Active transportation plan stalled
By Svjetlana Mlinarevic
<http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/author/svjetlana-mlinarevic>, The
Graphic
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
http://www.portagedailygraphic.com/2015/02/17/active-transportation-plan-st…
City of Portage la Prairie councillors recently defeated a motion to
implement an active transportation plan for the city.
Administrators had recommended the city award the development of an active
transportation plan to MMM Group Ltd. for $51,840. Councillors defeated the
motion during their regular council meeting on Feb. 9 as most felt it was
costing the city too much money.
“I completely support the city’s efforts to address and properly plan
active transportation initiatives in our community. I do have some concerns
though with our ability to fund the projects at hand and I’m just wondering
whether or not this is an item, that while we did send out an RFP, should
not be appended until after we’re done our debt management plan,” said
finance chair Coun. Brent Budz, who was the first to strike down the
recommendation.
The city issued a request for proposals (RFP) for consulting services for
the master plan and received three proposals, with MMM ultimately being
chosen by staff as the best choice (it is currently working on the
Saskatchewan Avenue revitalization plan).
MMM’s plan would assess the needs of residents; would involve discussions
with stakeholders; develop an active transportation network plan; develop
on and off-street route design standard; develop a phasing plan; identify
maintenance requirements and development standards; prepare a public
communication and education plan; develop land use policies and land
development standards; and prepare cost estimates.
The process would also include a public open house.
The city budgeted $20,000 for the plan with additional funds coming from
potential grants from the province ($20,000); small communities
transportation fund, and the community planning assistance program.
Administration would defer a $30,000 budgeted item until the grant money is
received from the province in order for the project to proceed. The final
report would have been completed by the end of June.
Budz further compared the active transportation plan to the Saskatchewan
Avenue and Island Park bridge plans and said it would be difficult for the
city to accomplish all of the projects in an appropriate amount of time.
Coun. Brent Froese disagreed with Budz’ lumping of the active
transportation plan in with the larger projects.
“The fact is that we’ve already been spending money on active
transportation ever since the construction of the Crescent path and even
longer. We have committed in our debt management plan monies per year for,
I believe, the next 15 years. So, it’s not as if we’re talking about an
unplanned expenditure.
“We’re already spending this money. I also understand that there have been
monies donated and waiting to be applied to this project, specifically by
the Rotary Club, and there may be other monies that are kind of sitting and
waiting for this plan to be finished.
“I don’t feel comfortable holding this back on the grounds that this is
like the bridge and Saskatchewan Avenue. This is an attempt to plan what we
are kind of already doing and maybe we’re already a little late in the
planning stage,” said Froese.
Mayor Irvine Ferris said there has been an active transportation committee
working on this for more than two years and asked director of operations
Kelly Braden for his thoughts.
“There is an active transportation committee group that has been working on
this and it seems to be proceeding without a real plan in place,” said
Braden. “It has developed a sketch but every year council has been
allocating about $10,000 a year for active transportation. I recommended
that we put a plan together, in advance, and then follow that plan for the
next 10 or 20 years.”
Braden added that the debt management plan has about $500,000 already
allocated to active transportation, pathway upgrading and redevelopment for
the next 10 years.
“That’s one of the reasons I want to put a plan together before we go
$50,000 a year .... before we spend that kind of money there should be a
plan in place,” said Braden.
Espey asked if the city could use university students to develop a plan as
the city had done for the Saskatchewan Avenue project as it would be
cheaper. City manager Jean-Marc Nadeau said it might not be possible as the
students are selective in what projects they take on because they don’t
want to take away from the private sector.
“We can ask, but my expectation is that they will likely say, ‘No,’” said
Nadeau.
Coun. Wayne Wall said he felt Espey’s proposal was not above board.
“I have a bit of a problem with asking for proposals from consultants and
then going out to students and saying, ‘Hey, can you do it cheaper than
this?’ from an ethical point-of-view,” he said.
svjetlana.mlinarevic(a)sunmedia.ca
[On behalf of Trails Manitoba...]
Trails Manitoba is seeking the services of a researcher to conduct an
*Environmental
Scan of Trail Products for Manitoba’s Trans Canada Trail*. Details are
contained in the link below, including the closing date for proposals of
March 9, 2015.
http://trailsmanitoba.ca/2015/02/trails-manitoba-rfp-environmental-scan-tra…
*** PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE ***
Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local
viewing of the following APBP webinar: *New Tools for Estimating Walking
and Bicycling Demand. *
This webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303
Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then!
cheers,
Beth
* * * * *
New Tools for Estimating Walking and Bicycling Demand
*Thursday, February 25th, 2-3 p.m., EcoCentre
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
Boardroom*
NCHRP project 08-78 developed new methods for estimating bicycle and
pedestrian demand for planning and project development. The project’s final
report is NCHRP 770, a guidebook that presents an array of methods for a
variety of planning applications, with context and instruction on their
selection and use. This webinar will focus on a new tool outlined in NCHRP
770 that enables practitioners to estimate demand from the interaction of
land use and transportation.
The new *multimodal accessibility tool *allows planners to include all
modes of travel in an analysis that also examines changes in the pattern of
land use or the travel network to determine which strategy, or combination
of strategies, provides the greatest return. This session will review the
limitations of current models for estimating demand, describe the research
behind the development of the new tool, and give examples of how the model
is being used at regional, corridor, and neighborhood levels.
*Presenter:*
- J. Richard Kuzmyk, Principal, Renaissance Planning Group
Please see job posting for the WRENCH and forward to your contacts/networks.
Thanks
Dave
o
_ ( \ _
(X)\ /(X)
From: wrenchprogram(a)gmail.com [mailto:wrenchprogram@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Patrick Krawec
Sent: February-11-15 5:03 PM
To: Dave Elmore; Mark Cohoe; Lea G
Subject: WRENCH job posting
Hello people,
Attached is a new job posting from the WRENCH.
If you folks would be kind enough to post it on your posting pages that would be awesome.
Thanks,
Pat
--
Patrick A. Krawec, Executive Director
The Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub
1057 Logan Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N8
<http://www.TheWrench.ca/> www.thewrench.ca
204-296-3389
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Melanie Andrushko <melanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com>
Date: Wed, Feb 11, 2015 at 4:35 PM
Good afternoon,
An exciting speaker is coming to Winnipeg and you’re invited! Sponsored by
the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, CentreVenture and the
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.
Please see the invitation and details below.
Regards,
*Melanie Andrushko*
Project Coordinator: Placemaking & Transportation
*Downtown Winnipeg BIZ*
426 Portage Avenue | Winnipeg, MB | R3C 0C9
Tel: 204-958-4629 | Fax: 204.958.4630
* Please share with your networks *
Do you live in the Wildwood, Crescent Park, or Point Road neighbourhoods?
We are looking for your input on active transportation!
Please complete our active transportation survey
<https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/eastfortgarry> and join us for these public
meetings to share your thoughts on improving active transportation in your
community. Find out more information about this project and the upcoming
events at www.greenactioncentre.ca/eastfortgarry
--
*Shoni Madden* | 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/>
* Please note that my regular office hours are Tuesdays/Thursdays. I will
respond to your communication at this time.