Ben MacLeod 馬志斌
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benmacleod.bsky.social
Ben MacLeod 馬志斌
@benmacleod.bsky.social
3.4K followers 770 following 1.1K posts
Hong Kong / Halifax, urban & transportation things
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benmacleod.bsky.social
"People should be forced to drive to the grocery store. Damn why is traffic getting so bad"
A screenshot of two Facebook comments. The first one asks, "Will there be a sidewalk ever put on Lucasville Rd? How about bus service? I think both of these are long overdue for the residents of this community." In reply, someone commented: "Absolutely no need for a side walk. People won’t walk 300ft to a grocery store, we don’t need the expense and maintenance for side walks. The farm shop, church & playland all have their own parking lots. It would make a lot more sense, to twin the entire road to handle the extra traffic. Remove the ridiculous 50 kph speed limit. It’s a main road, and needs to be built to handle as much." Both of the commenters' names are blacked out.
November 27, 2025 at 5:41 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
I was also wondering about that. If these are in fulfilment of the Centre Plan bicycle parking requirement, they might not meet the geometric standards (e.g. 90-cm spacing between each rack)
A row of 14 inverted-U-type bicycle parking racks outside of a new senior's residential building at the corner of Quinpool Road and Windsor Street in downtown Halifax. They are spaced relatively close together, and angled slightly so that they are not oriented perpendicular to the building face.
November 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Well, Halifax's newest modal filter – an essential part of the Allan/Oak local street bikeway – lasted less than 24h before being torn out. #BikeHfx
November 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
With Chebucto and Quinpool both clogged with cars tonight, a steady stream of drivers are encountering the diverter for the first time.
November 25, 2025 at 10:11 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
new life for the curbs removed elsewhere because people kept driving up them 😭
A tow truck operator attempts to dislodge a white SUV that has driven up an inclined concrete bike lane curb at the corner of Hollis and Morris streets on the night of November 5, 2022.
November 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
The diverter has appeared (in spray paint)
The four-way intersection where Allan and Harvard streets intersect in Halifax. Various cross and bracket-shaped markings have been spray-painted in orange on the asphalt, showing the location of the diagonal diverter to be constructed there. A car is driving over the markings, continuing straight along Allan Street.
November 25, 2025 at 5:26 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Things are happening
The intersection of Harvard and Allan streets in Halifax today. Road workers are controlling traffic approaching the intersection. Construction workers are standing around and a big truck labelled "GFL Environmental" is reversing through the intersection.
November 24, 2025 at 4:56 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
"Halifax remains among the areas where Killam's rents have the most opportunity to grow. According to its earnings call slideshow, the company estimates its rents are on average 21 per cent below market rates in Halifax."
A 2025 conference call Powerpoint slide by Killam Apartment REIT, a Canadian real estate investment trust. Titled "Rent Growth Opportunity", it has two graphs showing the company's "mark to market" rent growth opportunity, or the difference between the average rents they currently charge versus market rents. Of all cities shown, Halifax has the highest "rent growth opportunity" with Killam's rents 21 per cent below market rents, followed by the Kitchener-Waterloo-Toronto area at 19 per cent below market rents, then Saint John at 17 per cent.
November 23, 2025 at 2:18 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
HKU 🤝 TMU
Platform of HKU Station, an underground metro station on the Island Line of Hong Kong's MTR system. Signage on the platform wall says "HKU" in English and "University of Hong Kong" in Chinese.
November 23, 2025 at 1:48 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Rainy Halifax looks rather nice on the Cogswell webcam tonight
A bird's eye view of a portion of downtown Halifax at night, including Upper Water Street, Granville Park, and the Scotia Square bus terminal along Barrington Street. The sun has just set, and the sky and harbour are coloured a soft, saturated blue. It is raining and all the city lights are reflected on the wet asphalt. There is a long line of cars in both directions on Barrington Street.
November 22, 2025 at 9:39 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Tender drawing (from June):
A plan published by the Halifax Regional Municipality showing the "diagonal diverter" planned for the intersection of Harvard and Allan streets in Halifax. The linear installation extends diagonally from the southwest to northeast corner of the intersection, preventing cars from continuing straight through the intersection along Allan Street. There are gaps to allow cyclists through.
