May 2015 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

AT Webinar Reminder: Law enforcement strategies to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, Wed, May 20, 2-3pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 19 May '15

19 May '15

*** Friendly reminder re tomorrow afternoon's APBP webinar *** Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the APBP webinar: *Law Enforcement Strategies to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety**. * The 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 ** * * * ** Law Enforcement Strategies to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety *Wednesday, May 20th, 2-3pm, EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Boardroom* Effective law enforcement is a key factor in ensuring that pedestrians and cyclists have safe, equitable access to the public right-of-way. Attend this webinar to learn about law enforcement programs that raise awareness of traffic safety, shape behavior, and improve safety for vulnerable users. This session focuses on three approaches to law enforcement: 1. Seattle’s data-driven SeaStat program, a collaboration between Seattle’s DOT and Police Department that identifies hot spots and dangerous behavior through collision record analysis and speed and traffic volume data. 2. Seattle’s School Zone Safety Photo Enforcement Program, which measures success by the reduction in speeds and violations. Revenue from the speed cameras goes into safety improvements around schools. 3. Behavior change brought about by programs focused on education and positive interactions between law enforcement officers, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. *Presenters*: - Jim Curtin, City of Seattle Department of Transportation - Brian Dougherty, City of Seattle Department of Transportation - Major Jim Russell, Deputy Chief of Police, Florida State University Police Department -- *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/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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WFP Editorial: A cycling city is good for business (May16'15)
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '15

16 May '15

Editorials <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials>A cycling city is good for business http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/a-cycling-city-is-good-… Winnipeg's city councillors should get mobile, get on a bike and tool around a bit. Maybe cycle to work on any given day. They might have an epiphany of sorts -- and then get on with the job of turning Winnipeg into a city that welcomes cyclists -- instead of falling prey to urban myths about bike lanes endangering downtown businesses. What else besides simple ignorance could explain Mayor Brian Bowman's decision this week to delay the vote on adopting Winnipeg's pedestrian and cycling strategy? The strategy is a long-identified pillar in the city's active transportation plan. There were numerous community consultations, one last year at the Manitoba Hydro headquarters on Portage Avenue, where the public and interested parties -- downtown businesses -- were asked to feed into the city's vision. Now Coun. Russ Wyatt says downtown businesses were blindsided, caught entirely without consultation. His target is the matrix of protected bicycle lanes proposed for downtown. It will steal precious parking spots, he believes. First of all, cycling lanes and on-street parking are not mutually exclusive. Sherbrook Street's protected bike lane is just one example how the two can coexist. Second, downtown Winnipeg doesn't have a parking problem -- a truism often cited as a symptom of downtown's real challenge, which is to attract people to its streets and shops outside of standard work hours. This city has an embarrassingly excess amount of surface parking, with rates so cheap they are the envy of motorists in other major Canadian cities. The proposed protected bike lanes are the priority of the pedestrian and cycling strategy made public this week. The planning document is written to launch more formal consultation and then design of a future pedestrian/cycling network. Rough estimates are it would cost $330 million to build the active transportation projects over the next two decades. But for a couple of million dollars to be spent this year, none of that cash has been found or approved. This plan, though, does give hope that Winnipeg may finally evolve from its car culture to one with streets, bridges and major corridors designed for people. Winnipeg's pedestrian and cycling strategy document shows what can be done. It also shows there's a lot of work ahead. Some of the proposed routes mysteriously end mid-street, starting up again a couple of kilometres on. Most of the strategy favours bike lanes that share the road, a drawback especially in winter. There's talk in the report of some 16 new river or rail crossings for cyclists and pedestrians. Major routes, such as Main, Portage and Pembina, will continue to be big obstacles for cyclists, with a possibility of future study on them. Right now, Winnipeg says it has more than 300 kilometres of cycling and bike/pedestrian routes. Most of this is in trails and paths and in narrow, painted curb lanes for cyclists, where they still must compete for space on busy streets. By comparison, Minneapolis, regarded as the best city in North America for cyclists, has about 200 kilometres of on-street protected bike lanes alone, and 150 kilometres of trails. Another 80 kilometres are to be added by 2020. People move to Minneapolis specifically because it makes cycling an infrastructure priority. The cycling routes are regarded as a boon to businesses and merchants. Downtown business should embrace this strategy. The payback of ceding ground to bicycles goes beyond the dividends to cyclists and health budgets. Cycling routes encourage people to get out, explore and enjoy their cities. That's something Winnipeg needs, and the downtown could desperately use. *Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 16, 2015 A14*

