Construction crews are moving into the most significant stage of the $180-million Windsor Street ExchangeDesign-Build – Windsor Street Exchange RedevelopmentStatusAwardValue$150MLocationBedford Hwy & Windsor St, Halifax NSSectorPublic – CountyTypeRoads/HighwaysData as of August 14, 2026View Project Page → redevelopment in Halifax, N.S., a project that will transform one of the busiest and most strategically important transportation corridors in the municipality over the next three years.
Elected officials, municipal staff and project partners gathered recently to mark the start of phase two and provide more details about future plans.
The second phase marks the transition from preparatory work to major construction activities that will reshape the gateway to the Halifax Peninsula and improve connections for commuters, transit users, cyclists, pedestrians and the Port of Halifax.
The project is one of the largest transportation infrastructure investments ever undertaken by the municipality. Funding is being provided through a partnership that includes the municipality, Halifax Water, the federal and provincial governments, and the Halifax Port Authority.
Major construction is expected to continue through 2029, with substantial completion targeted for the summer of that year.
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore described the project as vital to the city’s future growth.
“There are few infrastructure projects more important to Halifax’s future than the Windsor Street Exchange,” he says. “This project is about keeping people, goods and our economy moving.
“It will improve traffic flow, strengthen transit reliability, enhance access to the Port of Halifax, and support one of Atlantic Canada’s most important trade and transportation corridors.”
As Halifax continues to grow and play an even greater role in Canada’s economy and defence sector, Fillmore says the city needs infrastructure that can support that growth.
The project focuses on a critical transportation hub where Bedford Highway, Windsor Street and Lady Hammond Road converge and connect with Highway 111 and the MacKay Bridge.
Approximately 48,000 vehicles use the Windsor Street intersection each day, while between 92,000 and 110,000 vehicles travel through the broader project area daily.
Before the current phase could begin, crews spent months completing the groundwork needed to support the larger reconstruction effort.
Phase one, which began in the fall of 2025, concentrated on enabling works designed to keep the project on schedule while maintaining traffic movement through the area. The work included construction of detour roads on Highway 111 and Bayne Street, temporary retaining walls, excavation activities, utility relocations, site preparation, foundation work and upgrades to Halifax Water infrastructure. Long-lead materials were also procured to support future construction.
Phase two will deliver the core components of the redevelopment. The most visible element will be a new overpass structure that creates more direct and uninterrupted travel between Bedford Highway and Highway 111, including access to and from the MacKay Bridge.
Municipal officials say this movement represents the highest-volume traffic pattern in the corridor and is a major contributor to congestion during peak periods.
The second phase also includes extensive reconfiguration of key intersections at Bedford Highway, Windsor Street and Lady Hammond Road, along with construction of a new road link between Bayne Street and Lady Hammond Road.
A new exit to Bayne Street will improve access to Port of Halifax facilities, while new and upgraded signalized intersections will be installed or upgraded.
The work will also involve the replacement of sidewalks, installation of multi-use pathways, roadway realignments and significant water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure upgrades.
Because the exchange serves as a major regional gateway, construction will be carefully staged to minimize disruption. The municipality says traffic impacts will be managed through detours, lane shifts, construction sequencing and advance communication with residents and businesses.
Access to properties and commercial operations in the area will be maintained throughout the project whenever possible.
The project is being delivered using a progressive design-build model, a relatively new procurement approach for major municipal projects. Under this model, design and construction planning advance simultaneously, allowing engineers and contractors to refine solutions as more information becomes available.
Halifax says the approach improves cost certainty, better manages risk and provides flexibility to address site conditions and construction challenges as work progresses. The design-build team, led by Dexter Construction Ltd., was awarded the contract in late 2024.
The design itself has evolved over several years. Municipal staff evaluated multiple concepts based on traffic forecasts, anticipated growth, future land-use patterns and extensive public consultation.
Engagement sessions held in 2021 gathered input on existing transportation challenges and potential design alternatives. A value-engineering review completed in 2023 further assessed options and recommended refinements aimed at improving efficiency and project outcomes.
The final functional design presented to regional council in 2024 incorporated public feedback, technical analysis and recommendations from that review. Council subsequently directed the project team to continue examining enhanced active transportation facilities, dedicated transit lanes and future transportation demands as part of the design-build process.
