Public Service Announcement
Metro Transit to provide extended service during Tall Ships & Natal Day festivities
(Thursday, July 29/04)-- Metro Transit is on board and ready to roll with extended service for the Tall Ships 2004 event and the Natal Day weekend.
With limited parking in the downtown core and large crowds expected on the waterfront all weekend, Metro Transit will provide enhanced service on the bus and ferry system, as well as additional spaces in Park & Ride Lots throughout HRM. Regular transit fares will apply.
The enhanced ferry service will operate as follows, with special booths set up at all three ferry terminals to sell single tickets:
Alderney Ferry, from Dartmouth-Halifax-- will run every 12-15 minutes on a load-and- go basis, 24 hours a day. The frequency will be reduced in evenings, based on demand.
Woodside Ferry- will operate today and tomorrow , from 6:37 AM -10:07 PM; Saturday, July 31 and Monday, August 2 from 7:37 AM-10:07 PM; and Sunday, August 1, from 7:37 AM through 12:07 AM to accommodate the Natal Day fireworks crowds . Rain date for the fireworks is Monday, August 2.
Metro bus service will be enhanced as follows:
Friday, July 30-- Service will run on regular schedules, with additional buses; Saturday, July 31, on regular schedules, with extra buses; and on Sunday, August 1, and the holiday, Monday, August 2, buses will operate on enhanced "Saturday levels" of service, with extra buses.
This will result in additional service on the following routes:
#1 Spring Garden-increase to 15 min service
#2 Wedgewood-increase to half hour service
#4 Rosedale-increase to half hour service
# 6 Quinpool-leaving Mumford every 20 minutes
# 7 Robie- double the Saturday service frequency
# 9 Barrington-increase to half hour service
#10 Dalhousie-increase to half hour service
# 26 Metro Transit Shuttle-half hour service-9am-8pm
# 54 Montebello-hourly service-starting at 6:27am from Caledonia Rd.
# 55 Port Wallace- hourly service starting at 7:15am from Bridge Terminal # 62 Wildwood-
hourly service starting at 8am from Bridge Terminal
# 66 Penhorn- hourly service starting at 8:02am from Highfield to Gaston Rd.(no Sackville Service).
Thousands of free Park & Ride spaces will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, including extra spaces at the following lots thanks to our mall sponsors:
Halifax Shopping Centre-middle deck/north parkade by Coast Mountain
Mic Mac Mall- Toys R Us side, facing Circumferential Hwy.
Joe Howe Drive, Bayers Road - near the Superstore- at the corner of Scot and Desmond Avenue.
Metro Transit's regular Park & Ride Lot spaces will be available at:
Bayers Rd-near Petro Can station
Centennial Arena-Fairview
Sportsplex-Bridge Terminal-Sat & Sun
Penhorn Mall-Dartmouth
Maybank Field-Mic Mac Blvd.
Park Ave. -Dartmouth waterfront-off Alderney Drive, evenings, Sat. Sun. & Mon
Cobequid Lot- Lower Sackville
Downsview Mall- by Walmart in Lower Sackville
Extra parking will also be provided at the Woodside Parking Lot, at Woodside Ferry Terminal, in the Upper Lot for $ 5.00 a day, beginning Friday July 30t. Priority will be given on Friday to regular Park & Riders.
Metro Transit's Access-A-Bus system will also provide extra service for all registered users and non-registered users in wheelchairs only, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Bookings must be made in advance.
For further information on Metro Transit's bus, ferry or Access-A-Bus service, please call the HRM Call Centre at 490-4000, visit the website at www.halifax.ca/tallships2004 or check the special "Go Times" Rider newsletters on the buses & ferries and at transit retail outlets.
For further schedule details please call the HRM Customer Call Centre at 490-4000.
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Lori Patterson
Media Relations, Metro Transit
490-6609 or 476-5975
