Cycling popularity sees drastic rise in year since bike-lane launch
https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/2018/06/14/one-year-later-bike-lanes-nearl…
EDMONTON—The city’s much loved — and debated — downtown bike grid,
officially turns one on Saturday.
It’s been a year since the city opened what would become a 7.8-kilometre
network of protected lanes that have given cyclists unprecedented room to
move in the core — delighting cyclists, angering some drivers and sparking
an almost doubling in ridership.
“It’s still incredible to me that we successfully planned, designed,
installed and launched an education campaign in under nine months,” said
Olga Messinis, the city’s project manager for the downtown bike network.
The protected lanes now separate cyclists from traffic and pedestrians in
most parts of downtown and some surrounding areas. Protected bike lanes are
fenced, whereas unprotected bike lanes are only marked using paint on the
roads.
According to the Downtown Bike Grid Monitoring website
<https://public.tableau.com/profile/urban.analysis#!/vizhome/DowntownbikeGri…>,
the number of cyclists has increased by 81 per cent in May compared to a
year ago.
Messinis said over the last year people have shared their experiences on
how the bike network has “positively” changed the way they move around
downtown.
“This was really important because we have a lot of communities that are
within a short distance, under that five kilometre radius, where the
downtown could be easily accessible by bike,” she said.
“It was something that we were lacking so it was really important to
provide that safe infrastructure so we could increase the possibility and
the option for people to be able to choose cycling over taking a car.”
The planning for prioritizing cycling began in 2009 when city council
approved the bike transportation plan, which called for installing close to
500 kilometres of on-street cycling infrastructure within the next 10 to 20
years. The plan was to encourage Edmontonians to choose “cycling as a safe,
healthy and efficient alternative to driving.”
Council approved in 2016 a budget of $7.5 million to begin the project and
$625,000 per year for upkeep.
Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg on June 20th for a group
viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…>
boardroom
followed by discussion for those who wish to stay.
cheers,
Beth
--
*Webinar: Wed, June 20th, 2-3pm*
*Roundabouts that Work for Cyclists and Pedestrians*
Panelists:
- Alek Pochowski, Kittelson & Associates
- Bastian Schroeder, Kittelson & Associates
Bicycle activity and the use of roundabouts for intersection control within
the United States have both increased dramatically in recent years. Since
its publication in 2010, NCHRP Report 672: Roundabouts, an Informational
Guide, Second Edition, has served as a national guide on the different
aspects of roundabouts, including planning, analysis, design, and
construction. However, since 2010, a significant amount of bicycle-related
design material has been released, including FHWA's Separated Bike Lane
Planning and Design Guide (2015), and NACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide
(2012), both of which do not address bicycle facilities at roundabouts.
The first part of this webinar will provide a summary of current and
potential design best practices for bicycles at roundabouts using domestic
and international examples, and provide an overview of the available
guidance available for practitioners designing or reviewing roundabouts for
cyclists. The second half of the webinar will focus on pedestrians at
roundabouts, with a discussion of the most recent research efforts which
led to the development of NCHRP Report 834. NCHRP Project 834 presents
guidance for the application of crossing solutions at roundabouts for
pedestrians with vision disabilities. The guidebook provides an
accessibility assessment framework and a methodology for evaluating
treatment alternatives for a proposed crossing, as well as wayfinding
accommodations. Guidance is provided based on the feasible range of
geometric and traffic operational conditions under which similar treatments
have been demonstrated to enhance accessibility.
--
*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 | 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>
*Date to reopen intersection up for debate: officials *
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/fall-2019-date-for-reopening-portag…
SENIOR elected and administrative officials at city hall are backing away
from a fall of 2019 date to reopen Portage Avenue and Main Street to
pedestrians.
Officials repeatedly said Wednesday the time frame in the request for
proposal (RFP) released Tuesday is only a “target” and a decision to reopen
the iconic intersection to foot traffic still must be taken by city council.
Even Mayor Brian Bowman, who made the issue a campaign promise four years
ago and has been an enthusiastic supporter ever since, toned down his
rhetoric.
“I’d like it to be open, but I want to make sure we’re doing it in a
thoughtful way that considers all the items,” Bowman said during an
exchange with reporters. “Despite the fact that, obviously, I would like it
opened sooner than later, there is a process and this is part of the
council-directed process.
