- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Cycling community pays tribute to man killed in hit-and-run (Jul26'
by Beth McKechnie 26 Jul '24

26 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. ‘We will not let Rob’s death be in vain’ Cycling community pays tribute to man killed in hit-and-run https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/25/we-will-not-let-r… MORE than 100 cyclists, who wore red to celebrate the life of Rob Jenner, gathered outside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Thursday evening to honour the man killed in a hit-and-run collision. Jenner, who regularly biked to his job as a shipper and receiver at the museum, liked to wear red on Fridays to end the work week. He was travelling eastbound on Wellington Crescent near Cockburn Street when he was hit by a vehicle going in the same direction on the morning of June 6, a day after his 61st birthday. “Since my retirement, I waited for him with the garage door open, knowing I’d see that big smile rolling toward me — full of pride and feeling on top of the world. He was so proud to be a bike commuter,” said widow Wendy Van Loon, her speech punctuated by applause and the chiming of bicycle bells. “He must have known deep inside that he was part of something bigger, but I don’t think he knew the reach and depth of this beautiful community.” Van Loon said Jenner knew riding a bike in the city could be dangerous and he always wore highly visible clothing, including a helmet with blinking lights. He left home early to avoid rush-hour traffic. He was looking forward to retiring. He was an artist and writer and loved cooking. He was “friendly, blunt and also very kind,” said a statement released by the family a week after his death. Travis Jenner, one of his sons, asked the crowd to fight for change. He said he wishes his dad could be there to help take the training wheels off his son’s bike one day. “One small gap in safety was enough to change my life forever, so I ask you not to stop and don’t take no for an answer,” he said. “Show up and don’t back down until you’re safe, or until we’re all safe.” Members of the bike community have chosen to honour Jenner by installing a “ghost bike” at the location of the crash. Van Loon wanted her old bike to be used. It’s been painted white. In addition to memorializing a life lost, ghost bikes serve as a reminder to drivers to slow down and be cautious of cyclists on the road, said Patty Wiens, the “bicycle mayor” of Winnipeg. Wiens said she hopes to normalize cycling for transportation in the city and wants to see the bike network completed. Another cyclist was injured Wednesday night at the same intersection where Jenner was hit, she said. “This moment right here is a direct consequence of a bike network that’s missing some very crucial connections. I know I speak for every person here when I say it could have been any of us or someone close to us,” Wiens said. “The moment he used his bike for transportation in this city, he became an activist. We will not let Rob’s death be in vain.” Rachael Alguire lives a block away from the intersection. She started riding her bike to work a year ago but said she’s never felt quite safe. She began taking her bike to work because it’s more convenient than taking the bus and for the positive impact on her mental health. Her partner is an avid cyclist so she felt more comfortable getting into biking with her partner’s guidance. “I experience aggression from drivers and very unsafe roads all the time,” Alquire said, just as the group was leaving to go to the site of the crash. “There’s not a day where it doesn’t happen, so it’s very close to my heart.” Alguire hopes to see the city add protected bike lanes and for the route at Wellington Crescent to be completed. The group of cyclists rode from the museum to the intersection where the ghost bike will remain. Jenner’s family is working with Gordon Bell High School to set up a fund in his memory that aims to teach kids how to fix their bikes and ride them safely. Van Loon wants others to grow up with the same joy her husband got from riding his bike. “My best friend and favourite chef is gone,” Van Loon said. “He may have been just one person, but he was my world. There’s nothing we can do to bring him back, but let’s make sure his death wasn’t in vain.” Beckham Keneth Severight, 19, is charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene. jura.mcilraith(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:jura.mcilraith@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP Briefs: Snow clearing, Louise Bridge & quadricycles (Jul20'24)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jul '24

20 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. SNOW CLEARING FROM SIDEWALKS TO SPEED UP RESIDENTIAL sidewalks should be cleared of snow days sooner next winter. On Thursday, city council voted to require that crews “normally” complete plowing on residential sidewalks within 36 hours after the work begins, instead of the current target of five working days. The work will be funded through money approved during the 2024 to 2027 multi-year budget. LOUISE BRIDGE REHABILITATION PLAN APPROVED THE city will rehabilitate its 114-year-old Louise Bridge following age-related deterioration. “It requires annual closures for reactive repairs and will require significant work by 2030 to remain operational,” a staff report notes. On Thursday, city council approved a plan to design the project for construction no later than 2030. City officials estimate the work will cost $40 million and extend the life of the bridge by at least 30 years. NEW RULES FOR QUADRICYCLES NEW city rules for quadricycles — four-wheeled, pedal-powered vehicles — are on the way. On Thursday, Winnipeg city council voted to make bylaw changes for the vehicles, which would officially allow them to operate in downtown Winnipeg. Those operating a large quadricycle outside of downtown would be required to submit a planned route to seek approval from the city’s public works director. Additional rules would only permit the vehicles to cross multi-lane streets at intersections with traffic signals or those with “an all-way stop condition.” The companies would also be required to submit annual reports to the city.

