Halifax Transit Bridge Terminal

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Halifax Transit Logo.png
Bridge
Terminal
Bus Symbol.jpg Wheelchair symbol.png Bicycle icon.png MetroX Logo.jpg
Location 24 Nantucket Ave
Dartmouth
Opened October 1, 2012 (current)
Number of routes 20

Metro Transit's Bridge terminal is located adjacent to the Dartmouth Sportsplex, between Nantucket Avenue and Thistle Street, near the foot of the MacDonald Bridge which crosses the harbour to Halifax. Due to its location, the Bridge Terminal is presently the busiest in the system, with 23,000 people using the terminal every weekday; nearly all buses running from Dartmouth to Halifax run through the Bridge terminal, and nearly all other routes in Dartmouth terminate there.

In September 2011, construction started on the current Bridge Terminal, after years of delay. The $14.7M terminal was originally scheduled to open in July 2012, but after several more delays, finally opened in October. There is a pedestrian bridge that goes over a bus bays and a thoroughfare. The roof of the terminal is covered in grass with benches and overlooks the Macdonald Bridge.

Previous terminal

The old Bridge Terminal, as seen from Wyse Road in 2008.
Another view.

Opened in 1995, the previous terminal was located at the corner of Wyse Road and Nantucket Avenue, just down the hill from the current terminal. It consisted of an island platform with two large glass shelters in the middle. There was a single bus stop on each side of the terminal, however the sides were not separated by inbound and outbound routes. Instead, the terminal was arranged roughly so that routes originating from the eastern ends of Dartmouth (including Cole Harbour and Eastern Passage) were on one side (both inbound and outbound) and routes originating from north Dartmouth (including Burnside and Westphal) were on the other side. There was one lane that was originally dedicated to buses laying over, however that practice was later discontinued as the terminal got busier; buses typically laid over either on Wyse Road or nearby Thistle Street. Like today, separate bus stops on Wyse Road were provided for the route 159, so it didn't have to enter the terminal.

In 2007, a mobile structure was put in place to provide drivers a place to sit down and relax on layovers, as the terminal had no drivers room (or indoor passenger waiting area for that matter).

Earlier terminals

Before 1995, the terminal was located across Nantucket Avenue in the parking lot of the Dartmouth Shopping Centre, and consisted of a single long platform. It was criticized for being too narrow, with buses often having a hard time getting around a corner in the terminal. Before that was built, the original Bridge terminal consisted of a simple platform located underneath the bridge deck, with no shelter except the bridge above.

Amenities

  • Indoor climate-controlled waiting area with seating for up to 60 people
  • GoTime monitors displaying real-time departure information
  • Washrooms
  • Drivers' Lounge
  • Bicycle Lockers are available
  • Convenience Mart (to open in January 2013)
  • LEED Silver building with a green roof, accessible to the public

Routes servicing this terminal

The new Bridge Terminal under construction in April 2012.
Another view of the construction.