- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Re: [At-network] FW: Human Environment Digest 10/29/20
by Mark Cohoe 29 Oct '20

29 Oct '20

Thanks Terry, I found this webinar quite interesting. *Webinar Discusses Relationship between Transportation Modeling and Decision Making * https://www.enotrans.org/event/webinar-what-counts-in-mobility-rethinking-t… Mark On Thu, Oct 29, 2020 at 11:06 AM Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> wrote: > > > > > *From:* FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) < > FHWA.HEP(a)info.dot.gov> > *Sent:* October-29-20 11:05 AM > *To:* Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> > *Subject:* Human Environment Digest 10/29/20 > > > > > > [image: header] > > > > Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…> > . > > > > *October 29, 2020* > Human Environment Digest > > > > Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Human > Environment biweekly email digest. This digest shares the latest > information from a range of Federal and non-Federal sources, addressing > transportation and its relationship to the human environment. Through this > information exchange, FHWA hopes to foster dialogue at all levels and > continue to further the state of the practice on these important topics in > support of safety; infrastructure, including accelerated project delivery, > access to jobs, and community revitalization; technology and design > innovation; and accountability, including, data-driven decisions and > performance-based planning. > > For more information on any of these topics, see the FHWA Related Links on > the sidebar. > > Click here > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> > to manage your subscriptions. > > *The information provided in this mailing does not necessarily reflect the > view of the Federal Highway Administration or the U.S. Department of > Transportation. > > > *EVENTS* > > *Please check with event organizers on if/how events are being adjusted to > accommodate remote participation. * > > October 29, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…>: > TRB’s Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation > Technology: New Mobility Services and Automated, Connected, and Digital > Technologies. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) *(In-person event postponed > to June 29-July 1, 2021)* > > November 5, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…>: TRB’s > Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology: > Decarbonization, Energy, and Emissions and Urban Planning and TDM. Virtual > Event. (There is a fee) *(In-person event postponed to June 29-July 1, > 2021)* > > December 2-10, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…>: > NACTO’s Designing Cities 2020. Virtual Event. > > December 8-10, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…>: > FHWA’s Every Day Counts-6. Virtual Summit. > > January 5-8 and 11-15, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…>: > TRB’s 100th Annual Meeting: Committee Meetings. Virtual Event. (There is > a fee for some) > > January 21-22 and 25-29, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…>: > TRB’s 100th Annual Meeting: Sessions and Exhibits. Virtual Event. (There > is a fee for some) > > January 28-29, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>: Micromobility > America Conference. Bay Area, CA. (There is a fee) > > March 17-19, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…>: > National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program, Washington, > D.C. (There is a fee for some) > WEBINARS > > October 29, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVy…>: > American Trails’ Advancing Trails Series: Perceptions of Conflict > Surrounding Future E-Bike Use on the Arizona Trail. > > October 29, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Partnerships that Create a > Lasting Safety Culture. (There is a fee) > > November 2, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…>: > ITE’s A New Roadmap for Transportation and Health Equity. (There is a fee > for some) > > November 4, 11:00-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>: > FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation’s Just-in-Time Training: Virtual > Public Involvement. > > November 4, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVy…>: > ITE’s Considering E-Scooters Safety in Vision Zero and MaaS/MOD Programs, > Policies, and Practice. (There is a fee) > > November 5, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVy…>: > State Smart Transportation Initiative’s Community of Practice: How DOTs Can > Advance Antiracism and Equity. > > November 5, 3:00-4:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVy…>: > AARP’s What Does Safe Transportation for the 50+ Look Like Now? > > November 9, 1:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTcsInVy…>: > TRB’s Advancing Innovative Automated Vehicles and Shared Mobility Research. > (There is a fee) > > November 10, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTgsInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Bus Stops: Access and > Equity. > > November 12, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTksInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Safety Analysis Tools. > (There is a fee) > > November 16, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjAsInVy…>: > State Smart Transportation Initiative’s Community of Practice: DOTs’ Role > in Reining in VMT. > > November 16, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjEsInVy…>: > ITE and NaTMEC’s Getting at Pedestrian and Bicyclist Exposure from Three > Different Approaches. > > November 18, 3:00-4:00 PM ET: > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjIsInVy…> > Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals’ Night-time Street > Safety: Discussion on Women's Mobility at Night. (There is a fee) > > November 18, 4:00-5:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjMsInVy…>: > National Network for the Transportation Workforce’s Role of Partnerships in > Preparing K-12 Students for Transportation Careers. > > November 19, 11:00-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjQsInVy…>: > Road to Zero Coalition’s Transportation Safety for Youth from A to Z. > > November 19, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjUsInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Basic Statistics and > Predictive Safety. (There is a fee) > > December 2, 2:00-3:15 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVy…>: > FHWA’s Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: > Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation. > > December 3, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVy…>: > National Network for the Transportation Workforce’s Providing Training & > Education During the Pandemic: Challenges & Solutions. > > December 8, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVy…>: > Road to Zero Coalition’s > On the Road to Zero: Child Passenger Safety. > > December 11, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Land Use and Transportation > Policies for a Sustainable Future. > > December 16, 3:00-4:00 PM ET: > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVy…> > Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals’ Are We There Yet? Best > Practices in Speed Management. (There is a fee) > > January 19, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Transportation Benefits of > Polycentric Urban Form. > FHWA RELATED LINKS > > Environment Homepage > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVy…> > Bicycle/Pedestrian > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVy…> Environmental > Justice > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVy…> Transportation > Alternatives > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVy…> Recreational > Trails Program > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVy…> > > *To submit comments or information for inclusion in the next HE Digest, > click here <livable.communities(a)dot.gov>. Submissions must be made > before 12 PM ET Wednesday.* > > [image: safety] > > *U.S. DOT Issues Contract Awards to Support Data-Driven Transportation > Safety Research * > > The * U.S. Department of Transportation* (U.S. DOT) issued > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVy…> > contract awards prioritizing the use of data and innovative technologies to > support transportation safety research. The contract awards follow a Broad > Agency Announcement from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation > seeking to leverage data to address surface transportation safety issues > related to precursors to crashes, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, > intersections, and non-fatal injury crashes. As part of the effort, U.S. > DOT will partner with a micromobility data management platform and three > other vendors to develop concept designs and digital solutions using new > data sources and/or data unavailable to the DOT. The forthcoming research > findings will support the U.S. DOT Safety Data Initiative > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVy…>, > which was launched in 2018 to enhance road safety efforts and decrease > traffic fatalities through data-driven decision making. > > *NHTSA Releases Pedestrian Safety Playbook and Active Transportation Data > Visualizations* > > The * National Highway Traffic Safety Administration* (NHTSA) released a > playbook > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVy…> > with social media strategies and resources to support Pedestrian Safety > Month > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVy…> > activities. It provides information on vehicle speed enforcement and Walk > to School Day activities; distracted drivers and impaired pedestrians; > illegal school bus passing; and conspicuity/Day Light Saving Time, and > older pedestrians. NHTSA also developed two interactive data visualization > dashboards displaying pedestrian > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVy…> > and bicyclist > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVy…> > fatality data between 2010 and 2018. Based on Fatality Analysis Reporting > System > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVy…> > data, the dashboard allows users to view key data by State, year, month, > time of day, age group, and land type. > > *Research Analyzes Pedestrian Safety and Roadside Activities in Urban > Areas* > > The * Safety Science Journal* published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVy…> > examining the influence of roadside activities on pedestrian safety in > urban environments. Researchers developed models to analyze interactions > between pedestrians and motorists, capturing both infrastructure and > traffic attributes. The findings indicate significant risk factors related > to pedestrian crash risk include: number of bus stops per unit of time, > parking, volume of pedestrian crossing and violations, traffic speed > variation, number of intersecting side roads, as well as through and > intersecting traffic volume. > ------------------------------ > > [image: infrastructure] > > *U.S. DOI Finalizes Rulemaking on Electric Bicycles on Public Lands* > > The * U.S. Department of Interior* finalized regulations > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVy…> > allowing electric bicycles (e-bikes) on public lands managed by the > National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and > Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. Through these regulations, > e-bikes are no longer defined as motor vehicles or off-road vehicles, but > are defined in three classes. The regulations enhance e-bike access to > facilities where traditional bicycles are allowed on public lands, > increasing recreational opportunities and public health. > > *Walk/Bike/Places 2021 Conference Announces Call for Proposals* > > *Project for Public Spaces* announced a call for proposals > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVy…> > for the Walk/Bike/Places 2021 Conference, which will take place as both a > remote and in-person event in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 14-18, 2021. > The conference theme will be on “The Route to Recovery,” featuring projects > and research discussing the social, economic, and environmental challenges > that communities faced in 2020 and will continue to address in the future. > The sessions and presentations will highlight the role active > transportation and public spaces play during these challenges. Proposals > are due on Wednesday, December 9 at 5:00 PM ET. > ------------------------------ > > [image: innovation] > > *Micromobility Policy Atlas Database Highlights Shared Bicycle and > E-scooter Policies in 25 Countries* > > The * Shared-Use Mobility Center*, *New Urban Mobility alliance*, and *World > Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities *released > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVy…> > the Micromobility Policy Atlas > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVy…> which > describes local bicycle- and electric scooter (e-scooter)-sharing > regulations from 25 countries. The database classifies micromobility > policies by regulation type, providing information on guidelines, permits, > and laws from local and State/provincial levels since 2017. It includes > operating rules such as parking and use of bicycle lanes; fleet size > limits, fees, and fares; equity plans and requirements; and data and > communications guidelines, as well as links to the original policy > documents. Users can also search by year and country to understand the > different ways that global cities are managing bikeshare and shared > e-scooter services. > > *Research Examines E-scooter Impacts on Equity Improvements and Mode-Shift > on University Campus* > > The * Transportation Research and Education Center* published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVy…> > analyzing the impacts of electric scooters (e-scooters) on mode choice and > their performance in meeting equity goals. Researchers surveyed students at > Portland State University to identify how e-scooters, cars, bicycles, and > light rail transit support general and university-related travel needs. > Survey respondents largely represent younger and low-income populations. > The findings indicate several barriers to e-scooter use such as > inexperience, discomfort riding in traffic, unreliable time options, > affordability, and limited infrastructure. The study suggests communities > deploy targeted management interventions, such as parking cost increases, > to provide improved first/last-mile connections through micromobility. > > *Research Identifies Health Impacts of Automated Vehicles* > > The * Sustainable Cities and Society Journal *published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVy…> > analyzing implications of automated vehicles (AVs) on public health. > Researchers developed a conceptual framework summarizing potential changes > in transportation after AV implementation into seven impact areas: (1) > transportation infrastructure, (2) land use and the built environment, (3) > traffic flow, (4) transportation mode choice, (5) transportation equity, > (6) jobs related to transportation, and (7) traffic safety. Based on the > impacts, the study identified 32 potential pathways between AVs and public > health, 17 of which negatively impact health. The findings note several > strategies to promote health related to electric motors, urban area > development, traffic demand management strategies, and ride-sharing > policies. > > *Webinar Discusses Relationship between Transportation Modeling and > Decision Making * > > The * Eno Center for Transportation* hosted a webinar discussing how > transportation modeling supports planning and decision making. It provides > a history of transportation modeling and related challenges, examining > technical aspects to help practitioners improve the relationship between > predictions and future planning goals. The webinar recording and > presentation materials are now available online > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVy…> > . > ------------------------------ > > [image: account] > > *Report Discusses Innovations in Transportation Equity for Latino > Communities* > > *Salud America!* published a report > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTIsInVy…> > outlining innovations in transportation equity for Latino communities. > Funded through Voices for Healthy Kids > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTMsInVy…>, > the grant summary report discusses policy and advocacy recommendations > identified by the Innovative Equity Exploration Special Project Workgroup. > The research highlights four transportation-related issues impacting Latino > health: lack of racial and gender diversity in policy and investment best > practices; community displacement because of planning and design practices; > policies or projects increasing auto-dependency; and siloed processes > between land use, transportation, and public health agencies. The > recommendations aim to support expansion and integration of active > transportation and complete streets through policies and investments in > Latino and low-income communities. > > *Fact Sheet Outlines Strategies and Resources to Enhance Active > Transportation through Regional Transportation Planning* > > The * Safe Routes Partnership* published a fact sheet > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTQsInVy…> > providing strategies and resources to increase bicycling and walking > through regional transportation planning. It outlines notable practices and > example case studies to support active transportation efforts by > influencing policy, plans, and funding at the regional level. It adds that > regional transportation plans and transportation improvement programs > provide opportunities to identify short- and long-term bicycle and > pedestrian improvements. > > *PBIC Health and Transportation Webinar Series Materials Available Online* > > The * Pedestrian Bicycle and Information Center* hosted a five-part > webinar series from October 13-28 discussing the integration and > advancement of health in various transportation planning practices. The > sessions highlighted opportunities to address health issues through equity > assessments, collaborative partnerships, data integration, project > prioritization, and policy change. The webinar recordings and presentation > materials are now available online > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTUsInVy…> > . > > > > [image: footer] > ------------------------------ > > Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop > subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTYsInVy…>. > You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or > problems with the subscription service, please contact > subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTcsInVy…> > . > > This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. DOT Federal Highway > Administration > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTgsInVy…> > . > ------------------------------ > > This email was sent to terry.zdan(a)gov.mb.ca using GovDelivery > Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration > · 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE · Washington, DC 20590 · 202-366-4000 > > [image: GovDelivery logo] > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTksInVy…> > >

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Maintaining Mobility for Older Manitobans
by Beth McKechnie 28 Oct '20

28 Oct '20

From: Samantha Rodeck <info(a)tonsmb.org> Good Afternoon, On behalf of the TONS (Transportation Options Network for Seniors) Board of Directors, I am pleased to share with you the informational resource that is attached in two formats for your viewing ease. In light of November being falls prevention month and with the wintery months rapidly approaching, we would like to highlight the importance of snow clearing for sidewalks and roads in Manitoba and especially with an increase in Snow Birds likely to be staying within your communities this winter. Now more than ever, Older Manitobans need to have options for staying active and independent within their communities so we can ensure the health and vitality of our aging population. Community mobility is an essential component of an age friendly community, its essential for ensuring a sense of freedom even during the winter months and especially as COVID has impacted the ability for individuals to remain active indoors. Please share this as widely as possible and especially to ensure this informational resource makes its way to businesses, municipalities, government departments and not for profit organizations. If you have any questions or would like the opportunity to discuss further, please feel free to contact me with the information listed below. Thank you, Samantha Rodeck Executive Director (204) 799-1788 [image: signature_1818782179]

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WFP Analysis: Transit hub could transform downtown (Oct26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '20

