The Manitoba Government has announced its road safety program which has been in the works for a long time.
>From Bike Winnipeg’s perspective, the adoption of “vision zero” principles is very important for cyclists because;
1. Feeling unsafe on is the main reason many people won’t ride their bikes
2. The reduction in traffic fatalities in recent years is related to better protection of the occupants of motor vehicles, not better road safety, and physical harm to pedestrians and cyclists has continued to increase.
3. MPI has set its road safety education priorities predominantly on the basis of reducing its claims costs, the majority of which are costs of replacing or fixing damaged motor vehicles, so cycle and pedestrian safety has remained a relatively low priority to date.
September 29, 2017
PROVINCE ANNOUNCES
ROAD TO ZERO: MANITOBA ROAD SAFETY PLAN 2017-2020
A new plan by the Provincial Road Safety Committee provides a vision for Manitoba to have the safest roads in Canada and lays the groundwork to one day achieving zero traffic fatalities on the roadways, Crown Services Minister Cliff Cullen and Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler announced today.
The Road to Zero: Manitoba Road Safety Plan 2017-2020 – the first plan of its kind in Manitoba – adopts a Safe System approach for Manitoba which envisions a more forgiving road system that takes human imperfection and vulnerability into account and considers all parts of the road system holistically in developing solutions to eliminate injury and death, the ministers added.
The Safe System approach focuses on:
• safe roads – designing infrastructure that is forgiving of mistakes and protects vulnerable road users;
• safe speeds – ensuring that speed limits are safe and appropriate, and speeds are managed so that other parts of the system work as intended;
• safe road users – educating the public on the preventability of collisions and instilling a traffic safety culture; and
• safe vehicles – ensuring that vehicles are designed, manufactured and repaired as safely as possible.
“In Manitoba, we aspire to have a road system where emerging vehicle technology; road design, construction and maintenance; traffic safety legislation and enforcement; public awareness and safe travel speeds all contribute to reductions in traffic fatalities and serious injuries,” said Schuler. “This plan represents the collaborative work of many road safety stakeholders and by working together and consulting with the full range of road safety advocates, we are unified in our approach and collectively focused on the same priorities and goals.”
To align itself with current national and international best practice in road safety, Road to Zero also supports a Toward Zero future vision where roadways are free of traffic fatalities or severe injuries, Schuler added. It is an ethics-based approach for road safety which, at its core, holds the principle that it is unacceptable for anyone to be killed or seriously injured when moving within the transportation system, he noted.
“Our province is committed to identifying and implementing road safety strategies and solutions that work for Manitobans,” said Cullen. “The vision of the road safety plan is for Manitoba to have the safest roads in Canada and we are committed to one day achieving zero traffic fatalities on our roadways. This is a big step forward to achieving better outcomes for Manitobans and their safety on streets and highways.”
Road to Zero follows the Canadian Road Safety Strategy 2025 and seeks to accelerate previous downward trends in the rate-based number of fatalities and serious injuries on provincial and municipal roadways.
Road to Zero provides key priorities for the next three years for legislators, administrators, public works, law enforcement and the transportation sector to advance the road safety agenda in Manitoba.
Highlighted priorities include more co-ordinated research and planning between agencies within the Safe System, early adoption of automated vehicle technology, improved safety for vulnerable road users through smart road design, evolving Manitoba’s traffic safety culture, reducing driver distraction and impairment, increasing awareness of medically at-risk drivers of all ages, and examining new speed management strategies to lower risk, among others.
The Provincial Road Safety Committee was struck in 2015 and includes leadership from Manitoba Infrastructure, Manitoba Public Insurance, Manitoba Justice, Manitoba Health, and the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of Police.
Road to Zero: Manitoba Road Safety Plan 2017-2020 is available to the public via download from the Manitoba Public Insurance website at https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/PDFs/Road-To-Zero.pdf.
- 30 -
Hi,
I thought I'd pass along what looks to be an interesting webinar that will
delve into traffic signals with a focus on making them serve people on foot
and bike better. I know we're looking at ways to improve things at a lot of
intersections right now (Logan @ Arlington, Chevrier at Pembina,
Assiniboine @ Main, ...), so I think that its a timely topic for Winnipeg.
I've had the pleasure of taking a course or two with Peter Koonce and found
him to be an excellent and informative speaker, so I'm looking forward to
this one.
Cheers,
Mark Cohoe
Bike Winnipeg
Making Signals Work for Bicyclists and Pedestrians* October 18, 2017*, 1:00
to 2:30 PM Eastern Time
To register, visit
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1182843999248989955.
