*To realize mayor's vision, Portage and Main is going to need some help
from its friends*
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/referendum-489057871.html
Winnipeggers who want to see Portage and Main re-opened to pedestrians have
a right to feel a bit disappointed that Mayor Brian Bowman was one of 14
members of city council to vote in favour of a proposal to hold a
referendum on the matter in this fall's election.
After all, Bowman campaigned in 2014 on a promise to re-open the
intersection and his ringing electoral victory gave him a mandate to do
just that. All those who want to free Winnipeg's most famous intersection
believe Bowman at the very least should have opposed the referendum on that
basis alone.
Has the mayor abandoned cause of Portage and Main? The short answer is yes,
and no.
Yes, in failing to oppose the referendum, Bowman was demonstrating a
greater interest in getting re-elected than pursuing an open intersection.
Mayoral challenger Jenny Motkaluk has pledged to stop the city from
re-opening Portage and Main. Although it is unclear that Portage and Main
was going to make or break anyone's campaign, the prospect of a referendum
more or less defuses one of Motkaluk's sharpest points of attack.
This is not a risk-free strategy for the mayor. If Winnipeggers vote to
keep the intersection closed, Bowman will have to bear some of the
responsibility. Whether or not that will happen is, however, anyone's guess
at this point.
Given the hastiness with which Coun. Jeff Browaty raised the prospects of a
referendum — at the last council meeting before the fall election — there
is very little time for 'yes' and 'no' sides to mount a formal campaign.
Even the motivation for holding the referendum has been muddy and poorly
defined.
A constant source of political non-sequiturs, Browaty actually argued that
referendum was necessary to give those people who voted for Bowman but do
not support him on this issue a chance at a do-over. "This is an
opportunity to have a real debate on the matter and for the public to say
which way they go and, hopefully, we never have to discuss it again," he
said.
And in that ridiculous context, no, Bowman is not entirely abandoning the
cause. He is, however, reaching out to the citizens for some help. And if
social media is any indication, Browaty and his collaborators may only have
provoked the #TeamOpen constituency. That will be important if Bowman's
vision is to survive the irreconcilable gulf that separates core area
Winnipeggers from those who live in the suburbs.
Poll results show that a slim majority of Winnipeggers oppose the
re-opening of Portage and Main. However, dig deeper and you can see the
real fault lines.
The people who want the intersection re-opened generally include younger
Winnipeggers, those who live downtown, citizens with mobility issues, most
urban planners and architects with an interest in downtown development,
entrepreneurs who own businesses downtown and — perhaps most importantly —
those who own property right at Portage and Main.
Opposition to a barrier-free intersection includes many older Winnipeggers,
people who live outside the core and only drive through the centre of the
city on their way to work or on their way somewhere else.
With those lines of demarcation, the debate comes down to a battle between
those for whom downtown is a daily and significant presence in their lives,
and those for whom it is mostly an afterthought. And that is a potentially
dangerous scenario given that there is so much disinformation surrounding
the issue.
Browaty, Coun. Janice Lukes and even Motkaluk would have people believe
that this is largely a fiscal issue, a waste of money on something that
will only delay the afternoon commute for people who hate going downtown in
the first place.
In fact, in relative terms, it's a pretty frugal project.
All told, the city is committed to spending about $3.5 million on
street-level upgrades and planning the re-opening of the intersection. We
do not know the final cost of tearing down the barriers. However, the
existing barriers are falling apart and removing them could very likely be
less expensive than rebuilding them.
There is also the fact that private land owners at Portage and Main need to
do repairs to the underground infrastructure that supports Winnipeg Square,
the underground shopping mall. That work will require the removal of some
of the barriers. Rebuilding them seems a pointless endeavour.
Traffic is often cited as a concern, even though a survey of the existing
patterns at Portage and Main reveal some very long delays between green
lights. For those who need to get across the intersection, there will be
time.
Pedestrian safety is also raised as a concern, although there is nothing to
suggest that this intersection will be any more dangerous than any other.
In fact, it's quite likely it will be safer than using a cross-walk on
Pembina Highway during the morning rush hour.
By deferring to the will of the people who vote in the referendum, Bowman
has clearly passed the buck to citizens who share his vision of a
barrier-free Portage and Main. That is bad news for those people who
believe he earned the mandate to re-open the intersection four years ago.
The good news is that the referendum also serves as an opportunity to get
the intersection re-opened with a promise that — in Browaty's words — we
never have to discuss the legitimacy of the issue ever again.
dan.lett(a)freepress.mb.ca
Cyclists want safer streets: poll
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/more-than-a-third-
of-winnipeggers-hungry-for-bike-friendly-commute-to-work-
survey-489040481.html
CAA and Bike Winnipeg are attempting to steer cycling infrastructure out of
the margins and into the centre of political debates in the leadup to the
civic election inOctober.
And if the result of a new Probe Research poll conducted for the agencies
is any indication, their message is likely to resonate with at least a
third of Winnipeggers.
The poll, conducted June 5-19, asked 600 adults a series of questions about
cycling, finding 21 per cent of residents are regular cyclists and 35 per
cent said they would cycle more if the city was more bike friendly.
“With 21 per cent of people out there biking on a regular basis, it means
it’s an issue for them. It’s definitely something I think is going to come
up at the door, and if you’re a wise candidate you’re going to make sure
it’s part of your platform,” Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe
said Tuesday.
The 21 per cent of regular cyclists identified in the poll is the highest
self-reported figure his group has seen to date, he said.
According to Probe Research, the random phone poll — landline and cellphone
numbers were called — offers 95 per cent certainty the results are within a
plus or minus four percentage point range of what they would be if
Winnipeg’s entire adult population had been queried.
In the 2016 Statistics Canada census, 6,200 Winnipeggers (0.87 per cent of
the city’s population) reported cycling was their main mode of commuting to
work. In the poll, a regular cyclist was defined as someone who pedals to
work daily or several times a week for transportation.
The data released Tuesday was the first instalment in a three-part series
focused on the city’s appetite for cycling and the obstacles currently in
place preventing people from hittingthe road on twowheels, rather than four.
Liz Kulyk, CAA’s corporate manager of government and community relations,
said the release of the poll results were purposefully timed to coincide
with the run-up to the municipal election. The next two instalments in the
series will take a closer look at the safety concerns raised by cyclists
(Aug. 8) and will also call on council and mayoral candidates to make
improved cycling infrastructure a part of their campaign platforms (Aug.
29), she said.
“Of all the issues facing our city, this is the one where we can really
capitalize and move our city forward. There’s lots of things, visionary
ideas, that you’re going to hear from various candidates in the election —
‘do this, don’t do that,’” Kulyk said.
“What we can tell you is if we want to move Winnipeg forward to a city of
one million (residents) and continue to grow and be an economic hub, we
can’t not tackle this one headon.”
When respondents were asked what the biggest barrier to becoming an active
cyclist was, the issue of protected bike lanes on major routes quickly
jumped to the top of the list. Nearly half of the Winnipeggers polled (47
per cent) also said building protected bike lanes in the downtown core
should be the city’s top priority.
Kulyk believes that too often the issue of cycling infrastructure pits
cyclists and drivers against each other, when — in reality— what’s good for
one is good for the other.
“More people cycling and leaving their car at home means better roads.
We’re seeing record construction in our city right now and we’re doing a
lot of wholesale changes to some pretty main thoroughfares,” she said.
“There should not be a single decision made about those wholesale changes
to roads without also considering what is the best way forward to ensure
cyclists and drivers and everybody using the road gets to use it in the
most efficient and safe way possible.”
ryan.thorpe(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe
Cycling is becoming more mainstream in Manitoba’s capital city, but we are
really just scratching the surface of our city's cycling potential.
Research commissioned by CAA Manitoba and Bike Winnipeg also shows that
Winnipeggers have an appetite to bike even more often – if infrastructure
conditions are right.
Mark Cohoe
Executive Director
Bike Winnipeg
t: 204-894-6540
e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca
*CYCLING BECOMING MORE MAINSTREAM: CAA, BIKE WINNIPEG SURVEY*
*First of three-part series focuses on Winnipeggers’ appetite to bike &
obstacles preventing use to commute*
WINNIPEG, July 24, 2018 – CAA Manitoba and Bike Winnipeg have partnered on
a survey, conducted by Probe Research, to delve deep into the problems and
the potential regarding Winnipeggers cycling to get around town. The
surprising results reveal that not only is cycling becoming more mainstream
in Manitoba’s capital city, but that Winnipeggers have an appetite to bike
even more often – if infrastructure conditions are right.
“CAA and Bike Winnipeg have been talking about how to make our city more
bike-friendly for years,” said Liz Kulyk, corporate manager of government
and community relations at CAA Manitoba. “Yet we kept coming back to the
same questions, which is why we needed to hear directly from Winnipeggers
about their needs, desires and the obstacles that are keeping them from
getting on their bike.”
A solid 21 per cent of Winnipeggers polled said they are already cycling
daily or a few times a week for transportation – the highest self-reported
usage that Bike Winnipeg has seen to date.
“It’s fantastic to hear more people are choosing to use two wheels to get
around than ever before,” says Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike
Winnipeg. “But we’re even more excited about the fact that there’s still
room to grow that mode share - 35 per cent of people saying they would
cycle a few times a week or more if the conditions were optimal would put
us on par with some European cities. Winnipeggers have told us loud and
clear that they’re willing to bike, if there’s a way.”
When asked to consider and rank options that would get them moving,
literally and figuratively, from an aspiring cyclist to an active user, one
improvement quickly rose to the top of the list: more protected bike lanes
on major routes. Additionally, in a related question, almost half (47 per
cent) of respondents said building protected bike lanes downtown should be
the city’s priority.
“When it comes to infrastructure, it’s clear that what’s good for cyclists
is good for drivers. Safety for all road users increases when we separate
cars and bikes,” says Kulyk. “Winnipeggers obviously feel the same
way, and this
is not the first time they’ve spoken out in favour of separated
infrastructure
<https://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/pedestriansCycling/strategiesActionPlan…>.
”
Both advocacy groups agree that with a civic election just around the
corner, city council candidates should prepare to have discussions with
Winnipeggers about their plans to address active transportation.
“Record construction is great because every project is an opportunity to
build for the future – not just with fresh pavement on an old outdated
design, but to do what the young Winnipeggers who will inherit our city
want and need,” Cohoe says. “We need to be considering improved designs
that provide options for people of all ages and abilities to get around on
foot or on bike as well as well as by car.”
The next release in the series delves deeper into the top safety concerns
of local drivers and cyclists. The third instalment discusses Winnipeggers’
views on how the City of Winnipeg and elected officials must move road
design and maintenance forward to benefit citizens and all road users for
years to come.
Probe Research surveyed a random representative sample of 600 adults
residing in Winnipeg between June 5 and 19, 2018. The survey sample size
offers 95 per cent certainty that results are within plus or minus 4.0
percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population of
Winnipeg had been studied.
*About CAA Manitoba:*
* Since its inception in 1904, CAA Manitoba has been a non-profit,
member-driven organization that advocates for road safety and the Canadian
traveler, however they choose to commute.*
*About Bike Winnipeg:*
* As a non-profit, volunteer-run organization, Bike Winnipeg advocates for
increased cycling awareness in Manitoba and works to make cycling in
Winnipeg a safe, convenient, accessible and enjoyable transportation choice
year-round.*
– 30 –
*For more information, please contact:*
Erika Miller, Communications Consultant
204.797.4326 • erikam(a)caamanitoba.com
This communication (including all attachments) is intended solely for the
use of the person(s) to whom it is addressed and should be treated as a
confidential CAA communication. If you are not the intended recipient, any
use, distribution, printing, or copying of this email is strictly
prohibited. If you received this email in error, please immediately delete
it from your system and notify the originator. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Michael Sivak <sivakappliedresearch(a)gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 2:34 PM
Subject: Re: [At-network] The impact of young peoples' choices on traffic
planning
Beth,
The second publication has data through 2016.
A corrected link is below.
• *Has motorization the U.S. peaked?*
http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumtriswt/PDF/SWT-2018-2.pdf
Regards,
Michael
Michael Sivak, Ph.D.
Managing Director
Sivak Applied Research
Web: www.sivakappliedresearch.com
Email: sivakappliedresearch(a)gmail.com
On Thu, Jul 19, 2018 at 11:29 AM, Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca>
> wrote:
>
> • *Recent decreases in the proportion of persons with a driver's license
> across all age groups*
>
> http://www.umich.edu/~umtriswt/PDF/UMTRI-2016-4.pdf
>
>
>
> • *Has motorization the U.S. peaked?*
>
> http://www.umich.edu/~Eumtriswt/PDF/SWT-2018-2.pdf
>
>
>
> happy trails
>
> TZ
>
>
>
> *From:* at-network-bounces(a)lists.umanitoba.ca <
> at-network-bounces(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> *On Behalf Of *Charles Feaver
> *Sent:* July-19-18 10:47 AM
> *To:* at-network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca
> *Subject:* [At-network] The impact of young peoples' choices on traffic
> planning
>
>
>
> A good piece in the BBC about the impact of the younger generation’s
> decreased interest in cars on traffic growth.
>
>
>
> https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44849381
>
>
>
> …In the 1990s, 80% of people were driving by 30; now this marker is only
> reached by 45.
>
>
>
> Men under 30 are travelling only half the miles their fathers did.
>
>
>
> The Commission on Travel Demand says this should lead to a government
> re-think about travel priorities.
>
> It points out that people in general are driving much less than expected:
>
>
>
> · People are travelling 10% fewer miles than in 2002 and spending
> 22 hours less travelling each year than a decade ago.
>
> · There has been a 20% reduction in commuter trips per week since
> the mid 1990s
>
> · Growth in car traffic has slowed. In the 1980s, it grew by 50%
> whereas in the decade to 2016 it grew by 2%
>
>
>
> Yet BBC News has learned that next week the government is likely to
> forecast a rise in traffic of between 20% and 60% by 2040. …
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT-Network mailing list
> AT-Network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca
> http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/at-network
>
>
A good piece in the BBC about the impact of the younger generation's
decreased interest in cars on traffic growth.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-44849381
.In the 1990s, 80% of people were driving by 30; now this marker is only
reached by 45.
Men under 30 are travelling only half the miles their fathers did.
The Commission on Travel Demand says this should lead to a government
re-think about travel priorities.
It points out that people in general are driving much less than expected:
* People are travelling 10% fewer miles than in 2002 and spending 22
hours less travelling each year than a decade ago.
* There has been a 20% reduction in commuter trips per week since
the mid 1990s
* Growth in car traffic has slowed. In the 1980s, it grew by 50%
whereas in the decade to 2016 it grew by 2%
Yet BBC News has learned that next week the government is likely to forecast
a rise in traffic of between 20% and 60% by 2040. .
[Sadly, it looks like this will keep Portage and Main closed to anyone but
motorists, as the issue is pretty much guaranteed to fail in a referendum.
Winnipeg solidly remains a car-centric city well into the 21st century (my
two cents). Sigh.]
Mayor throws support behind making pedestrian access to famous intersection
a ballot-box question
People to get final say on Portage& Main
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/mayor-throws-
support-behind-proposed-referendum-on-reopening-portage-and-main-488556851.
html
AFTER ardently campaigning in 2014 to reopen Portage and Main to
pedestrians, Mayor Brian Bowman has agreed to let Winnipeggers have the
final say.
On Wednesday, the mayor (who is standing for re-election in October)
announced he will support a motion at today’s council meeting proposing a
referendum on the future of the historicintersection be added to the ballot.
“I see no reason why we wouldn’t let Winnipeggers voice their views on this
issue,” Bowman told reporters.
“If the feedback from Winnipeggers on a referendum is not to open it up to
pedestrians at this time, then I’ll respect that in letter and spirit.
“I’ll treat a referendum as binding, either way.”
Bowman’s decision disappointed Allen Mankewich, who lives and works
downtown and uses a wheelchair.
“If we put everything to a referendum, nothing would change in our city,”
said Mankewich, who supports reopening the Portage Avenue and Main Street
intersection that’s been closed to pedestrian traffic since 1979.
“We live in a city where wewill spend $150 million at the drop of a hat on
an underpass to help people get home five or 10 minutes quicker by car, but
we don’t show the same level of decisiveness on a project like this, which
will help pedestrians move through Portage and Main a little faster and
connect neighbourhoods close to downtown,” he said.
To cross the street via the underground concourse, he has to rely on a
series of elevators that are, at times, out of service.
The intersection and underground concourse have suffered from decades of
decay and neglect.
The city has set aside $3.5 million for repairs, including rebuilding and
repairing sidewalks and curbs, Bowman said.
It’s working with the private sector to address surface drainage, water
leakage, asbestos abatement and ventilation modifications, in conjunction
with upgrades planned at the Richardson Building plaza, he said.
Putting the referendum on Portage and Main on the ballot in October won’t
cost the city anything, the mayor said.
However, it might cost Bowman some support.
Backing a referendum put forward by suburban Couns. Jeff Browaty (North
Kildonan) and Janice Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) may be seen as
giving in to the mighty suburban motorist vote — drivers passing through
downtown who don’t want pedestrian crossings to slow them down.
“I think, obviously, he’s received some push back on the issue, in terms of
public opinion,” Mankewich said.
“I’m disappointed that the mayor is backtracking on the issue. He was the
only candidate who said he would open Portage and Main to pedestrians.”
Bowman said, however, he’s not backtracking.
“My campaign commitment when I ran for election was to ensure that I work
collaboratively with the property owners and engage the community. We’ve
done that,” he said, noting all the affected property owners support
opening the intersection. “When I ran for office, I talked about the
benefits of opening it up and I’ll continue to do so.”
A rival for themayor’s seat said Wednesday she wants the discussion shut
down.
“I don’t believe this plebiscite should go forward,” candidate Jenny
Motkaluk said. “We should not spend another minute talking about the issue.”
She called reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians Bowman’s “vanity
project,” adding she’s worried thirdparty advertising spending on a
referendum will influence voters.
“There will be all kinds of interest groups spending money on both sides of
the issue and we don’t know where they’re coming from,” she said. “My
opinion is if we open this up to thirdparty spending, we’re going to have
the wild west.”
A third party can advertise on a civic issue, provided there is no mention
of a candidate in the materials, said a spokesman for the City of Winnipeg.
For example, a third party could say: vote yes on this issue, but not
support candidate X on this issue.
carol.sanders(a)freepress.mb.ca
--
*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>
How cities should regulate the scooter surge
This article from Curbed discussed a new report by the NACTO, “Guidelines
for the Regulation and Management of Shared Active Transportation
<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001hpCMF90qxHIrXECg_jUiBq7mo5rCns1PNYXt4tdGNWmM…>,”
which lays out potential rules and regulations for the fast-growing world
of electric scooters and dockless bikeshare, collating current examples
from more than a dozen cities with existing policies, permitting fees, and
ideas for equity programming.
In many respects, the NACTO report offers common-sense recommendations,
beginning with the not-so-radical idea that cities—which have the financial
and legal responsibility to build, maintain, and protect the local transit
system—should have a say in deciding what vehicles are allowed to use said
streets.
The report comes down hard on the common practices of tech transit
companies, that tend to beg for forgiveness as opposed to asking for
permission. Due to differing and sometimes incomplete regulations, ebikes,
scooters, and electric scooters “exist in a regulatory grey area, regulated
in a limited fashion on an individual or recreational level but not
envisioned en masse or in an automated rental scenario.”
The NACTO report also offers a few starting points for cities that want to
design pilot programs to help these companies expand. These proposed rules
of the road offer a pretty easy template for cities to adopt. Most
importantly, they should take control of the street and the curb. New
startups also should require legal permission, which can cap the number of
vehicles in operation, and be subject to fines or expulsion if rules or
regulations are flagrantly or repeatedly violated.
Cities should push for data-sharing, transparency, and safety. Agreed-upon
rules to clear disabled or downed vehicles from right-of-ways should be
strictly enforced, cities should be aware of staffing and operations plans,
protocols for extreme weather or natural disasters should be clearly laid
out.
Additionally, companies should be rewarded for pushing equity and access to
underserved neighborhoods. For example, in St. Louis, dockless bike
companies will be allowed to expand past an initial 2,500 vehicle cap, but
only if they present and implement a social equity plan and meet other
ridership requirements.
I
--
*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>