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88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '12

03 Sep '12

[Saw this wonderful story circulated by WinnipegBikeAlerts and had to share! -Beth] With a bike and an oxygen tank, 88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine By Annalise Klingbeil, Calgary Herald | August 30, 2012 [image: Calgarian Ken Johnson is 88-years-old and, despite relying on a wheelchair and oxygen tank, rides his bicycle for at least an hour every day.] *Photograph by: *Colleen De Neve , Calgary HeraldCALGARY - There’s nothing that will stop 88-year-old Ken Johnson from riding his bicycle. Not a wheelchair. Not an oxygen tank. Not Calgary’s cold winters. Every day, the octogenarian uses a wheelchair to get from his northwest apartment to the building’s parkade, where he stores his bicycle. He uses a bungee cord to strap his metal oxygen tank onto a shelf on the back of his bike. Then he puts on a blue helmet, trades his wheelchair for his bicycle and pedals, for at least one hour a day. “I’m probably healthier now than I was 20 years ago, and the only reason that I’m still able to do things is because of bike riding,” Johnson said. “If it wasn’t for bike riding, I probably wouldn’t be here now.” When the mercury drops below zero, Johnson rides inside, up and down the seven floors of his apartment building’s parkade. The great-great grandfather started cycling when he was in his 60s, after he was diagnosed with emphysema. “I quit smoking and started to ride,” he said. While he initially struggled to keep his balance, Johnson, who learned to bike as a child but never owned a bicycle of his own, kept pedalling because he knew it was good for his health. Recent health struggles haven’t caused the senior to slow down. When the widower started using oxygen about four years ago, after being diagnosed with colon cancer, he continued to cycle. “Once I went on oxygen, I didn’t want to quit riding and I couldn’t ride very far without the oxygen,” Johnson said. Riding with his oxygen tank, a move that elicits stares from the people he passes on Calgary’s bike paths, was the logical next move for the senior. “I’ve got to have my oxygen on all the time because my lungs are really, really bad,” he said. When his legs began to slow down last year, Johnson visited a Canadian Tire sale and picked up an electric bicycle for half price. “I still pedal a lot but I use the electric bike to go up the hills and against the wind,” he said. Six months ago, Johnson began using a wheelchair when he was forced to stop four or five times to catch his breath, even with oxygen, on the short walk from his apartment to his bicycle. “It’s far easier for me to ride than it is to walk,” Johnson said. “I can ride for hours and hours and hours. I usually cut my oxygen down when I’m riding.” The retired salesman always rides solo and typically cycles in the afternoon to places accessible on the city’s bike paths, such as the zoo and Bowness Park. Johnson, a Second World War veteran who rode motorcycles in the army, drove a motorcycle, with his oxygen tank strapped to the back, until last year when his license was taken away. He’s yet to let anything stop him from riding his bicycle and is determined to keep it that way. “As long as I can get down to my bike, I’m going to ride,” he said. AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/With+bike+oxygen+tank+year+Calgarian+cr… <AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com>

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WFP: Motor vehicle or bicycle? Law must decide (Aug.31'12)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