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Winnipeg Sun: Political will, capital and public buy-in will be crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan
by Patman, David 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Political will, capital and public buy-in will be crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan Winnipeg Sun Author of the article: Cameron Eason Published Jul 16, 2024 * Last updated 2 days ago * 3 minute read Political will, capital crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan | Winnipeg Sun<https://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/political-will-capital-and-public-b…> On Monday, Councillor Janice Lukes, Winnipeg's public works committee chair, presented Transportation 2050, quite literally a roadmap to how the city could reach its transportation goals within the next 26 years as Winnipeg approaches a population of one million. Many residents would probably agree that what we have now isn't working as well as it should, and as Winnipeg continues to grow, it needs the infrastructure to match. According to the plan, Transportation 2050 outlines its goals by prioritizing and maintaining existing infrastructure instead of building new; investing in our existing roads; developing communities where people can access their needs in a short distance; and empowering people to travel in their preferred mode of transportation. But what could this look like? As it stands today, our current roads are overused in many areas, less than seven per cent of Winnipeggers walk or cycle as a transport method, and public transit usage has declined by 14 per cent since the 1960s. The city laid out an ambitious goal of reaching a "50 per cent mode shift by 2050." Broken down, this would mean 21 per cent ridesharing, 15 percent using public transit, and the remaining 14 per cent cycling or walking. The issues with Winnipeg Transit are well documented, so improvements here come as no surprise. Ensuring that it becomes safer, more reliable and more convenient will be key to increasing ridership. The strategy mentions the need for more rapid transit, and acknowledges that Winnipeg may need to analyze the need for Light Rail Transit in the future. Interestingly, Transportation 2050 also focuses a lot on active and bicycle transport. Talk of more bike lanes can seem to either make people rejoice or roll their eyes, but the solutions may not be as complicated as they seem. If the city wants to encourage more people to use bicycles, they need to find solutions that don't impact the businesses and commuters already using existing roadways. Walking and cycling are grouped together in much of this master plan, and hopefully that is a sign of things to come. If you look around, many of Winnipeg's sidewalks are surrounded by boulevards: wasted space typically covered by grass, brick, concrete or asphalt. Widening the sidewalks, or paving the boulevards beside them for bicycle usage (this already exists in certain parts of the city) could be an affordable and practical way to get more bike lanes built without bottlenecking traffic and parking. Transportation 2050 also mentions changing zoning requirements for developments near key transit routes. Mayor Scott Gillingham pledged to get rid of parking minimum requirements for certain developments (a minimum parking spot per unit ratio) during the 2022 mayoral election, and this appears to be a move towards that. It would not only ensure that more developments are built with transit in mind, but it also lowers building costs, helping keep housing affordable. Other key points in the document are fixing the infrastructure we have before building more, changing the way goods are transported through the city, and focusing on safety and accessibility of our existing infrastructure. It also acknowledges the need for more transport options for low-income Winnipeggers who don't have access to private vehicles. If the city can deliver, these measures will surely be well-received. In the news release, Lukes said "This plan won't completely satisfy anyone, but absolutely has something for everyone." It's a safe bet that she's correct. The best way to encourage transportation mode shifts is to make different modes more convenient and accessible and attract people to make a switch on their own accord. If the city wants this to work, they need the public's buy-in over the long-term. With a large focus on improving existing roadways over building new ones, this hopefully means that it won't impact those who commute in a car in the meantime. After all, with four out of five trips in Winnipeg being taken in a private vehicle, current trends won't change overnight. Transportation 2050 will be presented to the city council for consideration in the fall of this year. Lukes encourages residents to learn more, with six pop-up events around the city between now and July 26. The entire document can be found on the City of Winnipeg's website. Ultimately, the city needs a master plan to pave the way for the future, and this is a step in that direction. But a master plan is, after all, just a plan. Transportation 2050 is a good start, but it will require political will - and, most importantly, capital - to turn plans into action.

