Council orders review of bike lane costs

Halifax Regional Council passed a series of motions at its latest meeting asking city staff to study bike lanes in the municipality.

On June 24, city staff started conducting a study of proposed bike lanes for the fiscal years 2026 through 2029, including cost estimates. The report will also look at alternative network solutions that could lower costs, which are now estimated to stretch into the $90 million range.

District 3 Councillor Becky Kent, who spoke in favour of the motion, told council this was very different from the one put forward by Mayor Andy Fillmore a couple of weeks ago.

“We hadn’t heard about this motion that was coming forward, and then we have it, and no staff report,” said Kent. “I’ve not seen our council behave that way, and I don’t want our council to behave that way. I want us to have the detail, and this to me provides the detail.”

District 13 Councillor Nancy Hartling also supported the latest motion, saying the focus on costs is key.

“The previous motion never addressed costs at all,” said Hartling. “That was never an active part of the conversation, whereas this meets that head-on, so I appreciate that piece of it.”

Deputy Mayor Tony Mancini said he remains supportive of a connected network but is concerned about the rising cost.

“We were able to build 60 per cent of this network with $16 million,” he said. “To complete the remaining 40 per cent, we are close to $80 million to do that, so that concerns me.”

The motion also asks staff to explore external funding options for the bike lane project.