Motor vehicle or bicycle? Law must decide By: The Guelph Mercury The death of a man driving a gas-powered bicycle a week ago in Toronto is raising questions about the legality and the lack of regulation surrounding such vehicles. The Toronto fatality took place after the man aboard the gas-powered bike, a small engine strapped to its frame, collided with a car in Toronto's east end. The bikes aren't terribly common but are becoming more popular and are on the radar and becoming a headache for Ontario police services. The bike involved in the fatal Aug. 23 crash had a maximum speed of 42 km/h. But Toronto police said after the crash a gas-powered bike was spotted driving at 80 km/h on a Guelph road earlier this month. Toronto traffic Const. Clinton Stibbe said officers were "blown away at how fast he was going." And well they should be. So, too, should Ontario's citizens and its lawmakers. These bikes have a capacity to create significant safety problems -- as evidenced by the Toronto death and the Guelph speeder. And the laws governing the use of these bikes aren't clear. Stibbe suggested the Ontario traffic laws surrounding them amount to a "really strange grey zone." That's because the bikes still have working pedals. So if the cyclist is pedalling, both criminal law and the Highway Traffic Act consider it a regular bicycle. But if the cyclist fires up the engine -- typically by squeezing a lever on the handlebar -- the ride becomes a motorized vehicle. Then, the cyclist is prohibited from using bike lanes. If pulled over for drinking and driving, the operator can be charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle rather than a less serious careless driving charge. Police believe the Toronto bike-crash victim may have been impaired at the time of the fatal collision. Some motorized bikes are considered mopeds by the Ministry of Transportation's definition. But many are not. The bike involved in the Aug. 23 crash, made by a Chinese manufacturer, doesn't meet Ontario's commercial motor-vehicle safety standards. Those standards oblige motorized bikes to have safety features such as a horn, lights and braking requirements. Bikes failing to meet these standards don't require insurance or licence plates, as do mopeds. This is a problem area. Lawmakers must pay attention to this. Perhaps a coroner's inquest into the Toronto case would hasten needed action on this matter. -- The Canadian Press

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Copenhagenize: Fear of Cycling & WFP: Second bike fatality this year prompts call for reviews (Aug.31'12)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

