Blazed by the trails Winnipeg family thrilled to use city’s well-hidden
network of off-the-beaten paths
By: Shamona Harnett
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/Blazed-by-the-trails---…
Janice Lukes has flown to the most exotic places on Earth. And although the
Winnipeg mother of three’s globetrotting days are over, her past travels
can’t compete with the adventures she experiences every day in the
unlikeliest of places — on her own city’s pathways.
Most citizens here don’t know much about the Winnipeg’s trails — hidden
wilderness gems that meander through river-bottom forests, wind through open
fields and snake along abandoned rail beds.
But Lukes, her husband and her sons — eight-year-old triplets — walk, cycle
and play on many of them. And they’re always seeking out new ones.
Their latest fascination? The Yellow Ribbon Greenway Trail, a 5.5-kilometre
stretch of pathway located in a remote section of St. James.
There’s lots to see on this trail, including an outdoor warplane museum and
a creek full of frogs. But the best part of the trail for the family are the
low-flying airplanes they get to see touching down at James Armstrong
Richardson International Airport.
"You can touch the fence where the runway is," says Lukes, one of the city’s
leading trail advocates and a member of the province’s Active Transportation
Advisory Group. "You stand on the trail and you can see these fat-bellied
planes come in and land. It’s fascinating. My kids were blown away by that.
And I was blown away by it."
Her voice inflects upwards when she talks about her latest trail discovery.
"It’s a really obscure location that no one would have gone to before
because there was no road. There was nothing around it!"
Lukes says it was two decades ago when some forward- thinking city officials
came up with the idea to build a trail system in Winnipeg — one whose legs
would would eventually connect together. Then, the city had only scattered
bits and pieces of trail that really didn’t go anywhere.
Today, trail advocates are closer than ever to realizing their dream of a
Winnipeg full of people using their own physical power to get to from point
A to point B along a connected trail system.
Wander onto city trails on a summer day and you can see walkers, runners,
cyclists, in-line skaters, parents pushing their babies in strollers as well
as people in wheelchairs. Some are commuting to a specific place.
Others are just enjoying a deep breath of nature.
To date, the Winnipeg Trails Association lists nearly 40 trails. Some are
more connected than others.
In the last five years, Lukes says, more than $40 million has been spent on
trails and cycling infrastructure around Winnipeg — $20 million just last
year alone.
Of course, many would argue that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
But to Lukes, the health benefits are worth the price tag.
"If I don’t keep my kids mobile, what are they going to do?" says Lukes,
the St. Norbert resident who has advocated for trails for nine years. "It’s
so easy to turn the TV on. It’s so easy to let them sit in front of this
stuff.
"I think what’s good about the trails are that (they are) free. You need a
pair of runners. Trails fit people’s schedules and they fit people’s
budgets. And they cost peanuts to build compared to the roadways."
Here are the basics you need to know about Winnipeg’s trails. This is the
first in a series of Healthy Living stories about our growing trail system:
*What’s the purpose of Winnipeg’s trails?*
Trail advocates want Winnipeggers walking, running, cycling, in-line
skating, skipping and wandering down city trails. Ideally, the trails will
help Winnipeggers become more active and, therefore, fitter. (According to a
Active Transportation Advisory Group report, 55 per cent of Manitoba’s
people are overweight or obese. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of Manitobans are
considered inactive.
Trail proponents hope the trails’ increasing connectivity make them a
viable, safe way for people to get from one neighbourhood to the other free
from car traffic.
*How many trails are in Winnipeg?*
"It depends on what you define as a trail. There are many bits and pieces
which are too small to have an official name," says Lukes. The Winnipeg
Trails Association has mapped out 38 city trails. Many trails are outfitted
with signs that depict points of interest, etc.
*How is the trail system organized?*
In 1993, the city came up with the idea to divide the city into six parkways
— essentially consisting of land along both sides of the Red and Assiniboine
Rivers. The goal is to hook up the parkways to form a continuous trail
system. This web of parkways joins one park to another. Trails mainly curve
around the riverbanks and, when necessary, wind onto residential streets.
The riverwalk at the Forks, for example is part of the North Winnipeg
Parkway. It, like other trails in the city, is partially under water due to
flooding.
There are also several community trails that are not part of the parkway
system. These trails generally thrive thanks to the dedication of community
volunteers who lobby on behalf of these neighbourhood trails.
Monkey trails are unofficial trails not sanctioned by the city. Adventurers
tend to like these trails because they wind up and down along the edge of
riverbanks. "You have to be a monkey to go on them," explains Lukes.
