- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Webinar Reminder: Wed, Nov. 2nd, Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way
by Jessie Klassen 27 Oct '11

27 Oct '11

Just a reminder of an upcoming webinar on November 2nd. Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future are hosting a local viewing of the APBP webinar, Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion: - *Wed, Nov. 2nd, 2:00-3:30 pm – Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way* (Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) Hope to see you there! ____________________________ Update on the Proposed Rule for Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way *November 2, 2011, 2:00-3:30 pm CST* Scott Windley, Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board, will deliver detailed information about the proposed rule regarding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, including pedestrian accessible routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, street crossings, on-street parking, and more. This is a 90-minute webinar. Scott Windley has been an Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board since March, 1997. He oversees staff work on the Board’s public rights-of-way rulemaking, and provides technical assistance and training on the ADA Guidelines and other standards. Mr. Windley previously worked for two years with The Center for Universal Design in Raleigh, NC, as a technical assistance specialist; before that, he worked as an Intern Architect for the Facilty Planning Department of the University of Idaho. Mr. Windley received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho. ** *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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A Bus Pass with Every Condo (& bike stuff, too!)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '11

26 Oct '11

A Bus Pass With Every Condo at Lansdowne Proposed *Josh Pringle* Thursday, October 20, 2011 Each residential unit at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park could come with a one-year transit pass for OC Transpo. The Transportation Demand Management Plan report by McCormick Rankin recommends the City require the developers to provide all purchasers of residential units with a transit pass to "create and establish a culture" of transit amongst the residents living at Lansdowne. The report notes the City of Toronto recently introduced a policy requiring all new condo developments with more than 20 units to include a one year TTC Metropass with the purchase of each unit. The Transportation Demand Management Plan outlines ideas to ensure the Lansdowne Park redevelopment achieves maximum benefits from a wider use of sustainable transportation modes, including public transportation and bicycling. The City is also encouraged to set up enhanced bicycle parking facilities, create preferential parking for registered carpools and build showers and locker room facilities for employees at a redeveloped Lansdowne Park who bicycle to work. http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=82258

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[At-network] Transportation Master Plan Open House - Nov 2nd, 4-8 pm, Millennium Library
by Beth McKechnie 20 Oct '11

20 Oct '11

*Find out where our roads, buses, bike lanes and pathways are heading over the next 20 years!* Stop by the third and *final* Open House for the *Winnipeg Transportation Master Plan* <http://transportation.speakupwinnipeg.com/>. Date:* Wed, Nov. 2nd *Time:* 4:00-8:00 pm *Where:* Millennium Library* (Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd floor) ** ** *Please forward the attachments throughout your organizations and networks*. This is an open invitation to anyone interested, so please share widely. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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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Mark your calendar! November transportation webinars
by Beth McKechnie 20 Oct '11

20 Oct '11

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following webinars at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion: - *Wed, Nov. 2nd, 2:00-3:00 pm – Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way* (APBP) details below - *Wed, Nov. 9th, 12:30-1:30 pm – Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities *(Transport Canada) details below - *Wed, Nov. 16th, 2:00-3:00 pm– Parking: Buffers, Bikes and Cars *(APBP) (APBP = Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) _____________________________ Update on the Proposed Rule for Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way *November 2, 2011, 2:00-3:00 pm CST* Scott Windley, Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board, will deliver detailed information about the proposed rule regarding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, including pedestrian accessible routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, street crossings, on-street parking, and more. This is a 90-minute webinar. Scott Windley has been an Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board since March, 1997. He oversees staff work on the Board’s public rights-of-way rulemaking, and provides technical assistance and training on the ADA Guidelines and other standards. Mr. Windley previously worked for two years with The Center for Universal Design in Raleigh, NC, as a technical assistance specialist; before that, he worked as an Intern Architect for the Facilty Planning Department of the University of Idaho. Mr. Windley received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho. * * * * * *Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities* *November 9, 2011, 12:30-1:30 pm CST* Geoff Noxon, Noxon Associates This webinar is intended to help practitioners - engineers, planners, health professionals, economic development officials, and others - produce plans and implement appropriate travel options for residents of small and rural communities. This includes a range of actions that make personal transportation activities more sustainable, such as encouraging drivers to operate their cars more efficiently, or to leave their cars at home and walk, cycle, take transit, or carpool instead. This webinar will look at how to use three guides available for free from Transport Canada: - Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities; - Transportation Demand Management for Canadian Communities: A Guide to Understanding, Planning and Delivering TDM Programs; and, - Changing Transportation Behaviours: A Social Marketing Planning Guide. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-guidelines-practitioners… http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-menu-eng-2054.htm

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Reminder: Wed Oct.19 webinar - Multimodal Level of Service Analysis
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '11

18 Oct '11

*Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future *invite you to join us for this webinar being presented by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP): Multimodal Level of Service Analysis Wednesday, October 19 • 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central Time Location: EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * * * * The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) is one of the most widely referenced documents in transportation planning and engineering. The 2010 edition includes a comprehensive analysis method for all major users of an urban street, including bicyclists and pedestrians. This webinar will discuss the bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods that allow planners and engineers to analyze how urban streets meet the needs of nonmotorized users and to examine the effects of different improvement options. These analyses help us to efficiently distribute limited funds to the most effective improvements and to better communicate projects' benefits to the general public. Learning objectives for this session include: - How bicycle and pedestrian level of service analyses have evolved - The background behind the HCM 2010 multimodal level of service methods for bicycles and pedestrians - How to apply the HCM bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods and interpret results. The session will also include a brief update on the joint ITE / APBP project, "Evaluation Tools for Complete Streets". The report of this project is being drafted; it covers several analysis tools including MMLOS. Presenters: *Nick Foster*,* Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates*. Nick was involved in NCHRP Project 3-70 Multimodal Level-of-Service Analysis for Urban Streets during the field evaluation phase to test the multimodal level-of-service (MMLOS) methodology. The results of this project have been incorporated into the updated 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. In addition to his involvement in the research that developed the MMLOS methodology, Nick has applied it to a variety of projects to evaluate the performance of different urban street forms in meeting the needs of bicyclist and pedestrians. Nick has worked on a variety of projects related to planning and designing for bicyclists and pedestrians. *Jamie Parks, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates. *Jamie works on a wide variety of bicycle and pedestrian planning projects throughout the country including safety studies, master plans, and trails plans. His experience includes data collection, the development and application of analysis tools, and public outreach to integrate workshops, open houses, citizen committees, and web tools into the planning process. *Jeffrey R. Riegner (PE, AICP, PTOE), Vice President, Whitman, Requardt & Associates*. Jeff is a professional engineer and certified planner with over 20 years of transportation and land use consulting experience, mostly for public-sector clients. He serves as chair of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, workshop instructor for the National Complete Streets Coalition, and chair of the Newark, Delaware Bicycle Committee. He holds degrees from the University of Delaware and the University of California at Berkeley. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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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Wed Oct. 19th webinar: Multimodal Level of Service Analysis
by Beth McKechnie 11 Oct '11

11 Oct '11

*Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future *invite you to join us for this webinar being presented by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP): Multimodal Level of Service Analysis Wednesday, October 19 • 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central Time Location: EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * * * * The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) is one of the most widely referenced documents in transportation planning and engineering. The 2010 edition includes a comprehensive analysis method for all major users of an urban street, including bicyclists and pedestrians. This webinar will discuss the bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods that allow planners and engineers to analyze how urban streets meet the needs of nonmotorized users and to examine the effects of different improvement options. These analyses help us to efficiently distribute limited funds to the most effective improvements and to better communicate projects' benefits to the general public. Learning objectives for this session include: - How bicycle and pedestrian level of service analyses have evolved - The background behind the HCM 2010 multimodal level of service methods for bicycles and pedestrians - How to apply the HCM bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods and interpret results. The session will also include a brief update on the joint ITE / APBP project, "Evaluation Tools for Complete Streets". The report of this project is being drafted; it covers several analysis tools including MMLOS. Presenters: *Nick Foster*,* Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates*. Nick was involved in NCHRP Project 3-70 Multimodal Level-of-Service Analysis for Urban Streets during the field evaluation phase to test the multimodal level-of-service (MMLOS) methodology. The results of this project have been incorporated into the updated 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. In addition to his involvement in the research that developed the MMLOS methodology, Nick has applied it to a variety of projects to evaluate the performance of different urban street forms in meeting the needs of bicyclist and pedestrians. Nick has worked on a variety of projects related to planning and designing for bicyclists and pedestrians. *Jamie Parks, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates. *Jamie works on a wide variety of bicycle and pedestrian planning projects throughout the country including safety studies, master plans, and trails plans. His experience includes data collection, the development and application of analysis tools, and public outreach to integrate workshops, open houses, citizen committees, and web tools into the planning process. *Jeffrey R. Riegner (PE, AICP, PTOE), Vice President, Whitman, Requardt & Associates*. Jeff is a professional engineer and certified planner with over 20 years of transportation and land use consulting experience, mostly for public-sector clients. He serves as chair of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, workshop instructor for the National Complete Streets Coalition, and chair of the Newark, Delaware Bicycle Committee. He holds degrees from the University of Delaware and the University of California at Berkeley.

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Active Transportation in Canada: a Resource and Planning Guide
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Here's a new resource funded by Transport Canada: *Active Transportation in Canada: A Resource and Planning Guide* There are many excellent "Case in point" examples provided, mostly from ON, BC and NB. The ICBC case in point on page 14 is an excellent example of what MPI could be doing here. (Strangely, there are no examples from Winnipeg or Manitoba, boo!) Pasted below this message is a description blurb by the company that produced the publication. Thanks to Laura Donatelli at Public Health Agency of Canada for pointing out this new resource. cheers, Beth * * * * * EcoPlan developed a resource and planning guide for Transport Canada geared towards planners and related professionals to accommodate, promote, and support Active Transportation (AT) in current and long-range planning and development. The guide provides a review of active transportation in Canada, a summary of best practices and key principles, and a strategic planning approach for developing active transportation projects and incorporating active transportation into municipal policy. This guide’s planning framework is organized around EcoPlan’s ten step planning approach. The approach has four phases that correspond to the key planning questions each section asks – *What is happening? What matters most? What can we* *do about it? Are we doing it? *Answering these questions requires guide users to go through a corresponding set of individual planning steps that will help determine: - The current AT situation, opportunities and trends in the local area; - Priority areas for action; - Strategies and actions to respond to community priorities; and, - How to monitor and evaluate AT activities to support future project development.

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Happiness research ranks commuting low: 1 hr commute cuts social life by 10%
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Happiness Research Ranks Commuting Low: One-Hour Commute Cuts Your Social Life By 10 Percent *Kirsten Dirksen, Co-founder, faircompanies.com* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kirsten-dirksen/happiness-research-ranks-_b_8… When asked to name the worst part of our day by happiness researchers, we consistently name commuting as at least one of our least favorite activities. And yet, many of us choose long commutes (the average American commute is 50 minutes per day; nine out of 10 are by car). It's an inconsistency that has troubled academics. Swiss economists Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer say too many of us make an unequal tradeoff: they call it the "commuting paradox." According to economics, people should be compensated -- either economically or emotionally -- for the burden of their commute, but Frey and Stutzer found that "people with longer commuting time report systematically lower subjective well-being." The rewards associated with longer commutes -- a bigger house, a higher salary or better schools -- don't fully compensate for the sacrifices we end up making by working so far from home (*e.g.*, less time with family, and health issues like back pain, higher cholesterol, weight gain and anxiety). Why do we make the mistake of choosing long commutes if they tend to make us less happy? It turns out that our focus and judgement are off. *Long Commutes Are Because Our Focus Is Off* One possible reason for our error in judgement is what psychologists call a weighting mistake, or a focusing illusion. By simply choosing to consider a higher salary or a bigger house in the suburbs (those things that contribute to a longer commute), we give them more weight than they deserve. So instead of focusing on what would really make us happier -- more leisure, more time with friends/family and more focus on health -- we become fixated on the bigger income or bigger backyard and choose the longer commute. Interestingly enough, it's not for lack of analysis that we often choose wrong. Researchers have found that the more time we spend thinking about that extra bedroom or extra income, the more we think we really need it and the more likely we are to choose the longer commute. To get it right, we need to adjust our focus. *"You Can't Adapt To Commuting"* Another reason we tend to choose badly when deciding the distance between work and home is simply that we aren't very good at assessing the true costs of a commute. Intuitively, we think that a higher salary will make us happier and that we will get used to spending time in the car. In reality, we quickly grow accustomed to material things like more income or a bigger house and, what most of us fail to realize, we have much more trouble getting used to the stresses of commuting. Strangely enough, it's not the bad traffic per se that adds to the commuting burden, but the uncertainty of our commutes that makes them so difficult. "You can't adapt to commuting, because it's entirely unpredictable," explains Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert. "Driving in traffic is a different kind of hell every day." *Before Agreeing To A Commute, Read This* There are, perhaps, reasons to choose a longer commute. Frey and Stutzer performed very exacting calculations and found that to be compensated for a one-hour commute -- as opposed to none at all -- you would need to make a 40-percent higher salary. The extra income might help with overall happiness, especially if it helps to pay for experiences (studies show that experiences, more than things, boost happiness), but a longer commute can also affect those things that rank high in happiness studies: your relationships. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam can even offer a calculation. "There's a simple rule of thumb: Every [10] minutes of commuting results in [10] percent fewer social connections. Commuting is connected to social isolation, which causes unhappiness." Of course, all commutes are not created equal. I know some people who genuinely seem to enjoy their time in the car -- or on their bike, scooter, etc. My commute is a five-minute walk<http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/happiness-research-ranks-commutes-lowe…>through Barcelona's Gothic Quarter to my daughter's school, and while there are bad days, most of the time, once out the door, it's one of the happiest moments of my day.

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Complete Streets Webinar TODAY 12:30-1:30pm
by Jessie Klassen 04 Oct '11

