AT-Network September 2009

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5 participants
19 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

TDM measurement guidelines webinar - Wed, Oct 28th, 11-12:30

by Beth McKechnie

Ever been stymied trying to quantify the results of your program? Come hear about Transport Canada's new TDM Measurement Guidelines (details below). Resource Conservation Manitoba will be hosting the following webinar at the EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, third floor). If you're interested in attending, please let me know as space is limited (beth(a)resourceconservation.mb.ca). Thanks! Date: Wednesday, October 28th Time: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm Location: EcoCentre Boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor - access via elevator just inside front doors of MEC) Webinar presented by ACT Canada (Association for Commuter Transportation of Canada) with guest speaker Alison Clavelle, Transportation Planner with iTRANS. TDM Measurement Guidelines -- Transport Canada will also soon release guidelines that will help organizations measure the impacts of their Transportation Demand Management (TDM) initiatives and, over time, effectively evaluate progress toward established goals. They address a variety of topics including indicators (what should be measured), variables (the types of data upon which indicators are based), data collection methods (how to measure the indicators), and calculations (mathematical processes). The guidelines offer a step-by-step framework that encourages the consistent application of core principles, but in a manner that is flexible. They provide the practitioner with the information from which to choose the impact measurement technique that suits the specific application, local conditions, target group, etc. This guide will be made available on Transport Canada's Urban Programs web pages this fall. Until then, if you would like to receive an advance copy of any of these, please email a request to ecomobility-ecomobilite(a)tc.gc.ca. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also... two other soon-to-be-released guides that may be of interest to folks: Bike Sharing Guide - Transport Canada is poised to release a Bike Sharing Guide, which is intended to help planners and decision makers determine whether public bicycle sharing is viable in their community and, if so, how to design, implement, and operate a successful system. The material presented in this guide is drawn primarily from recent European experiences, but the information is assessed in terms of relevance to the Canadian context. Improving Transportation Options in Small and Rural Communities - Transport Canada will soon be releasing a guide to improving transportation options in small and rural communities. The guide will serve as a primer for practitioners who wish to identify, assess, develop and implement sustainable transportation options. It will provide a strategic overview of key issues, illustrate representative success stories, and reference established sources of information. It will act as a "first stop" for those seeking credible, practical guidance in a field where many current resources are oriented toward larger, more urban areas.

14 years, 6 months

Centre median cycle track video

by David Wieser

Another inspirational streetfilm. This one is for a centre median cycle track. As we are spending more money now on cycling infrastructure, this is another tool in the tool box that could be implemented. Pembina maybe? Portage? Check it out! http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/sands-street-gets-a-sassy-center-median… David Wieser

14 years, 7 months

Active Transportation - Canada: September 21, 2009

by Beth McKechnie

----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 8:50 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: September 21, 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: Rigaud QC - Special Bicycle Crossing at street intersection 1.. Vicious cycle won't last long 2.. $83.2M for Manitoba wish list 3.. They say the bikes are out in droves on Broadway... 4.. Few options for victim of bicycle hit-'n'-run 5.. Walnuts and walking: Substitutes for Prozac? 6.. Safe routes, crossing guard among budget requests 7.. Saskatchewan kids need to get moving to avoid health problems 8.. Council passes transportation plan for 'walkable' city 9.. 'Car-free' condo: 42 storeys, no parking 10.. Bicycle TV Documentary 11.. Capital Bike & Walk Newsletter 12.. Car vs. cycle: Road war shifts to higher gear 13.. Burrard bridge sees more bikes but slower traffic 14.. What Would Get Americans Biking to Work? 15.. Burgerville officially allows 'cycle-thrus,' hints at dedicated bike lanes 16.. Drivers 'should always be blamed for cycle crashes' 17.. Huge Interest for Meeting on e-Bike Type Approval 18.. Carfree Times, Issue 55, September 2009 19.. 'With bell ringing to the shop" : biggest bicycle campaign in Belgium 20.. London trial to allow cyclists to pedal the 'wrong' way on one-way streets **************************************************************************************************** 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 MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from "ca.mc883.mail.yahoo.com" claiming to be activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

