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WFP: First Fridays talk puts post-pandemic Winnipeg in focus
by Beth McKechnie 06 Aug '20

06 Aug '20

First Fridays talk puts post-pandemic Winnipeg in focus https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/arts/first-fr… THERE are few aspects of daily life in Winnipeg and beyond that haven’t been changed, in some way, over the past few months by the pandemic — among them how we interact and communicate, get places and buy things. Urban designer and visual artist Lawrence Bird doesn’t have all the answers, but he does have plenty of ideas that he’ll be discussing Friday with Alison Gillmor, moderator of Building a Post-Pandemic Future, this month’s First Fridays in the Exchange Art Talk. >From bike lanes to open-plan offices, Bird and Gillmor will discuss how prior pandemics have transformed the world and what kind of changes the current one might inspire. The big question is if Winnipeg — a city that “doesn’t change super-quickly,” says Bird — will do the unexpected and embrace the changes that may be coming, or remain entrenched in its old ways. “It’s been 10 years or so since there has been a gradual movement downtown,” says Bird. “Will that stop? Will they turn around? I don’t think so.” Changes to urban design and architecture have been the response, in some cases, to pandemics of the past, such as the creation of Central Park in New York City to improve public health, or the construction of the avenues of Paris; improvements that benefited the wealthy while displacing other communities, he says. Adding to the stress and uncertainty of the pandemic was the need to lock down personal care homes to outside visitors which, in some cases, eliminated any communication between residents and family. Recognizing the need for family contact, the province put out a call for “visitation shelter” designs that would allow in-person connections while ensuring other residents and staff remain safe. Bird is an urban designer at Sputnik Architecture Inc., which recently submitted a design. He believes the pandemic — and learning from past mistakes — may help people better understand the need for new urban designs that are sustainable, inclusive and equitable. One example is shared road spaces — called “woonerfs” in Holland. “A couple decades ago, this idea came up that rather than separating cars and pedestrians, they can walk in the same space,” he says. “And the result is less accidents. Instead of zooming through, focused on the road, the (drivers) are looking out for pedestrians and the pedestrians are looking out for cars. It’s a mutual recognition.” Could an idea like that actually work in a car-centric city such as Winnipeg? It already has, he says. “Winnipeg has actually experimented with this in John Hirsch Place, the alleyway by the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre,” he says. “People can walk through there and drive through there. There haven’t been accidents, as far as I know.” “You could do that along many other streets in Winnipeg.” Building a Post-Pandemic Future, with Lawrence Bird, will be streamed online at firstfridayswinnipeg.org Friday at 7 p.m. The event is free to watch. frances.koncan(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @franceskoncan

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WFP: Ottawa aims to spur quick builds (Aug6'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Aug '20

06 Aug '20

Program tweaked so Manitoba can get $117M Ottawa aims to spur quick builds https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/ottawa-makes-push-for… OTTAWA — The federal government is rejigging its massive infrastructure plan to allow provinces to divert 10 per cent of their federal funding into shovel-ready projects aimed at helping people keep physically distant. *That could mean Manitoba will get up to $117 million, which has been gummed up in red tape, to build bike lanes and hospital extensions and retrofit classrooms.* “Once we get on the other side of COVID… infrastructure’s going to be a way to rebuild our cities, our rural areas and the North,” said Dan Vandal, Manitoba’s federal cabinet minister. The Manitoba government said it will study the proposal and see if it can help clear obstacles to getting infrastructure funds out the door. The Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) has been plagued with problems since Manitoba signed onto its quota in 2018. The decade-long plan is aimed at repairing Canada’s crumbling roads and outdated buildings, such as recreation centres. *ICIP splits projects into four areas, such as green, rural and public transit *— and largely requires provinces to match the cost. Numerous provinces have said the criteria make it hard to get projects through the federal approval process. The Liberals have partially acknowledged that problem, while insisting provinces aren’t putting up enough cash to qualify. Winnipeg’s city council has shelved projects it nominated for the plan, after the belt-tightening provincial Progressive Conservatives put up less funding than the city wanted. On Wednesday, the federal Liberals announced provinces can divert 10 per cent of their federal ICIP cash into shovel-ready projects, targeted at making life easier during the COVID-19 pandemic. Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna told reporters even cell phone and broadband projects could qualify for funding. “We’re using existing money to make sure that we’re getting better outcomes,” she said. “This is for projects that can be built quickly.” The reappropriated funding is intended for projects for which construction would start by fall 2021 and be completed by the end of that year. The federal government could also form more direct partnerships with cities, which municipalities have sought for years. *Instead of the usual formula of Ottawa and the province each covering 40 per cent of costs and leaving the city to pay the remaining 20 per cent, these COVID-19 projects could have Ottawa pay four-fifths of the cost without provinces contributing a dime.* *However, those projects would still require the provincial government to sign off on them.* Manitoba Central Services Minister Reg Helwer seemed open to green-lighting such projects, saying the PCs want job-stimulating projects in cities and First Nations, while allowing the province to afford essential services. “We’re going to make it work best for Manitoba and we are in very active negotiations with the federal government,” Helwer said in an interview. He did not provide examples of specific projects the PCs would make a priority. Vandal said the money can be used for anything from cycling routes in Winnipeg to medical research facilities. As an example, he cited the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation, which is in his riding. “Many of our hospitals need some investment, so I’m hoping we can use some of these funds to do some important work in our hospitals, as well as our schools,” Vandal said. Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman was not aware of the arrangement before its announcement; his office said it would seek clarity. Helwer said he’d still prefer the Liberals do away with the criteria for projects, but hoped Wednesday’s new program will clear the logjam by making more projects eligible for funding. “Anything would help,” he said. “All provinces are struggling with finding a way to fit their projects into the (federal) streams.” dylan.robertson(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Today's Federal Announcement
by Beth McKechnie 05 Aug '20

05 Aug '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Brian Pincott <ed(a)canadabikes.org> Date: Wed, Aug 5, 2020 at 1:38 PM This morning the federal government made a significant announcement for active transportation. They have created a $3.3 billion “Resiliency” stream within the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. This has a significant AT component to it. Please see the attached memo for full details on what they have announced. We have a great chance to make a difference for cycling coast to coast to coast with this announcement. I’m looking forward to a busy 18 months!! Brian Brian Pincott Executive Director Directeur Executif he/him Vélo Canada Bikes ed(a)canadabikes.org 403-701-6335 @bpincott www.canadabikes.org

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The Herald: Imagining a new Elmwood streetscape (Aug5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Aug '20

05 Aug '20

Imagining a new Elmwood streetscape https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/Imagining-a-new-El… Motorists driving on Henderson Highway between Johnson Avenue and Hespeler Avenue may have noticed some temporary changes July 25 — some of which could become permanent. The new streetscape was part of Reimagine Elmwood, a one-day trial which saw a temporary crosswalk, bicycle lanes and parking lanes installed on Henderson between noon and 8 p.m. It was an experiment to see how organizers could make Elmwood a more livable community. Michel Durand-Wood, co-chair of the Glenelm Neighbourhood Association, helped organize Reimagine Elmwood along with representatives of seven other community groups. He said the afternoon’s test-drive evolved from the results of a survey of more than 1,500 respondents. “One of the major themes that came back was the difficulty in getting around the neighbourhood, especially for families, youth and seniors,” Durand-Wood said. One significant barrier is the six lanes of traffic on Henderson Highway, Durand-Wood said. Vehicle traffic and noise makes it difficult to converse on the sidewalks. If the speed limit is lowered, a bicycle lane added (as many cyclists now use the sidewalk), and some tables and chairs are placed on the sidewalks, all of a sudden you have a more hospitable environment. Durand-Wood said the intersection of Henderson and Poplar is the neighbourhood’s midway point, so the group decided to try a crosswalk. A guard was stationed there to help pedestrians. The final element was the elimination of one traffic lane in favour of on-street parking which, while allowed, can be discouraged by higher vehicle speeds. Turnouts were placed at street corners to encourage parking. “Its good for a neighbourhood feel and good for the businesses,” Durand-Wood said. “We’re working as a neighbourhood and community to get everybody on board to work toward something that works for everybody. “Luckily Coun. (Jason) Schreyer was very helpful and supportive throughout the way.” Reimagine Elmwood was a nice starting point, but the owner of a local business believes the results would have been different if the test was held on a weekday. “It’s good,” said Mike Bergmann, owner of Lower Level Sports Cards and Collectibles at 189 Henderson Hwy. “It’s one thing to do it on a Saturday, the traffic is flowing nicely, but when the crosswalk is being used by the Subway it backs traffic up and I wonder how it will Monday to Friday.” Bergmann also said any changes should only be made after extensive consultation with area business owners, which he doesn’t always see. “People don’t come and visit the business and ask my opinion. Maybe they do at other businesses but that has to happen for these changes to happen as well,” Bergmann said. Bergmann said there has been street parking on Henderson for years, so he would like to see existing parking used lots to their full capacity, including the one at Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church lot and even his own, which is shared with another building but cut in half by a fence. “Parking lots are essential and if you want people to come to Elmwood there has to be free parking in the parking lots, at least to begin with and then see what happens,” Bergmann said. Durand-Wood said organizers will review surveys and discuss the event. Next steps could be longer trials and added locations.

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Ban SUV adverts to meet UK climate goals, report urges
by Charles F 04 Aug '20

04 Aug '20

Not exactly AT, but who we share the road with....https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/03/ban-suv-adverts… from my phone.

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Global News: Downtown Winnipeg street turned into playground to encourage lower speed limits (Jul30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '20

31 Jul '20

*Downtown Winnipeg street turned into playground to encourage lower speed limits* https://globalnews.ca/news/7237319/downtown-winnipeg-speed-limit-reduction-… A campaign aimed at slowing residential speed limits <https://globalnews.ca/tag/residential-speed-limits/> in Winnipeg turned a downtown street into a playground Thursday. Ellen Street was blocked off between Bannatyne and McDermot avenues in front of the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba’s building from noon to 8 p.m. while kids and families played street hockey, hula-hooped and painted the road with chalk paint among workshops and other programming. The organizers of the #Love30for30 campaign, environmental non-profit Green Action Centre are in favour of reducing the default speed limit to allow pedestrians and cyclists to better share roads with drivers in Winnipeg. “We are asking for the default speed to be dropped from 50 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour — that does not mean that every street would be 30 km/h — it just means that we’re going to start at 30 km/h and raise speed limits above that where it’s safe,” said Denae Penner, the Green Action Centre’s sustainable transportation coordinator. Penner pointed to the lower risk of serious injury — World Health Organization data show a 90 per cent survival rate when pedestrians are struck by vehicles travelling 30 km/h — as part of the campaign’s reasoning for reducing speeds. “Pedestrian injury and cyclist injury is on the rise — safety concerns, in general, are growing, there is a lot of discussion right now happening at the city about making changes to policy and changes to street design to help fix that problem,” she said. “We want to have streets that function for cars, but also for kids who want to run and play.” The choice to close the specific street was intentional — IRCOM’s Ellen Street location is home to 65 immigrant families’ transitional apartments. “Many of our families don’t have vehicles and so they are the cyclists, they are the pedestrians, they are going to be walking across the streets to navigate a brand new community, go to school, go grocery shopping and make new friends,” said Dorota Blumczynska, IRCOM’s executive director. “The speed limits that are in place in this residential neighbourhood could compromise their safety, so we are doing our part in terms of educating our tenants and trying to help them understand how to be safe and street smart, but we need the city to meet us in the middle.” City council approved a pilot project that will see five residential streets speed limits reduced to 30 km/h last week, but Ellen Sreet was not one of them. The streets seeing reduced speed limits are: - Roch Street from Poplar Avenue to Arby Bay - Eugenie Avenue from St. Mary’s Road to Youville Street - Warsaw Avenue and Fleet Avenue from Nassau Avenue to Lindsay Avenue - Machray Avenue from Fife Street to Main Street - Flora Avenue from Sinclair Street to King Street

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WFP: Police investigate after cyclist killed in hit-and-run (Jul31'20)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '20

31 Jul '20

Police investigate after cyclist killed in hit-and-run Two bicycle riders involved in crashes on Wednesday https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/police-investigate-after-cyclist-ki… A CRUISER bike was propped against an electrical pole on Grey Street and a black helmet was near the curb as Winnipeg police investigated a fatal hit-and-run in the Munroe neighbourhood Thursday morning. Around 10 p.m. Wednesday, police said emergency crews were called to the intersection of Moncton Avenue and Grey Street for reports of a crash between a vehicle and a cyclist. The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, police said, and the cyclist, who was identified as a 50-year-old man, was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he died. No other details were released on Thursday by police who investigated the area between Munroe and Moncton overnight and into the morning. Officers could be seen photographing evidence strewn across the street before 8 a.m. Thursday with numerous markers spread out on the pavement. Police had not yet identified the driver of the vehicle as of Thursday and asked anyone with information or witnesses to contact investigators at 204-986-7085 or call Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477. The fatal collision in the school zone on Grey Street was the second serious incident Wednesday involving a person on a bike. That morning around 7:30 a.m., first responders were called to a crash at St. Anne’s Road and Bank Avenue. A man who had been riding his bike was taken to hospital in unstable condition after being hit by a vehicle, but was later upgraded to stable, police said. Police did not provide additional details of that collision Thursday. Preliminary data from Manitoba Public Insurance show 35 people had been killed on public roads in Manitoba as of July 30. Last year, 77 people died. MPI said one cyclist has been killed so far this year. Preliminary data on injuries for the year was not available. MPI statistics indicate most bicycle-vehicle collisions happen in urban settings and, based on a 10-year average, two cyclists die and 129 are injured each year. Most collisions happen in the summer, MPI said, and from April to June this year there’s been a 60 per cent increase in speed-related driving offences. Clayton Rudy, board co-chair with Bike Winnipeg, said the organization is pushing for reduced speeds where people on bikes and vehicles cross paths. “A lot of Winnipeggers cycle in the city and the whole community is sad when there is an injury or fatality on the road,” Rudy said. “Unfortunately, it discourages some people from being on their bikes and being on their bikes more often. “It’s just really sad when somebody loses their life on the road.” Rudy said anecdotal reports indicate people are choosing to walk or ride bicycles more frequently this summer, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, and he worries the number serious collisions may increase when school resumes in the fall. Bike Winnipeg is supportive of reducing residential speed limits to 30 km/hr citywide, he added. “For a long time, serious injuries and fatalities using the road system have been tolerated culturally,” the accredited level-two road safety professional and traffic operations engineer said. “We’ve started to see that culture shift and it’s beginning to be that losing your life walking or being on a bike is tolerated as much as it used to be. “We need to have far reaching policy-level decisions, made by the provincial and city government, to support that changing culture,” Rudy said. Seven pedestrians have been killed on public roadways this year in Manitoba, including one in Winnipeg, MPI said. On Wednesday, Brandon RCMP reported a 30-year-old female pedestrian died around 4:15 a.m. A driver travelling westbound on the Trans-Canada Highway hit the woman, who police said was lying on the road. Last year, Manitoba recorded one of its deadliest years for pedestrian fatalities in two decades, with at least 12 pedestrian deaths on public roadways in the first nine-months of 2019. Year end totals were not made available by MPI on Thursday. — with files from Sarah Lawrynuik danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Editorial: Slower speeds catch on quickly (Jul30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jul '20

30 Jul '20

Slower speeds catch on quickly https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/slower-speeds-catch-on… A SUREFIRE way to spark spirited conversation among Winnipeggers is to mention 30 km/h speed limits. There are heartfelt arguments for and against such restrictions, but one fact is inarguable: drivers had better get used to the idea, because Winnipeg is part of a national trend of cities forcing drivers to ease up on the accelerator. A campaign to reduce the residential speed limit will close a section of Ellen Street from noon to 8 p.m. today as residents make their point by using open pavement for fun activities. This follows the approval by city council last week of a one-year pilot project to test a 30 km/h limit on sections of five residential streets: Roch Street, Eugenie Avenue, Warsaw Avenue/Fleet Avenue, Machray Avenue and Flora Avenue. What’s more — and what’s bound to be even more controversial — is council’s consideration of lowering speed limits on all residential roads. They plan to hire a consultant to study the impact of both 30 km/h and 40 km/h limits throughout the city. Such changes would extend the 30 km/h school zones that already exist during the academic year. The reduced-speed zones have been a consistent target of public complaint from some drivers, particularly those hit in the wallet by the photo enforcement contractors set up near schools. People who support lower speed limits — they include cyclists, pedestrians and parents of children — point to evidence that speed kills: pedestrians almost always die when hit by vehicles going 70 km/h, but 90 per cent of pedestrians survive after being hit by vehicles going 30 km/h. People who oppose lower limits insist vehicular traffic in some areas of Winnipeg is already clogged enough without making it worse with snail-like limits. Many of them suspect the city’s motivation for expanding 30 km/h zones is less about safety and more about a lucrative source of revenue from ticket fines. This polarizing disagreement is echoed in other Canadian cities that are also on the road to slowing down drivers. Toronto has reduced speeds on almost 50 streets, on arterial roads from 60 km/h to 50 km/h. It also introduced about 50 automated speed cameras to ticket drivers. Edmonton city council introduced a bylaw last month to decrease the citywide default residential speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. Hamilton is in the process of cutting the limit in residential neighbourhoods from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, and to 30 km/h in school zones. Vancouver is extending the enforcement period of its 30 km/h limit for schools around the clock, and testing the 30 km/h limit in areas without schools or playgrounds. The Canadian initiatives are variations of a concept called Vision Zero, which started in Sweden more than 20 years ago and has spread to Australia, England and cities, including Oslo, New York, Minneapolis and San Francisco. The goal is to eliminate 100 per cent of traffic fatalities and severe injuries. This is accomplished by rejigging traffic flow, enforcing road rules and educating drivers to respect an unequivocal tenet: pedestrians are paramount. Winnipeg drivers will have the opportunity in September to display their belief that pedestrians are paramount, especially young pedestrians. School buses will be sparsely occupied because of COVID-19 restrictions, which means an unusually large number of children and youth will be walking, pedalling, blading and skateboarding from their homes to their schools. If the threat of speed-limit fines is insufficient incentive to slow drivers, the safety of little lives should be.

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WFP: Campaign touts slower speeds, roads as shared spaces (Jul28'20)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '20

28 Jul '20

Campaign touts slower speeds, roads as shared spaces https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/slow-speed-ahead----campaign-touts-… A CAMPAIGN to reduce Winnipeg’s residential speed limit will shut down a section of Ellen Street to help others see its vision for “shared” roads. This Thursday, from noon to 8 p.m., Ellen Street will be closed to vehicle traffic between McDermot and Bannatyne avenues, as part of a local #Love30on30 event. That hashtag and campaign supports a permanent speed limit reduction for residential roads to 30 km/h. “It’s showing people that their streets can feel very different than they do right now. They don’t need to feel like they’re just dedicated to cars,” said Denae Penner, one of the event’s organizers. Penner, who also serves as the Green Action Centre’s sustainable transportation program co-ordinator, said the Ellen Street site will become an outdoor gathering space for various events, including zumba, street hockey and a bike clinic. She said slowing down traffic is especially important for children, those who live in central neighbourhoods and people of colour. Penner said those groups are all more likely to be seriously injured in a traffic collision. The reduced-speed campaign is drawing increased support, she said, noting the change wouldn’t apply to key commuter routes, such as Portage Avenue. Speed reduction advocates say drivers must be required to slow down to prevent traffic-collision deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pedestrians have a 90 per cent chance of survival when struck by a car travelling at 30 km/h or slower but that chance drops to less than 50 per cent when the car travels at 45 km/h. “Pedestrians have almost no chance of surviving an impact at 80 km/h,” the WHO states. Last week, Winnipeg city council approved a pilot program of 30 km/h speed limits on five residential streets. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said that trial should help gauge Winnipeggers’ thoughts on a potential permanent change. The city will also hire a consultant to study a broader speed limit reduction next year, if council approves the funding in its 2021 budget. “There’s going to be a robust discussion in the coming year or two,” said Allard, council’s public works committee chairman. However, some Winnipeggers are convinced a speed limit reduction isn’t necessary. A petition against lowering the residential speed to 30 km/h has gathered more than 7,000 signatures. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said he personally believes there are better ways to improve road safety than reducing the speed limit. Browaty said it’s more important to enforce current maximum speeds, arguing the default 50 km/h limit is appropriate. “I think that’s the right default speed limit… If people just drive prudently, when there’s people on the streets, you simply slow down,” he said. The councillor said he’s concerned even the speed reduction pilot project could have unfortunate side effects, by leading more drivers to converge on the remaining regular-speed routes. “I think it’s going to move traffic to other parallel streets that don’t have these trials,” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: One sprawling city | Missing the target for emissions reduction measures (Jul25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '20