Hello everyone: I recently revisited a series of five short articles on the "Fear of Cycling" and highly recommend that you take the time to read them in conjunction with the Free Press article below. -Beth * http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/09/fear-of-cycling-01-essay-in-five-parts… * Second bike fatality this year prompts calls for review By: Jen Skerritt The death of a 68-year-old man has sparked calls for a review of all cycling fatalities to improve road safety. On Wednesday, a cyclist and car collided near York Avenue and Main Street. The cyclist was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died. Police said early indications show the man was not wearing a helmet. He's the second cyclist killed on city streets this year. Thirty-five-year-old Victoria Nelson was killed on May 23 when she collided with a vehicle and fell into the path of a semi-trailer at Main Street and Higgins Avenue. Since 2009, seven cyclists have died on Winnipeg roads. Bike to the Future co-chairman Tom McMahon said Ontario's chief coroner recently reviewed all cycling deaths and issued recommendations to improve public safety. He said a similar review in Manitoba could identify what caused the accidents, and whether things such as extending the paved shoulder or adding separated bike lanes could prevent injuries and deaths. "I think it is useful and timely and important for the appropriate authority -- whoever that may be -- to examine what is happening. Not just fatalities but also serious injuries," McMahon said. On average, two cyclists were killed every year from 2005 to 2010 in Manitoba. Another 220 were hurt, Manitoba Public Insurance said. At the same time, more Winnipeggers are travelling by bike. Recent statistics compiled by Bike to the Future estimate there are close to 13,000 people travelling by bike in and out of downtown on a given day -- about 47 per cent more people than in 2011. Winnipeg police central traffic unit Staff Sgt. Rob Riffel said the number of fatal collisions involving cyclists has remained steady in the past few years. He said motorists and cyclists need to be aware they both have to share the road since anyone on a bike is likely to be seriously hurt during a collision. "It's just people being careless at inopportune times," Riffel said. "When you pit a cyclist against a vehicle, the vehicle is going to win." City of Winnipeg officials said in a statement they wait for police to complete an investigation to see if any traffic-related factors contributed to a fatal collision. If so, city officials will follow up to see what improvements can be made. For example, the city changed the pedestrian corridor at Osborne Street at Wardlaw Avenue following a number of collisions. MPI spokesman Brian Smiley said the public insurer has partnered with local cycling groups to educate cyclists on how to make themselves visible to vehicles, the importance of helmet use and existing traffic laws. Smiley said MPI will host workshops to train cyclists on how to avoid road hazards. He said motorists have to be patient and not squeeze by cyclists. In turn, he said cyclists have to know how to keep themselves safe. "We know in many situations some cyclists may not be that road savvy or anticipate a potentially dangerous situation," Smiley said. Earlier this year, the province introduced legislation that requires children under 18 to wear helmets. Adults are still exempt, but some avid cyclists such as Winnipeg Cycling Club member Henry Shorr believes that should change since head injuries can be "catastrophic." The group plans rides within Winnipeg and outside the city, and mandates that everyone on the rides wear a helmet, Shorr said. He said some bike lanes end suddenly and much of their rides end up being on city streets since the path system is not well-developed. "I think the city needs to do a better job of building bike paths and room for dedicated lanes for cyclists," Shorr said. McMahon said motorists need to be better educated about what to do when they encounter a cyclist on the road or see special markings for bike lanes. He said many drivers still squeeze by cyclists instead of changing lanes, and other jurisdictions have stipulated vehicles need to give cyclists at least one metre of space when passing. "I think we all need (safety) reminders," McMahon said. "The cyclist has a right to be on the road and feel safe." jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca Drivers 'cut you off on purpose' Jason Marshall has been in his share of bike-car collisions as a bike courier. He's been hit five times in the last 10 years and sports his latest wound on his left knee, where a car sideswiped him last week. "Drivers in Winnipeg are definitely worse than in other cities," he said, having been a bike courier in Regina and Calgary as well. "Drivers are really rude and disrespectful to cyclists. They don't pay attention. They'll cut you off on purpose." Marshall said bike paths, such as the one in front of his Assiniboine Avenue apartment, help make cycling safer, but he said more respect and attention needs to be paid to cyclists. "It could happen to anyone. It could happen to me," he said about Wednesday's crash. Marshall has broken his collar bone, arm and wrist from his many bike-car collisions. He said signalling is important to stay out of harm's way and also anticipating what's going to happen long before it does. "I look five car lengths ahead of me to see what's going on," he said. Cyclists sound off on safety How safe do you feel as a cyclist in Winnipeg? We put the question to Twitter readers. Here's a sample of their replies: alysonshane: Safer than I used to, but motorists are still really aggressive toward cyclists, especially outside downtown. littlesrule: My hubby was hit by car while biking on Pembina. Received multiple broken bones. palmerfritschy: As a commuter cyclist I've been struck by five cars but I've never felt unsafe. Eye contact with drivers is paramount. mykaelsopher: Much safer cycling downtown now versus five years ago. Drivers respect bike lanes way more than feckless "share the road" signs. samuelevan: Depends where. Wolseley is a cycling culture, so it's more expected, ergo safer. Portage Avenue can be an absolute nightmare. CBoho: On designated bike paths or lanes, I feel safe. On routes like Pembina, Marion, Osborne, not too safe. jsadowski2001: I do my best to take off road trails as much as possible. Cycling on the road is stressful and not enjoyable. HammieMB: I cycled down Portage once and it scared the crap out of me. *The number of cyclists killed on city streets, Winnipeg Police Service statistics show* 2 in 2012 (as of Aug. 30) 2 in 2011, one serious injury 2 in 2010 1 in 2009 0 in 2008

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No accident: It's time to change the way we talk about motor vehicle violence
by Beth McKechnie 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

*No accident: It's time to change the way we talk about motor vehicle violence* Transportation Alternatives | http://transalt.org/newsroom/magazine/2012/Summer/2 A few years ago, the *New York Times* published a five-sentence brief about a man who “intentionally ran over five people” with an SUV after a fight in North Bellmore, Long Island. The driver, the *Times* reported, “fled the scene of the accident.” The police later located the vehicle that “they believed was involved in the accident.” One of the victims was in critical condition. Ho hum. News briefs about the previous day’s car crashes are as routine as box scores and the weather forecast. Yet, in this case, the *Times*’ (and, presumably, the Nassau County cops’) choice of one particular word stood out: If a man intentionally ran over five people, how could that possibly be considered an accident? If, instead of car keys, the man had picked up a gun and shot five people, would the press and police have called that an “accident” too? No. They’d have called it “attempted homicide.” Yet, for some reason when the weapon is a car, when the violence on our streets is done with a motor vehicle, it’s always just an “accident.” Words are powerful. They shape the way we see the world around us. As a recent study by Stanford University cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shows, small changes in language can have a profound impact on how we conceptualize and act on public policy issues. Boroditsky presented two separate groups with nearly identical paragraphs about rising crime rates in a fictional city. For one group, the story started: “Crime is a beast ravaging the city of Addison.” The other group’s story began: “Crime is a virus ravaging the city of Addison.” For both groups the story continued with an identical set of alarming statistics. After they read the paragraph, Boroditsky asked her subjects what the police should do about Addison’s crime wave. Participants who read the “beast” story overwhelmingly called for more police enforcement. They wanted criminals to be captured and punished. Participants who read the “virus” story leaned toward social reform. They tended to want police to investigate the root causes of the crime to stop its spread. Changing just a single word, Boroditsky found, “can have a powerful influence over how people attempt to solve social problems like crime and how they gather information to make ‘well-informed’ decisions.” When the study’s 485 participants were asked to highlight what they thought was the most influential part of the text, almost everyone insisted that they had been persuaded by the statistics. The influence of the beast and virus metaphors, Boroditsky concluded, is “covert.” People often don’t recognize when they are being swayed by a specific choice of words. So, is it any surprise that the NYPD’s “Accident” Investigation Squad so frequently declares “no criminality suspected” after a motor vehicle is used to kill a pedestrian or cyclist on New York City streets? After all, they don’t call themselves the Motor Vehicle Manslaughter Squad. They don’t think of themselves as homicide detectives, or cars as weapons, or drivers as killers. The word “accident” implies no fault. It’s what we call it when a toddler makes a small mess. “Don’t cry over spilled milk,” we say. The assumption is built into the name of the NYPD bureaucracy itself: Death by motor vehicle is an “accident” before the investigators even get to what may very well be the scene of a crime. The Accident Investigation Squad is there to clean up and keep the traffic moving. Though it may sometimes seem otherwise, New York City drivers don’t wake up in the morning intending to harm pedestrians and cyclists. Most crashes are unintentional and “accident” is not an inaccurate word to describe them. But the fact remains: Driver negligence is the number one cause of crashes, and it’s no big surprise—or accident—when negligent driving hurts and kills people on crowded city streets. In fact, our legal system has a word for this type of unintentional killing: “Manslaughter.” Lots of work needs to be done and lots of things need to change to fix the way the NYPD deals with pedestrians and cyclists who have been injured and killed by negligent drivers. But if it’s true that small changes in language can have a big impact on public policy, then the easiest change is simply this: Stop calling car crashes “accidents.” Aaron Naparstek is on temporary loan to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is a Visiting Scholar at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. He is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog.org.

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Glow in the Dark Bikes and Other Fun Stuff - Ciclovia Events Sept.8-9
by Anders Swanson 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