14 years, 7 months

Car Free Day this Tuesday!

by Stephanie Fulford

Greetings All, With all of the great news around active transportation these days, it's time to do some celebrating! Come down to Albert Street on Tuesday, September 22nd from 12-4pm for some car-free fun. With displays, games, giant chess, a mobile veggie stand and free chocolate cake. it's worth checking out! Schedule of Events 12:00-12:30 Track Stand Competition - test your skills or just watch and be impressed by the amazing balancing acts! 12:30-2:00 Square Dancing - we'll be dancing in the streets with a live square dance caller - no experience necessary. 2:00 - 4:00 Street Hockey - All skill levels welcome. For more information visit: www.resourceconservation.mb.ca/carfree Hope to see you there! Stephanie Fulford Green Commuting Initiatives Resource Conservation Manitoba 303 Portage Avenue, 3rd Floor Winnipeg, MB R3B 2B4 Phone: 204.925.3774 Fax: 204.942.4207 www.resourceconservation.mb.ca

14 years, 7 months

CBC Doc Zone: Pedal Power - Thurs, Sept 24, 8 pm

by Beth McKechnie

CBC Doc Zone Pedal Power Thursday September 24, 2009 at 8 pm on CBC-TV Repeating: Friday September 25, 2009 at 10 pm ET/PT on CBC Newsworld Summer, 2008: Igor Kenk, owner of The Bicycle Clinic, a Queen Street repair shop, is arrested. The former police officer from Slovenia has 2,865 bikes stashed away in various places around Toronto and he's hit with 58 charges related to bike theft (and an additional 22 charges relating to drugs). Cyclists are stunned by the discovery, but not completely surprised. Everyone's lost a bike or two and wondered where they went. But worldwide interest in the Kenk case signals a tipping point in the history of urban culture. Bicycling, once seen as a simple pleasure from childhood, has become a political act. For the first time post World War II, the dominance of the automobile is being seriously challenged, with cyclists demanding their share of asphalt real estate from drivers. >From bicycle-mad Paris to rush-hour New York and the back alleys of Toronto, Pedal Power takes a ride through the changing world of bike culture. And with exclusive background access to Igor Kenk - exclusive footage of how he operated and built a legendary reputation on Queen Street West - this major documentary explores the two-wheeled revolution in our streets. "The sickening thud was unmistakable. A cyclist lay crumpled on the streetcar tracks. A motorist talking on her cell phone had "doored" him. Right outside Igor's shuttered bike shop. Across the street from our office. Beyond that scene we found a battle brewing for a fair share of the streets from Amsterdam to Vancouver - a new mass activism for bikers' rights in the decline of the Age of the Automobile. Every now and then a movement becomes a revolution. That's what we found." (Robin Benger) Bicycles and automobiles have to share the same roads - a recipe for conflict - and many potential cyclists just won't ride in the city because they see it as too dangerous. Add in the plague of bike theft and a lot of cyclists are simply leaving their bikes at home. In Canada, bicycles "don't get no respect." From the story of Igor, and the anatomy of the underground world of bike peddlers in Toronto, this film spins out to how other cities are making riding safe. Using innovative "bike-cam" techniques to convey, up-close, the sensation of bike riding, a series of character-driven mini-narratives propel the film through a study of what makes a city "bikeable". Whether it's the public bike program in Paris, bike mega-garages in Amsterdam, bike paths in Vancouver and Montreal, or the surprising leadership of New York City, we follow the story of this remarkable little conveyance as it wheels though the first decade of the 21st century. http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/doczone/2009/pedalpower/index.html

14 years, 7 months

FW: FYI - Local Bike Race "Menno Cross" on Saturday

by Stacy Matwick

For anyone interested. Also the weather should still be excellent for outdoor activities and the leaves are changing. 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 Library website: http://www.iisd.org/ic/ "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 From: Henry David (Hank) Venema Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 9:15 AM To: Winnipeg Staff Subject: FYI - Local Bike Race "Menno Cross" on Saturday The Fort Garry Bike Club presents Menno Cross (CX Series #3) September 26 at Canadian Mennonite University (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.) Registration opens at 10:30 am and closes 30 min. before your race begins. Registration: $10 ($5 for CMU alumni); novice riders and kids under 15 race for free. Races starts at 12 noon C Race - 12 noon - 15min + 1 lap Kids Race - 12:30 pm - 15min + 1 lap (modified course) B Race - 1:30pm - 30 min + 2 laps A Race - 2:30 pm -50 min + 2 laps No race license is required. Anyone can participate.