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Don't put the brakes on bikes in downtown
by Dave Elmore 16 May '15

16 May '15

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/dont-brake-on-bikes-in-dow ntown-303983971.html Don't brake on bikes in downtown But having a clear pathway is necessary By: Stefano Grande The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ supports the city's active-transportation blueprint. Now it's time to proceed to the next step: consulting with the downtown community. Many of us have travelled to other cities to see first-hand how downtowns are benefiting from increased bike lanes, which encourage cyclists to visit their downtowns and to frequent businesses. An increase in cycling is a trend that is taking over North America and the marketplace. More residents are discovering their neighbourhoods by bicycle, hanging out at their local pubs and cafés. Office workers are commuting downtown from the inner city or even as far as the suburbs. Tourists are renting bicycles to explore unique destinations. The need for more cycling amenities and infrastructure is being driven by these people as part of an emerging trend. Many cities have done it wrong and have made every imaginable mistake. Inadequate education for the public and stakeholders, or a rush to roll out cycling infrastructure without paying attention to the details and the needs of property owners and business owners -- these foreseeable challenges could be mitigated if we put community first. Some downtowns have eliminated on-street parking hastily to facilitate the creation of bike lanes, with little regard to understanding that on-street parking is the lifeblood of our storefront retailers, restaurants and shop owners. Realities such as the need for loading zones, deliveries, accessibility for people in wheelchairs and other mobility challenges, and dozens more issues are often not properly taken into consideration. In these cities, you will find staunch opposition, and rightfully so. The rush to roll out cycling lanes without proper process, thought, foresight and consultation, can lead to tensions among the community, extra costs to address the issues after the fact, and in some cases, negative economic impact. But some cities are doing it right. A city we can all relate to is Minneapolis. Their residents have a love for cycling and biking lanes. One evening when I was there, I saw thousands of cyclists strolling downtown, milling about, and gobbling up every inch of space found on hundreds of bike racks installed by the city and businesses. They were there for restaurants, cafés, live art and theatre performance and to just hang out. There is no doubt in my mind the City of Minneapolis has foresight. As their downtown has developed and evolved, they have wanted to accommodate the cycling community and by working hand in hand with their stakeholders -- their efforts are working. Through proper planning, education, listening to the needs and concerns of the community, Minneapolis is seen as the best practice approach in the world when adopting more cycling amenities and infrastructure. Winnipeg is perhaps where Minneapolis was 10 years ago -- with increased development activity, from more classrooms, to more condos and apartments, and the growing office workers and more visitors coming to the MTS Centre and the sports, hospitality, and entertainment district (SHED). Do we want to have safer bike lanes for those working, living and coming to the downtown in a balanced and well-thought-out manner? The Downtown BIZ believes so. Rolling out the cycling strategy in an incremental, engaging and planned process with the downtown community is imperative. Businesses can create reasons for people to jump on their bikes to hang out downtown, so it's not just about adding bike lanes. It's about taking into consideration how bike parking is going to be accommodated at key locations. It's about allowing businesses on bike-lane streets to allow for advertising signage and banners, more outdoor seating, or reduced on-site parking requirements to help businesses attract more customers. Some other downtowns have also integrated the rollout of cycling lanes with marketing and branding efforts so different streets become well-recognized destination corridors. In some cities, changing traffic flows to better accommodate the flow of cars and bikes collectively are acted on. In other cities, limiting cycling lanes to the times of busiest activity works well, too. As our city has now provided its vision and recommendations for development of the pedestrian and cycling strategies, it has clearly stated that the plan will evolve based on the next step to further involve community and drill down on the feasibility and designs. This is the next step, and we need to get this right. Much trust will need to be placed in the hands of the city, even if the process takes longer than anticipated. It's easy to focus on the failures of other cities or to debate about the next steps, and hold them up as examples and excuses of not to do anything. We have done that with rapid transit for decades. We are now catching up. These are the cities young people are not gravitating toward to stay, learn, work and live. It's much harder to move forward collectively with the community, and learning from best practice, learning by listening to each other, minimizing the issues and maximizing the opportunities, making decisive decisions and creating a city for everyone. Stefano Grande is the executive director of the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 16, 2015 A15