November 22, 2025 at 3:03 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Construction of the Harvard/Allan diagonal diverter (modal filter) is supposed to begin next Monday and be completed by December 8, according to notices delivered to residents today #BikeHfx
The intersection of Allan and Harvard streets in a residential neighbourhood of Halifax. A cycling is passing through the intersection on Allan St.
November 21, 2025 at 8:46 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
those "credits" are actually PC Optimum points
A joke map showing Halifax as a "15-minute city" conspiracy theorist would imagine it. In the scenario depicted by the map, everyone lives within 15 minutes of a Loblaws supermarket. Areas further than a 15-minute walk of a Superstore are labelled "wasteland", "forbidden zone", and "do not enter".
November 17, 2025 at 6:17 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Yeah the waterfront was a giant parking lot by the 1980s. Lots of development around Spring Garden since then too.
A 1982 aerial photo of downtown Halifax. There are expansive parking lots on the waterfront where various developments have since taken place, including the Marriott hotel, Summit Place, and Bishop's Landing.
November 16, 2025 at 5:44 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
relevant population graphs
A line graph showing the population of the Halifax peninsula from 1901 to 2021. The population rises from 41,000 in 1901 to a high of 93,000 in 1956. It drops steeply in the 1960s, then gradually to a recent low of 59,943 in the 1990s. It subsequently rises to 72,169 as of 2021. A line graph showing the population of downtown Halifax between 1941 and 2021. It hovers around 19,500 until the 1960s, when it declines until it reaches a low of around 12,000 in the 80s and 90s. In recent decades it has risen steadily to 19,500 again as of the 2021 census.
November 16, 2025 at 1:45 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
I did a comparable map for the Halifax peninsula out of curiosity
A map of the Halifax peninsula titled "Change in population density, Halifax peninsula, 1971 to 2021". The peninsula is broken down into 17 census tracts, geographic areas used by Statistics Canada in the collection of census data. The three census tracts around downtown Halifax increased in density between 1971 and 2021, with one recording an increase of 46 people per hectare. The other 14 census tracts were relatively stable in population density or declined.
November 16, 2025 at 1:29 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
That is amazing. the #6!
A 1997 map showing Metro Transit's route 6, which travelled from Stonehaven Road in Armdale down St. Margaret's Bay Road to Mumford Terminal, then down Quinpool and Cogswell Street to downtown Halifax.
November 14, 2025 at 3:03 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Here's a couple more (1993)
A 1993 Metro Transit ad with an illustration of a bus playing an electric guitar while wearing sunglasses next to the words "GoTime Go". It says: "Fast. Easy. Convenient. Places to go, people to see, things to do – but don't know when the next bus comes? Call GoTime and go! Just dial 465 and the red four-digit number on your bus stop. Like the one near your house, outside school, near work or even grandma's house. And hear the latest from our lady computer at the other end. Regardless of traffic jams or even the weather, you'll get up-to-the-minute bus stops for all routes that stop at your stop. So why waste your time waiting? Call GoTime and go. For more details, call customer service at 421-6600." Two pages of a Metro Transit riders guide. The page on the left has a drawing of a Metro Transit bus and several paragraphs of text about how buses are a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation than cars. The page on the right is a Nova Scotia Department of Health ad about HIV/AIDS awareness.
November 14, 2025 at 2:41 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
A few more 80s transit ads
A magazine ad with a sketch of the modernistic Woodside Ferry Terminal, a triangular three-storey building on the shore of Halifax Harbour. The ad is titled "Woodside Ferry Terminal" and has several paragraphs of text: "The official opening of the Woodside Ferry Terminal and the beginning of a new cross-harbour service are significant milestones in the development of the metropolitan area transportation network. The new Woodside I ferry can carry up to 400 passengers on each trip and the terminal facilities include parking for commuters as well as bus service to and from the terminal for pedestrians. The Government of Nova Scotia is proud to have helped bring this important new service to reality. While the ferry service specifically benefits the people of Woodside, Eastern Passage, Cole Harbour, and Colby Village, it also contributes to the overall efficiency of the entire metropolitan transportation network. And that benefits everyone." There is a portrait of development minister Roland Thornhill next to the logo of the Nova Scotia Department of Development. A late 1980s magazine ad with an illustration of a Metro Transit bus flying through the clouds. It says: "Fly to the air show. Fly transit. Literally. Priority service onto the base at Shearwater will guarantee transit users the fastest way in and out of the greatest show on earth. Or over earth. And all for just $1.00. No bills, please. Take the Shearwater shutter from the terminal at Alderney Drive. Or park in the Woodside Ferry Terminal lot and zip in from there. For further information, call Transinfo at 421-6600." A late 1980s transit ad titled "Race to the Hydroplane races". It says: "Don't miss the boat to Dartmouth's existing Hydroplane Races. Instead of fighting traffic to the waterfront, take the fast, convenient, relaxing route. Hop aboard Metro Transit and race over. Route 1 Spring Garden travels over Macdonald Bridge – connections to downtown Dartmouth can be made at Dartmouth Shopping Centre to routes 56 Westphal, 57 Mic Mac, 58 portland, 59 Colby Village and 61 Forest Hills. For navigating details, call Transinfo at 421-6600."
