Halifax Cycling Coalition: Paving the Way for Safer, Low-Stress Cycling with the Cycling Guide App
The Halifax Cycling Coalition (HCC), with support from HCi3, is set to launch the Cycling Guide app in early July, an innovative tool designed to help users find safer, low stress cycling routes throughout Halifax. The app has been in beta testing for the past four months, with experienced cyclists across Halifax providing valuable feedback to fine-tune its features and functionality. This initiative aims to make cycling more accessible and appealing as a practical, healthy, and low-carbon way to get around the city.
Grant award: $5,000
First developed in Waterloo, Ontario, where it attracted 1,500 new users and helped boost cycling rates, Cycling Guide was designed for people who want to cycle more often but may feel unsure or unfamiliar with safe routes. At the heart of Cycling Guide is a simple promise: no surprises. The app uses open-source mapping data from OpenStreetMap to generate the best available low-stress routes and offers a unique colour-coded system to help cyclists evaluate route conditions before they ride:
● Green for quiet, beginner-friendly routes
● Blue for residential streets with light traffic
● Amber for moderate-traffic areas that may be challenging for more cautious riders
● Magenta for busy roads, typically best avoided by most cyclists.
By providing this visual context, the app removes uncertainty and supports informed decision-making for riders of all skill levels.
Through its beta testing in Halifax, HCC has worked closely with local cyclists to validate routes, identify gaps in OpenStreetMap, and make necessary corrections. Their feedback has been essential in improving route accuracy, updating missing infrastructure in OpenStreetMap, and identifying areas where users might encounter unexpected challenges. A standout feature of the app is its built-in feedback system, which invites users to report problems or improvements, making it a continuously evolving tool shaped by the community it serves.
Always developing further, Cycling Guide is part of a larger vision: encouraging more people to cycle more often. The app promotes a healthier, low-carbon lifestyle by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving public health, and easing urban congestion – every person on a bicycle is one less car on the road. Cycling, as David Trueman, Chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, emphasizes, isn’t just good for the environment, it’s also a powerful tool for physical and mental well-being.
The HCC team has embraced a collaborative strategy, working closely with organizations like Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), Cycling Nova Scotia, and the Ecology Action Centre. Public awareness efforts, such as postcards, stickers, and upcoming posters, are helping raise visibility and build momentum as they prepare for a full launch.
Looking ahead, the team plans to expand Cycling Guide beyond Halifax to all of Nova Scotia. With each new community contributing to shared development, the app continues to grow, both in coverage and capability. One planned feature is elevation-based routing to help riders avoid steep hills, a welcome addition in hilly regions like Halifax.
While the app is still in beta, the app will launch soon and its progress signals a meaningful shift in how cities can support everyday cycling. With Cycling Guide, the Halifax Cycling Coalition is laying the groundwork for a more confident, connected, and climate-conscious cycling community.