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Bike Winnipeg Response to Russ Wyatt's Recent Claims
by Mark Cohoe 14 May '15

14 May '15

Hi, You may have seen some of Russ Wyatt's accusations about limited public consultation and early access/undue influence on the part of Bike Winnipeg (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/Russ-Wyatt-proves-to-be…). You can view our response at our webiste (http://bikewinnipeg.ca/2015/05/14/russ-wyatts-antics-nothing-more-than-fear…) or on our Facebook site (facebook.com/BikeWinnipeg). Please feel free to share widely. Here is the letter to the editor we submitted to the FP I told you the day would work out ok! Cheers, Mark Wyatt’s Antics Nothing More Than Fear Mongering Russ Wyatt claims the Pedestrian & Cycling Strategies are flawed because of a lack of consultations, alleging that advocacy groups like Bike Winnipeg have undue influence at city hall (we wish!). Like the rest of the public, we first saw the completed strategies (and proposed cycling network) on May 1^st . That’s not to say we and the rest of the city didn’t have plenty of time to review and comment on the strategies. 18 months of public consultations on the strategies culminated in three open houses in April 2014. The consultation process engaged over 3,000 people. Bike Winnipeg and hundreds of other Winnipeggers took advantage of that time to comment on the draft network and recommendations. We were pleased to see those contributions reflected in the documents released May 1^st . Wyatt’s so-called evidence that Bike Winnipeg had prior access to the strategies is an email we sent him on January 23, 2015 asking for a meeting to discuss opportunities to improve cycling options in Transcona and throughout the City of Winnipeg. You can read the full text of that email at bikewinnipeg.ca. Councillor Wyatt failed to respond to our invitation. Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg

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AT Webinar: Law enforcement strategies to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, Wed, May 20, 2-3pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 14 May '15

14 May '15

Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the APBP webinar: *Law Enforcement Strategies to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety**. * The 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 ** * * * ** Law Enforcement Strategies to Improve Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety *Wednesday, May 20th, 2-3pm, EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Boardroom* Effective law enforcement is a key factor in ensuring that pedestrians and cyclists have safe, equitable access to the public right-of-way. Attend this webinar to learn about law enforcement programs that raise awareness of traffic safety, shape behavior, and improve safety for vulnerable users. This session focuses on three approaches to law enforcement: 1. Seattle’s data-driven SeaStat program, a collaboration between Seattle’s DOT and Police Department that identifies hot spots and dangerous behavior through collision record analysis and speed and traffic volume data. 2. Seattle’s School Zone Safety Photo Enforcement Program, which measures success by the reduction in speeds and violations. Revenue from the speed cameras goes into safety improvements around schools. 3. Behavior change brought about by programs focused on education and positive interactions between law enforcement officers, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. *Presenters*: - Jim Curtin, City of Seattle Department of Transportation - Brian Dougherty, City of Seattle Department of Transportation - Major Jim Russell, Deputy Chief of Police, Florida State University Police Department -- *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/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Re: [At-network] shed the monster
by Mark Cohoe 14 May '15