*What is the Trans Canada Trail?*
A project the federal government touts as the world’s longest network of
trails. Today, more than 15,500 kilometres worth of Trans Canada trail has
been developed nationwide, 1,400 kilometres of which is in the wilds of
rural Manitoba.
*Is there a way for the city to profit from its trails?*
Advocates say Winnipeg’s trails will attract tourists and lead to growth in
the city’s economy. We may already be profiting from our trails, according
to Brandon Bertram, an employee at Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road.
He says he often rents bikes to visitors who seem more eager to explore city
trails than Winnipeggers are. "They come in asking for good places to ride,
that kind of thing. Not a whole lot of people from the city come in for that
type of advice," says Bertram.
*How can you find out how to get to various Winnipeg trails?*
Log onto the Winnipeg Trails Association website. It’s located at
www.winnipegtrails.ca The site contains maps and detailed information about
city trails.
Follow Shamona on Twitter at Follow Shamona on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/ShamonaHarnett
*Have an interesting idea you’d like Shamona to write about? Contact her at
shamona.harnett(a)freepress.mb.ca*
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/Blazed-by-the-trails---…
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Blazed by the trailsWinnipeg family thrilled to use city’s well-hidden
network of off-the-beaten paths
By: Shamona Harnett
Posted: 08/15/2011 8:28 AM
Janice Lukes has flown to the most exotic places on Earth. And although the
Winnipeg mother of three’s globetrotting days are over, her past travels
can’t compete with the adventures she experiences every day in the
unlikeliest of places — on her own city’s pathways.
Most citizens here don’t know much about the Winnipeg’s trails — hidden
wilderness gems that meander through river-bottom forests, wind through open
fields and snake along abandoned rail beds.
But Lukes, her husband and her sons — eight-year-old triplets — walk, cycle
and play on many of them. And they’re always seeking out new ones.
Their latest fascination? The Yellow Ribbon Greenway Trail, a 5.5-kilometre
stretch of pathway located in a remote section of St. James.
There’s lots to see on this trail, including an outdoor warplane museum and
a creek full of frogs. But the best part of the trail for the family are the
low-flying airplanes they get to see touching down at James Armstrong
Richardson International Airport.
"You can touch the fence where the runway is," says Lukes, one of the city’s
leading trail advocates and a member of the province’s Active Transportation
Advisory Group. "You stand on the trail and you can see these fat-bellied
planes come in and land. It’s fascinating. My kids were blown away by that.
And I was blown away by it."
Her voice inflects upwards when she talks about her latest trail discovery.
"It’s a really obscure location that no one would have gone to before
because there was no road. There was nothing around it!"
Lukes says it was two decades ago when some forward- thinking city officials
came up with the idea to build a trail system in Winnipeg — one whose legs
would would eventually connect together. Then, the city had only scattered
bits and pieces of trail that really didn’t go anywhere.
Today, trail advocates are closer than ever to realizing their dream of a
Winnipeg full of people using their own physical power to get to from point
A to point B along a connected trail system.
Wander onto city trails on a summer day and you can see walkers, runners,
cyclists, in-line skaters, parents pushing their babies in strollers as well
as people in wheelchairs. Some are commuting to a specific place.
Others are just enjoying a deep breath of nature.
To date, the Winnipeg Trails Association lists nearly 40 trails. Some are
more connected than others.
In the last five years, Lukes says, more than $40 million has been spent on
trails and cycling infrastructure around Winnipeg — $20 million just last
year alone.
Of course, many would argue that the money would be better spent elsewhere.
But to Lukes, the health benefits are worth the price tag.
"If I don’t keep my kids mobile, what are they going to do?" says Lukes,
the St. Norbert resident who has advocated for trails for nine years. "It’s
so easy to turn the TV on. It’s so easy to let them sit in front of this
stuff.
"I think what’s good about the trails are that (they are) free. You need a
pair of runners. Trails fit people’s schedules and they fit people’s
budgets. And they cost peanuts to build compared to the roadways."
Here are the basics you need to know about Winnipeg’s trails. This is the
first in a series of Healthy Living stories about our growing trail system:
What’s the purpose of Winnipeg’s trails?
Trail advocates want Winnipeggers walking, running, cycling, in-line
skating, skipping and wandering down city trails. Ideally, the trails will
help Winnipeggers become more active and, therefore, fitter. (According to a
Active Transportation Advisory Group report, 55 per cent of Manitoba’s
people are overweight or obese. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of Manitobans are
considered inactive.