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Winnipeg Sun: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment
by Patman, David 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Winnipeg Sun KLEIN: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment Published Jul 18, 2024 * Last updated 19 hours ago * 3 minute read KLEIN: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment | Winnipeg Sun<https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/columnists/klein-show-us-evidence-before-ma…> On Monday, Councillor Janice Lukes, Winnipeg's public works committee chair, unveiled Transportation 2050, a comprehensive roadmap detailing the city's transportation objectives for the next 26 years. This ambitious plan aims to transform how we move around Winnipeg, advocating for a future where 50% of us walk, bike, or take public transit to work. To achieve this, the city plans to invest millions of tax dollars. But is this truly what the residents of Winnipeg want? Winnipeg is not a European metropolis. It's a sprawling winter city with a unique urban landscape. Many of our light industrial jobs are dispersed across the city rather than concentrated downtown. While Lukes insists on the need for change as Winnipeg's population nears one million, it's essential to recognize that Winnipeg's suburban communities are among the fastest-growing in Canada, indicating a preference for living outside the city core. As a city councillor, I twice requested an accurate count of how many people use the bike paths, which have already cost millions of dollars. Unfortunately, my council colleagues, including Councillor Lukes and Mayor Gillingham, denied voting against my data collection requests. This resistance raises questions about the transparency and accountability of these investments. Business owners have voiced concerns about the negative impact of bike lanes on their operations. Residents frequently question the rationale behind substantial spending on bike lanes, especially when these lanes remain underutilized, particularly during the winter when they are plowed before many secondary roads. My goal was to evaluate the return on our investment in these bike lanes, yet the council, influenced by bike lobbyists, has continually dismissed the necessity for such data. The city's decision-making process lacks a foundation in proper data or evidence. Instead, it relies on former Mayor Brian Bowman's "Public Engagement" strategy, which tends to support the city's predetermined objectives due to the participation of advocates and lobby groups. Many residents refrain from participating in these engagements, trusting their elected representatives to advocate for them-a trust that is often misplaced. As a result, numerous complaints arise after decisions have been made, but by then, it is too late to effect change. Public opinion is crucial, but so is data. The City of Winnipeg could conduct a phone survey to gauge residents' priorities regarding bike lane spending. Additionally, a thorough count of bike lane usage could be conducted to determine their usage rates and cost per biker. This data-driven approach is essential for making informed, evidence-based decisions about major investments. A comprehensive business plan should outline the long-term costs associated with maintaining, clearing snow, and repainting lines for these bike lanes annually. Residents have an opportunity to voice their support or opposition to the City of Winnipeg's proposed bike lanes during upcoming public engagement events. As part of its CentrePlan 2050, the city is designing bike routes intended to enhance connectivity to, from, and within Downtown. These events represent the final stage of planning, making it imperative for concerned citizens to participate and express their views on the allocation of resources to bike lanes. The city's recommendations can be reviewed online at the City of Winnipeg website or by using a simple Google search. The upcoming meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period. Additionally, city representatives will be available at True North Square Plaza on Thursday, July 18, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at the Central Park Market on Saturday, July 20, 2024, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you strongly feel about the city's investment in bike lanes, now is the time to make your voice heard. Complaining to others is ineffective; real change occurs when we demand better from our elected officials. These officials are not there to impose the will of a few on the many but to represent the majority of the people they serve. It is crucial that decisions about major investments like bike lanes be based on solid evidence and data. The city must prioritize the needs and preferences of its residents through transparent, accountable, and data-driven decision-making processes, not lobby groups. The city's transportation infrastructure must serve the needs of all Winnipeggers commuters. - Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, a former city councillor and is the President & CEO of Klein Group Ltd.

