Construction vehicles are coming and going in multiple directions in downtown Halifax.
The first phase of the replacement of the Cogswell Interchange will last until the autumn of 2023.
“Then we will enter phases two and three which are expected to take about 12 months each,” said the Halifax Regional Municipality’s Laura Wright, who added the completion date is targeted for 2025.
When finished, the massive parcel of land will be transformed.
"With a multi-use path that runs from north to south" said Wright. "There will be four new parks, 500 new trees, and over a kilometre of new protected bike lanes.”
The estimated price will be more than $122 million.
"The project has the potential to be self-funded once the project is complete, through the sale of land and cost-share agreements,” said Wright.
Blocked off-ramps will back up traffic over the next several years.
“Traffic will still flow to that site. It will flow over the next several years and there will always be roads that go through there," said Paul MacKinnon from the Downtown Halifax Business Commission.
MacKinnon said the traffic delays will be worth it, once the work is completed.
“It will be the gateway for downtown coming in from the Bedford area,” said MacKinnon.
Patrick Sullivan from the Halifax Chamber of Commerce said it should also re-connect the city's north-end to the downtown and waterfront areas.
“Restaurants will be excited to have that increased crowd and bars of course will have increased crowds,” said Sullivan.
Perfect timing, given the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic, according to the general manager of Durty Nelly's Irish Pub.
“Having a larger downtown core area helps welcome people," said Eugene McCabe. "It is going to be a bonus for a lot of different businesses around the city.”
How the city arrived at this point is a story in itself.
The Cogswell Interchange was the only piece ever built in a 1970's plan for a Halifax expressway along the harbour front. It was meant to run through the south-end of the city with a bridge over the North West Arm, leading to Highway 102. That plan never materialized.
MacKinnon said this project will reverse previous mistakes in urban planning.
“There were large concrete obstructions that were put up,” said MacKinnon, adding those obstructions are now finally being removed.