28 Jul '20

Winnipeg’s suburban development, long ago linked to public transit routes, is now driven by a desire to live further away from the city centre; the result is more vehicles, longer commutes and growing greenhouse-gas emissions ONE SPRAWLING CITY! https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cover-crisis-what-crisis-inside-one… THE main arteries of this city tell the story of how Winnipeg grew into a metropolis. Pembina, Portage, Main, Henderson Highway — all of these streets snaking their way through a growing city — used to act as principal corridors connecting the downtown core to bedroom communities that, once upon a time, stood on their own. They tell the story of how urban sprawl was virtually carved into the DNA of the city as far back as the early 1900s. “We really couldn’t avoid it — because of the way we were set up, because there were individual cities and municipalities set up surrounding the downtown core,” says Winnipegfocused historical consultant Murray Peterson. “The city was moving in all directions outward… you naturally had sprawl.” The nature of urban sprawl in Winnipeg has changed over that time, he says. In the beginning, it was driven, ironically, by public transport. “Wherever the street car went, you could get development,” he says. Now it’s driven more by low-density suburban housing development, which is cheaper to build in the sticks than it is to redevelop sites within the city. New builds are “fairly significant” in several areas, says Christopher Storie, the director of the University of Winnipeg’s Institute for Urban Studies. Continuous development can be seen north of Garden City, as well as in the southwest and in the vicinity of the Island Lakes neighbourhood in the southeast, he says. The result is a city that is still pushing the outer boundaries further from the downtown core. Based on city census data, the number of people living in Island Lakes grew from 510 in 1986 to 7,465 in 2011. In the same time period, Riverbend, located off Main Street inside the Perimeter Highway, grew from 780 people to 5,390. Even communities with more established neighbourhoods, such as Richmond West, grew from 2,995 in 1986 to 8,240 people by 2011. These neighbourhoods are outpacing the growth rates of the city as a whole. And the sprawl continues to the edges of the Perimeter Highway. The Waverley West development in south Winnipeg, which was given the green light in 2005, was designed for 40,000 residents by 2020. Sage Creek, where the first home in the development to the east of Island Lakes was built in 2005, will be home to 12,000 by 2028. “We have continued to sprawl in a classic sense — the single-family or light-density residential housing — towards the perimeters of the city,” Storie says. ●●● These patterns of development do more than increase infrastructure spending for the municipality and lengthen the time it takes to drive from one end of the city to the other. The way a city develops creates the patterns in which its people live. And when it comes to climate change, they create entrenched behaviours that make lowering greenhouse gas emissions a herculean task. Statistics Canada did a side-by-side comparison of data gathered in 1996 and 2016 to look at how continued sprawl — not only in Winnipeg but across the country — was changing the dynamics of how far people travelled to reach work. The study of long-form census data found that in Winnipeg the most concentrated place of work is in the downtown core, with 47.5 per cent of jobs within five kilometres of city hall, while another 40.4 per cent of jobs are between five and 10 kilometres of city hall. But fewer people are living in areas with short commutes to this high-density employment zone. In 1996, 36.8 per cent of Winnipeggers lived within five kilometres of the city centre. Two decades later that number had fallen to 28.4 per cent, which is still the highest percentage of people located in close proximity of the urban core when compared to the seven other Canadian cities studied. But every city saw an increase in dispersal of people away from the city core. During that 20-year period, Winnipeg saw an increase of more than 20,000 people using a vehicle as the primary means of transport to get to work, which is now the preferred mode of 78.8 per cent of the city’s roughly 345,000 commuters. So, it is no surprise then when emissions reports show residents’ passenger vehicles are responsible for approximately one-third of all the emissions generated in the city. HIGH-DENSITY BUILDS PICKING UP STEAM In Winnipeg since 2000, more than 28,000 new building permits have been issued for single-family homes, with peaks in construction coming in 2012 and 2017. In the same period, medium density options saw meagre advances with only 2,100 semi-detached home permits issued, and 4,700 row house permits issued. Higher-density options advanced on par with single-family residences. The city issued permits for 25,000 apartment- style units to be constructed. And while permits for single-family dwellings have remained remarkably stable since 2000, permits for apartments have been increasing steadily. In 2000, permits were issued for 119 units. In 2019, permits for 3,145 units were issued. Storie says it is good to see progress on more density development, but it still doesn’t mitigate the continued pressure on the city to continue its outward expansion. While it was a pattern developed very early in Winnipeg history, it was further cemented in the postwar years, Storie explains, wherein the inner-city housing was the more affordable option, and thus was often where new immigrants would live. But as the family began to generate more wealth, they typically moved out to single-family homes in the suburbs with more space, and they did this likely at the same time they were able to afford a car for transport into the core, he says. In the postwar years, sprawl and its connection and reliance on transit systems was effectively severed as suburbanites became car-bound for their commutes. The flip side of ambition is the prospect of falling short. Vancouver has failed to meet its 2020 goal, and Calgary similarly missed its previously set 2020 target. Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman says this is a case where the good need not be the enemy of the perfect. “We did change the targets in 2018,” Bowman says. “The targets were done to make sure they were more achievable. And so, we want to make sure that if we’re setting these targets we’re actually achieving them.” Or, at least, that is the hope. Cities are well-positioned to act on climate change because they’re a large source of emissions, thanks to the number of cars on the streets and the aggregation of buildings and people. “(Municipalities) are the form of government that are closest to the people, so in terms of engagement, they’re the ones who could engage key decision-makers, the public, key sectors, and have more tailored approaches to climate-change mitigation and adaptation,” says Dave Guyadeen, an assistant professor at the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design. Guyadeen says cities, in many ways, have the most at stake when it comes to coping with the fallout of a changing climate, since there is such a large concentration of people, infrastructure and businesses. And when extreme weather events happen, for example, the damage costs are staggering. “The most important part is cities have access to land-use and zoning controls and regulations, which the federal and provincial levels don’t necessarily have,” he says. “So, cities — in land-use planning — they can influence development by specifically targeting things such as mixed-use development, compact development, looking at infill/brownfield (development), green building and infrastructure.” Winnipeg has begun setting modest targets for 2030, aiming to have 50 per cent of development be infill, which helps create more urban density, but the city continues to grow outward. “Even transportation — you can promote active transportation, transit-oriented development, building pedestrian- friendly communities, which would reduce our reliance on vehicles for movement,” Guyadeen says. And this will be critical to Winnipeg’s plan, since sprawl and the accompanying transportation emissions account for a significant amount of the city’s overall output. WHERE DO EMISSIONS COME FROM? Emissions in Winnipeg fall into three large categories: transportation, natural gas and waste disposal. Local calculations haven’t been made available by the city since 2011, but this year council agreed to allot money for a new inventory. The 2011 data demonstrated that nearly half (49.7 per cent) of emissions are generated by transportation, one-third from burning natural gas and 14.9 per cent in the waste-disposal process. Winnipeg, powered principally by hydroelectricity, does have a leg up when it comes to emissions generated to create electricity, which make up less than one per cent of the total. Transit and wastewater both also generate less than one per cent of the total. TRANSPORTATION Of the emissions generated by transportation, 65 per cent is by residents driving. And while the overall goals are slightly more ambitious, the aim is to lower transportation emissions by only 17 per cent by 2030. This includes a target for eight per cent of vehicles on the road to be electric by 2030. “Eight per cent by 2030? No. That’s a bit low,” says Eric Bibeau, an associate professor in the department of engineering at the University of Manitoba. Bibeau was one of the authors of the federal strategic road map for electric vehicles released in 2009. Bibeau says Manitoba has lagged behind in electric vehicle sales — less than one per cent of new registrations in the province in 2018 accounted for EVs or hybrids, according to Statistics Canada. That compares to provinces leading the way, such as Quebec and British Columbia where those vehicles accounted for only 5.2 per cent and 6.1 per cent, respectively. However, Bibeau believes that in the coming decade, the move for manufacturers to create electric-powered trucks will change things for Manitobans, and Winnipeggers, specifically. “It’s going to be pretty idiotic to buy a gasoline truck by 2025,” he says. “The eight per cent — I’m not surprised that somebody from Winnipeg would say that, I’m not surprised. It’s low and it shows the culture of not understanding what is going on (in the global context).” The climate plan also sets out a goal of creating 800 kilometres of pathways for an active transportation network by 2030. Approximately 290 kilometres have been built so far, city officials say. By 2030, the plan states that 14 per cent of people will need to have adopted either walking or biking (or another means of active transport) in order to achieve the 17 per cent emissions-reduction targets. Fifteen per cent will need to take public transit. According to Statistics Canada, based on the 2016 census, 4.7 per cent of Winnipeg’s commuters walked, 1.7 per cent cycled and 14 per cent used public transit. Bowman says this is an area where citizens can step up, incorporating active or public transportation into their lives as demand will spur more development. Another piece of the puzzle is analyzing the continued growth of the commuter communities surrounding the city and he expects that will be a part of the capital region plan. “One of the things we’re scrutinizing is the kind of growth that happens in and around Winnipeg,” he says. NATURAL GAS Buildings are Winnipeg’s second-largest source of emissions, with 99 per cent produced from burning natural gas, the climate report says. Natural gas has been long considered a clean solution for heating needs, given that it emits approximately 27 per cent less than burning heating oil for the same purpose, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says. The only ways to mitigate emissions from natural gas are to change mechanisms for heating to renewable sources, or electric (which could put considerable strain on the province’s electric grid) or to invest in building efficiency. The city’s plan for mitigation relies entirely on the first and third options. The city aims to decrease emissions from heating buildings — both residential and commercial — by eight per cent by 2030. This includes an increase (yes, increase) in the amount of natural gas burned, compared with 2011 levels by about 24 per cent; the plan expects that will be offset by eight per cent of homes switching to renewable sources of energy, or having made significant energy-efficiency improvements. Meanwhile, 12 per cent of commercial or industrial buildings will be expected to do the same. The city will make an effort to motivate the switch — especially for commercial owners — by creating energy benchmarks for properties so that each building is rated based on its carbon footprint. The climate plan also discusses the possibility of using solar energy for water heaters, or possibly investing in geothermal heat pump technology, which is more efficient and generally uses renewable energy sources. WASTE DISPOSAL The Brady Road Landfill is one of the top single-source emitters of greenhouse gases in the province. “While waste generation is similar to other Canadian cities, diversion rates have been comparatively poor in Winnipeg,” the climate plan states. Approximately 15 per cent of emissions come from waste disposal, generated principally by the decomposition of organic matter in a landfill. A compost program would alleviate and mitigate emissions. A two-year pilot project is finally set to get underway in the fall after nearly a decade of discussions. “I think I was one of the people who didn’t want to move quickly on compost. Some people blame me on this, I don’t think I deserve all the blame, but my view has shifted on compost,” Coun. Brian Mayes says. “We should be trying to move that forward if we can get some help from the province. I’d like to pick up the pace right now on this pilot project.” Winnipeg is the largest city in Canada without a compost program. The city could have learned from pilot projects conducted in other municipalities and fast-tracked the initiative, but chose not to pursue it. “It’s not like this is tricky technology, like some of the stuff at the North End sewage treatment plant, no,” says Mayes, the St. Vital councillor who chairs the Standing Policy Committee on Water and Waste, Riverbank Management and the Environment. “There’s a bin, you put the bin at the end of your driveway. I think it came down to cost.” Bowman agrees that council was not receptive to moving forward with curbside organics in the last term. “One of the reasons we wanted to get the pilot is there are localized costs that have to be quantified so that we can properly budget,” he says. The city — with the help of the federal government — has invested $3.2 million in drilling 81 gas wells in the landfill to collect the methane that would otherwise be emitted. Instead of using it for heating or other useful purposes, the methane is being burned to simply turn the emissions from methane to less-potent carbon dioxide. The city’s project web page says the practice will reduce emissions annually by the same amount as if 21,700 passenger vehicles were taken off the roads. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION The city has plans and targets, but without a local inventory conducted since 2011, knowing where the city stands is difficult. The closest number that can be used to track progress is the federal government’s inventory report that considers the province’s emissions from 2018. The report, released in the spring, indicated that Manitoba’s emissions have continued to grow, reaching their highest point ever. Between 2005 and 2018, emissions in the province grew by 8.3 per cent. Keeping track of progress and reporting it publicly is a critical piece of the emissions-reduction puzzle. The Carbon Disclosure Project, an international not-for-profit organization, has become the go-to source for governments and businesses alike to report their emissions-reduction goals and actions. “Cities that don’t both measure and manage this information are not as readily prepared to withstand the systemic shocks from either extreme weather, or from other types of disruptions,” says Bruno Sarda, president of CDP North America. “So the motivation these days is that it really is considered to be a standard practice.” The CDP grades any city government that has voluntarily participated. Winnipeg was not among the seven Canadian cities that received an A-grade, the only score posted publicly. Winnipeg has not updated its inventory report with CDP since 2011. >From that data, Sarda says the city may be on the right path in terms of planning, but has not progressed to the same levels as other Canadian communities. He says council should be seeking inspiration from places such as Windsor, Ont., which is investing in home retrofit incentives to maximize energy efficiency. Or Toronto, where idling laws are being enacted and the city transit fleet is being switched over to electric. Or Vancouver, where a clear commitment has been made to utilize more renewable energy sources. All three are A-grade cities, along with North Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary and Edmonton. “The thing we find with A-list cities is that they have about double the number of actions to adapt to climate change versus non-A-list cities, and about five times as many (emission) mitigation actions,” he says. “So Winnipeg is certainly on the right path, at least they have these emissions targets that they put out in 2018, you know, not super ambitious — 20 per cent reduction by 2030, relative to 2011 — we see that certainly as being behind the mark compared to a lot of the climate science, which says it should probably be a 50 per cent reduction by 2030. “Eighty per cent by 2050, that used to be pretty good, now it’s considered a little bit insufficient when it’s really about net-zero by 2050.” Bibeau is far more critical. “The city is nowhere near on the ball on anything. They have no active policy on climate change,” he says. “It reflects the (policy of) the provincial government. So, there’s nothing really serious going on in Manitoba.” Mayes says there are other actions to consider, such as the city’s creation of a food council to consider ways to create locally sourced food networks. “Maybe we’re just inching along, but at least we’re moving forward. At least we’re doing something,” Mayes says. “I am OK with our efforts.” At roughly 28 per cent, Winnipeg’s emissions are a fraction of Manitoba’s, which account for only three per cent of the country’s total, which make up roughly 1.5 per cent of the global total, Environment and Climate Change Canada says. But the premise of all developed countries acting together to solve the problem is the foundation for global mitigation efforts and it’s not a responsibility to be shirked, Bowman says. “There are politicians in the world who don’t believe climate change is real and they don’t believe that it’s caused by humans. And fortunately, in Winnipeg, we’re not of that view. City council, I believe, to a person, appreciates the fact that we need to meet these (greenhouse-gas) targets and we are in a meaningful way trying to make a difference.... I want to meet the (emissions) targets and I’m going to continue to be aggressive at looking at different measures we can do to achieve them,” he says. “We know that we’ve got more work to do, and we’ll continue to do so. But we need all levels of government doing their part, and we need citizens pitching in.” sarah.lawrynuik(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @SarahLawrynuik ______ MISSING THE TARGET City has a modest climate-change plan in place but is seemingly in no hurry to implement reduction measures THERE are many instances where municipal governments find themselves hamstrung, victims to the whims of larger governments with bigger spending power and more expansive jurisdictions. But in the case of one of the biggest looming threats to cities — climate change — municipal governments have an overwhelming amount of power to make meaningful policy moves. Yet, the City of Winnipeg is dragging its feet on consequential action. In 2018, Winnipeg adopted a climate-action plan aimed at lowering greenhouse-gas emissions generated within the city limits by 20 per cent by 2030, using 2011 levels as a baseline. By 2050, the goal is to have reduced emissions by 80 per cent. This is below what the federal government committed the country to in the 2015 Paris Agreement; Canada pledged to lower emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, below 2005 levels — a greater percentage on a lower benchmark year. Following those commitments, the federal government also committed to pursuing net-zero emissions by 2050. When compared with other Canadian cities, Winnipeg’s goals are modest. Vancouver’s aim was to lower emissions by 2020 by 33 per cent, and by 2050 by 80 per cent, using 2007 as a baseline. One might expect emissions reductions would at least be more ambitious in Winnipeg than in the heart of oil and gas country, but Calgary has outstripped Winnipeg in committing to the same emissions reduction percentage by 2050, but using 2005 as a baseline. “And then as we sort of added a highly consumer lifestyle to the mix, the need to not only house the humans within the family, but then the stuff that comes with the shifting lifestyle, the move towards disposable, cheap items. And it all just begins to group together, and the cost of building housing, and large housing… is much more affordable building on land at the perimeter compared with infill and redevelopment in the interior,” Storie says. ●●● The city, as part of its climate strategy passed by council in 2018, has begun addressing urban sprawl and has committed to infill making up 50 per cent of all residential development by 2030 in order to increase the city’s density. “We want to be considering that as the city spreads out more, then we would expect to see that the number and length of person vehicle (trips) are increasing and other (transportation) options may become less viable or more costly for the city to implement,” says Lindsay Mierau, manager of the city’s Office of Sustainability. “And that has direct implications for addressing greenhouse-gas emissions.” The city plans to focus infill development in strategic areas close to transit corridors, and it will also move focus away from single-detached residences that are more energy intensive than their denser counterparts, Mierau says. This is one aspect of the city’s climate plan that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2030, when compared with 2011 emissions. In order to limit global warming to 1.5 C this century, emissions need to be reduced by 7.6 per cent every year between 2020 and 2030. Storie says the kinds of goals the city is laying out for infill will require policy changes since it is often a secondary choice for developers because it is typically more costly, given land acquisition costs. Coun. Brian Mayes, chairman of the Standing Committee on Water and Waste, Riverbank Management and the Environment, says he thinks focusing on density alone is an oversimplification of the problem. There has already been focus on reimagining suburbs to be more complete communities that people don’t have to leave as often, he says. Then, there is the problem that if single-family homes end up being in short supply in Winnipeg, there’s nothing stopping people from buying in neighbouring communities and taking their tax dollars with them, he says. “It’s all billed as if we just need to build up,” he says. “Well that’s a bit simplistic. We do need to have people living downtown, but there’s tens of thousands of people who don’t want that.” he says. ●●● Winnipeg is far from the only city to struggle with urban sprawl. It’s a question that’s been raised in towns and cities across North America, in large part because there is no shortage of land. New, imaginative approaches to sustainable neighbourhood development are being considered across the country and around the world. For example, in Edmonton, the city is undertaking a first-of-its-kind community — called Blatchford. Planners are attempting to reimagine the concept of a neighbourhood with pedestrian streets, relegating cars to back lanes. The community will be collectively powered using geothermal heat-pump technology to provide more efficient heating and cooling systems. And local businesses and recreational facilities will be integrated within the community in an attempt to bring services to residents, instead of forcing them to travel to find those services which, the theory goes, lowers their reliance on personal vehicles. But at the same time, bedroom communities across Canada are growing at alarming rates as sprawl in major cities hits certain thresholds. Cochrane, 40 kilometres northeast of Calgary, saw a growth rate of 47.1 per cent between 2011 and 2016, Statistics Canada says. That was second only to Warman, Sask., just north of Saskatoon, which grew by 55.1 per cent. Manitoba hasn’t seen the same explosion in growth rates of bedroom communities that’s been witnessed in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan, but the Rural Municipality of Ritchot, just south of Winnipeg, did make the top 20 list for 2011-2016, with a growth rate of 21.9 per cent. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives reported last fall that more than half of the residents living in communities surrounding Winnipeg commuted into the city on a daily basis — from Springfield, Headingley, St. Clements and East and West St. Paul. Sprawl has been looked at from every which way, Storie says — the effect it has on infrastructure spending, on the provision of services, on the socioeconomic inequality between neighbourhoods. As climate change becomes a major action item on cities’ agendas, however, transportation needs of people living further from work and services really is the biggest challenge. “My biggest concern here, in terms of urban development, is the balance between sprawl and transportation and efficiency of transportation,” he says. “We have a very strong car culture in this city, so there needs to be incentive, either through a rebate program or through a provision of services, whereby we get people out of their vehicles and into transit, and reduce that demand on the car.” sarah.lawrynuik(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @SarahLawrynuik

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New report: Public Health and Transportation Paper (US)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '20

28 Jul '20

Our latest research report is now available! The Role of Transportation in Improving America's Health View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/abd5cf71c153/webinar-dockless-data-2029874?e=f1a7e782fb> Eno is proud to announce the publication of our latest research report: *Increasing Access to Essential Health Functions: The Role of Transportation in Improving America’s Health.* Transportation access is one of the fundamental objectives of the public sector as a means to provide access to jobs, services, recreation, and all other elements of the movement of people and goods. It is also one of the most important ways government can enable residents to live healthy, productive lives. In this report, Renee Autumn Ray discusses recommendations on how public sector agencies can work together to improve policy and programming, provide a more equitable environment, and enable better health outcomes and a higher quality of life. *Click below to read the full report and sign up for the upcoming webinar that will break down the report's key concepts.* LEARN MORE <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: Twitter] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: Facebook] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: Website] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> *Copyright © 2020 Eno Center for Transportation, All rights reserved.* *Our new mailing address is:* 1629 K St., NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20006

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NACTO guide on speed limit setting in urban areas
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '20

28 Jul '20

[From Jessica Roberts on the TDM listserv] NACTO released a new guide <https://nacto.org/safespeeds/> on how to set speed limits in urban areas. The TL;DR version is: *City Limits* outlines a three-method approach to speed limit setting that provides an alternative to percentile-based speed limit setting: 1. *Setting default speed limits* on many streets at once (such as 25 mph on all major streets and 20 mph on all minor streets), 2. *Designating slow zones* in sensitive areas, and 3. *Setting corridor speed limits* on high priority major streets, using a *safe speed study*, which uses conflict density and activity level to set context-appropriate speed limits. -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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The Guardian: Residents to get new decision-making powers in England cycling 'revolution' (Jul27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '20

28 Jul '20

*Residents to get new decision-making powers in England cycling 'revolution' * Residents will get powers to banish through-traffic from local streets and councils will be prevented from building substandard cycle lanes under what Downing Street has billed as a revolution for cycling and walking in England. The plans will see the creation of a watchdog to ensure new cycle and walking routes are up to standard, intended to act as a transport equivalent of the schools inspectorate, Ofsted. Active Travel England, to be led by a yet-to-be-appointed commissioner for walking and cycling, will refuse to fund paint-only bike lanes – without physical barriers or protection from cars – or routes where cyclists and pedestrians have to share space. It could also cut budgets in other areas for highways departments which fail to deliver on active transport. The plans, led by Boris Johnson, will be funded by a previously announced £2bn in new funding over five years, with a pledge of longer-term money. They include cycle training for every child or adult who seeks it, a pilot scheme for GPs to prescribe cycling to improve patients’ health, and thousands of miles of protected bike lanes. Local people will be given a chance to choose whether residential side streets should be closed to through motor traffic to make them safer for pedestrians and cyclists, under plans to be put out for consultation. Another proposal could see some main roads, for example in cities, kept as through-routes for pedestrians, cyclists and buses, with other motor traffic allowed access only. Also on the table are grants to help people with the cost of electric-assist bikes, which can encourage cycling, particularly on longer or more hilly commutes. However, these tend to be more expensive than traditional bikes, often costing well over £1,000. It has not yet been specified how much assistance might be offered. Following Monday’s announcement of a new strategy to combat <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/27/web-ads-for-junk-food-could…> obesity <https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/27/web-ads-for-junk-food-could…>, the push for more active travel is a parallel strand of Downing Street efforts to improve public health, an issue highlighted by worse coronavirus outcomes faced by many people with chronic conditions connected to weight and inactive living, such as type 2 diabetes. More active travel will also relieve pressure on the roads and on public transport, where capacity has been cut due to social distancing measures. Since May, people have been urged to walk or cycle to work or elsewhere when possible. Johnson, who will formally launch the initiative on Tuesday, said it was “the time to shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel”. He said: “From helping people get fit and healthy and lowering their risk of illness, to improving air quality and cutting congestion, cycling and walking have a huge role to play in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face.” The plans were welcomed by campaigners, who nonetheless warned that their effectiveness would depend on proper implementation and necessary funding. Chris Boardman, the former cycling champion who is now policy adviser to British Cycling <https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/cycling>, said the plans showed “the level of ambition required to transform the country”. He added: “Many will focus on the health benefits of more people getting around by bike or on foot, but we know that these are changes which reap dividends in all walks of life, not least the quality of the air we breathe, the congestion on our roads and the economic benefit for shops, cafes and bars.” Matt Mallinder, director of influence and engagement at the campaign group Cycling UK <https://www.cyclinguk.org/>, said the plan was “a truly comprehensive and far reaching set of measures”, but warned about the levels of funding. “To truly shift gears so that everyone can feel the transformative benefits of cycling the £2bn of funding already announced will not be enough,” he said. “However, with a forthcoming spending review, now’s the time for the chancellor to invest in the future and make the prime minister’s vision of a golden age of cycling come true.” The new standards for cycling and walking routes will be fully spelled out in updated official guidance to be published on Tuesday. The proposals include more cycle racks at stations and other transport hubs, as well as in town and city centres, and for protected bike hangars allowing safe storage for people who cannot keep a bike at home. Others cover areas such as strengthening the Highway Code to protect pedestrians and cyclists, giving councils new powers to tackle traffic offences, and pilot schemes for local authorities to give contracts in areas such as waste disposal to cycle freight companies. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/27/residents-to-get-new-decisi…

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Green Action Centre is hiring Sustainable Transportation Coordinators
by Denae Penner 23 Jul '20

23 Jul '20

Hello, Please share this job opportunity. Green Action Centre's Sustainable Transportation team is hiring Sustainable Transportation Coordinators! See excerpt from the posting below. Full job posting can be found online here <https://greenactioncentre.ca/featured/were-hiring-sustainable-transportatio…>, and is also attached. _____ Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinators Title: Sustainable Transportation Coordinator Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Term (Two openings): 1 full-time, 1-year term position at 35 hours per week; 1 part-time, 1-year term position at 14-21 hours per week. Potential extension for both positions beyond the term. Application Deadline: 4:00 p.m. CDT on August 7, 2020. Program Areas: Sustainable Transportation programs at Green Action Centre include Active and Safe Routes to School, Commuter Challenge, and Workplace Commuter Options. Green Action Centre seeks two independent, energetic and well-organized individuals to fill roles within our sustainable transportation team, supporting a range of program delivery and coordination. Position Description These positions will focus on engaging schools, students, workplaces, employees and community organizations to make active and green transportation options both appealing and within reach, ultimately reducing Manitoba’s GHG emissions from personal vehicles by increasing walking, cycling, public transit and carpooling as preferred modes of travel. Key activities include organizing the following annual events: Bike to School Month in May, Commuter Challenge in June, Walktober in October, and The Jack Frost Challenge in February. It will also include assisting with the delivery of our Workplace Commuter Options program (WCO), specifically the province-wide ridematching tool, GoManitoba. *Denae Penner *(she/her/hers) Active and Safe Routes to School, Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 204-925-3777 ext. 114 | 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave., Winnipeg, MB *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/>. Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/GreenActionCentre/> | Twitter <https://twitter.com/greenactionctr> | Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/greenactioncentre/> | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/green-action-centre/>

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WFP: Empty roads enticed more Manitobans to just floor it: MPI (Jul23'20)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jul '20

23 Jul '20

Empty roads enticed more Manitobans to just floor it: MPI THE number of people driving at least 50 kilometres above the speed limit skyrocketed during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba. There were 148 speed-related serious driving offences reported to Manitoba Public Insurance’s registrar of motor vehicles from April till the end of June. That’s a 60 per cent jump from the 93 speed-related serious driving offences recorded in the same period last year. MPI has never recorded such an increase in speeding, said spokesman Brian Smiley. He attributed it to fewer vehicles on the road because people stayed home during the pandemic. “In some situations drivers were, I suppose, taking advantage of the lack of other vehicles on the roadways, picking up their speeds significantly,” he said. The most serious case of speeding during that period involved a driver going 98 km/h over the limit. The motorist was doing 178 km/h in an 80 km zone. The average serious speeding incident for the three-month period was 59 km/h over the posted limit. Although more motorists are back on the road, the high-risk speeding continues, Smiley said. “There are far too many drivers who have absolutely no regard for the safety of themselves, their passengers or other innocent motorists,” he said. MPI’s data show serious driving offences aren’t exclusive to a specific region of the province — they occur across Manitoba and at all hours of the day. "Drivers, for the most part, are not equipped to travel at these speeds safely,” Smiley said. “Police officers, ambulance drivers — these are people who are professionally trained to drive at high speeds. The ordinary citizen does not have that training, nor should they be going that fast.” People get serious driving offences after being pulled over by police. Photo radar installations only capture licence plates, so those tickets don’t count as offences. After receiving a notice, drivers have five business days to schedule a show cause hearing with MPI. About 90 per cent of those hearings result in licence suspension, MPI statistics show. The suspension is based on the speeding ticket and the plaintiff’s driving history. Drivers are more likely to get into a collision while driving at high speeds, Smiley said. Speeding increases the risk of losing control of a vehicle and affects reaction time and stopping distance. Speed contributed to about one in five deaths on the road in Manitoba last year, MPI said. “(Chronic speeders) need to do a self-evaluation and adjust accordingly, not only for their own safety, but the safety of everyone on the roadways,” Smiley said. He said collision rates in Manitoba are normal now, but that’s not surprising since there’s no ice or snow on streets. Passengers play a role in keeping roads safe, especially when they’re in a vehicle with someone who’s speeding, Smiley said. “Do not be afraid to speak up,” he said. “Tell that driver to slow down.” gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Lower speed limit for student safety: councillor (Jul22'20)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jul '20

23 Jul '20

Lower speed limit for student safety: councillor https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/lower-speed-limit-for-student-safet… CHILDREN are set to face a pandemic- caused “mobility emergency” when school resumes in September, sparking the need for immediate action to support active transportation alternatives, according to the Winnipeg Trails Association. “We’re looking forward to a September where there is a lot of uncertainty for parents. They’re being told to find (alternative modes of transportation to school buses) and really the alternatives that are mostly being (pointed to are) essentially the private automobiles,” said Anders Swanson, the association’s executive director. If all school bus demand shifts to personal vehicles, it could fuel major congestion and pollution around schools, said Swanson. In late June, Manitoba Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said parents will be asked to drop off and pick up children from school every day to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on school buses. Students whose parents are unable to provide any other transportation to school will be given priority bus seating. Swanson called on the city to quickly reduce the speed limit on all residential streets to 30 kilometres per hour, add traffic-calming measures and create neighbourhood cycling networks. He said those steps are critical to ensure kids can safely walk and cycle to their schools before classes resume. City council is set to vote on a 30 km/h speed reduction pilot project on at least five local streets this Thursday. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she also supports the call for city-wide 30 kilometre-per-hour residential speed limits. “There are going to be more children walking to school and riding their bikes to school. In order to make them a lot safer, we have to plan and act now,” said Rollins. The councillor, who chairs council’s protection and community services committee, promised to continue to lobby for a widespread speed limit reduction and more traffic-calming measures. She did not announce specific new steps to accomplish that goal on Tuesday. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP Metro: Traffic calming measures on Furby defeated (Jul22'20)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jul '20

22 Jul '20

Traffic calming measures on Furby defeated The motion to install traffic calming measures on Furby Street has failed, as the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works voted against it on July 7. If passed, the motion directs public works to collaborate with several community organizations, such as the West Broadway Community Organization and Winnipeg Trails Association, to install garden planters along Furby Street. The planters were a pilot project aimed at making the street safer for pedestrians. According to the motion, public works would deliver a report about the project at the end of July. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) voted for the motion, with Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) and Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) voting against. During the meeting, public works was concerned over the timing of the project. Wolseley has several ongoing projects in the area, including consultations for the Wolseley Walk/Bike Downtown Project. Public works is concerned that the two projects could be misconstrued as being related, which could be seen as underhanded by the public. Councillors Sharma and Browaty cited these reasons for voting no. “I understand the councillor’s intentions ... I feel a little bit uncomfortable with what I just heard from public service. They’re meeting tonight, they’ve got a big project underway, now there’s this other big project coming forward. They’re not tieing together and communicating,” Sharma said. The planters would have been community gardens, residents would be able to grow herbs and vegetables, which would also remind drivers to slow down on the residential street. The WTA and the WBCO had already created a prototype of a planter, which would have been presented to public works. The motion was approved by the city centre community committee at its June 19 meeting. To view the meeting minutes, visit winnipeg.ca

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Streetsblog: How to Build Safe Routes to School During COVID-19
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jul '20

21 Jul '20

Outdoor transportation should be one of the safest ways to get to school this fall — but we need to make some design and policy changes first. https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/07/20/how-to-build-safe-routes-to-school-d…

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Times: Should the speed limit on residential streets be lowered? by MLA Marcelino (Jul20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jul '20

20 Jul '20

Should the speed limit on residential streets be lowered? By: Malaya Marcelino - MLA for Notre Dame Posted: *07/20/2020 9:29 AM* | https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/forum/Should-the-sp… In Notre Dame there are far too many traffic accidents and collisions. Pedestrians are often seriously injured and there have also been fatalities, including those of young children. Our community is ready to make the streets safer for all of us, especially for our kids. That’s why I am working with Safe Speeds Winnipeg and promoting its #Love30on30 campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of lowering residential speed limits in our city. Our community has been very active in campaigning to reduce the residential speed limit. Many of you may have been seeing a team of dedicated volunteers out canvassing in the neighbourhood every Friday. There has been a fantastic response from the community. Signs have been put up to raise awareness and there are more folks wanting to promote this issue than Safe Speeds Winnipeg has signs. If you want one, please visit love30on30.org <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/forum/love30on30.org> As part of the campaign, an event will be held on the 30th of every month to involve community members in the conversation. Last month, on June 30, a zumba class for seniors was held at Autumn House. It was a great day of socially distanced dance, exercise and music outdoors. This month, on July 30, a bike clinic is being offered at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba on Isabel Street. The clinic will discuss bike and street safety and will also involve a giveaway from the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub. WRENCH takes used bikes from the landfills and restores them to their former glory so that they are not going waste. The Green Action Centre, as part of its commitment to raising the profile of active transportation, also supports a 30 km/h default speed in residential areas. Volunteers from the GAC have developed an app called ETA, which enables you to punch in your route to see how long it would take you to travel to a destination if a reduced speed limit is put in place. In many cases, your trip by vehicle would only take one to two minutes longer with a reduced speed limit. Visit www.love30on30.org/eta/ to try it out. What are your thoughts on a 30 km/h default residential speed limit? Get in touch with my office at Malaya.marcelino(a)yourmanitoba.ca or call 204-788-0800. Stay safe and have a great summer.

