AT-Network April 2009

at-network@lists.umanitoba.ca

4 participants
21 discussions

Come on Google - Get more cycle-friendly

by Beth McKechnie

[Snipped from the Centerlines e-newsletter #216 published by the National Center for Bicycling and Walking] COME ON GOOGLE -- GET MORE CYCLE-FRIENDLY! According to the Nov. 27th Life Cycle UK newsletter, "A global campaign is underway to persuade the planet's favourite search engine to be more cycle-friendly. Many of us use the wonderful Google maps to find our way around. The maps show a street plan, or at the click of a button, an aerial photo to help you get a feel for the terrain. Another click and you can summon up live traffic info, and car drivers can get detailed directions from A to B. For the USA and some other countries Google has also added a mass transit directions option which tells you how to reach your destination by bus, tram or train. Now cyclists are asking for a Bike There feature. "The organisers of the campaign say: 'By implementing the "Public Transit" option, Google and the Google Maps team have shown themselves to be concerned and capable world citizens. A "Bike There" feature would be the ultimate statement in support of sustainable development, self-reliance, exercise and healthy living: that's bicycle directions.' "Campaigners envisage the "Bike There" feature showing cycle lanes, bike paths and other infrastructure, and giving cyclists the option of seeing either the most direct route or the quietist and safest. The feature would make cycling easier and more pleasant for millions of people around the world. It would empower world citizens to adapt their lifestyles to face the challenges of global climate change and it would help Google fulfill its mission of "organising the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful. More than 40,000 people have already signed the on-line petition. Add your voice to the campaign now!" To learn more, go to: http://www.petitiononline.com/bikether/petition.html

14 years, 6 months

WFP: Winnipeg unveils three bike-friendly initiatives (Apr.30'09)

by Beth McKechnie

[Winnipeg Free Press] Winnipeg unveils three bike-friendly initiatives WINNIPEG The city has announced three bike-friendly initiatives for this spring: a new cycling map for Winnipeg, the upcoming Bike to Work Day in June, and a GPS project that will let hundreds of cyclists track their routes around the city. The 2009 Winnipeg Cycling Map replaces a 1999 version commissioned for the Pan-Am games, and is available at bike shops and other Winnipeg stores as of today. To find the nearest location, call 925-5686. The GPS project, dubbed OttoCycle, is run by the Centre for Sustainable Transportation and the City of Winnipeg. Over 900 cyclists can track their routes between May and October to see where potential cycling infrastructure could be built in Winnipeg. Anyone who cycles more than once a week is eligible, and can sign up by emailing Ottocycle(a)uwinnipeg.ca or calling 988-7182. Bike to Work Day falls on Friday, June 19 this year. More information is available at www.biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org.

14 years, 11 months

The Times: Plan for bikeway Powers forward (Apr.30'09)

by Beth McKechnie

From: Canstar Community News (The Times) http://www.canstarnews.com/page/story/the_times/3867 Plan for bikeway Powers forward By Avi Saper April 30, 2009 Public input will be a key component of the citys plans to turn Powers Street into a bicycle boulevard by the end of the year, says Winnipegs active transportation czar. Were making a significant change to their neighbourhood, said active transportation co-ordinator Kevin Nixon. They have to be onside with whatever we decide to do. They have to understand it, and they have to be in favour of it. The North Winnipeg Commuter Cyclists, a group of bicycle activists that has been lobbying the city for two years to make Powers more bike-friendly, will be hosting a public meeting at Pritchard Park Community Centre beginning at 6:30 p.m. on May 14. Residents will be asked at the meeting for their thoughts on how to discourage non-local vehicle traffic from using Powers all the way from Flora Avenue to Leila Avenue while encouraging cyclists and pedestrians. That could mean reducing the number of four-way stops along Powers, installing traffic circles at intersections, narrowing certain sections of the road into chicanes and creating speed humps to slow down cars. Theres a degree of guesswork right now on how all this is going to work, said NWCC member Nona Pelletier. We have an opportunity to do something fantastic here and really change the look of the North End. Pelletier and her husband Greg Littlejohn, who is also a member of NWCC, said Powers is the ideal street for the project because plenty of pedestrians already walk on the road and cyclists use the route year-round. The idea isnt that were going to eliminate cars entirely, Pelletier said. That isnt our intention. The idea is to keep the cars going at the same speed as the bikes. Littlejohn said the eventual goal is to have a street that community members especially children can use on a regular basis to get anywhere they might need to go. In order for that to happen, the communitys safety concerns must be addressed, he said. There isnt that much traffic now (on Powers), Littlejohn said. But it is a street where stolen vehicle are sometimes driven, and some people come down here to avoid the possibility of a breathalyzer. The only comparable bike boulevard the city already has is Argue Street in Lord Roberts, which was created last year. Nixon says the city learned some valuable lessons on the importance of public consultation while working on that project, and will be making sure it hears from all residents by the end of June before proceeding on Powers. Trying to determine where traffic will go instead of Powers is a key consideration, Nixon said, as well as how easily pedestrians and cyclists will be able to get from one end of the street to the other. (This site has) a lot of good things going for it, he said. Theres a good crossing with a crosswalk at Selkirk, and Burrows and Inkster both have medians so youre only crossing one direction of traffic at a time. Residents and city planners are sharing an enthusiasm that the project will soon be a reality. Two years ago, the idea that Powers could be a bikeway didnt exist, Pelletier said. Nixon, who has been working on active transportation since July 2007, said city council is making it easy for him to do his job. Its an exciting time to have this job, he said. Theres a lot of political support for this right now.