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WFP Analysis: City on right track to expand downtown cycling (Jul19'24)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City on right track to expand downtown cycling https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2024/07/18/city-on-right-track-to-e… BUILD it and they will come. That’s the mantra behind the expansion of protected bike lanes in downtown Winnipeg. For the most part, it appears to be working. A new proposed plan by the City of Winnipeg to expand the network further will not only keep that momentum going, it could change the face of the core area. Downtown’s first protected bike lane along Assiniboine Avenue is a good example of how demand for protected bike lanes grows over time. According to Bike Winnipeg, bike traffic increased by more than 200 per cent within four years after the protected lane was built in 2010. Today, scores of cyclists use the route to get to work, school, or other destinations. That’s partly because the bike lane network has been extended north into the heart of downtown. It allows cyclists to reach a multitude of places in the core area — including the Exchange District — on safe, reliable routes separated from motor vehicle traffic. That’s the key to convincing more people to get out of their cars and onto bikes. Surveys have shown that people are far more willing to commute by bike if there are protected lanes for them to use. The city unveiled proposed plans this week to add more protected bike lanes downtown. Options include protected routes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, which are key east-west corridors that would make downtown cycling even more accommodating. Protected bike routes on Notre Dame Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, and William Stephenson Way — which would vastly improve bike access into downtown — are also on the table. Not surprisingly, the plan has its detractors. In order to make room for the protected lanes, downtown would lose 148 parking stalls. In a car-centric city such as Winnipeg, that’s going to ruffle some feathers. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said the loss of those parking stalls could hurt small retail businesses and restaurants that rely on short customer visits. Perhaps, but only in the short term. The whole point of this exercise is to convince more people to walk, bike or take transit downtown and to leave their vehicles at home. To do that, the city needs to improve transit and significantly expand the network of protected bike routes. You can’t tell people to take a bus downtown when buses run as infrequently as they do in Winnipeg (if they show up at all). Similarly, most people won’t bike downtown if they have to compete with cars on busy roads. Painted bike lanes on streets are nice, but they don’t cut it. They don’t give cyclists the protection and comfort level they need. Downtown retail businesses and restaurants won’t suffer with fewer parking spots if more people frequent those establishments by bike. In fact, greater bike access could lead to an increase in business over time. It’s often easier to bike downtown than it is to drive and find parking, especially during busy periods. The more downtown becomes known as a bike-friendly zone, the more people will think of that as a viable option. These are the kinds of things the city needs to do to alleviate motor vehicle traffic. The fewer vehicles on the road, the less money the city has to spend on street maintenance. More active transportation also means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which is the most important objective if the city is serious about fighting climate change. The reliance on single occupancy motor vehicles in Winnipeg is ridiculously high. The only way to change that is to give people more active transportation options. This is about creating a different vision for downtown, one teeming with bikes, pedestrians and people moving around on transit. When that happens, cars will be crowded out, especially when it comes to parking. That’s the whole point. This kind of change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow process. But each step, including adding more protected bike routes, is an important one. If you want to see how the demand for protected bike lanes builds over time, spend a half hour anywhere along the Assiniboine Avenue bike route during morning rush hour. What you’ll see is a steady stream of bikes, e-bikes and scooters. It’s what the rest of downtown should look like. And it will, in due course, as long as the city keeps moving in the right direction. tom.brodbeck(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Proposed downtown bike lanes would slash on-street parking: report (July18'24)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Jul '24

18 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Proposed downtown bike lanes would slash on-street parking: report Cycling advocate says changes would make streets safer https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/17/proposed-downtown… NEW bike routes proposed for downtown Winnipeg could result in the removal of nearly 150 parking stalls. The City of Winnipeg is sharing options for routes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, Notre Dame Avenue and Cumberland Avenue and William Stephenson Way, as part of the Centre-Plan 2050 vision to transform the city centre. A cycling advocate said the proposed changes appear positive. “These are pretty important east-west routes to get in, both the Notre Dame and Cumberland and the York/ St. Mary. So, it’s really critical that we do get those… it adds a fair bit of connectivity,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. City staff recommend one-way protected bike lanes on both St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, which a report predicts would be easier for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely and have less impact on traffic flow than a two-way route. The design would keep three vehicle lanes on each street. The city also recommends a two-way protected bike lane for each of the north side of Cumberland Avenue and Notre Dame Avenue, which would lose one vehicle lane. “One of the things I’m definitely happy to see in it is we’ve got enough width in there for people to be able to pass each other safely and that’s really critical, especially as we see more and more electric bikes… (add) more variation in speed,” said Cohoe. Combined, the changes would remove 148 parking stalls from St. Mary, York, Notre Dame and Cumberland avenues. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said he is concerned small retail businesses and restaurants could lose customers due to the proposed parking stall reduction, as some folks seek closer parking elsewhere. “For those businesses that really depend on short visits… like retail businesses, I really do think this would impact them,” said Browaty. While he acknowledged the city wants Winnipeggers to rely more on active transportation and less on trips in their personal vehicles, the councillor said he’d prefer the city add more temporary, seasonal bike lanes from May to September and remove the barriers for the rest of the year. “I really don’t believe a lot of the population are going to become winter cyclists… I don’t believe (enough) people are using these pieces of infrastructure in the fall or winter. So put the parking back (then),” he said. However, council’s public works chairwoman welcomed the changes, noting the city’s Transportation Master Plan calls for more bike lanes and sidewalks. “We’ve got a lot of missing gaps (in active transportation routes) downtown, so I think this is great,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West). Lukes said reduced downtown parking could help attract new residents to the area as the city tries to make it more accessible by foot and by bike. “Downtown needs to be a neighbourhood… It needs things like other neighbourhoods have, like bike lanes and connectivity and parks,” she said. A city spokesman said Winnipeg’s active transportation planner was not available for an interview on Wednesday. In an email, spokesman Kalen Qually noted 150 parking stalls would remain on St. Mary and York avenues after the proposed changes, along with “numerous off-street surface parking lots and parkades.” Qually said there’s less demand for parking than in the past. “Our analysis shows there are still less people driving (and parking) downtown for work and meetings now compared to five years ago due to remote-work options, and that has, in part, created opportunities to reallocate space within the right of way,” he wrote. Since road reconstruction projects are planned for both St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue between 2025 and 2027, finalized bike lanes are expected to be included in that work. There is no timeline or funding approved for bike lanes on Notre Dame or Cumberland at this point. The city has also completed designs to widen several sidewalks along William Stephenson Way and Waterfront Drive to become multi-use pathways, though the proposal also lacks dedicated funding and a target timeline. Further study is needed to address traffic concerns at the intersection of William Stephenson Way and Waterfront Drive, the city report notes. The city is seeking public feedback on the changes before a final plan is approved. Winnipeggers can attend pop-up events to weigh in, including one at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at True North Square’s outdoor plaza (223 Carlton St.) A second event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 20 at Central Park (367 Ellice Ave.), while residents can also register online to attend a Zoom event from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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Equitable Cities | Early Bird Deadline Approaches
by Mel Marginet 17 Jul '24

17 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Greetings, A reminder about the early bird tickets pricing on until July 31st for Equitable Cities! We hope to see you at this event on October 9th. Use ECEARLYBIRD to receive your discount. Are you a student, or do you work for a non-profit? We also have discount codes for you! ECCommunity ECSTUDENTS [Ticket banner.png]<https://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/equitable-cities/> GET YOUR TICKETS!