14 May '15

Thanks Terry. Very appropriate today! Keep an eye on our site, I think things will come out fine for BW by the end if the day. Mark Sent from my mobile device. ----- Reply message ----- From: "Terry Zdan" <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> To: "AT network" <AT-Network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> Subject: [At-network] shed the monster Date: Thu, May 14, 2015 10:19 AM We all have those days. Full inbox, stuck in traffic, spilled coffee, barking dogs… The everyday stresses of life can take a toll. We get cranky, grumpy and irritated by things that aren’t a big deal. But if you ride, you know there’s always one thing you can count on: the power of a bike ride to erase the stress and lighten your day. Hop on a bike and shed the monster. Watch the video: PeopleForBikes.org/shed -- Terry Zdan126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com

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shed the monster
by Terry Zdan 14 May '15

14 May '15

[image: Watch the video] <http://peopleforbikes.org/page/m/67f218cb/3a9fcb02/7f0881/3af1d302/16556347…> We all have those days. Full inbox, stuck in traffic, spilled coffee, barking dogs… The everyday stresses of life can take a toll. We get cranky, grumpy and irritated by things that aren’t a big deal. But if you ride, you know there’s always one thing you can count on: the power of a bike ride to erase the stress and lighten your day. Hop on a bike and shed the monster. *Watch the video: PeopleForBikes.org/shed <http://peopleforbikes.org/page/m/67f218cb/3a9fcb02/7f0881/3af1d309/16556347…> * -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

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Local media coverage of delay on Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies
by Beth McKechnie 14 May '15

14 May '15

http://globalnews.ca/news/1996785/bowman-delays-cycling-and-pedestrian-stra… http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2373078 http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/05/13/epc-backpedals-on-active-transportati… http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cycling-plan-hits-speed-bump-3037084… Cycling plan hits speed bumpEPC agrees to delay vote on $330-million strategy By: Kristin Annable A lineup of advocates for the city's pedestrian-and-cycling strategy arrived at city hall Wednesday to address Mayor Brian Bowman's decision to delay the adoption of the city's $330-million, 20-year strategy. There were few opponents. Yet, council's executive policy committee unanimously approved Bowman's motion to delay the vote on the strategy by more than a month. The delay is to allow further consultation with business owners and residents on infrastructure recommendations in the document. Bowman said a handful of downtown businesses approached him with concerns involving parking and asked for additional time to read the extensive document. "The feedback I received from some is that they didn't feel that they had enough time or avenues to provide their input to the process, and I wanted to let them know we are listening," he said after the meeting. "When you look at the map, if you are under the presumption that the strategies are the final product, then I can understand and appreciate the concern of anyone looking at it." The 356-page document recommends a dense network of protected bicycle lanes be focused within the downtown core. This year, if approved by council on May 27, the city will allot $205,000 for the development of a functional design for the first phase of a downtown protected bike-lane network at Fort Street and/or Garry Street. Coun. Russ Wyatt has led the charge against the quick adoption of the strategy and has been advocating the city take a second look before adopting the document. Earlier this week, the Free Press learned the Transcona councillor sent multiple letters to downtown businesses to inform them of the possible loss of parking resulting from the proposed protected bike lanes. After the meeting Wednesday, Wyatt said Bowman's announcement Tuesday he would delay the strategy's adoption quelled the naysayers. "I think it was a genuine gesture by the mayor and the mayor's staff so they want to respect that," he said when asked why none of business owners concerned with the strategy attended the meeting. Wyatt also takes issue with the proposal of creating "neighbourhood greenways" for non-arterial roads. The idea is to encourage cycling, walking and local traffic, which can include the use of traffic-calming measures such as speed humps or traffic-calming circles. The strategy suggests Point Douglas, Seven Oaks East, River Heights and St. Boniface West are well-suited for extensive neighbourhood greenways. Bowman was quick to remind councillors the document is only a strategy and said "nothing is cast in stone" when it comes to its contents. He said if there is anything council does not agree with, the action plans will still be voted on by council and further public consultation will occur. Advocates such as Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, resident Len Van Roon, Winnipeg Trails Association co-ordinator Anders Swanson and Stephanie Voyce of the Downtown BIZ all came to the meeting to speak in favour of the strategy. Van Roon told members there is room for public consultation, but said he supports the 20-year strategy. "We worry about the cost of cycling and walking infrastructure, but we are subsidizing cars and the repair costs," Van Roon said, repeating the argument more cyclists will save the city money on road repairs. kristin.annable(a)freepress.mb.ca Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 14, 2015 B1

