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WFP: Higher standard for snow clearing (Jul14'23)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '23

14 Jul '23

*HIGHER STANDARD FOR SNOW CLEARING * CITY council has backed a call to ramp up snow-clearing for residential sidewalks, while moving forward a request to greatly increase the annual snow-clearing budget. Council voted Thursday to refer the call to raise the annual ice and snow control budget to $54.2 million, from around $35 million, to next year’s budget process. *The vote also approves a plan to spend an extra $216,000 in 2023, plus $552,000 or more per year from 2024 through 2027, to ramp up snow-clearing for residential sidewalks and pathways.*

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WFP Analysis: The Idaho stop: a step forward for safety (Jul13'23)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '23

13 Jul '23

*The Idaho stop: a step forward for safety * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2023/07/13/the-idaho-sto… WHY isn’t the Idaho stop legal in Manitoba? That’s not the latest TikTok dance trend, it’s a rule that allows cyclists to “roll” through stop signs when safe to do so and research indicates it saves lives. The Idaho stop, named after the state that first made it legal in 1982, isn’t allowed anywhere in Canada, but is slowly becoming part of the legal landscape in the United States. Here’s how it works. When a cyclist comes to an intersection in states with stop-as-yield laws, they must reduce their speed, ensure that there is no traffic coming and proceed carefully. It also means stopping at red lights, but only for as long as needed for the intersection to be safe to ride through. It doesn’t mean blast through all the stop signs, red lights and any other traffic measures. It does mean that the rider doesn’t have to stop the bike, put their foot down and stop their momentum if it’s safe to continue to ride. As Bike Winnipeg’s Patty Wiens explains: “Stop signs are for controlling speeds and making sure that cars aren’t treating every street like a highway. Bikes aren’t high-speed vehicles, with even e-bikes being speed controlled at a maximum of 32 km/h, having the Idaho stop become legal, would just help to keep traffic moving.” Obviously then, this treats cyclists differently than vehicles. And that’s not a bad thing. Research conducted suggests that allowing cyclists the opportunity to maintain their momentum and get “in front of traffic” at intersections is safer. According to Manitoba Public Insurance, there are on average four cyclists killed and 78 injured annually in collisions with vehicles. Intersections are the most dangerous place for cyclists. Interestingly, a 2007 study indicated that women cyclists are more likely to be killed than men by large transport trucks, largely because women are more likely to obey signage and stop, and as a result, are hit by trucks who don’t see them in their blind spot. Here’s why the Idaho stop should be implemented in Manitoba. First as stated, research suggests it saves lives because it allows cyclists to get out ahead of traffic and away from blind spots. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, after Idaho adopted the law, cyclist injuries from traffic crashes declined by 14.5 per cent in 1983. When Delaware adopted a similar stop law in 2017, crashes involving cyclists at stop sign intersections fell by 23 per cent. Second, while building more bike paths should still be the goal for city planners, stop-as-yield laws may divert cyclists off of main thoroughfares and onto side streets which have more stop signs. If cyclists don’t have to slow down their momentum and aren’t going to be ticketed by police for Idaho stops, this may be a safer response to trying to cycle on Kenaston at Corydon in the middle of rush hour in Winnipeg. (No, I am not letting city hall off the hook about bike paths, but this feels like a reasonable compromise until something is finally done.) Third, it decriminalizes cycling behaviour and it may actually encourage more people to become cyclists. With more people riding bikes, there’s more visibility and there’s more safety. Research indicates that there is safety in numbers for cyclists and accidents are reduced when there are more riders on the streets. Finally, it also may reduce the opportunity to harass cyclists. It’s perhaps one of the most annoying habit Winnipeggers seem to engage in and it’s something I have never experienced as an avid rider who has biked in Cuba, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Quebec, Alberta and New York City. People (very often, driving large trucks) will scream at you while waiting at the intersection. The Idaho stop means cyclists could ride away from that kind of vitriol. (Seriously, what is wrong with you?) As Wiens says, cycling is more than just a leisure activity and we should normalize it as another form of active transportation. For many who live on a lower income, cycling is the only form of transportation that is affordable and reliable. As well, Wiens says: “due to the rising price of gas, insurance and car ownership, there are more and more people commuting on their bikes in Winnipeg, including in winter.” Making cycling safe for everyone should be a priority that has to be promoted by the government from the top down. And in the winter, a stop-as-yield law will be even more important. Wiens says cyclists end up sharing the road even more because there are many times where the snow gets cleared onto the bike lane and the separated bike paths don’t get the priority snow clearing that roads get. It’s time to do the Idaho stop Manitoba. Let’s save some lives. Shannon Sampert is a communications consultant, freelance editor for Policy Options and former politics and perspectives editor at the Free Press. She teaches part time at the University of Manitoba. shannon(a)mediadiva.ca