<https://3common.com/equitablecities> On Wednesday, October 9th Green Action Centre and Peg City Car Co-op will welcome Arrested Mobility’s Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg. Tickets are now on sale for Equitable Cities: How to liberate those caged by our transportation system. Charles T. Brown is the founder and principal of Equitable Cities, a minority- and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the host of Arrested Mobility<https://arrestedmobility.com/>, a podcast that asks: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of colour step out their door to exist in the world? In this keynote presentation, Charles addresses how our transportation system underserves and disproportionately harms those who are most vulnerable. By understanding inequities in our transportation system, Charles identifies potential strategies for action. The audience for this presentation will leave the event with a greater understanding of the history of our transportation system across North America, and be inspired to correct past injustices to bring better health, equity and freedom to all. Following the keynote, attendees will be invited to participate in discussions to bring the themes of the keynote into our local context. Equitable Cities' Builder and Influencer sponsors: [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdo9Z7GoDB3X58oWKn6RV_nOoKz…] Thank you to our Advocate and Supporter sponsors: The Johnston Group, the City of Winnipeg & Councillor Janice Lukes Would you like to support Equitable Cities? We are still in need of sponsorship and would love your support. We have various levels available. Please reach out to gohappy(a)greenactioncentre.ca<mailto:gohappy@greenactioncentre.ca> for details. Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca>

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WFP: City unveils vision to cut residents’ car trips by half (Jul16'24)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '24

16 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City unveils vision to cut residents’ car trips by half https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/15/city-unveils-visi… THE city is reimagining how Winnipeggers will move in the next 26 years and has set a goal for people to walk, cycle, take transit or rideshare for half of their trips by 2050. Details of the ambitious target were shared in a new transportation master plan released Monday. The city expects Winnipeg’s population to increase by 200,000 residents, to about one million, as of 2050 and says transportation priorities need to shift in response. New sidewalks, a bike network, road and bridge improvements, expanded road capacity, multimodal corridor improvements, and changing how and where trucks move throughout the city are proposed in the plan. Though walking, cycling and transit are more sustainable options for getting around, the plan acknowledges daily trips will continue to be made via personal vehicles. As per the city’s recent pedestrian and cycling strategy, most trips in Winnipeg in 2021 (83 per cent) were made via a personal vehicle, with less than 10 per cent made by transit, and cycling or walking accounted for under seven per cent. By 2050, the city wants to see the share of all trips in personal vehicles reduced to 50 per cent, with the remaining half split between ridesharing (21 per cent), transit (15 per cent) and walking/cycling (14 per cent). “That’s a big bite. The only way we’re going to do that is (by) making it desirable,” public works committee chair Janice Lukes said. “It’s not forcing people, it’s making it more desirable to take the bus, to walk, to bike and to do ridesharing.,” Environmental concern is partly responsible for the shift in priorities since the 2011 master plan, but Lukes said money is the main motivator. “It’s very expensive to design a city and operate a city all around personal vehicles,” she said, adding tax dollars from senior governments will be needed to realize the new plan, especially when it comes to transit. The city is also updating truck routes and aims to reduce by 20 per cent the number of fatal or serious injury collisions come 2026. It also seeks to provide accessible and affordable transportation options for all. “Many streets and intersections are at capacity today,” the plan’s overview states. The infrastructure can’t support movement or serve modes of transit and active transportation unless it receives “major investments,” the overview says. Meanwhile, the city is contending with a “lean financial position” and would opt to maintain current infrastructure rather than building new, the overview states. Everything in the plan is guided by priorities surrounding land use, moving people and goods, and emergency service access. What could all this look like practically? Housing along transit routes, more roads shared by vehicles and cyclists, truck-only lanes, better winter sidewalk maintenance, transit service to city outskirts, maximized road capacity, and bridge repairs were just some of the suggestions in the plan. “It is a visionary plan, but it is a guiding document for making a lot of decisions,” Lukes said. Feeding into the plan are a goods movement study, a road safety action plan — both presented in 2022 — and a 2024 pedestrian/cycling strategy. Success, according to the plan overview, would mean solving “Winnipeg’s biggest transportation problems” and making “transportation safe and efficient for all.” The city wants to get the word out about the proposed plan before a final version and a report go to council in the fall. Six info sessions are scheduled July 17 to 25 for residents. A telephone town hall, requiring registration in advance, is also planned for July 24. jordan.snobelen(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:jordan.snobelen@freepress.mb.ca> Review the plan The city is inviting residents to attend a pop-up event to review the Transportation 2050 plan, talk to members of the project team and share feedback. ● Tuesday St. Vital Centre, near kids’ play park, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● Wednesday Outlet Collection, near Old Navy, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● Thursday Garden City Shopping Centre, centre court, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 22 Kildonan Place, near H& M, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 23 Polo Park, centre court, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 25 The Forks, first floor food hall, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

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TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagining Mobility
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jul '24

15 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. After nearly five years of researching, talking to Winnipeggers, and drafting strategies, we are now ready for you to view the final draft plan as part of TMP2050. Both what we heard during Phases 1& 2 public engagement and further technical analysis helped us refine our strategy into TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagined Mobility. TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagining Mobility is the product of our nearly five-year TMP2050 project. It is our master plan for moving Winnipeg’s transportation system forward. The plan is a comprehensive strategic document that outlines the methods and means to move our city and people into the future. TRANSPORTATION 2050 provides a roadmap that will allow us to: * Prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure over building new infrastructure * Make strategic investments to move more people and goods using the roads we have * Support development of complete communities where people can access their daily needs within a short distance * And empower people to travel by their preferred mode We have developed a plan that could solve Winnipeg's biggest transportation problems and make transportation safe and efficient for all of us, regardless of how we move or where we are going. We have balanced priorities and needs to build a plan that will benefit pedestrians, cyclists, goods movement, emergency vehicles, and cars together. Now, we want to: * Help you understand what the plan could mean for you * Answer your questions * And get a temperature check on whether reimagining mobility will deliver what Winnipeg needs from our transportation system We’re inviting people to learn more by: * Reviewing our bite-sized Guide to TRANSPORTATION 2050<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> * Downloading the larger TRANSPORTATION 2050 policy document<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> * Taking a deep-dive into one of the two draft subsidiary plans moving forward to Council with TRANSPORTATION 2050 (Goods Movement Study<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> and the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies Framework<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…>) * Joining us at one of six public pop-up events<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> between now and July 26 to talk to the project team, ask your questions, and tell us whether you think the plan will move transportation in Winnipeg into the future * Signing up for a July 24 telephone town hall <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> where thousands of Winnipeggers will be on the line to hear about the plan, ask questions, and learn what others think [Winnipeg 150 logo]<https://winnipeg.ca/150years> Julie Horbal Dooley (she/her) Communications Coordinator Director's Office Public Works City of Winnipeg Telephone: 204-391-5498 Email: juliedooley(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:juliedooley@winnipeg.ca> Website: winnipeg.ca<https://winnipeg.ca/> Address: 1155 Pacific Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P1 Vacation alert: June 28-July 2; July 26-August 6 Connect with us: [Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg> [X (Twitter)] <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> [YouTube] <https://youtube.com/thecityofwinnipeg> [LinkedIn] <https://linkedin.com/company/city-of-winnipeg> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/thecityofwinnipeg/>

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WFP: A Jane Jacobs moment for the post-pandemic world (Jul15'24)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jul '24

15 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. A Jane Jacobs moment for the post-pandemic world https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/2024/07/15/a-jane-jaco… JANE Jacobs is the most famous name in the history of urban planning, but she wasn’t an urban planner, and was often critical of the profession. She didn’t draw maps or write zoning policy. Her unique skill was observation. She watched how people interacted with their cities, neighbourhoods, and streets, extracting her theories from the complexity of human movements and interconnected relationships that she would call the sidewalk ballet. Her home on Hudson Street in New York’s Greenwich Village would be her classroom, the people living their lives on the sidewalks in front of her would be her study. She went on to become a writer, releasing her most influential book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in 