14 years, 7 months

WFP: City, province favour new Disraeli Bridge - Maloway (Sept.21'09)

by Beth McKechnie

Latest News City, province favour new Disraeli Bridge: Maloway By: Mary Agnes Welch The deal to keep traffic flowing across the Disraeli Bridge hinges on whether to build a brand-new span or fix the old one -- and MP Jim Maloway says the city and province are leaning towards building new. The NDP MLA-turned-MP, who led the campaign to keep the bridge open during repairs or reconstruction, said the city has all but decided to build a new, four-lane span just east of the existing bridge. Once the new bridge is built, the decaying span would be torn down. That would allow Elmwood, North Kildonan and Transcona traffic to cross the Red River into downtown normally during construction. However, Maloway said a separate bike and pedestrian span may be a non-starter. Instead, bike lanes will be built on the new span, which Maloway said makes more sense anyway. "In some ways, it's even better than I wanted, but it doesn't have six lanes," said the MP, who helped orchestrate a petition and lobbying campaign to get the city and the Doer government to keep the bridge open during construction. Despite Maloway's optimism, political and administrative sources say the city hasn't yet decided whether to build new and keep the old bridge totally open, or repair the existing span, which would cause traffic delays. After residents in the northeast corner of the city balked at the proposed 16-month closure of their main downtown connection, the city asked contractors to find a way to shorten the Disraeli closing or even eliminate it. That could cost more than the original $140-million price tag. The city is still weighing the financial pros and cons of each option to ensure any extra cash required is justified. A provincial spokesman says they're close to a deal and Premier Gary Doer plans to meet with Mayor Sam Katz next week on the issue. Maloway said there is still some wrangling over the amount and timing of provincial funding. The province has so far committed $50 million. Ottawa has not expressed an interest in funding the bridge repairs or reconstruction, and the city has not put the bridge on its wish list for federal infrastructure funds. On Friday, Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz insisted no deal is in place to prevent Disraeli from being shut during construction, though he has committed to looking at all options to keep the bridge open. -- With files from Bartley Kives maryagnes.welch(a)freepress.mb.ca

14 years, 7 months

WFP: Vicious cycle won't last long - City to dedicate more than 70 km to bicycle riders (Sept.21'09)