14 years, 11 months

Walking....The NEW Full Body Workout - May 22, 2009

by Deanna Betteridge

Hello, Can you please assist Winnipeg in motion by promoting the following FREE event and forwarding this information on to your networks? See you at the Library, Deanna ************************************************************************* Take Your Walk to the Next Level! Walking......The NEW full body workout. Walking is great exercise and most of us already walk a little bit every day. The benefits of walking are even greater when you use walking poles or add strength training to it. Join Deanna and Kristine of Winnipeg in motion and Ken Chura of Keenfit as they show you how to get more out of your every day walk. Ken will discuss the advantages of using walking poles and demonstrate how to use them. Deanna and Kristine will show you how to get a full body workout by using simple equipment and objects along your walking route. This session will be held on Friday, May 22, from 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. in the Carol Shields Auditorium on the second floor of the Millennium Library. Admission is FREE and registration is NOT required - just wear comfortable clothing to join in the activities, or come to watch! Unable to attend? Visit www.winnipeginmotion.ca for great resources related to this session (& many others) to help you and your family get "in motion". Please feel free to pass this information on to your co-workers, family and friends. Contact Winnipeg in motion at 940-3648 for more information. ************************************************************************* Take Your Walk to the Next Level is part of "in motion Fridays", a series of monthly workshops that promote physical activity for better health. The in motion @ the Library series is sponsored by Winnipeg in motion and the Millennium Library. For a complete list of workshops, visit http://www.winnipeginmotion.ca/resources/in_motion_library . ** Sign-up to receive Winnipeg in motion email updates www.winnipeginmotion.ca/signup/ ** ------------------------------------------------------------- Deanna Betteridge, M.Sc. in motion Coordinator 2 - 189 Evanson St. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 0N9 204-940-3264 (w) 204-232-3297 (c) 204-940-8409 (f) E-mail: dbetteridge(a)wrha.mb.ca Web site: www.winnipeginmotion.ca This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

14 years, 11 months

Streetfilms - Portland Bridge

by David Wieser

Just imagine a bicycle traffic jam on the new Disraeli Bike / Pedestrian Bridge. Check out the new Streetfilms video on the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland, Oregon. http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/portland-bike-rush-hour-on-the-hawthorn… 7000 + bicycle crossings per day 20% of the traffic on the bridge less than 10% of the space David Wieser

14 years, 11 months

Take a Jane's Walk this weekend - May 2 & 3

by Beth McKechnie

Hope to see you out on a Jane's Walk this weekend! Check out all the walks at: http://janeswalk.net/participating_cities/winnipeg (Please share widely...)