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WFP: Pedalling through a pandemic (Jul20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jul '20

20 Jul '20

Spike in bike use saps supply, sees wannabe cyclists fixing up old rides Pedalling through a pandemic https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/pedalling-throu… AMID the darkness of the COVID-19 crisis, there has been a small bright light for many of us: bicycles. People are buying new ones, tuning up old ones and riding more than before. Bike shops have reported booming business, far above even the normally busy spring selling season. As people are venturing out in the warmer weather, commuters and recreational cyclists — even faithful riders who’ve been biking for years — are encountering a world they’ve never seen before: streets with less traffic and which are sometimes closed to automotive traffic altogether. COVID-19 has cancelled summer festivals, sports and travel. With so many activities no longer possible, people are turning to cycling and the pandemic has prompted commuters and families to go on bike-buying binges. Affordable bikes are in high demand right now. Entry-level bikes — anything under $1,000 — are pretty much sold out. “I’m down to less than 100 bikes in my building and most of them are over $3,000,” says Phil Roadley, owner of Bikes & Beyond, the Henderson Highway mainstay. The last time Roadley had fewer than 100 bikes in his building? “Um, never,” he says. “The lowest level of bikes I’ve ever gotten down to is maybe 350 or 400. I need 200 bikes for my store sales floor to look full.” Physical distancing has sparked an explosion in cycling as people are seeking alternative modes of transportation to stay mobile and active. Pandemic restrictions have finally given people the time and motivation to take up a new hobby. As a result, bike shops across North America, Europe and Australia are seeing record sales and facing supply shortages. “Sales were up 30 per cent through April and May, and 15 per cent up through June,” Roadley says. “Suppliers don’t have any inventory to ship me until August.” It’s fun, physically distant and good for you — no wonder cycling has soared in popularity. Since March, Roadley has sold about 1,500 bikes. It was around mid-May that inventory really started to thin out. “Kids’ bikes went first,” he says. “And then your basic mountain and commuter bikes under $1,000.” The room for growth in terms of new cyclists is massive. Prior to the pandemic, a small percentage of people biked or walked to work in Winnipeg, according to the 2016 census. The Statistics Canada data shows that “active transportation,” defined as walking or cycling to work, was used by 6.2 per cent of people in Winnipeg, just slightly behind Toronto at 6.7 per cent. But since our lives have been turned upside down, cycling has taken on a critical, sanity-saving role — a way to exercise when gyms are operating with limited hours and an inexpensive means of getting around in order to avoid crowded public transportation. Going for a bike ride has replaced grabbing a drink in a bar and has been used to persuade kids to go outside while parents are on conference calls at home. Bike sales aren’t the only things skyrocketing. So are requests for bike service, as riders are pulling old, neglected bikes out of garages and basements. Married couple Heather and Bill Quinn hadn’t been on their bikes in years — five years for Heather and more than a decade for Bill. “My sister donated me her bike a couple years ago,” Heather says. “It went into the garage and was never touched since.” But back in May, they got tired of walking the same route outside every day — so they decided to tune up their bikes that had been collecting dust in storage. Since then, they’ve become avid cyclists in their neighbourhood. “We started riding pretty regularly because we got tired of walking along Wellington Crescent and doing the same route into the park,” Bill says. “We also found that our ankles and hips were getting sore from walking on concrete all the time. Riding a bike has been easier on our bodies.” As new and returning cyclists venture outside, they’re noticing a different riding environment. A spike in biking has led some Canadian cities, such as Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria and Ottawa, to reduce traffic lanes and close off portions of roadways altogether. In Winnipeg, traffic restrictions from the City of Winnipeg on several streets have transformed roads into pedestrian- and cycling-friendly destinations. “With Wellington Crescent being used for active transportation, that really inspired me to do it,” Bill says. “We just saw so many people. I don’t know if I would have been as ready to hop on my bike if we didn’t have Wellington so close to us that we could do it without getting knocked over by a car.” The active transportation routes in Winnipeg, first announced in April, limit vehicular traffic to one block to create more room for pedestrians and cyclists while maintaining physical distancing. Recently, city council extended these temporary cycling and walking routes until Sept. 7 to accommodate the increased demand during the health crisis. The safety of the active transportation routes is also a draw for Bill’s wife. “We know a lot of people our age, in their 60s, who have taken up biking,” Heather says. “There have been broken shoulders and fractured ankles. Yes, we have designated bike lanes, but it’s kind of tricky. On Wellington Crescent, it’s so safe.” Canada isn’t the only country making changes. Expansive public safety and environmental measures have been announced in cities across the globe, including hundreds of miles of new bike lanes in Milan and Mexico City, as well as widening pavements and putting pedestrians first in neighbourhoods in New York and Seattle. While it has been hard to meet the demand for bikes, those who have access to one have also been reaping the health benefits. “Bike riding is another way to exercise. We’ll be in and out of the city all summer so we decided to freeze our gym memberships until September,” Bill says. “We were kind of doing the same thing at our own gyms and now we have something we can do together that takes us a little farther than walking, and we can exercise at the same time.” The retired couple spends a few weeks at a lake community every summer — this year, because of their new hobby, they were able to see more of it. “We’ve been going to Victoria Beach for years,” Bill says. “But because we have bikes this year, we’ve gone to places we’ve never been before because we can access it on our bikes.” They now go riding every other day and outings have become an adventure. “It’s kind of exhilarating to feel the wind in your hair and the bugs in your teeth and you can go farther and see more,” Heather says. “My next goal is the Harte Trail in Assiniboine Forest.” Whatever one’s reasons for getting back on a bicycle, it’s a pastime that offers many benefits during this turbulent time. “It’s something we can do together,” Bill says. “And it really does give you freedom to go places that you may not normally go.” Whether this is a temporary surge in cycling’s popularity or the start of a future where bikes become a more prominent form of transportation, the experiences cyclists have enjoyed over these last several weeks can’t be undone. “To bike to work requires a lot of bravery in our city; I admire those people. We’re new bikers so we haven’t explored all the cycling routes yet,” Heather says. “I’m sure there are a lot of possibilities of places to go and I’m looking forward to checking them all out.”’ sabrinacarnevale(a)gmail.com @SabrinaCsays

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Slowing down cars
by Charles F 17 Jul '20

17 Jul '20

Good editorial in the globehttps://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-want-a-bett… across Canada are slowing down cars. Forty is the new 50. It is a win for people....Toronto is also moving to rein in drivers. Last year, it cut speeds on stretches of arterial roads to 50 km/h from 60. And this month, 50 speed cameras went live around the city near schools or other designated “safety zones.” These cameras were first installed late last year, but until now only dispatched warnings to offending drivers. The 50 cameras may only be a first step – there are about 800 schools in Toronto – but research shows automated enforcement causes drives to slow down...People are dying because urban planning has long overvalued cars and undervalued pedestrians. National data for 2018, released last week by Transport Canada, shows yet another year when drivers and their vehicles killed more than 300 people on foot....Zero pedestrians died in Helsinki and Oslo last year. The policy measures that achieved that feat are varied, but all centre around battling the primacy of the car. Lowering speed limits is key. Other changes include safer street design, road tolls, more expensive parking, and replacing much of the street parking with wider sidewalks and bike lanes. Investment in transit has spurred ridership. While Toronto has put up speed cameras around 6 per cent of the city’s schools, Oslo is testing “heart zones” where driving around schools is banned....The move toward automated enforcement, however, is key. Some critics believe drivers simply will not slow down, even if limits are lowered. But the threat of a costly speeding ticket surely is ample inspiration for many drivers to ease up on the gas pedal, making the city a safer and better place for everyone, at the most minor of inconveniences with fractional increases in travel time...Sent from my phone.

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Steal This Idea: Scottish E-Bike Program
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Scotland just re-upped its investment in e-bikes as part of an effort to boost pandemic-era mobility and flatten the COVID-19 curve — and smart U.S. states would be wise to follow its lead. The nation recently authorized a *fourth *round of funding to the E-Bike Grant program, which provides a raft of financial incentives to get Scots to replace car and transit commutes with bike rides. The allocation totals £900,000, or about $1.1 million. *Full story*: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/07/08/steal-this-idea-states-should-imitat…

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WFP: Henderson Highway block to get makeover - #ReimagineElmwood (Jul16'20)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Henderson Highway block to get makeover https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/henderson-block-to-get-makeover-571… ELMWOOD community groups are joining forces to show residents the potential of a stretch of Henderson Highway. On July 25, Henderson between Noble and Hart avenues will be transformed to include bike lanes, parking, planters and seating for pedestrians. Glenelm Neighbourhood Association co-chairman Michel Durand-Wood said more than 1,500 people were surveyed about a five-year plan for the neighbourhood in 2018. “One of those priorities was addressing the difficulty experienced in getting around our own neighbourhood, especially for the many who get around on foot, bike, transit and with mobility aids or strollers,” Durand-Wood wrote in an email. The project, called #ReimagineElmwood, cost the eight community groups involved less than $400. Durand-Wood said a project that transformed Toronto’s Danforth Avenue last summer inspired the Elmwood project. “That was the a-ha moment that led to developing this project, that we could work in small steps, testing things out on a temporary basis, and building on what works,” he said. “There were quite a few locations that were specifically identified by the neighbourhood as troublesome to navigate, and we plan to work on them all. This is just the first of many projects.” He said the project will inspire people to make positive changes in the neighbourhood despite no municipal funding or influence. “Just by having neighbours working together, identifying what we want to improve, and taking small steps to try possible solutions out, we can make our neighbourhood better for the people who live here, even one block at a time,” he said. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: malakabas_

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WFP Editorial: Giving green light to e-scooter pilot (Jul16'20)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '20

16 Jul '20

Giving green light to e-scooter pilot https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/giving-green-light-to-… EVIDENCE that the pandemic has increased the need for low-cost transportation options can be seen through the windows of any passing Winnipeg Transit bus, where what’s immediately apparent is an unusually large number of empty seats. Ridership has dropped dramatically, as many virus-wary Winnipeggers now view buses as potential COVID-19 cocoons because passengers are seated closely, breathing the same air and touching the same poles, seats and doors. Alternatives to bus transport would be greatly appreciated by those reluctant former riders who don’t own personal vehicles, perhaps for budget or environmental reasons, but still have to get around town. A possible alternative might arrive in the form of electric scooters. City administration is currently studying the issue and recommended council ask the province to alter the Highway Traffic Act to allow a trial of e-scooters in Winnipeg. Council and the province would be well advised to approve the proposal, allowing the trial should proceed full speed ahead (or, at least, at the 30 km/h that is top speed for e-scooters). A novel transportation alternative for Winnipeg, e-scooters are already allowed in dozens of North American cities, including Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. The experiences of these cities show the advent of e-scooters is not universally welcomed. In fact, for some people, it’s hate at first sight. Social media, including the popular Instagram account Scooters Behaving Badly, reveal that many automobile drivers resent sharing road space with the tiny motorized machines that tend to navigate traffic in unfamiliar ways. Some pedestrians also feel e-scooters create danger on sidewalks. Despite the many who sneer at e-scooters, however, others acknowledge that this new technology has advantages. E-scooters hardly pollute, they’re less expensive than traditional motorized vehicles and they take up far less space on streets in cities where they’re allowed on roadways. Calgary’s e-scooter pilot project, launched last July, limits e-scooter use to sidewalks, pathways and bike lanes. In Edmonton, authorized e-scooters are allowed on bike lanes, shared paths and streets with speed limits of 50 km/h or less, but not on sidewalks. Another possible source of irritation involves the ways in which idle e-scooters are left unattended in cities served by scooter-share companies such as Lime or Bird, which make e-scooters available to people who download an app. Customers use GPS technology to find an e-scooter near them, use their app and credit-card information to unlock the vehicle and, after reaching their destination, leave the e-scooter where it can be used by another rider. Special protocols are required during the pandemic. In Edmonton, the city’s 200 scooters are brought to five corrals nightly and sanitized, and there is an advertising campaign urging e-scooter riders to sanitize their hands before and after they use the machines. Winnipeg city administrators had earlier pondered whether the e-scooters in the trial would be supplied and managed by the city or by a third party company. It’s a wise course to leave the trial to an experienced company that knows how to deal with related issues, such as how to protect against theft and vandalism and what to do with e-scooters once the snow falls. Would Winnipeggers use e-scooters to a degree that makes them feasible in this city? The answer lies in a trial period that temporarily gives e-scooters the green light.

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OurWinnipeg 2045 available for feedback
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '20

14 Jul '20

*[Please share widely! Submit your feedback to the City by August 10th.]*Planning for our shared future: City of Winnipeg seeking input on strategy for the sustainable growth of our city Released: 2:06 p.m. July 13, 2020 Engage Winnipeg website (for duration of engagement activities): *https://winnipeg.ca/OurWinnipeg2045 <https://winnipeg.ca/OurWinnipeg2045> | https://winnipeg.ca/notreWinnipeg2045 <https://winnipeg.ca/notreWinnipeg2045>* Winnipeg, MB – With Winnipeg on pace to grow by over 160,000 people in the next 20 years, the City of Winnipeg is determining how our city should grow in a way that builds community, improves quality of life, and ensures sustainability for the environment. The blueprint for how Winnipeg should grow has been detailed in strategic planning initiatives that the City is now looking for Winnipeg residents to share their views on. The City has developed its strategy for sustainable growth in two interconnected planning initiatives: *OurWinnipeg* – The City’s 25-year development plan, which provides a vision, goals, and policies intended to influence leadership and good governance, priority setting, the delivery of City services, how residents get around the city, and decisions about how Winnipeg grows. *OurWinnipeg* is required by the City of Winnipeg Charter, which requires the City to adopt, by by-law, a development plan that sets out long-term plans and policies. The current update of *OurWinnipeg* has been guided to this point by earlier public consultation, as well as input by the Community Advisory Committee. Complete Communities – Building on policies set out in *OurWinnipeg*, Complete Communities is a citywide secondary plan that guides growth, development, and land use in Winnipeg. Information and feedback opportunities for these initiatives are being presented together in order to provide a complete picture of how these planning documents propose to achieve the City’s goals for sustainable growth as the population of Winnipeg continues to climb. *The opportunity to engage online with the City of Winnipeg on these important initiatives will continue until Monday, August 10, 2020.* In light of current restrictions on in-person events, online discussion sessions will be held for both projects to present some of the main topics of discussion, and allow for questions to be asked of the project teams at the following times: Topic: OurWinnipeg: Sustainable Development Goals Format: Zoom meeting Date: Wednesday, July 22 Time: 7p.m. – 8:30p.m. (90 min) Topic: Complete Communities: Growing Sustainably Format: Zoom meeting Date: Wednesday, July 29 Time: 7p.m. – 8:30p.m. (90 min) To register and attend one of these sessions, please email city-engage(a)winnipeg.ca at least one day before the event you would like to attend. For more information on *OurWinnipeg* and Complete Communities, and to view the draft documents, please visit winnipeg.ca/ourwinnipeg <https://winnipeg.ca/Interhom/CityHall/OurWinnipeg/default.stm>. *To share your thoughts on how Winnipeg’s future is envisioned through these initiatives, please visit: winnipeg.ca/ourwinnipeg2045 <https://winnipeg.ca/OurWinnipeg2045>.*

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Free Webinar on Applying Dutch Cycling Principles in the U.S.
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '20

13 Jul '20

*Webinar Announcement* Upcoming Webinar on Applying Dutch Cycling Principles in the U.S. *Translating Dutch Cycling Ideas to an American Context Tuesday, July 28, 2020* 11:30am-1:00pm Eastern Time Register Here <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> U.S. transportation planners and advocates have long admired the Netherlands’ cycling infrastructure and culture, and some make the trip across the Atlantic to observe its bustling bike lanes and traffic-calmed streets. But coming from a more sprawling, auto-oriented environment, it’s difficult to imagine replicating their success, where the average resident now pedals over 600 miles per year. Discover the key principles that were developed by the Dutch over those fifty years, draw out concrete lessons for America to follow their lead, and learn how some of these ideas are already being implemented in U.S. cities, as they face a crisis forcing many of them to reevaluate how they allocate space on their curbs and streets. This webinar is being organized by the Dutch Cycling Embassy, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Office of Infrastructure and Water Management, the League of American Bicyclists, and the Federal Highway Administration. ------------------------------ PBIC offers free, public webinars approximately every month. To register for upcoming webinars and to access archived presentations, please visit www.pedbikeinfo.org/webinars <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> . Follow the PBIC on Twitter <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> and Facebook <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> and join the discussion [image: https://twitter.com/pedbikeinfo?lang=en] <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> [image: https://www.facebook.com/pedbikeinfo] <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> [image: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/index.cfm] <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> ------------------------------ Since its inception in 1999, PBIC's mission has been to improve the quality of life in communities through the increase of safe walking and bicycling as a viable means of transportation and physical activity. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center is maintained by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. ------------------------------ Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center 730 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Suite 300 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 Add us to your address book <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/vcard?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e453ab5d&…> Phone: 1.888.823.3977 Fax: 919.962.8710 www.pedbikeinfo.org <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> View this email in your browser <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…>

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CTV News: The idea that could make Winnipeg more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians (Jul8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '20

13 Jul '20

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/the-idea-that-could-make-winnipeg-more-accessib… WINNIPEG -- Several groups have joined forces to ask all levels of government to help make Winnipeg more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians. The Green Action Centre, Winnipeg Trails, Safe Speeds Winnipeg, and Bike Winnipeg are calling on the government to create a pop-up connected cycling network in Winnipeg. This would mean Winnipeg cyclists and pedestrians could access a safe route to get where they’re going no matter where they are in the city. “Right now in Winnipeg we do have some cycle routes and some of them are protected, but there’s giant gaps in that infrastructure,” said Mel Marginet from the Green Action Centre. “So for most folks, they can take a leisurely trip on their bike, maybe do a weekend trip with their kids, but the idea is that of being able to get to your essential services, to be able to get to your job, in the fall when the kids go back, for them to get to school." Marginet added, “There’s usually parts of the trip where they feel comfortable, but there’s always an intersection or perhaps a strip that’s a little bit scary and very intimidating, and because of that getting there on a bike or foot just seems inaccessible and impossible.” The groups sent out a letter in June -- addressed to Mayor Brian Bowman but also provided to the provincial and federal governments – asking for the connected network for walking and cycling. Marginet noted the letter was specifically addressed to Bowman as he has the most power in this situation. “It’s the municipal government that really has to champion and really has to prioritize this initiative,” she said. On Thursday, representatives from each of the groups will be delivering the letter to Bowman at Winnipeg City Hall, Minister Rochelle Squires at the Manitoba Legislative Building, and then the Office of MP Dan Vandal. Bowman has been invited to speak on the request, Squires will be available for comment, and Vandal won’t be available for comment but welcomes receiving the letter. “Right now always the go-to is just to build roads and highways and we just need to get beyond that,” Marginet said. *- With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace*

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Mississauga adopts new framework to keep peds and cyclists moving safely
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '20

13 Jul '20

City Adopts New Framework to Keep Pedestrians and Cyclists Moving Safely July 10, 2020 The City of Mississauga is moving forward with an Active Transportation COVID-19 Recovery Framework following approval of a report <https://pub-mississauga.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=2412…> that was brought to Council this week. Starting this summer, the City will introduce more short-term and long-term active transportation options for cyclists and pedestrians that allow for safe physical distancing. Residents can look forward to Quiet Streets that limit vehicle traffic, temporary road closures that provide more space for cyclists and pedestrians and 17.9 km of new separated and on-road bike lanes that will be installed by the end of the year. “Our efforts continue to build cities for people and ensure our residents can continue to travel safely and comfortably around our city while respecting physical distancing,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “It’s especially important now that we are in Stage 2 and are further reopening our economy that we provide residents with more ways to move. During this pandemic, communities like ours have seen cycling increase by as much as 60 per cent. This framework responds to those needs and will work to provide our residents with more options to travel around our City comfortably while providing relief for our busy sidewalks, multi-use trails and enhancing access to local amenities.” Throughout the spring, the City installed temporary active transportation lanes in Wards 4, 7 and 9 to give local pedestrians and cyclists more space to practise physical distancing. The framework allows for the introduction of more short-term options in the form of temporary road closures and Quiet Streets. Temporary road closures will help reduce crowding in Mississauga hotspots, particularly on weekends. Quiet Streets, which temporarily limit vehicle traffic to local traffic only, will provide more space for cyclists, walkers and runners to safely and comfortably use the road. “Active transportation will shape how residents move around Mississauga during recovery and beyond,” said Geoff Wright, Commissioner, Transportation and Works. “We’ll be expanding Mississauga’s cycling network long-term. By adding 17.9 km of new on-road bicycle lanes and separated bicycle lanes by the end of the year, we permanently increase the City’s on-road bicycle lane network by 30 per cent.” Based on data from Peel Public Health and the City’s transportation planning teams, locations for the projects outlined in the framework have been selected using criteria that includes: population density, vehicle ownership per household, commute distances and potential risk of COVID-19 exposure. Locations were also chosen to help fill gaps in Mississauga’s existing cycling network. In addition to consulting Peel Public Health, several key City strategic initiatives support the rapid expansion of the cycling network in Mississauga, including the Cycling Master Plan <https://yoursay.mississauga.ca/cycling-master-plan>, the Climate Change Action Plan <https://yoursay.mississauga.ca/climate-change>, the Transportation Master Plan <https://yoursay.mississauga.ca/transportation-masterplan> and Vision Zero. The Mississauga Cycling Advisory Committee was also consulted in the development of the framework. “Staff from across the organization have listened to residents and we recognize the immediate need for more options to travel safely by bike or foot, in both the long-term and the short-term,” said Helen Noehammer, Director, Infrastructure Planning and Engineering Services. “We’re reprioritizing our work plans and using relatively simple materials, available budget and existing contracts in order to accelerate this work.” No new funding is required for the projects identified in the framework. Estimated to cost $1.3 million, budget for the projects will come from existing funding sources, with $830,000 coming from the Federal Gas Tax Reserve Fund and $470,000 coming from the Development Charges Reserve Fund. Noehammer added, “The installation of additional cycling infrastructure will lead to operational impacts. We’re continuing to finalize what dedicated year-round maintenance of this infrastructure will look like, especially in the spring and winter.” To stay up-to-date on COVID-19 impacts on City services, visit mississauga.ca/recovery <https://web.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/covid-19-recovery/> and follow the City on Twitter @citymississauga <https://twitter.com/citymississauga>. https://web.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/city-adopts-new-fr…

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The Metro: Making Furby Street safe for pedestrians (Jul8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '20

08 Jul '20

Making Furby Street safe for pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/metro/Making-Furby-Street… A new initiative aims to make Furby Street safer for pedestrians. The Winnipeg Trails Association and West Broadway Community Organization have partnered to introduce “traffic calming measures” to the block of Furby Street between Westminster Avenue and Broadway. They will install a mobile planter on the street, which encourages drivers to slow down on their commutes home. The organizations are working with public works to design the measures, pending council approval. The City Centre community committee approved the project, which went to the infrastructure renewal and public works committee on July 7. While the motion works its way through council, the WTA has designed a prototype which it will present to the city. Anders Swanson, executive director of the WTA, said the prototype will serve as a visual reminder for drivers that they are moving through a residential street and they need to be mindful of pedestrians. “‘Traffic-calming measures’ is a very technical sounding term, what it really means is we’re helping to make our streets into a community asset. It’s a way to remind drivers that ‘hey, you’re entering a place where people are living, so maybe slow down,’” Swanson said. The WTA’s prototype is a wooden planter, placed along the side of Furby Street. Residents will be able to grow herbs and vegetables in it, with the bright greenery serving as a deterrent for speeding. Drivers will still be able to use the road, the WTA hopes that the increased greenery will catch their eye and remind them to be cautious. The proposal is part of their Healing Trails Program, a partnership with the West Broadway Community Organization to create a more walkable and accessible city. Greg MacPherson, executive director of the WBCO, is excited about the proposal. He said residents in West Broadway have been pushing for a more accessible city. “Our mandate is derived from public consultations, our biggest one being the five-year community plan. Through all of our surveys and consolations, residents in our neighbourhood want more infrastructure for active transportation,” MacPherson said. “That block of (Furby Street) is very busy, it’s one of the most densely populated streets in the area. There’s a lot of seniors, people with chronic health issues … They walk wherever they go. Having a bunch of cars speed through there is a huge concern for them.” MacPherson said in the 2018/2019 census, around 60 per cent of West Broadway residents community primarily by cycling or walking. The WBCO did a huge survey in 2016, going door to door asking residents what they want from their neighborhood. According to their survey, 90 per cent of residents wanted traffic calming measures of some kind. The City of Winnipeg has seen a push for active transportation routes throughout the city. Recently, council extended its Sunday/ holiday bicycle routes, closing some streets off to vehicle traffic until September. Organizations like the WTA and WBCO have been pushing for a more walkable city for years. MacPherson said Winnipeg is lagging far behind other cities when it comes to accessibility. “I’ve been to several other cities in Canada and around the world. I’m sorry to say, but Winnipeg is a little behind on this. You see cities everywhere that are starting to take active transportation more seriously, all the studies we have show it benefits our society,” MacPherson said. “I’d love to live in a city where I wasn’t reliant on motor vehicles to get from A to B. Not everyone can afford a car.” >From left: Janell Henry, Healing Trails’ program manager and Anders Swanson, Winnipeg Trails’ executive director, standing beside one of the planter box traffic-calming devices.

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The Lance: Underpass beneath Fermor Avenue opens (Jul8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '20

08 Jul '20

City of Winnipeg opens underpass beneath Fermor Avenue Press release from June 8th: https://winnipeg.ca/cao/media/news/nr_2020/nr_20200608.stm#2 On June 8, Save Our Seine joined city councillors Matt Allard (St. Boniface) and Brian Mayes (St. Vital) and Bike Winnipeg’s Mark Cohoe) at the official opening of the new Fermor Tunnel. This was a day to celebrate. The tunnel allows people to walk or ride safely under Fermor Avenue. Just east of the tunnel, new trails under the refurbished bridge allow deer, other wildlife, and people to cross under the bridge and access the river. The new tunnel and river trails will enhance movement along the Seine River corridor. Canada’s history was built around its rivers. Indigenous people, voyageurs, fur traders, and European settlers used rivers to travel across the vast Canadian landscape. In Manitoba, people travelled on the rivers using canoes or paddlewheel steamboats to carry heavy goods. They walked and drove carts on muddy trails beside rivers. The rivers were transportation corridors that belonged to everyone. The long lot settlement pattern recognized the need for public movement along rivers. The land along the river’s edge was considered to be “common land.” During the development of our city, we lost sight of this history. We overlooked the value of rivers as travel corridors. We built roads, bridges, and buildings that now limit public access and block movement along river corridors. Save Our Seine’s goal is to enhance the Seine River as natural corridor for wildlife, active transportation, recreation, and tourism. The dream is to create a continuous trail from the Red River to the floodway. Today, disconnected trail fragments along the Seine River are interrupted by significant barriers. Fermor Avenue was one barrier. Highway 100 is another. Thanks to another transportation project, Highway 100 will not remain an obstacle. As part of a massive 25-year project to improve traffic flow and safety along the south perimeter, the province has agreed to replace the box culvert over the Seine River. This culvert is too narrow for the river channel. It is often blocked by debris or beaver dams that prevent canoes from passing. Terrestrial wildlife must walk or swim through the culvert or cross the busy highway. The new culvert will have room for a riverside trail. Just imagine, people will be able to walk, bike, or canoe along the river between Royalwood and St. Norbert. Deer will have a way to move safely under the highway. Although the timeline for the culvert replacement is still uncertain, we are already counting the days. Michele Kading is a community correspondent for St. Vital and the executive director of Save Our Seine.

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WFP: One step closer to 30 km/h (Jul8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '20

08 Jul '20

*ONE STEP CLOSER TO 30 KM/H * CITY council’s public works committee has voted largely in favour of a plan to test 30 km/h speed limits. The City of Winnipeg would also hire a consultant to study lowering the default speed limit for all residential roads, but only if council approves the cost in its 2021 budget process. If council approves the changes, the speed reduction would be tested on sections of streets with low-volume, low-speed traffic patterns, including sections of Roch Street, Eugenie Avenue, Warsaw/ Fleet avenues, Machray Avenue and Flora Avenue. However, the committee also moved to require each greenway change be subject to the area councillor’s approval before it is implemented. City staff would also be tasked to consult with councillors on where best to place additional speed-reduction trials, if council agrees.

