While public transportation is so inadequate, people will always have cars. However, HRM does not make it easier to drive around nor have good traffic flow, reducing pollution.
Building bike lanes inappropriately is one obstruction. South Park Street has a large grassy area where a bike lane could run, instead of dangerously narrowing the road with concrete blocks. University Avenue also has a wide grassy area down its middle. Barrington Street, a major artery in and out of downtown, has been narrowed between North Street and Devonshire Avenue with massively wide pedestrian walkways on the right and left.
Instead of spending money unwisely, why not install more sensing traffic lights and mini-roundabouts to help traffic flow? Why not place pedestrian crossings at major junctions at least 15-20 feet back from the corner, so that drivers turning right on a red light are facing forward instead of looking left as they move? Much safer for pedestrians.
Tony Morris, Dartmouth