To create transportation networks that are supportive of bicycling and
walking, transportation professionals should make use of existing
infrastructure. This includes traffic signals and engineering treatments at
intersections that can take advantage of a wide range of strategies to
improve crossings.
This webinar will focus on how agencies can use their traffic signals to
make intersections safer and more comfortable for nonmotorized road users.
Peter Koonce, PE, of Portland, Oregon, will share tips and strategies for
improving intersections through signal timing, cycle lengths, speed
management, protected phasing, and more. If you can't watch the webinar
live, it will be recorded and made available shortly after October 18th.
The presentation will be followed by a facilitated discussion period
featuring questions submitted by webinar attendees.
Panelists
- Peter Koonce, PE, of Portland, OR
Canada and Manitoba invest in rural transit projects across the province
http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Canada-and-Manitoba-invest-i…
WINNIPEG, Sept. 25, 2017 /CNW/ - The governments of Canada and
Manitoba recognize
that strategic investments in public transit and active transportation
infrastructure play a key role in developing dynamic communities,
encouraging healthy lifestyles and ensuring everyone can get around their
communities easily and efficiently.
Today, the Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of
Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet
Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and the Honourable Jeff
Wharton, Minister of Municipal Relations, announced the details of five
transportation projects in rural communities. The work is being funded
through the province's Small Communities Transportation Fund, which is
supported federally using a portion of Manitoba's annual federal Gas Tax
Fund allocation.
- The City of Thompson is building a new multi-use path from the east
side of the Mystery Lake intersection along Princeton Drive to Highland
Tower.
- Winkler will use the funding to design a multi-use active
transportation pathway along the south side of the corridor through the
Regional Municipality of Stanley to the City of Morden.
- Prairie View is purchasing a 6-passenger van to increase handi-transit
services for people with disabilities.
- La Broquerie is adding three trails/sidewalks to its active
transportation network.
Once completed, these projects will help create more inclusive and
sustainable transportation options for all residents, improving the quality
of life in these communities for years to come.
Quotes
"Through the federal Gas Tax Fund, the Government of Canada allows
communities in Manitoba, and all across Canada, to make informed decisions
about their infrastructure investments. The projects announced today will
provide rural Manitobans with safer and more extensive active
transportation opportunities and improve access to services for people with
disabilities."
*The Honourable Jim Carr, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of
Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre, on behalf of Minister Amarjeet Sohi,
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities*
"Strategic investments in Manitoba's transportation infrastructure support
economic development, revitalization and growth in our smaller communities.
Funding for the five projects announced today will improve transit
accessibility and quality of life for residents in our rural
municipalities."
*Honourable Jeff Wharton, Minister of Municipal Relations *
Quick facts
- The cities of Winkler, Thompson and Morden will each receive up to
$50,000 for their projects. The Municipality of Prairie View will
receive $30,500 and the Municipality of La Broquerie will receive $19,500
.
- The Government of Canada will invest more than $180 billion over
12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social
infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and
northern communities.
- $25.3 billion of this funding will support public transit projects,
including $5 billion that will be available for investment through the
Canada Infrastructure Bank.
- The Small Communities Transportation Fund is an application-based
funding program that supports small, rural Manitoba communities'
investments in eligible transit, handi-transit or active transportation
projects.
Associated links
Government of Canada's $180-billion+ infrastructure plan in Budget 2017:
http://www.budget.gc.ca/2017/docs/plan/chap-02-en.html#Toc477707375
Federal infrastructure investments in Manitoba:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/map-carte/mb-eng.html
The federal Gas Tax Fund:
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/gtf-fte-eng.html
The federal Gas Tax Fund in Manitoba:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/imr/mr/fedgastax/index.html
The Small Communities Transportation Fund in Manitoba:
http://www.gov.mb.ca/mr/bldgcomm/sctf.html
Twitter: @INFC_eng <https://twitter.com/INFC_eng>
Web: Infrastructure Canada <http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/>
*COUNCIL APPROVES ST. BONIFACE WALKWAY*
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/council-approves-st-boniface-riverb…
WINNIPEG city council approved a $10-million riverbank walkway in St.
Boniface Wednesday.
“I’m thrilled,” St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard said.
Construction of Promenade Tache is set to begin this winter and be
completed by this time next year, he said.
“This project will be a major facelift to the St. Boniface riverbank, which
has a sidewalk in desperate need of repair and is one of the major
destinations for tourists and Winnipeggers alike,” Allard said.
The project involves the creation of a 2½-kilometre-long pedestrian walkway
on the St. Boniface side of the Red River, fromthe Provencher Bridge to the
Norwood Bridge.
Allard said it is a core infrastructure project that will stabilize the
Riverbank on Tache Avenue from Provencher to behind the St. Boniface
Hospital. It will protect Winnipeg’s primary dike, prevent further loss of
Tache Avenue and provide lighting and street enhancements, he said. The
Winnipeg Foundation is contributing $1 million and the federal government
is providing $500,000.
Controversy has surrounded the Promenade Tache project after it was
disclosed by the administration that the price tag had almost doubled to
$10 million from $5.188 million.
The administration said the higher cost is the result of work.
Four councillors— Jeff Browaty, Shawn Dobson, Russ Wyatt and Devi Sharma—
voted against the project.
Andre Picard, health columnist for the Globe and Mail points to the benefits
of walkable cities in today's Globe and Mail;
https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/walkable-cities-are-better-for-our-
health-and-economy/article36384880/
Walking is the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.
It's good for your heart, your mind and your bones. Walking, like many forms
of exercise, makes you feel better - emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
It keeps you
<https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/daily-walki
ng-is-the-best-anti-aging-prescription/article31310961/?ref=http://www.thegl
obeandmail.com&> young.
But the benefits of living life at five kilometres an hour extend well
beyond the individual. Walking is good for the environment, crime
prevention, community-building and the economy. Conversely, the most
unhealthy, unsafe, anti-social and costly thing people do routinely is
drive.
Yet, we continue to build cities, suburbs and public spaces for life at 40,
60 and 100 km/h - for cars, not people. In other words, the unhealthiness of
people and the planet - from the epidemics of inactivity and loneliness
through to the horrors wrought by climate change - is largely by design.
And the solution, by and large, is to redesign cities, to make them
people-first places.
That is the powerful message that emerged from an international conference
held last week in Calgary hosted by <http://www.walk21.com/> Walk21 (short
for Walking in the 21st century).
The conference featured as many technical discussions (such as the best
metrics to <https://www.walkscore.com/> measure walkability) as
philosophical/political ones (how black men are less likely to walk because
they fear police harassment), but there were also many practical examples of
the benefits of promoting walkability.
.. Read more in the article linked above.
*Predicted boom for Portage and Main up for debate *
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/will-reopened-portage-and-main-be-e…
THE debate over the reopening of Portage and Main to pedestrians took an
interesting turn this week when a U.S. software firm proclaimed that
Winnipeg can expect to generate $18 in private-sector investment for every
dollar spent on opening the intersection to pedestrians.
But commercial property appraiser Rocky Neufeld said he doesn’t understand
how the firm reached its conclusions, adding he believes opening the
intersection will lead to lower property values for the buildings on the
intersection’s corners.
“I love to sit outside and have a drink whenever I can but I won’t do it
anywhere in areas where it’s toowindy and hot,” Neufeld said. “Portage and
Main iswindy as hell. It’s a sun-focused area. It’s either windy and cold
or stagnant and hot.”
Boston-based firm State of Place said it used its own unique forecasting
model to conclude the city can expect to see a dramatic increases in
property values and rental rates in the immediate area adjacent to Portage
and Main.
Mariela Alfonzo, founder and CEO of State of Place, said removing the
barriers alone will have little effect on the intersection, adding her
firm’s work demonstrates that enhancement of the area through urban design
changes can have a dramatic impact on public perception and enjoyment — and
that will translate into increased property and rental values.
“I don’t think you should only just take the barriers away and call it a
day,” Alfonzo said. “You really need to think more holistically about the
kind of design changes needed there.”
She said her firm’s analytical model changed the look and use of the
intersection with the addition of trees, outdoor dining, attractive
pavement designs, on-street parking and other improvements.
“There are many other things that have to happen at that intersection, from
a design perspective, to achieve the goal that you’d want in doing this,”
Alfonzo said.
State of Place said if Winnipeg were to invest $7 million to reopen the
intersection and make the necessary design changes, property owners could
expect to see the following benefits on a oneblock stretch of Main Street,
from Portage Avenue to Mc Dermot Street:
• an increase to office rents by $5.52 a square foot;
• an increase to retail rents by $6.73 per square foot;
• generation of additional retail revenues of $50.22 per square foot;
• an increase to overall property values of $126 million over a 10-year
period;
• a return of investment of $18.07 for every $1 spent.