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Now accepting proposals to present at Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis-Saint Paul!
by Beth McKechnie 13 May '15

13 May '15

Very cool (pun intended) to see that the 2016 Winter Cycling Congress is taking place in Minneapolis. Carpool anyone? cheers, Beth ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis-Saint Paul < info(a)wintercyclingcongress2016.org> Date: Wed, May 13, 2015 at 10:36 AM Subject: Now accepting proposals to present at Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis-Saint Paul! To: Beth <beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca> Now accepting proposals to present at #WCC16! View this email in your browser <http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=abcb7e25b4918127c7355edce&id=512bf43b1f…> <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> Share your winter cycling research and expertise at #WCC16! Proposals to present at the Winter Cycling Congress 2016 <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=abcb7e2…> are now being accepted. The Winter Cycling Congress will be held *2-4 February* in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The congress is a three-day professional development event uniting a diverse and international group with a shared vision of increasing cycling and walking among people of all ages and abilities. This year’s congress will look at winter cycling through the lens of *equity*. How do we engage with a wide range of people and their communities to ensure everyone has an ownership in cycling and active transportation no matter the time of year, where they live, their age, ability or background? Topics & Tracks Topics to be covered at the congress relate to policy, planning, engineering, design, maintenance, implementation, evaluation and encouragement necessary to creating a built environment and social context in which cycling is a safe, comfortable and convenient choice in July or January. There will be three tracks at the congress, including the following. 1. Build it – policy, planning, engineering and design for year-round cycling and walking. 2. Maintain it – implementing the plan and maintaining safe, comfortable conditions. 3. Bike it –evaluating winter cycling and encouraging health, economic and social benefits. Audience Past congresses have featured presenters from the fields of planning, engineering, advocacy, public health, journalism, architecture, the arts and many other areas. It is a Congress for anyone who lives in a winter climate and works with or uses a bike in the winter. More information? Interested parties can learn more about proposal criteria and deadlines at http://wintercyclingcongress2016.org/program/. For specific questions, write to organizers: info(a)wintercyclingcongress2016.org. About the congress This is the first year the Winter Cycling Congress will be held in the United States. The 2016 congress is being organized by a coalition of volunteers representing a diverse group of individuals, organizations and businesses from Minneapolis, Saint Paul and the State of Minnesota. This coalition presents the 2016 edition of the congress in partnership with the Winter Cycling Federation <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…>. The mission of the Winter Cycling Federation is to promote winter cycling around the world. <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=abcb7e2…> <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> [image: Facebook] <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> Facebook <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> [image: Twitter] <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> Twitter <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> [image: Website] <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> Website <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=abcb7e25…> *Copyright © 2015 Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis-Saint Paul, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you previously attended the Winter Cycling Congress, have applied as a speaker, are an organizer or have joined our newsletter online. Thanks again for staying in touch! *Our mailing address is:* Winter Cycling Congress 2016 Minneapolis-Saint Paul c/o Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota P.O. Box 5078 Saint Paul, MN 55101 Add us to your address book <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage.com/vcard?u=abcb7e25b49181…> unsubscribe from this list <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage1.com/unsubscribe?u=abcb7e2…> update subscription preferences <http://wintercyclingcongress2015.us7.list-manage1.com/profile?u=abcb7e25b49…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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In response to the Free Press article re: Councillor Wyatt
by Patman, David 12 May '15

