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Globe and Mail: Saving lives by slowing down on city streets
by Beth McKechnie 06 May '12

06 May '12

Saving lives by slowing down on city streets Kelly Grant From Monday's Globe and Mail Published Sunday, Apr. 29, 2012 9:08PM EDT http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/saving-lives-by-slowing-down-o… Toronto’s top doctor wants speed limits in Canada’s largest city reduced by 10 to 20 kilometres an hour, an idea that’ll be a tough sell when he pitches it to the Board of Health on Monday. When Medical Officer of Health David McKeown revealed his proposal last week, it was panned faster than the speed of a car on one of Toronto’s 60 km/h arterial roads. Mayor Rob Ford dismissed it as “nuts, nuts, nuts, nuts,” while the head of the public works committee urged Dr. McKeown to “stick to his knitting,” unless he’s after a job in the transportation department. But Dr. McKeown’s proposal isn’t outrageous. Other major cities around the world are experimenting with lowering speed limits as part of their efforts to keep pedestrians, cyclists and drivers safe, something supporters hope will nudge urban dwellers out of their cars. New York implemented its first “slow speed” 20-mph (about 32 km/h) zone in the heart of the Bronx last fall. Edmonton recently wrapped up a pilot project testing a 10 km/h reduction – to 40 km/h from 50 – in six neighbourhoods, three of which have elected to retain the lower speed caps. And Portsmouth, England, has received calls from across the globe about its decision to implement a nearly city-wide speed limit of 20 mph. These interventions go beyond traditional traffic-calming measures, such as speed bumps. “I’m not surprised that on first blush, some people might be concerned about the recommendation,” Dr. McKeown said in an interview. “[But] the evidence of the relationship between speed and mortality and fatality is very strong.” Pedestrians are eight times more likely to die when hit by cars travelling 50 km/h than when struck by vehicles travelling 30 km/h, according to the World Health Organization. Strong as it may be, the science supporting lower speed limits isn’t exactly surprising. Slowing down saves lives. However, municipal leaders must balance safety with the need to get from point A to point B in a reasonable time. That’s why most of the cities testing lower speed limits are using neighbourhood streets, not arterial roads, as their petri dishes. Take New York. In a bid to cut traffic fatalities in half by 2030, the Big Apple has implemented a raft of measures to persuade motorists to slow down, including cheeky commercials reminding New Yorkers there actually *is *a speed limit in the city, and it’s 30 mph. New York’s Department of Transportation has taken a particularly aggressive step in the Claremont section of The Bronx. Often abused as a shortcut, the quarter-mile residential neighbourhood saw 46 people killed or seriously injured in motor-vehicle crashes from 2006 to 2010, prompting the city to make Claremont its first 20-mph zone. The zone is marked with 14 distinctive gateway entrances, 28 posted speed limit signs and nine speed humps. “It sends a clear message to those drivers that neighbourhood streets are not shortcuts, they are not speedways,” said New York Transportation commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. She said residents were “wildly supportive” of the new zone. “People were happy because they were tired of seeing their streets used as speedways.” Now more than 100 New York neighbourhoods have applied for slow-speed zones, she added. “I think that you’re starting to see cities all over the country look for these kinds of interventions. There’s a big hue and cry to have safer streets,” she said. It’s still an open question whether reducing the posted speed limit alone actually compels motorists to ease off the gas. Claremont’s experience is still too fresh to have produced useful data. In any case, the neighbourhood’s slow zone includes speed bumps, making it difficult to separate their effects from those of a lower posted speed limit. Edmonton, on the other hand, has the hard numbers to show that a reduced speed limit is little match for road design. Beginning on May 1, 2010, the Alberta capital reduced speed limits in six very different neighbourhoods to 40 km/h from 50, using only signs and enforcement, including photo radar. Overall, operating speeds fells by 7 per cent or about 3.5 km/h. The number of serious crashes dropped slightly in all but one of the test areas, where severe collisions actually increased. Sounds promising, until you look at the actual speeds logged during the six-month experiment. In two older neighbourhoods, operating speeds fell to 51 km/h from about 53; in two grid-patterned areas, speeds dropped to 53 km/h from 55; and in two newly built pockets, speeds fell to 57 km/h from 60. In other words, next to nobody respected the 40 km/h limit. Road design mattered. Motorists drove slower on older, narrow streets lined with parked cars, and faster on new, wider thoroughfares with little parking. “One of the things about reducing the speed limit on any given road is that it needs to make sense to the public,” said Scott McDonald, senior speed management co-ordinator for Edmonton’s Office of Traffic Safety. That’s one of the reasons Dr. McKeown’s recommendations have taken such a beating. Right now, Toronto’s speed limit, unless otherwise posted, is 50 km/h. Some wide arterial roads are 60 km/h, most residential streets are 40 km/h, and streets with speed bumps are 30 km/h. The Medical Officer of Health favours reducing the residential limit to 30 km/h and the default speed limit to 40 km/h. In a city strangled by gridlock, the thought of puttering along at 40 km/h on an arterial road isn’t likely to be embraced. At least not by Toronto city council, which has the final say on speeds within city limits. That doesn’t discourage Dr. McKeown. Slower speeds are just a small – if controversial – part of the report he’ll be championing on Monday. “We are facing a significant burden of illness associated with obesity and diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and being more active in our day-to-day activities is a very important way of combatting those major health threats,” Dr. McKeown said. *Lower speeds, higher savings* One English city has found that the slow way can also be the safe and cheap way. There hasn’t been a single fatality on the roads of Portsmouth since the island city of 207,000 on the south coast of England implemented a 20 mph (or 32 km/h) speed limit in 2007-2008. The cap applies to 1,245 streets, or 94 per cent of Portsmouth’s roads. Unlike most cities that try to slow down motorists, Portsmouth’s limit isn’t reinforced with speed bumps or other physical changes to the road. “We decided to do it because we had a triple fatality on a residential road and, obviously, we had members of the public that were extremely concerned,” said Adam Bunce, an assistant traffic engineer and project manager for Portsmouth’s 20-mph project. Reaction to lowering the speed limit by 10 mph was mixed at first. Residents doubted that signs and the occasional police blitz would compel drivers to take their foot off the gas. (Drivers nabbed breaking the 20-mph rule are slapped with a £60 ($95) fine and three-point loss on their licences, unless they agree to attend a one-hour safety seminar, complete with videos of horrible car crashes.) But a 2010 interim evaluation found the lower limits worked – for the most part. Average speeds dropped by just 0.9 mph overall. On blocks where the average “before” speed was higher than 24 mph, the average speed fell by seven mph. Total injuries for pedestrians, passengers and drivers, though, was down 22 per cent. The biggest knock on the plan is that serious injuries actually increased by six per cent, a result Mr. Bunce dismissed as statistically insignificant because the city has so few auto accidents. In other words, Portsmouth’s motorists were already taking it slow. The city’s narrow residential streets, lined with Victorian homes and parked cars, aren’t conducive to speeding. The 20-mph limit doesn’t apply on the major motorways and distributor roads that carry most commuters. Toronto and the majority of Canadian cities, especially those built out after the Second World War, don’t enjoy the same advantages of urban form. However, if any do decide to follow Portsmouth’s lead, they’ll find one advantage applies as much here as it does across the pond: A sweeping speed-limit reduction is cheaper than traditional traffic-calming measures. Portsmouth was preparing to dole out £2-million ($3.2-million) over five years, mostly on speed bumps, when it switched gears to lowering the speed limit almost everywhere. “Implementing a city-wide speed limit at £623,000 ($993,000), we saved ourselves £1.5-million ($2.4-million),” Mr. Bunce said. Graphics: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/your-probability-of-de… http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/the-faster-you-drive-t…

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Dutch videos about speeding
by Beth McKechnie 04 May '12

04 May '12

The Dutch are particularly good at using humour to make a point. Would be great to see something like this for Winnipeg and other urban centres in MB. http://youtu.be/y60YQOzNWYE Thanks to Jonathan Borland for sharing the videos! cheers, Beth

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Bicycle Facilities Design Course for Engineers - May 27 in Winnipeg!!! CITE 2012
by Anders Swanson 03 May '12

03 May '12

[Thanks to Bjorn Radstrom for passing this along - a very valuable training opportunity for engineers interested in designing for the bicycle - Anders]. “Bicycle Facilities Design Course” is being offered at the annual Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineers (CITE 2012) conference in Winnipeg. The workshop is on Sunday, May 27th from 08:30 to 16:30. There are details at: http://www.cite7.org/Winnipeg2012/WinnipegWorkshops.php. You can register for the workshop without registering for the rest of the conference.

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Notice of Public Open House - Pembina Highway Underpass Improvement Options
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '12

30 Apr '12

------------------------------ *From:* Quesnel-Strasser, Angela [mailto:aquesnelstrasser@dillon.ca] *Sent:* April 26, 2012 4:52 PM *Subject:* Notice of Public Open House - Pembina Highway Underpass Improvement Options On behalf of the City of Winnipeg, we invite you to attend an Open House to review and provide feedback on three options being proposed for improvements to the Pembina Highway Underpass. A PDF describing the three options is attached. The Open House will be a drop-in format so feel free to come any time between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM and speak with the project team. The three options being proposed for the Pembina Highway Underpass improvements will be displayed. *Date: Wednesday, May 9, 2012* * * *Time: 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Drop-in Format)* * * *Location: Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists** (APEGM) * *870 Pembina Highway* If you are unable to attend the Open House but would like information on the project please visit www.Winnipeg.ca/PembinaHighwayUnderpass or contact Jacqueline East at Dillon Consulting Limited 453-2301 or *jeast(a)dillon.ca.* * * Thank you. **

