Metro Transit, which operates public transit services in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), recently opened its new $14.7 million Bridge Terminal, a portion of which was funded through the Government of Canada Gas Tax Fund. The Bridge Terminal is the busiest transit terminal in HRM and Atlantic Canada, serving over 23,000 passengers each weekday.
Investment in transportation has been a key focus area of Halifax Regional Council over the past several years as part of its vision to provide citizens with an affordable, efficient and sustainable public transit system. The new terminal is integral to meeting this objective and will provide much improved onsite amenities, accessibility, security, and overall customer experience, including:
• 16 accessible bus bays, enabling all passengers to board from the platform, significantly improving onsite accessibility and safety of passengers boarding and disembarking.
• Fully enclosed, climate-controlled, passenger waiting area with a visitor kiosk, separate public and staff washrooms, operator lounge, improved customer information displays, and onsite bicycle storage.
• Increased safety and security through onsite security personnel, remote access security cameras, and strategic landscaping for increased site visibility.
• Accessible pedestrian bridge connecting adjacent streets to the terminal, with a landscaped green roof with seating.
• Building designed to meet LEED Silver specifications through various architectural and environmental features including the green roof.
With the new Bridge Terminal in place, Metro Transit can provide a more efficient and effective public transit system for HRM citizens, and based on the positive and enthusiastic feedback from passengers since it opened — with comments such as "I’m loving the new terminal layout" and "The new Bridge Terminal is a huge improvement" — it appears that they are one step closer to making that a reality.
