Traffic down, MACPASS usage up
In November 2021, Saltwire editorial cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon captured the pandemic news of the day in a four-panel drawing depicting a Nova Scotia man looking cautiously left, then right before removing his mask. In the fourth panel, the man is walloped by a left hook labelled “Omicron.”
The cartoon told the story of the health of Nova Scotians amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was equally applicable to the province’s economic recovery efforts, as well as the traffic flowing across the Macdonald and MacKay bridges.
From a traffic perIn November 2021, Saltwire editorial cartoonist Bruce MacKinnon captured the pandemic news of the day in a four-panel drawing depicting a Nova Scotia man looking cautiously left, then right before removing his mask. In the fourth panel, the man is walloped by a left hook labelled “Omicron.”
The cartoon told the story of the health of Nova Scotians amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But it was equally applicable to the province’s economic recovery efforts, as well as the traffic flowing across the Macdonald and MacKay bridges.
From a traffic perspective, the fiscal year started with a gradual recovery from the decades-low crossing numbers prompted by COVID-19 travel bans, closures of non-essential services, lock-downs and hastily accommodated work-from-home initiatives.
Cartoon by Bruce Mackinnon for the Halifax Herald
By October, traffic was at 90 per cent of pre-COVID levels, with a dozen days in the month topping the 100,000 crossing mark. Then – just as in the cartoon – Omicron hit, bringing with it more health measures and business closures aimed at stopping viral spread. Traffic volumes dropped again. In January, there was no day where bridge crossings exceeded 100,000.
“If traffic is a barometer of what is happening in the economy, our bridge counts can be instructive in judging the impact of health measures,” said Steve Snider, CEO and General Manager of Halifax Harbour Bridges.
As an organization that derives nearly 100 per cent of its revenue from toll fees, HHB keeps a close eye on traffic – and just as importantly, the external factors that can affect it.
Although traffic levels climbed back to 92 per cent of by year-end in March, the annual traffic volume decreased by 11.5 per cent over fiscal 2020 levels, representing 3.8 million fewer crossings. That loss of traffic translated into a 6.9 per cent decrease in toll revenues compared to fiscal 2020.
With pandemic-inspired changes in traffic volumes that gave drivers unusual freedom, COVID-19 may have also contributed to a spike in trucks colliding with the canopies of HHB toll booths. In 2020, there were just four collisions at the toll plazas involving trucks or buses. In 2021, as the roads started to get busy again, that number soared to close to 20 – enough to prompt members of the Halifax community to create a calendar featuring photos of vehicles stuck in the tolls. In response to the increased incidents, HHB added warning crash bars to the toll plazas in an attempt to give drivers enough warning to slow down and avoid a collision.
Other parts of the organization were affected by COVID-19 and the ensuing public health recommendations.
Drawing on the best advice from health officials, senior management mandated workplace policies that included physical distancing, masking requirements and working from home when possible. As of year-end, no HHB employees reported having contracted COVID-19 in the workplace.
As the fiscal year closed, much of the COVID-19 discussions shifted from the health of the workforce to the impacts the pandemic was having on supply chains, the ability to fill open positions and the alarming jump in prices for both equipment and services.
While the public health threat may be reduced, it’s clear the lingering pandemic will continue to have an impact on the operation and maintenance of the Halifax’s bridges through 2022-23.
Despite facing another year-end with revenue challenges, Snider was confident HHB would be able to weather the storm, and do whatever was necessary to keep the bridges running smoothly.
“Halifax is positioned for growth and the bridges are at the heart of the transportation infrastructure. We will support that growth through safe and efficient transportation of cars, commercial vehicles, and active transportation options.”