The GPI Transportation Accounts: Sustainable Transportation in HRM

When it comes to transit, Haligonians overwhelmingly support it---for somebody else.

Traffic gridlock in Halifax is wasting both time and money for motorists and businesses, according to a new report from GPI Atlantic.

Halifax's traffic jams aren't just costing drivers precious minutes on their way into town each day.

An upcoming rural express bus service will help make the route from Hammonds Plains a road less travelled, says the area councillor.

Authors: Aviva Savelson, MA, Ronald Colman, PhD, and William Martin

This 121-page report (which includes a 10-page executive summary) provides estimates of the economic costs of private vehicle use in HRM, including detailed breakdowns of the direct and indirect costs of driving in HRM. It also shows how many kilometres a year HRM residents drive, how much fuel they consume, and how many tonnes of greenhouse gases and air pollutants they emit. It compares the emissions of SUVs and minivans in HRM with those of cars, and provides a host of other statistics designed to help the Municipality measure its progress towards a more sustainable transportation system.

The detailed GPI indicators, measures, and cost estimates contained in this report are designed for use in implementing HRM's new Municipal Planning Strategy, which intends to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly transportation system that reduces driving and congestion, encourages walking and bicycling, and supports much greater use of mass transit.