Capacity study for the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridges

Bridges can be among the most expensive components of the ground transportation system. The Halifax Regional Municipality has two suspension bridges spanning the harbour, one with a span of 740m and the other with a span of 762m. The specific objective of our review was to assess the available reserve capacity remaining on the bridges today and to evaluate constraints that exist in their approach and departure infrastructure that prevent full utilization of their potential ultimate capacity. In so doing, we also examined a number of candidate infrastructure improvements to deal with these constraints, and we assessed the likely time horizon until the bridge capacities are fully utilized.

This study was suited to the use of the VISSIM traffic simulation tool that allows agencies to test various road network changes economically by both quantifying measures of effectiveness and providing a visual representation of traffic conditions. The VISSIM tool allowed us to model complex traffic flow conditions at interrupted and uninterrupted flow environments - including that of the toll plazas using various payment technologies.

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