12 May '15

http://www.citylab.com/work/2013/09/no-bike-lanes-dont-hurt-retail-business… http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/03/the-complete-business-case-for-con… http://www.citylab.com/work/2013/12/safer-streets-pay-businesses/7880/ David Patman, P. Eng. Transit Planner Winnipeg Transit | Service Development Division 421 Osborne Street | Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 2A2 P: 204-986-5737 | dpatman(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:dpatman@winnipeg.ca> From: at-network-bounces(a)lists.umanitoba.ca [mailto:at-network-bounces@lists.umanitoba.ca] On Behalf Of Beth McKechnie Sent: May-12-15 8:33 AM To: AT network Subject: [At-network] WFP: Wyatt wary of two-wheel traffic - says bike-pedestrian paths could hurt downtown business (May12'15) Wyatt wary of two-wheel traffic Says bike-pedestrian paths could hurt downtown business By: Bartley Kives http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/wyatt-wary-of-two-wheel-traffic-3033… Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt is trying to put the brakes on Winnipeg's new bike-and-pedestrian strategy by warning protected bike lanes could harm downtown businesses. The fourth-term councillor has penned a letter to downtown business owners, warning the creation of 13 protected bike lanes over the next 20 years may lead to a loss of parking. "I thought you may want to know this. This is not just a 'strategy,' but calls for the amending of the city's transportation master plan, designating and setting out these streets for this treatment. Once it is in the plan, you are then on the defensive if you want to stop or change it," Wyatt wrote in an email to an undisclosed number of businesses. In the letter, Wyatt noted he spoke against the city's bike-and-pedestrian strategy last week at council's public works committee, "assuming many in the business community have never been consulted." He noted the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ spoke in favour of the plan at the meeting. Wyatt wrote he supports bike-and-pedestrian paths but called the documents making their way through council committees "unrealistic plans that ignore the facts" of how roads are used. "Maybe a street or two could be designated to improve the protected bike lane system in our downtown, but to designate a dozen or more streets seems a bit over the top," he wrote, offering to meet with downtown business owners who are concerned about the plans. In an interview, Wyatt said he contacted "three or four" downtown business owners because he feared Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, who represents the southern half of downtown, would not. "Downtown Winnipeg belongs to all Winnipeggers," he said. "It appears to me we've forgotten the lessons of the Assiniboine Bikeway audit." That audit, conducted following a troubled city effort to conduct $20 million worth of bike-and-pedestrian upgrades in 2010, concluded businesses were not adequately consulted about the construction of a protected bike lane on Assiniboine Avenue as well as traffic-flow changes on the downtown street. St. Norbert Coun. Janice Lukes, city council's public works chairwoman, said she isn't sure why Wyatt is trying to foment downtown opposition to the pedestrian-and-cycling strategy, which comes before council's executive policy committee on Wednesday. "He's free to do what he wants," said Lukes, the former director of the Winnipeg Trails Association. "Any dialogue toward active transportation is a good thing, as nothing can be built until we have consultation." Lukes, however, questioned why Wyatt is so concerned with the relocation of on-street parking spaces when downtown suffers from a surfeit of surface parking. She also called the Assiniboine Bikeway one of the most utilized bike lanes in the city, despite the fact it's interrupted by the Heritage Landing apartment construction. "It's a proven fact more people walking and biking bring value to businesses," she said. "I have no idea what he's doing, but I'm pleased to see he's engaging." The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ plans to consult with its members about the protected bike lanes as well, executive director Stefano Grande said. "We've advised them consultations are just starting. There are no designs," Grande said. Gerbasi concurred, saying nothing will move forward without "extensive consultations" that may include plans to create more parking-protected bike lanes such as the one on Sherbrook Street, where parking stalls are placed between traffic and a bike lane. bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca> Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 12, 2015 0

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