UPDATE - Event Day Active Transportation (AT) Plans - Investors Group Field
Stadium
We have a very unique AT situation developing in south Winnipeg that is
building on the number of people who are walking / cycling in the city.
I sit on the Investors Group Field Event Day Management Plan Advisory
Committee (EDAC) as the Active Transportation representative. The Stadium
Event Day Management Plan Advisory Committee (EDAC) is an ongoing advisory
group that will exist for the life of the Investors Group Field. The
mandate for the creation and ongoing existence of EDAC came from a Motion
adopted by the City of Winnipeg's Riel Community Committee on July 11, 2011.
The Advisory Committee is managed by the Bison/Blue Bomber Stadium Group and
the City of Winnipeg. Representatives on the committee are encouraged to
consult with the larger community and bring feedback to EDAC.
Some of the best active transportation pathway connections are in south
Winnipeg - with many pathways leading to the University of Manitoba. The
arrival of the Investors Group Field Stadium will enable increased use of
this connected infrastructure - and hopefully reduce vehicle traffic in the
community!
Attached is an update I prepared last week for folks in the communities of
Fort Richmond / University Heights interested in Active Transportation
related to the Investors Group Field Stadium.
Today at 10:00 the Bombers will be doing a media release on the 'official'
Transportation Plan and details.
INVITATION TO FREE Community Walking Tour (for kids and adults)
The Communities, the Campus & the Re-Generation - Part of the Winnipeg
Jane's Walk Events
Fort Richmond / University Heights / University of Manitoba Campus
DATE: Saturday May 4rd & Sunday May 5th
TIME: 10:30 am (~ 2 hr walk, stop, walk, stop talk)
LOCATION: Meet at Ecole St. Avila Parking Lot - 633 Patricia Ave
(behind Fort Richmond Community Centre)
The Communities, the Campus & the Re-Generation
* Next to downtown, the University of Manitoba is the second most
commuted to destination in the City of Winnipeg. Take a walk on the wild
side through the residential communities of Fort Richmond and University
Heights which sandwich the U of M Campus.
* Experience the walkability in these communities which surround the
University of Manitoba. Walk through Smart Park; a 'Community of
Innovators', peruse the sparkling Investors Group Field, new home to the
Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and stroll on the trails of what was once the
prestigious Southwood Golf Course.
The communities and the campus are undergoing a transformation - a
re-generation. Michelle and Janice will provide an in-depth overview of what
is currently underway in both the communities and on Campus.
Tour Hosts:
* Michelle Richard, University of Manitoba Campus Planner & Janice
Lukes, Winnipeg Trails Association & community resident
Jane's Walk celebrates the ideas and legacy of Jane Jacobs - a celebrated
urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based
approach to building walkable and vibrant cities. Free walking tours are
held on the first weekend of May each year are led by locals who want to
create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the
places they live and work. The first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto
seven years ago and it has since spread to cities across Canada, the United
States, and worldwide. To see more Jane's Walks in Winnipeg communities see:
<http://www.JanesWalk.net> www.JanesWalk.net
Thanks
Janice Lukes
I know many of you are members of the car co-op or have interest in
joining. With our new rate structure, now may be a good time to check it
out!
Today we have just released a new rate structure that will make it easier
for members, and for people that want to try the carshare. Checkout the
link below to learn about our 2 rate plans, and our new casual driver
category for people that just want to try it out.
Approaching our second anniversary we have 120 members sharing four cars.
By 2014, we hope to double our fleet and our membership!
http://pegcitycarcoop.ca/2013/04/fresh-new-rates-new-options-to-start-carsh…
Thanks!
--
*Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School
Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>
3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773
Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living.
Support our work by becoming a
member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>
Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
[can't please 'em all...this from a cyclist capable/willing to so 30km/hr
regularly...-AS]
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/bicycle-corridors-clumsy-…
________________
Bicycle corridors clumsy
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 27, 2013 A17
No one was more enthused than I when the bicycle corridors along Pembina
Highway were announced. After years of white-knuckle, adrenaline-fuelled
bicycle commutes between my home in Wildwood Park and the University of
Manitoba, I was overjoyed to learn the city was finally responding to pleas
for greater bike safety.
Yes, it was only a short one-kilometre stretch, a drop in the bucket for
those travelling from the downtown area; and yes, it still left the
perilous Bishop Grandin overpass unprotected, which I can never cross
without recalling the moment I was struck by a car there six years ago.
But it was encouraging to know alternative transportation along this
important thoroughfare is an investment priority for the city.
Once the corridors were complete, however, my joy was diminished and indeed
almost crushed altogether, for I discovered the bike lanes had been shunted
onto sidewalks around the bus stops.
I can only assume the rationale for this unusual design is to prevent
forcing passengers to load the bus by crossing a bike lane.
Cyclists and buses, however, have been sharing the curb lane for as long as
they have coexisted, and must continue to do so everywhere else in the city
(and in every other city I have cycled).
When I am cycling down Pembina at 30 km/h, the last thing I want to do is
divert my course abruptly up a ramp, onto the sidewalk for several metres
and then back down again. It's dangerous to me and it's dangerous to
pedestrians.
I find it hard to believe anyone who has cycled along Pembina Highway
during rush hour would suggest such a clumsy design.
There are several obvious problems. First, these ramps have become
effective collectors of snow, ice, gravel and mud and will certainly become
deep puddles once the melt begins in earnest. Second, most people waiting
for the bus will stand precisely on the path on which we are now supposed
to cycle. I know this from personal experience because I rode the bus for
years before becoming a bicycle commuter.
But I also know this because my recent attempts to take this detour often
require calling out to warn the bus passengers I am coming, then slamming
on my brakes and swerving while people attempt to scramble out of my way.
It's not really their fault, because this is a natural place to stand and
there is no signage to indicate this is a bike lane. Furthermore, if one is
placidly waiting for a bus, why should it be necessary to worry about
high-speed, pedal-powered vehicles careening through the waiting area?
Finally, the curb-lane shoulders have been eliminated from the bus-stop
areas, meaning when I choose to remain on the road to avoid crashing
through the bus crowd, I must once again jockey for position with cars and
trucks, except now there is no buffer zone and I am directly in their lane.
In the short weeks the paths have been rideable, I have endured abuse from
startled pedestrians and honks from indignant motorists. Suddenly, there's
no place for the cyclist... again!
The paradoxical and unfortunate result of this bizarre situation is driving
down this stretch of Pembina is now more dangerous than ever.
So I return to my earlier statement of appreciation that the city is taking
commuter cycling seriously. Winnipeg is far behind other cities in Canada
and around the world in this regard, and this is a welcome first step
toward encouraging greater fitness and reducing automotive emissions.
Unfortunately, this initial attempt is awkward at best and dangerous at
worst and will do little to enhance safety for cyclists, motorists and
pedestrians along this stretch of Pembina. I dearly hope future
improvements are attended by more careful forethought so I and my children
can cycle without fear to our chosen destinations around the city.
Scott Kroeker is a professor of chemistry at the University of Manitoba.
A safer cycling option
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/a-safer-cycling-option-…
It is entirely understandable that a cyclist in Winnipeg would choose to
ride three feet -- about a metre -- from the curb, dodging refuse, rubble,
potholes and crevices that tend to amass at the edges of streets. But the
Highway Traffic Act requires cyclists to ride as close to the curb as
"practicable," which inevitably puts them in conflict with motorists, many
of whom regard bicycles as an inconvenience at best. A better, safer option
is needed.
The Selinger government is considering changing the highway act to give
more room to cyclists and greater separation between them and vehicles.
Cycling advocates want Manitoba to adopt Quebec's law that gives bike
riders a full lane, requiring passing motorists to move into the left lane
unless there's sufficient room in the same lane. At present, Manitoba law
says only that motorists must pass on the left of cyclists "at a safe
distance." Quebec's law puts greater responsibility on drivers.
Motorists who bemoan cyclists impeding their commute will not welcome this.
And a careful study of traffic flow on busy urban roads will have to be
modelled to prepare for such a change. Vigorous public education would be
needed for the cultural shift it would signal for the drivers who now
exercise right of "weight."
But a pursuit of policy that encourages cycling is long past due. Bicycle
commuting is healthy, cheap and easy on the environment, and delivers
substantial societal benefits.
Such a policy shift won't happen any time soon relying upon infrastructure
projects alone: Winnipeg's record $20-million investment in 2010 produced
relatively few dedicated bike lanes and significant grievance and political
backlash. It made meagre progress in encouraging people to leave the car at
home.
The faster way to promote cycling is to write strong, clear rules that
entitle cyclists and motorists to their right of way while enforcing their
responsibilities on the road. Motorists will have to slow down when
cyclists are ahead of them -- perhaps leave home a little earlier -- and
proceed with more caution when passing. That, however, promotes mutual
respect between cyclists and motorists, which can only make for safer
streets.
*Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 26, 2013 A10*
For all you Taylor swift fans, Bomber fans, summer PHD students or a
combination of all three (perhaps?)...
*VIDEO: *http://vimeo.com/64786226
Pembina @ Chevrier to Investors Group Stadium first-person perspective...2X
speed.
Feel free to share.
This was taken yesterday. In it, you can see how the buffered bike lane
functions and can see how the innovative bus stop details work.
It also shows an interim access point to the old golf course off D'Arcy.
Note that this represents a "before" or "interim" video, and you will see
that some of the finer details on Pembina - like detectable paving stones
and proper maintenance - or smooth direct access through the old golf
course - are still in the works.
(The construction of the bike lane was nearing completion in November last
year before a big snowfall....The U of M is still finalizing its interim
access work plan through the recently opened Southwood Lands.)
I am sharing this video because there is now a viable separated alternative
to Pembina HWY for those wishing to cycle to the U of M. Folks can try it
now.
For me, it is already a HUGE improvement to the jockeying, buzzing and
squishing that used to go on in this section.
Soon I suspect that it will be even better.
Wayfinding for this route is still be a bit tricky, so carefully note the
linkage using the Ten Thousand Villages entrance and the left turn
technique on Plaza, for example.
It may take a trip or two for the uninitiated to know where exactly to go,
so hopefully this video will help.
Note that from Pembina @ Chevrier north (not shown in video), there is a
winding, but pleasant alternative to Pembina in the adjacent neigbourhood
for those coming from points to the Northeast.
It goes from Riverside near Jubilee and the BRT pathway to
Chevrier/Pembina.
See last year's Winnipeg Cycling
Map<http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/MajorProjects/ActiveTransportation/maps_…>for
more info on that section for now.
I will take another video when some of the finishing touches have been made
for comparison's sake.
Regards,
Anders
BTW...this may perhaps be misleadingly labeled as a "before" video.
Really it should probably say "in progress".
If anyone has an actual "before" video of this section, I would LOVE to see
it.
I am kicking myself for not doing so.
Hi Everyone,
Thought I would share our new Active and Safe Routes to School video with
all of you. If you can post it on your websites, put it in your
newsletters, share it with your co-workers I would be so grateful! This was
probably my funnest day at work so far - covered in sparkles, glue, and
feathers from head to toe!
See it here: https://vimeo.com/56783631
Big thanks to the budding movie stars from the Walk on Wednesday's club at
Woodlawn Elementary School in Steinbach, MB. These kids created all of
their own artwork and spent the day walking outside with us.
Also thank you to Assiniboine Credit Union for supporting the production of
this video and to Chris Paetkau and Trevor Gill for creating it.
--
*Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School
Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>
3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773
Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living.
Support our work by becoming a
member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>
Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
Buffer zone for cyclists mulled Province may require motorists to move over
By: Bruce Owen
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/buffer-zone-for-cyclists-mulled-2046…
The province is looking at amending its traffic laws to specify how much
space motorists must give cyclists when passing them on the street.
Bike Winnipeg says the Highway Traffic Act is too vague and drivers should
give cyclists at least one metre or pass them using the next lane over.
It's a move Nova Scotia, Quebec and almost two dozen U.S. states have
adopted to make urban cycling safer and so drivers know how much room to
give a cyclist. Ontario and B.C. are also being lobbied to amend their
highway traffic laws in this regard.
The changes are coming as the cycling lobby becomes more organized and more
people take up cycling to get to work and for exercise.
Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux, who's responsible for the
active-transportation file, said the province is studying a safe-cycling
amendment to the Highway Traffic Act.
"When you have a buffer (space), aside from the respect issue, it's so
common-sense," Lemieux said. "When you have a buffer, or a protective
barrier between traffic and cyclists, that tells people it's the law to
respect each other, and here's the boundary. I think for most Manitobans,
they would say this makes a lot of sense."
Lemieux said the change is just one of several ideas being considered to
improve cycling safety and infrastructure in the city and province. The
government also plans to conduct a media campaign in June on cycling safety.
The buffer idea was raised by advocacy group Bike Winnipeg, formerly Bike
to the Future.
Dave Elmore, Bike Winnipeg's director of safety and education, said the
Highway Traffic Act now leaves it up to each driver to decide what's a safe
distance to pass a cyclist.
"The lack of any true definition makes this not only unenforceable, but
also leaves it up to the judgment of drivers," Elmore said. "Unfortunately,
some drivers interpret this as meaning that as long as they can squeeze by
without hitting the cyclists, that it is safe."
Bike Winnipeg points to Quebec's traffic laws, which say no driver may pass
a bicycle within the same traffic lane unless there is sufficient space to
do it safely.
"As cyclists, we would like to see this practice using the adjacent lane
encouraged for all passing situations," Elmore said.
Cyclists are lobbying Manitoba Public Insurance to teach new drivers to
give cyclists more room when passing.
Co-chairman Tom McMahon said the group has appeared before the Public
Utilities Board to ask it to get MPI to revise its driver's handbook.
McMahon said a diagram in the handbook (on page 74) essentially says it's
OK to pass cyclists in the same lane.
"That little diagram is physically impossible, but it's in the driver's
handbook," McMahon said. "If they were to draw it to scale, this can't
happen. The car would be running over you if you're the cyclist. It
pretends to show that it's possible to squeeze by a cyclist in an ordinary
lane."
Elmore said the Highway Traffic Act says cyclists must ride "as close as
practicable" to the edge of the road, not an easy task at the best of
times, given road and traffic conditions.
"Once again, there is no specific distance, and so it is up to the cyclists
as to how far they ride from the edge. The Winnipeg Police Service has long
contended that they make the decision as to what is 'practicable' even
though it is the cyclists balancing on two wheels that has to avoid
hazards, potholes and debris on the edge of the road."
Elmore said he teaches cyclists to ride a minimum of one metre from the
edge to avoid hazards along the curb or edge while adding to their
visibility to motorists.
"It also provides them with a metre safety buffer to their right should
they have to manoeuvre around obstacles or avoid a motorist that passes
them too closely," he said.
"By riding a metre from the curb, motorists most often will provide the
cyclist with a reasonable passing distance, since travel lanes in our city
are rarely wide enough to safely accommodate both a cyclist and a passing
motor vehicle."
Bike Winnipeg is currently working on a bus advertising campaign it hopes
will tell drivers the importance of both passing space and a cyclist's
position on the road.
bruce.owen(a)freepress.mb.ca
*The current law*
MANITOBA'S Highway Traffic Act says:
114(1) a driver overtaking another vehicle or bicycle proceeding in the
same direction
(a) shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance; and
(b) shall not return to the right side of the highway until safely clear of
the overtaken vehicle or bicycle.
*Bike safety quiz*:
http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=bike-helmet-safety-quiz
*Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 25, 2013 A3*
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*7th Annual Jane's Walk celebrates diversity and vibrancy of neighbourhoods
across Winnipeg
*
WINNIPEG Tuesday April 23, 2012 – On Saturday May 4th and Sunday May 5th
the seventh annual Jane's Walk is strolling into town. This year,
Winnipeggers can choose from over a dozen guided walks across the city
presented in an innovative and uniquely neighbourly fashion.
Jane's Walk celebrates the ideas and legacy of Jane Jacobs — a celebrated
urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based
approach to building walkable and vibrant cities. Free walking tours are
held on the first weekend of May each year are led by locals who want to
create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the
places they live and work. The first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto
seven years ago and it has since spread to cities across Canada, the United
States, and worldwide.
Participating in Jane's Walk is simple: local community members with a
passion for urban issues and local history volunteer to organize a walking
tour in their neighbourhood exploring an interesting aspect of the lived
urban experience. Jane's Walks are about community conversations. The
public is encouraged to contribute to the urban conversation by asking
questions and sharing their passion and knowledge with other Jane's Walk
participants. Walks are either an hour or an hour and a half long and take
place throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.
Some walks confirmed for this year include:
- Back by popular demand: blogger and journalist Rob Galston takes
walkers on a tour of his beloved neighbourhood in Village Urbanism:
Explorations in North Point
Douglas<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/village-urbanism-explo…>
- Get to know the area around the new Neechi Commons with the building’s
architect in The Edge Condition: Main Street between the Disraeli and
Neechi Commons<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/edge-condition-main-st…>
by
Wins Bridgman
- A favourite guide every year, Jino Distasio explores Riverview: Beer,
Bears and Boxing and Roller Coaster Ride through
Time<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/riverview-beer-bears-b…>
- Researcher Abigail Auld explores how the Hudson’s Bay company left an
indelible mark on our city in WPGxHBC - A Company’s influence on
the City<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/wpgxhbc-companys-influ…>
- Sandy Gessler examines a forgotten area that played a major role in
the 1919 strike in Victoria Park: Invisible Memories and Lost
Meaning<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/victoria-park-invisibl…>
- In Broadway
Modern<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/broadway-modern/>,
Susan Algie from the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation celebrates and
discusses the abundance of modernist architecture on Broadway Avenue
- Find out about The Communities, the Campus & the
Re-Generation<http://janeswalk.net/index.php/walks/canada/winnipeg/communities-campus-re-…>
with
University of Manitoba Campus Planner Michelle Richard and Winnipeg Trails
Association/community resident Janice Lukes
- David Connors makes us ask What if there was an alternative to riding
your bike on McPhillips? [forthcoming]
A complete list of walks with starting times and meeting locations is
published on www.janeswalk.net. Be sure to also visit our Facebook
Event<https://www.facebook.com/events/528987633810342/>page and share
with your network.
-30-
For more information:
Matt Carreau
Jane's Walk Winnipeg City Organizer
mgcarreau(a)gmail.com
(204) 430-5686
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:47:21 -0500
Subject: Active travelers are competitive customers, research report
indicates
*
Active travelers are competitive customers, research report
indicates<http://otrec.us/news/entry/active_travelers_are_competitive_customers_study…>
*
Efforts to promote active transportation often come up against concerns,
from business owners, that any shift away from automobile use will mean
fewer customers or less revenue. In fact, new OTREC research indicates
that, for the most part, how much people spend has little to do with what
transportation mode they use.
An OTREC final report, "Consumer Behavior and Travel Mode Choices," does
highlight some key differences between transportation modes. People
arriving by bus, bike or on foot average more trips per month to
convenience stores, supermarkets, drinking establishments and restaurants
than do people arriving by car.
Read more...<http://otrec.us/news/entry/active_travelers_are_competitive_customers_study…>
*http://otrec.us/project/411* <http://otrec.us/project/411>
--
Terry Zdan
126 Duncan Norrie Drive
Wpg MB R3P 2J9
CANADA
tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>