“I think it’s just important to keep in mind that council has not provided
that direction to open it to pedestrians yet. This RFP doesn’t change that.”
The RFP, which invites bids for consulting services for the design and
Phase 1 construction associated with the intersection reopening, was the
talk of the city Wednesday. While council had approved the project at its
October 2017 meeting, no dates were given in an administrative report.
The RFP states city hall expects the first barriers to be taken down to
allow pedestrians to cross Portage Avenue East, between the Richardson
Plaza and the Bank of Montreal, and the city is “targeting completion of
construction,” of that portion by the fall of 2019.
The document, or at least its timing, seemed to catch elected officials by
surprise. Bowman and other members of his executive policy committee said
they weren’t given advance notice the RFP was being posted nor had they
viewed the document ahead of time.
“I need to have much more information before I agree to open up Portage and
Main, and that’s the information we’re supposed to be getting back from the
RFP,” said Coun. John Orlikow, chairman of council’s property and
development committee.
“Council is quite clear, before any suggestion of that happening, it has to
come back towards council. We have some traffic issues we have to deal
with, we have some transit issues to deal with. The RFP report may come
back as such but again, council will need that information to make their
decision to move forward.”
City of Winnipeg chief administrative officer Doug Mc Neil took
responsibility for failing to advise council members.
“There’s a lot going on in this city, and we’ve been working on the RFP for
some time now,” Mc Neil said. “Maybe (it’s) my fault I didn’t inform
council we were releasing the RFP when we did.”
He said there is no significance to the fall 2019 date in the RFP.
“It’s not a hard date, it’s a target and so we’re just following through
with council’s direction,” Mc Neil said. “Council’s directions was: ‘Go
back, do somemore engineering, get us some cost estimates, bring that
information back to us for our approval.’ And that’s what our plan is and
that’s what this next stage is.”
Winnipeg appears divided on the issue.
Supporters say removing the barriers is essential to restoring human-scale
activity to the area, connecting the various downtown neighbourhoods, and
will complement private-sector investments being made by the corner
property owners.
Opponents say the move poses a serious safety threat and would worsen
downtown traffic flow.
The intersection was closed to pedestrians in 1979, as part of a deal with
developers and property owners on its corners to construct an underground
shopping concourse. Terms of the deal, which was struck in 1976, stipulated
the intersection remain closed to pedestrians and all efforts be made to
redirect people to the underground.
However, Bowman has in recent years received the formal support for the
project from all the affected property owners.
A year-old traffic study estimated the costs to alter the routes through
the intersection and widen sidewalks would cost about $6.13 million. The
subsequent consultant work is expected to get a more accurate figure and
detail how and when the corners can be opened.
Coun. Jeff Browaty, a staunch opponent of the project, said the revelation
of the fall 2019 date and the scope of thework outlined in the RFP warrants
the issue going back to council for another vote.
Browaty (North Kildonan) said he questions the direction outlined in the
RFP, explaining the traffic study suggested opening the corners in phases
would pose a safety hazard.
“Allowing pedestrians to cross one section introduces both confusion for
motorists and encourages pedestrians to consider dangerous crossings that
are not open,” Browaty said in a statement Wednesday. “Did CAO Doug Mc
Neil, the project’s apparent project manager, also a professional engineer,
sign off on this RFP, despite these warnings?”
Browaty also said council had agreed last year to improve the underground
concourse, and he’s concerned that work won’t happen before the
intersection is reopened to pedestrians.
At its meeting Oct. 25, 2017, council approved spending up to $3.5 million
on the intersection in 2018. In addition to the $1.5 million for
engineering and architectural work, council also approved: $500,000 for new
sidewalks, curbs and street trees for the plaza area directly in front of
the Richardson Building; and $1.5 million to upgrade the underground
concourse underneath the tower at 201 Portage Ave.
Mc Neil said a second RFP, to improve the underground concourse, would be
issued shortly.
aldo.satin(a)freepress.mb.ca
Council set wheels in motion for historic intersection last fall
CITY hall observers might be surprised to hear some council members express
concern over details in a request for proposal seeking a consultant to plan
the reopening of Portage and Main to pedestrians.
