Relief needed: Traffic congestion on Hammonds Plains Road will only get worse as major developments come online

Vehicles pass down a busy Hammonds Plains Road on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Photo by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentCommuting on Hammonds Plains Road is taking longer and longer these days. But just wait until mega developments in the area come online.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentEarlier this year, the province announced that community studies for the special planning areas of Sandy Lake and land west of the Highway 102 corridor were completed, paving the way for a combined development of up to 19,500 residential units.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentAt Halifax regional council Tuesday, Coun. John Young (Hammonds Plains – Upper Hammonds Plains – Lucasville – Middle and Upper Sackville) requested a staff report looking for short and long-term options to ease congestion.Article contentHe said he’s looking for solutions, including construction mitigation options, egress planning, transit options and road network options.Article contentHighway connectionsArticle content Vehicles pass down a busy Hammonds Plains Road on Wednesday, August 6, 2025. Photo by Ryan Taplin /The Chronicle HeraldArticle content“There is a lot going on in the area from existing development, future development and announced new highway connectors,” said Brad Anguish, executive director of public works.Article contentIn October 2024, the province announced that it is looking into “a new strategic link” between Hammonds Plains Road near Sandy Lake and Exit 2 on Highway 101. “Increasing the capacity of Highway 102 and assessing options and routes for light rail are also being evaluated,” said a news release.Article contentArticle contentThe statement from the province also stated that there is planning for upgrades at several interchanges on Highway 101 and Highway 102, including Exit 3 at Hammonds Plains Road, “to improve efficiency and safety.”Article contentArticle contentAnguish said this report will knit all the transportation planning that’s being done by the HRM, the province and the developers so that everyone — including the people who travel through there and live there — knows what’s going on.Article content“In this atmosphere where there’s lots going on but none of it necessarily adding up for making sense to people, it gives the impression that nothing is happening,” Anguish said.Article content“The Sandy Lake piece is a big piece so to understand how that’s going to move . . . and you have funding partners there,  so that’s all got to fall into a timeline that makes sense so we can afford to do all this work, both working with the province and the pieces they’ll bring to the table and  working with the developer and what they’ll bring to the table and, of course, the stuff HRM will do.”