November 14, 2025 at 2:27 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
I wonder how many people have missed buses thanks to these signs directing people to walk "95 m north" to a nonexistent stop (they should say south)

(reported to 311)
Yellow signs attached to a glass bus shelter on Joseph Howe Drive in Halifax. They read: "Bus stop closed. Please proceed 95 m north Joseph Howe Drive (sic) to the new stop: Joseph Howe Drive After Scot St (2325)". In fact, the new bus stop is to the south, not north.
November 11, 2025 at 5:31 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Dutch Village Road progress pics

#BikeHfx
Urban street in Halifax lined with low-rise apartment buildings and a Dairy Queen sign. The street is under construction and covered in traffic cones. There is an empty gravel space between the freshly paved roadway and new sidewalk where a bike lane will be located in the near future. Another view of Dutch Village Road taken from the Andrew Street intersection looking north. The sidewalk and bike lane on the west side of the street are complete, but only the curbs have been installed on the eastern side.
November 11, 2025 at 5:31 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
One of the (subterranean) bedrooms appears to be accessed by way of another bedroom:
A bedroom with a bunk bed. The window is located high up the wall, suggesting that the bedroom is in the basement of the house. There is another bunk bed in an adjacent room, visible through an open door.
October 31, 2025 at 12:51 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Anyone who has tried to walk to Africville knows this house. For a mere $3,900/month, enjoy life between Halifax's principal container truck route and a rail yard. Fall asleep to the relaxing sounds of marine industry. Keep abreast of the latest trends in highway-adjacent billboard advertising.
Screenshot of a Facebook post advertising a house for rent. It says: "3709 Barrington Street, Halifax – Fully Furnished Monthly Rental. Welcome to your home in the heart of Halifax. This spacious 4-bedroom, 2-bath detached house offers flexible monthly stays for professionals, families, or anyone needing a comfortable, move-in-ready space close to downtown. Highlights • Flexible stays starting at 1 month (up to 6 months) • Fully furnished and ready for move-in • Utilities included: heat, power, water, and Wi-Fi • $3,900/month • Available immediately" Google Street View photo of a small, two-storey yellow house sandwiched in between billboard advertisements that are taller than the house itself.
October 31, 2025 at 12:51 AM
benmacleod.bsky.social
The terminal used to be next to the mall's eastern entrance (first pic). In 2004, a temporary terminal was built next to Highway 111 while the new terminal was built. The old one was demolished to make space for a new Winners store.
2003 aerial photo of Mic Mac Mall showing the old bus terminal next to the former IGA on the eastern side of the building. 2005 aerial photo of Mic Mac Mall showing the temporary bus terminal next to Highway 111 and the new bus terminal on Mic Mac Boulevard.
October 29, 2025 at 5:29 PM
benmacleod.bsky.social
Cushman and Wakefield put forward a redevelopment proposal in 2021 that included an underground bus terminal just south of the Mumford/Romans intersection, shown in dashed lines below.

This plan led to the infamous 2023 "ardent NIMBYs" public meeting shortly before the property was sold. (4/5)
Site plan showing a big redevelopment of the West End Mall property in Halifax with many towers and townhomes. The footprint of a new, underground bus terminal is shown in dashed lines beneath Mumford Road, just south of Romans Avenue.
October 29, 2025 at 3:30 PM