While the fall 2019 date is new, opening the intersection was never in
question following the intense debate and series of 10 votes on a report —
all overwhelmingly in favour of the project— on the floor of council last
October.
The motion approved by council authorized the reopening of the intersection
to pedestrians and instructs the CAO to negotiatewith the property owners
the terms of an agreement that would amend or terminate the 40-year-old
agreement that led to the construction of the underground concourse and
blocked pedestrian access at street level.
While Item 9 of the motion requires the administration to bring a plan back
to council before reopening the intersection, councillors were repeatedly
told that if they approved the proposal, they would be setting in motion a
plan that would lead to the removal of the concrete barriers.
“If the recommendations are approved, a new capital project will be created
in the 2018 budget which will provide a commitment to the creation of a
vision and the renewal and reopening of the intersection at Portage and
Main,” states the first paragraph, on page 12, in the section of the
administrative report titled Implications of the Recommendations.
The online link to the debate from the council minutes is available at: //
wfp.to/winnipegdmis.
— Aldo Santin
PORTAGE AND MAIN
*City requests bids for consulting and design for pedestrian traffic*
*Intersection could reopen in 2019*
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/portage-and-main-484636073.html
CITY hall is planning on reopening the Portage and Main intersection to
pedestrians by the fall of 2019.
The date was disclosed in a request for proposal the city released Tuesday,
inviting bids for consulting services for the design and phase-one
construction associated with the intersection reopening.
While council had approved the project at its October 2017 meeting, no
dates were given in an administrative report.
The RFP states city hall expects the first barriers to be taken down to
allow pedestrians to cross Portage Avenue East, between the Richardson
Plaza and the Bank of Montreal.
“It is the City’s intent, subject to the findings of the Preliminary Design
report resulting from the Services herein, and Council’s adoption of
those findings, and/or that report, to proceed with construction to open
the Portage Avenue East crossing as Phase 1,” states section D5.2 of the
RFP. A later section of the RFP states, “the City is targeting completion
of construction of Phase I by the fall of 2019.”
At its October meeting, council set aside up to $1.5 million in 2018 for
“architectural and engineering services” for the intersection’s reopening.
Council approved spending up to $3.5 million on the intersection in 2018.
In addition to the $1.5 million for engineering and architectural work,
council also approved: $500,000 for new sidewalks, curbs and street trees
for the plaza area directly in front of the Richardson Building and $1.5
million to upgrade the underground concourse underneath the tower at 201
Portage Ave.
The RFP states this project does not involve any work in the underground
concourse.
There were two caveats attached to the council approval: the intersection
will not be reopened to pedestrians until a report detailing cost estimates
and traffic impacts is presented to council; and agreement that the
administration will consider the impact a potential north Main Street
transit corridor will have on the project.
According to the RFP documents, consultants are invited to create “an urban
design vision for Portage and Main that provides design direction and
unification of the four corners by using an urban design and place making
approach to connect people, places and transportation,” and to plan and
design “the introduction of at-grade pedestrian crossings at all four legs
of Portage and Main, with a final report and drawings for all four
crossings, including a recommended construction staging plan, schedule, and
Class 3 estimates for each crossing phase.”
The RFP states the winning consultant will be responsible for:
● A design framework that will bring about a new image for Portage and Main
that recognizes its historical significance as an iconic destination;
● Proposing an improved pedestrian environment without pedestrian barriers
that may include trees, pedestrian lighting, way-finding improvements and
other streetscaping elements;
● Consulting with applicable Portage and Main building owners or their
representatives for alignment of the overall vision and co-ordination with
potential works on adjacent private property;
● Participating in a downtown stakeholders meeting to discuss the overall
vision;
● Integrating the design of public rights-of-way with the planned
redevelopment of the Richardson Plaza;
● Consulting with the Winnipeg Arts Council to explore the possibility of
incorporating public art into any or all of the four corners.
The RFP also contains a link to a You Tube video, entitled Portage and
Main, which outlines a brief history of the iconic intersection and
contains drawings of what the intersection might look like.
The video is available at: youtube.com/watch?v=exkxh5yp4VU.
The city expects the Bank of Montreal War Monument to remain in the same
location. The designs may include “conceptual modifications to existing
buildings and properties to enhance private-public interface.” The
consultant will also be required to produce 3D renderings of the vision for
the four corners.
