{Winnipeg Free Press]
$18-M remake for Osborne Bridge Focus on cyclists, pedestrians, art
By: Geoff Kirbyson
A newly rehabilitated Osborne Bridge will have separate spaces for cyclists
and pedestrians, as well as an artistic component to fit in with the
eclectic neighbourhood, according to plans unveiled Thursday evening.
A smattering of area residents and users of one of the city's busiest
bridges discovered active transportation will be the central theme of a
planned $18-million renovation. Construction, which is scheduled to begin in
April, will feature one three-metre-wide walkway and two two-metre-wide bike
paths.
[image: The Osborne Bridge, shown in artist’s conception.]
Enlarge Image <http://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/artistosborne.jpg>
The Osborne Bridge, shown in artist’s conception.
To accommodate these features, the bridge will be widened by about five feet
by extending the overhangs and replacing the existing wide median with a
narrower barrier.
Matt Chislett, bridge projects engineer for the city's public works
department, said the city decided against a joint pedestrian-cycling lane.
"We have a high percentage of people in the area with vision impairment or
who use seeing-eye dogs and we didn't want them sharing space with
cyclists," he said at an information open house at Holy Rosary Church.
Chislett said making the bridge safer for people on foot has been a concern
since a vehicle jumped the curb and killed a pedestrian in the late 1980s.
He said the renovation will prolong the lifespan of the bridge for another
75 years. The Osborne Bridge was built in 1975. Replacing the bridge would
cost about $25 million, he said.
Chislett said he and his team will take the most recent public feedback and
potentially "tweak" bridge plans. The current schedule calls for the east
side of the bridge to be closed in April, with construction finishing up in
October. The following spring, the same thing will happen to the west side.
During both construction periods, traffic flows in both directions will be
restricted to a total of three lanes, he said.
"It's going to be a snarl," he said, noting 40,000 vehicles cross the bridge
every day.
Most of the time, two lanes will head south, with one going north. During
morning rush hours, however, it will be reconfigured with two lanes heading
north.
Chislett said an artist has been hired to incorporate art into the bridge's
design, such as the handrails or at the end of the bridge.
"We want to make it an esthetically pleasing bridge to fit the
neighbourhood," he said.
About 60 people came through the open house during the first three of four
hours Thursday night. Gerald, whose family operates a business in the area
and who asked that his last name not be published, said he appreciated the
chance to voice his opinions on the project design. He said he was confident
it would not result in the public relations disaster that accompanied last
fall's introduction of traffic circles in several neighbourhoods.
He said he believes the bigger problem is traffic flow in Osborne Village,
used by people from other neighbourhoods simply passing through on their way
home from downtown.
"I think they should tunnel under the Osborne overpass and come up under the
river by the (Legislative Building)," he said.
geoff.kirbyson(a)freepress.mb.ca
--
*Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action
Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/>
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us
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Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living.
Support our work by becoming a
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***PLEASE POST WIDELY - apologies for cross-posting***
*
*
*GREEN ACTION CENTRE*
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY; two positions available
December 3, 2010
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Active and Safe Routes to School Program Intern*
-------------------------------------------------------------
*Application deadline:** *Monday, December 13 2010**
*Start date:** *Thursday, January 6 2011
*End date: *Friday, March 18 2011
* *
These positions being funded through the YMCA’s Post-Secondary Graduate
Youth Eco Internship Program (PSYEIP) with funding provided by the
Government of Canada. This program places unemployed youth aged 15 to 30
from diverse backgrounds into paid internship opportunities within the
private, non-profit, public, and charitable service sectors in Canada with a
focus on the environment and community*. Applicants must meet ALL
eligibility criteria for the program in order to be considered:*
- between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the time of placement;
- not receiving Employment Insurance benefit;
- a graduate of a post-secondary education program;
- be unemployed; or underemployed (working 20 hours or less on a regular
basis); or working in a job that does not match your area of educational
study;
- out of school;
- a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee
status has been conferred;
- legally entitled to work according to the relevant
provincial/territorial legislation and regulations;
- have a social insurance number;
- be willing to complete a Police Records Check.
*Note: Youth who previously participated in the Youth Eco Internship Program
will not be considered*
* *
Green Action Centre is a non-profit, charitable community organization
currently seeking *two program interns* for our Active and Safe Routes to
School (ASRTS) program. The interns will actively encourage walking and
cycling as healthy alternatives for getting kids to and from school by
working closely with teachers, parents, school staff and students at
selected Manitoba elementary schools. The interns will be involved in the
lead up to Clean Air Day in June, and the coordination of a regional meeting
of Active and Safe Routes to School practitioners in Manitoba. The interns
will work closely with the Active and Safe Routes to School Program Team on
the planning and delivery of events, and will act as supports for other
areas of the program including policy development, in-class workshops and
education, best routes to school mapping, report writing, fundraising and
materials development.