Neufeld can’t imagine any of the benefits predicted by the State of Main
model. He said diverting pedestrians from the underground to the street
will cause permanent damage to the underground businesses, leading to
vacancies and lowering the property values.
Alfonzo said the opposite would be true: underground retailers and property
owners would be motivated to make their space more attractive and end up
getting more customers as more people are attracted to the intersection.
Neufeld said when he looks at the intersection, he doesn’t see there is
enough physical space to make the design changes Alfonzo said are
necessary. Without that space, he said, the building owners will be
hard-pressed to make the desired changes to make the area more attractive.
“There is a little bit of space in front of 201 Portage, a little bit of
space in front of the Richardson building, that’s just about it. If you
have people there, what are they going to do? Is Hy’s going to put an
outdoor café there? I don’t see it.”
Alfonzo said her firm is not a design or consulting firm but is a software
firm that developed predictive, analytic software that’s used by
municipalities, developers and transportation agencies to “guide, design
and (make) planning choices and to justify them from a business case
perspective.”
She said her firm chose Portage and Main to coincide with the International
Downtown Association conference taking place in the city.
“We’re capturing how movement from lower-quality space to higherquality
space, how that could move the needle from an economic development
perspective,” Alfonzo said. “It’s based on a robust statistical model where
we had an almost infinite combination of different urban design qualities
across many different neighbourhoods.”
aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca
*Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar viewing in the EcoCentre
boardroom...*
*We also invite you to join us under the canopy at The Forks tomorrow (Wed)
morning at 11am for the official launch
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/gomanitoba-public-launch/> of GoManitoba
<http://www.gomanitoba.ca/>!*
* * * * *
*Green Design: Minimizing Environmental Impact in Public Rights of WayWed,
Sept 20 | 2-3 p.m. CDT*
At the September webinar, a representative from NACTO will take a few
minutes to review their new resource: The Urban Street Stormwater Guide.
John and Lisa will define green streets as they apply to transportation,
green design, stormwater management, and the policy framework. They will
discuss the benefits and potential conflicts with green design elements,
and present specific strategies through case studies for incorporating
elements of green infrastructure and green design. They will also explore
current funding sources for Green Streets.
Then, Cindy and Patrick will discuss the Capital City Bikeway in
Minneapolis from concept to construction including low impact development
and green design features. They will address why it was important, how it
was prioritized and lessons learned. By the end of their presentation, they
will discuss how to incorporate LID and green design features into projects
in your community.
*Presenters:*
- John Hykes & Lisa Beyer, Alta Planning + Design
- Cindy Zerger, Toole Design Group
- Patrick Sejkora, SEH, Inc.
- Corinne Kisner & Aaron Willere, NACTO
--
*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) 925-3777 x102 <(204)%20925-3777> | Find
us here
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>
Green Action Centre is your green living hub
Support our work by becoming a member
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at
CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/>
<http://www.gomanitoba.ca>
Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local
viewing of this month's APBP <http://www.apbp.org/> webinar.
The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303
Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications
for those who wish to stay.
RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then!
cheers,
Beth
* * * * *
*Green Design: Minimizing Environmental Impact in Public Rights of WayWed,
Sept 20 | 2-3 p.m. CDT*
At the September webinar, a representative from NACTO will take a few
minutes to review their new resource: The Urban Street Stormwater Guide.
John and Lisa will define green streets as they apply to transportation,
green design, stormwater management, and the policy framework. They will
discuss the benefits and potential conflicts with green design elements,
and present specific strategies through case studies for incorporating
elements of green infrastructure and green design. They will also explore
current funding sources for Green Streets.
Then, Cindy and Patrick will discuss the Capital City Bikeway in
Minneapolis from concept to construction including low impact development
and green design features. They will address why it was important, how it
was prioritized and lessons learned. By the end of their presentation, they
will discuss how to incorporate LID and green design features into projects
in your community.
*Presenters:*
- John Hykes & Lisa Beyer, Alta Planning + Design
- Cindy Zerger, Toole Design Group
- Patrick Sejkora, SEH, Inc.
- Corinne Kisner & Aaron Willere, NACTO
*Another consultant hired to examine Portage and Main’s ‘pedestrian
friendly’ opportunities*
*Second study for intersection*
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/second-portage-and-
main-study-to-examine-pedestrian-friendly-and-urban-design-opportunities-
444244573.html
WINNIPEG city hall has commissioned a second consultant’s study examining
the reopening of Portage and Main, even as it is putting the final touches
on an administrative report for council’s October meeting that will outline
the cost to remove the concrete barriers.