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Jane's Walk Winnipeg weekend is here!
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '12

30 Apr '12

** *Please share widely with your networks, family and friends! Thanks* ** The annual Jane's Walk <http://janeswalk.net/> weekend happens this coming Saturday and Sunday, May 5 & 6 (poster attached). Check out the line-up of Winnipeg walks<http://janeswalk.net/cities/list/category/winnipeg>(more being added) to discover which neighbourhoods or topics interest you. Maybe it's Aboriginal development and placemaking on Main Street, the Bell Tower Movement to Stop the Violence in the North End, or the history of the West Broadway or Wolseley neighbourhoods. Take a walk to learn more about your city and its neighbourhoods, and participate in meaningful conversations about the past and the future. [image: Inline image 1]

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Joyride: A celebration of cycling
by Shoni Litinsky 29 Apr '12

29 Apr '12

Hi Everyone, A local artist Michelle Gamache <http://www.michellegamache.ca> just completed this great book that captures the love and beauty of the bicycle. A few of us had our comments made it in there, but it is just nice to see the images and read the different aspects of cycling people write about, speed, excitement...even biking right into the lake. Enjoy http://www.blurb.com/books/3143194 -- *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/> -- *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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Bike to Work Day Winnipeg - June 22, 2012
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '12

27 Apr '12

We invite you to take to the streets and join thousands of commuters in cycling to work. *The fifth annual Bike to Work Day Winnipeg will be held on Friday, June 22nd*. Stop by a pit stop from 6:30-9:00 am on your way to work and get a boost with free snacks, bike tune-ups and refreshments. Over thirty community and corporate groups will welcome cyclists in the morning, and each stop will host its own prize giveaways and an opportunity to meet a diversity of active transportation supporters. You can wind up your week with a BBQ at The Forks beginning at 3:30 and featuring local musical talent, free dinner and your chance to win a brand new Schwinn bicycle or bike trailer from Chariot Trailers. Start today by registering online to show your support for the smart commute, and to take advantage of the day's festivities. Please visit www.biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org. -- Andraea Sartison Event Coordinator Bike to Work Day 2011 333-2666 www.biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org

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The W.R.E.N.C.H. employment opportunity
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '12

27 Apr '12

Want to work with kids, bikes and the cycling community? Then you've found the perfect position as Executive Director of The W.R.E.N.C.H. <http://thewrench.ca/> (Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub)! Check out the job posting here<http://thewrench.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/WRENCH-job-posting…> .

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NTPP Update: A Bold Experiment in Four Communities - Handouts
by Mark Cohoe 26 Apr '12

26 Apr '12

Hi, Sorry this is a bit slow coming out. Here are the links to the handouts and evaluation for last weeks webinar. *The handouts for this webinar are available for download on the APBP website*. To download the slides and handouts in pdf format, please go to http://www.apbp.org/?page=Webinar_Downloads <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=600878&ymlink=…>. On this page you will find handouts; the slide presentation as a pdf; the sign-in sheet to claim credit for CM and PDH; and some technical assistance documents for GoToWebinar. We hope you enjoyed the webinar, "NTPP Update: A Bold Experiment in Four Communities", and found it valuable. If you haven't already done so, please take a few minutes to complete a short online evaluation at http://www.apbp.org/surveys/?id=Evaluation_Apr-12 <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=601203&ymlink=…> Cheers Mark Cohoe Bike to the Future

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REMINDER: Registration for 2nd Conversations in motion Event - May 9th!
by Kristine Hayward 26 Apr '12

26 Apr '12

Hi! If you haven't registered for the second annual Conversations in motion series: "Health promotion gone VIRAL: Tweeting & posting for better health choices," you should do it right now! The event will be held on Wednesday, May 9th 8:15am-4:00pm at the Université de Saint-Boniface On-line registration will be open until May 4th or until all spots are filled! We are over 50% SOLD OUT!! Please see the attached Event Poster for more information on how to register or visit our webpage: http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/kinrec/research/conversations.html <http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/kinrec/research/conversations.html> *NEW: If you have registered already, be sure to check out our Pre-Event Scavenger Hunt!! Here's the link: http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/kinrec/grad_programs/safety/media/Scavenger.p… This will get you ready for the event and there are prizes to be won! For more information, please contact me at 474-7451 (phone) or Nicole_dunn(a)umanitoba.ca <mailto:Nicole_dunn@umanitoba.ca> . Thanks, Nicole Nicole J. Dunn, BA (Adv), BRS, MA Associate Director (Administration) 308A Max Bell Centre Health, Leisure & Human Performance Research Institute University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 T: 204-474-7451 F: 204-261-4802 E: nicole_dunn(a)umanitoba.ca http://umanitoba.ca/kinrec/research/ <http://umanitoba.ca/kinrec/research/> 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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