*RESPONSIBILITIES*
* *
· Promotes elementary school participation in the annual Clean Air
Day Walk to School (June)
· Assists with the administration and coordination of the poster
contest linked to Clean Air Day
· Communicates with schools to encourage environmentally friendly
travel year-round through surveys, telephone conversations and site visits
as well as ASRTS program components such as the Walking School Bus, Walking
Wednesdays Club and Neighbourhood Walkabouts
· Maintains a database and contact list of participating schools and
community partners
· Researches, prepares and distributes kit materials such as fact
sheets, checklists, surveys, brochures, posters, and resources
· Monitors project-related expenses
· Writes reports and assists in preparing proposals and applications
· Assists with website development through the Green Action Centre
content-managed system – writing updates and blog posts related to Active
and Safe Routes to School-related items.
· Compiles, publishes and distributes the quarterly Active and Safe
Routes to School newsletter *“Off on the Right Foot”*
· Assists with the coordination of a regional training event for
Active and Safe Routes to School practitioners in Manitoba (involving
invitations, managing registrations, preparing materials, taking minutes and
assisting with follow-up reporting).
*QUALIFICATIONS*
Must be self-motivated, reliable and able to work collaboratively and
individually.
*Must meet the requirements of the Post-Secondary Youth Eco-Internship
Program administered through the YMCA.*
*Key qualifications include:*
· Self-initiator with excellent interpersonal and time management
skills
· Professional writing, editing, research and communication skills
· Commitment to work in a collaborative setting to achieve common
goals
· Experience in organizing events and workshops
· Background in areas such as communications / social marketing /
community development / environmental or health education / urban planning,
GIS, social change / non-profit project work
· Familiar with Community Based Social Marketing concepts (see
www.cbsm.com)
· Ability to handle multiple tasks in a brisk work environment with
a flexible schedule
· Knowledge of internet-based communication and research tools
· Experience in organizing promotional events, and creativity in
developing advertising and media campaigns
· Experience in proposal and report writing
· Ease in giving public presentations and speaking with media
· Demonstrated commitment to the goals of ecological sustainability
and sustainable transportation
· Understanding of urban transportation, planning and environmental
issues
· Experience working with teachers, parents, administration and
staff in an elementary school setting an asset
· Experience with GIS or other mapping software an asset
*ABOUT THE POSITION*
*
Direct applications by Monday, December 13 2010 to:*
ASRTS Hiring Committee
Green Action Centre
303 Portage Avenue, 3rd Floor,
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4
E-mail: asrts(a)greenactioncentre.ca
*Green Action Centre*: Green Action Centre is a non-profit, non-governmental
organization directed by an elected community Board. Green Action Centre’s
mission is to promote ecological sustainability through environmental
education and the development of sustainable alternatives to unsustainable
current practices. Further information about Green Action Centre projects
and activities is available on our web site www.greenactioncentre.ca.
--
*Jackie Avent*
Active and Safe Routes to School
Green Action Centre
204.925.3773
www.greenactioncentre.ca
Green Action Centre is a non-profit organization. Please consider making a
donation.
*Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue at Donald Street;
Take the elevator to the third floor of the MEC building)
Winnipeg transit stops and bicycle racks are located in front of MEC
Green Action Centre will be hosting the following APBP (Association of
Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) webinar on "Bike Boxes" on Wed, Dec.
15th. If you would like to join us, please let me know at *
beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca*. See you then! -thanks, Beth (925-3772)
------------------------------
Webinar: * Bike Boxes
*Date: *Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CST *
Location: *EcoCentre boardroom, 303 Portage Ave, third floor* (enter via
elevator inside front doors of MEC)
The webinar will have two main sections:
- The evolution of bike box design, citing examples in the UK and
northern Europe, and including a discussion of details such as coordinating
traffic signals, signal phasing, and cost/durability of different materials.
- A presentation about Portland, Oregon’s, study of how bike boxes
perform for motorists and bicyclists at ten locations. Although there are
bike boxes in a number of U.S. cities now, Portland has probably done the
most experimentation and evaluation.
*Presenters: *
Webinar presenters will be Christopher Monsere, Assistant Professor at
Portland State University, and Tom Bertulis, formerly of the Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy, and now a doctoral student at
Northeastern University.
Hope you can join us!
--
Beth McKechnie
Workplace Commuter Options
Green Action Centre
204.925.3772
www.greenactioncentre.ca
Green Action Centre is a registered charity. Please consider making a
donation <https://www.canadahelps.org/DonationDetails.aspx?cookieCheck=true>
.
*Coming to the EcoCentre?* (3rd floor, 303 Portage at Donald, MEC bldg)
Enter via the elevator just inside MEC's front doors
Bike racks are located in front of the building
Find your bus route with Winnipeg Transit's online trip planner
Navigo<http://www.winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo>