AT-Network June 2022

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Put sound devices on bicycles too AKA bells.

by Terry Zdan

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/electric-vehicles-sound-blind-pedestr…

1 year, 10 months

Link between AT paths and public health

by Charles Feaver

1 year, 10 months

WFP: Planner seeks deep dive into pedestrian fatality data (Jun10'22)

by Beth McKechnie

*Planner seeks deep dive into pedestrian fatality data * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/deep-dive-into-pedestrian-fatality-… IN the wake of dozens of pedestrians and cyclists killed in Winnipeg crashes between 2012 and 2019, a new push to pinpoint the exact circumstances behind those deaths has emerged. The call to explore the grim details follows an analysis of the fatalities, shared during a presentation at the city’s public works committee Thursday. Jairo Viafara, a professional transportation planner, noted his analysis of city and Manitoba Public Insurance data found an average of four pedestrians were killed per year between 2012 and 2016 in Winnipeg, which rose to 5.6 per year for 2015 to 2019. During the same period, average collision deaths for cyclists fell to one from 2.2, while an average of 12.7 people within motor vehicles died due to crashes in each of those years. Viafara told the Free Press he believes active transportation safety efforts have focused heavily on cyclists in recent years. Protecting bike riders is a major priority but the City of Winnipeg must ensure that effort doesn’t distract from work needed to keep pedestrians safe, he added. “Our streets are not as safe (for pedestrians) as we are led to believe,” said Viafara. “We are being lulled into a (false) sense of safety.” His report notes the increase in pedestrian fatalities seems to be occurring as roads generally become safer for others. “In Manitoba, historically, traffic fatalities have been in steady decline over past decades. The significant increase in pedestrian fatalities seen within Winnipeg runs counter to the overall trend, and as such warrants significant attention,” it states. The planner was educated in Winnipeg and worked in his chosen field in the United States before returning to the Manitoba capital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reading about local pedestrian safety concerns, Viafara said he was inspired to analyze the numbers. Multiple Free Press articles this year delved into several key safety concerns, as highlighted by traffic safety activist Christian Sweryda. For example, Sweryda noted he’s lobbied the city for more than a decade to add more eye-level lights at pedestrian crosswalks, claiming these are more visible to drivers. On Thursday, Viafara urged the city to take several steps to make travel safer for pedestrians,such as: evaluating alternative crossings at some intersections; identifying “unsafe pedestrian behaviours” to target with education; and considering adding pedestrian leading intervals to crosswalk signals (which would give pedestrians a head start of a few seconds to walk before a green light signals for vehicle traffic to begin travelling in the same direction). “We need to afford people the opportunity to actually walk safely in the city from the point of origin to their destination, (including) school children, senior citizens or people going to work,” said Viafara. Coun. Matt. Allard, chairman of the public works committee, said he agrees the increase in pedestrian fatalities poses a major concern. On Thursday, he shared a motion at public works committee that calls city staff to request monthly collision, death and injury data from MPI and the Winnipeg Police Service to share with councillors. It would also direct city staff to prepare two reports per year, along with monthly verbal reports, on detailed collision data. For each collision, that would aim to include the location, roadway surface, weather, fatality number, traffic volume and signal types, among other details. “We see pedestrian deaths on the rise… in this third-party report, so that’s concerning. And if you start adding up deaths and injuries, it becomes a much bigger issue. I think what’s being asked for here is more information, more quickly and more granularity on what happened, when,” said Allard. The motion notes city data shows at least 51 pedestrians and cyclists were killed in 2012-19 crashes, which Allard said may not include all incidents, such as some matters recorded by MPI. Allard said his goal is to get much more information on the circumstances surrounding collisions to support better informed decisions on how best to prevent them. The committee delayed the vote on the motion until next month. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca

1 year, 10 months

WFP: Living near multi-use paths brings heart health boost, study says (Jun9'22)

by Beth McKechnie

*Living near multi-use paths brings heart health boost, study says * CITIES that build safe and easy-to-access paths for walking, running and cycling can improve the heart health of residents who live nearby, a study led by the University of Manitoba suggests. The study looked at four multi-use paths that were built in Winnipeg between 2010 and 2012 in neighbourhoods that were already largely established. It examined provincial health data covering several years before and after, and found that after the trails were built, people who lived within 400 metres of the paths had lower rates of risks to cardiovascular health such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In essence, one of the study’s authors said, people are more likely to go for a walk, run or bike ride — and maybe ditch the car for a commute — if you give them dedicated space away from vehicle traffic to do so. “More and more people are living in urban centres, and we’re really interested in understanding which aspects of the environments that we build in these centres have health-promoting potential,” said Jon McGavock, a professor of pediatrics and child health at the university who is also an investigator with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. The study relied on the city’s electronic counters along the paths and found that the busier the path, the greater the reduction in cardiovascular risk factors. Overall, areas within 400 metres of the paths saw an eight per cent reduction in those factors. Near the Bishop Grandin Greenway — the busiest of the four paths — the reduction was close to 15 per cent. The paths that connect residential areas to schools and shopping centres saw the most use. The Bishop Grandin Greenway links high-density neighbourhoods and sprawling suburbs to the University of Manitoba, the football stadium where the Canadian Football League Winnipeg Blue Bombers play, and a large shopping centre. “Because they’re so connected to other things, people use them to go to work, go to school, go do groceries, that sort of thing,” McGavock said. “That would be the… thing that we would try to promote to other cities is, take a look at — when you’re doing your next build — what are the destination points that people are going to (go to).” The study was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and done in conjunction with the City of Winnipeg and the non-profit Winnipeg Trails Association. — The Canadian Press

1 year, 10 months

WFP Community Review: Options for modernization of Henderson Highway (Jun8'22)

by Beth McKechnie

Options for modernization of Henderson Highway The City of Winnipeg is looking for input into its modernization of Henderson Highway north of Chief Peguis Trail, which aims to improve safety, traffic flow, and livability from Gilmore Avenue to the north city limit at Glenway Avenue. According to the city, recommendations are sought on a number of items, including: introducing a median on Henderson Highway to manage access and improve safety; improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure; and replacing the existing Bunn’s Creek crossing structure. According to the city, “the designs presented … are based on technical analysis and traffic studies, as well as what was heard through stakeholder meetings and public participation in a mapping tool that looked at what matters most to road users and residents in terms of safety, efficiency, and accessibility along the corridor.” For more information, or to provide feedback, visit winnipeg.ca/henderson

1 year, 10 months

Wirld bike day last week

by Terry Zdan

https://electricautonomy.ca/2022/06/03/e-bike-canada-world-bike-day/

1 year, 10 months

WFP: Never too old to learn to ride a bike (Jun6'22)

by Beth McKechnie

*Life-changing program gets parents pedalling* Never too old to learn to ride a bike https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/never-too-old-to-learn-to-ride-a-bi… FOR Jubril Adeyemoh, it’s never quite worked to say that anything in his life is as easy as riding a bike. The 39-year-old immigrant, who moved to Winnipeg two years ago, never got a chance to learn how to ride a bike in his home country of Nigeria. Arriving in Canada, he was struck by the many paths and trails Winnipeg had to offer. “Where I live, there is a lawn, there is a walkway at the back of my house, and I see a whole lot of people ride bicycles,” Adeyemoh said. “I’ve always wanted to also learn so that at least I can ride and enjoy the trip as well.” He and his family were settling down and making community connections when Adeyemoh received a fateful email advertising a free eight-week course, provided by the Louis Riel School Division’s René Deleurme Centre and the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub (WRENCH), for parents and caregivers who wanted to learn to ride a bike. As the father of two young kids — one seven, one four — who regularly ride their bikes, he would jog alongside them or keep an eye on them in the park. They’d asked why he couldn’t ride with them, and he never had a proper answer. Joining the cycling course, he realised he wasn’t alone. “I won’t lie to you — a whole lot of other people came like me, that have not rode a bike in the past. And I was wondering if an eight-week period would be sufficient for us to learn,” he said. By the third week, Adeyemoh said a measure of progress was evident. When he surprised his kids with his new bike (provided by the program) and his new skills, they were delighted. “Even though I am still not that very good yet, considering we’ve had about five or six weeks with it, I’m sure with much more practise I’ll get much better,” he said. “But at least my children are very happy.” The program, funded through a federal community health initiative grant, has been a success. WRENCH and the Louis Riel School Division put up posters but had no idea what the level of interest would be, school division spokesperson Melissa Brown said. “Learning things as an adult is a little bit trickier, right? It’s a little harder. You have to get out of your comfort zone to take that chance and be vulnerable, and so we were really proud and happy that our community trusted us to take part in that experience,” Brown said. “That has been a little bit surprising, but very exciting.” There are 30 adults signed up for the program, who started with striders — bikes with the pedals removed to build balance and confidence — and are now working on brief leisure rides. Two other programs are in place for more intermediate riders. One is a bike mechanic course, also offered to parents and caregivers. The other is a leisure ride — meant to help encourage caregivers that are new to the community, or Winnipeg in general, to take to the St. Vital community trails. Participants are mainly newcomers, but range from young parents to seniors, and everyone goes home with a bike and helmet to keep. “Just seeing the response from our community has really just sparked our interest in how we can continue building on programming in the future and offer programs in the future years for our community,” Brown said. “When you see an adult take a chance and learn a new skill and have that pride and there’s something so liberating about riding a bike, it’s just such a rewarding program.” Adeyemoh is now looking into more advanced bike riding programs for adults. He’s taken to bike riding, but the chance to meet new people after pandemic-era social distancing while in a new country has been life-changing. He said he knows other adults who would love to take part in a similar program, and hopes it expands to fit more people’s schedules and reaches more people like him. “It was soft, it was gentle, it was fantastic. It was easy to learn,” he said. “And I will say I have grown as a person, not to even add the fact that I made a couple of friends also by converging every Tuesday morning.” Adeyemoh continues getting up bright and early Tuesday mornings to strap on his helmet and work on bike basics. What he’s gained goes far beyond pedals and wheels. “I don’t know how I can actually express how I feel about it,” he said. “But I’m so glad that I got that email, and I took the steps to take advantage of it.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

1 year, 10 months

Shared street Bill 21 receives royal assent

by Beth McKechnie

Included in the bills that received royal assent Wednesday in Manitoba: ● Bill 21 (Highway Traffic Amendment and Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Amendment Act) authorizes municipalities to designate a street as a shared street in which drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and other users have equal priority and must share the road with a speed limit of not more than 20 km/h -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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>

1 year, 10 months

WFP: People-powered Pedal Pub party bike franchise takes happy hour on the road (Jun2'22)

by Beth McKechnie

SIP AND SPIN People-powered Pedal Pub party bike franchise takes happy hour on the road https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/sip--and-spin-576558052.html WINNIPEG’S newest pub crawl has wheels — and pedals, and a maximum speed of about eight kilometres per hour. If you’re in the Exchange District or Osborne Village, you might see Pedal Pub. It’s hard to miss: 15 people on a rectangular four-wheeled vehicle, possibly singing to music while pedalling the “party bike” onwards to their next drink stop. “We want to have fun with it,” said Rylan Adam, one of Pedal Pub Winnipeg’s owners. Pedallers hit up microbreweries and restaurants — up to four per two-hour tour — and cycle roughly 15 minutes between stops. Adam saw the party bike in action last August, when he was visiting Sioux Falls, S.D. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s really cool, fun — I wonder if Winnipeg has something like that,’” he said. Winnipeg didn’t. So, he and friends Miguel Gauthier and Brandon Guenther looked into franchise opportunities: Pedal Pub has more than 60 locations across North America. The trio received funding through the Canadian Small Business Financing Program and a local credit union to buy three $85,000 bikes and cover franchise expenses. “We wanted to get (this) going as fast as possible,” Adam said. “We just kind of thought, coming out of COVID, everyone’s going to be amped to do something.” The bikes are perfect for special occasions like bachelorette parties, birthdays and corporate events, according to Pedal Pub Winnipeg’s owners. “We’re really focusing on the fact that we’re supporting local,” Adam said. “We’re… trying to bring life back into the businesses that have been hurt by COVID.” A trip through the Exchange District might mean visits to Johnny G’s, The Common, Local Public Eatery and Devil May Care Brewing Company. Over in Osborne, people can buy brews at the Toad in the Hole, Confusion Corner Bar and Grill, Low Life Barrel House and Sookram’s Brewing Company. “The timing couldn’t be better,” said Kevin Byrne, general manager of Confusion Corner Bar and Grill. “I think people are itching to get back out.” About six weeks earlier, Pedal Pub Winnipeg approached Byrne to add Confusion Corner to its roster of stops, Byrne said. “It’s a good partnership,” Byrne said while organizing his 20-table parking- lot patio Wednesday. “You get more people in here that haven’t been here for a long time, and you’re supporting someone else that’s trying to get something off the ground.” Pedal Pub Winnipeg doesn’t take a cut of the profits from bikers’ food and drink purchases. Patrons must finish their drinks before they resume pedalling, and they’re not committing the drinking- and-driving offence they would if they got behind a car’s steering wheel, according to the Winnipeg Police Service. “’Pedal Pub’ is considered a ‘vehicle’ under the (Highway Traffic Act) but does not constitute a ‘motor vehicle,’” Ally Siatecki, a WPS media-relations assistant, wrote in an email. A sober tour guide leads each group. The guide controls the bike’s direction and speed and has an electric assist motor to use if needed, but customers are expected to pull their own weight. “If you’ve got 10 people on there, say, then they need to be pedalling in order to make it move,” Adam said. Pedal Pub Winnipeg didn’t require any City of Winnipeg licences, according to spokesman Kalen Qually. “Similar companies would also not require licensing as long as they can confirm the vehicle they plan to use is compliant with existing regulations,” he wrote. The party bikes are too large for bike lanes and will operate on Winnipeg’s roadways instead, Qually wrote. Adam hopes to eventually have alcohol on the bikes. “We’re always in discussion with the LGCA (Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority),” he said, noting Calgary is among the Pedal Pub locations to offer brews and biking simultaneously. Tours begin Saturday. The bikes will travel on city streets from 11 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., though hours vary by day and location. Groups can book a bike for $549 Monday through Thursday and $599 Friday through Sunday. The company is offering individual-seat tours on Tuesday evenings at $60 a person. Riders must be at least 18. “It’s new experiences like this that help move our industry and Manitoba’s economy forward on our road to recovery,” Lindsay Egan, Travel Manitoba’s partnership manager, said at a news conference. Pedal Pub Winnipeg estimates each tour will elicit $1,200 in spending at local businesses. The bikes have five non-pedalling seats. Fietscafe, a Dutch manufacturer, makes the vehicles. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

1 year, 10 months

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AT-Network June 2022