Trail proponents hope the trails’ increasing connectivity make them a
viable, safe way for people to get from one neighbourhood to the other free
from car traffic.
How many trails are in Winnipeg?
"It depends on what you define as a trail. There are many bits and pieces
which are too small to have an official name," says Lukes. The Winnipeg
Trails Association has mapped out 38 city trails. Many trails are outfitted
with signs that depict points of interest, etc.
How is the trail system organized?
In 1993, the city came up with the idea to divide the city into six parkways
— essentially consisting of land along both sides of the Red and Assiniboine
Rivers. The goal is to hook up the parkways to form a continuous trail
system. This web of parkways joins one park to another. Trails mainly curve
around the riverbanks and, when necessary, wind onto residential streets.
The riverwalk at the Forks, for example is part of the North Winnipeg
Parkway. It, like other trails in the city, is partially under water due to
flooding.
There are also several community trails that are not part of the parkway
system. These trails generally thrive thanks to the dedication of community
volunteers who lobby on behalf of these neighbourhood trails.
Monkey trails are unofficial trails not sanctioned by the city. Adventurers
tend to like these trails because they wind up and down along the edge of
riverbanks. "You have to be a monkey to go on them," explains Lukes.
What is the Trans Canada Trail?
A project the federal government touts as the world’s longest network of
trails. Today, more than 15,500 kilometres worth of Trans Canada trail has
been developed nationwide, 1,400 kilometres of which is in the wilds of
rural Manitoba.
Is there a way for the city to profit from its trails?
Advocates say Winnipeg’s trails will attract tourists and lead to growth in
the city’s economy. We may already be profiting from our trails, according
to Brandon Bertram, an employee at Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road.
He says he often rents bikes to visitors who seem more eager to explore city
trails than Winnipeggers are. "They come in asking for good places to ride,
that kind of thing. Not a whole lot of people from the city come in for that
type of advice," says Bertram.
How can you find out how to get to various Winnipeg trails?
Log onto the Winnipeg Trails Association website. It’s located at
www.winnipegtrails.ca The site contains maps and detailed information about
city trails.
Follow Shamona on Twitter at Follow Shamona on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/ShamonaHarnett
Have an interesting idea you’d like Shamona to write about? Contact her at
shamona.harnett(a)freepress.mb.ca
--
Mike Tutthill
Planning & Community Engagement Consultant
HEALTH in COMMON
100-6 Donald Street
Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K6
tel: 204.949.2002
1.800.731.1792
fax: 204.284.2404
email: mtutthill(a)healthincommon.ca
web: www.healthincommon.ca
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
June E-Newsletter deadline is May 20.
*Health in Common on
Facebook*<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Health-in-Common/120069149875>
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.
*Coming to Health in Common?*
*By bicycle: *Bicycle parking is located behind the building.
*By Winnipeg transit: *Routes 62, 65, 66, 68, 70* ***
*By car: *Two visitor parking spaces are available at the back of the
building.* Street parking (restrictions): *Bell Avenue (1hr 9h00 – 17h30),
Clarke Street (none); Lewis (none); Cauchon (none); River (none west of
Clarke).
[Accompanying car context as counterpoint for the earlier walking & cycling
article...]
Our daily demolition derby Car crashes mean death, misery and expense -- all
avoidable
By: Jen Skerritt
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/our-daily-demolition-derby-12…
They can happen as you back out of your driveway, stop at a red light or
turn onto a busy street in morning rush-hour traffic.
Car crashes can occur anytime, anywhere, to anyone, and records released
through a freedom of information request reveal they are so common, an
average of 143 are reported to Manitoba Public Insurance on any given day in
Winnipeg -- about one collision every 10 minutes.
A staggering 261,875 claims were reported in Winnipeg between 2005 and 2009,
the latest available MPI data. That's an average of 52,375 crashes every
year.
These are not all major incidents, and claimants did not identify the crash
location in about half of all collision reports.
MPI says the collisions range from fender-benders in back lanes and parking
lots to cars that bump into trees or poles or get smashed up after run-ins
with potholes. The numbers also include single-vehicle rollovers and
multiple car pileups.
Police respond to a fraction of these -- about 12,000 every year --
typically, the ones that tie up traffic or cause injuries.