by Beth McKechnie

Latest News Vicious cycle won't last longCity to dedicate more than 70 km to bicycle riders By: Bartley Kives More than 70 kilometres of Winnipeg streets will be handed over to cyclists in the next year, as most of the new money the city is about to spend on active-transportation corridors will create "bike boulevards." Two Fridays ago, as part of a federal infrastructure-funding announcement, the city, province and Ottawa agreed to spend $20 million on 37 different active-transportation projects within Winnipeg. The cash will add 102 kilometres of bike-and-pedestrian routes to an existing 274-kilometre city network comprised of multi-use paths, bike lanes on streets and extra-wide curb lanes called sharrows. The projects include a new bridge over Omand's Creek that won't be submerged during spring and summer floods, 30 kilometres of new multi-use paths and 72 kilometres of bike boulevards, which are roads where cyclists receive priority over motor-vehicle traffic. While bike boulevards do not separate cyclists from cars, they employ "traffic-calming measures" -- essentially obstacles -- to discourage all but local motor-vehicle traffic, said Kevin Nixon, Winnipeg's active-transportation co-ordinator. The boulevards will be on low-traffic streets cyclists already use. The first street slated for conversion is Assiniboine Avenue, from Osborne Street to the Midtown Bridge. That will be followed by downtown bike boulevards on Bannatyne and McDermot avenues between Waterfront Drive and Sherbrook Street, St. Boniface boulevards on Eugenie and Des Meurons streets between the Norwood Bridge and Fermor Avenue and boulevards on Alexander and Pacific avenues, which will connect Red River College's Notre Dame and Princess Street campuses. Many of the other projects are small connections between existing routes and trails, Nixon added. "Some of these pathways are tiny little things, but they have been highlighted to us (by cyclists) as important connections." The infusion of new trail-building cash effectively multiplies the annual city trail-building budget by a factor of eight, as Winnipeg devoted $2.5 million to active transportation this year, not including another $1.9 million spent on trails built as part of road rehabilitation projects. As recently as 2006, the city only spent $200,000 a year on active transportation. Since then, the city has more than doubled the size of its network, as every member of council embraces human-powered transportation. "We are committed to this, not just as a quality-of-life initiative, but as a green initiative," said St. James-Brooklands Coun. Scott Fielding, city council's property chairman. "You're never going to get people out of their cars, but you have to get them on buses and bikes as well. You have to do both." bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca Spending on active transportation After years of indifference, Winnipeg has started devoting real money toward its human-powered transportation system. Here's what's been spent on recreational and commuter paths for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as bike lanes and sharrows in recent years: 2006 $200,0000 2007 $1.75 million 2008 $2.65 million 2009 $4.4 million Spending on active transportation this year When Winnipeg fixes regional roads, new trails are built as well. Money spent on new active-transportation corridors in the 2009 capital budget: $2.5 million Additional money spent on activetransportation corridors alongside road rehabilitation projects this year: $1.9 million What we have right now Winnipeg has 274 kilometres of active-transportation corridors. The vast majority of this network -- 159.5 kilometres -- has been laid down over the past four years. Here's how those kilometres break down: Multi-use paths: 149 kilometres Neighbourhood paths: 61 kilometres Bike lanes on streets: 12 kilometres Separated bike lanes: none Sharrows: 35 kilometres Bike boulevards: 16 kilometres What we're going to build On Sept. 11, Ottawa, Manitoba and Winnipeg pledged to spend a combined $20 million on 37 active-transportation projects in Winnipeg. The cash will pay for 102 kilometres of new active-transportation corridors, which will go a long way toward the city's goal of adding 450 more kilometres of paths and trails. Here's what the money will build: New bike boulevards: 72 kilometres New pathways: 30 kilometres New active-transportation bridge: Over Omand's Creek at Omand Park. What do all these terms mean? Active-transportation corridor: Any path, trail or lane intended for human-powered transportation, such as cycling, walking or in-line skating. Multi-use path: A pathway separated from the road for use by both cyclists and pedestrians. Neighbourhood paths: Older paths in city neighbourhoods designed before trail connectivity was a big consideration in city planning. These typically are not very useful for commuter cyclists. Bike lane: A lane painted on a street for use by cyclists. Sharrow: An extra-wide curb lane intended to be shared by cars and bikes. These are strongly disliked by many cyclists. Bike boulevard: A shared roadway that gives priority to cyclists over cars, usually through the installation of barriers that slow or "calm" motor-vehicle traffic to the point where only local vehicle traffic will use the boulevards. -- Compiled by Bartley Kives