26 Oct '20

Transit hub could transform downtown https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/transit-hub-could-transf… AT the beginning of this year — back when we could shake hands and see each other’s faces – the city of Winnipeg announced it was no longer planning to build dedicated bus rapid-transit corridors. This came shortly before the opening of the Southwest Transitway, the city’s first completed line. The announcement felt like the end of Winnipeg’s rapid-transit dream. Two weeks ago, however, the city released a new vision for the future of rapid transit, as part of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. The new concept shows a dramatic departure from the original plan of dedicated bus-only roadways, a system that would provide fast service between end points, but — as the Southwest Transitway demonstrates — one with important shortcomings. The costly and slow-to-implement system runs largely through open fields, with several stations built far from where large numbers of people live, and without access to many of the destinations potential users would want to go. The new plan focuses on integrating rapid transit onto existing major roadways, using priority signal lanes. Outside of downtown, the plan is to build dedicated transit lines on roads such as Main Street and Portage Avenue that run down the centre of the road, with stations located in the median, similar to Winnipeg’s old streetcar network. Once complete, the system can incorporate modern low-rider and connected buses that emulate the capacity and ride quality light rail. This type of system will likely better integrate transit into neighbourhoods, provide greater access to destinations and make it more usable for everyday trips. A key advantage is that it will use existing road space, with diamond lanes, queuejump lanes at intersections and priority traffic signals, meaning it will be far less costly and time-consuming to implement. Another important change is that priority will be given to developing the system in downtown first, bringing together the three main lines that will cross the city. Possibly the most alluring part of the plan is that beautiful Union Station, sitting prominently at the top of Broadway, will become the central hub of the rapid-transit network. In 1911, the Manitoba Free Press celebrated Union Station as “The Most Modern Railway Terminal in the World.” Designed by Warren and Wetmore, the architects of New York’s Grand Central Terminal, it was once the bustling centre of the city, welcoming people from across the world. To see it brought back to life with crowds of transit riders (when we are allowed to have crowds again) hurrying across the polished marble floors under the majestic dome, surrounded by bustling kiosks, shops and restaurants, is an exhilarating image to dream about. For inspiration, Winnipeg might look to Denver, Colorado. In 2014, after years of planning, the city’s underused historic Union Station, surrounded by empty buildings and surface parking lots, became part of a transformational urban redevelopment. Like in Winnipeg, a rapid-transit hub was established in the old station, but they didn’t stop there. A complete multi-modal transportation centre was created, bringing together light rail, intercity rail, taxis, ride sharing, downtown shuttles, regional and local bus routes. A cycling hub with bike storage, showers and locker rooms, connected to the area’s protected cycling network, was established and a major pedestrian promenade with markets, plazas and public space was developed to connect the station to the surrounding neighbourhoods. The project involved partnerships between private developers and public agencies including city, county, state, and federal entities. A complete master plan was developed that looked well beyond Union Station itself and established a vision for a 36-hectare section of Denver’s downtown, supported by tax increment financing and other government programs. The result of thinking big was that the project became the centrepiece of the most active development site in the United States. The connectivity provided by Union Station as a transit hub has created a centre of gravity that has attracted construction of more than 3,000 residential units, 750 hotel rooms, two million square feet of office space and a quarter million square feet of retail. The Union Station redevelopment has spawned a completely new urban neighbourhood, attracted US$3.5-billion in private investment and has transformed downtown Denver. The key to Denver’s success is that it looked at it holistically, bringing together transportation planners, urban planners, governments and private developers to create an overarching vision and detailed masterplan, complete with funding strategies and zoning regulations, not only to maximize Union Station’s potential as a multimodal transportation hub, but to leverage its opportunity to create renewal across downtown. The announcement that Winnipeg’s Union Station will become a rapid-transit hub could be the first piece in the puzzle toward creating a similar catalyst for development and growth. If we want to take full advantage of the opportunity, our public and private leadership must also come together to create a bigger, more impactful vision. If we think big, and then prioritize those aspirations in our public spending, this little announcement lost in the headlines of a global pandemic could change how we move around our city and fundamentally redefine our downtown forever. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP The Herald: Active transportation bridge a real blessing (Oct23'20)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Oct '20

24 Oct '20

Active transportation bridge a real blessing https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/correspondent/Acti… In 2013, the active transportation bridge linking Elmwood with Point Douglas was opened. Now in 2020, the bridge remains a useful connection between two neighbourhoods, giving cyclists and pedestrians options as they travel across the city. Before the bridge was constructed, getting from one side of the Red River to another on foot or by bicycle was somewhat complicated, often involving a long detour to the Louise or Redwood Bridges. Even for drivers, the trip over the bridge was somewhat risky, as evidenced by the number of times someone failed to navigate the entry onto Henderson Highway successfully and crashed into a house just beyond the curve. While the new Disraeli Bridge helped to correct some of the problems that caused accidents such as these, the active transportation bridge gave people another option for crossing the river. Access from the Elmwood side is on Midwinter Avenue, one block south of Talbot Avenue. On the Point Douglas side, the bridge connects with Rover Avenue, parallel to Higgins Avenue. As the City of Winnipeg website explains, the active transportation bridge incorporates several of the supporting piers from the old bridge. At five metres wide, the bridge is sufficiently large to allow for several cyclists and pedestrians to pass each other without crowding each other. The bridge is high enough to allow boats to pass by on the river without making the slope excessively steep for cyclists. Although some features that were originally planned for the bridge, such as benches, failed to materialize, many interesting features were included in the design. On one side of the pathway, patterns of holes punched into steel structures help to tell the stories of the neighbourhoods the bridge connects. Several lookout areas give people the chance to stop for a few minutes out of the way of traffic to admire the river or to watch birds flying or swimming by. While the current enthusiasm for walking and cycling might eventually diminish, structures like the active transportation bridge between Elmwood and Point Douglas are good for encouraging Winnipeggers to get out into the fresh air. With the additional opportunity to learn about the neighbourhood, the bridge serves a useful purpose in the city. *Susan Huebert is a community correspondent for Elmwood. *

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Net-zero by 2030: Lime becomes first micro-mobility firm to pledge to science-based targets
by Beth McKechnie 24 Oct '20

24 Oct '20

E-scooter and e-bike giant Lime has set a 2030 net-zero target and said it will develop science-based emissions reductions targets in the coming months. https://www.edie.net/news/6/Net-zero-by-2030--Lime-becomes-first-micro-mobi…

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Webinar: Doing more with bike data
by Beth McKechnie 22 Oct '20

22 Oct '20

Doing more with bike data *Join us for a free webinar! October 2020* View this email in your browser <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/alk-about-data-693449-e-UNIQID/4jfcq…]> *Next week, join us for a free webinar in collaboration with The League of American Bicyclists!* We are a proud partner of the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/community/4jfcs/171376801?h=tab5-dDg…>. As we've talked about before on our blog, in webinars, and during panel sessions at their annual conference, communities that collect bike data are more likely to achieve BFC certification. Next week, join us for a free panel webinar, co-hosted with the League of American Bicyclists! Click here to register for the webinar <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/register-2366490280962940687/4jfcv/1…> *About the webinar:* Bike data is an essential tool to develop, maintain and communicate the success of cycling projects. From automated counters to GPS traces, bikeshare data to crash statistics, data plays an increasingly pivotal role in cycling planning. Sometimes, however, collecting, managing and actually using that data can seem like a minefield. What are the best practices for collecting data? How can bike data collection contribute to Bicycle Friendly Community certification? How can data be applied for quick-wins in my community? During this webinar – co-hosted by the League of American Bicyclists and Eco-Counter – hear from leading industry experts, advocates and practitioners about ways in which bike data can be leveraged to make communities more bicycle friendly. We look forward to seeing you there! [image: Facebook] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/EcoCounter-/4jfcx/171376801?h=tab5-d…> [image: Twitter] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/Eco-Counter/4jfcz/171376801?h=tab5-d…> [image: Website] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/2020-10-22/4jfd2/171376801?h=tab5-dD…> Copyright © 2019 Eco-Counter. 3981 Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 604 | Montreal, QC | H2W 1Y5 Office: 1-514-849-9779 | Toll Free: 1-866-518-4404 -- 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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Comparing the Promise and Reality of E-Scooters: A Critical Assessment of Equity Improvements and Mode-Shift
by Beth McKechnie 22 Oct '20

22 Oct '20

From: Lacey Friedly <rlacey(a)pdx.edu> Date: Wed, Oct 21, 2020 at 6:48 PM Is shared micromobility the ideal first/last mile supplement to transit? Can electric scooters make it easier for historically disadvantaged populations to get around? In just three years, brand-new fleets of e-scooters have substantially disrupted and altered the urban mobility landscape. For proponents, it's tempting to view them as a new answer to old problems. But a new study concludes that cities should not depend on e-scooters as a de facto solution―to first/last mile or equity problems―without targeted management interventions. Read the research: https://trec.pdx.edu/news/comparing-promise-and-reality-e-scooters Lacey Friedly Communications Coordinator *Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) <http://trec.pdx.edu/> at Portland State University*

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9 Steps towards accessible public transportation: online community forum Nov 2, 2020
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

View this email in your browser <https://us15.campaign-archive.com/?e=__test_email__&u=a7592c507bcd803e8a19d…> [image: https://mcusercontent.com/a7592c507bcd803e8a19d6bde/images/46c032f4-e516-47…] Together we can improve access! The Independent Living Resource Centre (ILRC), in partnership with stakeholders from across the community, will be hosting *online community forums* (November 2, 2020), to discuss the accessibility of Winnipeg Transit services. Passengers can experience many unnecessary barriers to taking the bus, and it is time for the community to start talking about solutions! Forums will be held at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm on November 2 (2020), including a presentation of the *'9 Steps towards accessible public transportation'* document, and breakout discussion groups. Registration is required, *please follow this link* <http://www.ilrc.mb.ca/calendar/2020/9steps.htm>, or contact ILRC for more information: phone204-947-0194 email thecentre(a)ilrc.mb.ca <thecentre(a)ilrc.mb.ca?subject=9%20Steps%20Forum> web www.ilrc.mb.ca [image: Twitter] <https://twitter.com/ilrcwinnipeg?lang=en> [image: Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/ILRCWinnipeg/> [image: Website] <http://www.ilrc.mb.ca> *copyright, ILRC 2020, All rights reserved.* *Our mailing address is:* 311A-393 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H6 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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WFP: Trails group ramps up accessibility in Winnipeg (Oct21'20)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

Trails group ramps up accessibility in Winnipeg THE Yellow Dog Tavern is the proud owner of a new set of wheelchair ramps, thanks to two customers who wanted to see the Exchange District business be more accessible. Anders Swanson, director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, and Allen Mankewich, an accessibility advocate and wheelchair user, decided they were going take it upon themselves to make it happen one evening while out for a beer. They had noted a lack of ramps connecting the Donald Street building’s entrances to the sidewalk a few centimetres below. Swanson and Mankewich had just left a meeting on accessibility policy, so the topic was top of mind. “I was like: ‘You know what? Forget it. I’m going to Home Depot on the way back and grabbing some stuff to make those ramps,’” Swanson told the Free Press with a laugh. The 7.5-cm ledge at the entryway might not warrant a second thought from an able-bodied person. However, Swanson said, for someone who uses a wheelchair, it could mean the difference between getting into the building independently and asking for assistance. “Allen and I went and measured it, and just figured out something that worked,” said Swanson. “That’s what Winnipeg Trails does every day. It tries to break down barriers for people moving under their own power.” Swanson installed the ramps on Saturday. The Yellow Dog Tavern had recently re-opened following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he figured now was the time to put them to use. Greg Ash, tavern owner, said he is pleased with the finished product. “There’s a lot of old business that don’t have that design to the street,” said Ash, adding the ramps fit in well with streetscape and he appreciates the hand-painted design that matches the Yellow Dog signage. A Winnipeg Trails Association social post about the project garnered significant positive feedback. Swanson said he’s excited about the reaction, because it will mean more people looking to set up such ramps outside their own businesses. “If there’s any businesses that need some advice on how to build these ramps or want to talk about freedom and mobility and universal access, they can always get a hold of us. We’re happy to talk to them,” said Swanson, adding he’ll personally help build ramps for any business that reaches out to the association.

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The Next Normal: Five COVID-19 aftershocks reshaping mobility’s future
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

For anyone who wants to nerd out on what the future of mobility may hold, here is an insightful but longer read. To save you also having to look up these acronyms, OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer and ACES stands for autonomous, connectivity, electrification, and ridesharing. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/fi… cheers, Beth -- 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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Proof: Bike Paths are Good for the Local Economy
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '20

17 Oct '20

The bean counters have spoken: A safe network of protected bike lanes is good for the urban economy. Completion of the long-sought 35-mile Baltimore Greenway Trails Network would create jobs, improve property values, reduce vehicle miles traveled, create new business activity surrounding the trail and just be better for the air, according to a new report to be released today [Oct 15] by the accounting firm Ernst and Young. Full story: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/10/15/proof-bike-paths-are-good-for-the-lo… -- 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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Phase Three public engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan has begun
by Beth McKechnie 16 Oct '20

16 Oct '20

From: Winnipeg Transit Master Plan <transitmasterplan(a)argylepr.com> Date: Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 11:42 AM Hello / Bonjour *Un message en français suivra.* We are excited to announce that the third phase of public engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan has begun. In the fall of 2019, we asked for public input on a proposed new transit system, which has been used to shape the draft Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. In this third and final phase of engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, we are sharing plans for the future of rapid transit, including the types of infrastructure that could be built and plans for downtown. We are also sharing details about how we can make transit more accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Winnipeggers made it clear that accessibility for all users is a top priority, and the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan proposes changes to better integrate Winnipeg Transit Plus with the rest of the transit network. Improving accessibility for all will be a key consideration in transit network planning and design. Learn more and share your thoughts on the future of rapid transit and accessible transit from October 9 to November 6 online at: winnipeg.ca/transitmasterplan <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan/> *Zoom Meetings * Join us live on Zoom for a presentation and Q&A about the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. Use the links below to register for one of the sessions. Topic: The Future of Rapid Transit Format: Zoom meeting Date: Saturday, October 24 (Register now <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_454Ch45GTYebyr_M2BjtZg>) Time: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Topic: The Future of Rapid Transit Format: Zoom meeting Date: Wednesday, October 28 (Register now <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yrsucwfmTUm26873-g1DpA>) Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. *Help us get Winnipeggers involved* We invite you to help get your fellow residents involved in this process by sharing information about the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan with your communities and encouraging them to share their input. You can follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> and Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg/>, and stay up to date on the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project by signing up for updates at transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Please visit winnipeg.ca/transitmasterplan <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan/> to learn more. For inquiries or for those who require alternate formats or interpretation to participate, please contact transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Sincerely, Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project team *[image: cw-v-dk_blue-rgb]* Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer que la phase trois de participation du public pour le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg a commencé. À l’automne 2019, nous avons demandé au public de nous donner son opinion sur un nouveau système proposé de transport en commun; cette opinion a servi à élaborer le projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Dans cette troisième et dernière phase de participation du public pour le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg, nous communiquons les plans pour l’avenir du transport en commun rapide, y compris les infrastructures qui pourraient être construites et les plans relatifs au centre-ville. Nous communiquons également de l’information sur la manière dont nous pouvons rendre le transport en commun plus accessible aux personnes de tous âges et de toutes capacités. Les Winnipégois ont clairement indiqué que l’accessibilité pour tous les usagers est une priorité absolue, et le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg propose des changements visant à mieux intégrer le service Winnipeg Transit Plus au reste du réseau de transport en commun. L’amélioration de l’accessibilité pour tous sera un facteur clé dans la planification et la conception du réseau de transport en commun. Pour en savoir plus et donner votre opinion sur l’avenir du transport en commun rapide et du transport accessible, consultez le site Web suivant entre le 8 octobre et le 6 novembre : winnipeg.ca/plantransportencommun <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan-francais> *Réunions sur Zoom * Joignez-nous en direct sur Zoom pour une présentation et une séance de questions sur le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Utilisez les liens ci-dessous pour vous inscrire à l’une des séances. Sujet : L’avenir du transport en commun rapide Format : Réunion sur Zoom Date : Samedi 24 octobre (S’inscrire <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_454Ch45GTYebyr_M2BjtZg>) Heure : De 13 h à 14 h 30 Sujet : L’avenir du transport en commun rapide Format : Réunion sur Zoom Date : Mercredi 28 octobre (S’inscrire <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yrsucwfmTUm26873-g1DpA>) Heure : De 19 h à 20 h 30 *Aidez-nous à faire participer les Winnipégois* Nous vous invitons à aider vos concitoyens à participer à ce processus en informant vos communautés au sujet du Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg et en les encourageant à donner leur opinion. Vous pouvez nous suivre sur Twitter <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> et Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg/>, et vous tenir au courant du projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg en vous inscrivant aux mises à jour à l’adresse transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Veuillez consulter le site winnipeg.ca/plantransportencommun <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan-francais> pour en savoir plus. Si vous avez des questions, ou si vous avez besoin de médias substituts ou de services d’interprétation pour participer, veuillez écrire à transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Cordialement, L’équipe du projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg *[image: cw-v-dk_blue-rgb]*

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Using AI to count pedestrians and bicyclists
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 13 Oct '20

13 Oct '20

Using AI to count pedestrians and bicyclists<http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/181329.aspx> <http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/181329.aspx> Automatic Traffic Monitoring and Management for Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Using Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence<https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/1808-Pourhomayoun-Automatic-T…>, released by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University HAPPY TRAILS Terry Zdan, BA MEDes 1520 215 Garry Street Policy, Programs and Regulation Manitoba Infrastructure Winnipeg MB R3C 3P3 C 204 227 3724 E Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca<mailto:Terry.Zdan@gov.mb.ca> [Google (Android 10)] "...Resilience is the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events..." þ Think green, read on screen | Soyez écolo, lisez à l'écran

