The Mumford Terminal replacement process is underway
Buried in this years Halifax Transit budget and business plan, was a project to replace the outdated and inadequate Mumford Terminal at the Halifax Shopping Centre. One of our favourite descriptions of Mumford has to be this one, from November 24, 2016 written in the Coast.
Last week, a tender was issued by Halifax Transit to seek replacement opportunities for the terminal. The tender is available on the Nova Scotia procurement website and lists a number of criteria for the project.
According to Halifax Transit, over 9000 people use the terminal every day. The facility is a major hub for all transit routes in the area and most, but not all transit routes that enter and exit the peninsula divert into the terminal. The facility itself has poor pedestrian access, no amenities, and a rather confusing layout.
Given the number of logistical challenges with the current terminal, replacing Mumford makes sense.
But, there’s one question that isn’t being asked, and that’s: Do we need to replace the terminal with another single mega-terminal?
This question of whether a single terminal, or whether multiple terminals, on-street transfer points, or smaller hubs, would serve the area and the overall transit network’s needs, is one that can and should be included in the Tender.
One of the concepts that It’s More Than Buses has constantly advocated for is a crosstown connective network. The Mumford Terminal replacement project is an opportunity to explore the overall connectivity of the area, and how to improve transit access not just to the Halifax Shopping Centre, but to the area as a whole.
Before doing anything about Mumford, a better look at the routes serving it needs to be done. For example, the 9A/B jogs on Mumford to the terminal from Chebucto on the way to Spryfield, etc. and then goes back to Chebucto to get to the Armdale Rotary instead of continuing on Mumford to Joseph Howe Drive and using that to reach the Rotary. If the latter route were used the inbound buses could stop on the street thus NOT having the same stop for both downtown bound and Spryfield bound buses. The extension of the 29 to the Bayers Road “Mall” / Superstore area gives little value and is a poor replacement for the poorly advertised and now abandoned Point Pleasant Park segment.
The terminal revamp will include a look at all routes serving it. We agree that the extension of the 9 makes little sense – apparently the north end Halifax residents insisted on having a single-seat ride to the Joseph Howe Drive Superstore. It would have been nice to route it there a little straighter and serve Mumford with a transfer instead. Once the 80 goes to 15-minute frequency next year it will be faster to transfer at Connaught & Bayers than it will be to ride all the way to the Superstore on the 29.