BC Active Transportation Design Guide
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The Province of British Columbia and Urban Systems recently developed the
BC Active Transportation Design Guide, which is a comprehensive set of
planning and engineering guidelines offering recommendations for the
planning, selection, design, implementation, and maintenance of active
transportation infrastructure across the province.
‘Open streets’ to open, but now only for cyclists
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/open-streets-to-open-with-caveat-57…
IT’S official: 17 “open streets” will be offered to Winnipeggers this year,
but remain reserved for cyclists only.
Council cast a 15-1 final vote Thursday night to approve a 2021 pilot
project of what are now called “enhanced summer cycling routes,” where
vehicle traffic will be limited to one block to create more room for bike
riders.
Pedestrians won’t be included this time around, after the city discovered
inviting them to use similar routes in 2020 actually violated the Manitoba
Highway Traffic Act.
The seasonal active transportation routes are slated to run from as early
as May 3 until Nov. 5, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except for a few routes
that will be restricted to weekends and holidays.
Despite the legal changes, Coun. Matt Allard, public works committee
chairman, said the new routes mark a major step forward.
“There’s a lot of benefits to what’s being proposed. It’s adding the
enhanced (cycle) routes to the active transportation strategy. So it
increases the scope of our active transportation strategy substantially,”
said Allard (St. Boniface).
Mayor Brian Bowman said he supports creating more space for active
transportation, but shares provincial concerns.
“Obviously, there’s safety considerations when pedestrians and vehicles are
using the same space... those are paramount for me,” said Bowman.
While many Winnipeggers have lobbied the city to restore the pedestrian
access, the mayor said he’s still pursuing talks with the province to
determine if or how that could occur. In the meantime, Bowman urged
pedestrians to follow the act, which prohibits walking on roadways where a
“reasonably passable” sidewalk is present.
“There will be a need to communicate (that) as clearly as we can to everyone,”
he said.
While the routes have proven popular with many Winnipeggers, one councillor
argued the city still hasn’t done a full and proper consultation. Coun.
Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo- Westwood), who voted against the plan,
said he’s received complaints about disputes between those travelling on
the routes.
“Residents and cyclists and pedestrians get into arguments, and it becomes
divisive,” said Klein.
The councillor said he also suspects many pedestrians will continue to use
the routes, no matter what the official rules are — and doubts the city has
the resources to ticket them for doing so.
“We’re basically doing something that is absurd, because we’re saying
people are going to break the law but we support that,” he said.
A few final routes will also be more limited than some residents wish.
Members of multiple residents associations urged council to expand sections
of Scotia Street and Rover Avenue to provide daily access. However, the
final council vote will limit those roadways to weekends and holidays only,
after Coun. Ross Eadie expressed concern about delivery vehicle and bus
access in those areas.
Junel Malapad is no stranger to Scotia Street’s pavement. An ultramarathon
runner who regularly runs and bikes for charity, he often trains in the
area.
While on a bike ride Friday afternoon, Malapad called the decision to leave
Scotia Avenue out of the list of routes open to cyclists daily “strange.”
“I’ve lived in the North End all my life, and this is a route that I’ve
always felt is accessible and (has) less traffic,” he said.
The neighbourhood needs more time than weekends and holidays to get out and
enjoy the warm weather, especially as COVID-19 case counts begin to rise
again, Malapad said.
“The opportunity right now, during COVID, it’s a big deal to be able to get
outside and just walk freely, they’re closing down the gyms, which is
understandable,” he said. “But this just loses the ability to get (outside
for) mental health.”
joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga
*THE following areas will become enhanced summer cycling routes this year:*
● Lyndale Drive: Cromwell to Gauvin streets
● Scotia Street: Anderson (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong avenues
(weekends, holidays only)
● Wellington Crescent: Academy Road to Guelph Street
● Wolseley Avenue: Raglan Road to Maryland Street
● Churchill Drive: Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue
● Egerton Road: Bank to Morier avenues
● Kildonan Drive: Helmsdale Avenue to Irving Place
● Kilkenny Drive/Kings Drive: Burgess to Patricia avenues
● Rover Avenue — Hallet to Stephens streets (weekends, holidays only)
● Alexander Avenue: Arlington to Princess streets
● Ravelston Avenue: Wayoata to Brewster streets
● Linwood Street: Portage to Silver avenues
● Harbison Avenue West: Henderson Highway to its eastern end
● Rose Lake Court, surrounding Rose Lake Green
● Assiniboine Avenue: Parkside Drive to Ferry Road (weekends, holidays only)
● Wellington Avenue: Maryland to Strathcona streets (weekends, holidays
only)
● Youville Street: Eugenie Street to Haig Avenue (after reconstruction of
Des Meurons Street)