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Province to spend $7M on trails
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

*PROVINCE TO SPEND $7 MILLION ON TRAILS* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/572630921.html THE province, in partnership with Trails Manitoba, is spending $7 million to create, maintain and enhance active transportation trails across the province, including in Winnipeg. There are more than 1,700 kilometres of active transportation trails in the province. The government has created three funds that will be managed by Trails Manitoba and held in trust by the Winnipeg Foundation. The $1-million Trails Manitoba Operating Endowment Fund will serve as ongoing operating funding for Trails Manitoba. The $4-million Manitoba Trails Improvement Endowment Fund will support grants to create trails or improve existing ones. The third fund, a $2-million Manitoba Trails Strategic Fund, supports capital projects that advance trail development in Winnipeg and will be distributed as matching grants. CBC coverage: 'Get outside' - Manitoba trail system gets $7M enhancement boost <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-active-transportation-trai…> *News release*: PROVINCE INVESTS $7 MILLION FOR CREATION, MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF MANITOBA TRAILS <https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=49376&posted=2020-10-09>

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New resource: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Audit Guide and Prompt List (US)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

The Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Audit Guide and Prompt List <https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa20042.pdf> serves as an update to the *Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists *(2007) and *Bicycle Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists *(2012). However, as pedestrian- and bicycle-focused RSAs are oftentimes conducted simultaneously, this new guide provides the content in one concise document. The document provides information on how to conduct an RSA and effectively assess the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. These Guidelines provide an overview of the Road Safety Audit process, as well as an overview of basic safety principles and potential hazards affecting pedestrians and cyclists. Prompt lists are provided to assist RSA team members in considering general issues when performing a PBRSA. Tamara Redmon Pedestrian Safety Program Manager Federal Highway Administration Room E71-303 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Phone: 202-366-4077 Web page: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike

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Walking and cycling fatalities | US vs UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

Ralph Buehler and John Pucher. 2021. "The Growing Gap in Pedestrian and Cyclist Fatality Fates between the United States and the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, 1990–2018," *Transport Reviews*, Vol. 41, Issue 1, January 2021. (Published online on Oct. 7, 2021) *https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2020.1823521 <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.tandfonline.com_do…>* Using official national data for each country, this article calculates trends in walking and cycling fatalities per capita and per km in the USA, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. From 1990 to 2018, pedestrian fatalities per capita fell by 23% in the USA vs. 66%–80% in the other countries; cyclist fatalities per capita fell by 22% in the USA vs. 55%–68% in the other countries. In 2018, pedestrian fatality rates per km in the USA were 5–10 times higher than in the other four countries; cyclist fatality rates per km in the USA were 4–7 times higher. *The gap in walking and cycling fatality rates between the USA and the other countries increased over the entire 28-year period, but especially from 2010 to 2018. Over that 8-year period, per-capita fatality rates in the USA rose by 19% for pedestrians and 11% for cyclists; per-km fatality rates rose by 17% for pedestrians and 33% for cyclists. By comparison, fatality rates either fell or remained stable in the four European countries.* We reviewed the relevant literature to identify factors that might help explain the much lower walking and cycling fatality rates in Europe compared to the USA. Possible explanatory factors include better walking and cycling infrastructure; lower urban speed limits; fewer vehicle km travelled; smaller and less powerful personal motor vehicles; and better traffic training, testing, and enforcement of traffic regulations. We recommend that the USA consider implementing an integrated package of mutually reinforcing safety measures such as those that have been successfully implemented in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany to reduce pedestrian and cyclist fatality rates.

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WFP: Snow-cleared streets lure winter bike riders (Oct9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '20

09 Oct '20

Snow-cleared streets lure winter bike riders Report shows demand for cycling routes in winter cold https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/snow-cleared-streets-lure-winter-bi… THERE is demand for accessible, snow-cleared winter cycling routes in Winnipeg, according to a report to be presented to the public works committee next week at city hall. The city conducted cycling counts on 10 streets recently upgraded to Priority 1 snow-clearing (maintained to bare pavement) between Jan. 31 and Feb. 13. A total of 1,633 cyclists were logged across all sites, equivalent to approximately 115 daily. According to the data, the majority rode on weekdays, and during slightly warmer weather. This is the first time specific data of this nature has been tracked in Winnipeg, according to Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). In June 2018, the city approved some upgrades to active transportation pathway snow-clearing, and began designing a winter cycling network. According to the report, improved winter maintenance is intended to ensure key routes are cleared quickly after snowfall to provide “uninterrupted and effective connections” between neighbourhoods, Winnipeg Transit facilities, and downtown. “I want to stress that the lion’s share of the budget for this enhanced snow clearing is to clear the roads that lead to our active transportation facilities,” Allard explained in an interview Thursday. A November 2019 motion called for some monitoring of those cleared routes to determine how much demand there is for winter riding in the city. Across the 10 sites, the highest-trafficked route was Warsaw Avenue, which logged an average of 24 cyclists daily. One route, Clifton Street, recorded no cyclist activity. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, attributed the low traffic on Clifton Street to its lack of connectivity to main cycle paths, and noted all 10 of the city’s tested routes are located in generally low-traffic areas. As it stands now, much of Winnipeg’s active transportation network is made up of existing roadways, Allard said, meaning enhanced snow-clearing benefits cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. “If you create a facility that people can use, people then start using it — and that’s exactly what we want when it comes to active transportation, when we’re building new facilities because every trip that someone takes on a bicycle or walking is another trip that they’re not taking using another mode,” Allard said. The city noted it was unable to provide figures for latent demand — which would indicate how many potential winter cyclists would ride if infrastructure and snow-clearing were improved — because the data collection processes are currently in early stages. More robust data sets are expected in the future. Cohoe indicated, in his experience, latent demand for winter cycling is substantial — so long as the paths and roads are cleared, and proper infrastructure is in place for accessibility. A 2018 poll conducted by Bike Winnipeg and CAA found a majority of respondents think the city’s snow-clearing on roads and pathways is neutral or poor. “The very basic one is: get that winter maintenance in place,” Cohoe said. “It’s also having protected facilities — it’s even more important through winter to have that type of facility to make those connections.” — with files from Joyanne Pursaga julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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Free webinar on Ottawa's recent e-scooter pilot
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '20

09 Oct '20

*Oct 15th, 12-1pm EST* *Register at **https:// <https://t.co/QVhp2TdGGC?amp=1>www.cite7.org/event/... <https://www.cite7.org/event/ite-ncs-october-webinar-e-scooter-pilot-in-otta…>* The webinar will cover the results and lessons learned of this summer's e-scooter pilot in Ottawa as well as highlight e-scooter operations elsewhere in Canada. A short Q/A will follow the presentations. *Presenter: Kathleen Wilker, City of Ottawa.* Kathleen Wilker leads the City of Ottawa's Transportation Demand Management Program. Her work centres on developing and implementing policies and programs enabling residents to enjoy using Ottawa's walking, cycling and transit networks more often. She has been instrumental in collaborating with colleagues, councillors, external stakeholders, e-scooter providers and residents to bring e-scooters to Ottawa this summer. *Presenter: Chris Schafer, Bird Canada.* Chris Schafer is Vice President, Government Affairs at Bird Canada. Prior to joining Bird Canada, Chris was a Senior Director at another micromobility start-up after almost five years at Uber Canada as their Senior Public Policy Manager in Canada. Previously, Chris did stints in media, at think tanks and as a regulatory lawyer with Gowlings in Ottawa.

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Vancouver City Council approves study on eliminating minimum parking standards
by Beth McKechnie 07 Oct '20

07 Oct '20

Vancouver City Council approves study on eliminating minimum parking standards https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-city-council-approves-study-on-el… Vancouver City Council has directed city staff to perform a deep dive into eliminating city-mandated parking minimums in future building development projects <https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-parking-minimum-requirements-open…> . Instead, the intention is to have an Open Parking Policy method where market forces — developers and businesses — would decide on the amount of parking supply needed, and be required to implement transportation demand management (TDM) measures that encourage public transit use and active transportation. If city council approves a future staff recommendation to abolish parking minimums, Vancouver would follow in the footsteps of Edmonton, which approved the elimination of parking minimums <https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/edmonton-remove-minimum-parking-requirements> this past June. -- 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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WFP Analysis: Collective response is the best strategy (Oct5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

Collective response is the best strategy https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/collective-response-is-t… REMEMBER when we thought schools taking an extra week off at spring break would give us time for the COVID-19 pandemic to pass? It seems laughable in hindsight, but it was not a unique reaction. For decades, we have been racing toward a climate crisis with a similar “It couldn’t happen here” naiveté. This pandemic could well be a dress rehearsal for the main show, climate change — a far more catastrophic global emergency, with no hope of a vaccine to save us. The coronavirus has demonstrated that our world is a fragile ecosystem, and when we push it too hard, it breaks. It has proven that a global problem is everyone’s problem. Old tropes, such as the suggestion the climate crisis is the sole responsibility of major polluters like India, China or the United States, no longer fly. Like tackling a pandemic, the solution to climate change can only be realized through collective response. Global warming has been created through the cumulative effect of billions of small actions, and the only response is an equal number of small solutions. Canadian cities and provinces will be on the front lines of this effort. To provide context, if Manitoba were a country, it would sit within the top 15 highest per-capita emitters in the world. Manitoba’s emissions have increased by more than eight per cent since 2005 — the third highest growth rate among provinces. What’s driving much of the increase in Manitoba’s emissions is driving. The number of cars on Manitoba’s roads has grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005, and despite higher fuel efficiency, emissions from vehicles in the province have almost doubled since 1990. The story is much the same for the city of Winnipeg, where vehicles are responsible for half of all emissions, by far the largest contributor. More than 10,000 vehicles are added to Winnipeg’s roads every year, and with the city’s low density and sprawling growth, we are also driving farther. Winnipeggers drive a combined 5 1/2 billion kilometres per year, equating to every person over the age of 16 driving alone in a car 26 kilometers every single day. Compounding this, Winnipeg is the only major city in Canada to have lower public-transit ridership today than it did 20 years ago (pre-pandemic). The City of Winnipeg has a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that targets a 20 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 (relative to 2011 levels). It targets a 17 per cent reduction in transportation-related emissions, achieved in part by increasing public-transit use and tripling the number of people who walk and bike. So, how do we change 60 years of urban planning centred around traffic management, and begin to promote more sustainable transportation options? Coun. Matt Allard recently introduced two innovative ideas that could be part of a larger transformation. His first proposal introduces an ‘induced demand analysis’ for all new transportation projects. Induced demand is a concept that can best be described as “you get what you build for.” When cities build more roads, people drive more cars. A groundbreaking study from 2011 titled “The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion” demonstrated that there is a one-to-one correlation between a city’s road capacity and the number of kilometres residents drive. The phenomenon has many contributing factors. Increased road capacity initially reduces commute times, causing people to alter their driving patterns, either route, frequency, or time of travel, to take advantage of the higher capacity network. Greater convenience results in fewer people using public transportation and promotes more trips by car. It also inspires driving farther distances, which keeps cars on the road for longer times and stimulates urban sprawl, which further promotes an automobile-centred lifestyle as longer distances make alternate transportation options ineffective. These factors all work together to increase the number of cars on the road, which invariably grows to meet the road capacity, no matter how much was built. This leads to demand for even more roads, creating an unwinnable cycle. Allard’s proposal may allow us to understand how our road-building choices will be affected by induced demand, helping us to make smarter choices, reducing road construction spending, traffic congestion, the amount we collectively drive and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions. The second motion introduced by Allard is to make the “open streets,” which were so popular during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a permanent fixture in the city. His proposal is to close 15 streets to vehicles for six months per year. This move would represent a transformational shift in our traditional priorities by taking vehicle space and creating places for people. Open streets such as Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue saw high levels of use, regularly accommodating up to two hundred cyclists and almost as many pedestrians every hour. It changed how we experience our city. If the motion passes, open streets could provide the backbone for a new, connected, active-transportation network that fundamentally transforms how we move around. It would be a progressive and bold move for Winnipeg, one that might inspire us to think differently about our city and encourage investment in more sustainable transportation options such as walking, biking and transit. We have learned from the pandemic that change takes a collective effort. As we emerge from the crisis, we have an opportunity to channel this unprecedented global collaboration to focus on the even greater challenge moving toward us. These types of local, progressive ideas, implemented in cities across the world, can create a powerful cumulative effect that moves us toward flattening the global-warming curve, so our children and grandchildren inherit a future from us. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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FYI: Designs for Main Street released in new Playbook
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

From: Canadian Urban Institute <communications(a)canurb.org> Sent: October-05-20 10:14 AM To: Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> Subject: Designs for Main Street released in new Playbook [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/657964b0-48cb-47…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/a695f5ca-36d5-4b…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> October 5, 2020 / canurb.org Main Street Design Challenge Playbook released to help Bring Back Main Street [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/9d56b8bd-e663-45…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Today, the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) are proud to release the Main Street Design Challenge Playbook<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, a collection of design solutions that can be implemented during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Main Street Design Challenge invited all Canadian residents interested in place-making and design to develop solutions that can help build the resiliency of Canada’s main streets. Over the past four months, 47 designs were submitted from a wide range of sources, ranging from well-known architects and urban designers to students, planners, community animators, and artists. The Playbook showcases a range of creative and practical interventions, from masterplans to art installations to modular street furniture. [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/6ff8a114-8ead-46…] [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/914ff868-90cc-4e…] The Main Street Design Challenge reflects the importance of design in revitalizing our streets, including kickstarting the economy, fostering vibrant, liveable, and healthy communities, increasing public safety, reducing social isolation, and restoring the public’s confidence to return to streets and public spaces. All designs are free to use, though contacting the creators is encouraged. The Playbook contains links to implementation details and other information on the CUI website. [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/3c582126-3820-4a…] [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/b0f4b3f4-8e2e-4e…] The Main Street Design Challenge is an initiative of Bring Back Main Street, a nationally coordinated research and action campaign by the CUI to ensure the people, businesses, and organizations that call Canada’s Main Streets home can recover and emerge from the crisis more resilient than ever. Read The Playbook<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> CUI and RAIC gratefully acknowledge the following Supporting Partners: Canadian Institute of Planners<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Council for Canadian Urbanism<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, ICOMOS Canada<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, National Trust for Canada<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, OCAD University<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Rues principales<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, STEPS Initiative<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Trinity Centres Foundation<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>. Don't Miss! [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/5656e2fa-926b-44…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Register<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Thank You to Our Partners We are grateful to all of our partners for supporting us in building a stronger urban Canada. Donors and Program Funders Bring Back Main Street is supported by Business Improvement areas and Economic Development organizations across Canada, Vancity and Vancity Community Investment Bank Partners Black Business and Professionals Association, Bloor-Yorkville BIA, Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, Canadian Business Resilience Network, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Institute of Planners, CGLCC: Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, City of Calgary, City of Edmonton, City of Toronto, City of Vancouver, Develop Nova Scotia, Downtown Halifax, Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Downtown Yonge BIA, Environics, Financial District BIA, National Preservation Council, National Trust for Canada, Ontario Business Improvement Area Association, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Regina Downtown BID, Retail Council of Canada, Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, Rues principales, Save Canadian Small Business, St. Lawrence BIA, Tamarack Institute, The Waterfront BIA, Toronto Entertainment District BIA, Trinity Centres Foundation, Vancouver Economic Commission Main Street Design Challenge Partners Canadian Institute of Planners, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, Council for Canadian Urbanism, ICOMOS Canada, National Trust for Canada, OCAD University, Rue principales, STEPS Initiative, Trinity Centres Foundation Research Team 360 Collective, Happy City, Simon Fraser University, Fathom Studio, JC Williams Group About CUI CUI is Canada's Urban Institute. We are the national platform that houses the best in Canadian city building – where policymakers, urban professionals, civic and business leaders, community activists and academics can learn, share and collaborate with one another from coast to coast to coast. Copyright © 2020 Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada 30 St. Patrick Street, 5th Floor Toronto, ON M5T 3A3 Canada Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/profile?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&id=9…> or unsubscribe from this list<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>. 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Free webinar: Organizing for equitable, walkable communities - Angie Schmitt
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