While the bulk of reported collisions are relatively minor, the most recent
police data show 2,690 people were injured in automobile crashes in 2009 and
13 people died. MPI anticipates as many as five dozen crash victims will
sustain life-altering brain injuries from the impact each year, and another
10 people will be para- or quadriplegic.
The real rub is these crashes are largely preventable and take a staggering
emotional toll on victims and financial toll on society.
MPI does not calculate the total direct and indirect costs of road
accidents, which include everything from hospitalization and insurance rates
to police and paramedics. However, estimates out of Edmonton peg the annual
cost of road crashes in that city at $500 million.
While the total number of road accidents has remained relatively stable in
the past few years, critics say Winnipeg still lags behind other cities when
it comes to making roads safer and needs to explore what more it can do to
ensure motorists are not on a collision course.
"Many, many other cities in Canada and in the U.S. are far, far ahead of us
in terms of the progress they've made. They're making it a more hospitable
environment for cars and bikes and pedestrians," said CAA Manitoba
spokeswoman Liz Peters.
"I think we've got a long way to go."
Winnipeg is unique among cities of its size as it does not have freeways and
relies on major roads such as Kenaston and Lagimodiere to funnel traffic to
other regional streets. City road engineers say they use traffic signals to
control the flow of vehicles on every major road, and there are 620
intersections and 157 pedestrian corridors across the city.
Intersections are conflict points and, by design, increase the risk
motorists will collide with another vehicle or a pedestrian.
That's because they are the point at which drivers have to decide whether to
stop, go or turn. Road-safety experts say there are 32 points of potential
conflict at an intersection, compared to about eight for a roundabout.
"Every time you have to stop, you increase the risk of a crash because the
person behind you may not feel it's appropriate to stop and they keep
going," said Toronto-based traffic engineering consultant Alison Smiley,
president of Human Factors North.
In Winnipeg, intersections with the highest traffic volumes -- including
Kenaston and McGillivray boulevards and Leila Avenue and McPhillips Street
-- have recorded the most crashes.
Kenaston and McGillivray see upwards of 45,000 vehicles on a daily basis,
which is only expected to increase with more cars on the road, new housing
and big-box developments such as Waverley West and Ikea.
Between 2005 and 2009, three people died and 1,500 injuries were reported at
the 10 intersections that recorded the largest number of crashes. Fridays
were the worst days, recording 1,233 collisions in total, and the afternoon
rush-hour is the worst time period for crashes, with 2,020 reported in a
five-year span.
Snowy, blustery winter days recorded the highest number of crashes, and
January was the month that recorded the most car accidents.
"It's astronomical," Winnipeg police Patrol Sgt. Damien Turner said. "It's a
huge, huge drain on resources."
The data MPI collects paint a clear picture that crashes happen every day,
everywhere. Yet the statistics do not say much about what causes them or why
some intersections are more accident-prone than others.
Cities such as Edmonton have devoted traffic analysts and statisticians to
interpret crash data.
Edmonton has used the information to move toward more evidence-based
policing on things such as speeding, and to measure the outcome of programs
targeted at nabbing drunk drivers.
MPI officials record the date, time and location, if reported, of all
crash-related claims. Police collect similar information and inform the
city's public works department, which keeps tabs on intersections of concern
that may need engineering improvements.
In general, the usual suspects -- speed, alcohol, driver distraction and
road conditions -- play a big role.
MPI does not track how many crashes are caused by speed, but the public
insurer says it and distracted driving account for a large number of
collisions.
About one-third of all collisions reported every year are rear-enders.
Another 15 per cent are T-bone crashes at intersections, which are
considered the most serious since they tend to cause more severe injuries.
Though drinking and driving remains a huge problem, MPI CEO Marilyn McLaren
said it causes fewer crashes than speeding and inattention. However, she
said, drinking and driving is more likely to cause catastrophic injury and
death and tends to have a larger "impact" in terms of the severity of the
crash.
"We can say that speed is certainly a factor, and I think distracted driving
is another big category, for sure," McLaren said.
The good news, McLaren said, is the percentage of injuries has dropped and
the total number of yearly crashes has remained relatively stable despite a
spike in the number of newly licensed drivers. That's in part due to better
vehicle design and construction, she said, since things such as airbags and
passenger-side airbags can help prevent more serious injury.
The same trend is seen across parts of the globe, where a focus on safe
driving and better road design and construction has helped reduce the number
of fatalities in the last half-century. In Canada, the number of fatalities
due to car accidents has dropped 60 per cent in the last 40 years.
The bad news is, there is still a lot of work to do.