14 years, 11 months

City media launch Wed noon - cycling hot topics

by Beth McKechnie

[forwarded from Bike to the Future] The City of Winnipeg, along with their partners from Bike to the Future, the Winnipeg Trails Association, Climate Change Connection, One Green City, Resource Conservation Manitoba, the Manitoba Cycling Association, and The Centre for Sustainable Transportation will be announcing three exciting Active Transportation initiatives for 2009 on Wednesday April 29th at noon at the City Hall Courtyard: * Winnipeg Cycling Map 2009 will be available at bike shops throughout Winnipeg starting on Wednesday April 29th. http://biketothefuture.org/news/archives/2009/04/28/winnipeg-cycling-map-20… * A GPS cycling study called OttoCYCLE: Building Better Biking in Winnipeg will start on May 1st. http://biketothefuture.org/news/archives/2009/04/19/cycling-gps-mapping-pro… * The 2nd annual Bike to Work Day will be held on Friday June 19th. http://biketothefuture.org/events/archives/2008/12/20/ Mayor Sam Katz, City Councillor Russ Wyatt, City Active Transportation Coordinator Kevin Nixon, and representatives from each partner organization will be attending. A good turnout of cyclists will help launch these three initiatives on a very positive note. Kevin Miller Bike to the Future, Co-Chair http://biketothefuture.org

14 years, 11 months

Fw: Active Transportation - Canada: April 22, 2009

by Beth McKechnie

I found the article on "The physics of why bicyclists hate stop signs" particularly interesting. If you want to go straight to the original essay/paper: http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2009/04/physicsofstopping.pdf cheers, Beth ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:14 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: April 22, 2009 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. The following items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** AT Infrastructure Example: Yellowknife NT - Frame Lake Walkway 1.. Report - Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center: Case Study Compendium 2.. Article - But the emperor has no clothes! 3.. Article - Urban design turning kids off being active 4.. Article - Go ahead, take a walk in the park 5.. Report - The physics of why bicyclists hate stop signs 6.. Article - Ottawa: Skateboarder contests city's helmet proposal 7.. Article - Australia: Eco suburb plan unveiled for city 8.. Video - L.A.’s Orange Line: Bus Rapid Transit (plus bike path!) 9.. Article - Thinner is better to curb global warming, study says 10.. Article - EU Digs Deep in Public Rental Bikes 11.. Article - University of Kentucky plans bicycle permit parking 12.. Article - South Korea: [President] Lee Highlights Plans to Promote Bicycle Use 13.. Article - Plan to reduce speed limit to 30km/h throughout most of Dublin city centre 14.. Article - Taiwan to promote bike tourism 15.. Article - Can Abu Dhabi be a pedestrian city? **************************************************************************************************** A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

14 years, 12 months

Happy Earth Day

by Stacy Matwick

Interesting post with some good tips. http://www.good.is/post/bike-commuting-and-living-to-tell-about-it/ Cheers Stacy Matwick Information Centre International Institute for Sustainable Development 161 Portage Ave. E., 6th floor Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 0Y4 Voice: (204)958-7755 Fax: (204)958-7710 Email: smatwick(a)iisd.ca Website: http://www.iisd.org "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx "Life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance your must keep on moving" Albert Einstein

14 years, 12 months

WFP L2E: Make room for cyclists (Apr.21'09)

by Beth McKechnie

[Nicely expressed letter in today's Winnipeg Free Press. -cheers, Beth] Letters to the Editor Have your say:Make room for cyclists I work downtown and commute by bicycle along Pembina Highway. I do my best to be respectful of motor vehicle drivers and allow enough room for small vehicles to share the lane with me most of the time. However, due to potholes, gravel/sand build-up, and certain areas where lanes are narrow, I need to take the full lane along small stretches of my commute. For safe riding, this is recommended by the Canadian Cycling Association, and permissible under the Highway Traffic Act. I applaud most drivers, because they are respectful of my safety, and change lanes, or give me ample room within my lane as they pass by me. Unfortunately, I also face daily assaults on my safety by an angry few. Drivers speed by within inches of me, cut me off, honk, and even yell profanities. In fact, the other day I was flipped the bird twice on my way home. This message is aimed at those angry few. If I am taking the full lane, I am doing it for safety reasons. It is not intended to upset you, so please don't show your frustration by putting my life at risk. If you are a large truck or SUV driver, we almost certainly can never share a lane, even if I am far to the right. The width of your vehicle does not allow for a reasonably safety cushion of space between us. You need to change lanes to pass me. Again, I'm not trying to upset you by riding my bike, so please do not show your frustration by putting my life at risk. If you still feel frustrated and angry over having to share the road with me, rest assured, we are on the same side! I don't want to be on the road with you either, but I do not have any other options along Pembina Highway. So instead of aiming your anger at me, and thereby putting my life at risk, I suggest you funnel your anger into a letter to your city councillor demanding the city fast track cycling infrastructure. Then, I can be out of your hair and your lane once and for all. Sylvia Buchholz Winnipeg

14 years, 12 months

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AT-Network April 2009