So many webinars to choose from! [image: Twitter] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Facebook] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: YouTube] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Make a gift to Island Press today!] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/6aa1e9fbdcb1/free-summer-e-book-503709?e=c14836d4ab> ISLAND PRESS | ASU [image: ASU Sustainability Series] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> Equitable Energy and Affordable Housing *Oct. 29 • Nov. 19* ------------------------------ Arizona State University's (ASU) School of Sustainability and Island Press are partnering on a fall speaker series featuring Island Press authors and Urban Resilience Project contributors. All events are free, hosted by ASU, and promise to inspire. Our upcoming webinars include: - Shane Phillips: The Affordable City; Thursday 10/29 1pm MST <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> - Shalanda Baker: Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition; Thursday 11/19 1pm MST <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> LEARN MORE <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> FREE WEBINAR | ioby & ISLAND PRESS [image: In Conversation with Angie Schmitt, Author of ‘Right of Way’ October 14, 2020 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> Organizing for equitable, walkable communities *Wed. October 7 • 1:00-2:00 PM EDT* ------------------------------ In this live webinar, hear about some of the causes of the disproportionate impacts of traffic violence, and learn about some of the programs and movements that are beginning to respond. You'll also hear from everyday neighbors who stepped up to address pedestrian safety in their communities, and see how you could do it too. *This webinar is in partnership with ioby <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> ASU EVENT | SHANE PHILLIPS [image: ASU Stardust Center Event -- The Affordable City] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> A conversation with Shane Phillips *Thurs. October 29 • 1:00-2:00 PM PDT* ------------------------------ Arizona State University’s (ASU) School of Sustainability and Island Press are partnering on a fall speaker series featuring Island Press authors and Urban Resilience Project contributors. All events are free, hosted by ASU, and promise to inspire. Join Shane Phillips, author of *The Affordable City* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, for a discussion moderated by ASU urban planner and sustainability scientist Deirdre Pfeiffer. *This event is in partnership with Arizona State University <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> ANGIE SCHMITT | RIGHT OF WAY [image: In Conversation with Angie Schmitt, Author of ‘Right of Way’ October 14, 2020 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> In conversation with Angie Schmitt *Wed. October 14 • 5:00-6:00 PM PDT* ------------------------------ Join SPUR and Walk San Francisco in diving into the research and realities behind why pedestrians are dying, and how we can imagine and demand safer, equitable cities in the Bay Area. Moderated by Marta Lindsey, Walk SF’s communications director. *This webinar is in partnership with Walk San Francisco <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> and SPUR <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> GET THE BOOKS Enter *WEBINAR* at checkout for 30% off [image: Right of Way by Angie Schmitt | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Expendable people?* ------------------------------ *Right of Way* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> exposes the crisis of traffic violence that is plaguing our cities, inspiring regular citizens to action. *$19.60* $28.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: The Affordable City by Shane Phillips | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Brings opposing sides together* ------------------------------ *The Affordable City* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> is an essential tool for professionals and advocates working to improve affordability and increase community resilience through local action. *$22.40* $32.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *It's time for a revolution* ------------------------------ "[*Revolutionary Power*] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> is an inspiring guide that makes energy and energy justice easy to understand and radical ideas doable." —Denise Fairchild <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, President/Chief Executive Officer, Emerald Cities Collaborative *$22.40* $32.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>

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Impact of e-cycling on travel behaviour
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

(Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share) In case you are interested: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32904492/ The impact of e-cycling on travel behaviour: A scoping review - PubMed <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32904492/> pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov This review suggests that the personal use of e-bikes is associated with a reduction in motorized vehicle use, which has potential positive impacts on the environment and health. The impacts of e-bike share schemes and workplace initiatives are less well understood. Evidence describing the purposes …

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Study: We Can’t Fix Transportation-Related Climate Emissions With EVs Alone
by Beth McKechnie 03 Oct '20

03 Oct '20

*Why EVs can’t get dirty to go ‘green’* *In order to maintain our [US] national car addiction and stay within a national transportation-related emissions “budget” that scientists agree is necessary to maintain the planet at temperatures our ecosystems can survive, the United States would need to replace a whopping 90 percent of gas-powered cars on the roads with zero-emissions electric vehicles by 2050, researchers at the University of Toronto <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00921-7> found.Right now, just 1.5 percent <https://www.eei.org/issuesandpolicy/electrictransportation/Documents/FINAL_…> of new vehicle sales in the U.S. are electric cars, and roughly 99.7 percent <https://phys.org/news/2020-09-electric-vehicles-wont-climate.html> of cars on the road today are powered by fossil fuels.The study was careful to note that EVs are not a lost cause, and are, of course, “likely to reduce emissions in the United States when compared with conventional gasoline vehicles.” But the researchers cautioned of the dangers of policies that over-focus on electric cars, especially if they come at the expense of investments in proven strategies for which we have the technology in place today to significantly curb emissions.Those strategies include massive public transit adoption, mass construction of active transportation infrastructure, and fundamentally redesigning our cities to make car-free or car-light living possible for more people.*

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WFP: 'Open Streets' to be further explored (Oct2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Oct '20

02 Oct '20

‘OPEN STREETS’ TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED THE City of Winnipeg could soon prioritize seasonal pedestrian and cyclist access on parts of a dozen streets every year. Council unanimously approved a motion late Wednesday to have its public service study whether to continue 10 sections of “open streets” that the city tested out this year. A report is expected around November. Coun. Matt Allard, chair of the public works committee, hopes to make the active transportation routes permanent, seven days a week between the May long and Thanksgiving weekend. The streets would limit vehicle traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

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WFP: City makes changes to traffic lights at intersections to improve pedestrian safety (Oct2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Oct '20

02 Oct '20

*City makes changes to traffic lights at intersections to improve pedestrian safety* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/in-a-flash-they-were-gone-572606212… THE city has put a stop to traffic light cycles that combine flashing amber and red lights at Winnipeg intersections. The change, which took effect Thursday, affects 185 intersections throughout the city, which used the flashing amber and red light signals at night, in the early morning and on weekends when traffic volumes are low. The majority of these intersections now has a standard light cycle: solid green, amber and red phases at all hours. Flashing yellow lights warn some directions of traffic to slow down before proceeding through an intersection, while blinking red lights direct drivers to treat the crossing like a stop sign. The city says the change is meant to make it safer for people crossing the street, since pedestrian visual walk signs and audible crossing sounds were inactive during flashing light periods. Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) called for the change a few months ago. Nason said he grew concerned about the practice after a visually impaired resident reported feeling unsafe while walking late at night through the intersection of Plessis Road and Kernaghan Avenue, when it was in a flashing light mode. “Hopefully, (this change) will result in the ability for pedestrians and/or active-transportation users to be able to safely cross the road at these intersections with minimal impact on the driving public,” said Nason. “I think it’s wonderful. I think it’s another step to ensure an inclusive city,” he added. Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) also welcomed the change, noting he expects it could also reduce safety risks for drivers. Mayes said he has personally driven through one set of flashing lights that suddenly switched to a solid red while his vehicle was still in the intersection of Worthington Avenue and St. Anne’s Road. “A third of the way through the intersection, you look up (and) it’s a hard red you’re facing now because the clock has shifted to 7 o’clock (in the morning)... I altered my route in the morning because I thought, I’m going to get a ticket here or, worse, I’m going to get in a collision,” said Mayes. “That dangerous situation has now been eliminated.” The flashing lights were previously meant to reduce driver delays during times when roads saw low traffic volumes. Coun. Matt Allard, council’s public works chairman, said he expects the safety benefits of the change will outweigh any inconvenience for drivers. “There certainly is a trade-off there. Motorists, who in the past may have been able to (enter) the intersection at their own discretion, will have to wait for the signal to change. I think on a balance, though, if you’re considering the vulnerable road users... I think it’s the right thing to do,” said Allard (St. Boniface). The city says eight intersections with especially low traffic volumes will still have a light cycle that flashes red lights in all directions during set hours, which drivers should treat as a four-way stop. City officials also plan to “fine-tune” overnight traffic signal patterns over the next few months, as new traffic data is collected. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Shared Use Mobility Data Primer
by Beth McKechnie 01 Oct '20

01 Oct '20

Helpful primer from Oregon on shared use mobility data (bikeshare, e-scooters, carsharing, ridehailing services). Lots to think about! ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: MILLAR Stephanie L <Stephanie.L.MILLAR(a)odot.state.or.us> Date: Thu, Oct 1, 2020 at 2:19 PM Hello Fellow TDM Professionals, I am sharing a recently completed project from my consultants at Trillium Solutions. Attached is the Shared Use Mobility Data Primer. This document was developed to provide small and medium sized communities with information on what shared use mobility data is, why it is important to manage, and the steps to take in managing it. I hope you find it useful. *The excerpt below is intended as a pull out piece for elected officials and managers to help them understand why the subject is important.* *Why This Matters* Public demand for shared mobility is growing, as is our understanding of how it fits into the broader picture of transportation solutions in Oregon communities. In the course of their operation, shared mobility companies collect a large amount of data about their users and travel patterns. Local jurisdictions can establish guidelines for how companies use this data, and also what data these companies need to share with the jurisdiction. In many jurisdictions, a condition of approval for shared mobility companies to operate within their boundaries is a data sharing and management agreement. For jurisdictions, having access to shared mobility data allows them to see travel patterns in their communities, make responsive transportation planning decisions, ensure oversight of shared mobility companies operating in the public right of way, and monitor equity impacts of these services. Stephanie Lawson Millar ODOT Transportation Options Program Manager Desk: 503-986-4224 Cell: 503-430-4152 *Email is the best way to reach me* <http://getthereoregon.org/> ------------------------------

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WFP Weeklies: Final pedestrian sound signal installed (Sep30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

Final pedestrian sound signal installed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Final-pedestria… As a “coo-coo” sound rang out over the noise of traffic, the final pedestrian sound signal was installed last week at a street corner in River Heights, during an event hosted by the City of Winnipeg. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), chairperson of the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works, and Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) were on hand on Sept. 24 at the corner of Stafford Street and Kingsway Avenue to announce the successful implementation of audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections throughout the city. “I wanted to say, I never thought I’d see the day. I thought the plan was going to be... and I’d be dead before it was completed,” Eadie said with a laugh. Audible pedestrian signals communicate traffic signal timing information to pedestrians using non-visual, audible tones. The City had originally anticipated completing the installation of the audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections by the end of 2021. “The installation of the 670 signalized intersections was made a priority and completed over a year ahead of schedule,” Allard said, adding it’s a huge achievement to improve accessibility for Winnipeggers at all intersections with traffic signals. “With the addition of audible pedestrian signals, everyone can now safely navigate these intersections with the help of auditory cues to provide guidance indicating when it’s safe to cross the street.” For those not familiar with the sounds made by the signals, the “coo-coo” typically indicates it’s safe to cross in a north-south direction. The signals also make chirping, ticking and tocking sounds. The first audible signal in Winnipeg was installed in 1953 at Portage and Sherburn by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. “I am pleased that this project is finally completed as it will improve accessibility and safety for all of our citizens,” Eadie said. “I want to thank all those who have been involved over the years championing this worthy effort for the benefit of all Winnipeggers regardless of what part of the city they live in. We prioritized this project because we understood and recognized the importance of safety and accessibility for all Winnipeggers.” The City began installing audible pedestrian signals at signalized intersections throughout the city in 1996 under then-mayor Glen Murray. “We who are blind fought for this in the mid-1990s, to convince the city to move ahead, to install audible signals so we knew when it was our turn to cross at all the intersections, no matter where you work, live, play or go to school,” Eadie said.

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Webinar series on the intersection between transportation and health
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '20

29 Sep '20

The focus on the intersection between transportation and public health is increasingly important as communities plan for recovery and response amid COVID-19 and tackle more persistent health and safety issues. Emerging research to better align the two fields offers not only an expanded perspective of their connections, but also opportunities to address health issues through the lens of transportation. *The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), in partnership with many organizations, is delivering a* five-part webinar series <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y_uZFci0Y6LLgGHRFkC-VyI4g4UutomkCFyvWH88Ztvh…> t*o explore the integration and advancement of health in various transportation planning practices, including the confrontation of power and privilege in communities, collaborative partnerships, data integration, project prioritization, and policy change*. The series will be held from October 13-28 and participants are encouraged to register for any or all of the sessions. For details and to register: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/webinars/webseries_healthtransp.cfm -- 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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Wpg Sun: Breathing Space - School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play (Sep26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Sep '20

27 Sep '20

BREATHING SPACE: School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/0925-school-streets A collaboration between the City of Winnipeg and the Green Action Centre, a non-profit promoting greener living, is getting a lot of positive feedback stemming from a pilot program aimed at giving students a little more room to breathe outside of one Winnipeg school. The School Street Project, which has become commonplace throughout the United Kingdom, is being piloted at Issac Brock School in Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood. The initiative sees street closures in front of schools to vehicles, allowing students more space to walk, bike, play and physical distance. The result? Cleaner air, less noise, calmer streets and less traffic. “These projects have started to be adopted across North America and other parts of the world because they are so beneficial, particularly for young students,” said Denae Penner, Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator at Green Action Centre. “It’s really important that students have the ability to walk a little bit and the start and end of each day, and the majority of traffic you see around schools in the morning — and the majority of rush-hour traffic in general — is people driving their kids to school.” Since students returned to the classroom on Sept. 8, Barratt Avenue, which runs adjacent to the front doors of Isaac Brock, has been closed to allow for students to better move around what’s normally a busy area during school hours. It’s part of a 60-day pilot project in partnership with the city, including backing from Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) and school trustee Jennifer Chen. The hope, according to the GAC, is School Streets will support families in choosing to walk or bike to school, reduce traffic congestion in the area, and alleviate some of the stresses on school buses, while creating safer streets for children to play around. “The Isaac Brock Parent Council has always been concerned with making sure the students and community members have safe ways to get to school,” said Elizabeth Jackimec, president of the Isaac Brock Parent Council. “We also encourage active transportation, so this initiative is great.” The Safer Streets program has been highlighted further since the beginning of the school year as a strike by Winnipeg School Division bus drivers, which Isaac Brock falls under, has meant more parents having to drive their kids to and from school. “Anecdotally, and what some of the school administrators have said, is the streets feel much calmer,” Penner said. How that changes when the strike ends is unknown, but so far, feedback has been great. “Response from residents I have interacted with so far has been really positive, and already, without any nudging or any kind of push from us, the families who are waiting to get their kids from school are spreading out on the street to give their kids more space to ensure physical distancing is being met,” Penner said. It’s too early to say whether or not the Safe Schools program will be implemented at other schools at this point, Penner said. “But I do know that the traffic engineers at the City of Winnipeg, who have been supporting us, are looking into more innovative approaches to address road safety concerns around schools,” she said. sbilleck(a)postmedia.com Twitter: @scottbilleck

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The Conference Board of Canada report: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System
by Beth McKechnie 25 Sep '20

25 Sep '20

Trekking Our Trails: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System https://www.conferenceboard.ca/focus-areas/canadian-economics/2020/trekking…

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CBC: New cycling maps pop up around Winnipeg schools to help kids find safer ways to bike to class
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '20

21 Sep '20

Winnipeg Trails Association's School Loops maps show active transportation routes around schools https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/school-trails-maps-winnipeg-1.57288…

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WFP: Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets (Sept 18'20)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '20

