paid electronically with a MACPASS transponder. Prior to May 1, 2008, bridge users could also use bridge tokens, at a cost of $0.60 each.

MACPASS was introduced in 1998 to speed up toll collection and provide a more convenient payment method for bridge users. The MACPASS was such a success that on July 25, 2006 the HDBC announced they were phasing out the use of tokens to reduce idle times at the toll plaza and ensure the capacity of the bridges was not lessened by toll plaza congestion. When the announcement was made, 55% of tolls were already being paid electronically with MACPASS. It is believed that if this number can be increased, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced due to reduced idle times at the toll plaza,^[7] and help alleviate the immediate need for a third harbour crossing by ensuring the full capacity of the existing bridges is utilized.

The HDBC stopped selling tokens on April 1, 2008 and stopped accepting tokens on May 1, 2008. Initially bridge users paid a $30 deposit for a MACPASS, but this was refunded when the token was phased out, and you can now get a transponder free of charge.

The MACPASS transponder is the same device used on other nearby toll facilities, such as the Cobequid Pass, the toll section of Highway 104, and the Confederation Bridge. It is therefore not required to purchase a separate transponder for each service.

The MACPASS and soon to be integrated MACPASS Plus transponders are also set up in cooperation with the Halifax International Airport to work as a payment method at the airport's new pay per use parking facility.

As a user-pay operation that is self-funding, the Commission receives no assistance from, nor its loans are not guaranteed by any level of government.

References

External links

• Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission
• Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission Act
• Newspaper article on both bridges (page H9)

Coordinates: 44°40′7.8″N 63°34′37.1″W / 44.668833°N 63.576972°W / 44.668833; -63.576972 (Halifax Harbour Bridges)