Transport Canada statistics show one person dies every four hours or is
admitted to hospital every 90 minutes as a result of a traffic collision
somewhere in the country. The human and financial toll is huge, and MPI pays
out $2,300 for every non-fatal claim and about $90,000 for every
traffic-related death.
Gerry Shimko, director of Edmonton's office of traffic safety, said people
would not tolerate 20 airplanes crashing in Canada every year, but road
accidents kill roughly the same number of people. He said governments need
to better integrate their road-safety systems to reduce costs and save
lives.
"I think there's an opportunity to turn the other way. It's not easy,"
McLaren said. "Most crashes are absolute accidents, but it also
fundamentally means somebody could've done something to avoid it."
jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca
The numbers
*NUMBER OF COLLISIONS IN WINNIPEG BETWEEN 2005 AND 2009 (REPORTED TO
MANITOBA PUBLIC INSURANCE):*
261,875
*WHOA! THAT'S A LOT.*
Yes, and that includes every kind of damage claim, including run-ins with
potholes, single-vehicle rollovers, fender-benders and multiple-car pileups.
*WHERE DO THESE COLLISIONS OCCUR?*
Everywhere, though safety experts say drivers are at most risk of a crash at
intersections, since that's the place where people have to decide to stop,
go or turn.
*INTERSECTIONS THAT RECORDED THE LARGEST NUMBER OF COLLISIONS BETWEEN 2005
TO 2009:*
1) Kenaston Boulevard & McGillivray Boulevard: 1,039 crashes
2) Leila Avenue & McPhillips Street: 993 crashes
3) Grant Avenue & Kenaston Boulevard: 774 crashes
4) Lagimodiere Boulevard & Regent Avenue West: 759 crashes
5) Bishop Grandin Boulevard & St. Mary's Road: 641 crashes
6) Bishop Grandin Boulevard & St. Anne's Road: 619 crashes
7) Archibald Street & Marion Street: 608 crashes
8) Moray Street & Portage Avenue: 556 crashes
9) Bishop Grandin Boulevard & Dakota Street: 537 crashes
10) Portage Avenue & St. James Street: 524 crashes
*MONTH THAT RECORDED THE MOST CRASHES:*
January
*MONTH THAT RECORDED THE FEWEST CRASHES:*
August
*DAY IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT RECORDED THE MOST CRASHES:*
Feb. 9, 2009
*WHAT KIND OF CRASHES ARE THE MOST COMMON?*
Police respond to about one-quarter of all crashes reported to Manitoba
Public Insurance. They say about 31 per cent of all collisions are
rear-enders. Another 15 per cent of crashes occur at intersections where a
vehicle is T-boned.
*HOW MANY DRIVERS ARE THERE IN WINNIPEG?*
In 2011, there are nearly 400,000 registered vehicles and light trucks in
the city -- a 6.5 per cent increase from 2007.
*HOW MANY OF THEM ARE NEW DRIVERS?*
According to the most recent statistics, about 25,000 drivers successfully
obtained their driver's licence in 2009. MPI says that number usually
remains stable every year.
*HOW OLD ARE THESE NEW DRIVERS AND WHO ARE THEY?*
The majority are under 34, and more Winnipeg women are getting their
driver's licence than men. MPI officials say in all likelihood, immigrants
to Canada account for a large percentage of new drivers over age 35.
--
*Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action
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Walking, cycling can be deadly As more of us hike and bike, will death toll
rise?
By: Jen Skerritt
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/walking-cycling--can-be-deadly-12771…
Pedestrians and cyclists have long been a major part of traffic deaths and
injuries, Winnipeg police say, and there's increasing cause for concern as
more people take up walking or bike riding.
In the last 18 months, for instance, 29 people died on Winnipeg streets in
car crashes, and 18 of them were pedestrians or cyclists.
Since 2007, 79 people have died on Winnipeg streets in vehicle collisions,
including 36 pedestrians and cyclists.
So far this year, four pedestrians have been killed on Winnipeg roads. Of
the 18 serious or fatal crashes that police investigated in 2011 to date, 11
involve pedestrians and two involve cyclists.
Active-transportation activist Anders Swanson said he's worried society has
collectively forgotten these deaths are preventable and lowering vehicle
speed and investing in better infrastructure can help prevent them.
He said governments spend millions of dollars on research to prevent deaths
caused by disease, but comparably spend very little on preventing road
crashes.