1961. The book was a reaction to the explosion of car ownership and suburban growth happening across North America that hollowed out many urban centres. She despised the grand megaproject schemes that promised urban renewal solutions by wiping away older neighbourhoods and replacing them with overscale new buildings, parking lots, and bigger roads for suburban commuters. She challenged the ideas of top-down planning and celebrated the value of unplanned organic growth, and the social connectivity, local economic diversity and architectural complexity of the traditional city. She observed that community fabric was woven most tightly in walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods with diverse streets, where apartments, houses, parks, schools, corner stores, and shops were all mixed together. This contrasted with the ideals of modern planning that segregated uses into different areas of the city, requiring a private vehicle to access them. She believed that by rejecting what had made cities successful in the past, planners were dooming them for the future. In this post-pandemic world, we arrive once again at a Jane Jacobs moment as cities across North America search for solutions to redefine their downtowns in a work-from-home era. Winnipeg city council votes this week on CentrePlan 2050, a downtown plan that will form an important part of our city’s response to the challenge. Previous renewal schemes have always looked at downtown as a destination whose success hinges on an ability to draw visitors from other areas of the city, often relying on megaproject attractions and promising silver bullet solutions. CentrePlan 2050 differs from this ideal, finally heeding Jane Jacobs’ 60-year-old advice, saying “You can’t rely on bringing people downtown, you have to put them there.” With office work patterns evolving, the traditional drivers of downtown are changing, and we can no longer rely on it being primarily a transient destination. The path to future prosperity will support these destination attractions but within a downtown that is primarily an urban, mixed-use residential community that many people, from all walks of life, call their home. Achieving this goal will be about more than simply building housing. We must more importantly build the type of urban neighbourhood that people want to live in, and in turn developers want to invest in. While Jacobs’ landmark book is most wellknown, her first published work — a 1958 article in Fortune Magazine called, Downtown is for people — has important lessons for cities like Winnipeg as they implement these plans. Although Jacobs was critical of the planning profession, it has an important role to play in creating a framework that allows the kind of places she loved to organically grow over time — the goal of CentrePlan 2050. Jacobs’ article delivers a strong message that successful downtown neighbourhoods should be designed from the viewpoint of the pedestrian eye, lamenting designers’ fascination with scale models and bird’s-eye views. She expressed the importance of diversity and texture in a streetscape that pulls pedestrians along by continually offering new visual experiences, saying, “a sense of place is built from many little things, some so small people take them for granted, and yet the lack of them takes the flavour out of the city.” Jacobs went on to celebrate the value of old buildings, not only for their architectural character, but their ability to offer lower rent opportunities for new and local business that create walkable streets and provide amenities that support an urban lifestyle. She also lamented the often placelessness of modern architecture, designed without individuality, whim or surprise, believing that cities should take advantage of what makes them unique, capitalizing on and enhancing their own particular history, climate, and built traditions. She believed that to attract pedestrians, streets should be narrow and human scale. Cars can be present in a successful downtown, but they can no longer be the dominant force whose priorities overwhelmingly inform the design and experience of the city. Dense and diverse neighbourhoods, with streets that prioritize human experience will naturally bring people to the sidewalks, creating “eyes on the street” that helps improve safety and security in the neighbourhood. Winnipeg’s CentrePlan 2050 is not a megaproject solution. It’s instead a visionary document that creates a planning framework that nurtures and guides private and public development of all sizes and types towards the common goal of creating a vibrant, safe, and prosperous mixed use downtown neighbourhood. A place that Jane Jacobs would have been proud of, and one that all Winnipeggers fall in love with. It will be important as we move forward that we continuously uphold the values and goals of CentrePlan 2050, through supporting policies, project approvals, budgets and design review processes. Expediting new housing is important, but we must have the self-confidence to say no to low quality and incongruent development, demanding all new projects be a quality worthy of our downtown, responding to the plan with beauty, durability, elegance and a seamless connection to the pedestrian experience. As Jane Jacobs said, “designing a dream city is easy; rebuilding a living one takes imagination.” Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.

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