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Toronto Based Speed Study - 30km/hr vs 40km/hr
by Mark Cohoe 07 Jul '20

07 Jul '20

Hi, I found this report today that looks at a 30km/hr vs 40km/hr speed reduction and compares collision and injury rates. It makes a pretty strong case for 30km/hr over 40km/hr, especially in a winter city. Effect of reducing the posted speed limit to30 km per hour on pedestrian motorvehicle collisions in Toronto, Canada - aquasi experimental, pre-post study <https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12889-019-8139…> *Results*:Speed limit reductions from 40 km/h to 30 km/h were associated > with a 28% decrease in the PMVC incidencerate in the City of Toronto (IRR > = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58–0.89). A non-significant 7% decrease in PMVC > incidence rates wereobserved on comparator streets that remained at 40 > km/h speed limits (IRR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.70–1.25). Speed limitreduction > also influenced injury severity, with a significant 67% decrease in major > and fatal injuries in the postintervention period on streets with speed > limit reductions (IRR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13–0.85) compared with a 31% notstatistically > significant decrease in major and fatal injuries on comparator streets (IRR > = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.37–1.31). Theinteraction term for group and pre-post > comparisons was not statistically significant (p= 0.14) indicating that > there wasno evidence to suggest a pre-post difference in IRRs between the > intervention and comparator streets. > > *Conclusions*:Declines in the rate of PMVC were observed on roads with > posted speed limit reductions from 40 km/hto 30 km/h, although this > effect was not statistically greater than reductions on comparator streets. > Of note, in the results section they also note that while there was no difference between seasonal collision/injury rates on the 30km/hr streets, there was a marked seasonal difference on the 40km/hr roads, with winters having a far higher collision/injury rate. Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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WFP: City testing of e-scooters up to province (Jul2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jul '20

06 Jul '20

*City testing of e-scooters up to province * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-testing-of-e-scooters-up-to-pr… A trial project deploying electric scooters throughout Winnipeg will require a green light from the province before any of the e-powered two-wheelers hit city streets. An administrative report on the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works meeting agenda Tuesday recommends the city ask the provincial government to approve a trial for e-scooters to operate on the city’s transportation network. The request is the first step toward opening the door to dockless scooter and “micromobility” operators, such as Bird Rides Inc. and Lime, in Winnipeg. Currently, provincial legislation prohibits electric scooters from using public right-of-ways in Manitoba. Dockless e-scooters and e-bikes have gained some popularity with urbanites throughout Canada for ease of access and ubiquitous availability. Electric scooters can be deployed — on boulevards, in parks and plazas — and rented through a smartphone application. Users can find a nearby scooter on the app, unlock and rent the vehicle with their phone, and then zoom to their destination, where they leave the scooter for the next user. “I’m pleased to see the public service has an open mind about asking the province of Manitoba to change the law concerning scooters,” said Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of the infrastructure renewal and public works committee. “I believe this technology could play a key role in our active transportation environment here in Winnipeg, giving people more options to get around outside of their cars.” A spokesman for the provincial government said Tuesday in an email statement e-scooters do not meet the definition of a motor vehicle or a bicycle under the Highway Traffic Act. “There is no means under the existing legislation to pilot test e-scooters and other new vehicle technologies,” the spokesman said. In March, the province introduced the Vehicle Technology Testing Act, which established a framework for testing autonomous vehicles and new vehicle technologies, he added. “Once the bill is passed and a regulatory framework is in place, consideration can be given to safely testing e-scooters and other vehicle technologies that do not currently conform with the (Highway Traffic Act).” City officials hoped to work with third-party micromobility operators to establish a short-term rental network for bikes and e-bikes, in addition to scooters, throughout Winnipeg, but following an expression of interest learned most major players only offer e-scooters. “It appears that, if the city is interested in the provision of micromobility options, the public service may have to take an active role as a stakeholder in the operation of this program,” the administrative report states. “The cost of such a program could be quite significant, but there appear to be merits to offering such a program as a city service.” The public service has asked for permission from council to develop a business case for a city-led program. “With the dramatic drop in Transit ridership due to COVID-19 and its uncertain future, we need to continue to develop other alternative transportation options for Winnipeggers who get around without a vehicle,” Allard said. “This could fit into this picture.” If passed by the standing policy committee, the report would move on to executive policy committee and council for consideration. danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Year-long test of 30 km/h proposed for five city streets (Jun30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jul '20

06 Jul '20

*Feedback from residents will help determine next steps* * Year-long test of 30 km/h proposed for five city streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-report-calls-for-testing-lower… WINNIPEG could soon test a 30 km/h limit on five streets and hire a consultant to study lowering the default speed limit for all residential roads. There’s no plan to lower any speed limits at this time, in part because the required signage would cost millions of dollars. A new public service report calls for a one-year reduced-speed trial, which would cost between $250,000 and $300,000. An exact date hasn’t been set for the trial, though it could occur in fall 2020 or spring 2021, said David Patman, the city’s manager of transportation planning. Patman hopes the test period will trigger plenty of feedback to help determine the city’s next steps. “We want to hear from as many people as we can about this because we know this is such a major issue for people in Winnipeg,” he said. Many Winnipeggers have publicly pushed council to reduce the city’s default 50 km/h speed limit to 30 km/h on residential roads, arguing that would reduce the risk of fatal crashes and heighten pedestrian and cyclist safety. By contrast, a petition against lowering the limit to 30 km/h has gathered more than 6,000 signatures. Patman said the trial project should attract broad input prior to any decision on a more permanent change. “We want to take a look at the feedback we get from doing this small trial, seeing how people feel when they’re travelling at 30 (km/h), if it’s something that people in Winnipeg can live with,” he said. If approved, the speed reduction would be tested on sections of streets with low-volume, low-speed traffic patterns. That would include Roch Street (from Poplar Avenue to Arby Bay), Eugenie Avenue (from St. Mary’s Road to Youville Street), Warsaw Avenue/Fleet Avenue (from Nassau Street to Lindsay Street), Machray Avenue (from Fife Street to Main Street) and Flora Avenue (from Sinclair Street to King Street). If council approves the proposal as is, the city would also hire a consultant to study the impacts of both 30 km/h and 40 km/h speed limits on all residential roads. No budget has been approved for that study. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), the chairperson of council’s public works committee, said he supports the trial project. “I think it’ll allow Winnipeggers the opportunity to think about it, try it and see how it works in the city,” said Allard. Patman estimates it would cost the city about $7.8 million to add enough signs to legally reduce the speed limits on all Winnipeg residential streets right now, due to provincial sign rules he deemed an impediment to lowering speeds more quickly. Currently, the Highway Traffic Act requires a fixed speed limit of less than 50 km/h to be signed on every affected Winnipeg street at the point that limit begins, after each intersection with a roadway (other than a back lane) and as close as possible to the intersection itself. The report suggests council ask the province to require fewer speed limit signs to reduce a street’s maximum speed. Allard said he’d prefer the city be granted the power to add “gateway signage,” which he defines as posting signs with a new default speed limit at the edge of a neighbourhood or city they apply to, should council actually approve one. Mark Cohoe, the executive director of Bike Winnipeg, deemed it “a little disappointing” that the city isn’t taking more action to reduce speed limits right now but said he’s glad to see a test project proposed. Cohoe said lower speed limits should make neighbourhoods safer and more inviting. “It goes beyond the safety issue, it’s also a noise issue, it’s a livability issue,” he said. Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) said she’d prefer to see the city test a speed limit reduction throughout an entire neighbourhood instead. “I don’t really understand how using five streets is going to give them a comprehensive (view on this),” said Lukes. All of the changes would require full council approval. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Birds of a feather fix bikes together (Jun29'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jul '20

06 Jul '20

* Birds of a feather fix bikes together * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/wheelie-good-fun-571534962.html GREGORY Allan wants you to get on your bike and ride, and he and the other volunteers at Orioles Bike Cage will help make it happen. Located at 444 Burnell St., just north of St. Matthews Avenue, Orioles Bike Cage is a community bike repair shop. Its mission is to make cycling and bicycle repair knowledge accessible to all, and to remove barriers people face in keeping their bikes in working order. “I love working with the public. I love sharing knowledge. I love teaching people,” says Allan, who has volunteered at the shop for 10 years. “I really, really like bikes. I think they’re amazing machines,” the 31-year-old adds. “I love the community vibe we get at Orioles. Those feel-good community vibes for me are really important.” Community members can visit the shop every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The workshop space provides shared tool access and recycled bike parts, as well as repair advice from volunteers. There is no cost for the service, but pay-what-you-can financial donations, donations of bike parts or in-kind labour are encouraged. For Aaron Maciejko, volunteering at the shop stems from a passion for social justice. “Orioles allows people to get transportation at an affordable price and empowers them to take charge in their lives,” says Maciejko, 41. “That’s important.” Maciejko first got involved at the shop seven years ago when he was getting into bike polo, a sport adapted from horse polo and played on bicycles. He has fond memories of building his first bike using a frame and spare parts he found at the shop. “I was looking for something I could use specifically for bike polo,” he says. “I’ve since gone on to build a number of other bikes.” Charles Pearce started volunteering at the Bike Cage in 2012 and says the community there keeps him coming back. “It’s very friendly,” says Pearce, 39. “It’s a good way to meet people.” In addition to volunteering at the shop, Pearce has also been involved with Meals on Wheels. He enjoys volunteering because giving back to the community is important to him. “It’s always good to offer help when people need it,” he says. “If everybody (were) just completely closed off, it’d be a pretty boring world.” More volunteers are needed to help at Orioles, Allan says. No experience as a bike mechanic is required to volunteer. “There’s a lengthy list of things we need done in the shop,” he says. “Cutting up rags, sorting parts, finding holes in tubes, dealing with scrap metal and scrap rubber, separating aluminum from steel, and on and on it goes.” Greeters are also being sought who will help welcome and orient community members who visit the shop, as well as people who are willing to represent the shop at special events. “Running the shop takes so many different roles and tasks,” he says. A volunteer orientation is set for Saturday, July 18. Anyone interested can email oriolesbikecage@gmail. com. Whether you want to volunteer or just need help with your bike, Pearce invites folks to support Orioles Bike Cage. “I’d encourage everybody to come out,” he says. “If you want to learn to fix your bicycle and all that, we’ll definitely show you how.”

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WFP: Council extends cycling, walking routes till Sept. 7 (Jun27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jul '20

06 Jul '20

(This is old news, as I'm catching up after a week away.) *Council extends cycling, walking routes till Sept. 7 * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/council-extends-cycling-walking-rou… AS Winnipeg city council extended temporary active transportation routes until September, one councillor successfully lobbied for his ward’s route to be removed. Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) called to close the route along Assiniboine Avenue, from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive, arguing some cyclists and pedestrians disregard “the basic rules of the road.” “We’ve had several close calls with bikes and pedestrians… It makes for a potential danger spot when someone is riding a bike or is walking,” he said Friday. Klein said the busy stretch of Assiniboine Avenue isn’t a good fit for such use, largely since it’s a bus route. Residents have complained of cyclists and pedestrians taking up the entire road and not allowing cars to pass, he said. The AT routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, to allow more room for cyclists and pedestrians. Klein’s motion to close the Assiniboine link, which council approved, also called for city staff to consult with him to find an alternative route in his ward. The councillor said he decided to call for the elimination of the route, after 84 residents signed such a petition, including 67 Assiniboine Avenue residents. At the same meeting, council voted unanimously to extend eight other AT routes: sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. The extension will keep them open until Sept. 7, instead of July 6. Meanwhile, another councillor successfully called to have a route added in his ward. Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) requested an AT route be placed on Rover Avenue, between Hallet and Stephens streets. The area is part of the North Winnipeg Parkway, which Eadie’s motion states is slated for medicine plant-filled boxes to help calm traffic in the area, as part of a reconciliation effort. The motion describes the area as well-suited to the change, with “no cross-traffic, low traffic volumes and low traffic speeds.” The routes were first promoted as an option for socially distanced exercise during the pandemic. — Joyanne Pursaga

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Edmonton fights back against the hidden costs of parking with the boldest plan in Canada
by Charles Feaver 02 Jul '20

02 Jul '20

Globe and mail editorial today: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-edmonton-fights-b ack-against-the-hidden-costs-of-parking-with-the/ .. Some cities have started to move away from parking requirements for new buildings, but they are doing it slowly, and usually only in specific circumstances. Edmonton, however, decided to go further. Last week, city council <https://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-Release---Edmonton-first-major-Can adian-municipality-to-eliminate-parking-minimums.html?soid=1127191170163&aid =hSRVUDLmF1Q> eliminated parking minimums from its zoning rules for all developments across the city, the first big city in Canada to do so. All Canadian cities should take inspiration. Edmonton is thinking about what kind of city it wants to be in 2050. To quote a guiding maxim of a famous former Edmontonian: "Skate to where the puck's going and not where it's been." .. Sadly, their front page points to another trend: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/article-here-in-my-car-i-feel-safest-of -all-and-in-a-covid-19-pandemic-it/ "Here in my car, I feel safest of all - and in a COVID-19 pandemic, it's the only way to live". Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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WFP: City scraps plan for one-way traffic on West Broadway streets (Jun25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jun '20

25 Jun '20

*City scraps plan for one-way traffic on West Broadway streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-scraps-plans-for-one-way-traff… THE city has scratched an idea to make two major West Broadway streets into one-way roads as it prepares to begin construction of a bike path in the area next year. In an email sent Tuesday to area residents, the city says it decided to keep vehicular traffic in both directions on Westminster Avenue, Balmoral Street, and Granite Way, from Langside Street to Osborne Street. Residents, parents of children at Balmoral Hall School, and members of the Granite Curling Club opposed one-way traffic. “You told us the project design balances the safety and needs of all road users in some ways, but that you were very concerned with some aspects — particularly one-way streets and their potential to increase traffic and decrease safety along some residential streets,” the email says. The city says it has decided to build a two-way protected bike lane on the east side of Balmoral Street and Young Street, instead of a bike path on either side of the street. However, to fit it in with vehicular traffic, it will reduce the width of the bike lane to 1.5 metres from 1.8 metres, and require the removal of six loading stalls on Westminster in front of Balmoral Hall. The design includes the addition of stop signs on Balmoral Street at Granite Way and the loss of 15 parking spaces on Granite Way. The city said it expects to have a detailed design contract by the end of the summer, with construction expected to begin next year. But, because of low traffic volume connected with the shutdown of nonessential businesses for weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19, the city has decided to hold off on the final design of the rest of the planned bike path along Westminster, from Langside Street to Chestnut Street in Wolseley, until September.

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WFP: Councillors urge city to boost safety by improving markings (Jun25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jun '20

25 Jun '20

Councillors urge city to boost safety by improving markings Faded paint lines not street smart https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/paint-by-numbers-councillors-push-f… WINNIPEG drivers have likely all faced the challenge: you want to stay in your lane but you’re not sure where it is. Snow-clearing, road sand and other Manitoba weather realities strip away paint that marks lanes, leaving just a few flecks of colour or blank pavement. It can take many weeks for city crews to repaint those lines each year. Two councillors are pushing for changes to that process, which they hope will make streets safer. Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) is calling on the city administration to provide options to “improve the permanency of lane markings,” in a motion set to be debated at the July 7 meeting of the public works committee. Nason said the current faded markings are barely, or not at all, visible, which could make motorists and cyclists more likely to compete for the same space. “This creates an unsafe situation, and we need to do a better job to ensure (that) there are properly marked trails on our roadways. Then the motoring public can (stay in) their proper lane,” he said. He believes the longevity of the paint is key to addressing the issue. “We need some permanency on our line-painting, that’s not just put down and washed away a few weeks or months later — something that can stay on the road over the winters,” said Nason. The City of Winnipeg website describes road markings as “an important, but often overlooked, safety feature... Painted lines keep traffic in lanes and serve as guide posts for passing, safety, crosswalks and stopping areas.” In 2013, a KPMG public works review offered recommendations for Winnipeg to improve its road markings, which the consultant found were often missing. “Reliance on a single, in-house crew that takes up to 34 weeks to remark the city’s streets implies that many roads are left unmarked for much of this time,” the report notes. KPMG suggested Winnipeg consider the use of longer-lasting paint, try out new technology, and possibly contract out work to address the problem. Meanwhile, Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) said she’d like to see the city prioritize lane painting so intersections that have the most collisions get painted first. Lukes said she lobbies for new paint at the intersection of Kenaston and Mc-Gillivray boulevards each year, then waits weeks or months to see the work completed. “It’s still not painted and it’s (late) June. Last year, it was the middle of August,” said Lukes. “Personally, I just think high-collision intersections should be (the top) priority at all times.” A total of 1,352 crashes took place at Kenaston-McGillivray between 2015 and 2019, the most at any intersection, Manitoba Public Insurance figures show. Leila Avenue and McPhillips Street had the second-highest number of crashes (1,191). Lukes said high-crash locations tend to have crosswalks and may also offer bicycle lanes, so making their lane markers more visible would make all road users safer. She plans to soon raise her own motion for the city to paint its Top 10 highest-collision intersections before any other roads each year. The city’s website notes it still uses one lane-liner machine that paints about 1,000 kilometres of roadway lines and edges, including 1,061 intersections. In a written statement, city spokeswoman Julie Horbal Dooley said the complete process takes about 35 weeks, which isn’t finished some years due to weather and resource issues. The work itself is growing, Horbal Dooley said. “The number of lane markings in the city is increasing at a rapid pace as we add active transportation routes to the network and… some regional streets are remarked up to three times a year.” The statement noted paint options that are more durable have a “cost-prohibitive nature.” Horbal Dooley also noted the public works department does prioritize some repainting for sites that need it most and intersections that have the most traffic. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Segway personal transporter hitting brakes on production
by Beth McKechnie 24 Jun '20

24 Jun '20

Segway personal transporter hitting brakes on production SEGWAY, which boldly claimed its two-wheeled personal transporter would revolutionize the way people get around, is ending production of its namesake vehicle. The Segway PT, popular with tourists and police officers but perhaps better known for its high-profile crashes, will be retired on July 15, the company said in a statement. “Within its first decade, the Segway PT became a staple in security and law enforcement, viewed as an effective and efficient personal vehicle,” said Judy Cai, Segway president, in a statement, noting that in the past decade it gained popularity with vacationers in major cities in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. But the Segway, which carries a standing passenger on a wide platform, accounted for less than 1.5 per cent of the company’s revenue last year. The company said 21 employees will be laid off, another 12 employees will stay on for two months to a year and five will remain at the Bedford, New Hampshire facility. “This decision was not made lightly, and while the current global pandemic did impact sales and production, it was not a deciding factor in our decision,” Cai said. The transportation revolution that inventor Dean Kamen envisioned when he founded the company in 1999 never took off. The Segway’s original price tag of around US$5,000 was a hurdle for many customers. It also was challenging to ride because the rider had to be balanced at a specific angle for the vehicle to move forward. If the rider’s weight shifted too much in any direction, it could easily spin out of control and throw the rider off. They were banned in some cities because users could easily lose control if they were not balanced properly. “What did they think the market was when they built this, when they designed it?” asked Maryann Keller, principal at Maryann Keller & Associates. “My impression was they were talking about this as personal mobility. How could you think that something this large and expensive would be personal mobility?” Segway’s popularity may have peaked in early 2009 with the release of the Kevin James comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop, where the titular Blart patrols a fictional mall on a Segway. Ten months after buying the company in 2009, British self-made millionaire Jim Heselden died after the Segway he was riding careened off a 30-foot cliff not far from his country estate north of London. He was 62 years old. In 2003, then president George W. Bush avoided injury after tumbling off a Segway at his parents’ summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. A cameraman riding a Segway ran over Usain Bolt in 2015 as the Jamaican sprinter did a victory lap after winning a 200-metre race in Beijing. Bolt wasn’t injured and later joked about the incident. In 2017, Segway got into the scooter business, just as the light, inexpensive and easy-to-ride two-wheelers took over urban streets. Riders took 38.5 million trips on shared electric scooters in 2018, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Segway’s foray into lightweight scooters may have been a sign that its original PT’s days were numbered. “It was probably over-hyped before it was launched, and when it was launched, it was like, this is not going to work on city sidewalks,” Keller said. — The Associated Press

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Federation of Cdn Municipalities: COVID-19 Street Rebalancing Guide
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jun '20

23 Jun '20

[*Shared by Brian Patterson of Urban Systems on the TDM listserv]* Earlier today, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) released a new *COVID-19 Street Rebalancing Guide *to help cities effectively modify urban streets to support safe commuting, commerce and exercise. The *COVID-19 Street Rebalancing Guide* is a product of FCM's The Urban Project <https://theurbanproject.ca/>, which convenes a wide spectrum of voices to tackle urban challenges across Canada. The guide itself flows from weeks of engagement with city officials and thought leaders from across Canada. The guide is designed for decision makers and practitioners alike. With case studies from around the world, it offers strategies and practical guidance on rebalancing streets through three phases of COVID-19 response-from immediate to longer term. It explores installations ranging from bike lanes and curbside queuing areas to temporary patios and parklets. The guide was developed for FCM by Urban Systems. *FCM Press Release:* covid.fcm.ca/news/... <https://covid.fcm.ca/news/new-guide-helps-cities-rebalance-streets-amid-pan…> *Download the Guide: *theurbanproject.ca/events/covid-19-and-mobility ------------------------------ Brian Patterson Active Transportation Practice Leader Urban Systems Ltd. Vancouver BC (604) 235-1701 bpatterson(a)urbansystems.ca

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Free webinar: NTSB Bicycle Safety Report (June 24th)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jun '20

23 Jun '20

Upcoming Free APBP Webinar: A Discussion of the NTSB Bicycle Safety Report June 24 at 3:00pm EDT Register Here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ngQtQNNXaYJOFwiJb6fT4Gc9OBGxAi833CZ1DBHW1P8_…> The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its full report on bicyclist safety in December 2019: Bicyclist Safety on US Roadways: Crash Risks and Countermeasures, *the agency’s first report on bicyclist safety in 47 years*. Most of the report focuses on what federal agencies can do to improve the safety of people who bike. Join APBP and NTSB for this free webinar where NTSB's Member Homendy will discuss the full report. Moderated by APBP Board member and Policy Committee Chair, Conor Semler.

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WFP: Cyclist struck by SUV on bike route calls for increased safety measures (Jun23'20)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jun '20

23 Jun '20

Cyclist struck by SUV on bike route calls for increased safety measures https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cyclist-struck-by-suv-on-bike-route… JESSE HAJER was on his way home from his son’s physically distanced birthday party late Saturday afternoon, biking down the Wolseley Avenue active transportation route with four young children, when he was struck by an impatient driver in a sport-utility vehicle. He was keeping an eye out for the group of six- and seven-year-old kids, he said, crossing through the intersection at Clifton Street, when an SUV approached from behind, honking at the group to hurry along. Hajer signalled to the driver to wait but the car accelerated, appearing to try to squeeze between Hajer and the curb, and hit Hajer from behind. “It wasn’t going super fast or anything but it was enough,” Hajer said in an interview Monday, noting that he wasn’t seriously injured but was hit hard enough to damage the car. The incident comes amid ongoing debate about the nine temporary active transportation routes the City of Winnipeg set up at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage physical activity and alternative transportation options during isolation, introducing the question of road safety for those pedestrians and cyclists taking to the road. Hajer said he and his family are supporters of the active transportation road in their neighbourhood, and want to see the city take measures to make the routes appear more permanent, encouraging motorists to slow down and follow the rules. “I’m a huge fan of these routes; they’ve been just a breath of fresh air literally and figuratively in this challenging time,” Hajer said. “It’s stressful, families are super stressed out and they need options like this to get outside.” So far, motorists have been limited to one block of travel between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the routes, seven days a week. Hajer said he would like to see the city commit to traffic calming measures to make the routes more secure, including more frequent barriers to emphasize the rules, or larger and more attractive barriers such as planters. He’d also like to see the one block driving rules extended to 24 hours a day, speed limits reduced to 30 km/h on the residential roads and more educational signage outlining consequences for breaking the rules. Many of those initiatives have been echoed in recent months by cyclists and active transportation advocates such as Anders Swanson, executive director of Winnipeg Trails, who has petitioned the city to extend and expand the open street project. Assuring safety on those routes, he said, is about making cars feel as though they are guests on the road, rather than the road’s intended user. “From Day 1 we should have been working on a plan to make these feel more like pedestrian and cycling spaces, and that can include everything from picnic tables to flower planters to warm and welcoming signage,” Swanson said Monday. “A barricade with a chloroplast board feels like a temporary waiting room set up in the lobby. It doesn’t feel like we’re going to take this opportunity to make the city better and make it so people can make themselves better and heal themselves.” Reducing speed limits, beautifying streets and increasing education about the routes are easy first steps the city can take to more pedestrian and cycling-friendly streets, Swanson said. From there, he’d like to see the city invest in making those streets permanent and expanding the network into as many neighbourhoods as possible. “Our concern is that we’ve only got a toe in the water here, we keep extending them for a measly few weeks, there’s been no firm commitment to turn this into a network that reaches everybody in the city, and when you do that then you’re not mobilizing your department to do the things it needs to do because it’s a half measure,” he added. For its part, the city has no clear plans to enforce safety measures on the routes. A spokeswoman for the Public Works department said in an email Monday that “all modes of road users are reminded to be mindful of others and share the road, and to be aware of their surroundings at all times,” adding that the city is “counting on Winnipeggers to do their part and obey posted signage, and — for the most part — (has) seen them comply.” The city said permanent routes would be enforced “as per the governing bylaws,” but would not indicate whether it has used any disciplinary measures to enforce the rules thus far. julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca

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This isn't the first time bicycles have been the hottest machines on the market
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

How bicycles transformed our world: Coronavirus has sparked a two-wheeled transport boom in many parts of the globe. But this isn't the first time bicycles have been the hottest machines on the market https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/06/how-bicycles-transformed…

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Toronto Star: COVID-19 and transit - What we think we know may be wrong (Jun18''20)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

*COVID-19 and transit: What we think we know may be wrong * https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/06/18/covid-19-and-transit-what-we-th… According to everything we know about COVID-19 <https://www.thestar.com/coronavirus.html>, public transit seems like a perfect breeding ground for the disease. During normal times, a functioning transit system requires thousands of people to crowd together in an enclosed space, spend several minutes breathing the same air, and then spread back out into their workplaces and communities carrying whatever they picked up on board with them. Combined with economic shutdowns prompted by the pandemic, the fear of contracting the virus on subways and buses has helped decimate ridership on systems, creating revenue crises that pose an existential threat to transit operators around the world. The effects could be long-lasting. In Toronto, where ridership has dropped to as low as 14 per cent of pre-pandemic levels and the TTC is losing about $21 million a week, one in 10 riders say they won’t take transit again even as provincial authorities deem it safe to reopen the economy, according to a recent survey <https://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commiss…> commissioned by the agency. But is transit as dangerous a vector as it appears? Recent international data show a lack of confirmed cases connected to transit use that is striking even when taking ridership declines into account. Some experts say this can be explained by gaps in contact tracing methodologies, but others argue the risk of transmission on public transportation may not be as severe as initially feared. “There’s so much that we don’t know about the coronavirus and how it spreads. But we’ve seen enough new evidence to suggest that public transportation hasn’t been the super-spreader that many have assumed,” Janette Sadik-Khan, the influential former New York City transportation commissioner and current principal at the Bloomberg Associates, said in an email. She cited a study in France that determined none of 150 COVID-19 infection clusters identified in Paris from early May to early June originated on the city’s transit network. She also pointed to Japan, a country that has experienced only about 17,000 COVID-19 cases, despite having one of the world’s busiest rail networks. Canada has now recorded more than 100,000 cases. Figures like those present a sharp contrast to the conclusions of a study by an MIT economics professor <http://web.mit.edu/jeffrey/harris/HarrisJE_WP2_COVID19_NYC_24-Apr-2020.pdf> that was widely circulated in the early days of in the crisis. It warned the subway network “was a major disseminator — if not the principal transmission vehicle — of coronavirus infection” in New York City. The study’s methodology and conclusions have been widely criticized, not least because in New York infection rates have been lower in subway-rich Manhattan than in transit-poor boroughs like Staten Island. But Sadik-Khan said its findings and similar proclamations early in the pandemic “scared people and may hold them back from returning to transit.” For transit agencies now plunged into financial crisis, “this fear of transit may ultimately be more damaging than the potential threat of riding it,” she said. Conclusive evidence linking COVID-19 transmission to transit use appears to be rare in Canada. As of June 12, 65 TTC employees out of a staff of more than 15,000 had tested positive for the virus <http://www.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Safety_and_Security/Case_update.jsp>. But it’s not known whether they contracted the infection on the job. Toronto Public Health hasn’t traced any of the city’s more than 13,500 COVID-19 cases to public transit. However, TPH spokesperson Dr. Vinita Dubey cautioned that doesn’t necessarily indicate that infections aren’t occurring in settings like the TTC. Because the virus has a 14-day incubation period and can be spread by people who aren’t exhibiting symptoms, “it is difficult to determine exactly where someone acquired their infection,” she said. The picture is similar in other Canadian jurisdictions. Public health authorities overseeing Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa all told the Star this week that no cases in those cities had been linked to transit. A spokeperson for Vancouver Coastal Health said “we don’t comment on specific cases,” but the agency “hasn’t had need for any public notification to transit users.” Tom McMillan, a spokesperson for Alberta Health, said the agency “has not identified any cases to date where transit is considered the source of exposure.” But the agency is drafting guidelines for operators like Calgary Transit and Edmonton Transit Services to keep riders and workers safe. Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto and Toronto General Hospital, said he wasn’t surprised by the lack of cases linked to transit. Even in jurisdictions where transit operators haven’t made safety measures like mask use mandatory for riders, Bogoch said passengers appear to be taking it upon themselves to take precautions like wearing face coverings, washing their hands, and keeping their distance from one another, which has likely helped to reduce the spread. Wearing a mask will become mandatory on the TTC as of July 2, with exceptions for young children and people with medical conditions. Some commentators have speculated transmission on transit hasn’t occurred at high rates because unlike in settings like bars where patrons risk spreading the infection in airborne droplets by talking close to one another, transit riders largely don’t speak to other passengers. And while transit vehicles are enclosed spaces, their doors open regularly, circulating the air. Bogoch said it’s possible such factors have mitigated the spread of the virus, but their effects are difficult to quantify. He argued what’s more important is the infection rate of the societies in which transit systems operate, which he said bodes well for Toronto. Even though the city lags behind the rest of Ontario in reducing caseloads, it still has a rate of about 400 per 100,000 people, according to Ontario Public Health data <https://files.ontario.ca/moh-covid-19-report-en-2020-06-18.pdf>. By comparison, New York state’s rate is about 2,000 per 100,000 people, according to data compiled by the New York Times. The “general low burden of infection” in Toronto, coupled with measures such as mask use, make transit in the city a “low risk” environment, Bogoch said. He cautioned that doesn’t mean the probability of transmission on transit is nonexistent, especially as the province continues to open up and more people return to the system. “We’re going to have outbreaks in the GTA, and certainly someone’s going to be infected by this virus on a bus or on a subway,” he said. Dr. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, warned the lack of evidence connecting infections to public transit can’t be taken as proof the virus isn’t being spread there, and instead could be attributed to blind spots in contact tracing. He said chains of infection are more easily recreated in homes, workplaces, and other settings where people know each other and can be identified after they come in contact with someone who has the virus. Accurately determining the rate of transmission on transit would be “enormously difficult” because “people don’t live on public transit, people don’t know each other on public transit,” Furness said. Until there is conclusive proof the virus isn’t spreading on transportation networks, Furness warned any assertions that systems are safe would be overly optimistic. “It’s going to be pretty hard for me to come to the conclusion that buses and subways and streetcars aren’t risky,” he said. “A responsible person is going to say, look, if we’re not sure, we should not downplay the risk … So yes, it’s too early to jump for joy.” TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said it was up to Toronto Public Health to determine how safe the transit system is, but the TTC agrees with the health authority’s position that “the TTC remains a safe system.” Green said the TTC is “certainly aware of examples from around the world that suggest there are no links between mass transit ridership and viral spread,” but “we are not taking that for granted.” He said “as the city reopens and ridership returns, we will take all steps possible to continue to protect the health and safety of everyone in our system.” In addition to mandating mask use, the TTC is also cleaning its vehicles several times a day, deploying additional vehicles to busy bus routes to decrease crowding, and is readying crowd management plans for subway stations. While there remains uncertainty about exactly how risky it is to ride, passengers will continue to have real fear about taking transit while the virus remains a threat, and the TTC will need to address those anxieties to coax customers back. “We absolutely understand that perception matters for our customers and employees,” Green said. “We want them not only to feel safe, but to actually be safe.”