04 Oct '11

Just a quick reminder of the free Complete Streets webinar happening TODAY at 12:30pm in the Eco Centre Boardroom, (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * *Complete Streets* *October 4, 2011, 12:30-1:30 pm CENTRAL TIME* Rebecca O’Brien, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Alberta Association “Complete streets” is a relatively new term that has entered into the parlance of transportation planning. A complete street policy begins with one overriding principle: Design streets for the most vulnerable users. Complete street policies promote planning, engineering, and transportation policies that provide a safer road network for all users, be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, or transit users. This webinar will examine the main aspects of complete streets, including innovative policies, success stories, and benefits. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudy-cs72e-completes… Hope to see you on Tuesday! ** *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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Death by suburban sprawl
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Death by surburban sprawl http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1592647/Death-by-surburban-sprawl 30 September 2011 | 08:05:45 AM | Source: Billie Giles-Corti, Professor of Health Promotion & Director of the McCaughey VicHealth Centre at University of Melbourne *Published in collaboration with **The Conversation*<http://theconversation.edu.au/> *, a website that features commentary, research and analysis from Australian universities and the CSIRO.* *Non-communicable diseases*<http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/non-communicable-diseases>– Billie Giles-Corti looks at how the built environment impacts the development of NCDs. Never before in human history have so many people been able to be so sedentary in the course of daily life. Since World War II, technological advances have transformed the design and development of buildings and communities, the way populations are mobilized and fed, the nature of work, and methods of communication. Industrial and home labour-saving devices – from the remote control of garage doors to televisions and everything in between – maximise convenience and minimise effort. So compared with our parents and grandparents, feeding and clothing ourselves has never been so effortless. But while offering convenience, our use of motor vehicles – even for short trips to the local shop – or a blower to “sweep” garden leaves, appears to be having a profound impact on the health of human populations. SITTING TO DEATH Diseases previously associated with affluence – cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory illnesses and diabetes – are now prevalent in disadvantaged populations. The problem is so big that an emergency long-term response is required – not just by the health sector but by everyone. The United Nations declaration calling for action on the prevention and control of non-communicable disease highlighted the need for a “whole of society effort” to tackle this enormous global problem, which is crippling already overburdened health systems. This is a call for all hands on deck: no one sector – and certainly not the health sector – can solve this problem. Fixing up people when they are ill is not the solution. The number of people with non-communicable diseases are growing exponentially not because we have changed genetically, but because we have changed our lifestyles in response to a rapidly changing environment. We now sit too much, move too little and over consume energy dense food – just because we can. BUILT ENVIRONMENT The UN call for action specifically mentions the role of urban planning in the development of non-communicable diseases. Research consistently shows that people are more likely to walk if they live in compact, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods characterised by connected street networks, access to mixed-use planning, with presence of local destinations and higher density housing. And that time and distance influences walking and cycling as preferred modes of transport. Heavily trafficked roads are contributing to the decline of active modes of travel. Peter Blanchard Neighbourhood design has a powerful effect on active travel options of all residents, particularly young people. Children’s independent mobility is influenced by traffic exposure and parental concerns (real or perceived) about safety, as well as access to local destinations including schools. Locating schools in neighborhoods with disconnected street networks and heavily trafficked roads is contributing to the rapid decline in children and young people using active modes of travel. In fact, parents chauffering their children to school are themselves contributing to the traffic congestion that makes roads unsafe for children to walk or cycle. The power of planners In the course of their professional lives, urban planners, transport planners, urban designers, civil engineers, property developers and architects make decisions with long-term impacts on the health and well-being of generations of residents. They make design decisions that determine whether neighborhoods have connected street networks and footpaths so that residents – including children – can easily and safely walk to local destinations. They decide whether shops and services are part of communities and in places where people can walk to them. And whether communities have well-designed parks that meet the needs of a range of users from sporting groups, children, dog walkers through to our ageing population. These planners decide whether streets are wide enough to allow access by public transport. And underpinning all these decisions are land use and regional transport system planning policies made by state and local government and politicians. Networking for a healthier society So there’s an urgent need for policies that encompass social, economic, sustainability, and health policies to create more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly communities serviced by public transport. Multiple sectors now promote active transport because of concerns about the health, social, environmental, and economic impacts of a range of agendas. These include rising levels of obesity and inactivity, climate change, population growth, declining oil supplies and rising fuel prices. Active transport can achieve outcomes for all of them, from improved health and traffic management through to environmental protection and climate change mitigation. As Australian cities expand rapidly with continued growth on the urban fringe, the challenge is to adopt joined-up approaches involving creative ways of producing supportive land use and transportation planning that ensures compact pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. But a plan is one thing and a “populated plan” is another – new communities can take decades to build. To ensure people on the fringes of cities are not deprived for decades, we need to move from planning to populating the plan. New business development models that ensure access to local employment and alternative government service delivery models that provide access to local health and public transport are needed. Without joined-up approaches, we can stick on band aid after band aid but the true nature of what ails us will remain unheeded. This is the eighth part of The Conversation's *non-communicable diseases series. * <http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/non-communicable-diseases>

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