Hello AT Network subscribers!
Just a friendly reminder that everyone subscribed to this list can post
messages – new research, events, programs, opportunities to collaborate,
requests for information, etc.
All you have to do is address the message to: AT-Network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca
cheers,
Beth
Hi,
For those who attended yesterday's webinar, " In Street Bicycle Parking:
What, When, Where and How Much?", we hope you enjoyed the webinar and
found it valuable. Please take a few minutes to complete a short online
evaluation <http://www.apbp.org/surveys/?id=Evaluation_May-12>to help
improve future webinars provided by APBP.
We look forward to seeing everyone at the next APBP webinar, "Resolving
Conflicts at Complex Intersections". Join us Wednesday June 20th from
2pm to 3pm in the Eco Centre Boardroom.
Cheers,
Mark
*//*
Changes favour pedal-pushers Bill loosens law for bikes on roads
By: Larry Kusch
THE province plans to make it easier for municipalities to create
designated bike lanes for cyclists.
On Wednesday, the Selinger government proposed several changes to the
Highway Traffic Act, amending the law's definition of traffic to include
bicycles.
Bicyclists have always been allowed to use roadways and will still have
that right under the proposed amendments.
But under the current act, municipalities can only create shared bike lanes
on roads where bikes share the roadway with buses. Under the proposed
legislation, municipalities would be able to create bike lanes on roadways
even if buses don't travel that route.
Also under the current act, bicycles are not allowed to use the shoulders
of highways even if they are paved. A proposed change would permit bikes on
highway shoulders.
"Municipalities are asking for a way to address cycle traffic and bike
lanes and so on within their municipal boundaries," Local Government
Minister Ron Lemieux told reporters. "This will give them the bylaw-making
authority to do that."
Lemieux said the changes were developed in response to the growing number
of Manitobans who choose bicycles as transportation over gas-powered
vehicles.
He said the proposed legislation would not give municipalities power to set
new rules for cyclists or impose or adjust fines. That would remain under
provincial authority.
One proposed change would specify cyclists must ride single file on
highways unless passing another bike.
Winnipeg's cycling community responded positively to the proposals.
Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works, said the changes would make it
considerably safer for cyclists to get around.
"There are a lot of cyclists who would love to ride more, but they're not
comfortable riding on the roads the way they're designed and with the cars
being so close," he said.
Don Ellison, who commutes 40 kilometres every day on his bike, said the
changes would raise awareness among motorists that cyclists have the right
to use the road.
Commuting cyclists seek routes that include a maximum of bike paths and a
minimum of roadways, Ellison said.
"We need bicycle routes that cut right through the city and come from all
the different boroughs. That's how you get people riding for
transportation, by getting them off the main drags."
-- with files from Geoff Kirbyson
larry.kusch(a)freepress.mb.ca
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/changes-favour-pedal-pushers-1518409…
FYI
May 16, 2012
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT
WOULD SUPPORT MORE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION: LEMIEUX
- - -
Municipalities Could Set Bylaws
On How Cyclists Use Roadways
Proposed amendments would expand the Highway Traffic Act to boost forms of
active transportation and help create designated bicycle pathways on
existing roads, said Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux after
introducing the legislation.
"The proposals will amend the act's definition of traffic to include
bicycles," said Lemieux. "It means municipalities would have the power to
make bylaws that regulate bicycle traffic and adapt the bylaws to the
specific needs of their communities, and that will mean more routes for
cyclists."
Commuter cycling is largely an urban activity and the proposed changes
would give municipalities a larger role in managing the flow of traffic on
their streets and in their neighbourhoods, Lemieux said. Municipal
governments are often best positioned to assess routes and areas where
integrating bicycles with motor vehicles is appropriate, he added.
The minister said the proposed amendments are part of the Manitoba
government's ongoing commitment to support healthy living and a cleaner
environment. The proposed changes have been developed in response to the
growing number of Manitobans who are choosing bicycles over gas-powered
vehicles.
"The environmental benefits of this trend are enormous and we want to
support and encourage the use of bicycles across the province," Lemieux
said. "We think this proposed legislation will open an important dialogue
between motorists and cyclists and increase mutual respect for everyone who
operates a vehicle on public roads."