Hi, *Saturday Sept.8* Ciclovia is kicking off with something new and exciting this year:* *a* * glow-in-the-dark-decorate-it-yourself-bike-parade!!! The festival has ordered approximately a bazillion free glo sticks (just in case your personal stash of blinky lights and phosphorescent body paint ran out). Bike decorating starts in local parks at 5:30 (for those who really need the time to carefully adjust the position of each glo-stick). You can start at one of six parks located in various corners of the city: - Omand Park - St. John’s Park - Lagimodiere Gaboury Park - Lyndale Dr Park - Riverview Community Centre - Memorial Park Group rides head out for downtown at about 7:30. Join the thousands of people who will have showed up for the Lights on Broadway extravaganza on foot (...suckers) and make them jealous of your bling-ky ride. *Volunteer on Saturday?* If you are able to show up an hour early and have basic mechanical skills *or* enjoy leading group rides *or* are simply a master of the glo-in-the-dark arts willing to help decorate, we could really use ya. Please contact Stephanie <stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com>. ----- *Sunday Sept.9* Not a member of the raver generation? Strobe lights give you headaches? That's OK. There's something for you too. The main draw - Ciclovia itself where the long stretches of streets are yours for the taking - starts the next day. *Volunteer on Sunday?* A few more volunteer marshalls are needed to help us close down parts of Broadway, Mostyn, Wolseley, Wellington and Balmoral to cars and open it to people for the day. Hang out. Watch people. Harvest the appreciation. If you are interested, please contact Stephanie<stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com>. *Free Stuff for All Volunteers:* Besides all the smiles and laughter you will indubitably induce, there's some free wine up from the winetasting folks up for grabs and some other great schwag. Shift details and other info attached and below. Please forward as you see fit. Regards, Anders Swanson volunteer steering committee member, Ciclovia 2012 P.S. Here's some inspiration: P.P.S. If you want to decorate your stroller, skateboard, wheelchair, why not? Work your magic: P.P.P.S. Also I heard that Harlequin is playing, not sure what they sound like, but they look awesome: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stephanie Voyce <stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com> Date: Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 9:55 PM Subject: Ciclovia help requested ** ** ** The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is looking for your help to make Ciclovia 2012 a success. We're looking for cycling related in-kind donations, volunteers and participants. **** ** ** In particular, we need volunteers to help with route signage placement, marshalling and group rides. As appreciation, these key Ciclovia volunteers will receive special gift packages ($25 value per each time you can assist us). You will also receive food and wine tickets to use at Manyfest. **** ** ** Anyone available to help with placing promotional signs this Thursday, Aug 30 at 6pm (starting from Memorial Park), please let me know! **** ** ** We also really need donations of bike lights, prizes and used helmets. Please read the attached letter to find out more!**** ** ** Also, please direct family, friends and colleagues who may not wish to help with cycling related tasks but would like to volunteer in another capacity to our volunteer hub: www.manyfest.volunteerhub.com. For Ciclovia, we still especially need block captains, site decorators and take-down crews. **** ** ** For other details on Ciclovia, please visit www.manyfest.ca**** ** ** Thank you,**** **** *Stephanie Voyce* Project Manager,* *Image & Transportation *Downtown **Winnipeg BIZ *204.958.4621 office 204.958.4630 fax Visit our website at www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com!