"Here you have this one cause of death, which is basically preventable, and
we're not doing anything about it," Swanson said.
Sometimes, accidents happen at intersections or pedestrian corridors. Other
times, pedestrians are jaywalking, intoxicated or not paying attention.
Most years, Winnipeg Police Patrol Sgt. Damian Turner said, between 20 and
25 people die on Winnipeg roads, and a substantial portion of those deaths
are people who were crossing the street or cycling. According to the latest
police data, 140 pedestrians and 79 cyclists were injured on Winnipeg roads
in 2009. Police are still reviewing data from last year.
"We're concerned about the fact that pedestrians are being hit," Turner
said. "It is common. We've known for a number of years that a significant
proportion of the fatalities we're going to experience every year are going
to be pedestrians."
Turner said he's seen cases where drivers do not see the pedestrian,
including an instance on Portage Avenue where a bus driver did not see
someone crossing. He also said he sees people every day who dart across the
street after taking a quick look at the traffic and "just run for their
lives." A number of pedestrian fatalities in the city's core area have
involved intoxicated people, he said.
Unlike other cities, jaywalking is not illegal in Winnipeg so police do not
hand out fines or tickets.
"Unfortunately, the only accountability is when they get smacked by a car
and they're killed or severely injured," Turner said. "The result is that a
driver who, a lot of the time is not at fault, suffers the trauma of knowing
they've hit a pedestrian they really couldn't control."
Swanson, co-ordinator of One Green City, a volunteer project to create a
network of safe cycling routes, said part of the problem is that the current
road system was designed with cars in mind, not people, and it will take
time and money to make streets safer. Last year, the city spent $24 million
on bike-and-pedestrian upgrades to 35 routes. The overhaul was part of an
infrastructure-stimulus program funded by all three levels of government.
Swanson said it's a good starting point, but there's still a long way to go.
"Since the car has caught on, we've invested almost exclusively on
automobile infrastructure for decades. It's going to take a big investment
to make things safer," he said.
High-volume intersections such as Portage and Main are designed to take
pedestrians out of the mix, and the city keeps tabs on problem areas that
may need a pedestrian crossing.
City road engineer Stephen Chapman said the city examines 10 years of
collision data when concerns are raised about pedestrian safety.
The city looks at the volume of cars, the number of pedestrians and factors
in any reported collisions to determine if engineering improvements could
make the road safer.
While new roads are built with safety in mind, Chapman said Winnipeg has a
lot of older areas that still need to be brought up to modern standards.
Sometimes, he said, the city will put in a guard rail, widen a sidewalk,
raise curbs and move a light stand back to address safety concerns.
"When you have a road that was designed years and years ago, it's older and
may not meet certain standards," he said. "We try to bring it to those
standards."
Chapman said in recent years the intersections prone to the highest number
of pedestrian crashes -- including Portage Avenue and Langside Street and
Osborne Street and Wardlaw Avenue-- have had lights replaced by half-signals
facing just one, not both, of the roadways. Often, he said, the width of the
road can make it more difficult for pedestrians to cross and the city needs
to make it clear who has the right of way.
Widening the streets to make it safer for pedestrians is tricky in older
areas of the city. Winnipeg has narrow, old roads and dated bridges that
make seriation safety upgrades difficult.
"We're always working toward improving the pedestrian crossings in the city
and concentrating our efforts on areas that are most problematic for
collisions," he said.
But those upgrades have to be done within a limited budget.
This year, the traffic engineering improvement program -- which is
responsible for intersection and road design improvements and pedestrian
corridors -- will spend a total of $1.95 million. Chapman said the branch
prioritizes projects according to need, and works within their annual budget
to get things done and move other projects up the list.
While Chapman said the good news is the city is in the midst of major road
upgrades -- including the Chief Peguis Trail extension -- due to
partnerships with other levels of government, the city's infrastructure
deficit is a daunting $3.8 billion.
Earlier this year, staff and parents from École River Heights asked
council's public works committee for a pedestrian crossing at Elm Street,
where students get off the bus. In the last eight years, five students have
been taken to the hospital after a vehicle struck them.
The committee agreed to move the existing pedestrian corridor from Oak
Street to Elm Street, but decided against overhead flashing lights to alert
drivers a student is crossing.
Parent council chairman Rod Miller said the city told him the crossing
doesn't meet the criteria to have flashing lights and 88 per cent of
similarly requested projects are ahead on the city's list. Miller said he
doesn't understand why the city will not take the extra step and eliminate
any potential risk to students.
