The Allan-Oak Local Street Bikeway was approved by Halifax Regional Council in May 2018 as part of the Regional Cycling Network outlined in the Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP). The vision is to provide safe, comfortable, convenient routes for people of all-ages-and-abilities (AAA) to cycle around the city. Allan and Oak will become quiet, traffic calmed residential streets to serve as an alternative east-west cycling corridor to busier streets like Quinpool and Chebucto. To accomplish these objectives, new designs elements will be introduced including curb extensions, speed management features (e.g. speed humps) and measures to assist crossing at major intersections (e.g. Oxford Street).
The Allan-Oak corridor connects into many important destinations including the Halifax Common, the Quinpool Road Business District, and the Windsor Street Bike Lanes. Enhancing this cycling route will help provide safe AAA transportation options to Halifax residents and contribute towards meeting the mode share targets outlined in the IMP.
Allan-Harvard diagonal traffic diverter
In fall 2025, a diagonal traffic diverter will be installed at the intersection of Allan and Harvard streets as part of efforts to improve safety and reduce shortcutting through the area. The diverter will fully restrict vehicle access diagonally through the intersection, preventing drivers from using Allan Street as a shortcut, while maintaining access for emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.
The design will use temporary materials such as planters, flexible bollards, precast concrete barriers, and paint. This approach will allow the municipality to monitor how the design works in practice and make adjustments based on resident and user feedback. Pedestrians will continue to cross at all four corners, and cyclists will be able to travel in any direction using clearly marked pathways through the diverter.
No street names will change as a result of this project.
Bicycle push button on Oak Street at Oxford Street
How to use the Allan-Oak-Oxford intersection
People walking and rolling can push the button to request to cross Oxford Street and must wait for the ‘Walk’ signal before moving across the street. There are now painted crosswalks across both legs of Oxford.
People cycling can push the curbside push-button (if necessary) to trigger a gap in traffic on Oxford Street. You do not necessarily have to push or wait for the signal – both Allan and Oak streets are only controlled by a stop sign. You can proceed to cross along the bikeway at any available gap if it becomes available.
People driving on Allan and Oak streets can no longer proceed straight through this intersection, and must instead turn left or right. Signage and pavement markings will indicate ‘no through vehicles except bicycles’.
This new intersection treatment will continue to be monitored and adjusted as needed.
Project status
July 2019 - Phase One of construction was completed in July 2019. This included Allan Street between Windsor and Harvard where the following bikeway features were installed: sharrow pavement markings, speed humps, and a curb extension at the intersection of Chebucto Lane. These measures have been successful in reducing 85th percentile traffic speeds from 42 km/h to 35 km/h
2024 - Construction of Phase Two changes to the Allan-Oak-Oxford intersection were completed in 2024.
A new set of half signals have been installed at the intersection of Allan Street, Oak Street, and Oxford Street. The purpose is to improve the safety of this intersection and help people walking, rolling, and cycling create reliable gaps to cross Oxford Street with minimal delay. When a pedestrian or cyclist wishes to cross, a red light will be triggered for vehicles on Oxford.
A new painted crosswalk on the south leg of the intersection has been incorporated into the design. Curb extensions have been added on Allan and Oak streets to manage speed and promote a single file approach to the intersection. Pedestrian and bicycle push-buttons have been added to trigger the red signal on Oxford Street. Pedestrians must push the button and wait for the ‘walk’ symbol before proceeding. People cycling can push the button if they wish to trigger a gap in traffic on Oxford through which to proceed, otherwise these users can proceed on any available gap after the stop sign.
Signed traffic restrictions were introduced on Allan and Oak streets on the approach to Oxford – it is now signed ‘no through vehicles except bicycles’. This change was implemented to discourage shortcutting through this neighbourhood and reduce daily vehicle volumes on Allan and Oak Streets. Less vehicles moving slower along these streets makes for safer and more comfortable lane sharing between vehicles and bicycles.
Bikeway enhancements to Oak Street (such as traffic calming measures) began in 2023 and will be complete in 2025.
A diagonal traffic diverter will be installed in the intersection of Allan and Harvard streets in fall 2025.