County of Kings’ Feasibility Study of Rural-urban Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Annapolis Valley and Halifax

The Municipality of the County of Kings will study the feasibility of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system that connects rural areas and suburbs of the Annapolis Valley to Halifax. The goal is to reduce the number of vehicles, kilometers travelled, and greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted, while improving highway safety and quality of life for the 60,000 residents of the county, including the Town of Berwick, the Town of Kentville and the Town of Wolfville. The BRT has been proposed as part of a broader regional commitment to multi-modal public transit systems that incorporates accessible buses, rail service, park-and-ride programs, and bicycle and car sharing programs. A team of community councilors, staff, and consultants will examine options for a BRT service corridor linking to Kings Transit in the Annapolis Valley and Metro Transit in Halifax. They will measure demand for the new service and explore preferred locations for transit hubs, bus stops and connections, and assess operational costs, fares, and service frequency. The potential of powering a fleet of efficient buses and transit hubs with local and renewable fuel sources, such as electricity and natural gas, will also be evaluated, as the team seeks to use innovative technologies as much as possible. A stakeholder consultation and public outreach process will raise awareness about this project and help the team analyze their options to integrate with existing transit services, infrastructure, carpooling sites and car-sharing models. The study is aligned with the Kings 2050 plan and the county’s Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, which sets goals to provide more accessible, multi-modal transportation, and reduce GHG emissions. The county sees many useful applications for the study findings among other rural communities that are struggling to manage gridlock along the highways leading to urban centres.. (Project description from original funding application)