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WFP: Winnipeg top three in residential bus stop accessibility (Jul13'23)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '23

13 Jul '23

*Winnipeg top three in residential bus stop accessibility * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/07/12/winnipeg-top-three-in-re… (CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-transit-buses-accessible-b… ) WINNIPEG is — or should be — one of the easiest places to catch a bus in the country, according to new Statistics Canada data. Data released Tuesday compared population density and how many people live within 500 metres of a bus stop across 36 cities. In Winnipeg, 84.8 per cent of its population has convenient access to a bus stop, following only Montreal and Toronto, at 87.5 per cent and 85.3 per cent, respectively. Cities with similarly high percentages include Vancouver, Victoria and Regina. The lowest was Belleville, Ont., where just over half of residents can get to a bus stop in a short walk. However, access to a bus stop is not access to a reliable bus, Functional Transit Winnipeg president Kyle Owens said Wednesday. “In the past, there has been sufficient investment to at least put those stops in place, to understand that having lots of stops makes transit service broadly accessible to more people … Infrastructure was put in place with the expectation that people would be using and valuing transit to get where they’re going as part of their routine,” he said. “That we have not seen widespread use of Winnipeg Transit reflects the fact that we just haven’t seen that commensurate investment.” The grassroots non-profit organization also questioned the value of the data, as a 500-metre distance isn’t always indicative of true accessibility, noting struggles for people with physical disabilities to traverse winter sidewalks that aren’t regularly cleared. “It is crucial that we think about making that access possible for so many people, whether or not they have mobility needs, and if they do have mobility needs, we’re seeing broken sidewalks, sidewalks that are not to grade, all that infrastructure maintenance is crucial for transit to work properly,” Owens said. Functional Transit member Brian Pincott called the data “meaningless” without more investment in Transit services. “I think honestly what the city should do is go, ‘So what?’ and then look at the plan that they have … and make it happen quickly,” he said. The Winnipeg Transit Master Plan incorporates several broad revisions, repairs, fixes, improvements to service, Owens said. “We are trying to encourage the city to accelerate the Transit Master Plan… What we consider to be the key (improvement) is frequent service.” The number of city residents close to a bus stop has dropped in the past seven years. — Malak Abas

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Free Press Community Review: West - Free programming promotes safe bike habits (Jul12'23)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jul '23

12 Jul '23

Free programming promotes safe bike habits https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/west/2023/07/12/free-prog… Start your (non-existent) engines! Manitoba Public Insurance is offering free cycling programs for cyclists of all ages to promote road safety, comfort, and good cycling habits. Most notable are MPI’s Cycle Safety Bike Rodeos, which will be presented in the highest number of communities ever this summer, after being around for 50 years. “MPI’s free cycling programming has reached over 12,000 people so far this year, and will grow to over 13,000 Manitobans by the end of the summer,” said Kristy Rydz, manager of communications at MPI. “In 2023, MPI anticipates it will reach approximately 50,000 Manitobans of all ages.” Cycle Safety Bike Rodeos are available to kids aged between six and 10, every year between May and August The BEST (Bicycle Education & Training in Schools) program — created and presented in partnership with the Seven Oaks School Division, Green Action Centre, Bike Winnipeg, and the WRENCH — is delivered to students in grades 6 to 8 at over 20 schools in the city. The program teaches cycling safety basics, such as hand signals, lane positioning, as well as bicycle maintenance — similar to motor vehicles, not all bikes are roadworthy. “MPI’s goal is to begin sharing road safety messages with Manitobans as early as possible to help everyone learn the rules of the road from a young age,” Rydz said. “By teaching young people how to share the road, first as a cyclist, and then as a driver as they get older, MPI aims to make Manitoba’s roads safer for all road users.” In Manitoba, drivers and cyclists are expected to share the road. Although cyclists must ride as far to the right side of the street as possible, they judge traffic the same way one would in a car and can ride further into a lane if it’s safest for them. “Motor vehicles and cyclists share the same roads, the same rights and the same rules,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. The different biking programs all encourage consistent safe practices, proper communication between bikers and drivers, and better navigation of the city’s active transportation system. Alongside the younger aged education, the corporation will be offering several adult classes, including MPI’s Bike It! for riders aged 16 and older, which will include theory and on-road lessons for participants, separated into daytime sessions throughout the summer. For older cyclists, Cycling Champions workshops can be arranged for work, neighbourhood groups, or classrooms. This group-oriented (six people or more) program lasts a full day and is a hybrid of presentation and road-based learning. Custom times can be arranged in advance. At press time, registration is open and programming will be available throughout the summer. To learn more about the mentioned programming or register for a session in advance, visit online at mpi.mb.ca or email roadsafety(a)mpi.mb.ca *Emma Honeybun is a reporter/photographer for the Free Press Community Review. She graduated RRC Polytech’s creative communications program, with a specialization in journalism, in 2023.*

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WFP Editorial: The latest - Portage and Main (Jul6'23)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jul '23

06 Jul '23

*The latest: Portage and Main* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2023/07/06/the-latest-… IT’S not some kind of mythical Gordian Knot, tangled and tightened beyond all hope of being untied. Nor is it a creation of author Franz Kafka: one night, the pedestrian access beneath Portage and Main did not metamorphose into a giant, otherworldly mandible-clacking beetle. But sometimes it seems more than a little bit like both of those things. And the saga continues. In the past few weeks, City Hall has been examining the idea of closing and demolishing the bunker — the stairwell that takes pedestrians (well, brave ones, anyway) down into the concourse beneath the storied Winnipeg intersection. Make no mistake — the bunker, stairs and connection to the underground concourse is stinky, scary and unpleasant. Often a urinal — and sometimes disgustingly more than that — it is in no way a route of choice for those trying to cross at the intersection. Sometimes, though, it’s the only route. The idea being considered is one put forward by the city’s property committee, and approved unanimously, which would include the city paying Richardson Centre Ltd. $1.65 million to remove the staircase as part of a redevelopment, and also put in place an agreement to allow people to use parts of the Richardson Building to access the concourse route underneath the intersection, using more expanded hours than the current hours the building is open. The arrangement doesn’t appear to be establishing or maintaining a public right-of-way: it seems more like a move to develop a commercial arrangement for access through private property. And commercial arrangements have their complications and costs. The proposal approved by the property committee is worded like this: “That authority be delegated to the Chief Administrative Officer to negotiate and approve all future agreements with Richardson Centre Limited with respect to public use and access to the City concourse through Richardson Centre Limited’s property located at 365 and 375 Main Street and such other terms and conditions deemed necessary by the City Solicitor/Director of Legal Services to protect the interests of the City,” the motion says. And generally speaking, things like access, cleaning, additional opening hours and security can end up being commercial costs that have to be borne by users. The question of public access is not lost on committee chairperson Coun. Sherri Rollins: “Most Winnipeggers want to not have to rely on a private-sector access agreement to be able to access their city in a meaningful way.” Another way of looking at it? Like putting lipstick on a pig — or else as yet another hitch and coil in the ever-growing Portage and Main Gordonian Pedestrian Knot. Moving the public through the Richardson Centre property doesn’t actually simplify things: it just throws in a whole new element. Other larger and more complex intersections in larger and busier cities than our own have managed to function without such complications. Without sky gardens. Without years of planning and replanning, consultants’ reports and public input and scary staircases and concrete barricades. A functional downtown needs the ability for a right of way from point A to point B, not just for vehicles, but for living, breathing, walking people. Alexander the Great, by solving the Gordian Knot by cutting it in half with his sword, was prophesied to become the ruler of all Asia. Perhaps endless travails over an intersection would benefit from such a simple and direct approach. Whoever finally unravels meaningful, simple, public pedestrian access through Portage and Main won’t rule all of Asia. But maybe there’s an argument that they could rule all of Winnipeg.

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WFP: Cyclist in hospital, four suspects sought in hit, run (Jul4'23)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jul '23

04 Jul '23

Cyclist in hospital, four suspects sought in hit, run Reconstructing the scene of a hit-and-run collision that hospitalized a cyclist June 30 is a key aspect of the city police probe into the incident, a spokesman says. The Winnipeg Police Service was called to the reported collision between a cyclist and a vehicle at Isabel Street and Notre Dame Avenue at about 8 p.m. Friday. Patrol officers found the 63-year-old man lying unconscious in the road. He remains in hospital, in critical but stable condition. The vehicle involved left the scene, but was ditched a block west on the 100 block of Juno Street, police said Sunday. Community support officers found the vehicle, a “heavily” damaged grey 2007 Pontiac G6, with no one inside. Witnesses told police four males ran from the sedan. WPS spokesman Const. Claude Chancy said Monday he could not reveal whether the vehicle had been reported or suspected stolen prior to the collision. Chancy added the four suspects who fled the damaged sedan have not yet been located. He said much of the investigation will be focused on rebuilding the collision. “There’s a lot of work insofar as the reconstruction of the accident itself — the rest is just based on sourcing out information, whether it be from witnesses, the involved party and, of course, video surveillance that is available to investigators,” Chancy said. “That’s why we usually ask for public assistance in order to gain that information.” Jeremy Epp, owner of Independent Jewellers, said Monday he knew little of what occurred — noting his business at the northwest corner of Isabel Street and Notre Dame Avenue was closed at the time of the collision and over the weekend. However, “It’s a high-traffic corner,” said Epp. Traffic investigators learned the cyclist had crossed the intersection against a red light when he was hit by the vehicle, throwing him onto the road, police said Sunday. Police are still seeking witnesses who saw the collision or spotted the vehicle around the time of the collision, as well as any surveillance footage, including from homes and dash cameras, captured around that time. Traffic investigators ask anyone with tips to call the division at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204786-8477. erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: City split three ways on desired infrastructure path: poll (Jul4'23)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jul '23

04 Jul '23

[Note: Also see Brent Bellamy's response to the article, pasted below this one.] * * * * * *More recreation space, roads, rapid transit near-equal priorities* *City split three ways on desired infrastructure path: poll* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/07/03/city-split-three-… TINA Montemayor is like many Winnipeggers, staring at a public policy fork in the road. As a commuter, she knows how frustrating driving in the city can be — especially on Kenaston Boulevard at rush hour. Route 90 has become a no-go zone for her. She takes Shaftesbury Boulevard, then McCreary Road, McGillivray Boulevard and a short stretch on Kenaston to reach her Bridgwater neighbourhood home after work. “For my own mental health, I’m avoiding Kenaston,” Montemayor said with a laugh. “I know how crazy the traffic is.” If another lane were added, however, she says she would take Kenaston all the way home. But when asked to choose between more concrete traffic lanes, more green and recreational space or more rapid transit, Montemayor’s decision mirrors that of most Winnipeggers, according to a new Probe Research survey for the Free Press. While she’s all for widening roadways — like 31 per cent of respondents — Montemayor desires more spending on recreation, which edged out transportation as the top priority in Probe’s poll at 36 per cent. “For me, (it’s) more funding so that people get more active and get to interact with each other,” Montemayor said. With the City of Winnipeg proposing two road-widenings — Route 90 (Kenaston) between Ness and Taylor avenues, and Chief Peguis Trail, at an estimated cost of $1 billion — the Free Press asked Probe to survey residents to ask which of the following would be their top priority: widening major roadways, building more rapid transit, or creating and renovating recreation facilities and other amenities that improve quality of life. The results elicited a near three-way split. Suburban residents in north Winnipeg were most likely to prioritize expanding roadways, as were Progressive Conservative voters. “Not surprisingly, you have… people who live in some of the more suburban areas who are affected by congestion and gridlock (picking roadway expansion),” said Curtis Brown, a principal with Probe Research. However, despite Winnipeg capital spending debates often being framed around “better roads” or more active and rapid transit, the data show “a pretty strong current across the city” of people wanting recreation investment, Brown said. Spending more on recreation topped Robin LaFreniere’s list. “Everyone’s struggling with their mental health,” said LaFreniere, 35. “Wrapping around more wellness and (having) a bit (of a) slower pace for people, I think, would be good.” She’s taken her five-year-old son to parks, pools and play structures. She couldn’t choose a favourite spot — all are “unique” — but more free programming at facilities is needed, LaFreniere said. “I think no matter where you live — whether you live in Wolseley, or whether you live in the far reaches of North Kildonan — you want to have rinks and pools and splash pads that you and your family can use,” Brown said. “It’s pretty much universal.” Graham Lowes considers Winnipeg behind, when comparing it to peers’ recreation centres: “Go to a pool in any place in B.C. or Alberta… even Steinbach.” Support for recreation was widespread throughout Winnipeg, Probe’s survey found. At least one-third of respondents in each area — central Winnipeg, the suburban north and the suburban south — listed recreation centres as their top priority, at 41, 37, and 33 per cent, respectively. Julie Chamberlain, a University of Winnipeg urban studies professor who researches urban development and planning, counted herself among the group to put recreation at the forefront. “It addresses… a whole range of concerns the city has that seem disconnected.” Studies show accessible recreation improves physical and mental health, community safety and connection, she said. “It’s especially important in neighbourhoods where people can’t afford to pay to send their kids to programs, and where there isn’t adequate and safe and attractive greenspace.” Widening roadways, of the three options, was at the bottom of Chamberlain’s list. “The expansion of roadways is…. notoriously poor planning practice. I know it seems counter-intuitive,” she said. “It doesn’t do what people think it does.” Road-widening draws more traffic and pollution, and often comes at the expense of green space, Chamberlain said. Ciara Okumura, 25, would prefer to not own a vehicle. Lately, she’s been living the lifestyle; her car broke down. “I think we should be moving away from a car-oriented city anyways,” Okumura said, waiting at a rapid transit station near Pembina Highway. “Just for our carbon footprint.” Thirty-two per cent of survey respondents crowned rapid transit their top priority. The number jumps to 45 per cent when counting respondents ages 18 through 34, and 43 per cent when considering households earning less than $50,000 annually. Nearly half of NDP voters — 47 per cent — ranked rapid transit a top priority, as did central neighbourhood residents (45 per cent). “We need a way better bus system,” Okumura said. “Not even just rapid transit, just all the buses working better.” She’d like reliable bus service — especially in the winter, as she’s waiting in freezing temperatures for a ride to university. It’s not uncommon for buses to be late or pass her by, too full to stop. The Linden Woods resident said she needs a car because buses don’t come frequently or transport her everywhere she needs. Chamberlain, who lives in the North End, echoed that concern. “By the time I’ve waited for the bus to come, I could’ve ridden my bike there already,” Chamberlain said. Kyle Owens, president of Functional Transit Winnipeg, believes increasing bus frequency — and returning the fleet to 2018 levels — is the first step to improving Winnipeg Transit. “No one can be forced onto a bus with enough advertising,” Owens said. “It has to be a more convenient option than just taking your car.” Speeding up implementation of the city’s Winnipeg Transit Master Plan is also critical, Owens said. “So many families are suffering economically,” he added. “The existing system does not meet the needs of so many people who would be happy to not buy a car, not use their car or get rid of their car.” Winnipeg Transit has made headlines for a persistent driver shortage. Meantime, the City of Winnipeg is projecting a $27-million deficit this year, one which is expected to drain its so-called “rainy day” fund. Several people the Free Press spoke to highlighted the need for more active transit, including Lowes, who bikes on major arteries such as Kenaston Boulevard. “If they’re going to widen the roads, they should put a (protected) bike lane,” he said, adding he regularly visits a bustling Assiniboine Avenue cycle track. “When you build that infrastructure, people use it.” Survey respondents answered online from May 31 through June 13, after being randomly recruited via phone call. The survey has a 95 per cent accuracy, plus or minus four percentage points, if Winnipeg’s entire adult population had been surveyed. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com * * * * * Winnipeg’s three Rs: recreation, roads, rapid transit https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/07/03/winnipegs-three-rs-recre… The *Winnipeg Free **Press* and Probe Research recently conducted a poll asking people to identify their top infrastructure spending priority for the City of Winnipeg. The results reveal Winnipeggers have diverse opinions about how to improve their quality of life. Thirty-six per cent of respondents identified their top priority as building and renovating recreation centres and related amenities such as community clubs, parks, splash pads and arenas. Thirty-two per cent favoured building a rapid transit network. Thirty-one per cent preferred widening and expanding roads. [image: WENDY SAWATZKY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS] <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/probe-…>WENDY SAWATZKY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS At first glance, the responses appear to be distinct priorities whose implementation would require choosing one over another. With careful and strategic planning however, they can be tied together in a symbiotic relationship that allows the city to achieve the goals of each. The poll illustrates Winnipeg’s connection to its community centres runs deep. While many cities have moved to a big-box recreation model that combines several uses into large, regional complexes, Winnipeg has been able to maintain a wonderful network of community centres deeply woven into the fabric of neighbourhoods. For generations, they have supported physical and mental health, providing people from youth to seniors with places for social connection and relationship building. Skating at the local rink or joining an after-school program, creates a sense of community and represents a vital building block of a walkable neighbourhood. The community centre model in Winnipeg is unique from other Canadian cities in that they are owned by the city but governed and operated by volunteers. It’s estimated each year, 17,000 volunteers devote more than 1.2 million hours to them. As important as the facilities are, they are facing significant challenges, including the ability to maintain such a level of volunteer support. The challenges facing Winnipeg’s 63 community centres can in many ways be connected to how the city has grown and developed over the last 50 years. Most of Winnipeg’s mature neighbourhoods have at least 30 per cent fewer people living in them today than in the 1970s, largely due to smaller household sizes. In contrast, population growth has exploded in new suburban neighbourhoods. The impact is recreation services in older areas are underused and being supported by a smaller community, while at the same time, new facilities are being built to support new communities. This growth pattern has meant more thinly-spread volunteer support and a stretching of city budgets to maintain facilities and programming. In 2018, 40 per cent of Winnipeg’s community centres, and 100 per cent of city-run arenas, were evaluated to be in poor condition, requiring funding for maintenance and new construction to meet modern building codes, evolving recreation trends and community needs. Rapid transit, the second priority identified in the Probe/*Free Press* poll, offers part of the solution to the challenges recreation facilities face. Rapid transit can address issues of social equity, cost of living, and environmental sustainability, but it can also be used as a strong urban development tool. When rapid transit is effective and convenient, large numbers of people want to use it, creating market pressure for high-density residential development near the system’s access points. This can create powerful magnets for population growth in established communities. Known as transit oriented development (TOD), it allows planners to strategically locate rapid transit stations to target areas for infill growth and densification. This has proven to be particularly successful with light rail transit systems. Growing a mature neighbourhood’s population through TOD can breathe new life into existing community centres by increasing the number of potential users and broadening the volunteer pool. This also allows overall population to grow without creating the need to build new facilities to serve new residents. With more taxpayers supporting a smaller number of recreation facilities, the city’s financial model becomes more viable, freeing up funding to improve maintenance schedules and explore redevelopment options for existing community centres. The financial advantages of higher-density existing neighbourhoods stimulated by initiatives such as TOD also hold true for the recent poll’s third identified priority: building and expanding roads. Larger roads aren’t necessarily the end goal, but higher levels of maintenance and lower levels of traffic congestion are likely to be. Using TOD as a tool to direct population growth to mature neighbourhoods means more people using roads that already exist, requiring fewer expensive, new roads to be built. More taxpayers paying to maintain less road naturally results in better road conditions. As for reducing traffic congestion, a good rapid transit system has consistently proven to be far more effective than increasing vehicle capacity. Bigger roads result in more cars — always. The speed, lower cost and reliability of rapid transit make it an attractive alternative to driving. This mode shift can reduce the number of cars on the road and the corresponding traffic they create. In Calgary, as an example, the convenience and affordability of the C-Train has made it North America’s busiest light-rail system, attracting almost half of downtown commuters to transit. An important takeaway from this poll is city building is an interconnected network of priorities. The ability to implement one can be directly affected by another. When strategic investments are made that more efficiently use existing resources, it creates financial flexibility for other priorities. Rapid transit is just one example of an infrastructure investment that, if combined with strong planning strategies, can transcend its primary function — to become a city-building tool that enables a wide range of other quality-of-life public investments. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group*

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WFP: Police seek help in cyclist hit-and-run
by Beth McKechnie 03 Jul '23

03 Jul '23

Police seek help in hit-and-run A cyclist is recovering in hospital after a hit-and-run Friday, police say. Winnipeg police say they responded to a report of a vehicle-cyclist collision at the intersection of Isabel Street and Notre Dame Avenue Friday at 8 p.m., according to a release. At the scene, police found a 63-year-old man unconscious on the road. He was taken to hospital in unstable condition and later downgraded to critical but stable condition. The vehicle fled the scene. Police later located an abandoned “heavily damaged” grey 2007 Pontiac G6 in the 100 block of Juno Street. Four men were seen fleeing the vehicle. When traffic collision investigators took over, they learned that the cyclist was crossing Notre Dame Avenue and Isabel Street against a red light when the vehicle struck him, projecting him onto the road. Those with information are asked to contact traffic division investigators at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).

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WFP: Bike safety programs roll on, active transportation concerns persist (Jul1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Jul '23

01 Jul '23

*Bike safety programs roll on, active transportation concerns persist* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/06/30/bike-safety-progr… Sharee Hochman wants Winnipeggers to choose active transportation over cars. “Simply, the way our city is built is just not prioritizing people to get out of their cars to move in different ways,” said Hochman, a sustainable active transportation program co-ordinator with the Green Action Centre. “(The city) is still focusing on providing more space, more money and more capacity to vehicles, rather than trying to provide safer and reliable options.” On average, 200 cyclists are injured or killed on Manitoba roads each year, making cycling dangerous, especially when riders have to share the road with vehicles. In the hope of reducing fatalities, Manitoba Public Insurance has expanded free cycling safety programs. MPI expects to reach a whopping 50,000 Manitobans of all ages, said Kristy Rydz, manager of communication. The Crown auto insurer estimates 13,000 children will be educated through its Cycle Safely Bike Rodeos — the widest reach in the program’s 50-year history. Since 2015, the Bicycle Education & Skills Training in Schools program has had great success in educating middle school students about bike safety. Every year, a fleet of bicycles travels from school to school to deliver hands-on safety training to middle schoolers in the Seven Oaks School Division, thanks to a partnership between MPI, Bike Winnipeg, WRENCH and Green Action Centre. “Those instructors are providing cycling skills, information, things like road positioning, parts of the bike, signals, what to watch out for, where the hazards are, different things like that,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Despite the expansion of MPI programs, Winnipeg was given a failing grade of 32 out of 100 on bike safety by PeopleForBikes, which is based in Colorado. To boost the city’s score, Hochman suggests installing additional protected bike lanes, offering bike parking and dedicating more municipal funding to infrastructure. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said that while progress has been made on the active transportation front over the past several years, more must be done. As an avid cyclist himself, he said the main problem is the lack of connectivity between designated cycling routes. “We know that a lot of people aren’t using their bicycles because they don’t feel safe on the streets,” Allard said Friday. “Until we have a complete network, there are a whole lot of people that won’t be using their bicycles to get around the city.” Compared to past years, the City of Winnipeg has allocated more funding to active transportation, which includes walking, cycling and other forms of human-powered transportation. In the 2023 preliminary budget, it committed $17.6 million to active transportation projects, subject to council approval — an $8 million increase from 2022. Winnipeg also has more protected bike lanes than it did five years ago. In 2021, the Wolseley-to-downtown bike lane was completed, equipping the neighbourhood with protected lanes on Westminister Avenue/Young Street/Balmoral Street between Maryland and Osborne streets. This year, protected lanes will be installed on River and Stradbrook avenues, and Wellington Crescent. Without proper infrastructure, cyclists are forced to ride with vehicular traffic, which turns off many would-be cyclists, Cohoe said. “If you’re on a street with buses, with trucks, and a fair bit of traffic, that’s a thing that really discourages people,” he said. “It’s really a no-go situation for a lot of people.” Recent municipal consultations suggest demand is high for protected bike lanes. Seventy-seven per cent of St. Boniface residents consulted by the city were in favour of installing one-way lanes on Provencher Boulevard, a major thoroughfare in the neighbourhood. Describing 2023 as the “worst year for traffic,” Allard believes drivers who dread rush-hour congestion would benefit from more robust cycling infrastructure. “Usually, people riding bicycles on roads are riding at speeds that are less than people who are driving automobiles,” he said. “I would suggest that every time a new cycling facility is introduced, particularly separated facilities, that’s good for commuters.” Hochman credits advocacy by active transportation groups for boosting awareness and a desire for safer conditions on the road. At the same time, she knows they can’t do it alone. She wants civic government to be more responsive. “A lot of this does need the support from the city to help make this a more safe, attractive and reliable option for a lot of people,” Hochman said. “There’s only so much that organizations can do. We do need the decision makers to support this shift.” cierra.bettens(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Book Review: Parking problems pleasingly parsed (Jun30'23)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jun '23

30 Jun '23

Parking problems pleasingly parsed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/books/2023/06… WINNIPEG drivers like to think that finding a space to park our cars is our civic, if not human, right. American journalist Henry Grabar’s new book, Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World, will disabuse us of the notion we are in any way special. According to Grabar, the unrealistic expectation of convenient, immediately available and free parking is held by every North American with a driver’s licence. “It would be unimaginable to hold any other good or service to the same standard,” writes Grabar, who covers urban policy issues for Slate. “Once, I missed an entire summer afternoon at the beach because I refused to pay for parking, and while I hunted, my passengers (wisely) left on the island ferry without me.” In his snappily written and well-researched tome, Grabar surveys wrong-headed urban decisions made over many decades. These have turned downtowns into traffic-clogged disasters and suburbs into grey expanses of strip malls surrounded by seas of empty asphalt and concrete. The book’s main virtues are Grabar’s grasp of the subject matter and his impressive writing ability. Policy-wonk books are seldom so fluent and entertaining. A big downside, at least for Canadian readers, is Grabar’s American focus. In his hundreds of anecdotes, profiles and examples, he seldom strays from the contiguous 48 states. He gives us a single mention, in a paragraph about per-capita car ownership. Canada, he reports, has about 655 cars per 1,000 population, compared to 600 per 1,000 in Western Europe and 800 in the U.S. C’est tout for Canuck content. Well, except for his title, grabbed from the lyric of Joni Mitchell’s song Big Yellow Taxi: “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.” Grabar acknowledges his research leans heavily on the work of progressive urban thinkers who have, uh, paved the way for him. Chief among them is California-based economist Donald Shoup, best-known for his 2005 book, The High Cost of Free Parking. The big evil for Shoup is “parking minimums,” municipal bylaws that command property developers to include unrealistically high numbers of parking spots in their plans for both commercial and residential buildings. These rules put construction costs out of reach and result in non-drivers in, for instance, apartment blocks, absorbing in their rent the cost of other tenants’ parking spots. Another common mistake is improper pricing of downtown street parking. If it’s too low, downtown workers will snap up the spots by 9 a.m., leaving only high-priced lots for everyone else. Most parking-policy errors made in the U.S. have been imported to Canada, but it would be useful to know if and how our regulatory framework differs. *Shoup, by the way, presented his ideas in Winnipeg in 2019 in a workshop sponsored by the Downtown BIZ and the Green Action Centre.* The book contains much else of interest. Included is a portrait of the inventor of the shopping mall, the Holocaust refugee Victor Gruen, an amusing chapter detailing how parking lots attract fraudsters, and another filled with eye-opening stats about the over-availability of parking spots in U.S. cities. “By square footage,” Grabar writes, “there is more housing for each car in the United States than there is for each person.” Kudos in particular to the publisher for illustrating the text with nifty line drawings, by Alfred Twu, instead of predictable photos. *Morley Walker is a retired Free Press writer and editor.*

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