In an unusual request for a city RFP, the bids are limited to 15 pages in
length (excluding a cover page, table of contents and the required forms)
and only the first 15 pages will be evaluated. The RFP states material
submitted as an appendix will not be evaluated.
The RFP closes at noon on June 26.
The document states the city expects to award the contract by July 16.
The winning consultant will be required to submit a draft plan by Oct. 31 —
a week after the Oct. 24 civic election.
The last council meeting before the civic election is Sept. 20.
The final report and designs are due by Dec. 21.
aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca
*** Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar ***
Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg on *Thurs, June 7**th*,
for a group viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre
<http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…>
boardroom
followed by discussion for those who wish to stay.
cheers,
Beth
--
*AT Webinar: Thurs, June 7th, 2-3pm*
*Quick Builds - Tactical Urbanism Toolbox*
*This webinar will begin with an overview of the birth of Tactical Urbanism
and its ongoing evolution, and will discuss how it has evolved into
something communities and individuals or government entities can take
ownership of. Presenters will discuss how Tactical Urbanism has become more
"sanctioned" while still maintaining its tenets of flexibility,
cost-effectiveness, etc. and how it can be formally integrated into
government departments to advance projects. Presenters will discuss case
studies and their successes and failures: Burlington and Miami-Dade
programs, among others across the nation. Lastly, they will give some final
remarks on how to initiate and execute successful Quick-Build Programs. *
*Presenters:*
* - Mike Lydon & Dana Wall, The Street Plans Collaborative - Nicole Losch,
City of Burlington, VT - Dane Eifling, City of Fayetteville, AR *
--
*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 | 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>
As Bike Week approaches, I hope you will make the time to join us for this exciting lunch picnic and panel event! We have kept the panel session to the lunch hour, but will be hanging around for some further discussion after 1:00pm for those that wish to stick around.
Exchange District BIZ: Getting Around in the Original Downtown
Bring your lunch, and join us for a summer picnic to chat transportation! Our picnic panel will kick-off the discussion, and open the conversation around walking, cycling, and transit in the Exchange. We will explore what is needed in the area to support a culture of sustainable transportation for businesses, residents, and the areas many cultural events. We will also discuss how can the Biz can continue to support you to move around on two feet, or two wheels.
Where: Stephen Juba Park (Rain Venue TBD)
When: Wednesday, June 20th 12:00pm-1:00pm (Panel) 1:00pm-1:30pm (Ideas Exploration)
Panelists include:
Will Belford - Natural Cycle/Bike Jams
Thom Sparling - Creative Manitoba
Phil Mikulec - Peg City Car Co-op
Bob Sommers- Scatliff Miller Murray
Lynne Stefanchuk - Jazz Fest Winnipeg
Angela Mathieson - Centure Venture
David Pensato/Sandy Klowak - Exchange District Biz
Thanks,
Shoni Madden
Sustainable Transportation Planner
[cid:image001.png@01CE8F6A.A4C607F0]
#201 - 179 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 0S1
204-227-1080
smadden(a)urbansystems.ca<mailto:smadden@urbansystems.ca>
urbansystems.ca
[On a related note: If you haven't registered for the Osborne to Downtown
Ped and Bike Bridge public workshop tomorrow evening, you can always fill
out the online survey by June 12th:
https://osbornetodowntownphase2.metroquest.ca/]
* * * * *
* Pedestrian bridges a welcome direction *
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/pedestrian-bridges-a-wel…
WINNIPEG’S rivers have divided its neighbourhoods since the days when St.
Boniface was an independent city with ferry service to the English side of
the river. The physical segmentation of Winnipeg, by rivers and rail yards,
has made it a city of unique neighbourhoods. Communities that are
geographically adjacent, but without direct pedestrian connections, have
often developed with a distinct character, demographic, economy and history.
Designed primarily to funnel people through neighbourhoods, and not be
connectors between them, the city’s many vehicular bridges have had limited
success breaking down the traditional divisions between Winnipeg’s
communities. A new pedestrian and cycling bridge, however, proposed to span
the Assiniboine River and connect the cycling infrastructure of Osborne
Village and downtown, might present a new model to effectively link many of
Winnipeg’s communities at a more intimate scale.
