[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by Hali87

Could you elaborate? Maybe with some examples? Most of what DryBrain posted is pretty much on point. Look at the experiences of Portland (OR), Austin, Vancouver, Calgary, etc...

Investing in transit infrastructure, aside from making it easier for people to get around, also creates a greater sense of "certainty" for developers, leading to increased development pressure. HRMbD was another initiative to create certainty, and after its adoption, construction within the study area skyrocketed. Some kind of higher-quality transit with a dedicated ROW (LRT or something along those lines), combined with HRMbD-style regulation for the rest of the urban area, would be a very effective (and self-supporting) way of encouraging and directing development.

There's no real magic population number at which it's appropriate to start using rail for transit. More important are settlement patterns, street grid characteristics, local culture, and integration of transportation planning with land-use planning. Other than this last point, conditions in Halifax seem like they could definitely support a basic rail-transit system.

Also very well put. 100%.