More information on the proposed amendments is available at:
http://web2.gov.mb.ca/bills/40-1/index.php.
- anders
What a fabulous idea for Manitoba! Birds Hill Park would be the perfect
place to start with its proximity to Winnipeg and camping/trails. (Thanks
to Mike Balshaw for sharing.)
ParkBus offers carless Toronto (and next year, Ottawa) an escape route for
camping
Posted by John Michael
McGrath<http://toronto.openfile.ca/users/john-michael-mcgrath>on
Friday, May 11, 2012
http://toronto.openfile.ca/blog/toronto/2012/parkbus-offers-carless-toronto…
If you live in downtown Toronto and want to go camping, there's a
non-trivial chance that you don't own the car to get you from A to B. This
is a problem crying out for a solution. So when the Ontario Parkbus
Initiative <http://www.parkbus.ca/>'s press release started flying around
Twitter this afternoon their traffic spiked because, apparently, a lot of
people are interested in their service: offering carless urbanites a route
out of the city in the summer.
"Our website is crashing today," says Boris Issaev, project manager at
Parkbus.ca. They're not about to become millionaires from the brisk
business (Parkbus doesn't make money on the ticket sales) but that's not
the point. If the traffic they're seeing today is any indication, the point
is that a large market was apparently being ignored, and isn't anymore.
Issaev says the first idea for Parkbus started in 2010, with an information
table at Mountain Equipment Co-Op to sign up interested campers and some
emails to skeptical bus companies. The first year was a small success, and
2011 saw it expand slightly in what Issaev calls "almost regular service"
and get the attention of Ontario Parks. The summer of 2012 is going to be
even bigger, thanks in part to a $240,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium
Foundation, with regular service from Toronto to Bruce National Park, as
well as Killarney, Algonquin, and Grundy Lake Provincial Parks.
"We'd love to be in every park in Ontario, obviously, but we're trying to
grow sustainably," says Issaev.
Part of the plan for that growth is to start a pilot program in Ottawa next
year, on at least some weekends.
"Right now, we're getting some people taking the train down from Ottawa and
getting on the bus in Toronto, which doesn't make sense for them," says
Issaev. "So next year we're looking at weekend pilots in Ottawa to
Algonquin."
Booking with Parkbus may not be quite as flexible as renting an SUV
(there's a limit to the number of bikes allowed on a bus, for example—and
no canoes allowed) but anyone who's had the dubious pleasure of trying to
wrangle a few friends into a rented SUV and keeping all the gear straight
for the weekend may want to check Parkbus out.
CORRECTION: The grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation that is making
Parkbus' expansion possible is $240,000, not $40,000 as this post
originally stated.
Which commute is the healthiest?
By Laurie Tarkan<http://www.foxnews.com/archive/author/laurie-tarkan/index.html>
Published May 10, 2012
FoxNews.com
The longer you commute, the worse your health, according to the latest in a
string of studies showing that sitting—even in a car—is bad for you. The
study, published in the June issue of the American Journal of Preventive
Medicine, found that those who have the longest drives to work have
decreased cardio fitness, are heavier and have higher blood pressure than
those with shorter commutes.
That’s bad news, since the average time driving to work increased from 17.6
minutes in 1983 to 22.5 minutes in 2001.
The question: Is it being sedentary for so long that raises the risk or is
it the stress of driving, or both? And is another type of commute, like
taking a train or bus any better for you?
In this study, researchers studied about 4,000 residents who lived in
metropolitan areas of Texas. Researchers recorded commuting distances as
well as several measures of health including cardiorespiratory fitness,
body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, glucose levels, cholesterol and
blood pressure. Participants also recorded the amount of physical activity
they did.
The study found that people who drove longer distances to work reported
doing less physical activity, had decreased cardio fitness and greater BMI,
waist circumference and blood pressure. Cholesterol and glucose levels were
not affected.
Those who drove only 10 miles or more to work were more likely to have high
blood pressure, and those who commuted 15 miles or more were less likely to
meet recommendations for physical activity and were more likely to be
obese. Even when physical activity was adjusted for (meaning taken out of
the equation), the other risk factors remained, suggesting that long
commuters expend less daily energy than others.
