February 2019 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

AT Webinar: Viewing Low-Stress Networks through an Equity Lens - Tues, March 5th, 2-3pm
by Beth McKechnie 27 Feb '19

27 Feb '19

Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg for a group viewing of the recorded February APBP webinar in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom. This will be followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. cheers, Beth *AT Webinar: Tues, March 5th, 2-3pm* Viewing Low-Stress Networks through an Equity Lens Our state of practice has improved the tools for assessing the quality of bicycle and pedestrian networks through the lens of comfort and safety, but – in planning these networks – are we including all potential users? This webinar will examine inclusive strategies for developing plans and metrics that are meaningful across social and cultural demographics. Presenters: - Dr. Adonia Lugo - urban anthropologist and mobility justice strategist - Tamika Butler - Toole Design - Carrie Modi - Fehr & Peers -- Beth McKechnie* | *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 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>

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BC moving forward on provincial active transportation strategy
by Anders Swanson 26 Feb '19

26 Feb '19

BC's Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure wants "to make active transportation safer, easier, more affordable and attractive." and is hosting a series of regional forums to gather stakeholder feedback. From: Transportation, Active TRAN:EX <ActiveTransportation(a)gov.bc.ca> Date: Tue, Feb 26, 2019 at 1:41 PM Subject: B.C. Active Transportation Strategy – Regional Forums Our government is committed to protecting nature and making life better for people. Recently we introduced a CleanBC plan that puts our province on the path to a better future, and in the coming months British Columbians will have an opportunity to shape CleanBC initiatives. In partnership with communities across the province, we’re working to make active transportation safer, easier, more affordable and attractive. To help shape the future of active transportation in our province, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure would like to invite you to participate in an interactive regional forum. Eight regional forums are being held across the province to collect input and ideas from stakeholders like you. You are welcome to attend whichever one of the forums is more convenient for you. All forums will provide the same input opportunities. City Centre Library, Surrey (Room 418 – 10350 University Drive, Surrey, B.C. V3T 4C3) March 1 from 9:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. SFU Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Vancouver (Room 320 – 580 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5K3) March 2 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Penticton (Meeting Room 6 & 7 – 273 Power Street, Penticton, B.C. V2A 7K9) March 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Florence Filberg Centre, Courtenay (Rotary Hall – 411 Anderton Avenue, Courtenay, B.C. V9N 6C6) March 9 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Prestige Lakeside Resort & Convention Centre, Nelson (Selkirk Salon – 701 Lakeside Drive, B.C. V1L 6G3) March 11 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Best Western, Terrace (Kokanee Room – 4553 Greig Avenue, Terrace, B.C. V8G 1M7) March 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Prince George Conference and Civic Centre, Prince George (Room 208 – 808 Canada Games Way, Prince George, B.C. V2L 5T6) March 14 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Royal BC Museum, Victoria (Newcombe Conference Hall – 675 Belleville Street, Victoria, B.C. V8W 9W2) March 15 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the listed start time to allow for registration and familiarizing yourself with the project and workshop structure. To register for a forum, please email ActiveTransportation(a)gov.bc.ca with subject line “[community name] forum” and with your name and organization in the body of the email. If you are unable to attend, or would like to designate a representative, please forward this invitation internally to an alternate. We want to make sure we hear from your group or organization. Please email us with any questions you may have. In addition, there will be an opportunity to provide input online through the EngageBC website in the coming weeks. Working together, we can make communities more livable with investments in cleaner transportation options that are healthy, convenient and affordable. To learn more about the CleanBC plan, please visit https://engage.gov.bc.ca/cleanbc

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Disturbing trends in road injuries & fatalities
by Charles Feaver 25 Feb '19

25 Feb '19

A good article on the difference in road safety trends for pedestrians and cyclists v. automobile occupants, especially in urban areas: https://www.fastcompany.com/90310016/the-urban-design-problem-thats-killing- pedestrians-and-cyclists As cities strive to improve the quality of life for their residents, many are working to promote walking and biking. Such policies make sense, since they can, in the long run, lead to less traffic, cleaner air and healthier people. But the results aren't all positive, especially in the short to medium term. In Washington, D.C., for example, traffic fatalities as a whole declined in 2018 compared to the year before, but the number of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths <https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/pedestrians-contin ue-to-be-at-high-risk-on-washington-regions-roads-data-show/2019/02/09/e6a4e 7a8-1f52-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html?utm_term=.bf31bf0e0b04> increased by 20%. Pedestrian deaths also have <https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/nyregion/traffic-deaths-decrease-nyc.htm l> risen in New York, and pedestrian and cycling fatalities have <https://www.outsideonline.com/2313301/would-you-ride-bike-los-angeles> increased in Los Angeles in the past several years. Across the nation (USA), cyclist fatalities have increased by 25% since 2010 and pedestrian deaths have risen by <https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/facts_stats/> a staggering 45%. More people are being killed because cities are encouraging residents to walk and bike, but their roads are still dominated by fast-moving vehicular traffic. . Charles Feaver <mailto:charles@bikewinnipeg.ca> charles(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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FW: [WestCentralConnect] Focus Groups on Bicycling in Winnipeg
by Kristine Hayward 08 Feb '19

08 Feb '19

Hi AT folks – see information below regarding focus groups on cycling in Winnipeg. Kristine Kristine Hayward Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Cell 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metred street parking and pay lots in the area – please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Hey friends, Participants are needed next week for two focus group sessions on bicycling in Winnipeg. The objective of the focus group is to better understand public opinions about bicycling. The first session, Tuesday February 12, is for people who ride their bikes often. The second session, Wednesday February 13, is for people who do not ride a bicycle or people who do not ride a bicycle often. Both sessions are 6 PM to 8 PM; refreshment will be served and participants will receive $25 as compensation upon completion of the session. This study is being conducted by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), a non-profit charitable organization in Ottawa, Ontario and the Spatial Pattern Analysis and Research Lab at the University of Victoria (SPARlab), with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Please see attached posters for more information, including contact information if you are interested. Please share widely and generously, Joseph Joseph Stothers, Community Liaison & Communications Coordinator Pronouns: He/Him/His Spence Neighbourhood Association 430 Langside Street | Winnipeg, MB | R3B 2T5 Treaty 1 Territory, traditional territory of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene Peoples and Homeland of the Metis Nation 204-783-5000 ext. 109 www.spenceneighbourhood.org<http://www.spenceneighbourhood.org> Donate<https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/spence-neighbourhood-association-i…> | Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/SpenceNeighbourhoodAssociation> | Twitter<https://twitter.com/SNAcommunity> | Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/SNAcommunity/> <https://www.instagram.com/SNAcommunity/>The Spence Neighbourhood Association works with the people of Spence to revitalize and renew their community in the areas of Holistic Housing, Community Connecting, Community Economic Development, Environment and Open Spaces, and Youth & Families. CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this message is intended solely for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any use, dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this message and attachments, in whole or in part, by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and permanently delete the complete message and any attachments. Thank you. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "West Central Connect" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to west-central-connect+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com<mailto:west-central-connect+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com>. To post to this group, send email to west-central-connect(a)googlegroups.com<mailto:west-central-connect@googlegroups.com>. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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Calgary winter cycling numbers stay strong, city says
by Beth McKechnie 05 Feb '19

05 Feb '19

*Calgary winter cycling numbers stay strong, city says* https://livewirecalgary.com/2019/02/05/calgary-winter-cycling-numbers-stay-… More than 280 cycling advocates, engineers, academics and planners from around the world will be in Calgary over the next couple days as the city hosts the 2019 Winter Cycling Congress. It’s the seventh annual international event, which discusses opportunities and best practices for cycling in cold climate cities, and Tom Thivener, active transportation projects coordinator with the City of Calgary, said it’s the perfect time for the event to be held in Calgary. “It’s a privilege to host it – the first time in Western Canada,” said Thivener. Thivener said the city has come a long way in providing alternative modes of transportation over the past few decades. Starting with the CTrain in the 80s, the extensive pathway system through the early part of the new millennium and now the extension of that system to the on-street cycling network. “Low and behold we have 90 kilometres that have been created or modified since the cycling strategy took hold,” he said. “If you look at where we’ve come from and where we’re headed, it definitely a good time to bring the Congress to Calgary.” The city’s fickle winter climate does pose challenges other cities don’t face – Chinooks melting snow, creating ice patches that can be tough for city crews to track down – but it also provides the benefit of being able to ride year round, often in milder temperatures. Thivener said when you compare it to a place like Finland, where they often ride on packed snow, avoiding frequent icy conditions, Calgary is a unique place to cycle in winter. Other cities deal with icy rains and freezing temperatures which make winter riding uncomfortable and wet at the best of times. When diving into Calgary’s winter cycling data, Thivener said the one thing that stands out to him is the fact that there are more cyclists using the on-street network in the winter now than there were cycling on Calgary streets during the summer prior to the cycle track. “It’s a really a credit to the infrastructure, but also the determination of riders to want these transportation options and want them to be available year-round.” He did note that winter trips are 30 per cent of those on a typical summer day but attributed that to the likelihood that the same riders were still out there, just limiting their trips by bundling outings together. “In the winter it’s a fair number of the same people. Only a certain number are fair weather cyclists out there,” he said. Still, Thivener acknowledges ongoing challenges with maintenance, especially in areas where they can’t respond immediately, or where there are gaps in snow clearing. One area in particular they’re addressing is in clearing bike boulevard connectors on some of the city’s dead-end streets where larger equipment can’t turn around. He said a recent boost to the operations budget for pathways and the cycling network should help them address some of the shortcomings – hopefully in time for next winter. “The river pathway system stays busy year round and the on-street stuff is no different. We’re trying to level the playing field by getting similar quality maintenance protocols on each so people can predict them,” he said. While some may question the need for cycling infrastructure given Calgary’s northern climate, Thivener said the city’s made major strides in providing more transportation options. We have to step back and see how far we’ve come. We can debate about how fast we’re moving, and that’s healthy debate, but in the end, we’ve made a lot of progress in the last couple decades around sustainable transportation.” The Winter Cycling Congress runs from Feb. 6 to 8 at the new Central Library.

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WFP Editorial: Tap the brakes on electric scooters (Feb4'19)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Feb '19

04 Feb '19

*Tap the brakes on electric scooters * MAYBE it’s a movement — a forward-surging trend that seeks to embrace a more carbon-friendly style of commuting. Or perhaps it’s just a fad — a kooky cyber-age craze that’s destined to disappear as quickly and mysteriously as it materialized. Whatever the case, the suggestion last week by Coun. Matt Allard that Winnipeg should ready itself to become part of the electric-scooter wave that has swept through many cities in the United States and Canada is sure to generate as much controversy as it does conversation. “We want to be ready for electric scooters because this is happening across North America,” the chairman of the city’s public works committee said Wednesday. “They’re coming, so let’s get it right.” While Mr. Allard is to be commended for imploring a proactive approach to what might become an issue of public concern, one surely hopes he is mistaken in suggesting that Winnipeg will have no say whatsoever in deciding whether thousands of pay-per-ride motorized scooters suddenly roll into its streets. A clutch of California-based companies, including Lime, Bird, Skip and Spin, last year put tens of thousands of electric scooters into service in major urban centres around the world. The concept is simple: riders download a smartphone app, input credit card information and then use the app to unlock a scooter for pay-as-you-ride use. The cost is typically around $1 to start, and then about 30 cents for each minute of ride time. In other cities in which they’ve been introduced — suddenly, and in great numbers — the scooters have proven quite popular. But within the first year, the electric-scooter concept has also experienced significant backlash from municipal leaders who view them as some combination of a nuisance and a menace. San Francisco issued cease-and-desist letters to the scooter companies, resulting in the two-wheelers being temporarily removed from that city’s streets (their reintroduction carried numerous conditions). One California community instructed its police department to enforce traffic laws to the letter, requiring scooter operators to wear helmets and carry valid driver’s licences. Other cities have banned them from certain areas. The mayor of Boston declared they would be immediately impounded if they showed up there. At issue for many civic lawmakers is the manner in which the scooter craze has been unleashed — seemingly overnight, and without any permission sought from the communities in question. Also of concern, of course, is the safety issue — the scooters are capable of speeds approaching 25 km/h, which means novice riders thinking they’re jumping aboard a children’s toy often find themselves careening toward a catastrophic injury. Electric scooters are motor vehicles, and should be regulated as such. And that means the scooter trend’s arrival in Winnipeg should not be treated as a foregone conclusion. City council and civic administrators — and, for that matter, the province, which oversees the Highway Traffic Act — should treat very seriously the suggestion that any company can turn up unannounced with a few truckloads of motorized scooters and declare they’re ready to ride on Winnipeg’s streets. Of course, hereabouts there are also the issues of five months of frozen streets, a woefully inadequate and often pothole-impeded cycling infrastructure and an alarming rate of theft of two-wheeled conveyances to be considered. In Winnipeg, that’s how we roll. In other words, while it’s always best to be ready, there’s a whole lot that needs to be made right before anyone declares, “They’re coming.”

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