17 Sep '20

*Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/public-works-chair-wants-15-… Winnipeg city council’s public works chairman wants to prioritize pedestrian access on sections of more than a dozen streets. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) is lobbying colleagues to permanently add seasonal active transportation routes on 15 streets, which would run seven days a week between the May long and Thanksgiving weekends each year. The routes would include 10 sections of "open streets" the city tested out this year, continuing to limit vehicle traffic on them to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The routes were created to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists to stay active, while offering room for them to also keep least two metres apart from others during the COVID-19 pandemic. "In my opinion, and I think the opinion of many across the city, (the routes) were a tremendous success. They were very low cost and opened up very large recreational opportunities for Winnipeggers… I don’t think COVID-19 is necessarily going away, so Winnipeggers will potentially need those recreational opportunities again next year," said Allard. The councillor raised a successful motion to support the change at a public works committee meeting Wednesday. If council approves it, the motion will have Winnipeg’s public service study the 10 routes and consider adding others on five additional streets. A report on implementing those changes would return for a second round of council votes, perhaps in November. Allard hopes a final decision will be made in time for the routes to reopen by May 2021. Some of the 10 temporary trial routes closed for the season Sept. 7. Others will be offered until Oct. 12, but only on Sundays and holidays. The closures triggered plenty of public pressure to extend the active transportation access, especially through online petitions and social media. However, not all Winnipeggers support the seven-day-per-week routes. "Why would you close a road seven days a week when there’s nobody using it for walking and cycling during the daylight hours because they’re at work or school? That’s nonsense," said Riverview resident Tom Pearson. Pearson said he’s concerned the Churchill Drive route in his neighbourhood also diverts drivers to streets that actually have more pedestrians than it does, creating a new safety risk while also interrupting commutes along Churchill. The city must consult the broader public before considering permanent changes, Pearson said. He fears politicians may otherwise base decisions solely on input from those who support the change, which he argues could be a "vocal minority." Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said he’s convinced there is ample demand to warrant the number of open streets the motion recommends. "Looking at the numbers we saw biking down those roads this year, there’s a huge amount of demand to have that kind of access," said Cohoe. "I think it’s (also) something that moves the city forward towards its goals on climate change, towards its goals on sustainability." He expects the city’s approval process will offer time and flexibility to assess feedback on each individual route and make adjustments to address some residents’ concerns. For example, Cohoe said he agrees the Churchill Drive route warrants extra consideration, suggesting it may be better suited to offer a protected bike lane than an open street section. Allard said public feedback will be incorporated in the November report. If the changes are implemented, seasonal open streets would resume every year on sections of Wellington Crescent, Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue, Vialoux Drive, Wolseley Avenue and Churchill Drive. New routes would also be added for parts of Glenwood Crescent, Youville Street, Rosseau Avenue and Ellen Street, as well as two sections of Alexander Avenue. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Transport Findings Journal published a study analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 17 Sep '20

17 Sep '20

fyi From: FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) <FHWA.HEP(a)info.dot.gov> Sent: September-17-20 11:02 AM Subject: Human Environment Digest 9/17/20 [header] Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…>. September 17, 2020 Human Environment Digest Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Human Environment biweekly email digest. This digest shares the latest information from a range of Federal and non-Federal sources, addressing transportation and its relationship to the human environment. Through this information exchange, FHWA hopes to foster dialogue at all levels and continue to further the state of the practice on these important topics in support of safety; infrastructure, including accelerated project delivery, access to jobs, and community revitalization; technology and design innovation; and accountability, including, data-driven decisions and performance-based planning. For more information on any of these topics, see the FHWA Related Links on the sidebar. Click here<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> to manage your subscriptions. *The information provided in this mailing does not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration or the U.S. Department of Transportation. EVENTS Please check with event organizers on if/how events are being adjusted to accommodate remote participation. September 21-27, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…>: National Bike to Work Week. September 23-24, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…>: American Planning Association's Policy and Advocacy Conference. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 28-October 2, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…>: AASHTO 2020 Joint Policy Conference: Connecting the DOTs. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to 2021) September 29-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…>: 3rd National Summit on Rural Road Safety: Rural Road to Zero. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 30-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…>: North American Bikeshare Association's Together, We Keep Moving Virtual Conference. (There is a fee) October 7, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…>: National Walk to School Day. October 20 and 21, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to March 17-19, 2021) October 26, 28, 30, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…>: MOBILIZE Virtual 2020 Summit. (There is a fee) October 27-29, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVy…>: AMPO's Virtual Annual Conference. (There is a fee) December 2-10, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVy…>: NACTO's Designing Cities 2020. Virtual Event. January 28-29, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…>: Micromobility America Conference. Bay Area, CA. (There is a fee) March 17-19, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program, Washington, D.C. (There is a fee for some) WEBINARS September 17, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Road to Zero and Transportation Equity: An Opportunity to Learn, Engage, and Act. September 20, 6:30-9:30 AM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVy…>: The 23rd IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transport Systems, Virtual Workshop: Smart Initiatives to Improve Last-mile and 50 Feet Logistics to Improve Freight Fluidity. (There is a fee) September 22, 12:00-1:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Connecting Prioritizing Safety with Transportation Equity. September 23, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTcsInVy…>: National Scenic Byway Foundation's A Byway with a View: Managing Vegetation to Restore Iconic Views. (There is a fee) September 24, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTgsInVy…>: Vision Zero Network's How MPOs Can Lead on Vision Zero & Equitable Mobility. (There is a fee for some) September 24, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTksInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Tax Incremental Finance Districts and Transportation Reinvestment Zones. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjAsInVy…>) September 29, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjEsInVy…>: National Center for Sustainable Transportation's Spatial Equity Analysis of Dock-Based and Dockless Bike Share in San Francisco. September 29, 4:00-6:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjIsInVy…>: Transportation & Climate Initiative's Ensuring Environmental Justice and Equity in a Regional Low-Carbon Transportation Program. September 30, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjMsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, The Safety Premium: Designing Equity in Vehicles and Beyond. September 30, 2:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjQsInVy…>: Safe Routes Partnership Safe Routes for Older Adults: Walking, Cycling, and Transit. September 30, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjUsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Incorporating the Transition Plan in the STIP Process. September 30, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVy…>: America Walks' Youth Leading the Way: Inspiring Stories of Youth Creating Safe, Accessible Neighborhoods. October 1, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVy…>: American Trails' Managing High-Use Trails Why Trail Stewards are a Necessity in Creating Safe, Sustainable Trails. October 1, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVy…>: TRB's Governing Data to Improve Transportation Asset Management. (There is a fee) October 6, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVy…>: National Institute for Transportation and Communities' Economic and Business Outcomes of Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements. October 13, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVy…>: TRB's Advancing Transportation Equity. (There is a fee) October 15, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVy…>: American Trails' Using Volunteers to Maintain Trails in Parks. October 21, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVy…>: Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' Thinking About Cycling Experience: Cycle Highways and Methods for Human-Centered Bikeways. (There is a fee) October 22, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVy…>: American Trails' Make it Count: Collecting and Applying Trail Count Data. October 22, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Joint Development & Use Right-Of-Way Agreements. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVy…>) October 28, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Dedicated ADA Funding. December 2, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation. FHWA RELATED LINKS Environment Homepage<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVy…> Bicycle/Pedestrian<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVy…> Environmental Justice<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVy…> Transportation Alternatives<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVy…> Recreational Trails Program<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVy…> To submit comments or information for inclusion in the next HE Digest, click here<mailto:livable.communities@dot.gov>. Submissions must be made before 12 PM ET Wednesday. [safety] National Walk to School Day is October 7 On October 7, National Walk to School Day will be observed in a variety of formats across communities this year due to COVID-19. Events will take place virtually, within neighborhoods, or at schools, depending on the local context, and registration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVy…> is now open. The National Center for Safe Routes to School released 20 Ideas for Walk to School Day in 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVy…> including virtual participation activities. Study Analyzes Vehicle Safety Criteria Between Younger and Older Drivers The Traffic Injury Prevention Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVy…> examining risks associated with vulnerable driver groups in New Jersey by focusing on young, newly licensed drivers, older drivers, and drivers in low-income areas. The study suggests younger and older drivers experience higher rates of crash risk and fatalities, and those living in low-income areas are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal crashes. Researchers analyzed Statewide crash and licensing data over a seven-year period, cross referencing with information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing platform<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVy…> to determine safety characteristics of the vehicle fleet among a range of drivers. The findings indicate the youngest and oldest drivers, as well as drivers of all age groups living in low-income areas, are more likely to drive older, less safe vehicles that lack safety features such as side airbags. Study Examines Impacts of Docked Bikeshare Programs on Bicycle Crashes The Transport Findings Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVy…> analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities. Using survey data of self-reported crashes, researchers aimed to better understand whether the introduction of this new mode impacts the rate of reported bicycle crashes in communities. The findings suggest that reported bicycle crashes overall did not increase after implementing bikeshare programs, and decreased in areas such as Boston, Montreal, and Toronto which had existing bikeshare programs in place. ________________________________ [infrastructure] U.S. DOT Announces Availability of $70 Million for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Grants The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced the availability of $70 million in grant funding<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVy…> for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP). The funding opportunity will support cities, States, Tribal governments, and Federal lands management agencies with the construction and repair of roads and bridges serving Tribal or Federal lands. To help address rural needs and enhance key rural routes, the NSFLTP grant program will consider projects located in rural areas with goals and actions that are consistent with U.S. DOT's Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVy…> initiative. The NSFLTP Notice of Funding Opportunity<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVy…> application period will remain open through November 2, 2020. BUILD Grant Project Addresses Downtown Connectivity and Pedestrian Safety in Pembroke, North Carolina The Town of Pembroke, North Carolina received a $5.2 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTIsInVy…> program to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity in the downtown district. The project improves access to Tribal lands and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus through various multimodal infrastructure improvements. Once completed, the project will enhance safety for community members and visitors, improving quality of life and economic development in a rural area. BUILD Grant Project Supports Development of Downtown Riverfront in Toledo, Ohio The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments received a $23.6 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTMsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTQsInVy…> program to develop the Glass City Riverwalk in the city of Toledo, Ohio. The project encourages multimodal transportation around a regional riverfront through the creation of a shared-used path network. The project will improve connectivity between nearby neighborhoods and businesses, provide additional recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and promote public health and economic growth in the area. Study Discusses Role of Green Infrastructure in Supporting Mobility in Environmental Justice Communities The National Institute for Transportation and Communities at Portland State University published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTUsInVy…> discussing the role of green infrastructure in mitigating flood impacts in environmental justice communities in Arizona. The study demonstrates how flooding and extreme storm events present major challenges to the transportation system in communities across the country, and particularly the mobility impacts on low-income and minority populations. Researchers conducted a flood vulnerability assessment to identify priority locations for improvements to mitigate transportation system flooding. The findings highlight comprehensive neighborhood-scale green infrastructure in the public right-of-way as an effective approach in areas with moderate flooding conditions. ________________________________ [innovation] NACTO Releases Report on Shared Micromobility The National Association of City Transportation Officials published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTYsInVy…> on shared micromobility in 2019. The report discusses the growth and use of shared micromobility across the country, including shared bicycles and electric scooters (e-scooters) and electric bicycles. The report found that there was a 45 percent increase in dockless e-scooter programs between 2018 and 2019 in communities. The report also notes that shared bicycle and e-scooter trips are replacing trips by motor vehicle, walking, and transit. It provides a snapshot of trends, challenges, and opportunities to support policy development and decision making. GHSA Report on Micromobility Highlights Role of State and Local Partners The Governors Highway Safety Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTcsInVy…> discussing challenges associated with shared micromobility systems, as well as opportunities for States and local partners to help address issues. The research analyzes micromobility challenges across six categories: oversight, funding, data collection, enforcement, infrastructure, and education, including growth trends and COVID-19 impacts. It captures research findings led in coordination with a panel of Federal, State, and local roadway safety officials, as well as bicycle and rideshare advocates, micromobility providers, and public health practitioners. It also highlights solutions related to community engagement, education programs, funding, and training opportunities. NABSA Releases State of the Industry Report on Shared Micromobility The North American Bikeshare Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTgsInVy…> discussing the trends and growth of the shared micromobility industry in 2019. The report examines successes and challenges in shared micromobility including traditional bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric scooters. It analyzes data points for 292 cities across several topics such as rider demographics, trends by vehicle type, system statistics by city size, operating costs and revenues, operating characteristics, equity, and community benefits. The findings indicate riders in North America took 157 million micromobility trips across 194,000 vehicle types in 2019, in which 36 percent of the rides replaced a car trip. ________________________________ [account] Approaches with Underserved Populations in Regional Active Transportation Plan The Federal Highway Administration published a case study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTksInVy…> discussing noteworthy community engagement approaches with traditionally underserved populations, including Hispanic and Tribal communities, in the Lake Tahoe region during the development of a regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan facilitates increased active transportation and transit through the planning process to shift more trips to these modes, and to address the seasonal increases in traffic. The outreach process highlighted how many residents rely on the regional bicycle and pedestrian network for mobility needs, and identifies areas for improvement where people felt unsafe. It also identified Tribal priorities including safety along major roadways, connectivity of existing active transportation infrastructure, and the importance of protecting Tribal sacred sites during construction. FHWA Releases Updated Livability Fact Sheets The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released updates to a series of fact sheets discussing how livability considerations during the transportation decision-making process can benefit communities. Through the Transportation and Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjAsInVy…> resources, FHWA provides support to State departments of transportation, regional planning agencies, Tribes, and other partners in both rural and urban settings. The most recent updates focus on the topics of Economic Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjEsInVy…>, Safety<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjIsInVy…>, and Rural Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjMsInVy…>. The Economic Development fact sheet discusses how targeted transportation investments can improve access to jobs, education, shopping, and goods movement through compact development, relocation decisions, and increased connectivity. Safety promotes safer roads for all users, including strategies to combine safety and redevelopment, repurpose spaces, and create bike-friendly cities. Since rural communities vary widely, Rural Livability focuses on providing transportation choices and connections to a broad audience through projects enhancing quality of life, improving safety for students, and creating active transportation networks. Fact Sheet Describes Best Practices for Complete Streets Regional Policy Development The Safe Routes Partnership released a fact sheet<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjQsInVy…> discussing notable practices and resources in regional complete streets policy development, including ideas for collaboration between regional and local jurisdictions. The fact sheet also outlines policy considerations and case studies to assist metropolitan planning organizations and regional agencies with complete streets planning, funding, and construction. [footer] ________________________________ Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjUsInVy…>. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjYsInVy…>. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjcsInVy…>. ________________________________ using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration * 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE * Washington, DC 20590 * 202-366-4000 [GovDelivery logo]<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjgsInVy…>

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Developing methodologies for improving customer levels of service for walking
by Beth McKechnie 15 Sep '20

15 Sep '20

Interesting study from NZ. Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/research/reports/667/667-Developi… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *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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How to make the most of a COVID winter
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Don’t write off the darkest season just yet. Even with colder weather and shorter days, it’s still possible to plan for pandemic-safe outdoor fun. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-11/how-to-prepare-for-a-cor… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *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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WFP Editorial: Closing roads to cars showed promise (Sep14'20)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Closing roads to cars showed promise https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/closing-roads-to-cars-… AMONG the many assumptions the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to confront is: why are we driving everywhere? An initiative that let people physically distance while getting fresh air and exercise was the restriction of motorized traffic on certain city streets. It was instituted in the spring and city council voted to extend the restrictions through the summer. The limitations were lifted on Tuesday. In a city where many events were cancelled, fitness and entertainment venues were shuttered, and many people worked and studied from home, the street closures allowed many thousands of Winnipeggers to get out and enjoy themselves. Wide, paved surfaces are good for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, skateboarders and many more to travel safely while maintaining physical distance. The move on the city’s part coincided with a boom in bicycles, as sales of new bikes increased and many Winnipeggers hauled out their dusty bikes and tuned them up. To paraphrase Field of Dreams: if you build it, they will ride. Of course, the streets in question didn’t necessarily form a connected network, so they weren’t a permanent solution to provide space for active transportation. And many residents in the affected areas weren’t happy about the effects the restricted streets had on traffic in the area — often, motorists trying to get through the neighbourhood merely shifted to a nearby street, which concentrated more vehicles on fewer routes. Clearly, what is needed is a long-term approach. Blocking off certain streets from motorized traffic, as has been done for many years on Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — but only on weekends, for a designated period of summer months — is a piecemeal approach that treats active transportation as a diversion. Instead, as the city upgrades road infrastructure, many streets and neighbourhoods are getting an active transportation component. This is often done in consultation with the affected residents, and the various stages each project is in can be found on the city’s website. If the city keeps building its active transportation network, will more people use it? Maybe. It will largely depend on whether the network is a reliable way for Winnipeggers to ditch their cars and power their way to work, school, errands or entertainment. But if they do, then motorists and area residents win as well, even if they never use those protected lanes or bike paths. More people using bikes, rollerblades, skateboards or scooters means fewer vehicles on the road, making the traffic less clogged. And that also means residents tired of blocks-long lines of cars and trucks will see fewer of those. The city has been slowly improving the active transportation infrastructure over the years and, despite the recent cash crunch owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, continued investment in such improvements should be part of every street renewal project. It will pay dividends in people’s quality of life and better health for decades. There’s also the fact that merely increasing road capacity doesn’t solve traffic jams, it merely results in more vehicles using the streets. What if we apply the same logic to active transportation — increase capacity, and see how many more people take advantage of it. The temporary, improvised open streets transformed neighbourhoods by showing Winnipggers what they can do with their streets when they’re not behind the wheel. Long-term, continued active transportation investment could transform the entire city. We’d all be better off for it.

