Exploring Halifax's Cycling Infrastructure | Cycling in Canada

While back in my hometown of Halifax Nova Scotia I went for an explore around town to check out how Halifax is getting on with implementing cycling infrastructure. I've been curious about how things are since I read a tweet by Mayor Savage saying he was going to make Halifax a cycling city. Cycling in Canada is different than Europe for sure, wider roads and a more car centric culture make things interesting. Sadly there were as few women on bikes here as in London, a sure sign there is much to be done to improve the cycling infrastructure.
Here are my views on what I saw of the cycling infrastructure in Halifax and Dartmouth. Those of you from the UK will be amazed at how wide the roads are.
Cycling Across Canada Website: cyclingacrosscanada.com
Strava Michelle: www.strava.com/athletes/6288849
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Please watch: "Cycling Across Canada | Coast to Coast In 13.5 minutes |

[@purplebrick]

Thanks for doing this video! Sorry to say there has been very little positive change here in Halifax over the last six years in regards to cycling.

[@crubex01]

I've been living in Halifax for a couple years now and I've always wanted to cycle around it, but I've never had the courage for it. I already feel like I'm in enough danger just trying to walk from place to place some days. The complete lack of sidewalks in some areas baffles me. I'm always hearing about plans to install new bike lanes here and there but not much seems to come of it. I'm still hopeful though! If there were more dedicated lanes I would be more likely to finally try cycling around.

[@ellabooray]

I lived in Halifax in 2015 and loved the city, so it was lovely to see it again in the video. When I was back in 2019 I hired a bike for a few hours, and went to the South End and Point Pleasant - just lovely

[@fidenemini4413]

I lived in Halifax about 10 years ago, I can still remember the route I went to work and a lot places in your video lol

[@PaulHVAC1]

Really enjoyed this. I had a spent some time in Halifax last summer and absolutely loved it. As I am from Alberta with the prairies and the Rockie Mountains it was so awesome to see the beauty of the Atlantic Maritime. So it was so fun to watch your shots from parts of Halifax and Dartmouth I enjoyed last summer. Also born there but we moved west when I was very young so it was nice to go back to my birthplace. Love your videos, Keep them going. Cheers from Alberta 👍🚴

[@kmac257]

Love this city, and miss living there. So many familiar sights in this video! Nice to see that Dal has some bike lanes now, they definitely didn't when I was there.

[@OneLessCar]

It's a great place to live and I'm happy to see some of the holes in the downtown getting built on. Having bike lanes built into the fabric of Halifax would be great, it's a good size city for cycling. A lot of work to do especially around the education of drivers about bike lanes and how to drive around cyclists.

[@MohCais]

A lovely and dream place to live. I'm much exciting to visit Halifax

[@TheMacmanuk]

It's great to see Halifax again after completing my TransCanada trip. I didn't bike much in the city but did recall seeing heaps of cars parked in the bike lanes, a sad sight! Were those beers at the Garrison Brewery? Great video, thanks

[@OneLessCar]

Thanks, glad it brought back good memories. It was Garrison, but only due to convenience, the beer at Battery Park in Dartmouth is better IMO 😀 Halifax seems to have a thing for flavouring beer which I can't quite understand.

[@kellyneildotcom]

So neat to see 'home' through a cyclist's eyes! I have a new appreciation, and understanding, now.

[@OneLessCar]

When you spend a few hours riding a bike in a city for transport you see that city in a whole new light. You also see things you probably never noticed before when in a car going 50km/h!

[@dukeloo]

Thank You for sharing. I have some cousins that live in Nova Scotia.

[@serkanister3620]

Awesome video, surprisingly here in Toronto, designed bike paths are more common and they adding more lines in every other day. And yes illigal parking on bike path common also 😒 worst thing about commuting daily is stolen bike! Dont matter where do you park your bike or what kind of lock you are using, thiefs are go thru it. So stop purchasing nice bikes anymore. Overall i thing Canada is one of the most beautiful country for biking. Ohh btw you guys are inspiring. I m also planning to crosscountry bike packing, if i overcome my bear fobby 😁. Keep up to good videos guys!

[@OneLessCar]

+Serkan Ister thanks for the comment. I was afraid of the bears too so we didn't wild camp until after the Prairies. They are pretty shy themselves though and as long as you don't surprise one or get between a mom and her babies you're pretty safe. 🐻 The Humber Valley trail was what allowed us to visit Toronto, without it having to travel all those miles on a loaded bike in traffic would have been pretty tedious. Also been following the Blower Street bike lane and the police man ticketing those parking in bike lanes who got pulled from twitter! Hopefully one day there won't have to be so much drama over a few kilometres of bike lanes!

[@serkanister3620]

Ride On Cycling Twitter omg thats awesome! You definitely right about bears, they are shy. My concern is night time when i camp. Well i think there is bigger possibility run Over by vehicle then attack by bear. I need to stop watching horror movies i guess 😁

[@charmaineirugalbandara6950]

Lovely video enjoyed, My son studying at St Mary's university my wish to visit one day from Sri/ L thanks so much 😍

[@evren1669]

Always found Halifax somewhat beguiling - looks lush around those parts, but are there winters harsh? Could you cycle in the winter there?

[@OneLessCar]

Winters aren't harsh by Canadian standards but they are long and messy. It will rain, freeze, snow, rain on top of that... That kind of thing. Studded tires would probably be a good idea for at least Jan/Feb.