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FW: Pedal Power
by Reaney, Vicky (MLG) 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Hi all - thought you would enjoy this article. Vicky Reaney Provincial Active Transportation Coordinator/Community Liaison (204) 945-8794 Vicky.reaney(a)gov.mb.ca<mailto:Vicky.reaney@gov.mb.ca> http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli… Pedal power in parliament: Olivia Chow<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…> [cid:image001.jpg@01CD8446.965F5660]<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olivia-Chow-by-Reb…> Pedal power in parliament: Olivia Chow Driving change from the Hill Photos by Rebecca Baran; Story by Tammy Thorne This story is from our current Summer 2012 youth and employment issue of dandyhorse. Order it here<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…>. Youth apathy towards our political status quo is at an all-time high. Sixty-five per cent of 18 to 25-year-old Canadians didn't vote in the last federal election. Enter Olivia Chow. Chow is one of the most visible social advocates and politicians in Canada. And she's fed up with the status quo. In her current role as the NDP Transport and Infrastructure Critic, Chow is fighting for the mobility and safety of all Canadians across all modes of transportation. She recently tabled a private member's bill, which calls on the federal government to take a leadership role through the introduction of a National Public Transit Strategy<http://www.oliviachow.ca/2012/05/national-transit-strategy-join-the-team/>. Coordination and dedicated funding for transit on a federal level is something both experts and cities across the country are calling for - and that Canada alone lacks among its G8 peers. Chow is deeply rooted in her downtown riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto- she bikes or takes the ttc everywhere from her home in Chinatown - so she knows how bike lanes, safe roads and accessible and affordable transit make our communities liveable and vibrant. Trinity-Spadina is home to the University of Toronto and numerous other elementary and high schools. Since her election to federal government in 2006, Chow has pushed for a variety of high profile initiatives, including a universal national child care program and immigration reform. She's a veteran city councillor with decades of experience, having learned from cycling advocate and councillor Dan Leckie. Married in 1988, Olivia Chow and Jack Layton (or "Olivia and Jack" as they were known) both worked tirelessly to make Canada a better place: first as city councillors in Toronto and then in parliament. Jack's death last year made Olivia the touchstone for all the emotion that goes with fighting for a better country - and she is, without any doubt, determined to carry on the work he started as Leader of the Official Opposition. Layton said last year; "Cities like Toronto are grappling with how to balance an effective public transit system at the same time as keeping the property tax reasonable." (Municipalities have much more limited sources of revenue than provincial and federal governments, since the bulk of funding for the city comes mainly from property taxes.) Chow's Bill C-305 went through first reading on September 30, 2011. Her recommendations to the House Committee on Transport note that Canada is the only G8 country without a national transit strategy. The goals of the bill are to provide fast, affordable and accessible public transit; increase access and use; reduce commute times and congestion; enhance quality of life; reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. It states that to achieve these laudable and much needed results, coordination is needed between all levels of government to maintain and expand public transit. Sounds dandy. So, we asked Chow: What's the hold up with the national transit strategy? "Harper only knows how to look backwards," says Chow. "He doesn't understand what moving Canada forward is all about; it's old thinking... it's the status quo. Harper just doesn't want to take any leadership role, or have any kind of real partnership with municipalities or transit authorities." Chow continues, "Congestion is costing up to 6 billion per year in the GTA alone, so we know it's a fiscally conservative move to support transit." Now that the NDP is in the Official Opposition in the House of Commons, will the party be able to force transit on to the federal agenda? "The first study that we did at the House Committee on Transport is a transit strategy, so that shows they understand it's important - it's just a question of what they are going to do about it." Chow says the Conservatives want to control every detail, yet lack leadership when it comes to moving the country forward. "They don't want to give more money to municipalities [for transit] but they want to do all the ribbon cutting," she says. She suggests more funds could be found in the gas tax. Cycling is not without its politics, either. During her years at City Hall, Chow was chair of the cycling committee. Now, in her federal role, she has called for a national cycling strategy. In 2011, she said: "The federal government should take a leadership role to promote cycling by dedicating infrastructure investments to create bicycle lanes, paths and secured parking. Transport infrastructure projects should incorporate the needs of cyclists in their design. Side guards on trucks should be installed to reduce cycling fatalities. Bike racks should be available on buses and financial incentives should be offered to Canadians buying new bikes. After all, 82 per cent of Canadians support federal government spending to encourage safe cycling and a healthy lifestyle." Youth are arguably the demographic with the most to gain from progressive policies like these. Young people rely on transit and bikes, especially those saddled with student debt, pounding the pavement in search of decent jobs. Riding a bike is great way to keep personal costs low, while contributing to the local economy - or even just to get to that first job interview on time. This story is from our current Summer 2012 youth and employment issue of dandyhorse. Order it here<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…>. [cid:image002.jpg@01CD8446.965F5660]<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DH9_FINAL_web_june…>