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WFP: Pedal pushers - Freedom fighter (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*FREEDOM FIGHTER * *Leigh Anne Parry is on a two-wheeled mission to empower and improve the lives of women by giving them the skills to safely, independently and confidently join Winnipeg’s male-dominated bicycle-riding community* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… I’M coasting down the bike lane on Sherbrook Street on a plain, black Dutch bike, carrying Plain Bicycle Project co-manager Leigh Anne Parry on my rear panier rack. She guides me through traffic and along the sidewalks as we make our way to Gordon Bell High School for a bike lesson, the same kind she gives to dozens of women in their 20s and older who are interested in learning to ride. Normally the lessons, currently on pause thanks to COVID-19, would take place in the schoolyard at Ecole Victoria-Albert. On this fall morning, however, we coast languidly along the path looping Gordon Bell’s soccer field. “These bicycle lessons have been in the back of my head for a while now,” Parry explains. Inspired by a woman in the Netherlands for whom bike lessons and Dutch bikes are a lifetime project, Parry — whose work with the Plain Bicycle project stretches 3 ½ years — decided earlier this summer to begin running sessions to make cycling more accessible to the Dutch bike’s key customers: adult women. “It’s something that can be freeing for the whole family,” she says. “Empowering women empowers the whole family’s ability to take different modes of transportation.” First things first: balance. We start sitting on the bike seats, feet flat on the ground, and begin to walk. The trick is to get comfortable balancing by gaining momentum and lifting the feet, practising little coasts down the path. For me, most confident on a hard-tailed mountain bike, the gentle ride and upright stance is a comfortable change of pace. It’s part of the reason why, Parry says, the bikes appeal to new riders. Parry, 33, got invested in biking in university, she says. She grew up outside the city, but moved into Winnipeg for school and was gifted a bike to ride around. After using it as her main mode of transportation for some time she got a fast-paced job as a bike courier. “I started to ride with a particular kind of work purpose, I got to explore the city a lot, I got more comfortable and confident riding a bicycle, especially in traffic,” she says. “Then I was working as an urban farmer and had a big trike that I would deliver vegetables on; I’ve always integrated bicycles into my work life because I find it very useful and I think it’s a good idea.” Using the bike as a tool for her everyday activities, Parry became familiar with the city’s strengths and weaknesses in bike infrastructure, and began to notice the biking community was dominated by men who felt comfortable enough to weave with traffic on the city’s busy streets. “Women are sort of an indicator species for how good your infrastructure is in a city,” Parry says. “Women statistically take less risks because they’re usually depended on a lot more and their stakes are higher, and they feel less confident being an aggressive rider in among the traffic.” In the Netherlands, she explains, 60 per cent of bike-riders (she prefers to avoid “cyclist” as a term) are women. In Winnipeg, by contrast, women make up closer to 30 per cent of the cycling crowd. That number is something Parry is slowly setting out to change. Biking is more convenient for women, she says. It’s a quick way to “trip-chain,” or make multiple stops close together: dropping the kids off at school, visiting the grocery store and getting to work, for example. “It’s also something that can be really empowering and freeing for women to have that sense of independence and to be able to do all of those errands and runs on their own, on their own transportation, quickly and easily,” Parry says. Lately she’s seen an “inspiring” uptick in older women — those over 50 — learning to ride, especially with the comfort and ease of the “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” “Our intention is to integrate this kind of bike into the market,” Parry says. “That message, I think, landed with older women who had been thinking and considering their abilities and maybe a shift in their life a little bit... it creates this other sense of independence.” After we practise our balance, including getting our feet on the bottom and top pedals while we coast and pedalling backwards to brake, Parry explains the mounting and taking- off process. With one foot on the top pedal, we slip up onto the seats and press down, pushing us through another curve in the path. Parry explains that in her class sessions, usually attended by 15 to 20 people each, the women she teaches often begin to help each other; once they’ve mastered a stage they support one another, building confidence and camaraderie among the avid learners. Most learn to ride in one or two sessions, she says. “It’s very beautiful — people are helping each other out, they’re teaching one another how to ride. They were coming in there saying they weren’t feeling confident and they were scared, and then they leave feeling really excited that they were successful at the stage where they’re at,” Parry says with a smile. “People are very courageous and ready to go.” >From there, riders move on to Phase 2, which consists of turning, lifting hands off the handlebars to signal and shoulder checks. Normally Parry would teach this on an obstacle course until riders can confidently do all three at once. They’re key steps for city riding, where bikers need to navigate traffic, bike lanes and more to stay safe on the roads. Parry wants to instil confidence, so the women she teaches can start integrating cycling into their day-today lives. “The next steps are going to be really exciting because when they start to be able to use it for their transportation, when I see them riding around downtown with their kids on their back, that’s not only going to be great for them but also for Winnipeg,” she says. “If you see more people on a bicycle — and not just white men in Speedos and helmets — you can start to see yourself riding a bike, so it changes other people’s lives, too.” The more people, and particularly adult women, who become empowered to ride, the safer the streets will become, Parry explains. “I think when you’re learning to ride a bike, especially in a place that is not bike-friendly, you might end up thinking that you can’t do it and you’re the issue,” she says. “But you should be allowed to get to your grocery store easily and safely, even if you’re not a confident rider; you should be able to do it beside somebody that you’re teaching how to ride a bike, or your kids or your partners, these are sort of normal and common practices in a place where you see most people riding a bike. So keep your imagination open, and your ability to see the possibility of change within your city and ask for it and demand it.” Part of Parry’s cycling classes have involved working with central Winnipeg groups such as the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, teaching cycling skills to moms, newcomers, youths and those typically not visible in the cycling world. Abiba Salamu attended three of Parry’s sessions through IRCOM this summer. Never having biked before, she can now ride around a little on her own, and is able to help others start pedaling, too. She’s still a beginner, but one day she’d like to be able to go for rides to the store or around her neighbourhood for fresh air. For Salamu, the community was the best part of the classes. Even as she waits anxiously for the classes to start again, she’s staying in touch with friends she made in the field. “I was so happy…through that I found my friend that I’m still talking to now, on the phone, greeting each other, all that.” At the end of the day, for Parry, the classes are about instilling hope — something she possesses in spades. The future of the project is wide open; she crosses her fingers excitedly describing a major grant that could be on the way, bringing hundreds of new bikes into the shop. “It could get really big and I want it to get really big,” Parry says with a smile. “I had the opportunity to prove to myself that I could do it, so now I think anything is possible.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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WFP: Pedal pushers - riding in style, plain and simple (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*A trip to Europe opened Dutch bike enthusiast Erin Riediger’s eyes to the simple pleasures of a civilized, active and healthy daily commute to her Exchange District workplace* *RIDING IN STYLE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… IT’S a warm and windy day in early September and urban cycling advocate, Erin Riediger, has agreed to spend her lunch hour touring me through a section of her daily commute. We meet on the sidewalk in front of her east Exchange District office and chat about the route while she unlocks her bike — a simple black cruiser with a touch of superficial rust (or “character,” as she likes to call it). Riediger, 32, is wearing chic ankle boots and a dusty pink jacket that matches the hue of her bike bag and front tire. She doesn’t look like a cyclist. And that’s the point. “The Dutch mentality is that you should dress for the destination, not the journey,” she says. Wearing the trendy office attire of an architect while riding her bike to and from work at Number Ten Architectural Group is a form of everyday advocacy for Riediger, who believes wider representation is necessary for cycling to become a mainstream mode of transportation, rather than a subculture. >From her vantage, the majority of regular cyclists in Winnipeg fall into two main camps: enthusiasts who ride because they like bikes and recreational cyclists who ride for exercise and entertainment. Like most people, Riediger learned to ride a bike as a kid, but drifted away from cycling as an adult because she didn’t identify with the local scene. “Some of my friends had faster road bikes and rode with traffic,” she says. “I felt like that was a little risky for me, and it just wasn’t really my personality.” A post-university trip to Europe in her 20s gave her a new perspective. “As I travelled around, I saw people in everyday clothes biking, and I thought, ‘That’s kind of cool, I could get into that.’” She returned home and bought her first “grown-up” bike with the intention of reducing her car dependency. Riediger became a full-time bike commuter and accidental cycling advocate when her 1997 Honda CR-V bit the dust four years ago. “I decided to just not get it fixed,” she says. “Owning a car didn’t really improve my lifestyle at all, whereas I’ve found that cycling has.” The decision to spend 30 minutes a day biking to and from work boosted her mood, cut her transportation costs and allowed her to explore the city from a different vantage point. The decision also garnered local media attention and framed Riediger as an outlier in a city with a deeply ingrained car culture — something she looks back on with a laugh. “It’s just kind of hilarious because it’s almost like the price to participate in society is owning a car,” she says. “And it doesn’t have to be that way.” The route Riediger has plotted for our afternoon bike ride takes us from the Exchange District to The Forks by way of some of the city’s newest protected bike lanes. In 2019, the city completed construction of a two-way protected lane down Garry Street, connecting the grid of bike lanes in the Exchange with the well-established cycling thoroughfare on Assiniboine Avenue. The Garry corridor feels like something that’s been air-lifted from a larger city. It’s a modern, well-planned route that provides safe separation from cars and pedestrians; but it’s fleeting. Our journey from Point A to Point B takes about 15 minutes to complete. It’s a short trip that offers a glimpse of Winnipeg’s potential as a cycling city and a stark reminder of the infrastructure and political will needed to get there. “A lot of times for people in those decision-making seats it’s easy to take that path of least resistance,” Riediger says. While cycling infrastructure is still lacking in most parts of Winnipeg, she’s seen a gradual shift in the right direction from city hall. “Now, people are realizing that if you really want to see more people using (bikes) as a tool of transportation you need that protected bike lane and you need the proper infrastructure… and it needs to go places people want to go.” Beyond protected lanes, Riediger believes Winnipeg’s cycling culture would benefit from a wider variety of bikes on the road. “If you can’t get a bike that’s really easy to ride that you can wear any clothes on and that can carry the stuff you need to carry, then you can’t really replace your car,” she says. It’s an epiphany Riediger experienced for herself last year when she purchased a Dutch-style commuter bike from the Plain Bicycle Project — a local organization that has been bringing shipping containers full of used bikes from the Netherlands to Winnipeg since 2017. “When I got my Dutch bike, I started using it even more and just biking for everything,” she says. “I was an idiot for not getting one in the first place… this is the type of bike I’ve always wanted and I’ve been trying to modify other bikes to be more like it.” Riding side-by-side, there’s a noticeable difference between our bikes. I’m hunched over the handlebars of my road bike, while Riediger is sitting in a comfortable upright position atop her “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” The simple cyclers are designed to be used by anyone (including grandmas) and come equipped with everything from fenders and a rear rack to a headlight and a drink holder. “There’s another plain bicycle,” Riediger says excitedly, referring to a woman pedalling past on her own omafiet as we cross Main Street. There are nearly 700 of the Dutch bikes on the road in Winnipeg, but spotting a fellow rider in the wild is still something of a novelty — one that’s usually celebrated with a wave and a ding of her bell. Riediger has turned her newfound omafiet fandom into a podcast called Plain Bicycle. The six-part series dives into the motivations behind the grassroots project of the same name and features interviews with Dutch cycling experts. WHILE recording a podcast with no prior experience has been challenging, the project has served as a creative outlet amid the coronavirus pandemic, while most of her usual hobbies — hot yoga, shopping for new records and competing in Harry Potter trivia events — have fallen by the wayside. It’s also become a way to share her passion for transportation and people-first city building with a wider audience. “Transportation culture has a lot to do with the way that architecture and cities are formed,” she says. “When you build around the car, you’ve got these wide roads, the storefronts aren’t as important because people aren’t going slowly. “We just have to stop prioritizing cars, we have to start thinking about multi-modal (transportation)... cars have a place but they’re not everything.” Like many born-and-raised Winnipeggers, Riediger had dreams of leaving home and moving to a big city. Instead, she’s decided to focus on making Winnipeg a better place to live, one bike ride at a time. “I think there’s just... there’s a lot of room for growth, which makes it interesting as someone who wants to advocate for better things.” eva.wasney(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney

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WFP: Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/report-advises-councillors-to-accep… THE City of Winnipeg could soon accept a gift of flashing amber lights that better alert drivers to the reduced speed in school zones — but it could take decades to get the lights in place. The deal could eventually lead the city to add more lights at its own cost, according to a new report by the public service. The report recommends the city accept as many as 480 solar-powered beacons through a donation from Expert Electric, which would provide two of the devices per school. The company’s owner, Chuck Lewis, has been offering to donate the lights to the city since at least 2017. He says he’s willing to continue that effort for as long as it takes, since he believes it will make school zones safer. “If… it saves one life, then that was worth that fight,” said Lewis. He has described the beacons as more eye-catching than traditional signs, which should help ensure more drivers slow down to 30 km/h in school zones. That speed limit is in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, from Sept. 1 to June 30. Expert Electric would also handle repair and warranty issues for at least five years. An outline of the agreement noted most of the installations would depend on the success of the first set of lights over a three-month trial period, noting the rest could be cancelled if problems emerged. But the city later clarified that it expects testing done prior to this agreement will be sufficient for Winnipeg officials to commit to the full project, if council approves it. “Given that testing of the beacons has already occurred, if approved, the city will likely work with the donor to move directly into implementation,” wrote city spokesman Ken Allen in an emailed statement. Meanwhile, the city says some schools will need more than the two donated beacons to cover adjacent school-zone roads. The city report predicts Winnipeg would eventually spend about $1.4 million to add 391 units for those areas, if the deal is approved. “In order to ensure consistency, (it) is anticipated that the city would make up any shortfall of beacons,” wrote Allen. For at least the first five years of installation, however, the city says only the donated lights would be installed. The proposed agreement calls for the donor to install the lights “as soon as is practicably possible,” with a minimum rate of two per month. That minimum rate would mean the entire installation would take 20 years. Lewis said that a lengthy timeline may be needed for him to keep the project affordable, since each set of two lights will cost him about $7,000. He said the process could be sped up if others also donated to the effort. Allen noted the long timeline does mean that “in the future, there may be reasons for either party to revisit the agreement.” The property and development committee is set to cast the first vote on the deal on Sept. 17. Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), the committee chairwoman, said she expects to support the proposal. “We should be looking at how we deal with some of the congestion around our schools,” said Gilroy. The councillor said she believes the future cost to the city is worth consideration. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Longer times for amber lights disappoint (Sep11'20)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Sep '20