"It's frustrating from where I sit," he said. "If between now and the time
the thing is done a kid gets hit and breaks a leg, what's the cost?
$100,000, $200,000 minimum, versus a $32,000 installation. Where's the money
better spent?"
Swanson said he would like to see citizens say "enough is enough" and demand
Winnipeg strive for zero road fatalities. He said every Winnipegger needs to
take responsibility and decide that people have the right to get from point
A to point B safely.
"In an urban environment, I don't see any reason for people to die
unnecessarily," Swanson said.
jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca
*The numbers*
*2011: four deaths, (as of Aug. 2, 2011)*
April 3: Redwood Avenue and Powers Street
April 13: Henderson Highway and Leighton Avenue
June 13: Main Street and Higgins Avenue
June 29: Pembina Highway and Dalhousie Drive (cyclist)
*2010: 12 pedestrian deaths and two cyclist deaths*
March 18: Taylor Avenue and Waverley Street
March 27: Main Street and Atlantic Avenue
April 11: Main Street and Machray Avenue
April 15: 1145 Dakota St.
June 17: Main Street and Jarvis Avenue (cyclist)
June 25: Manitoba Avenue and Charles Street (cyclist)
July 15: McPhillips Street and Templeton Avenue
Aug. 11: Portage Avenue and Raglan Road
Aug. 21: 1670 Portage Ave.
Oct. 25: Mountain Avenue and McGregor Street
Dec. 19: 446 Young St.
Dec. 20: Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street
Dec. 23: McPhillips Street and Pacific Avenue
Dec. 24: Fife Street and Inkster Boulevard
2009: 1 cyclist death
July 4: Jefferson Avenue and Airlies Street (cyclist)
*2008: six pedestrian deaths*
Feb. 1: Kenaston Boulevard and Boulton Bay
Feb. 11: Grant Avenue and Lilac Street
June 7: Selkirk Avenue and Andrews Street
June 25: Donald Street and St. Mary Avenue
Sept. 26: Notre Dame Avenue and Spruce Street
Dec. 29: Isabel Street and Ross Avenue
*2007: six pedestrians and three cyclists*
March 23: Mountain Avenue and Kildarroch Street
May 23: McPhillips Street and Leila Avenue
July 24 - Burrows Avenue and McGregor Street (cyclist)
Sept. 14: St. Mary's Road and Oakleigh Place
Sept. 28: Redonda Street and Gunn Road (cyclist)
Oct. 31 - Warsaw Avenue and Harrow Street (cyclist)
Nov. 6: Inkster Boulevard and Sinclair Street
Nov. 13: 1395 Grant Ave.
Dec. 6: Kenaston Boulevard and Sterling Lyon Parkway
-- Source: Winnipeg Police Service
Bike to the Future and Green Action Centre invite you to join us for this
webinar being presented by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle
Professionals (APBP):
*
*Location:* EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor)*
*
*
**
**
*Designing and Retrofitting Bridges for Active Transportation*
*Wednesday, August 17
2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central Time
***
Bridges are highly visible and symbolic pieces of infrastructure; they act
as gateways and when done right can showcase a city's commitment to creating
great places for bicycling and walking. With national attention on the USA's
degrading and deficient infrastructure, bridge repair and rehabilitation
will be a major engineering focus in coming years. This represents a
historic opportunity to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian facilities in
bridge design for future generations.
Engineers, planners, advocates, and agency staff at all levels of government
should attend this webinar to get up to speed on the policy, planning and
design issues specific to building bridges that meet goals for supporting
and increasing active transportation. Attendees will learn:
• to identify the role of bridges in bicycle and pedestrian networks as
critical links for accessibility between trip generators and popular
destinations;
• to define bicycle and pedestrian issues that arise during bridge
rehabilitation in order to increase bicycling and walking mode share and
safety;
• to identify facility designs that safely manage transitions from different
facility types, as well as how to select the appropriate cross section (i.e.
how to divide space among different roadway users);
• to recognize that bridge rehabilitations often involve multiple
jurisdictions, and to discuss the complexities and lessons learned from
working with numerous agencies and stakeholders.
Examples will be taken from Massachusetts' accelerated bridge retrofit
program in the Charles River Basin. Click on this
link<http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=jessie@greenactioncentre.ca&job=426763&ymlin…>to
learn the background about LivableStreets Alliance's Charles River
Better
Bridges Campaign. Click
here<http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=jessie@greenactioncentre.ca&job=426763&ymlin…>to
read the League of American Bicyclists' policy report,
*Bridging the Gaps in Bicycling Networks: An advocate's guide to getting
bikes on bridges*.