Doug Mc Neil, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the second
study — awarded in July to a Vancouver firm at a cost of $70,000— will
examine how the city can integrate public spaces above and below ground
with adjoining private properties.
Mc Neil would not say when officials will propose a final cost for
reopening the intersection and design plans, nor if the city will be ready
tomove ahead with a reopening in 2018.
“I’m going to not answer any more detailed questions because it will all be
in the (October) report,” Mc Neil told reporters Wednesday. He said the
second study was done in response to concerns raised by property owners at
the famous intersection of Main Street and Portage Avenue. They want to
know what city hall will do to complement the investments they plan on
spending once the intersection is open.
Mc Neil said the property owners said “the city needs to have a vision,”
adding the first study only looked at the effect to traffic flow and
pedestrians once the intersection is open to foot traffic.
The second consulting team will look at “how can we make Portage and Main
more pedestrian-friendly, what kind of new urban design opportunities are
there for Portage and Main, again, above and below,” Mc Neil said.
The intersection was closed to pedestrians in February 1979 as part of the
deal for the private development of the underground retail and commercial
space, with the city agreeing to construct the underground pedestrian
concourse and prohibit pedestrian crossing. The terms of the deal with the
developers required the city to keep the intersection closed for 40 years.
Mayor Brian Bowman made it a campaign commitment in the 2014 civic election
to reopen the intersection. Bowman’s plan was to have the intersection
opened ahead of the 2017 Canada Summer Games, which were held this summer.
Despite the terms of the original lease not expiring until February 2019,
all property owners on the corners have agreed to reopen the intersection.
Coun. Jeff Browaty, who strongly opposes the move, said he was critical of
the city to commission a second study before disclosing the findings of the
first. The North Kildonan representative said Winnipeg residents deserve to
know the costs and impacts on traffic flow before considering further
expenditures to enhance the area.
Mc Neil said he will present an administrative report to council at its
Oct. 25 meeting, based on the findings of the first study, which determined
the impact on traffic flows once the intersection is opened. He said the
administrative report will also include preliminary cost estimates to
remove the barriers and changes to the intersection to accommodate
pedestrian crossings.
Mc Neil said it’s not certain if the second study will be finished by the
October meeting, nor if any of the proposals for design changes will be
presented to council.
“I don’t know exactly how we’re going to incorporate that,” the CAO said.
“We’re currently talking about that and working on the (administrative)
report.”
Mc Neil said the reports going to council in October are only “the first
steps” towards reopening the intersection.
aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca
* * * * *
*Portage, Main key to growing downtown: Bowman *
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/portage-main-key-to-
growing-downtown-bowman-444351103.html
PORTAGE and Main was closed to pedestrians nearly 40 years ago, but Mayor
Brian Bowman remains convinced reopening the intersection is necessary for
Winnipeg’s growth.
“Opening up Portage and Main has never been only about tearing up barriers
and throwing pedestrians into the mix and hoping for the best,” Bowman told
reporters Wednesday. “It’s about studying how we can integrate with what is
already happening in our downtown and create a vision based on partnering
with the businesses and the community to develop a plan to make a
transformation-only intersection everyone- friendly, not just car-friendly.”
The city’s iconic intersection was closed to pedestrians on Feb. 24, 1979.
Bowman said he doesn’t imagine it transforming into a version of New York
City’s Times Square, which was what former mayor Glen Murray hoped could be
achieved when he initiated an international design competition in 2003.
Murray’s competition drew submissions from around the world.
But Murray was gone from the city when the winning design was chosen in
2005 and when a $10.5-million proposal was eventually presented to council
in 2007, which incorporated the design changes and suggested the
intersection be open on evenings and weekends, then-mayor Sam Katz wanted
no part of it.
To see some of the submissions, go online to: wfp.to/portageandmain. The
winning design, #073, was submitted by Toronto architect Janet Rosenberg &
Associates, in collaboration with local firm Cibinel Architects.
While opinion surveys show a slight majority of Winnipeggers is opposed to
reopening the intersection, Bowman said he believes the initiative is
necessary.
“We’re not building a Times Square at Portage and Main, but we are working
to study and understand ways to better connect our city, work with property
owners in the area and create a vision that works for Winnipeg,” Bowman
said.
“I continue to believe our Portage and Main intersection can bemore and can
do more for our downtown and our city. It can help us better connect our
city. It can help build a better sense of belonging, and it can becomea
more engaging destination.”
aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca