June 2012 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Sweet treats for green commuters - Bonnycastle Park 7-9 a.m. Wed June 6th
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jun '12

04 Jun '12

*Celebrating Active Commuters on Clean Air Day (Wed, June 6th)* Green Action Centre is rewarding active commuters with some sweet treats. It’s our way of saying “Good on ya!” for walking, cycling, inline skating, running or canoeing to work on Clean Air Day and during the Commuter Challenge. When: *7:00 to 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6th* * *Where:* **Bonnycastle Park at the corner of Assiniboine Ave and Main St * * *What: *Bring your travel mug and fill up with fair trade, locally roasted coffee provided by Green Bean<http://www.greenbeancoffeeimports.com/en/home/> **or some organic juice **to enjoy with a muffin or cinnamon bun.* Find all the details and a map here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/celebrating-active-commuters-on-clean-a…> . See you at Bonnycastle Park!

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WFP online: Local NDP members want increased funding for bike lanes and trails (Jun3'12)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jun '12

04 Jun '12

Local NDP members want increased funding for bike lanes and trails By: Larry Kusch http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Local-NDP-members-want-increa… Manitoba New Democrats want the province to step up funding for bicycle lanes and trails to promote a healthier population and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As their three-day convention wound up on Sunday, party members passed a comprehensive active transportation policy that would assure long-term funding to municipalities. The policy would also ensure that a dedicated percentage of future road building costs be earmarked for active transportation. Mark Cohoe, a delegate from Fort Garry-Riverview constituency, noted that while the government is spending $586 million on roads this year, it’s devoting less money to active transportation than it did last year because of the expiration of some programs that have not been renewed. Cohoe, who sat on a provincial active transportation advisory group last year that produced more than 20 recommendations, said more people would ride their bikes if they felt they could do it safely hence the need for a greater investment in bike lanes. He noted that traffic counts at Winnipeg’s Maryland Bridge, which has relatively generous bike lanes, show an 11 per cent year-over-year increase in cycling traffic. "If you build it, they do come," he told delegates. The party policy adopted today encourages the government to work with school divisions to introduce a comprehensive multi-year cycling skills curriculum for school-aged children. The policy also calls for the establishment of a provincial director or commissioner of active transportation. The motion, which is not binding on the government, is one of dozens passed at the NDP’s three-day convention, which featured an address Saturday by federal leader Thomas Mulcair. A highly anticipated resolution recommending that the provincial sales tax be raised by one percentage point and the proceeds used to repair municipal infrastructure was deferred. larry.kusch(a)freepress.mb.ca

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New reports & book - Right to use public roadways, AT in small towns and rural America, City Cycling
by Beth McKechnie 01 Jun '12

01 Jun '12

>From the Victoria Transport Policy Institute newsletter: *"Whose Roads? Evaluating Bicyclists’ and Pedestrians’ Right to Use Public Roadways" * http://www.vtpi.org/whoserd.pdf Many people believe that non-motorized modes (walking, cycling, and their variants) have less right to use public roads than motorists, based on assumptions that motor vehicle travel is more important than non-motorized travel and motor vehicle user fees finance roads. This report investigates these assumptions. It finds that non-motorized modes have clear legal rights to use public roads, that non-motorized travel is important for an efficient transport system and provides significant benefits to users and society, that less than half of roadway expenses are financed by motor vehicle user fees, and pedestrians and cyclists pay more than their share of roadway costs. Since bicycling and walking impose lower roadway costs than motorized modes, people who rely on non-motorized modes tend to overpay their fair share of roadway costs and subsidize motorists. *"Active Transportation Beyond Urban Centers: Walking and Bicycling in Small Towns and Rural America" * http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/ourWork/reports/BeyondUrba… This attractive report by the Rails To Trails Conservancy and Bikes Belong describes why and how to support walking and cycling in small towns and rural areas. *"City Cycling" **edited by John Pucher and Ralph Buehler, forthcoming (October 2012)* http://www.amazon.ca/City-Cycling-John-Pucher/dp/0262517817/ref=sr_1_1?ie=U… Bicycling in cities is booming, for many reasons: health and environmental benefits, time and cost savings, more and better bike lanes and paths, innovative bike sharing programs, and the sheer fun of riding. *City Cycling * offers a guide to this urban cycling renaissance, with the goal of promoting cycling as sustainable urban transportation available to everyone. It reports on cycling trends and policies in cities in North America, Europe, and Australia, and offers information on such topics as cycling safety, cycling infrastructure provisions including bikeways and bike parking, the wide range of bike designs and bike equipment, integration of cycling with public transportation, and promoting cycling for women and children. *City Cycling* emphasizes that bicycling should not be limited to those who are highly trained, extremely fit, and daring enough to battle traffic on busy roads. The chapters describe ways to make city cycling feasible, convenient, and safe for commutes to work and school, shopping trips, visits, and other daily transportation needs. The book also offers detailed examinations and illustrations of cycling conditions in different urban environments: small cities (including Davis, California, and Delft, the Netherlands), large cities (including Sydney, Chicago, Toronto and Berlin), and "megacities" (London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo). These chapters offer a closer look at how cities both with and without historical cycling cultures have developed cycling programs over time. The book makes clear that successful promotion of city cycling depends on coordinating infrastructure, programs, and government policies.

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