The reason blood pressure also increased with driving distance may be
linked to the stress of commuting. Past studies have associated daily
commuting with high blood pressure, tension and fatigue.
"Those with longer commutes may be more likely to be exposed to heavy
traffic resulting in higher stress levels and more time sitting," says lead
investigator of the new study, Christine M. Hoehner of Washington
University in St. Louis, Mo.
*Commuting by Train*
But is commuting by train or bus any better? One study looked at the health
of people who took a train from New Jersey to Manhattan. It turns out that
if you use public transportation, you spend more time walking – to the
train station and to your office – than if you drive. The study found that
train commuters walked an average of 30 percent more steps per workday than
those who drove to work. It also found that people commuting by car
reported significantly more stress and a more negative mood than those who
rode the train.
*The Best Commute*
Of course, the best way to get to work is to walk or ride a bike—an active
commute. One study found that active commuting that incorporates walking or
cycling was associated with an 11 percent reduction in cardiovascular risk.
Another study found that men with any active commuting (versus none) were
less likely to be obese, and had lower risk factors for heart disease
across the board.
Since there’s growing evidence that sitting at your desk all day is bad for
your health, try to maximize the activity of your commute to your office.
If walking or biking isn’t possible, second best is public transportation
since. If you must drive to work, as most Americans do, then think about
incorporating walking into your day as much as possible to counter all that
time you’re sitting.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/10/which-commute-is-healthiest/#ixzz1…
*** Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar ***
Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a
local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303
Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed descriptions provided
below.*
*In-street Bicycle Parking: What, When, Where and How Much?
Wednesday, May 16th • 2:00 to 3:00 pm CST
RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then!
cheers,
Beth
925-3772
* * * * *
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) presents:
In-street Bicycle Parking: What, When, Where and How Much?
Wednesday, May 16th • 2:00 to 3:00 pm CST
Increasingly communities face the dilemma of bicycles and pedestrians
competing for scarce sidewalk space. As pedestrian activity increases wider
sidewalks are needed, while as cycling increases more bicycle
parking—traditionally placed on sidewalks—is also needed. In-street bicycle
corrals allow agencies to place bicycle parking in the street, [image:
parking]off the pedestrian way, resolving this conflict and making more
efficient use of existing parking spaces. However, jurisdictions may
hesitate to undertake bicycle corrals since there are few design examples
and little specific guidance on which to base such projects. Planners,
engineers, developers and advocates should attend this webinar to learn how
to scale up bicycle parking to meet growing demand while avoiding negative
impacts to the pedestrian environment.
Placing bicycle parking in the street presents unique challenges for
traffic engineers and streetscape designers. Issues include roadway
operations, cyclist and pedestrian safety, placement of a bike corral in
relation to other sidewalk and street design elements, pedestrian flows and
adjacent land uses. The webinar will address these challenges with examples
of successful in-street bicycle parking projects (examples from New York
City, Portland, and Washington D.C.). Presenters will also define best
practices for providing bicycle parking in the street and discuss how a
program might progress, beginning with public process and moving through
costs, installation, and maintenance.
Presenters include Eric Anderson, City of Berkeley, California; Sarah
Figliozzi, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Chris Holben, District
Department of Transportation; and Hayes Lord, New York City Department of
Transportation.
--
*Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action
Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/>
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/>
New resource: http://lin.ca/resource-details/21997
Bicycling Interventions for Youth (2012)
Diana McHugh researched and produced this powerpoint as her internship
project with Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness this past
term. Included
in the slide show are examples of successful bicycling initiatives for
youth, information and tips for implementing effective interventions as
well as common barriers to increasing and promoting youth to cycle. Diana
has just graduated from Dalhousie's School of Planning and the College of
Sustainability.
(Thanks to Jaymi Derrett for sharing!)
** Please share widely with your networks **
*Join the masses on Friday, June 22, 2012 as we Bike to Work!*
To register visit www.biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org
See printable handbills and poster attached, and check out the promo video
below:
http://youtu.be/H0kx2rs7ADg