[@Beach652]

You cycled through the rotary!!! I was always nervous to drive through that, much less cycle. I think it's sad about the roads in Dartmouth - the super wide ones. If they were fully built out - with sidewalks and tree boulevards on both sides, it would make it a normal sized street and would make people drive more slowly. I assume they didn't build these bits for budget reasons, so they just paved the whole shebang property line to property line and now everything is a raceway. :(

[@OneLessCar]

+Lisa it is the people on those streets complain the traffic goes too fast. The interchange is less scary than navigating up Main street. Hoping when they "redevelop" it they remember to factor in cycling. However those from Cole Harbour who use it as a cut through will be sure to complain if they reduce any of the road space.

[@Beach652]

The people who live on those streets should be demanding sidewalks and street trees! Then they'd have a narrower street, less speeding, and sidewalks and street trees! win win win. I can only imagine the battles Halifax planners face when trying to implement proper bike infrastructure, must be tough.

[@OneLessCar]

You should have seen what happened to the street below (I think a councillor lived on it) they added some traffic calming curbs, it was a ridiculous eyesore and was ripped out less than a year later. Trees and sidewalks would have been a much better idea I'm not sure why the obvious is so hard to do.

[@OneLessCar]

I was back in my hometown a few weeks ago went for a ride to check out what's new and what the cycling "infrastructure" is like. What do you think, can Halifax do better?

[@albertomarmi2499]

compared to the italian "infrastructure".. halifax did a good job...but...can do better..🙂

[@OneLessCar]

+Alberto Marmi I can't recall seeing any cycling infrastructure in Florence, Rome Pisa or any of the smaller places in Italy I've been. I imagine you have to be a confident cyclists in an Italian city.

[@albertomarmi2499]

cycling infrastructure in Italy? few and sometime ruined...i am from venice and i live in a small city (mirano)..i'm not confidence..ride in big city is dangerous..and i prefer country road or gravel path than the street. 🙂

[@jdonald24]

Should have a small group ride next time you are over. :)

[@bingzaniGercel]

I hope yess🙂 One think i hate is the agressive helmet laws in ns. Crazy that not even cyclists but also an adult inline skater or an grown man on a kid razor scooter must wear helmet or face a big fine...

[@dickmartino9933]

We probably have to accept some traffic in bike lines in large town centres. Great that the picture was still steady after beers.

[@OneLessCar]

Must have been the camera's stabilization. I disagree, a bike lane is a bike lane, not a parking spot for cars.... otherwise what is the point.

[@chloedillard8717]

Hi there! I was wondering what kind of bike you are riding? I would love to find one myself! Thank you kindly :)

[@OneLessCar]

It's a vintage Peugeot. You cans see it in detail here kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6LTqa2GaZZkZ9k and learn about how I got it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJiTqJ-LYp6ce7c :)

[@chloedillard8717]

Thank you for your help!

[@HalleyDavies]

Well said!

[@elverdad6805]

I worked with Canada Post for a while. The driver that "trained" me really seemed to think that the rules didn't apply to him/them.

[@OneLessCar]

That's very disappointing 😔

[@zarb88]

Hope Nathan was all right. Tire coming off the rim sounds bad.

[@bicycledad7660]

What make and model is your bike ?? Oh and what year??

[@OneLessCar]

You can find out all about in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6LTqa2GaZZkZ9k 😀

[@tspacefullstop4161]

What kind of bike is it?

[@OneLessCar]

It's a lovely vintage Peugeot mixtie. You can see it in more detail here kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6LTqa2GaZZkZ9k :)

[@kookamunga2458]

Use backroads ,backstreets , parks , national historic sites , board walks , and the few bikes paths that do exist to get around . Use the sidewalks if they are clear and give pedestrians the right of way and dismount before passing them . Some of the " hot headed " cyclists may swear at you for riding on the sidewalk but just ignore them please and don't feed them any sugar either .

[@Kevin_geekgineering]

it's kinda pathetic in Canada (and US) we call those paint on road, bike infrastructure. until someone get hit on bicycle and then again we do nothing and go with our lives. we don't accept mask but accepted this

[@OneLessCar]

So ture!

[@Rickristian]

Halifax old city road design cannot accomodate bike lanes as streets too narrow for that. But council is drunk and stone and woke and liberal.

[@bingzaniGercel]

I live in halifax since 4 years. Its nice city and canada has big woods, nature. Free space :) For cycling its ok, but its a little dangerous, you have some snobish drivers they'll hate you in some point. Nova Scotia try to improve safety. We have very strict laws and also for safety we have most aggressive helmet laws. My sister was ticketed 100$ on a FOOT scooter, because her helmet straps were not properly fastened. And the cop was not nice and he looked many time on the butt of my sister because she had shorts. Sexist cops are not ok. Its also forbidden to smoke on the sidewalk. Its sometimes hard to obey the laws here.

[@RidingWithJahv]

2:15, car in bike lane all the time. lol. never been to nyc before?

[@bishplis7226]

somebody please show me 1 country that doenst use bike lanes as extra parking? anyone? :(

[@bishplis7226]

i didnt see any bike lanes, just magical paint on the side of the road, halifax must be SORRY for calling this infrastructure

[@kookamunga2458]

I am a bicycle enthusiast and have been one for 30 years minus the times I have been unable to because of injuries . There is one pressing thing I have to tell cyclists . Halifax hates you . The lazy chain- smoking slobs could very well run you of the road as they done to me many a times . Some tips ; to connect your route within the city use trails, bike paths , parks , back streets , empty parking lots and use sidewalks in the danger zones. If you see an empty sidewalk use it for god sakes so you may live another day ! If you see a pedestrian or children on the sidewalk get off you bike and walk until they have passed and then mount again . Use the sidewalk when there are no pedestrians in view .