11 Sep '20

Warning period still seen as too short *Longer times for amber lights disappoint * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/winnipeg-extends-amber-light-times-… AMBER light times are now longer at some Winnipeg intersections — but the move still falls short, says an advocate who has fought for the change. Winnipeg’s amber lights previously lasted a uniform four seconds on all roadways before a traffic signal turned to red, according to a new city report. An update completed Sept. 4 changed the duration to 4.3 seconds on 70 km/h routes and 4.7 seconds on 80 km/h routes for about 110 intersections on flat-grade roads. Todd Dube, founder of WiseUp Winnipeg, a driver’s advocacy group that has for years lobbied the City of Winnipeg for more time in the name of safety and red-light ticket reductions, called the change a first step “in the right direction.” “This is a bare minimum, but it still will be enough time to expose that all of these years (the city was) unfairly ticketing people that simply didn’t have enough time to stop at four seconds,” he said Thursday. Dube argues the new warning period is still too short, since his research found 80-km/h intersections, such as Bishop Grandin Boulevard and River Road, should have an amber light time of at least 5.4 seconds. “(The new measure) is still an unnecessarily… and dangerously short amber time,” Dube said, adding, however, he expects the number of photo enforcement tickets doled out at such intersections to drop dramatically. According to the city report, the new signal timings are based on a roadway’s speed and slope, as well as driver perception and reaction time. No change was made to the amber lights on roads with speed limits set at 60 km/h or lower — which will ensure a minimum four-second warning remains in place at intersections on those routes, the report notes. Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of council’s public works committee, said he believes those calculations show the city is evolving its practices to improve safety. “I think (the times) were set up with the understanding that they made the roads safer and taking a closer second look we found that, yes, there was some room for improvement,” said Allard (St. Boniface). He also refuted the argument photo radar use at high-speed intersections was unfair in the past, noting he believes the program remains necessary. “The motivation is public safety, and the (photo radar) fine happens to be the one enforcement tool we have as a city.” *The city report states the new extended amber light times should help increase the separation between vehicles and pedestrians, which some research indicates will help prevent collisions. Uniform amber light times were initially meant to provide a predictable warning time for drivers, while the new system is based on more recent research,** the city says. The city says it is still reviewing an option to further extend amber light times for left-turning vehicles.* joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close (Sep6'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Sep '20

06 Sep '20

City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/citys-open-streets-initiative-comin… RUNNERS and cyclists, young and old, sped down Vialoux Drive Saturday morning with little disturbance from motor vehicles. They will soon have increased traffic to navigate through. The City of Winnipeg’s Open Streets initiative ends Monday at 8 p.m. The program, which was announced in April, blocks vehicles from stretches of residential roads so people can walk, cycle and physically distance. Ten routes through the city were limited to active transport users and vehicles of people living on the routes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. The measures came to promote social distancing during the pandemic. Now, a motion at city hall proposes that Winnipeg keep some of its “Open Streets” open — but unless council votes for the changes, the city will return to its usual four routes that are exclusive to cyclists, runners and walkers on Sundays and holidays. Robbie Scott, 57, biked down Vialoux Drive for the first time in years on Saturday. But, Scott is no newbie — he’s been cycling for four decades, and he bikes a 40 to 45 km route daily in the summer. He said it’s been amazing seeing more people take up biking. “It’s families, it’s kids, old folks, all kinds of ages,” Scott said. “In terms of what (Open Streets) has done for the community, you just, you haven’t seen that.” Scott doesn’t spend all his time on blocked off residential streets, but some — portions of Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — are part of his loop. He said he feels safer, and he’s seen others feel it too. “For cyclists, it’s always, ‘OK, what seems like the least risky (path) at this time,’” Scott said. He said he was shocked and disappointed to hear the active transportation routes were ending, especially in the midst of a pandemic, when many people use them to get exercise while staying safe. “People have learned, ‘Hey, I could actually bike to work or bike to school,’” Scott said. Anders Swanson, the executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, said keeping the streets open would allow kids to bike safely to school instead of being driven by a parent or taking a bus. “You have the government telling people to drive their kids... We’re closing these open streets; it’s sending the message that there’s sort of a dark and unsustainable future ahead of us,” Swanson said. The city has a survey online where people can give feedback about Open Streets, including picking the best time of year to have the program, if at all. The survey ends Monday. The motion before city council aims to keep active transport routes until Nov. 1 at the Wolseley Avenue route and at Churchill Drive, from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. Council may vote on the matter at its Sept. 30 meeting. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) said he’ll make his decision after receiving the survey’s results. “We have time,” Orlikow said, adding if council votes for extended active transport routes, the changes will probably last from October to November. Some people felt a bit relieved over the ending of Open Streets, including Amy Bruno, who lives on Vialoux Drive. She’s been yelled at for driving down the road in her car, which she needs to do when she leaves her house. “It’s like, well, how are people supposed to go to work if people read the signs (on the street) and assume, ‘Oh, you’re not supposed to drive down here,’” Bruno said. Most people are understanding once they realize people who live on the road can still drive on it, Bruno said. She added she likes the initiative because people have more access to walking around and social distancing. Others, like Matt Ullenboom, feel indifferent about the program’s end. Ullenboom, 33, went for a bike ride with his five-year-old son through Assiniboine Park and Vialoux Drive Saturday. “It’s definitely a good thing in the warmer months, when people can be out,” Ullenboom said. “In the winter and fall, it wouldn’t bother me if they changed it back to car traffic.” Beginning Sept. 13, Lyndale Drive, from Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street; Scotia Street, from Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue; Wellington Crescent, from the west end of Academy Road to Guelph Street; and Wolseley Avenue, from Raglan Road to Maryland Street, will have limited motor vehicle traffic on Sundays and holidays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restrictions end Oct. 12. gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought (Sep5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '20

05 Sep '20

Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought Wolseley Avenue, Churchill Drive named https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/motion-seeks-extra-time-for-pair-of… A new motion proposes city hall extend some of Winnipeg’s temporary active transportation routes, also known as “open streets,” which are set to close Monday. The current 10 routes, which include four traditional Sunday/holiday bicycle routes, limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists. The new routes and extended hours were a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, intended to help Winnipeggers stay active while keeping at least two metres apart. The six routes added this year are slated to close Monday at 8 p.m., while the traditional bike routes will reduce the vehicle travel restriction to Sundays and holidays only, between Sept. 13 and Oct. 12. The city centre community committee passed a motion Friday that aims to instead keep the enhanced AT access until Nov. 1 at both the Wolseley Avenue traditional Sunday/Holiday route and the temporary AT route on Churchill Drive. The changes require council’s approval. While a final vote on the matter could have to wait until the Sept. 30 council meeting, Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she’s hopeful the motion could instead inspire a quicker policy change by the public service. Rollins said she supports extending the other routes as well. “I would like more routes added… I think we need a lot more tools in our toolbelts to get children to and from schools in a safe manner,” Rollins said Friday. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), however, said he won’t push for the Wellington Crescent active transportation route in his ward to be extended, stressing public feedback on that decision should come first. A survey on the routes is slated to end Monday. Orlikow said the city must consider the views of those who support and oppose the routes, noting he’s heard complaints the one-block vehicle travel restriction has made it inconvenient for some drivers to reach their homes. “We have to be careful about councillors deciding how to use streets arbitrarily. We’re not traffic engineers, there’s impact city-wide, so we have to be making sure that we listen to our administration and the public,” said Orlikow. Open streets were also placed on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue and Vialoux Drive. The Lyndale, Scotia and Wellington sites are also slated to revert back to Sunday/holiday bicycle routes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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CBC: City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend (Sep3'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '20

04 Sep '20

City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend 4 remaining pedestrian, bike routes will be closed to vehicle traffic only on Sundays, holidays after Sept. 8 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-open-streets-closed-labour… More than half of the active transportation routes throughout Winnipeg will be closing after the long weekend, the city announced in a news release Thursday. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city designated 10 roadways as "open streets," limiting vehicle traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The city usually limits vehicle traffic to one block on four of those streets on Sundays and holidays, from the Victoria Day long weekend until Thanksgiving, but expanded the closures in an effort to create bike- and pedestrian-friendly routes during the pandemic. As of Sept. 8, the program will end for six of the current routes. Vehicle traffic will be limited on the remaining four only on Sundays and holidays after the Labour Day weekend, the city said in its release. Motor vehicle traffic will continue to be limited on these routes from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays until Oct. 12: - 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. Signs informing people they are entering or leaving an active transportation route will be posted at each end of the route. Barricades marking the ends of the routes will also be in place during operational hours, the city said. Violating the motor vehicle restrictions can result in a fine under Winnipeg's traffic bylaw, the city added. The vehicle restrictions will end after Sept. 8 on these routes: - Churchill Drive — Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. - Egerton Road — Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue. - Kildonan Drive — Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent, and Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place. - Kilkenny Drive — Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive. - Rover Avenue — Hallet Street to Stephens Street. - Vialoux Drive — Alcrest Drive to Wexford Street. The city launched an online survey <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/enhanced-active-transportation-routes-open-stree…> last month to gauge reaction to the program. Residents can still provide feedback for future consideration via that survey until Monday, the city's news release said.

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WFP: Bicycle Garden - Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels (Sep1'20)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Sep '20

01 Sep '20

Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels A Bicycle Garden grows on Sherbrook https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/a-bicycle-garden-grows-on-sherbr… THIS spring, with some freedoms put on hold, many people in Winnipeg found — or rediscovered — the freedom of riding a bicycle. Vendors, manufacturers and mechanics could hardly keep up with the reinvigorated interest as the global supply chain was interrupted and demand outpaced supply. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” Lifesport owner Walter Jozwiak told the Free Press in May. Under those circumstances, Leigh Anne Parry and Anders Swanson got their wheels turning on a new idea, a pop-up bike shop called the Bicycle Garden, where they could peddle Dutch-built pedals to riders young and old. The shop opened last week on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats building (267 Sherbrook St.). “We’d heard during the pandemic there was a shortage of bikes (particularly women’s bikes),” said Parry, who along with Swanson is co-founder of the Plain Bicycle Project. “And we had a source to get them in.” The project is a social enterprise that brings bicycles from the Netherlands, where they’re more popular than the Toyota Camry, to Winnipeg. The bikes are Dutch-style, featuring mudguards, skirt guards, and upright seating, which makes them practical for daily use regardless of athletic ability or the clothes you’re wearing. “It’s like you’re sitting in an armchair, floating in the clouds,” said Swanson, the director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, whose summer office is now in the shop. While the pop-up is selling leftover stock from previous shipments, it also features six pallets worth of bicycles and accessories — child seats, bells, lights, bags, baskets — that arrived from the Netherlands earlier this summer; another order is already being planned for later this week. The bikes range in cost from $350 (used) to over $1,000. Cycling had been rising in popularity in Winnipeg long before the pandemic: a 2018 poll conducted by Probe Research found over one fifth of respondents cycled weekly. While data related to the COVID-19 era is not yet available, Swanson said anecdotal evidence shows the mode of transportation has become an increasingly attractive option for many as habits changed during the pandemic. In April, when the city designated certain stretches for active transportation and restricted vehicle use, roadways were filled with cyclists, rollerbladers, or pedestrians. Elsewhere, vehicular traffic fell, leading to a minor reclamation of pavement by cyclists. “When the roads were empty, people were falling in love with (cycling),” Swanson said. Adding to the demand have been changes to the ways residents exercise. While gyms are open, many are struggling to regain members, and recreational sports, though ongoing, are dealing with similar reluctance. As well, bike ownership and maintenance is considerably cheaper than car ownership — a key consideration during a time of economic instability. As the school year nears, parents are also looking for active options for their kids to get to and from class, Swanson said. So far, the response from the community has been strong: the Bicycle Garden’s most recent harvest is nearly half-picked. AT other shops around the city, demand remains high, however supply continues to be an issue. “The biggest thing for us is that when a customer walks in the door, we’ll likely have a bike for them, but options are still limited,” said Mac Wood, the assistant sales manager at Woodcock Cycle. “In a typical spring or summer, that doesn’t happen.” “It’s certainly more difficult to forecast availability to our customers,” he said. “We, as an industry, are as much at the mercy of restrictions as any other.” The pop-up shop — which could go until October or beyond — is the commercial tenant on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats. “When (the pop-up) came to us with a proposal, I was very excited,” said Sotirios Kotoulas, the building’s designer and part-owner. “For us, the most important thing is to activate the street,” he added. “It takes time to transform a streetscape or find the right fit, but obviously a bicycle shop is an amazing fit.” Outside the shop, there are a few tables and chairs, meant to evoke the bikes’ Dutch vibe. Repairs are also being offered on the boulevard, which borders an unprotected bike lane on Sherbrook. Since opening, Parry said the interest from the public has been obvious. “Day one, we had a lineup outside mostly of older people looking to get around independently,” she said. “There are a lot of people walking and biking by, which is really good for us.” ben.waldman(a)freepress.mb.ca

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TONS Seeks Urban Transportation Consultant
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '20

31 Aug '20

From: Samantha Rodeck <info(a)tonsmb.org> Date: Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 10:09 AM Transportation Options Network for Seniors (TONS) is looking to hire an Urban Transportation Consultant to help fulfill its mandate of informing and educating Manitobans on transportation options that enhance quality of life and promote age-friendly communities. Attached is the job description to be shared within your networks and to those who you know would be interested in applying. The *application deadline is 3:00pm on September 11*, 2020. If you have any questions, please email Samantha at info(a)tonsbmb.org Thank you, Samantha Rodeck Executive Director (204) 799-1788 [image: signature_349093641]

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WFP: Bike Dump - Volunteers pedal passion at bike shop (Aug31'20)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '20

31 Aug '20

*Volunteers pedal passion at bike shop* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/finding-life-with-wheel-meaning-572… FOR someone who spent the first 33 years of life in California, it seems odd that Edward Cloud would enjoy riding a bicycle in frigid winter temperatures. “I remember the first time I rode in -45 weather for 10 or 15 kilometres. I just felt so vibrantly alive — more alive than I ever felt,” said Cloud. “I’ve never found anything to be enjoyable in that way.” Cloud’s love of cycling turned into a volunteer role at the Bike Dump, a volunteer-run, community bicycle shop. Started in 2005, the Bike Dump strives to make cycling accessible to all by offering access to tools and a space where people can fix their bikes for free. People can also use recycled bike frames and parts to build their own bike. Volunteers are available at the shop, which is located at the back of Red Road Lodge at Main Street and Logan Avenue, to help guide people through repairs and bike-building projects. Cloud, who lives in the North End, is committed to making the community a better place. “I’ve made it my personal mission to try to spend most of my life making things better for people. Volunteering at the Bike Dump is one of the ways I do that.” Darcee Lytwyn began attending the Bike Dump’s women, queer and trans night on Mondays in 2017 so she could learn how to repair her bike. She started volunteering last winter and says it’s “the grit and the passion” that she loves about being involved. “Everyone’s enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with you,” Lytwyn said. “It’s a great space for discovery and for learning all together.” Riley McMurray has volunteered at the Bike Dump for almost 10 years and enjoys it because he can immediately see the effect of his efforts. “You’re actually working with someone and you see them ride out with the bike they just built with you that day. You can really tell how much it means to them,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll tell you they need that bike to get to work tomorrow. It can really be a lifeline.” The Bike Dump is currently closed to the public as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic. It’s disappointing to all of the volunteers. The shop is hoping to offer limited hours soon. In the meantime, volunteers are helping folks by appointment on a limited basis. The Bike Dump is always looking for volunteers, Cloud says. They are expecting to hold some shop clean-up nights in the coming weeks, which is a great way for new volunteers to learn about the Bike Dump’s methods. Anyone interested in volunteering can email winnipegbikedump@gmail. com. No experience is necessary. Although the pandemic has weighed heavily on Bike Dump volunteers at times, Lytwyn says that interacting with the group online has reminded her what a special place the bike shop is. “As we’ve been organizing in our Zoom calls and our emails, it’s just been evident how our volunteers have the biggest hearts,” she said. “They care for the community and they care so much for each other.”

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CTV: A new active transportation route could link St. Boniface and Downtown (Aug27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/a-new-active-transportation-route-could-link-st… WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg is seeking the public’s feedback on an active transportation route linking the St. Boniface and Downtown neighbourhoods. Through this initiative, called the St. Boniface to Downtown Walk Bike Project, the city would aim to improve travel options, accessibility, and connectivity between the Esplanade Riel footbridge/Provencher Bridge and the multi-use path on Archibald Street, south of Nairn Avenue. The city’s pedestrian and cycling strategies, which city council has approved, identify a connection between these two areas as a priority. As part of the first phase of the preliminary design study, the team working on the project is looking for Winnipeggers to provide information on how they travel through this area, and what type and routing of infrastructure would best meet their needs. To provide feedback online, <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/stboniface-walk-bike> Winnipeggers can conduct an online survey or use an online mapping tool on the project’s website. These tools will be available until Sept. 23. The city is also providing walking tours of the area, where residents can identify barriers and opportunities. These tours leave from the St. Boniface City Hall at 219 Provencher Boulevard and take place on two dates in September. The walking tours are on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the north tours taking place from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the south tours taking place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. During these events, project team members will be at St. Boniface City Hall to talk to anyone who wants to give input, but doesn’t want to or can’t participate in the walking tour. If the weather doesn’t allow for the walking tours, they will be cancelled. Instead, the project staff will stay inside St. Boniface City Hall to answer questions and discuss the initiative. Participants must register for the walking tours by contacting them at stbtodowntown(a)winnipeg.ca.