Presenters are Jacqueline Douglas, Director, LivableStreets Alliance, and
Nick Jackson, the Regional Office Director for Toole Design Group in Boston.
--
*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
here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living.
Support our work by becoming a
member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>
More Bike News: David Suzuki on Bike Lanes, The Guardian On Toronto's War on Bikes
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 08.11.11
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/more-bike-news-david-suzuki.php
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<mailto:smatwick@iisd.ca>
IISD Research Library web page: http://www.iisd.org/ic
SD-Cite: IISD Research Library database: http://sd-cite.iisd.org<http://sd-cite.iisd.org/>
GENERata web-magazine: http://www.iisd.org/generata/
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx
It’s Time to Make Cycling Safer: Ontario’s Doctors*Toronto, August 10,
2011*- The most recent report on cycling injuries revealed that in
2009, there
were 26,000 emergency department visits and over 1,300 hospitalizations in
Ontario. With increasing interest in cycling across the province, Ontario’s
doctors are urging the provincial government to make cyclists’ safety a
priority.
Dr. Stewart Kennedy, President of the Ontario Medical Association, released
a comprehensive and in-depth report, “Enhancing Cycling Safety in
Ontario<https://www.oma.org/Resources/Documents/OMACyclingPaper09-08-2011.pdf>,”
before he cycled through downtown Toronto to raise money for the Heart and
Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike event. The report included a number
recommendations aimed at increasing cyclists’ safety. Among the
recommendations, Ontario’s doctors are calling for:
- The provincial government to develop policy and programs, including
funding, to facilitate safe cycling, and for municipal governments to
redouble their efforts to build much-needed cycling infrastructure;
- Connected networks of roads with paved shoulders in rural settings, to
allow for the much needed separation between cyclists and fast-travelling
vehicles on rural roads;
- The Ontario Drivers’ Manual to be revised to include a comprehensive
section on vehicle-bicycle interaction, and furthermore that the Ontario’s
Drive Test include this in the examination of new drivers;
- Ongoing delivery of bicycle safety education for young children through
such programs as Can-Bike, and that such training be mandatory for all
Ontario primary school students; and
- Education material for both drivers and cyclists that emphasizes
intersection-specific dangers.
A safer environment for cycling is crucial to creating a healthier
population. Ontario’s doctors want to make sure that Ontarians feel safe
when riding their bicycles.
For the complete list of recommendations from “Enhancing Cycling Safety in
Ontario” please visit www.oma.org
*
Quotes
*“Two-thirds of Canadians are inactive, putting them at greater risk of
chronic disease. Cycling is a great a way to stay fit and a way for people
of all ages to add essential physical activity to their daily lives and
improve their health.”
*Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association
*“The debate about bicycle infrastructure is so often politically driven,
but should really be about the health of the population and safety of those
who choose to cycle. Ontario’s doctors are committed to working with the
province and municipalities to create a safer Ontario for our cyclists.”
*Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association
Quick Facts
*
- Annually more than 2,000 cyclists are injured in vehicle-bicycle
collisions alone;
- 68 per cent of car-bike collisions happen at intersections and these
most frequently involve children riding off of the sidewalk; and
- In the past five years cycling fatalities from these collisions have
averaged 20 per year.
For more information please contact:
OMA Media Relations at (416) 340-2862 or toll-free at 1-800-268-7215 ext.
2862
www.oma.org
@Ontariosdoctors <http://twitter.com/#%21/OntariosDoctors>
I though you would be interested in seeing a picture of people in Bombers'
jerseys holding their bikes and waiting in line at a bike valet:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Relax-car-culture-its-gonna-b…
I spoke to David on Saturday and he told me that his numbers of bikes parked
at Bomber's games have doubled since starting up just a year ago. Only 120
or so, but he keeps having to bring more racks and steal more space to make
room at the site. (Although 120 may seem like an insignificant # compared to
overall attendance, the # is growing rapidly....and 120 bikes represents
alot of parking spaces, no matter what way you look at it. (Using the
standard size on wikipedia <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_space>, it
seems to works out to 21,600 sq. ft. (or half an acre) of asphalt saved.)
..now if we can just find a way to weld tailgates on all bikes, we'd be
set.
Regards,
Anders
For more info, or to volunteer, please visit:
http://www.bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca/