Friends Of Halifax Common

Created in 2006 by members of the community, Friends of the Halifax Common is dedicated to protecting the Halifax Common as green space.

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Groundbreaking Study Highlights How Design & Development Decisions Affect Embodied Carbon. (& affordable housing!) https://t.co/00SbkNdqEy via @string

[Green is a mission @Greenisamissio1]

Our cities need to go back to being sponge cities with green oases. Trees are and always will be the best way to do that. 💚☘️🌿🌱🌳🌲🍀💚

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Whatever 53% avg am & 41% pm peak improvements are in minutes, its short term. Wider roads increase traffic, congestion, accidents, pollution. Better solution? Reallocate road space + transit priority signals. https://t.co/jRaGPRLCNM

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Halifax's updated Integrated Mobility Plan targets for modal shift astonish. Relative to population growth a 70% vehicle use target increases HRM vehicle numbers from 350,000 to 605,5000 by 2050. (slide by Halifax Cycling Coalition). Building roads increases traffic/congestion.

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Halifax's $200m plan for a 2nd Robie St bus lane defies data. The most impacted area-North to Cunard- has no transit delay. BRT can fit within existing road space. Wider roads=more traffic/congestion. Why demolish 70 deeply affordable homes? Cut 80 trees? Write: [email protected]

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Global human population is pushing Earth past its breaking point https://t.co/nD4fyWVDwP via @physorg_com Humanity can stay within planetary boundaries but we need political will to tackle issues. Admit that the open for business, economic growth models must hit the brakes.

[Urban Cycling Institute 🚲  @fietsprofessor]

🏙️ All cities make mistakes.
🤔 Good cities learn from them.
💪 But only GREAT cities fix them.

@GemeenteUtrecht took out 1970s car infrastructure to let the water of the #Catharijnesingel return.

(by @thelabofthought)

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Thanks Sasha Izard-The BC developer playbook mimics Halifax. The Urban Development Institute first showed up here with Brent Todarian to promo 4 towers (then 5) atop an historic neighbourhood. Hfx is now a crane-filled demolition zone. https://t.co/rt156ZXvJu via @CityHallWchVAN

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

@Boenau Do you have any illustrations of BRT or light rail that uses a single bi-directional lane for a few blocks instead of road widening to accommodate 2 bus lanes?

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

@Boenau Do you have any examples of bi-directional lanes for BRt or light rail? Zurich has adapted these to within the existing street space buy transit priority signals and without street widening but there aren't these kinds of illustrations. thanks!

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

HRM councillor Virginia Hinch's motion to re-visit look the $200m Robie St widening plan was defeated. Write [email protected] to thank Councillors Cuttell/Purdy for their "Yes!" & remind the rest of Council there's budget & housing crises. [email protected]

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

“There’s more cars crossing the bridge. So that’s what’s called induced demand. You’ve made it easier to drive so more trips are being taken", Councillor Laura White (Halifax South Downtown).
AND $200m to widen Robie St even for public transit will increase traffic & congestion.

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

“There’s more cars crossing the bridge. So that’s what’s called induced demand. You’ve made it easier to drive so more trips are being taken", Councillor Laura White (Halifax South Downtown).
AND $200m to widen Robie St even for public transit will increase traffic & congestion.

[John George McCracken @BigJMcC]

@gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @FriendsHalifax @haeleydirisio @CTVAtlantic @TimHoustonNS @nspc @jen_taplin When you have a #SuperMajority, I guess science doesn't matter much.

“There’s more cars crossing the bridge. So that’s what’s called induced demand. You’ve made it easier to drive so more trips are being taken", Councillor Laura White (Halifax South Downtown).

[John George McCracken @BigJMcC]

@gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @FriendsHalifax @haeleydirisio @CTVAtlantic Meanwhile, @TimHoustonNS and his @nspc govt. get their first lesson in #InducedDemand. Ouch.

@jen_taplin Has losing the tolls helped or hurt? It’s 10% more traffic, right off the bat. #nspoli #nspc #TrafficEngineering #Halifax #HRM https://t.co/ZdGUSsxt3O

[John George McCracken @BigJMcC]

@gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @FriendsHalifax @haeleydirisio @CTVAtlantic @TimHoustonNS @nspc @jen_taplin JEN TAPLIN: Tolls can be an effective way of easing traffic if they’re done right, according to Halifax infrastructure investment analyst @denysullivan.

Halifax bridge toll blunder: Houston’s election gimmick worsens gridlock

Oct. 2025 op-ed. #HRM
https://t.co/s1NMBQfXNu

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

@ndbain @BigJMcC @gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @haeleydirisio @CTVAtlantic @TimHoustonNS @nspc @jen_taplin Better transit, commuter rail, ferry services could make it smooth too!

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

@BigJMcC @gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @haeleydirisio @CTVAtlantic @TimHoustonNS @nspc @jen_taplin Removing bridge tolls added 10,000 vehicles/day to the Halifax peninsula. Is anyone tracking how many more vehicles are coming because of free hospital parking? Losing revenue AND inducing demand vs. working to improve transit, rail, active transportation, public health/safety.

[John George McCracken @BigJMcC]

@gregsaysso @FawcettAtkinson @AndyFillmoreHFX @HfxExaminer @FriendsHalifax @haeleydirisio Who knew that 'fun with figures' was one of @AndyFillmoreHFX's strong points? And the media keeps regurgitating them.

@CTVAtlantic By last year, the total projected cost of the program increased to $85M and more than $66M in work still needs to be done. https://t.co/EBRj8WrkY5

[Friends Of Halifax Common @FriendsHalifax]

Stop the $200m Robie St Widening! HRM budget public participation is Tues, Jan 27, 6pm. Email [email protected] by 4:30pm Mon to register to speak to council, online or in-person. "Don't bulldoze affordable homes, cut 80 trees for a 2nd bus lane, use transit priority signals!"

[Andy Boenau @Boenau]

1963:
“The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar, in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle, is actually the right to destroy the city.” - Lewis Mumford

Today:

[Mark R. Brown, AICP, CNU @CompletedStreet]

Barcelona closed off hundreds of streets to traffic and saw major public health improvements.

Why can't your city do the same?