As always, there is public debate about the cost and details, but the new
bridge represents an important opportunity to change the dialogue about
mobility in Winnipeg. Done well, it can be a symbol of a progressive and
inclusive city that is broadening its transportation options. Calgary’s
similar Peace Bridge, designed by renowned Spanish architect Santiago
Calatrava, has become a postcard image, representing a forward-looking
city. There may be other bridges with shoulders and sidewalks for cyclists
and pedestrians, but a dedicated crossing changes the experience of those
activities and by giving them priority, elevates the value of active
transportation in the city and attracts more users.
With construction costs of about 10 per cent that of a car bridge, cycling
and pedestrian bridges could affordably be replicated in strategic areas
across the city, introducing a new network of connectivity between
Winnipeg’s divided neighbourhoods. This web of active mobility could link
communities together and potentially change how we define our
neighbourhoods. It could transform how we move around our city, increasing
economic opportunity, neighbourhood vibrancy and quality of life.
Uniting communities through active transportation could grow neighbourhood
economies by reducing pedestrian distances and expanding the potential
market for local shops, restaurants and services. With a well-located
pedestrian bridge, shops on Westminster Avenue would be a nine-minute walk
(800 metres) from the shops on Academy Road in River Heights. The Osborne
strip could be a seven-minute walk from Norwood Flats, or a 10-minute walk
to the shops on Sherbrook Street. Most people in River Heights wouldn’t
drive to the Tall Grass Prairie Bread Company in Wolseley, but they might
take a 10-minute walk, or four-minute bike ride, over the river on a quiet
bridge.
Studies in other cities have shown that housing located near active
transportation networks that provide access to these types of amenities can
realize an increase in property values. Greater community integration might
also help elevate the value of housing in newly connected, adjacent
lower-income neighbourhoods.
Another important benefit to increased mobility options is to help provide
opportunity for those who might not have access to a personal vehicle.
Improved active transportation connectivity can increase social inclusion
by expanding access to schools, employment, food options, retail, and
recreation opportunities. With pedestrian bridges, the University of
Manitoba could be a 10-minute walk from St. Mary’s Road.
Whittier Park could become a directly accessible green space for residents
of Point Douglas and the Exchange District.
Connecting neighbourhoods and reducing pedestrian and cycling distances
create social opportunity by increasing access to a wider number of public
transit routes, reducing commuting times and effectively widening the
catchment area within which a transit user could reasonably commute to work
or school. More convenient access to transit through better pedestrian
connections would help both inner-city and suburban residents. A bridge
between Westwood and Charleswood, as an example, would effectively double
the number of transit routes accessible with a five-minute walk between
Assiniboine Avenue and Roblin Boulevard. The same potential can be found
between Henderson Highway and Main Street, or Osborne Street and St. Mary’s
Road. With the average Canadian family spending almost 20 per cent of their
household income on vehicle ownership, any reduction in driving costs could
have an important impact on quality of life, even for more affluent
suburbanites.
Another new development in Winnipeg’s active transportation infrastructure
could help extend this idea of connectivity between neighbourhoods.
Traditionally, bike lanes have only been included in major road renewal
projects, which has made their implementation extremely slow. A new lane on
Garry Street downtown, for instance, will take three years to be complete
as part of a much larger reconstruction project.
Over the winter, the city ran a pilot project of pre-cast concrete curbs
that are significantly less expensive and easier to install. They tested
things such as drainage, functionality and durability against snow
clearing. With the success of the pilot, construction is now beginning on a
four-kilometre protected bike lane connecting the West Alexander
neighbourhood (Health Sciences Centre) with Waterfront Drive in the
Exchange District. The system will be completed in 12 weeks at a fraction
of the cost of traditional curbs.
This exciting new mindset on bike lane construction could mean much faster
and less expensive implementation of cycling infrastructure, connecting
Winnipeg neighbourhoods to each other and to downtown.
It is an exciting time for active transportation in Winnipeg. We have
fallen behind other cities but are now poised to catch up. Introducing an
intimate new layer of human-scale mobility and connectivity across
Winnipeg’s neighbourhoods could transform how we move around the city and
help to create more vibrant, inclusive and healthy communities.
* Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural
Group.*