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Sept AT webinars: NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Wed, Sept 5th, 2-3:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* *2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, Sept 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* Also mark your calendars for these additional September webinars (details to follow closer to the date): *The Third Mode: Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility (American Trails)* *Wednesday, Sept 12th, 2:00 to 3:15 pm CDT* *Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk (APBP)* *Wednesday, Sept 19th, 2:00 to 3:00 pm CDT* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and NACTO present: 2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, September 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* ACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide has quickly emerged as the preeminent resource for designing safe, protected bikeways in cities across the United States. NACTO will release the second edition of the guide in June, with updated graphic profiles for all of its bicycle facilities, a new subsection on bicycle boulevard planning and design, and a survey of materials used for green color in bikeways. The guide continues to build upon the fast-changing state of the practice at the local level; it responds to and accelerates innovative street design and practice around the nation. This 90-minute webinar on the second edition of the Bikeway Design Guide offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from some of the cities that compiled the guide. Gain a better understanding of the guide's contents, hear how to use and implement these designs, and find out what NACTO envisions as the next steps to adopt and deploy these tools and design guidelines. *Presenters*: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Joe Gilpin, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design; David Vega-Barachowitz, Sustainable Initiatives Program Manager, National Association of City Transportation Officials.

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BC group identifies, improves, and maps walking and biking routes around the province.
by Shoni Litinsky 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Congrats to our Active and Safe Routes to School partners in B.C for getting the City of Vancouver on board in their efforts towards route mapping and walking school buses to improve the safety and participation of children on the way to school! http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/08/22/walking-school-buses-gain-traction… Walking or biking to school didn’t used to require an organizational team, but it’s come to that in urban North America and Vancouver’s getting on board this fall. The city recently joined New Westminster, Surrey and Langley in funding a project that identifies, improves and maps safe walking and biking routes to schools. The Okanagan City of Vernon has done the same. Vancouver will start out with six yet-t0-be-named schools. New Westminster is the leader so far, says Mike Smith, the school programs manager with the provincially funded Hub for Active School Travel or HASTe<http://www.hastebc.org/> which runs the mapping projects. That city has produced maps for every school <http://www.newwestcity.ca/residents/city_maps/best_walking_routes_to_school…>within its boundaries that include a distance scale for estimating walking and cycling times. New Westminster is also looking at enshrining safe school routes in its master transportation plan which is a huge step, he says. And HASTe is starting a bike-pool program in selected middle schools there this fall that will send a riding instructor along with student commuters for one week to get them familiar with local routes and talk about bike maintenance and theft prevention. The province created HASTe in 2008 after it identified walking school buses and bicycle trains as tools to combat the twice-daily traffic jams and exhaust fumes that plague most elementary and middle schools when parents in cars and minivans line up to drop their kids. But the idea for walking school buses — groups of children strolling to school with a volunteer adult supervisor — was originally a response to dangerous inner-city streets in Chicago. It morphed into a health program as teachers and parents throughout the U.S. and Canada observed a growing number of chubby kids who have almost no outdoor activities. HASTe couldn’t provide me with any figures on the total number of students who are turning down a lift to school — or perhaps being turned down — because it ebbs and flows with the seasons, parent volunteers and as kids move to higher grades, said Smith. And many arrangements are less formal such as parents or older siblings taking turns walking younger kids to school. But follow-up surveys in New Westminster found that traffic calming, an in-class Cool Routes to School Program along with mapping and safety education resulted in an 18-per-cent increase in walking at Richard McBride Elementary and a nine-per-cent increase at Glenbrook Middle school which has a large catchment area, says Sandra Jones, HASTe’s travel planning and mapping specialist. At Queensborough Elementary, the number of students driven to school dropped by 17 per cent. A Canadian coalition of groups working to get kids out of cars conducted a survey<http://www.hastebc.org/files/attachments/2012%20Executive%20Summary.pdf>earlier this year with 18,547 parents. It found that 13 per cent of today’s parents were driven to school, but 41 per cent of their kids get a ride. The most common reasons cited for driving children to school was time and convenience. In asking parents what would help them unleash their kids, only 10 per cent said a program like the walking bus would do it. Just under 50 per cent said physical improvements to make safer streets, such as bumped-out curbs that reduce the distance a child has to cross at a street corner, and safety education were more important. And 15 per cent said special school events helped their kids start walking and cycling to school. That’s all part of the planning in participating cities, explains HASTe’s community programs manager Kerry Hamilton. When parents, students, teachers, school administrators, urban designers and engineers get together, they look at the safest routes and then ways to improve them such as better visibility at corners, or perhaps barrier walls to allow kids to walk along busy streets. “It’s a process that you go through… In the end you get an action plan,” she says. If the so-called bubble-wrap generation is to get on its feet, there has to be a huge shift, Smith says, and he believes it has slowly started. “Parents want to do what is best for their kids and here is an opportunity to encourage their kids’ independence.” HASTe offers an array of information, tools and advice at http://www.hastebc.org/. It’s also co-sponsoring International Walk to School Week <http://www.hastebc.org/resources/iwalk-international-walk-school-week>from Oct. 8-12 and provides resource kits to schools that sign up. eellis(a)vancouversun.com -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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Kingston Tranist offers free bus pass to Grade 9 students
by Beth McKechnie 21 Aug '12