14 years, 7 months

Toronto Star: Developer proposes car-free condo in Toronto

by Beth McKechnie

'Car-free' condo: 42 storeys, no parking September 16, 2009 Donovan Vincent TORONTO STAR CITY HALL BUREAU A controversial 42-storey condo building that will be built without permanent parking spots cleared a key hurdle yesterday. The Toronto-East York community council overruled city staff skeptical about the dearth of parking to allow a plan that provides for only nine car-share rental spots, plus 315 spaces for bicycles. The condominium would go up on the site of the century-old Royal Canadian Military Institute on University Ave. near Dundas St., which would be demolished, with elements of its facade preserved at the base and a thin tower above. "If you look at the evidence of what sells downtown, the majority of units under 750 square feet in the downtown core sell without parking,'' said Stephen Deveaux, a vice-president with the developer, Tribute Communities. Parking spots typically add $20,000 or more to the cost of a downtown condo. Deveaux called the project, which still needs approval from full city council, an opportunity to design and market an "environmentally progressive building." With so many jobs and handy transit nearby, the units will sell, Deveaux said. A staff report on the condo plan in May gave it thumbs-down, citing, for one, the lack of parking. It stated the car-free plan "runs counter to expert study and experience." The idea materialized when Tribute realized the narrow site would provide "challenges" to constructing a parking garage. Councillor Adam Vaughan, who represents the ward, called the car-free building "an interesting experiment and statement about the future of downtown living.'' It also won praise yesterday from Franz Hartmann, co-executive director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, who said such buildings are uncommon - if they exist at all. "In the past it was natural to allocate parking spots, but in 21st century Toronto, where we're battling climate change, we don't need that any more,'' he said. The few parking spots in the plan will be devoted to car-share arrangements, whereby residents can rent a car as needed by the hour. The plan involves tearing down the decaying Royal Canadian Military Institute building, a private club constructed in 1907 that is on the city's inventory of heritage properties, and replacing it with a 6 1/2-storey structure that maintains elements of the façade. Above would rise a 35 1/2-storey condo tower with about 315 units, mostly one-bedroom. The $65 million project is the fruit of a partnership between Tribute and the 1,500-member club. Construction could begin as early as next year and be done by 2013. The building will continue to provide space for the club, its library and its extensive archival collection of military artifacts - including the seat of Baron von Richthofen's Fokker Triplane, its most famous item. Though the institute's board has approved the project, several members at large oppose it. Member Brian Lawrie told the community council that in 2007 Vaughan had "enthusiastically endorsed" keeping the building intact, calling it a "rare remnant of University Avenue's early days as a quiet boulevard dominated by trees, not highrises." He noted that the councillor had done a "180-degree turn" the next year by endorsing the demolition and condo project. Normally, building plans follow a formula for how much parking space should be allowed; current standards, if applied to the building, would provide approximately 140 parking spaces for residents. "To assume a residential development of the project's scale might be totally car-free runs counter to expert study and experience," the staff report stated. "Although there are many households in the downtown (area) without cars, it would be highly unlikely to find 315 of them permanently concentrated in one building." It also stated that, "exempting the project from the city's parking standards would create a negative precedent that undermines the integrity of the parking provisions of the zoning bylaw." But the project got the green light after Vaughan suggested a series of amendments to bring the building into what he later described as "better conformity" with the area. The only way to save its museum and artifacts is to redevelop the site, Vaughan told the meeting. The project goes to city council later this month for final approva -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ON A CLEAR DAY, YOU CAN SEE METRO What does it take to live car-less-ly? Schlepping groceries and other stuff home on foot can take some effort, especially in a downtown area that's less residential than some. >From 426 University Ave., site of a proposed condo building with no parking, it is: . 10 blocks to the nearest supermarket (Metro at Gould and Jarvis Sts.) . 4 blocks to the nearest LCBO (595 Bay St.) . 4 blocks to the nearest Canadian Tire (Bay and Dundas Sts.) . 6 blocks to the nearest mall (Eaton Centre) On the other hand, it's: . A few steps to St. Patrick's subway station . 2 blocks to the opera house . 3 blocks to major hospitals . 5 blocks to Queen's Park ----------------------------------------------------- SHARE THE SPACE Car-sharing firms should be awarded trial permits for six parking areas on downtown streets, Toronto's works committee recommended this week. The firms would pay an annual fee of $200; the four areas would hold two to six cars each. A staff report said car sharing, a membership system for renting vehicles by the hour, cuts traffic by making it easier to live in the city without owning a car. Some councillors said $200 is too low for commercial operators and will reduce revenue from metered parking. "We may not be driving the cars, but we sure are being taken for a ride," said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong. Others noted none of the areas is metered and argued that car sharing advances city goals of fewer cars and cleaner air. The proposal must still be approved by city council. - John Spears

14 years, 7 months

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AT-Network September 2009