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CTV: Proposed active transportation route extension passed by executive policy committee (Jun19'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jun '20

20 Jun '20

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/proposed-active-transportation-route-extension-… WINNIPEG -- A motion to keep Winnipeg active transportation routes open until September was passed by the mayor’s inner circle on Thursday, and is now in the hands of city council. The executive policy committee voted unanimously on Thursday to support a measure to extend the end of the active transportation routes until September 7, 2020. The active transportation routes are located in these locations: - Lyndale Drive from Cromwell to Gauvin Street; - Scotia Street from Anderson (at Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenues; - Wellington Crescent from Academy Road (at Wellington) to Guelph Street; - Wolseley Avenue from Raglan Road to Maryland Street; - Assiniboine Avenue from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive; - Churchill Drive from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue; - Egerton Road from Bank to Morier Avenues; - Kildonan Drive from Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent; - Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place; and - Kilkenny Drive from Burgess to Patricia Avenues and Kings Drive. On these active transportation routes, traffic is confined to one block through the area from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city expanded the use of the routes to help with physical distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the motion filed during the meeting, the routes have been popular with city residents and cyclists. If no extension was sought, the routes would end on July 6. The extension will be discussed at the next city council meeting on June 26.

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Fwd: Register for the 2020 TAC Conference & Exhibition!
by Mark Cohoe 18 Jun '20

18 Jun '20

With this conference going online, and thus more affordable, it might be of interest to a few more people and organizations. I'm definitely going to give it some thought. Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: TAC-ATC Communications <secretariat(a)tac-atc.ca> Date: Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 12:49 PM Subject: Register for the 2020 TAC Conference & Exhibition! To: Additional Recipient <mark.e.cohoe(a)gmail.com> [image: Image] * Register for the 2020 TAC Conference & Exhibition! * [image: Image] *As a TAC customer, you might not have heard the announcement <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…> that the 2020 TAC Conference & Exhibition won't be held in Vancouver this fall. *Instead, you can *join over 500 thought leaders and influencers* from municipalities, provincial/territorial transport departments, academia, and the private sector at the * 2020 TAC Conference & Exhibition <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…>, now with live programming ONLINE, September 21 to October 8!* *Register by August 17 for Early Bird rates* <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…> * $225 TAC members | $275 regular | Free for students* This low-cost registration makes attending the TAC Conference & Exhibition easier than ever! * When you register, you get: * - access to *3 Featured Events (1 per week)* on topics including *The Journey to Safer Roads* and the impacts of COVID-19 on transportation in Canada - access to the full technical program <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…> of more than *40+ sessions across 16 tracks*, showcasing the work and experience of *150+ presenters* - to learn about and make contact with *leading transportation suppliers and services*. Visit their Partner Profiles, message or video chat with representatives, or attend or view Partner Demos - the choice to attend all of these events via *live web-conference* to participate interactively, including in Q&A sessions, *OR watch the event recordings* after they're over. Access to recordings and the conference event portal continues until March 2021 - to *network, message or video chat* with other participants, presenters and corporate partners Don't miss the opportunity to keep in touch with your peers, and learn about new and evolving practices and challenges in transportation! *Learn More & Register* <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…> Finally, if your company is interested in participating in #TACconf as a corporate partner, it's not too late to get involved. *Learn about Corporate Partnership* <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBUosN5o8b…> *Thank you to our Premier Plus partners* [image: Image] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBS-2FlneO…> [image: Image] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBZu4Ne8aZ…> [image: Image] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBepwU9tJi…> [image: Image] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBRCuniL84…> [image: Image] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBRcI6EaAJ…> [image: Facebook] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBaw9DX0kw…> [image: Twitter] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBfqnDLTJy…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=M3V7pKe308SQRDM8wYnXBaEKzYTL8…> TAC © 2020 www.tac-atc.ca <https://u2306505.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=2LEIirtkw1-2BsjXHPJCzkH2D1t9b…> UNSUBSCRIBE *Transportation Association of Canada* *401-1111 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa, ON K2C 3T2* *613-736-1350 secretariat(a)tac-atc.ca <secretariat(a)tac-atc.ca>*

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Minneapolis and Saint Paul lowering speed limits to support safety
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jun '20

17 Jun '20

https://www.visionzerompls.com/speedlimit-s On March 12, The Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul announced plans to lower speed limits to support safer streets. Slower speeds on local streets make travel safer for everyone no matter how you get around. New speed limits will be: - 20 mph for local residential streets; - 25 mph for larger, arterial city-owned streets; and - 30-plus mph for a few city-owned streets. - Per Minnesota law, cities do not have authority to change speed limits on county and MnDOT roads. Speed limits on these streets in Minneapolis and Saint Paul will not change. - Map (see link) shows what the speed limits will be on individual streets Staff from both cities will begin in March to install or change more than 1,000 speed limit signs on city-owned streets in the coming months. New, lower 25 mph speed limits on individual streets will go into effect as soon as they are signed. Once the busier streets are signed, the cities will then install “gateway signs” at entry points in both cities, indicating the citywide speed limit is 20 mph unless otherwise posted. Once the gateway signs are installed, the 20 mph speed limit on local residential streets will be in effect. The cities will generally not be posting 20 mph signs on local residential streets. The cities expect the sign installation to be completed by this fall. Full details: https://www.visionzerompls.com/speedlimit-s

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Please take this commute survey!
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '20

16 Jun '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Jessica Roberts <jessicaroberts(a)altaplanning.com> Date: Tue, Jun 16, 2020 at 12:28 PM Hi all, our friends at the Center for Advanced Hindsight (CAH) are running a study to learn more about the *impact of message framing on commute choices, *including how COVID-19 concerns affect that. Having just taken the study, I can tell you that the results of this study will be *very* helpful to us as TDM practitioners. CAH will share the results with us. Would you please take the survey yourself, and also share with any lists you have access to? It's great for TDM professionals to reply, but it's even better if all your 'ordinary' commuters can reply. The goal is to get 900 replies so CAH has statistically significant replies. *Researchers at Duke University are exploring Commute choices. Please take this short 5 minute survey to tell us about your commuting preferences.* *Click here to answer the confidential survey. * *https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Vfu246mlMra7hb <https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7Vfu246mlMra7hb>* Thank you very much! -Jessica *JESSICA ROBERTS* *Pronouns: she/her * *Principal + Programs Manager | Alta Planning + Design, Inc.* *d. 503.200.3272 | o. 503-230-9862* *Working remotely. Contact me at 503-752-4144.* 711 SE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97214 altaplanning.com *Creating active, healthy communities*

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[SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Webinar: Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 2: Street Design and Placemaking (June 25)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jun '20

15 Jun '20

===== UofM Email Security Notice - SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE ===== The message below may be a potential threat. It may trick victims into clicking a link and downloading malware. Do not open suspicious links. If you do not know the sender or cannot verify the integrity of the message, please do not respond or click on links in the message. Depending on the security settings, clickable URLs may have been modified to provide additional security. Please contact the Service Desk if you have any questions. (204) 474-8600 ==== Original Email Body Follows ==== ------------ Suspicious threat disclaimer ends here ------------ Part 1 recorded webinar: http://secure-web.cisco.com/14D-YVL4WOxnn0O4Kq2DG00mlLuRwLNCQEkgCN0NWxDnTFh… ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Maryland Department of Planning <michael.bayer1(a)maryland.gov> Date: Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 8:34 AM You don't want to miss Part 2 with Dan Burden and Mark Fenton UPCOMING FREE WEBINAR <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1NDdfcouZ4v7l3nWt05RIkFIKnk-xgBYnoGd20ul-A60YKo…> Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities Part 2: Street Design and Placemaking Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EDT Participants of the live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits. Join the Maryland Department of Planning and the Smart Growth Network at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 25, for the second part of a series on the connection between walkable communities and public health. Dan Burden, Mark Fenton and Danielle Schaeffner of Blue Zones return to examine the details of street designs and places that work for all. Learn important design features that will help the nation become more focused on people, to be more inclusive, to repair mistakes made to public streets built in the past. Find out more and register for this free webinar via the link below. Register For Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 2: Street Design and Placemaking <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1NDdfcouZ4v7l3nWt05RIkFIKnk-xgBYnoGd20ul-A60YKo…> Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse | 410-767-4943 | SmartGrowth.org The Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse is a project of the Smart Growth Network and is partially funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Community Revitalization and managed by the Maryland Department of Planning. Maryland Department of Planning | 301 W. Preston Street, 11th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 Sent by michael.bayer1(a)maryland.gov in collaboration with [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://secure-web.cisco.com/11s2YyN4vEouei3AJwY9K7v-FPNGmQf_EtQUUSV-svbCrXL…> Try email marketing for free today! <http://secure-web.cisco.com/11s2YyN4vEouei3AJwY9K7v-FPNGmQf_EtQUUSV-svbCrXL…>

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Transportation issues are social justice issues
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jun '20

11 Jun '20

*The Bicycle as a Vehicle of Protest* https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-bicycle-as-a-vehicle…

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Toronto expands bike share network as it looks to give residents more ways to get around during pandemic (Jun9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jun '20

11 Jun '20

Toronto expands bike share network as it looks to give residents more ways to get around during pandemic https://www.cp24.com/toronto-expands-bike-share-network-as-it-looks-to-give… Toronto is adding 1,850 new bicycles and 160 new stations to its existing bike-sharing network as it continues to look to new ways to help residents get around during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor John Tory announced the expansion during a news conference in Nathan Phillips Square on Tuesday morning, noting that the initiative will help provide more residents “with safe alternatives to get moving” in the era of COVID-19. The expansion will see the geographic area covered by Bike Share Toronto’s network double to 200 square kilometres and will also include the creation of pilot areas in North York and Scarborough that will each feature up to eight new stations. The total cost of the overall expansion is $11.25 million with nine million of that coming from the province as part of a previously announced commitment. “Residents are looking for different and yet safe ways to get around the city and as we continue to respond to the pandemic and make our plans for the post-pandemic period residents want to go outside, they want to be active and they want to have those transportation alternatives. It is our job to make that happen,” Tory told reporters in making that announcement. Bike Share Toronto charges members an annual fee and then allows them to check out bicycles for 30-minute increments from any of its stations. While the network was largely limited to the downtown core when the city took over the service from its bankrupt owners back in 2013 it has grown considerably since then and will now cover 20 of the 25 wards in the city. It will also feature 6,850 bikes spread across 625 stations. As recently as 2016, there were only about 1,000 bikes spread across 80 stations. “A big part of expansion is ensuring that all corners of this city will have access to bike share,” Tory said. “It will mean that people can use the bikes to come all the way down to the core if they choose to do so or they can use it as well to get to places within their own neighbourhoods.” The expansion of Bike Share Toronto comes as the city accelerates work on 40 kilometres of new bikes lanes as part of its wider response to COVID-19. The city has also been closing select major arteries to vehicular traffic on the weekends in order to give pedestrians and cyclists more space. “As the economy starts to reopen and people want to get out to their mom and pop shops and support their local businesses, active transportation is going to be a critical way to do that,” Beaches-East York Coun. Brad Bradford said during Tuesday’s press conference. “This is a 21st century approach and I think it is the perfect approach for the moment we are in right now.”

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Walk/Bike/Places 2020 is going online
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jun '20

11 Jun '20

We are moving the conference online for 2020. Display problems? View this in a browser. <https://mailchi.mp/b1938b061c5e/walk-bike-places-2020-1641846?e=8577dd457f> <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> Walk/Bike/Places 2020 Is Going Online We hope this conference update finds you safe and healthy. Our New York City based team and local Indianapolis partners have been working long and hard behind the scenes on our plans for Walk/Bike/Places 2020, so that we could bring you the best and safest event in response to the effects that COVID-19 has had on you and on us. Today, we are pleased to share that Walk/Bike/Places 2020 will now be presented *online* <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…>. This change in format allows our current program to continue, despite the personal, professional, and financial uncertainties facing so many people that will continue in the months ahead. <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> Biking and walking has been the mobility preference in many cities during COVID-19, as seen here in the empty streets of NYC. Updates on the Conference Program We will be sticking to our conference theme of *Implementation**—*a theme which has become even more relevant at this moment in time. This online gathering provides us with a time to step back and explore some of the incredible (and imperfect) work taking place right now in the realms of active transportation, public space and public health. Our program will still include *dozens of breakout sessions*, spread across the four-day event, and as a bonus, participants will have access to *view all sessions on their own time* for many months after the event. In response to the impact that COVID-19 has had on us all personally and professionally, we look forward to serving as a platform for *shared experiences, lessons learned, and practical solutions* that will be helpful to you for years to come. In the face of such hard times, we find some hope in knowing that our work will soon be more important than ever as we face challenges, new and old, like recovery, resilience, and inequality in our communities. We hope you will join us, and we look forward to sharing this new experience with you. ------------------------------ Articles & Resources Below are a few links to articles and resources that capture some of what is on our minds at this moment. We expect that these topics will fuel many of the conversations we have at this year's online event: - In our host city *Indianapolis*, a group of artists are turning plain plywood planks on downtown businesses into works of art (Nuvo <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - A new guide to adapting streets for pandemic response and recovery ( NACTO <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - A manifesto on how to create and protect places that recognize, affirm, and amplify Black agency, discourse, and thought (BlackSpace <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - Watch Oakland's open streets in action (StreetsBlogNYC <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - An article on how designers can work toward justice in alignment with the Movement for Black Lives (CityLab <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - A call to remake our sense of place post-COVID-19 (The Conversation <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) - Recovery will happen in public space (Project for Public Spaces <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> ) ------------------------------ Sponsorship & Exhibitors Interested in sponsoring Walk/Bike/Places 2020? Conference sponsorship is the perfect way to support the biking, walking, and placemaking movement. Learn more. <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> Please reach out to us to learn more about the many ways you can participate at program(a)walkbikeplaces.org <program(a)walkbikeplaces.org?subject=Exhibition%20and%20Sponsorship> ------------------------------ * Learn more about our conference at* *walkbikeplaces.org* <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Any questions?* *contact us at program(a)walkbikeplaces.org <program(a)walkbikeplaces.org?subject=Sponsorship%20for%20W%2FB%2FP%20Indy%20in%202020>* ------------------------------ *Hosted By* [image: Project for Public Spaces] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Co-presenters* [image: Indianapolis] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Spark Placemaking] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: APBP] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Program Partners* [image: America Walks] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Impact Sponsor* [image: People for Bikes] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Supporting Sponsor* [image: DERO] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Contributing Sponsor* [image: sportworks] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Toole Design] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: eco counter] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Saris Infrastructure] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Facebook] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Twitter] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: Instagram] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a…> *Copyright © 2020 Project for Public Spaces, PPS, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website to receive updates about Walk/Bike/Places. *Our mailing address is:* Project for Public Spaces, PPS 740 Broadway, 11th Fl New York, NY 10003 Add us to your address book <https://walkbikeplaces.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a95a1ee…>

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The Headliner: Inmates learn skills in bike shop (Jun10'20)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jun '20

10 Jun '20

Gearing up for success Inmates learn skills in bike shop https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/headliner/Gearing-up-for-… A broken bike abandoned at the Brady Road Landfill may look like a piece of junk, but it could make a big difference in at least one person’s life. Sheryl Reid-Corrales, Headingley Correctional Centre’s Winding River Community unit manager, said that bike could become one of the 2,000 bikes repaired by inmates and donated to The WRENCH (Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub) to distribute to community groups serving immigrant and other Winnipeg residents in need. “We go and get the bikes from the Brady Road Landfill,” Reid-Corrales said. By repairing bikes, inmates learn valuable job skills as part of an addiction program offered at the special unit, which houses up to 150 men. Winding River is based on the model of Guthrie House Therapeutic Centre at Nanaimo Correctional Centre in British Columbia, she said. It is a self-contained unit that offers counselling and behavioural modelling to keep inmates fighting addictions out of the main prison system. “We’re an addiction program with a positive environment,” Reid-Corrales said. Two correctional officers oversee the bike shop, teaching inmates to repair bikes. Reid-Corrales said 16 inmates at a time work for a half-day, and the other part of their day is devoted to counselling and programs supporting their desire to kick an addiction to alcohol and/or drugs. “It takes a year for them to go through the program,” she said. “Working in the bike shop is a practice run for when they get out (of prison). In the bike shop, they are treated like an employee.” This puts the onus on inmates to show up on time and call in if they are sick and unable to come to work. Reid-Corrales said giving inmates personal responsibility for their success or failure in the bike shop and Winding River program is important. “They’re learning confidence.” She said working on bikes, especially children’s bikes, leads inmates to reflect on their own families and how their actions that brought them into Headingley Correctional Centre impacted their loved ones and others in the community. For example, they might have stolen bikes to sell for profit and purchase substances. “It’s important that they give back to the community,” Reid-Corrales said The WRENCH recently gave away 320 bikes repaired by Winding River inmates. Reid-Corrales said the inmates also make bike seats that are available at The WRENCH’s office at 1057 Logan Ave. in Winnipeg.

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WFP - Future of AT routes
by Kristine Hayward 10 Jun '20

10 Jun '20

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/future-of-city-active… Kristine Hayward Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metred street parking and pay lots in the area - please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion<https://twitter.com/search?q=wpginmotion&src=typd> Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Scent Free Facility - visitors are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes/colognes/heavy-scented lotions/oils This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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CBC: Extending Winnipeg active transportation routes until fall gains support but has critics (Jun9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jun '20

09 Jun '20

*Extending Winnipeg active transportation routes until fall gains support but has critics* Calls to tweak location of routes, change hours and provide better communications on closures https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-active-transportation-rout… A push to extend the temporary closure of nine Winnipeg streets to vehicle traffic got plenty of support Tuesday, while others want city council to slow down and examine what's already in place. The nine streets were closed earlier this spring to provide active transportation options to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vehicle traffic is limited to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the routes, seven days a week. The temporary closures are set to end on July 6, but on Tuesday, the city's infrastructure and public works committee heard from several councillors and a dozen delegations about extending the closures for another two months. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard has a motion that would extend the active transportation routes until the September long weekend. "The majority of people I have heard from in my ward supports keeping them open," Allard said on Tuesday. Several councillors appeared in front of the committee in full support of the motion, but others say changes should be made before the life of the routes is extended. Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie says he has "no real problem" with the routes, one of which — Scotia Street — is in his ward. But he did inject a note of caution about the interaction between pedestrians, cyclists and drivers on the routes. "There is tension on all sides," Eadie said, adding the restrictions bring out the "aggressive nature" in people while attempting to share the road. Assiniboine may not be right fit for route The councillor for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood says there was little advance notice to residents when five more routes were added <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-more-active-transport…> in early May to the four that had opened up in April <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-active-transportation…> . "There was no information given to residents.… It was just done," Kevin Klein told the committee. Assiniboine Avenue from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive, which is in Klein's ward, was among the routes added in May. He says there are six bus stops on the street and no proper signage was put in place to explain the changes to residents. Klein says perhaps the route could remain closed to vehicles on the weekends or evenings, but whatever happens with the motion to extend the routes until the fall, residents and the local councillors should be consulted first. Westwood resident Darlene Van Ruiten agreed with Klein on both the concerns about the bus stops on the route, and the lack of consultation. "There wasn't any time to speak to residents that this was coming," Van Ruiten told the committee. She says the barricades on the street have created a potential danger, as transit buses attempt to manoeuvre around them. The Green Action Centre appeared in support of extending the routes beyond the current nine streets, urging councillors to follow the lead of other cities around the world. "Create a pop-up network routes accessible by foot and bikes," urged the Green Action Centre's Mel Marginet. After hearing from some councillors and delegations, Allard allowed there may be a need to tweak some routes. "I want to acknowledge there have been a number of concerns raised by residents and councillors," Allard said. Allard believes the motion going to council has the flexibility in it to allow area councillors to adapt the routes in each ward. The infrastructure and public works committee is expected to vote on Allard's motion later Tuesday. It also has to pass executive policy committee before a full vote of city council.

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WFP: Future of city active transportation routes draws debate (Jun10'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jun '20

09 Jun '20

Future of city active transportation routes draws debate https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/future-of-city-active-transp… Some Winnipeggers fear a route restricting vehicle access to make more room for pedestrians and cyclists has created new safety concerns. The city introduced nine active transportation routes as an option for socially distanced exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, where vehicle traffic is limited to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. While that was slated to end July 6, city council is now considering a motion that would keep the paths open to Sept. 7. Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) opposed the extension, however, after the Assiniboine Avenue route (from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive) triggered complaints. "There’s buses and there’s a lot of turns and dips on that road, so it’s difficult to see pedestrians and cyclists," Klein said Tuesday, noting there are also multiple bus stops along Assiniboine. "It creates a diversion of traffic that’s not expected in the community." The councillor said the vehicle restrictions also fuel notable traffic increases in a nearby back lane, as drivers search for alternative routes. "Right now, it’s creating division among the street, it’s creating issues. I don’t want to see a child get hit in the back lane because a ball went out of their yard (and they weren’t expecting the traffic)," he said. Klein said some of his constituents do support the AT route. However, he urged city staff to conduct consultations to determine if other nearby alternatives may be better suited to active transportation. He said each ward councillor should be invited to provide input on route placement before any extension occurs. If that doesn’t happen, council could also consider restricting the vehicle limits to Saturdays, Sundays and weekday evening hours. Darlene Van Ruiten, a resident of the ward, told the committee she’s also concerned about heavy bus traffic forced to move around the route’s barricades. "The barricade causes this bus, this full-sized bus, to go (switch lanes) to make those corners… It causes a potential danger to either hit a car or a child that’s not paying attention," said Van Ruiten. On Tuesday, the public works committee voted to support the extensions, which means the AT access for sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive will be extended. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), committee chairman, noted the motion does call for all councillors to be consulted to see if any changes to the routes are required. Allard said that should ensure ward concerns can be addressed without AT routes getting shut down to do so. "By design, this motion is meant to include the area councillor," he said, adding he’s heard plenty of support for the route extension. By late Tuesday afternoon, more than 8,000 Winnipeggers had signed an online Winnipeg Trails Association petition to support the extension and call for more permanent AT routes. The public works committee also heard clear support from many delegates at Tuesday’s meeting. "A small inconvenience for some folks to limit their driving to a block during designated hours in exchange for all of the benefits of movement and fresh air is an incredibly simple trade-off for the city to champion," said Mel Marginet of the Green Action Centre. Marginet said the routes must be expanded, however, since many Winnipeggers live too far from the current ones to easily access them. If council approves the changes as proposed, the city’s public service would also study the addition of permanent, year-round active transportation routes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Building active transportation routes on a tight budget possible, councillor says (Jun9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Building active transportation routes on a tight budget possible, councillor says https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/building-active-transportation-rout… As more residents make biking and walking an essential part of their day through the coronavirus pandemic, one city councillor says supporting active transportation might not necessitate big-budget investments. "The nine active transportation corridors we’ve opened, we were able to do that with very small financial implications, so perhaps there’s ways of expanding active transportation in the city without spending a whole lot of money," Coun. Matt Allard said. "Part of it is investment, but part of it is what do we want to do as a city? How do we want to use the spaces that we have?" Allard’s remarks came Monday as city officials cut the ribbon on the latest multimillion dollar piece of infrastructure built with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. The new $2.5-million underpass connecting Niakwa Trail to Des Meurons Street beneath Fermor Avenue saw plenty of people jogging, cycling and walking past news crews gathered Monday morning to cover the opening. The pathway, located about midway between St. Anne’s Road and Archibald Street, and not far from the Windsor Park Golf Course and St. Vital Outdoor Pool, was part of the city’s $29.6-million Fermor Avenue reconstruction project. The underpass allows easier access to active transportation corridors connecting to downtown from southeast Winnipeg. "This brings us a step closer to the dream, which is a completely connected separated network from the road," said Allard (St. Boniface), who is chair of the city’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee. "I’m cycling much more since being elected to city council and understanding the value of these facilities, but as the father of an 11-year-old girl, I can tell you protected facilities are essential to get people to make the choice to use their bicycles and active transportation — to make the switch." In April, the city extended four Sunday and holiday bike routes to allow for pedestrians and cyclists to use the routes seven days a week with vehicle traffic restricted to one block between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., as part of its COVID-19 response. Five additional residential streets were added in the following weeks, with vehicle restrictions in place until July 6. Allard said use of these active transportation corridors has been significant and, overall, more people are choosing to leave their vehicles at home or find alternatives to using the bus. "With COVID-19 we’ve seen some trends and one trend that we expect, and are actually encouraging, is bus ridership is down," Allard said. "We’re asking people to ride the bus only if they have to… that’s a big part of the mode shift in Winnipeg." The standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works will vote Tuesday on a motion to extend the initiative to Sept. 7. The motion also calls on the public service to report on the results of the program and the feasibility of establishing permanent year-round active transportation routes. A petition by Trails Winnipeg to keep the routes in place had received more than 7,800 signatures by Monday afternoon. "In terms of a culture change, I think that’s just happening now," Allard said. "It’s going to have an impact on what the public demands of city hall." St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes, whose ward residents will also benefit from the Fermor Avenue underpass, said he wants to see the city upgrade existing, well-used active transportation infrastructure and assets. "I’ve been on this campaign to upgrade all these running tracks across the city and we could fix some of those up pretty cheaply, and we haven’t," Mayes said. "So we should have a balancing act here. "I think we should keep building and cycling walking paths but also we’ve got some old running and walking infrastructure; people can use those and we need to put some money into that, too." danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Editorial: Extend active-transportation routes (Jun8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Extend active-transportation routes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/extend-active-transpor… AS Winnipeggers adjust to the new normal in the age of COVID-19 — whatever that may be — there is opportunity to change how roads are used in the future. Sections of multiple streets were designated as active transportation routes early in the wave of changes brought by physical-distancing recommendations. Motorized traffic was restricted to one block along parts of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Some of these routes, such as Wolseley Avenue, already had such restrictions in place — but only on weekends and only during summer months. City council extended the initial period of the closures to July 6. A motion by Coun. Sherri Rollins, seconded by Brian Mayes, would extend the designation to Sept. 7. The Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works is scheduled to vote on it June 9. As more people who were working from home return to commuting in some form, there may be more pressure on the city to again allow motorized traffic on these streets. But the new normal need not be the car-centric normal that dominated Winnipeg previously. With a usually busy Manitoba summer suddenly emptied by multiple event cancellations, more people now find the time to dust off their bicycles or don a sturdy pair of walking shoes. These people will get a nod of approval from their doctors because, when it comes to preventative health, active living is an effective prescription. The risk of being exposed to COVID-19 is currently low, but the means by which it spreads remain the same. Joggers, cyclists, roller-skaters — anyone using the roads to get a bit of exercise — still need space to maintain distancing, and such space can be provided by allowing some or all of these road areas to be used for active transportation. It’s a timely topic because the city is already working on a long-term active transportation network. Community consultations are ongoing as to where bike routes and dedicated paths should go. Other Canadian cities have experimented with temporary barriers to add such lanes to city streets, to see whether people will eschew their vehicles and take to their bikes. Creating such spaces here, as the city has done, presents an opportunity to see how Winnipeggers would use active transportation. Some areas may not prove popular with enough commuters, or residents, to justify making permanent changes to the infrastructure. This is something the city should collect information on, and something Winnipeggers should tell their councillor about. What kind of city do we want to live in when we’re through the COVID-19 pandemic? It’s time for active transportation to be more than an afterthought in Winnipeg. The pandemic offers a rare opportunity to try expanded, and healthier, ways to use pavement.

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Portage la Prairie Active Transportation Committee to Host Bike Week
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Transportation Committee to Host Bike Week <https://portageonline.com/local/transportation-committee-to-host-bike-week> https://portageonline.com/local/transportation-committee-to-host-bike-week The Portage la Prairie Active Transportation Committee is bringing back Bike Week for the sixth annual year. The Committee has a full week of bike-related events for you to take part in from June 15-21. Chair of the Bike Week Committee Heather Bruce says their most popular event, the Cookie Ride, has been altered because of the pandemic. "This year, it's going to be a freezie ride so we can hand out freezies, and we will hand other things out as well. It's very popular because it makes families get out after supper to go for a bike ride. That's part of what we're trying to do, encourage people to get out and about." Other activities planned for Bike Week include Bike & Yoga, bike trails, and a public art bike tour. Bruce says they've taken safety into mind when planning the activities. "Because we're outside the social distancing thing will be easy, and we're on bikes. For instance, our Grub Crawl is on Thursday this year. Last year, we went to three different places and had something small to eat at each place. This year, we're only having it at Cafe on Prince." The Transportation Committee strives to hold the event as a way to showcase Portage's many biking paths and bring awareness to active transportation. Bruce says Bike Week has a new event this year, the Bike Jam. "Even the route is kept a secret right until the last minute. There will likely be music blaring. It's just a nice slow-moving ride throughout the city, and people are encouraged to ride in costume, or decorate their bikes." Bruce wants you to get outside and enjoy the Manitoba summer. "We know that during COVID, there's been a lot of talk about people's mental health, so bike week fits in getting people outside, active and in the fresh air with other people, but socially distant." You can keep up to date with Bike Week on their Facebook Page. <https://www.facebook.com/activetransportationplap>

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CBC: Bike lanes installed on urgent basis across Canada during COVID-19 pandemic (Jun7'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Bike lanes installed on urgent basis across Canada during COVID-19 pandemic Commuters nervous to take public transit hop on bikes; driving not an option for many https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bike-lanes-covid-pandemic-canada-1.5598164 Been meaning for years to bicycle to work, as a way to improve your fitness and save money on gas and parking? Now is your chance. Municipal governments across Canada are moving quickly to create clearly marked bicycle lanes in order for people to travel safely through cities. A number of city councils have approved road closures, either partial or complete, as an emergency alternative to public transit. Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Kitchener, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton have all recently extended their cycling networks, according to Vélo Canada Bikes, a national advocacy group for cycling. "We're doing a lot of work that was meant to be spread out over a few years in a few weeks," said Toronto mayor John Tory said in an interview. "It's going to keep people safer, because it's going to give people an alternative to the transit system, where they're still a bit anxious." The World Health Organization has issued guidelines <http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-cov…> on how to get around during the COVID outbreak, which include "whenever feasible, consider riding bicycles or walking" to help with physical distancing and physical activity. Safe transit for essential workers But many of the bike lane extensions introduced in Canada during the pandemic are are temporary, marked with portable stanchions. Permanent bike lanes typically involve lengthy public consultations with merchants and residents, a process that isn't feasible given the urgent need for transportation options right now. Toronto-based urban planner Jennifer Keesmaat said transportation alternatives are critical as many workplaces begin to reopen. As well, essential service workers need to get to their places of employment. "In the absence of having a vaccine and being unable to pack everybody on transit the way we have in the past, cycling is a viable option," said Keesmaat, Toronto's former city planner. "It's simply impossible for everybody who takes transit to get into a car, and secondly, it's not affordable," she said. "A lot of people don't have access to a car or can't afford one." Keesmaat hopes the new bike lanes will become permanent. She is the chief architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities <https://www.2020declaration.ca/>, a statement signed by 100 well-known Canadians calling on political leaders to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to "kickstart" a move toward more accessible, equitable, and sustainable cities. The list of 20 priorities on the declaration includes protected bike lanes. Cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen have long boasted a cycling culture, with crowds of citizens pedalling along cycling routes around the city. Since the pandemic began, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan and Bogota and others have shifted street space away from cars, to add pathways for bikes and pedestrians. Friction with motorists The Canadian Automobile Association supports proper cycling infrastructure, according to spokesperson Ian Jack. "The more people on bikes and on transit, the fewer people there are on the road," he said. "There will be less congestion." But Jack also believes that the cycling lanes work especially well right now, with fewer Canadians driving due to the lockdown. "These temporary lanes have been fine because there's been so little vehicular traffic, it hasn't been an issue," he said. "It's going to become one as more and more people start to go back to work." Then there's the issue of insurance. "If the breadwinner of the family is on their bicycle, they only have their home insurance and that doesn't cover them fully," Melissa De Genova, a city councillor in Vancouver. "They wouldn't be covered the same way as with vehicle insurance if there was an accident." How long will the lanes last? Even so, many proponents of cycling hope that the new extended cycling routes will be made permanent. They point to health benefits, as well as the environmental impact, noting Canada's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. No one can say at this point how long the bike lane extensions will be left in place, due to the unpredictable course of the pandemic. Nor is it clear how many Canadians will be eager to bundle up to ride their bike to work once winter sets in. Montreal typically sees just 20 per cent of its cycling population on its bike network in February. "You need to get a bit prepared," Keesmaat said. "But we get prepared to get into our cars too. We buy windshield fluid, we make sure we have a scraper in our car, we change our tires. You can change the tires on your bike as well, and buy proper clothing." Kimberley Nelson of Vélo Canada Bikes believes cyclists will need to put pressure on political leaders in order for the temporary extension to be made permanent. "We really need to come together and push those communities that are doing it now as a temporary measure, to say 'hey, look how much better this street works when everybody is included'," she said. A national strategy Early in March, Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna appointed Halifax MP Andy Fillmore to head up a new National Active Transportation Strategy. He said although many of the strategy's goals are long term, the government is also looking to amend and update its 12-year, $180-billion Infrastructure Plan to acknowledge "the realities" of COVID-19. That will include a greater focus on cycling. "We already had money set aside for active transportation," Fillmore said. "But not by intention, maybe by oversight, you had to squint to see it. There wasn't a particular line item for it." Fillmore, who worked as an urban planner prior to his political career, said the plan will be updated to highlight investments that support communities in their recovery from the pandemic. He believes COVID-19's impact on transportation will boost awareness of the need for more safe cycling routes, and accelerate Canadian cities towards more sustainable practices. "If we're looking for silver linings, I think we've found one," Fillmore said.

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[SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Free Webinar Thursday, June 11: Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

===== UofM Email Security Notice - SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE ===== The message below may be a potential threat. It may trick victims into clicking a link and downloading malware. Do not open suspicious links. If you do not know the sender or cannot verify the integrity of the message, please do not respond or click on links in the message. Depending on the security settings, clickable URLs may have been modified to provide additional security. Please contact the Service Desk if you have any questions. (204) 474-8600 ==== Original Email Body Follows ==== ------------ Suspicious threat disclaimer ends here ------------ You don't want to miss this. FREE WEBINAR THURSDAY <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EDT Participants of the live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits. The connection between walkable communities and public health was already at the center of planning discussion in many communities before the Covid-19 pandemic prompted many cities to close public streets for pedestrian use. This webinar features Dan Burden and Mark Fenton of Blue Zones, two of the nation’s leading walkability experts. Find out more and register for this free webinar via the link below. Register For Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse | 410-767-4943 | SmartGrowth.org The Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse is a project of the Smart Growth Network and is partially funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Community Revitalization and managed by the Maryland Department of Planning. Maryland Department of Planning | 301 W. Preston Street, 11th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 Sent by michael.bayer1(a)maryland.gov in collaboration with [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…> Try email marketing for free today! <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…>

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CDC revise awful COVID-19 commuting recommendations, but they’re still not great
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

CDC Revise Awful COVID-19 Commuting Recommendations, But They’re Still Not Great https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/06/04/cdc-revise-awful-covid-19-commuting-… The Centers for Disease Control is no longer recommending that employers incentivize their workers to commute by car alone as businesses reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the agency’s revised guidelines still don’t do enough to protect workers from the novel coronavirus — *or *the myriad public health threats posed by our unsafe transportation network. The original version of the agency’s workplace safety recommendations encouraged employers to offer workers who use public transportation “incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others, such as offering reimbursement for parking for commuting to work alone or single-occupancy rides.” The CDC have now amended the recommendation as follows <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesse…> : For employees who commute to work using public transportation or ride sharing, consider offering the following support: - If feasible, offer employees incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others (e.g., biking, walking, driving or riding by car either alone or with household members). - Ask employees to follow the CDC guidance on how to protect yourself when using transportation <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/using-transport…> . - Allow employees to shift their hours so they can commute during less busy times. - Ask employees to wash their hands <https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html> as soon as possible after their trip. The minor tweak came after major backlash from media outlets like Streetsblog <https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/05/29/feds-seek-incentives-to-encourage-dr…> and leading transportation organizations like the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the American Public Transportation Association, and Smart Growth America. ... But even the new-and-improved guidelines still don’t adequately address the safety needs of vulnerable road users — or the inequities disproportionately faced by people who are black, brown, and/or poor. For one, the CDC still encourage employers to provide financial incentives *for every mode except transit use* — despite emerging evidence from East Asian countries like Korea <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/05/08/subways-trains-buses-are-si…> and Japan <https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/japan-ends-its-covid-19-state-emerg…> that transit might still be safe during the pandemic, especially if networks undertake proper protocols, like frequent vehicle cleanings and supplying passengers with masks. The advisement threatens to starve transit networks further when fare collections are already at historic lows, rendering transit agencies unable to provide adequate service to the riders who have no choice but to remain. Low-income workers with long commutes, who generally cannot afford cars *or *get to work via active transportation modes, disproportionately rely on transit. <https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/long-commutes-are-awfu…> Providing employer-based financial incentives to bike or walk is great, but it won’t do much good if the many safety barriers to active transportation that walkers and bikers still face are not addressed. Of course, workplace leaders alone can’t fix those, but they can do their part, by leveraging their influence as a business community with government officials to support policies to end police harassment, brutality and killing — a significant barrier to the mobility of BIPOC <https://chi.streetsblog.org/2020/06/03/police-have-always-limited-black-peo…> — and implement Vision Zero <http://visionzero.org/> policies, programs and infrastructure.

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City of Nelson BC offers low interest financing for residents to purchase commuting bikes
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

*City of Nelson rolls out E-bike Program to residents* http://thenelsondaily.com/news/city-nelson-rolls-out-e-bike-program-residen… In a media release Wednesday, the City of Nelson said on June 1, 2020, Council approved the roll out of a city-wide E-bike Program for residents with the goal of promoting active transportation, community wellbeing and reducing GHG emissions. *The City of Nelson said the program will provide low interest financing for Nelson homeowners who would like to purchase a commuter bike including electric bikes, do-it-yourself conversion kits and non-electric bikes with the loan applied monthly on the homeowner’s Nelson Hydro electric bill and repaid over the term of the loan.* *The City said the maximum loan amount will be $8,000 per household, which can support the purchase of more than one bike. Participants will be able to choose an amortization period of two or five years, with an interest rate of 3.5% (subject to change each year).* “Council is pleased with the development of this new e-bike program and we hope it provides the incentive and tools folks need to be able to purchase a commuter bike,” said Nelson Mayor Dooley in the media release. “By increasing the use of bikes in Nelson, we can reduce carbon emissions and pollution in our community. There is also increased benefits to having fewer vehicles on the road and more parking capacity downtown for visitors and retail customers.” The City said the program will be available to City of Nelson residents who own their own home. Program participants are encouraged to purchase locally and support the Nelson economy. The program provides an affordable option for making the transition to active transportation. Users may see added benefits of more time outdoors and increased fitness levels. The City said there are some administrative steps that must be done before the E-Bike Program is officially in place. It is anticipated that this will be completed by mid to late July. Once the bylaw is adopted, Nelson residents can go online and apply for financing. The application process will include a short survey to collect information on the program. In the interim we encourage you to go visit our local bike shops, do your research and be ready to participate in this exciting new initiative. Learn More: The E-Bike program aligns with the Province’s active transportation strategy titled “Move. Commute. Connect.”, that aims to build a cleaner greener future for all British Columbians by: - Doubling the percentage of trips taken with active transportation by 2030. - Providing incentives that encourage safe active transportation for all ages and abilities. - Helping communities build integrated and accessible active transportation systems. - Working with communities to create policies and plans that enable and support complete active transportation networks.

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WFP: Riverbank erosion concerns drive Wellington Crescent rehab (Jun4'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jun '20

04 Jun '20

Riverbank erosion concerns drive Wellington Crescent rehab https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/riverbank-erosion-will-force-city-t… A portion of the Wellington Crescent parkway will be dug up and moved south in anticipation of the pavement eventually slipping into the river. Come winter, crews are scheduled to begin an estimated $9.6-million project to rebuild the roadway between Fulham Avenue and Grenfell Boulevard. The project will also include a kilometre-long riverbank stabilization effort to slow failures along the southern bank of the Assiniboine River. “We’ve had one failure and, thankfully, it was not a large, widespread failure,” said Cam Ward, a project manager in the city’s public works department. “If we didn’t do anything, eventually you would see relatively large riverbank failures progressing away from the riverbank and impacting City of Winnipeg assets.” Ward said city officials have been monitoring the portion of riverbank just before the entrance to Assiniboine Park since 2015. The year following, the paved pathway looping through trees along the river started to crack and in 2017 the riverbank failed, forcing a closure of the area. The city has released plans to rehabilitate the area and a preliminary design for the relocation of Wellington Crescent. The project will include placing riprap stone to reinforce the bank, shear keys to slow sliding, moving pathways and the removal and replanting of trees. Relocating Wellington Crescent south instead of shoring up the riverbank was a more economical decision and fit within the council-approved project budget, Ward said. The project cost would have increased to $15.5 million to build the retaining wall necessary to safely accommodate the 8,700 cars that use the existing road on a daily basis. Before relocating the street, which would reduce setbacks for homes on the crescent, area councillor Kevin Klein said the city ought to give more consideration to a proposal to close or limit the road to vehicles and turn it into an active transportation corridor. “Those trees are priceless and moving the road closer to the homes is not going to eliminate the problem forever,” Klein said. “The residents have all told me... they’d prefer the road be closed. “The residents are disappointed that the city is not listening to them and they’re very angry that the neighbourhood has not been included in any official engagement.” The city has consulted residents adjacent to the project area, however. “You have to stabilize the riverbank, we know that,” Klein said. “I believe it’s reasonable to close that and make it a path like they suggested.” Traffic studies conducted by the city ruled out closing the road after noting the diverted traffic would overwhelm adjacent streets. While a pathway requires less investment than a roadway to protect it from riverbank instability, overall cost savings would be negligible due to work required to relocate underground assets and add needed traffic infrastructure, Ward said. The city has launched an online portal to collect public feedback on the project and preferred roadway alignment. Two webinars will also be held on June 9. More information can be found at engage.winnipeg.ca. Construction is expected to be complete by October 2021. danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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AT planning for marginalized communities
by Orly Linovski 03 Jun '20

03 Jun '20

Good article on AT planning for marginalized communities https://theconversation.com/poor-and-black-invisible-cyclists-need-to-be-pa… -------------------------------- Orly Linovski, Ph.D. (RPP, MCIP) Assistant Professor, Department of City Planning University of Manitoba 204-474-6424 / orly.linovski(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:orly.linovski@umanitoba.ca> http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~linovsko/

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APTA urges CDC to reconsider guidance on commuting alone by car
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jun '20

02 Jun '20

*APTA urges CDC to reconsider guidance on commuting alone by car* https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/18349-apta-urges-cdc-to-reconsider… The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider its recent guidance encouraging commuting alone by car. APTA said the stance is misguided, would hamper the nation’s economic recovery, and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how people of all incomes get around their communities. “For many individuals, the cost of owning and commuting by car is not financially viable and out of reach,” APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said. “The guidance also doesn’t consider the congestion created by millions of cars stuck in traffic. Gridlock and polluted skies are not the mobility future we want emerging from this crisis.” Skoutelas said the position also ignores the role public transportation has played during the pandemic as a lifeline in getting essential workers to hospitals, pharmacies, and grocery stores and the measures public transit agencies have taken to safeguard riders and employees. “In addition, the guidance is confusing and runs counter to past guidance provided to public transit agencies and riders and what has been provided on air travel,” Skoutelas concluded. “We urge the CDC to work with APTA and the public transit industry to further develop appropriate safeguards. The current crisis has underscored that each entity involved in public transit – the transit agencies; the riders; business and elected officials – has a responsibility and role to play in ensuring the safety and vitality of our communities moving forward.”

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WFP Analysis: Keep roads closed for cyclists and pedestrians (Jun2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jun '20

02 Jun '20

Keep roads closed for cyclists and pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/embrace-active-transport… I run a communications and executive advisory firm; since mid-March, our clients have scrambled to navigate the grand mess caused by the COVID-19 crisis, racing to keep pace with the needs of employees and customers while trying to plan for whatever the pandemic brings next. Right now the biggest anxiety for many organizations — at least those in relatively stable sectors — isn’t about Zoom calls or work-from-home policies. It’s fear of missing the moment. As much as COVID-19 presents challenges, it also presents opportunity, and no leader wants their organization left behind once the dust finally clears. Smart companies are already scouring for opportunities, leveraging whatever data they can gather. Not to do so is to risk being outpaced by competitors who had better foresight and the courage to act. For businesses, COVID- 19 proves the old hockey aphorism: you need to skate to where the puck is going. Governments must have the same mindset. No one has a COVID-19 crystal ball, but in some instances the ground shift brought on by the coronavirus has revealed policy opportunities with such clarity that they now seem obvious. Take, as one important local example, the temporary extension of active-transportation routes along nine of Winnipeg’s most scenic streets. This extension should be made permanent, at least from spring through fall — not only because Winnipeg families are embracing these routes in enormous numbers, but because the health and economic rationale makes an indefinite expansion objectively compelling. Things that are easy, cheap and pay a big dividend are things we should be pursuing. Consider four reasons: 1. Current levels of physical activity are stubbornly low, which translates into enormous, avoidable health spending and reduced business productivity. Federal data show just two in 10 Canadian adults meets Canada’s physical activity guidelines. Among kids, it’s one in 10. Health-care spending in Canada is already wildly unsustainable. The Conference Board of Canada has noted provinces are now spending up to half of all revenues on health care, making clear that better disease prevention efforts and wellness promotion — such as helping people become and stay active — are the only sane and financially sustainable options. Right now we have throngs of people engaging in pro-health behaviours, walking and cycling on safe, scenic, accessible streets. Bike stores are sold out as people discover (or rediscover) the simple pleasure of gliding along a quiet street. As any change-management expert will tell you, when the wind is in your favour you don’t start rowing against it. Winnipeg should be looking to embrace and build on this natural momentum toward greater physical activity, not interrupt it. Policy change rarely becomes easier. 2. Macro trends tell us a significant portion of the workforce will be working from home for the foreseeable future, and perhaps forever. This raises an immediate need for accessible places for exercise and recreation close to where people live. Making local active-transportation routes permanent is a profoundly simple, low-cost means to help meet this need. The financial benefits to business are clear. Study after study demonstrates a link between exercise and increased productivity. 3. Mental-health needs are soaring in the wake of COVID-19. Major mental-health organizations are already warning of an “echo pandemic,” which will translate into enormous social and economic costs. Greater walking and cycling options are far from a panacea, but the correlation between physical activity, time spent outdoors among trees and mental health is well-documented. 4. We risk surrendering our competitive edge to other cities. Across Canada, cities are already moving to rapidly expand their post-COVID-19 walking and cycling networks, often for the reasons above. These quality-of-life factors are a key part of the formula for what makes a city competitive, and they’re part of the draw for the highly educated, high-earning-potential, entrepreneurial talent we desperately need to retain. Other cities are moving forward right now. Winnipeg will be leapfrogged if we let the opportunity pass us by. It’s been a joy over these past few weeks to see local streets full of families enjoying our amazing city together. But the policy decision to keep this important momentum going is about more than a pleasant bike ride. It’s about simple economics. *David Leibl is founder of OnCallComms.com, a Winnipeg-based communications and executive advisory firm.*

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Economist article on the bicycle as the "Little Queen of deconfinement"
by Charles Feaver 01 Jun '20

01 Jun '20

Attached Some snippets: Whereas the coronavirus has been disastrous for most forms of human endeavour, cyclists have never had it so good. Lockdowns have brought blissfully empty roads, which have been a boon to even the most reluctant pedaller. Residents of big cities have been feverishly reimagining their lives on a saddle, rather than behind the wheel. This is cycling’s moment, and it could have profound long-term implications for transport policy. … Early in the pandemic governments latched on to cycling as a healthy way for people to move around safely, exercise and keep reasonably sane. Thus in most American states, for instance, cycle-repair shops were allowed to stay open as essential businesses. Italy’s government offers 60% reimbursements, up to a maximum of €500 ($545), to any city-dweller buying a bicycle, or indeed any sort of motorised two-wheeler. City leaders, from Bogotá to Berlin, have helped by turning over their tarmac, or bits of it at least, exclusively to bikes. Milan converted 35km of its roads into cycle lanes and the Big Apple 100 miles (160km) for the use of both pedestrians and cyclists. Oakland, California, closed 119km of road to cars. Cycling has thus become easier, and safer. Now Western governments are seizing on cycling’s big moment to try to make such temporary measures permanent. Because social distancing is likely to endure for months, or even years, public transport won’t return to normal soon; it may never do so. So the bike will remain an essential tool in many countries’ strategies to taper their lockdowns. As the French environment minister, Elisabeth Borne, put it, “the bicycle is the little queen of deconfinement”; poetry in motion. Paris has been preparing 650km of cycleways to help the city gradually open up. Politicians hope to persuade people of the virtues of cycling beyond the end of this particular crisis. Cycling has well-advertised, longer-term gains: less pollution and a healthier population. The gains from having fewer cars and lorries on the road are already evident. Global carbon-dioxide emissions in early April fell by 17% compared with the mean 2019 levels, according to a study in Nature Climate Change, and “changes to surface transport” made the largest contribution to the reduction. National and city governments are fizzing with new, or revamped, schemes. Grant Shapps, Britain’s transport minister, in a speech on May 9th , promised to make “a ‘once in a generation’ change to the way people travel in Britain.” He announced a £2bn investment in more cycling infrastructure and better pavements. Manchester has plans for the country’s “most comprehensive” integrated walking and cycling network. France wants to spend €20m to subsidise cycle training and more parking spaces for bikes. Bologna is bringing forward its plan for a Bicipolitana, 493km of cycle lanes, from 2030 to later this year, when 60% of it should be finished. Seattle plans to shut 20 miles of streets to most cars permanently. But a two-wheel revolution cannot be taken for granted. Cycling novices in the northern hemisphere have been lucky to enjoy most of the lockdown in fine spring weather; just wait for winter. And some evidence indicates that many people are yearning to get back in their cars, also handy as lockdowns end but social-distancing rules remain. In China, for instance, one survey concluded that the proportion of people who want to use a car would surge from 34% to 66% after lockdown ends; the same survey showed that more Chinese were now keen on buying a car. Other surveys suggest huge drop-offs in enthusiasm for trains and buses. … A country’s legal framework can encourage cycling too. Most European countries, with the notable exceptions of Britain and Ireland, have presumed-liability laws, under which the burden of proof in any collision between a motorist and a cyclist is borne by the driver. Proponents, such as Road Share, a British lobby group, argue that countries with these laws, like Denmark and Germany, enjoy much more, and much safer, cycling than those without, because they encourage motorists to be more cautious. But turning cities like London or New York into so many Copenhagens will be less of a sprint, more several Tours de France. In the Danish capital over 60% of commuters cycle to work (or study). The figure is in the low single digits in most American cities. But at least for now cyclists around the world can demand more of their governments, knowing they have a tailwind of public goodwill. <https://s100.copyright.com/AppDispatchServlet?publisherName=economist&publi…> Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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Making Space: Biking out of a Pandemic and the Return to School (June 10th webinar)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Jun '20

01 Jun '20

Share the Road and The Centre for Active Transportation [in Ontario] have been co-hosting a series of webinars on rebalancing streets during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. *The next webinar is on **June 10th at [1pm CST]. * Jessica Roberts leads Alta's programming group out of Portland. Her presentation will focus on what we can be doing to support, encourage and incentivize sustainable mobility. Isooda Niroomand is a School Travel Planner with Green Communities Canada. She will speak specifically to the issue of returning to school. After brief presentations, Jamie Stuckless and Nancy Smith Lea will join the others to explore what we should be doing now, and what we should be planning for, related to walking and cycling, as we emerge from the pandemic. *Registration for "Making Space: Biking out of a Pandemic" *is available here: *sharetheroad.ca/webinars* <http://sharetheroad.ca/webinars>. ------------------------------ Kate Whitfield Alta Planning + Design Ottawa ON (613) 858-2122 ------------------------------

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WFP City looks at keeping cycling routes open longer (May30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 May '20

30 May '20

*City looks at keeping cycling routes open longer * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/councillor-wants-city… CITY council could soon extend temporary cycling and walking routes until September, and explore adding more routes year-round. A new motion calls for nine routes — in which vehicular access is restricted to allow more room for cyclists and pedestrians — to continue until Sept. 7 instead of shutting down on July 6. The routes were first promoted as an option for socially distanced exercise during the pandemic. Mayor Brian Bowman said they are popular. “There’s a desire to do what we can, especially during the pandemic, to make sure there’s additional safe spaces for people to engage in recreation,” said Bowman. “We want to at least look at a pilot that would go to Labour Day, so that we can see how it operates.” On Friday, council asked the public works committee to look into it. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), who raised the motion, noted it also calls on the public service to report back in four months on “the feasibility of establishing permanent year-round active transportation routes.” “For little kids that have learned to ride (bikes) on them, for the public health workers who really need us to keep going on prevention, for so many reasons, this is a good motion,” said Rollins. The routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), council’s public works chairman, had planned to raise a similar motion on Friday. However, Allard realized just before a council meeting that he attended by video feed that he’d need to be physically present to sign a new motion, which led Rollins to step in. Earlier this week, the city announced the current routes would close July 6, under the rationale that loosened pandemic restrictions allow more options for Winnipeggers to get outdoors without violating the public health directive to stay at least two metres apart. The plan to shut down the routes quickly triggered backlash. The Winnipeg Trails Association posted a petition to keep the routes open, enhance and expand them. More than 4,000 people have signed it. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said his organization will be counting the number of users on the temporary routes until May 31. Cohoe said that data will help determine where the city can best support active transportation. He said the option appears to have grown more popular as many Winnipeggers work from home, keeping them close to the neighbourhood pathways. “We need to be looking at expanding ways to get people to and from work, so that there are options other than choosing a vehicle,” said Cohoe. “We’re seeing an unprecedented number of people getting out walking and biking.” joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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More media coverage of recreational AT routes extension - Global News and CTV News
by Beth McKechnie 28 May '20

28 May '20

*Cycling advocate, some Winnipeg city councillors support active transportation extension* https://globalnews.ca/news/6994641/coronavirus-winnipeg-road-closures/ *Petition aims to keep Winnipeg’s enhanced active transportation routes open* https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/mobile/petition-aims-to-keep-winnipeg-s-enhance…

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CBC: Movement grows to extend temporary active transportation routes past closure date
by Beth McKechnie 28 May '20

28 May '20

Movement grows to extend temporary active transportation routes past closure date Councillor seeks approval to keep routes open until Labour Day https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-active-transportation… They were meant to allow cooped-up Winnipeggers some physically-distanced fresh air and exercise — and meant to be temporary. Now there is an effort afoot to have the city's nine active transportation routes remain open until the Labour Day weekend or perhaps longer if some get their way. The nine streets are closed to traffic (with a one block allowance for residents to get to their homes and deliveries to be made) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, until July 6. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard says the feedback he's getting through his office has been very supportive of extending the restrictions through the summer. "I've never seen so many smiling faces in Winnipeg and people are really taking advantage of what is healthy activity that doesn't cost anything. It's accessible to everyone who lives within any proximity to these nine roads. I think it's tremendous," Allard said during an interview Wednesday on Lyndale Drive — one of the nine routes. Allard will table a motion at city council this Friday calling for the routes to remain restricted to vehicular traffic until the Labour Day weekend. Some residents who live along the routes are not so enthusiastic about the restrictions running all day, every day. "I just don't know about the sense of having it all day during the weekdays … as you can see right now, it is not that busy. Around 3:30 gets a little bit busy, [and] in the morning … but what is the sense of having it all day long, that I'm not too sure," said Norwood resident Chantal Wlock. Wlock, who lives along Lyndale Drive, acknowledges the routes are popular and uses the empty streets with her family sometimes, but says perhaps the restrictions could be eased to allow residents to drive more than a single block to get to their homes. "I appreciate that everybody needs space to walk and feel nice. It's by the river, it is a nice walk, there's no doubt. It's just for the residents to have just the one block to get out … it's not always handy," she said. Allard's motion to extend the program until the September long weekend isn't enough for some. A petition started by the Winnipeg Trails Association says, "Keep Winnipeg's open streets open and expand them until we have a safer and connected city." The petition had just shy of 2,000 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.[[ *[Note: Find the petition here <https://www.change.org/p/keep-winnipeg-s-open-streets-open-expand-them-unti…>.]*

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WFP: Push begins to extend half-day street closures (May27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

*Push begins to extend half-day street closures* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/public-works-chair-allard-wa… A political move to extend temporary active transportation routes has begun, just one day after the City of Winnipeg announced all nine of them would close July 6. The routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists. Its aim is to help Winnipeggers stay active while keeping at least two metres apart, per coronavirus pandemic restrictions. While announcing the planned closure Tuesday, a city official said the loosening of such rules is allowing Winnipeggers more alternatives to get outdoors. "We see the need for this temporary measure decreasing as people are allowed to move outside of their own neighbourhoods and as traffic volumes start to increase," said Jason Shaw, assistant chief of emergency management. <https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/NEP8138119.jpg> On Wednesday, Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he’ll push for the routes to last until at least the Labour Day weekend. "You can see how well-used and loved they are by Winnipeggers… Active transportation is a perfectly safe way to get out there and get some exercise, and it’s accessible to everybody," said Allard. The chairman of the public works committee said he’ll introduce a motion for the extension at Friday’s council meeting, which will likely be referred back to the committee. The nine temporary routes had been expected to close May 29. They include stretches of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Shortly after the announcement, the Winnipeg Trails Association posted an online petition <https://www.change.org/p/keep-winnipeg-s-open-streets-open-expand-them-unti…> calling for the routes to remain open and be expanded. "We want this to grow by kilometres every week until we have a complete (active transportation) network," said executive director Anders Swanson By 3 p.m. Wednesday, the petition had more than 1,800 signatures. Swanson urged the city to also extend vehicle restriction timelines, to ensure those who commute before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. can use the routes to get to work. He’d like the city to commit to keep the routes open well into the future. "We’re refusing to give people the certainty they need while they’re making some very serious, life-altering transportation choices… If we’re only extending (the routes) by a month here or there, people aren’t able to make their decisions properly," said Swanson. Erin Riediger regularly rides her bike to get to and from work, to shop, and for fun. Living between the Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue active transportation routes — and spending weekends exploring the other seven paths — Riediger said she’s never seen so many people make use of the wide, winding roads for cycling, walking and other physical activity. "It's important because people need safe spaces that are separated from other people to get out and to exercise, to be with their family, to have recreation," she said of the repurposed streets. "(The city) will never get more support for active transportation than they will right now." Ideally, Riediger would like to see the active transportation routes stay open until Thanksgiving, noting many Winnipeggers will still be working from home and avoiding cramped spaces (such as public transit), despite the province’s reopening business sector. "Now's the opportunity to provide something better; to redesign our streets, reallocate some of that space. Not ban cars, not take away cars, but just... provide people with safe, comfortable options to go to work, go to the grocery store, and then also for leisure," she said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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Study shows bikesharing increases cycling by 20%
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200514143511.htm In the past couple of years, if you lived in a major, or even mid-sized city, you were likely familiar with bike-share bikes. Whether propped against a tree, strewn along the sidewalk or standing "docked" at a station, the often brightly colored bikes with whimsical company names promised a ready means to get from Point A to Point B. But one person's spontaneous ride is another person's commute to work. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in cities where bike-share systems have been introduced, bike commuting increased by 20%, said Dafeng Xu, an assistant professor in the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. Xu studied U.S. cities with and without bike-share systems, using Census and company data to analyze how commuting patterns change when bike shares become available. "This study shows that bike-share systems can drive a population to commute by bike," said Xu, whose study was published May 11 in the *Journal of Policy Analysis and Management*. Bike-share systems, common in cities in Europe and Asia, were launched in four U.S. cities in 2010 and as of 2016 had grown to more than 50. Not all systems have been successful: Convenience -- how easy it is to find and rent a bike -- is the key. In Seattle, for example, a city-owned bike-share program failed in 2017 due largely to a limited number of bikes and a lack of infrastructure, but private companies in the same market thrived prior to the pandemic. [Around the world, cities have enacted mobility restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak. The responses of bike-share companies, and bike-share usage, have varied by community.] Among other interests in transportation and immigration policy, Xu researches the effects of bicycling on the environment and human health, and on the ways bike-share systems can play a role by expanding access to cycling. "In general, biking is good and healthy, and it means less pollution and traffic, but it can be expensive, and people worry about their bikes being stolen, things like that," Xu said. "Bike share solves some of these problems, because people don't need to worry about the cost and theft." For this study, Xu sorted through nine years of demographic and commute statistics from the American Community Survey, a detailed, annual report by the Census Bureau. He then examined bike-share company data (through the National Association of City Transportation Officials) from 38 cities with systems, focusing on trips logged during morning and afternoon rush hours. By comparing the number, location and time of work-related bike commutes from Census data against bike-share company records of trips logged, both before and after the launch of bike shares, Xu was able to estimate the use of bike shares for commute trips. Xu found that in both bike-share and non-bike-share cities, the rate of bike commuting increased, while car commuting decreased, from 2008-2016. However, the rate of bike commuting -- and the use of public transportation -- was significantly greater in bike-share cities. For example, in bike-share cities in 2008, roughly 66% of commuters drove to work, about 1% biked, and 22% took transit. That compared to non-bike-share cities, where about 88% of commuters drove, fewer than 1% biked, and 4% took transit. By 2016 -- after many bike-share systems had launched -- car commuting had fallen to 59% in bike-share cities, while bike commuting had climbed to 1.7% and transit to 26%. Commuting by car in non-bike-share cities had slipped to 83% in 2016, while bike commuting had grown to 1%, and transit to 6%. Nationwide, 0.6% of commuters bike to work, according to an American Community Survey report in 2017. In general, cities with larger bike-share systems also experienced sharper increases in bicycle commuting, Xu said. "This is not surprising: A large bike-share system means a higher density of public bicycles and is thus more accessible by commuters," he said. "In contrast, sadly, Seattle's Pronto struggled to attract commuters and was finally doomed only after three years of operation partially due to its relatively small size." In his paper, Xu points to Chicago, which operates a municipally owned bike-share system called Divvy. Prior to Divvy's launch in 2013, 1.5% of commuters biked to work, Xu said, but afterward, that rate grew to 2%. The trends held, he said, even when controlling for a city's expansion of protected bike lanes -- another significant factor in whether people choose to bike to work, according to other research. Overall, the numbers before COVID-19 were promising, Xu said. The numbers could grow, he said, if communities and bike-share companies make changes that can boost the appeal of bike commuting: adding bike lanes to city streets, expanding programs to outlying communities, or increasing the allowable rental time. Many bike shares, for instance, last only up to a half-hour before a user has to pay for a new trip. Xu is also the author of a previous paper analyzed the impact of bike-share systems on obesity rates. ------------------------------ *Story Source:* Materials <https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/05/14/bike-commuting-accelerated-when-…> provided by *University of Washington* <https://www.washington.edu/>. Original written by Kim Eckart. *Note: Content may be edited for style and length.* ------------------------------ *Journal References*: 1. Dafeng Xu. *Free Wheel, Free Will! The Effects of Bikeshare Systems on Urban Commuting Patterns in the U.S. *. *Journal of Policy Analysis and Management*, 2020; DOI: 10.1002/pam.22216 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pam.22216> 2. Dafeng Xu. *Burn Calories, Not Fuel! The effects of bikeshare programs on obesity rates*. *Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment*, 2019; 67: 89 DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2018.11.002 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2018.11.002>

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The Lance: Active transportation routes are a big hit (May26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

Active transportation routes are a big hit https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/correspondent/Activ… On May 4, the City of Winnipeg opened St. Vital’s Egerton Road as a Sunday/holiday style active transportation route, seven days a week for the duration of the month. In this arrangement, non-emergency vehicle traffic is restricted to one block, and encouraged to enter and exit the street at the nearest available intersection. It is one of nine such routes opened up in Winnipeg during the pandemic shutdown — the city’s four permanent summer active transportation routes (Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue) plus five new (Egerton, Kildonan Drive, Assiniboine Avenue, Kilkenny/King’s Drive, Churchill Drive). The concept was first pitched by Egerton resident Christian Robin, whom I interviewed for an article published in September 2017. Robin has been pleased with the result so far. "Health professionals are constantly reminding us to find ways to keep ourselves active and safe," he said. "Active transportation routes like Egerton Road tick all the boxes for walkers, joggers, cyclists, pet owners, couples, seniors, and families with young children and it’s great to see all of them take advantage." Circumstances aside, 2020 has been an exciting year in St. Vital for pedestrians and cyclists, with several new amenities opening or being used to their full potential for the first time. Egerton is complimentary to some wonderful new active transportation infrastructure. The new AT tunnel beneath Fermor Avenue connecting the Glenwood neighbourhood and the Niakwa Trail to the Niakwa Road and Alpine Place neighbourhoods has been a hit. Its addition has created an unanticipated walking circuit between itself & Archibald Street, utilizing the two Seine River foot bridges on either side of Fermor. That same project also added a new, secondary active transport trail up at road level along the Fermor bridge, providing a helpful alternative to the nature trail below during seasonal flooding. New bike pathways and signals at Fermor and St. Anne’s Road, linked to the existing pathways, have been a dramatic improvement for cyclists in the area, providing safe, segregated and efficient access into the picturesque low-traffic residential streets of St. George, south of Fermor. Perhaps best of all is the realization that all of these projects were part one of the largest road rehabilitation the area has seen in years. The success here goes to show that car, pedestrian, and bicycle infrastructure need not be at odds. All wheeled vehicles from semi-trucks to baby strollers and everything in between were the big winners of the Fermor rehabilitation. A reminder that our communities prosper when collaboration, rather than competition for our scarce resources rules the day. *Ryan Palmquist is a community correspondent for St. Vital.*

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NACTO COVID-19, Guidance to improve intersections, e-bike users dismayed and more
by Beth McKechnie 26 May '20

26 May '20

*Thanks to Terry Zdan for the many shares:* COVID-19: Transportation Response Center | National Association of City Transportation Officials https://nacto.org/2020/05/21/streets-for-pandemic-response-and-recovery/ https://nacto.org/program/covid19/ Pandemic fuels big increase in biking and walking in Minnesota | Star Tribune https://www.startribune.com/covid-19-fuels-big-increase-in-biking-and-walki… Guidance to Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety at Intersections http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180624.aspx TRANSED 2018 (TRANSED is the International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Older Adults and People with Disabilities) http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180616.aspx E-bike users, sellers dismayed by B.C. Supreme Court decision https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/e-bike-users-sellers-dismay…

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WFP: Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 (May25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/vancouver-looks… Vancouver is considering plans to repurpose 50 kilometres of roadway in an effort to create more space for restaurant patios and lines outside of businesses, as well as walking and cycling, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The so-called "slow streets" would have signs and barriers telling people to drive slowly and use the streets for local access only, the city said in a news release Monday. Its plans also include expediting the permitting process for outdoor patios that allow room to serve people while maintaining physical distancing requirements. The city said 12 kilometres of slow streets have already been installed and council will consider a motion asking staff to rush the repurposing of road space in more neighbourhoods across the city. Lon LaClaire, the general manager of city engineering services, said physical distancing will be in place for some time and more space is needed for people to safely go about daily activities, such as exercise or travel to work. "We also want to help people return to some of the things they really enjoy doing, like eating at a favourite restaurant, picking up items from local businesses or connecting with friends outdoors." The city will work with businesses and community partners to assess the needs for space while making sure streets and public spaces are safe and accessible, LaClaire said in the city's release. In Victoria, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Monday for a total of 161 fatalities among 2,530 cases in B.C. Gatherings will be limited to 50 people for now even as some COVID-19 restrictions are being loosened, said Henry, because any new outbreaks could affect vulnerable residents in long-term care homes. She said bigger gatherings would undo the gains B.C. has made to "flatten the curve" of the epidemic, while creating more work for public health employees doing time-consuming contact tracing. The public health officer's order establishing a maximum of 50 vehicles at drive-in events also stands, said Henry, adding that increasing that number would bring together more people who would likely not stay inside their vehicles. Henry said it's also dangerous to reopen long-term care facilities to visitors but health authorities are considering how that could be done when the time is right. Another wave of the pandemic may strike in the fall as respiratory illnesses such as flu make their seasonal appearance, so keeping the number of COVID-19 cases low through the summer is key, she said. Health Minister Adrian Dix said he understands and regularly hears about the consequences for families who can't visit their loved ones in care homes. "For the moment it is not possible to change those policies around visiting," he said. Dix said emergency-room visits around the province are going up, indicating people are starting to use them as they should. *This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020. *

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#KeepTransitMoving - May 28th Day of Action
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts. Join the national day of action for emergency transit funding! Thursday May 28. View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/052aaa232595/keeptransitmoving-may-28th-day-of-action?e=…> Day of Action: Emergency Transit Funding Essential workers -- like nurses, doctors and sanitation staff -- rely on transit to get to work. But public transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts and driver layoffs, because they depend mostly on fares for funding. Right now we need more service, not less, for safe physical distancing on transit! Join Functional Transit Winnipeg and organizations across Canada for the national day of action and share why public transit is important to you! Here's how you can join in: * 1) Sign the petition*: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 2) Save the date for May 28th* (click “going” on the Facebook event <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> ) * 3) Spread the word!* - Get your local community and organization on board! - Download promotional graphics here: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 4) On May 28th, share why public transit matters to you* - Download graphics from our toolkit and share on social media: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Take a selfie and explain why transit is important for you. Use the hashtag #keeptransitmoving <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> and tag your elected representatives on social media - Make phone calls to PM Trudeau and your local MP and provincial representatives - Find your MP here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search?province=MB <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Find your MLA here: https://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Voting/MyVotingInfo <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Sign the petition: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> Questions? Want to get more involved? Contact us at contact(a)functionaltransit.com <contact(a)functionaltransit.com?subject=Get%20Involved%20with%20%23KeepTransitMoving> [image: Twitter] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Facebook] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Website] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> *Copyright © 2020 Functional Transit Winnipeg, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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The pandemic is suburban – and it wants us back in our cars
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A less encouraging view; looking at the suburban situation:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-pandemic-is-s… the truth is that the big priority for cities as their citizens return to work in the next weeks and months is not going to be bicycles or pedestrians. Rather, it’s going to be a large-scale shift from public transit to private automobiles.And that’s because the people whose lives will change the most are not the fortunate downtown minority who can afford to live within a half-hour’s cycling distance of work and shopping and child care. We may dominate the conversation, but the biggest challenge involves the far larger number of employed citizens who live farther out and are too vulnerable or frightened to get back on their crowded buses or commuter trains.This is a pandemic of the suburbs. The places with the highest infection and death rates aren’t the big cities but the residential areas far outside them. Paris and Stockholm have seen relatively little infection, while their apartment suburbs have been badly hit. Even in New York City, the virus has largely spared Manhattan, but Queens and Long Island and especially bedroom communities such as New Rochelle and Rockland County have been devastated. It is the low-density places where death and fear have generally been the highest.That’s why automakers, despite a near-total collapse in sales in March and April, are surprisingly optimistic, their shares recovering. “We definitely do see a return to what I’ll call personal transportation and trust,” Volkswagen’s U.S. chief executive Scott Keogh told Bloomberg. Cars, he said, are being pitched as sources of public safety....Sent from my phone.

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Canada’s new normal begins in our cities
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A positive story on how cities can adapt:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canadas-new-normal-be… why we, alongside business and real estate leaders, urban planners, not-for-profit sector leaders, academics, and current and former politicians, have signed onto the 20 measures outlined in the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities. That manifesto provides a road map for how Canadian cities can immediately chart a future that is more affordable, sustainable and equitable, building on the thought leadership that has been produced around envisioning the world we’ll have when lockdowns are lifted and economic activity returns, and putting forward a specific,detailed course for immediate action in our cities. Among the proposed measures: permitting appropriately scaled multitenant housing, co-housing, laneway housing and other gentle density to flourish; accelerating the decarbonization of our transportation systems by transforming existing roadways for safe, active transportation such as walking and biking; and embracing sustainability in our built and natural environments, by enacting funded, detailed plans to achieve a 40-per-cent urban tree canopy in Canadian cities.....The full manifesto is at 2020declaration.caSent from my phone.

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Commuting Post-Pandemic: How to Nudge for Sustainable Commutes
by Mel Marginet 21 May '20

21 May '20

Greetings everyone, We're hosting a free webinar on May 27th about the impact of Covid-19 on commuting. Please help spread the word, and we hope you can join us! Registration here. <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/commuting-post-pandemic-how-to-nudge-for-sustai…> *COMMUTING POST-PANDEMIC: HOW TO NUDGE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUTESMobility is changing, let's make sure it is for the better.About this EventThe workplace commute has changed dramatically over the past two months. From the rise in telework, the fall of transit use and the explosion in bike sales, many opportunities and threats are on the horizon. The sustainable transportation team at Green Action Centre has collected some of the latest research on what is happening now, and how to encourage sustainable commuting as we re-open.This webinar is ideal for Commuter Challenge workplace coordinators, GoManitoba Subsite partners, and Human Resources professionals.Following the presentation, we will invite attendees to join in a discussion. Presented by the Sustainable Transportation team at Green Action Centre.* *Mel Marginet* | 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) 925-3777 x112 | 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. * 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/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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CTV News: Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes (May21'20)
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '20

21 May '20

*Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes * https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/why-the-city-installed-video-cameras-along-acti… Winnipeggers may have noticed video cameras set up along active transportation routes in different areas of the city. A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg told CTV News that nine streets in the city have been designated as temporary active transportation routes to allow for recreational activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They said this allows pedestrians and cyclists to follow social distancing requirements. According to the City of Winnipeg website, these routes limit motor vehicle traffic to one block throughout the area between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The video cameras are counting to see how often these routes are getting used. The spokesperson said the city is collecting data at all nine sites. The video will be turned into numerical data to record the level of usage. These routes are in place until Friday, May 29. "The City will re-evaluate at the end of May to determine if the designations will be extended," the spokesperson said in a written statement. According to the city, video is often used instead of pneumatic traffic tubes when counting cyclists and pedestrians. Here is a list of the temporary bicycle and active transportation routes in Winnipeg: - Lyndale Drive - Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street - Scotia Street - Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue - Wellington Crescent - Academy Road (at Wellington Crescent) to Guelph Street - Wolseley Avenue - Raglan Road to Maryland Street - Assiniboine Avenue - Bedson Street to Westwood Drive - Churchill Drive - Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue - Egerton Road - Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue - Kildonan Drive - Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent & Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place - Kilkenny Drive - Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive

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Parking Flip Traffic Calming Animation release
by Anders Swanson 20 May '20

20 May '20

The AT-network might appreciate this. I made a little animation last night based on a conversation with traffic engineer Pekka Takhola. I added a challenge for people to name a street it would work on, the people who could make it happen and why: https://twitter.com/SwansonAnders/status/1263153980000964608 Reason for sharing: I believe it could work for most neighbourhoods build in Winnipeg prior to 1970 and be popular to boot (it gets bonus points for creating a couple community gardens just when we the world needs it) Its not a new idea, but I think it is a timely and simple one. Consider sharing. Thanks. -a

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WFP: Bicycle business booming (May20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 May '20

20 May '20

BICYCLE BUSINESS BOOMING Pandemic fuels surge in bike sales with some shops running out of stock https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/bicycle-business-booming-5706085… UNLIKE some retailers who are worrying about how to convince people to come back to the stores, bike shops are facing a whole other problem — running out of stock. Demand is not the problem. Bike shops that have been around for decades are experiencing something they have never seen before — people queuing up to get in. But some are worried about what they’ll have left to sell as the summer months kick in. The lineups are partly a result of the social-distancing regulations once customers are in the store, but demand for all things biking is spiking. Riding a bicycle sits in one of the few sweet spots in the world of COVID-19-enforced social distancing, but shop owners are having to deal with the extra pressures of keeping their workplace up to the new safety and health standards in addition to dealing with a surge in cycling enthusiasm. “I don’t think you can find many ladies bikes in the whole city,” said Brian Burke, longtime owner of Olympia Cycle & Ski on St. Mary’s Road. “I have sold out and reordered and then sold them out even before they arrived.” Like many other popular consumer goods, bicycle manufacturing has succumbed to the global supply chain that is now almost exclusively based in Asia. Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works, said: “It doesn’t matter if the bike is made in Taiwan or Bangladesh or Vietnam, most of the parts come from China.” Shipments of all things from China was disrupted months ago by the coronavirus lockdown that happened there first, and shipments have still not caught up. Coupled with the fact prime biking weather is now upon us, more people have more time to ride. That means shop owners are scrambling to deal with an unusual confluence of high demand, limited supply and a scenario where they can only have so many people in the stores at once. “I’m a little stressed,” Woodcock said. He said he prides himself and his store on being focused on customer service and now he’s forced to make people wait outside. Then there’s the added pressure of discouraging excessive window shopping, what with the lineups outside. Claude Brunel, owner of Lifesport on Henderson Highway, could barely stop to take a call from a reporter. “I can’t get bikes, that’s the problem,” he said. “All the bikes are made in China.” Woodcock, who acts as an adviser to a Chinese bicycle manufacturer, had a good perspective on market development early on and made the decision to stock up on supply, ordering more earlier in the year than he typically might. “There’s normally three major shipping windows,” he said. “We realized by the time the second and third shipping window came along vendors probably would not be able to supply us. So we took as many as we could to have them later if there was a shortage. Now we are starting to see those shortages.” But even with that kind of planning, Woodcock said they are still scrambling to keep bikes on the shop floor. Most shops are operating on reduced hours, and it may be just as well, because it gives them the chance to have mechanics in at night assembling bikes and also dealing with the overwhelming demand for repairs. “We’re getting bikes (to repair) that don’t look like they have been on the road for 20 years,” Woodcock said. At Olympia, Burke said he’s been hiring repair people who are working every night from 5 to 10 p.m. “We have adapted,” he said. “You have to adapt.” Walter Jozwiak, owner of Lifesport on Pembina Highway, said the supply crunch is unprecedented. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” he said. “I was saying to one of my staff, ‘what am I going to do two weeks from now?’” In addition to running out of women’s bikes, popular-priced models — between $500 and $800 — are what people are looking to buy. Many say the “exotic” bikes that can cost as much as $4,000 are not what people are looking to buy. “It is a problem for everybody in the industry,” Jozwiak said. “We didn’t realize the general population would need something to do and this is one of the few activities that they can do in a safe mode. That’s what’s happening.” martin.cash(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Pandemic presents obligation to change our world (May19'20)
by Beth McKechnie 19 May '20

19 May '20

Pandemic presents obligation to change our world https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/pandemic-presents-obliga… CRISIS creates opportunity and leverage for change. As governments prepare to make once-in-a-generation stimulus investments to fight a global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are faced with an opportunity, if not an obligation, to use it to change our world. We are faced with a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds, but we are not powerless against it. The choices we make today will create the tomorrow we live in. Our decisions must be guided by a vision for the future, holding every public dollar we spend up to the light and asking ourselves, what will this do today, and what will it do tomorrow? Changing our world doesn’t mean we need to start building wind turbines, autonomous vehicles and solar panel factories. The future can learn from the past. It can be simple, low-tech, but effective. There is an old, not-very-sexy machine that could be the key to making our cities more sustainable, more liveable, and more just — the humble bus. Public transit use has cratered during the pandemic, and it will likely be a lasting casualty. The only way to change that will be with high levels of investment to improve service and reduce crowding. The number of cars on Manitoba’s roads has already grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005. Congestion has increased, commutes are longer and today, half of Winnipeg’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicles. Imagine the social, environmental and economic impact if the 170,000 trips taken on transit every day were replaced with 170,000 more cars on our roads. We have an opportunity to use this crisis to redefine the perception of public transit in our city, not only to regain lost ridership but to increase it, by making transit more convenient, more comfortable and more frequent. Public transit may be an old idea, but it can modernize how we move around our city, reduce emissions, and even incentivize growth and investment through transit-oriented development. Until transit levels are restored, investing in a comprehensive active-transportation network that can be implemented quickly could be vital in providing access to employment, education and recreation. Because they use high amounts of labour and local materials, constructing bike-lane and sidewalk infrastructure has proven to create almost 50 per cent more jobs for every dollar invested, compared to car-only road projects. Active transportation could be an important short-term response to the pandemic crisis, and a legacy that transforms our urban mobility. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently proclaimed that the pandemic should result in a new golden age for cycling. It can do that here, too — if we build for it. Many are predicting that even after the pandemic is over, working from home might be a trend that continues, reducing the need for commercial office space. This could have a significant effect on the downtowns of Canadian cities, affecting housing demand, local restaurants and shops, and arts and entertainment venues already hit hard by the pandemic. Stimulus dollars targeted at downtown development could redefine the city centre and usher in a new era of residential urban growth. Investing in downtown development is another old idea. For many years, government programs have successfully encouraged downtown residential growth to drive urban renewal. These programs could be replicated quickly. A shining example of this success came in 2004, when the City of Winnipeg spent $9 million building Waterfront Drive. That investment is still leveraging private spending today; with two new projects soon beginning construction, it will have attracted more than $200 million in private development, creating almost 1,000 new homes. Tax increment financing (TIF) has also been used as a successful development driver in downtown Winnipeg. Using deferred taxes as the incentive instead of up-front spending, it could be an attractive strategy to promote economic growth for today’s cash-strapped governments. TIF programs have leveraged more than a billion dollars in private downtown development in Winnipeg, creating more than 2,700 new homes over 15 years. New TIF programs could be targeted to respond to important needs, such as affordable housing, helping to create neighbourhood diversity and addressing the fact that 21 per cent of Winnipeg households live in unaffordable housing, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. A prosperous downtown is a catalyst for foreign investment, tourism and immigration. It is also a source of civic pride, all of which might be particularly important as we negotiate the difficult economic times ahead. One important project that could capture the city’s imagination and redefine Winnipeg’s downtown is the Market Lands development on the site of the Public Safety Building, currently being demolished in the Exchange District. The first phase of the development will include a sparkling glass public market building and mixed-use affordable housing tower, targeting net-zero energy use, with several arts organizations establishing an urban creative campus on the bottom floors. As Waterfront Drive did 16 years ago, the dynamic first phase will create a new focal point downtown and be a catalyst to attract private development on the remainder of the site and beyond. It is estimated the development will leverage more than $100 million in private investment, create almost 1,500 person-years of employment, and return almost $26 million in provincial and federal taxes from construction alone. Accelerating visionary projects such as this and others with stimulus funding would create a lasting effect on the future of downtown and the city. Changing our world doesn’t mean reinventing it, and it doesn’t necessarily require futuristic ideas. Sometimes old ideas, such as investing in public transit, affordable housing and downtown development, or simply building a few sidewalks and bike lanes, can be all that’s needed to make the most effective change. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Commute Revolution - Free Webinar on Thursday, May 21
by Beth McKechnie 15 May '20

15 May '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Becky Alper <becky(a)moveminneapolis.org> Date: Fri, May 15, 2020 at 10:04 AM Hello TDM practitioners, Move Minneapolis is excited to invite you all to Commute Revolution 2020: A Seismic Approach to Transforming Transportation on Thursday, May 21 from 11am to 2pm CST. Massive changes to our transportation system were long overdue. With commuting routines upended and our economy in shambles we are forced to reckon with long-needed improvements to land use and infrastructure. Tune in to this free webinar as Move Minneapolis presents an amazing line-up of national thought leaders and local activists, each with a compelling take on how to build an equitable and sustainable post-pandemic transportation system. Full details and registration available at www.moveminneapolis.org/transportation-summit Here's a snapshot of the program (all times CST): 11:00 a.m. - Matthew Lewis, Director of Communications, California YIMBY 11:35 a.m. - Michael Kodransky, U.S. Director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy 12:05 p.m. - Angie Schmitt, Author and former contributor, Streetsblog 12:20 p.m. - Adie Tomer, Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution 12:55 p.m. - Jarred Johnson, Director and COO, TransitMatters 1:25 p.m. - Alissa Walker, Urbanism Editor, Curbed Hope you can join us! ~Becky Outreach Director Move Minneapolis becky(a)moveminneapolis.org

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More details on ODOT's change to 50th percentile from 85th percentile
by Beth McKechnie 14 May '20

14 May '20

[TDM listserv post on the Oregon DOT's changes to speed limit setting, most notably shifting to 50th percentile rather than 85th percentile] Hi friends and colleagues, I wanted to let you know that ODOT's new Oregon Administrative Rule around speed-setting went into effect on May 1. Review an overview of the new process <https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Docs_TrafficEng/Speed-Setting-Updat…> (this link is a helpful ppt overview) or review the corresponding Oregon Administrative Rule updates <https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Docs_TrafficEng/OAR-Update-Speed-Se…> for information about the change. We've also updated the Speed Zone Manual <https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Docs_TrafficEng/Speed-Zone-Manual.p…> to reflect the change. All this information lives on our Speed Zones page <https://www.oregon.gov/odot/Engineering/Pages/Speed-Zones.aspx>. This represents a major step forward in our approach to posted speeds on urban arterial highways. It aligns recommended speeds with the Blueprint for Urban Design targets and anchors our technical methods around the 50th percentile speed (the typical driver) instead of the 85th percentile (the driver traveling one standard deviation faster than the norm). When choosing the posted speed, our engineering approach must document and address factors like land use context, crash history, and multimodal activity, and can also bring other elements such as user demographics and public testimony into the conversation. Rural communities will have the flexibility to use 50th percentile or the 85th. Please feel free to reach out to me or other ODOT colleagues if you have questions about what this change means for existing plans/projects or for corridors where speed is a concern. Be aware that our Technical Services folks do not advise collecting speed data now due to COVID-related impacts on travel (which we know include increased speeding in some Oregon communities). This is new practice for all of us, so we'll be learning with you. Thanks and hope you're all well! Talia Jacobson, ODOT Region 1 Planning 123 NW Flanders Portland, OR 97209 503-731-8228 talia.jacobson(a)odot.state.or.us *(she/her)*

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Your daily commute won't ever be the same
by Beth McKechnie 12 May '20

12 May '20

[In case you don't want to sign up for a free National Geographic account, I've pasted the article below.] https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/05/coronavirus-your-daily-c… Coronavirus will upend—but perhaps make healthier—the ways we use trains, buses, and bike lanes in our post-pandemic future. It's time to go to work. The COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, and—in this vision of the future—trains and buses are running again. But things look different than they used to. You pay your fare without touching anything. Seats are spaced farther apart on divider-filled vehicles, while drivers sit in ventilated compartments, isolated from passengers. Smartphone apps may help decongest trains and buses. And with more people choosing to bike, walk, or work from home, packed train cars have become part of the pre-pandemic lore. While it’s impossible to predict the future, interviews with transportation and public-health experts suggest that the pandemic offers an opportunity to reshape transit systems and revive cities, with the potential to ward off infectious disease and even some chronic illnesses. And while lockdowns have put public transport in a state of crisis for the moment, strategic investment <https://www.citylab.com/perspective/2020/04/coronavirus-public-transit-ride…>, creative thinking, and new technologies could eventually make people feel safe enough to ride again, says Yingling Fan <https://www.hhh.umn.edu/directory/yingling-fan>, an urban planner at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. “There's certainly a lot of challenge, but also there's a lot of opportunity,” she says. The pandemic might also open up possibilities for making transit systems more inviting. “Transportation history is full of stories where something that was done temporarily turned out to be permanent, because people didn't want to go back,” says Jarrett Walker <https://jarrettwalker.com/>, an international transit consultant and author of *Human Transit: How Clearer Thinking about Public Transit Can Enrich Our Communities and Our Lives*. Cars don’t equal healthy The whole purpose of mass transit is to move heaps of people, and this crowding increases the chances of spreading infectious diseases. In a study of dozens of people during the 2008-2009 influenza season, researchers in the United Kingdom found that those who rode buses or trams were nearly six times as likely as non-riders to seek health care for an acute respiratory illness <https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12940-018-0427-5;%20https://bmci…> . The natural reaction might be to take a car instead, but that ups the risk for chronic illnesses, says Lawrence Frank <https://www.spph.ubc.ca/person/lawrence-frank/>, a transportation and public health expert at the University of British Columbia. In 2004, he and his colleagues found that every extra hour <https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(04)00087-X/abstract> that people spend in a car each day increases their risk for obesity by 6 percent. Obesity, in turn, is a predictor of diabetes and heart disease—which both increase a person’s vulnerability <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/groups-at-…> to COVID-19 complications. “We want fewer people to have those preconditions, so that if a pandemic hits, if they get exposed to it, they will survive it,” he says. “The real question is: How do you build a future that addresses both chronic and infectious disease?” Urban density is unlikely to disappear, Frank says, nor should it. His research has linked dense neighborhoods, walkability <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01944360608976725?casa_token=tG…>, proximity of shops, and access to public transportation with lower rates of <http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/PlanningPublicatio…> diabetes, heart disease, and stress, as well as with reduced health-care costs. His group <https://health-design.spph.ubc.ca/> is now investigating how chronic disease and infectious disease vary with neighborhood walkability, transit use, car dependence, and the ability of people to engage in active modes of transportation, like walking and biking. Preliminary results suggest that people who live in more walkable neighborhoods and those with less exposure to air pollution <http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/regional-planning/PlanningPublicatio…> are less likely to have chronic conditions and may be less vulnerable to dying from COVID-19. Preserving both public transit and encouraging active transportation is important for keeping air pollution down, he adds, and that has health implications, too <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/pollution-made-the-pande…> . “The most vulnerable society is the one that becomes the most sedentary and the most car dependent, and that's the worst possible case when a pandemic comes,” Frank says. Infection-proofing public transit The COVID-conscious commute may begin before you leave home, Fan says. In some cities in China, such as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, pre-booking a seat is already common on city buses and trains. She suspects that adding the option of pre-paying for fares online or via smartphones could reduce the number of people who need to touch a grimy kiosk. It’s also possible to disperse people in ways beyond limiting transit capacity, which plenty of places have done during the pandemic, Walker says. Cities can use existing automatic vehicle-location <https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/features/making-public-transit-more-…> and passenger-flow monitors <https://ny.curbed.com/2019/7/30/20747360/mta-pilot-technology-improve-subwa…> to quickly reroute buses when demand changes. Automated passenger-counters and weight sensors—currently in use in Australia, the U.K. <https://ggwash.org/view/64291/real-time-signs-reduce-train-crowding>, and elsewhere—can provide information about train-car capacity through smartphones or display screens at stations, so riders can spread out by picking the least crowded car. Last year, Google started using crowdsourcing and traffic information in more than 200 cities worldwide to give users a heads-up about how full they should expect buses and trains to be <https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-jam-packed-will-my-train-be-google-says-it…>. Integrated with smartphone apps <https://ggwash.org/view/64291/real-time-signs-reduce-train-crowding>, all this information could reduce congestion by allowing passengers to avoid crowded platforms and vehicles. So far, this type of data has not been used by officials to enforce crowd spacing on public transport, Fan says, but applying the idea is conceivable, as China already uses similar technology to restrict road traffic. However, using some of these apps might mean surrendering certain levels of privacy. Monitoring apps on your phone, for example, could alert you if you have ridden a train with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. Apple and Google <https://blog.google/inside-google/company-announcements/apple-and-google-pa…> are developing software with this kind of contact-tracing capability, which is already available in China, Singapore, and other countries. Cultural differences play into the willingness to give up privacy, Fan says. South Korea’s contact tracing has been successful in part because laws allow the government to track an infected person’s credit card history and cell phone location data. “The trade-off between privacy and safety is a hot topic,” Fan says. “I do not think the general public in the U.S. is ready for any strict contact-tracing measures.” Facial sensors like ones that have been deployed on public transportation in China <https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3049215/ai-firms-deploy-fever-dete…> may also measure your temperature, rejecting entry to a bus or subway station if you have a fever. Once antibody testing is accurate and easily available <https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/05/why-unreliable-tests-are…>, you might even show an immunity card before you can board, though there will be a fine line between safety and hassle, adds David Levinson <https://www.sydney.edu.au/engineering/about/our-people/academic-staff/david…>, a transport engineer at the University of Sydney, Australia. “All of those invasions of privacy are things that are not going to make people happy, and are going to make them more likely to use other modes than public transit,” he says. “People will find alternatives if they can.” Bike bounce Bikes are among those alternatives. New bike lanes have already been popping up during the pandemic, appearing in cities from Berlin <https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-pandemic-gives-cyclists-more-road-in-berl…> to Bogota. In recent weeks, Oakland, California, has closed 74 miles <https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Oakland-closing-streets-to-traf…> of streets to make room for cyclists and pedestrians, and many other places, including Seattle <https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2020/05/07/2020-bike-investments-to-accelerate…>, Washington*,* and Milan <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/milan-seeks-to-prevent-post-c…>, Italy, aim to permanently reduce car use. Experts predict these bike lanes will create a self-perpetuating cycle, as the number of people biking boosts demand. During a major overhaul of the freeway through downtown Seattle, for example, the city temporarily turned traffic lanes into bus lanes, and then never took them away. Building 400 miles of bike paths in Paris would cost much less than <https://www.ft.com/content/52ae6c52-8e75-11ea-a8ec-961a33ba80aa>—just two percent the price—an upcoming redesign of the city’s subway system. Biking isn’t realistic for everyone, Walker says, and it tends to be more accessible to people who live close to their jobs. Still, a growing industry of electronic bikes could help people commute farther, especially if public transportation systems integrate their fare structures with bike-sharing programs to allow people to hop from bike to train to bike again, Frank says. E-bikes are already available through share programs in dozens of cities <https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2019-08-12/e-bikes-take-the-lea…> . Work from home forever? For some people, the future of commuting might be no commute <https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2020/04/06/telecommuting-will-likel…> at all. About half of adults with jobs in the U.S. are working from home during the pandemic, according to a report published by the Brookings Institution in April. That’s more than double the percentage who did some telecommuting two years ago. Close to 20 percent of chief financial officers surveyed by Brookings said they planned to permanently retain remote work for at least 20 percent of their workers. This kind of societal shift could further reduce crowding and the spread of disease on mass transit, Levinson says, especially if people go into offices only occasionally, if they bike when they can, and if they get better about staying home when sick. Still, maintaining strong public transit systems is a key component of vibrant cities, Fan says. Buses, trains, and other modes of public transportation bring people together across race and income, and that kind of mixing builds empathy in a way that sitting in your car doesn’t. “Public transportation is a place where people experience urbanism,” she says. “It’s where people negotiate their differences.”

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Building your counting program: join us for a Canada-focused webinar
by Beth McKechnie 11 May '20

11 May '20

This Thursday, 14th May at 1-2PM ET *Eco-Counter Webinar Invite, May 2020* View this email in your browser <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/alk-about-data-693182-e-UNIQID/3j82t…]> *In partnership with Share the Road Cycling Coalition, join us for a Canada-focused webinar this Thursday!* We have been a proud partner of Share the Road Cycling Coalition <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/2020-05-11/3j82w/93412152?h=M6Q114xJ…> for a while now and have attended every single Ontario Bike Summit since it started back in 2009. Unfortunately, this year's OBS has been cancelled due to the pandemic. Instead,* join us for a free, open to anyone webinar* on building your bike and pedestrian count program! *Building your counting program* *Thursday May 14th, 2020 - 1-2PM (ET)* Click here to register for the webinar <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/g-program-tickets-102118384838/3j82y…> *About the webinar:* What are the best practices for building a count program? What challenges do planners face for building and maintaining a count program? Where is a good place to start? During this data session, learn from leading experts about about how to build an effective bike and pedestrian count program and leverage counting efforts to build a more bicycle-friendly community. We look forward to seeing you there! [image: Facebook] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/EcoCounter-/3j831/93412152?h=M6Q114x…> [image: Twitter] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/Eco-Counter/3j833/93412152?h=M6Q114x…> [image: Website] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/2020-05-11/3j835/93412152?h=M6Q114xJ…> Copyright © 2020 Eco-Counter. 3981 Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 604 | Montreal, QC | H2W 1Y5 Office: 1-514-849-9779 | Toll Free: 1-866-518-4404

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Sorry - we can't find that page
by Terry Zdan 11 May '20

11 May '20

I am sharing this article with you https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/winnipeg-bicycles-indigenous-students-1.…

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Survey finds 65% of Londoners changed their usual mode of transport for the ULEZ - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 11 May '20

11 May '20

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2020/05/20200510-ulez.html

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Cycle sales booming in UK
by C Feaver 09 May '20

09 May '20

Demand for more mobility and exercise amid lifestyle changes imposed by the lockdown has also boosted bike sales across the UK. "Very strong" bicycle sales at bike and car parts chain Halfords this week saw its shares soar by 23%. Some bike stores are battling to meet demand. Broadribb Cycles in Bicester normally despatches 20-30 bikes a week, but manager Stuart Taylor says the shop is currently selling 50 bikes every day - and seeing a commensurate rise in demand for servicing. "It's just gone crazy," he told the BBC. "People are dragging bikes out of sheds and garages and finding they need new tyres and cables. ... But rusty cyclists may be nervous on busy roads, so the pressure group Cycling UK has commissioned research showing how 100 "pop-up" lanes in 10 English cities could make cycling and walking easier. ... The Scottish government has announced£10m of funding for councils to provide temporary space on the roads this way <https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/10-million-to-support-pop-up-active-tra…>, and Cycling UK is urging ministers in Westminster to follow suit. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52564351 -- Sent from my tablet

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Transport Committee launches e-scooter inquiry - Lexology
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 08 May '20

08 May '20

https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=98338dea-2e74-4fb7-b58e-5d70… Happy Trails Terry Zdan

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London cycling could increase tenfold after lockdown, says TfL
by Charles Feaver 08 May '20

08 May '20

Cycling in London could increase tenfold and pavements could be widened to allow for <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/22/uk-will-need-social-distancin g-until-at-least-end-of-year-says-whitty> physical distancing and queueing outside shops, under plans to overhaul the capital's streets post-lockdown. As part of the <https://www.theguardian.com/uk/london> London Streetscape plans, new walking and cycling routes along major corridors would be fast-tracked , including temporary cycle lanes along routes such as the busy thoroughfare of Euston Road. .. But the office of the London mayor, <https://www.theguardian.com/politics/sadiq-khan> Sadiq Khan, said millions of journeys a day would need to be made by other means, with London's public transport capacity potentially running at a fifth of pre-crisis levels. If people were to switch even a small fraction of those journeys to cars, Khan said, London risked grinding to a halt, air quality would worsen and road danger would increase. The mayor and <https://www.theguardian.com/uk/transport> Transport for London (TfL) said they would work with boroughs to focus on three areas: * The "rapid construction" of a strategic cycling network, using temporary materials, with new routes, aimed at reducing crowding on public transport. * A "complete transformation" of local town centres so that people can walk and cycle where possible, including widening footways on high streets so that people can safely queue outside shops. * Reducing traffic on residential streets and creating "low-traffic neighbourhoods". <https://www.theguardian.com/uk/tfl> TfL said its modelling suggested there could be a tenfold increase in distances cycled, and up to five times the amount of walking compared with pre-coronavirus levels, if travel demand returned. .. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/06/cycling-could-increase-five-fo ld-in-london-after-lockdown?CMP=share_btn_link

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Wpg Sun: Dropping speed limits best path to traffic ‘calming,’ says councillor (May6'20)
by Beth McKechnie 07 May '20

07 May '20

*Dropping speed limits best path to traffic ‘calming,’ says councillor* https://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/dropping-speed-limits-best-path-to-… Changes to Winnipeg speed limits and new traffic safety measures could be on the horizon for city residents over the coming months. On Wednesday, a Standing Policy Committee report, advocated for “a whole new suite of traffic calming measures” was accepted by council – although the road to safer streets in Winnipeg is paved with controversy and complexity. The motion was partly in response to ongoing complaints filed by concerned residents regarding vehicle speed problems on city streets. Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverly West) said the report will align Winnipeg with many other jurisdictions regarding traffic safety initiatives. “There are many new approaches to traffic calming that many cities throughout the world are using,” she said. “One of the things that I’ve learned is traffic calming is very labour intensive, time-consuming and very expensive.” Lukes said that many Winnipeg streets were designed with cars at the top of the transportation pyramid – resulting in the need for traffic calming and road retrofits. “And expenses are being incurred,” she said. “Many of our streets are still being designed in a manner that does not encourage traffic calming. In my almost two decades of working on active transportation initiatives, I’ve never heard more public outcry than I have in the last few years.” To avoid wasting a fortune on road safety infrastructure, Lukes said the best way to bring about calmer streets is lowering speed limits. “Of course, there would be some initial investment for signage,” she said. “Cities all over the world are lowering speed limits on residential streets.” Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) agreed with Lukes about the need for traffic calming but had his own take on excessive speed on Winnipeg streets. “The condition of the street dictates how fast people are driving,” he said. “Our streets are so bad that nobody’s actually speeding. They’re not speeding because there’s – I guess you could call them – natural decay speed bumps called potholes all over the place. I think it’s very important that public consultations do happen.” Cutting to the chase, Eadie said the biggest problem on Winnipeg streets is drivers who flout the rules. “And I’m not just going to blame drivers,” he said. “There are cyclists who don’t follow the rules of the road, and they cause problems for everybody as well. Everybody needs to follow the rules and do things appropriately. Driving is not a right, it’s a privilege. Police can’t be on every street and every block.” Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort-Rouge East Fort Garry), said that a cost-benefit analysis leads her to believe that lowering residential speed limits to 30 km/hr is a “cheap alternative” to other, more costly, traffic safety initiatives like speed bumps. “I just want to acknowledge the budgetary reality that need not be if we just reduce speeds.” Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights – Fort Garry), said that if council decides to lower speed limits, residents will continue to “drive the road.” “We can arbitrarily say we should have 10 km/hr or 30 km/hr,” he said. “But the problem is we’re going to have to do some road modifications if we don’t want to have people driving at those speeds.” Orlikow said that safer streets can’t be predicated on a one-size-fits-all model. “We have to have many different facets to it,” he said. “But, it is a serious issue that we are facing.” Mayor Brian Bowman explained that creating safer streets is a long-term project that could take years. “I do obviously think that adopting new processes for triage, for analyzing and implementing requests for traffic calming measures is entirely appropriate at this stage.” jsnell(a)postmedia.com Twitter: @JamesWestgateSn

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WFP: Report puts more school-zone driving restrictions on city’s radar (May7'20)
by Beth McKechnie 07 May '20

07 May '20

Report puts more school-zone driving restrictions on city’s radar https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ways-to-expand-30-kmh-zones-outline… SCHOOL-zone speed limits are here to stay and could be expanded in the future, according to a public service review from the City of Winnipeg. A review of all school-zone speeding tickets issued in 2018 in the East Kildonan and Transcona districts revealed the reduced 30 km/h limit appears to be achieving its goal of slowing drivers. Fewer speeding tickets were issued in those zones than in photo-radar areas near schools that didn’t have a lowered speed limit. Based on feedback from school administrators in six local school divisions, the report’s authors have flagged several school-zone changes the city could consider, including keeping lowered speed limits in effect all day, every day, not just during school hours; placing school-zone limits at middle schools and high schools; and expanding school-zone limits to streets that are near schools but not necessarily adjacent to school property. Those suggestions haven’t been officially put forward as recommendations, but the report notes some of the changes could be made with approval from city council and/or changes to municipal bylaws. The review, which was released as part of the agenda for next week’s East Kildonan-Transcona community committee meeting, was requested last spring by city councillor Shawn Nason (Transcona), who said he hears regular concerns about speeding in the ward, which contains several school zones, and he wanted to know the location of the problem areas. Nason said Wednesday he will review the report. “One of the things I was looking for was areas that were having increased photo-radar tickets, so that we could look at safety perspectives,” Nason said. The majority of speeding tickets issued near schools in the ward were via photo radar, on streets where there is no lowered speed limit. Very few tickets were handed out for speeding in 30 km/h school zones, according to the review. Most tickets were issued in “school areas” that have signs identifying them as such. The signs allow photo radar enforcement to happen there, but the posted speed limit is not lowered. The most common place to get a “school area” photo radar ticket was at northbound Plessis Road, north of Rosseau Avenue West. Of the total of 523 tickets issued in East Kildonan-Transcona in 2018, 198 tickets went to drivers in that spot. Another 104 speeding tickets were handed out near Polson School, at 491 Munroe Ave., which doesn’t have a lowered speed limit. Despite the 30-km/h limit in place outside of St. Joseph the Worker School, at 505 Brewster St., 25 speeding tickets were handed out there in 2018, making it the most commonly ticketed reducedspeed school zone in the neighbourhood. katie.may(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay

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Bike counts are booming in North America
by Beth McKechnie 06 May '20

06 May '20

Happy Trails Terry Zdan *From:* Info Eco-Counter <info(a)eco-counter.com> *Date:* May 6, 2020 at 6:49:39 AM CDT Interactive dashboard, pop-up infrastructure, and more *Eco-Counter Newsletter, May 2020* View this email in your browser <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/ming-in-north-america-e-UNIQID/3hnyr…]> *Capturing the growth of cycling since COVID-19: Introducing our new interactive dashboard* If you have been out on a bike path or trail in the past month you've probably noticed something: *there are a lot of people out cycling right now*. We've seen news stories in Arlington <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/rowded-trails-during-covid-19-/3hnyt…>, New York <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/onavirus-nyc-bike-commute-html/3hnyw…>, Richmond <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/ckets-amidst-covid-19-pandemic/3hnyy…> and so many other places talking about how many people are cycling and walking. Today, we're proud to introduce our new interactive dashboard that tracks the impact of the pandemic on bike counts in North America and Europe. The analysis confirms our hypothesis: *cycling is booming*. Explore our interactive dashboard of bike counts here <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/BikeCounts2020/3hnz1/91848024?h=waUy…> Overall, *bike counts are significantly up across most regions in North America*. What really jumps out is the *strong growth (more than 50% increase in 6 out of 8 regions) in weekend bike counts*, suggesting a strong demand for recreational cycling at this time – a trend also seen in our European dataset. *We hope you enjoy the dashboard and find it useful for your work.* *Make it count on temporary and pop-up bike and pedestrian **infrastructure* More and more people are walking and biking, and in many cities across North America, active measures are being taken to give more space to cyclists, runners and pedestrians. Through t*emporary street closures, pop-up infrastructure and tactical urbanism,* planners everywhere are are acting fast <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/s-over-to-walkers-and-cyclists/3hnz3…>. Having the right data to understand how and when the temporary infrastructure is used is essential to *justify investments, maintain momentum, communicate with stakeholders and the media and much more. * Our automated bike and pedestrian counters are designed for rapid deployment and short-term studies. The battery powered Mobile MULTI <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/uits-multi-range-mobile-multi-/3hnz5…>, for example, counts and differentiates bicycles and pedestrians and can be* set up and moved in under 30 minutes*. Equally easy to install, the Easy-ZELT <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/produits-zelt-range-easy-zelt-/3hnz7…> bike counter (pictured above) is ideal for* 3-12 month count studies* and can be configured to a wide-variety of on street and separated cycling infrastructure. Get in touch to learn more about counting on pop-up infrastructure <info@eco-counter.com?subject=Re%3A%20Newsletter%20-%20learn%20more%20about%20temporary%20counting%20solutions&body=Hi%20Eco-Counter%2C%0A%0AFollowing%20your%20May%202020%20newsletter%2C%20i'd%20love%20to%20hear%20more%20about%20your%20temporary%20bike%20and%20pedestrian%20counting%20solutions.> *Download our new 'Quick Guide to Moving a PYRO-Box'* The PYRO-Box people counter is trusted by organizations around the world for short to long term count studies. While some of you put up the PYRO-Box <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/-produits-pyro-range-pyro-box-/3hnz9…> and leave it for years, others move the counter around every few weeks to gain a broad geographic understanding of counts. We've created a *handy new checklist guide to moving a PYRO-Box.* The guide covers a range of best-practices, including checking for ghost counts, renaming the counter in Eco-Visio and much more. Print out the guide and take it with you out on site! Download the PDF guide here <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/MoveAPYRO/3hnzc/91848024?h=waUyFlgsd…> Want to learn more about taking your bike and pedestrian data one step further? Get in touch <info(a)eco-counter.com?subject=Hi!%20I'd%20love%20to%20learn%20more.&body=Following%20the%20Eco-Counter%20newsletter%2C%20i'm%20interested%20in%20learning%20more%20about%20a%20data-driven%20approach%20to%20bike%20and%20pedestrian%20planning.>, our team is here ready to help you with your project. 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WFP: City eyes repairs, Arlington Bridge rebuild in limbo (May5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 May '20

05 May '20

City eyes repairs, Arlington Bridge rebuild in limbo https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-seeks-to-repair-arlington-brid… THE City of Winnipeg is seeking bids to extend the life of the Arlington Bridge — a century-old structure that has survived no shortage of criticism or construction since it was built in 1912. Last week, the city posted a request for tender for a contractor to undertake numerous structural steel-related repairs to the North End overpass. Among them: replacing eroding or corroded elements and installing new steel pieces, including diaphragms, support brackets and decking. The contractor would be required to temporarily support the floor beams framing to enable construction while the bridge is still open, according to the request. Bids will be accepted until May 22. For years, the city has sought technical expertise and community feedback on the future of the bridge, which was originally built to connect two Winnipeg neighbourhoods, the West End and North End, separated by the CP Rail yards. Since the 1940s, the bridge’s condition has been questioned, leading to countless temporary closures — as well as warnings of a permanent one. It was expected to be demolished this year. The latest posting comes almost one year since the city completed its “A Better Bridge for Arlington” project. “Today, the bridge is nearing the end of its usable life and must be replaced,” states a public engagement report posted on the city’s website in May 2019. Last year’s report expanded on a 2016 functional design study of the Arlington Street structure. The design study determined it was best to replace the bridge in its current location. Designs with accessibility standards, improved active transportation and better traffic flow in mind were submitted and considered. Two final proposals included three permanent traffic lanes (two northbound and one southbound), two unidirectional bike lanes and two sidewalks. However, the transformation of the viaduct remained in limbo because the project never received funding. The lowest estimated price tag for a replacement bridge is $319 million. In June 2019, a city report identified 22 major capital projects for the next decade — a new Arlington Bridge included — that totalled $4.9 billion. Mayor Brian Bowman said the report underlined the need for greater financial assistance from other levels of government. More recently, the city ranked upgrades to the aging North End sewage treatment plant, relocating its insect control centre, and replacing residents’ water meters as top infrastructure priorities. In a list of infrastructure priorities, the Arlington Bridge placed 31st. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie

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WFP Sou'wester: Cleaning up the Bishop Grandin Greenway (May3'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 May '20

04 May '20

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Cleaning-up-the… Running alongside a major thoroughfare, it’s no surprise to see fast-food boxes and wrappers, bottles and cans, cardboard and plastic bags littering the Bishop Grandin Greenway in the spring. For years, the Friends of the Bishop Grandin Greenway have organized a spring clean-up event that sees community members remove thousands of kilos of garbage from the greenway. The greenway is a 4.7-kilometre long multi-use trail that stretches alongside Bishop Grandin Boulevard from the Red River to the Seine River, with connections into the Waverley Heights area. "In past years, we usually see 40 volunteers come out on a specific clean-up day," Nicole Grabowski, a Friends board member said. "Last year, we picked up 700 pounds (318 kilograms) of trash." This year, with the need to avoid contact to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Friends cancelled the formal event and replaced it with a clean-up week from May 3 to 9. The Friends have attached garbage bags to the mileposts along the trail, which they are asking people to fill with garbage and debris as they travel the greenway. Once filled, the bags can be dropped at the mileposts — which are located near major intersections — or behind the service shed at the end of Glen Meadow St. (near the tunnel) or by the community garden. Bishop Grandin Greenway volunteers will collect the garbage bags throughout the week. "This is important to me, given what the greenway means. It’s a link to other active living paths in other parts of the city. You can see geese and other birds, and see a lot of people out enjoying the day, on bikes, roller blading and walking," Grabowski said. She is a resident of River Heights, but joined the board of the Friends a year ago in order to volunteer for a green project. Friends’ vice-president Derick Young has been a board member since 2009. He said the idea for the greenway came about 20 years ago when local seniors expressed dismay about the decline of green space in St. Vital. "People began working with the City of Winnipeg and the Winnipeg Trails Association, and they got the trail system put in place over the next eight years, along with a community garden," Young said, adding the greenway continues to be expanded. "We were supposed to hold a 20th anniversary event, but that had to be postponed until the fall," Grabowski said. The goal of the Friends is to restore the greenspace, and develop awareness of the area’s natural and historical value, he said. In the summer of 2019, they added a wildflower garden just west of St. Mary’s Rd., run by the Winnipeg Wildflower Project. The garden plot contains several different varieties of wildflowers and grasses from Prairie Originals. Once established, seed from the plot will be collected to grow native grasses and wildflowers elsewhere in the city. The trail now links with other trails extending to Sage Creek in the east, and to the Waverley West area. It will eventually join trails along McGillivray Boulevard and Sterling Lyon Parkway to form part of a city-wide active transportation network. For more information, see www.bishopgrandingreenway.com

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