21 Aug '12

Kingston Transit Offers Free Bus Rides to Grade 9 Students Robert John <http://kingstonherald.com/author/robert> | 2012/08/21 Grade 9 students are being offered a free Kingston Transit Pass to encourage them to ride the bus to access recreational programs throughout the city as part of Kingston Gets Active’s Grade 9 Community Activity Pass program. “This pilot project is about encouraging young people to establish healthy, active habits including riding the bus, an active and sustainable form of transportation,” says Mayor Mark Gerretsen. “The free bus pass will help them experience Kingston Transit and offer them access to recreational programming all over the city.” Students starting Grade 9 at Kingston high school this September can obtain their complimentary Kingston Transit pass starting today (August 20), by presenting the following items at City Hall, 216 Ontario St. or the Information Desk at the Cataraqui Centre: A birth certificate and a 2012-13 Grade 9 high school timetable, OR A valid 2012-13 Grade 9 student photo i.d. card. To use the Kingston Transit service, students will be required to tap their valid transit pass on the fare box to board the bus. The transit pass is valid from September 1, 2012 until August 31, 2013. Kingston Gets Active, a community-wide partnership of organizations including school boards and the City, administers the Grade 9 Community Activity Pass program throughout Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Counties. The program offers these students free access to recreation programs, such as swimming and skating. The free Kingston Transit pass is only for Grade 9 students attending a high school in the city of Kingston only: Bayridge Secondary School Frontenac Secondary School Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI) LaSalle Secondary School Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute (LCVI) Queen Elizabeth Collegiate & Vocational Institute (QECVI) Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School École Secondaire Publique Mille-Iles École Secondaire Catholique Marie-Rivier Ride Kingston Transit. Plan your bus trip at: kingstontransit.ca/tripplanner . http://kingstonherald.com/release/kingston-free-bus-grade-9-201039781

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Great webinar! Slides from today's Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces
by Jessie Klassen 15 Aug '12

15 Aug '12

For those who were interested but couldn't make it to today's webinar: Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces, the presentation slides and handouts can be found here <http://www.apbp.org/?page=Webinar_Downloads>. All three presentations were excellent, but the examples from Portland and San Fransisco were especially inspiring. Jessie * * * * * Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* **Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces* *Wednesday, August 15th | 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.* * * * * * Innovative thinking can transform auto-centric streets into inviting public spaces. This webinar explores projects and programs in three communities that reclaim areas in the public right of way for people-friendly uses. Attend this webinar to learn how to turn transportation challenges into projects that build community and contribute to pedestrian and bicyclist safety, public health, and economic development. Speakers will discuss the barriers to implementing these projects, issues of planning, design, maintenance and cost, and lessons learned. Please note: this is a 75-minute webinar. Featured projects include: • The Uptown Roundabout in Normal, Illinois; • San Francisco's Pavement to Parks Program; • Portland's Intersection Repair Projects. Presenters: Mercy Davidson, Town Planner, City of Normal, Illinois; Greg Raisman, Traffic Safety Program Specialist, Active Transportation Division, Portland Bureau of Transportation; and Ilaria Salvadori, Project Manager, San Francisco Planning Department. ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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