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WFP: Study urges traffic changes in school zones (Aug29'20)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

*Study urges traffic changes in school zones * * Calls for reducing speeds all day on more streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/study-urges-traffic-changes-in-scho… A REPORT on school zone speeding in the East Kildonan-Transcona area has prompted the city’s public works department to make recommendations to get more drivers to obey school-zone speed limits. Tasked with investigating speed violations in the neighbourhood, the city department delivered a report to the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee, which found 11,195 tickets were issued in the neighbourhood’s reduced-speed school zones in 2018. The majority of tickets were issued through photo enforcement while 237 were issued through traditional police enforcement. Of the photo enforcement tickets, more than 90 per cent involved reduced speed zones at three schools: River Elm with 6,390 tickets, The King’s School with 2,276 tickets and École Riviere Rouge, where 1,367 tickets were issued. The report recommends expanding school zones beyond streets immediately bordering schools to ensure all parents and children within the 1.6 km walking zone of the school have access to safe streets, increasing the 30 km/h rules to a 24-hour, seven days a week schedule to reduce confusion about holidays and evenings, and expanding school zones to middle and high schools. It recommended removing the requirement that school zones be implemented on non-regional streets in favour of a policy based on road classification, fencing, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and other factors. Also, it recommended following the City of Calgary in implementing reduced- speed zones near playgrounds. There are 240 reduced speed school zones throughout Winnipeg. These zones have a maximum speed of 30 km/h which are in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday from September to June. In an email statement Friday, Winnipeg Police Service said “reduced speed school zones throughout the city see fluctuations and variances in detected offences.” Though the study was only conducted for East Kildonan-Transcona, the city confirmed a wider study on road safety is underway, and will review reduced speed school zones efficacy in other areas of the city. Despite high levels of infractions in some school zones, police data found motorists generally reduce speeds to comply with school zones, and typically drive below the 50 km/h limit in effect during non-school hours. Feedback from six school districts in the city overwhelmingly indicated that the reduced-speed school zones improve student safety, according to the report. Further evidence from a study conducted in Edmonton found that reducing speed from 50 km/h to 30 km/h resulted in a 45 per cent reduction in fatal and non-fatal injury collisions and a 55 per cent reduction in injuries to vulnerable road users. The report comes in the midst of other municipal investigations into street safety measures, including a possible 30 km/h speed limit on all residential streets. If this limit were to come into play, reduced-speed school zones may not be necessary, the report said. julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Job Posting - Managing Director position @ The WRENCH
by Anders Swanson 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

Morning. Please pass on this exciting opportunity <https://thewrench.ca/tag/job-posting/> to anyone you think might be a great fit for a great organization! Anders

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NACTO guide: Setting safe speed limits on urban streets
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '20

26 Aug '20

*City Limits: Setting Safe Speed Limits on Urban Streets* A new guide <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) outlines how to use a tested, context-sensitive safe systems approach to strategically set safer speed limits on urban streets to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries. This three-method approach provides an alternative to percentile-based speed limit setting: 1) setting default speed limits on many streets at once; 2) designating slow zones in sensitive areas; and 3) setting corridor speed limits on high priority major streets using a Safe Speed Study. These approaches allow cities to holistically evaluate who is using streets and how people are using them. City Limits <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> is free to download and is part of a larger conversation about how to make streets safe for everyone.

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WFP: Local tech firm studies near-misses in bid to prevent collisions, make roads safer (Aug25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '20

25 Aug '20

Local tech firm studies near-misses in bid to prevent collisions, make roads safer DETOUR FROM DISASTER https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/detour-from-disaster-572209962.h… SERIOUS traffic accidents and fatalities have fallen dramatically over the past 50 years, but that decline has now plateaued and traffic fatalities remain the eighth leading cause of death around the world. MicroTraffic, a Winnipeg technology company, is using artificial intelligence to take a different approach to mitigating this ongoing public safety issue. It uses data from existing traffic cameras to identify intersections and roadways where the largest numbers of near-misses occur and is helping municipalities leverage that data into creating safer streets. MicroTraffic, which recently received funding to hire three more people from the province’s Innovation Growth program (which will bring its workforce up to 25), has already gained significant traction. After only a couple of years in the market, its work with around 40 municipalities has resulted in about $225 million in planned infrastructure changes to dangerous intersections. It has also attracted institutional validation in the form of a partnership with Aviva, the international insurance company. The unlikely duo has teamed up for an innovative funding program that is offering about $50,000 to five Canadian municipalities to conduct studies on 10 intersections in each city to provide data on intersections where the greatest number of “near-misses” occur. The winning applicants will be expected to pay 25 per cent of the costs up to maximum of $12,500. “Road infrastructure projects, like replacing a dangerous intersection with an interchange or a roundabout, cost a lot of money,” said Craig Milligan, CEO and co-founder of Micro-Traffic. “Knowing that you’re going to save lives and knowing the risks that are there can really help justify that decision.” Milligan is finding that traffic safety professionals are keen to be able to take a proactive approach rather than have to rely on data from crashes that have already occurred. “Almost three-quarter of fatalities are happening where they have not happened recently,’ he said. “So you put the money in locations where the fatalities happen and it just happens somewhere else. That is a frustrating approach for everyone working on road safety.” Milligan, who has a PhD and is an expert on road safety engineering, worked as a consultant for several years and he and co-founder Joel Penner conducted about 300 safety improvement studies. “After doing it for a time, too many people were dying at intersections where we had already done intersection safety improvement plans for,” he said. “The way they died was not represented in the historical crash data… and it was clear there were other risk factors, serious ones, at play that were impossible to detect with existing methods.” Milligan does not take credit for the approach, as there is active academic study to detect latent risk factors or the science of surrogate safety. But Milligan decided to implement those ideas through a computer vision system where the artificial intelligence drives an engine that automatically goes through the video. “It recognizes what is going on, sees how fast people are going, how close they are to one another and if someone is hitting the brakes sharply,” he said. “From those trajectories we construct risk indicators. They have proven to be very effective at precisely identifying risk.” Aviva connected with MicroTraffic as part of the insurance company’s own program to reduce serious traffic injuries called Take Back Our Roads. Catherine Brown, vice-president marketing and corporate social responsibility at Aviva Canada, said, “Micro-Traffic’s approach to prevention really fits nicely with our overall platform. Craig and his team are fantastic partners to work with. We wanted to be able to bring the technology to the forefront and make it more accessible to municipalities to focus their infrastructure investments in a way that is looking at prevention and proactive activities.” It is also not lost on the City of Winnipeg, which has just embarked on its own road safety strategic action plan that will use data and public input to set the pace of road safety investment over the next five years and beyond. Parallel and in conjunction with that, the city is in the middle of a pilot project with MicroTraffic. Rebecca Peterniak, the community traffic engineer at the City of Winnipeg, said MicroTraffic’s technology provides much more data to work with that traditional traffic analysis. “Improving road safety data is a really important objective,” she said. “We do have collision data which is historic in nature — we have to wait for collisions to happen before we get that information.” She said that using the kind of near-miss analysis that MicroTraffic can provide between all road users — vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians — allows them to take a deeper dive to understand what’s causing high accident rates. “It gives us a deeper understanding of what is going on in the background,” she said. martin.cash(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Telling people to "Slow Down" doesn't work.
by Beth McKechnie 24 Aug '20

24 Aug '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Lauren at Strong Towns <lauren(a)strongtowns.org> Date: Mon, Aug 24, 2020 at 9:37 AM We need a new solution for Traffic Fatalities.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Early on in the coronavirus shutdowns, we saw a sharp decrease in traffic, with some states observing as much as a 50% drop in daily trips. *And yet, traffic fatalities surged.* In the absence of traffic, all that is left is the road—*and the road is designed for speed,* posted limits be damned. We've over-engineered our streets to encourage dangerous driving. Now is the time to start dialing it back. *Today, Strong Towns founder Chuck Marohn lays out four simple steps <https://strongtowns.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=strongtowns&m=s_135a2040-557a-4a…> for undoing reckless street design in your place.* It took decades to build the networks of dangerous and costly streets we now think are normal. It will take time to replace them with something better. Let's get to work. Stay well, —Lauren at Strong Towns Strong Towns www.strongtowns.org [image: Facebook] <https://strongtowns.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=strongtowns&m=s_135a2040-557a-4a…> [image: Twitter] <https://strongtowns.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=strongtowns&m=s_135a2040-557a-4a…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://strongtowns.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=strongtowns&m=s_135a2040-557a-4a…> [image: Instagram] <https://strongtowns.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=strongtowns&m=s_135a2040-557a-4a…>

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Upcoming City of Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan Events
by Beth McKechnie 24 Aug '20

24 Aug '20

As a stakeholder for the Road Safety Strategic Action Plan, you play a key role in providing information, feedback and support into the project’s vision and focus areas. We ask you to share the following information within your network to help... Un message en français suivra. As a stakeholder for the Road Safety Strategic Action Plan, you play a key role in providing information, feedback and support into the project’s vision and focus areas. We ask you to share the following information within your network to help identify gaps and opportunities in the current state of road safety in Winnipeg. Help Shape the Future of Road Safety for Winnipeg! Road safety is a priority for the City of Winnipeg. The Road Safety Strategic Action Plan is driven by data and public feedback and will serve as a roadmap for implementing both short-term solutions and long-term investments over the next 3-5 years and beyond. Get Involved In Road Safety Online Survey We want to hear from you about your perception and experience as a road user (pedestrian, cyclist or motorist) in Winnipeg and learn more about how and what road safety improvements can be made. Visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> to complete a survey. Pop-up Events We selected four pop-up locations to safely engage with communities in higher needs areas that experience higher rates of collisions. Drop by and tell us your ideas for road safety improvements and share your vision for safer roads in Winnipeg. Date: Saturday, September 5, 2020 Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Location: Bronx Park Farmers’ Market, 720 Henderson Highway Date: * Wednesday, September 9, 2020 Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Location: Broadway Neighbourhood Centre, 185 Young St Date: * Friday, September 11, 2020 Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Location: Powers Park Plaza, Powers Street at Selkirk Avenue, North side Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2020 Time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Location: The Salvation Army Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre, 51 Morrow Ave (*): Get a bike tune up from the WRENCH and tell us why road safety matters to you. Please Note: Public Health measures will be adhered to at all pop-up events. Gathering size will be limited to 50 people at a time, and appropriate social distance will be maintained. Please self-screen prior to attending, stay home if you are ill, and wash or sanitize your hands. Virtual Engagement Sessions We will be holding two Zoom virtual events to gather public input. Join us at one of the following events to learn more about the development of the strategic action plan, ask questions, and answer some of our questions live. Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 Time: 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register Here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> Date: Thursday, September 24, 2020 Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Register Here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> Registration required for virtual sessions by September 20, 2020. Discussion Kit We invite those unable to attend the events to complete the survey and mapping tool and to host a discussion with friends and family using the discussion kit. Available at winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> until September 30, 2020. Submit your completed discussion guide to roadsafety(a)winnipeg.ca. For more information, to register for a virtual event or provide feedback online, visit: winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> . For inquiries or for those who require alternate formats or interpretation in order to participate, please contact roadsafety(a)winnipeg.ca or 204-944-9907 by August 29, 2020. En tant qu’intervenant du Plan d’action stratégique pour la sécurité routière, vous jouez un rôle clé en fournissant des renseignements, des commentaires et du soutien quant à la vision et les secteurs d’intervention du projet. Nous vous demandons de communiquer les renseignements suivants à votre réseau afin de déterminer les lacunes et les possibilités relatives à l’état actuel de la sécurité routière à Winnipeg. Aidez-nous à façonner l’avenir de la sécurité routière à Winnipeg! La sécurité routière est une priorité pour la Ville de Winnipeg. Le Plan d’action stratégique pour la sécurité routière s’appuie sur des données et les commentaires du public; il servira de feuille de route pour la mise en œuvre de solutions à court terme et d’investissements à long terme au cours des 3 à 5 prochaines années et par la suite. Améliorez la sécurité routière Sondage en ligne Nous aimerions connaître votre opinion et vos expériences en tant qu’usager de la route (piéton, cycliste ou automobiliste) à Winnipeg et en savoir plus sur la manière dont la sécurité routière peut être améliorée. Consultez winnipeg.ca/plansecuriteroutiere <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> pour répondre à un sondage. Événements ponctuels Nous avons sélectionné quatre lieux de rencontre ponctuelle afin d’engager le dialogue, en toute sécurité, avec les collectivités des secteurs aux besoins élevés, où les collisions sont plus fréquentes. Passez nous voir, faites-nous part de vos idées visant à améliorer la sécurité routière et communiquez votre vision quant à des routes plus sûres à Winnipeg. Date : Samedi 5 septembre 2020 Heure : De 9 h à 11 h Lieu : Marché de producteurs du parc Bronx, 720, route Henderson Date : * Mercredi 9 septembre 2020 Heure : De 16 h à 18 h Lieu : Broadway Neighbourhood Centre, 185, rue Young Date : * Vendredi 11 septembre 2020 Heure : De 16 h à 18 h Lieu : Powers Park Plaza, rue Powers, au niveau de l’avenue Selkirk, du côté nord Date : Mardi 15 septembre 2020 Heure : De 14 h à 16 h Lieu : Armée du Salut, Barbara Mitchell Resource Centre, 51, avenue Morrow (*) : Faites mettre au point votre vélo par The WRENCH et dites-nous pourquoi la sécurité routière est importante pour vous. Remarque : Les mesures de santé publique seront respectées à tous les événements ponctuels. La taille des rassemblements sera limitée à 50 personnes, et une distance physique appropriée sera maintenue. Veuillez effectuer un dépistage avant de vous présenter, rester à la maison si vous êtes malade et vous laver ou vous désinfecter les mains. Séances de participation virtuelles Nous tiendrons deux événements virtuels sur Zoom afin de recueillir les commentaires du public. Joignez-vous à nous pendant l’un des événements suivants pour en savoir plus sur l’élaboration du plan d’action stratégique, poser des questions et répondre à certaines de nos questions en direct. Date : Mardi 22 septembre 2020 Heure : De 14 h à 15 h 30 Inscrivez-vous ici <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> Date : Jeudi 24 septembre 2020 Heure : De 18 h 30 à 20 h Inscrivez-vous ici <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> L’inscription est obligatoire pour les séances virtuelles, d’ici le 20 septembre 2020. Trousse de discussion Nous invitons les personnes qui ne pourront pas être présentes aux événements à se servir de l’outil de sondage et de cartographie et à organiser une discussion avec leurs proches à l’aide de la trousse de discussion. Il est accessible à l’adresse winnipeg.ca/plansecuriteroutiere <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> jusqu’au 30 septembre 2020. Envoyez votre guide de discussion rempli à roadsafety(a)winnipeg.ca. Pour en savoir plus, pour vous inscrire à un événement virtuel ou pour donner votre avis en ligne, consultez le site winnipeg.ca/plansecuriteroutiere <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011hytNyznS-nPIZq63KS5rOzfuHGWb7JheFO8fF_x6IjX…> . Si vous avez des questions, ou si vous avez besoin de médias substituts ou de services d’interprétation pour participer, veuillez écrire à roadsafety(a)winnipeg.ca ou composer le 204 944-9907 avant le 29 août 2020. HTFC Planning & Design | 500 - 115 Bannatyne Avenue East, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0R3 Canada Sent by info(a)htfc.ca powered by [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE> Try email marketing for free today! <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE>

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Get involved - Winnipeg's Road Safety Strategic Action Plan
by Beth McKechnie 20 Aug '20

20 Aug '20

From: City of Winnipeg <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> Road Safety Strategic Action Plan - what does road safety mean to you?Work on our Road Safety Strategic Action Plan has begun! We want you to share their thoughts on how we can work together to make our roads safer. Get involved by: - joining a virtual session <http://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhYQ…> - attending a pop-up Talk Road Safety event <http://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhYQ…> - completing an online survey <http://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhYQ…> - hosting your own discussion by downloading the discussion kit <http://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhYQ…> Visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <http://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhYQ…> for more information.

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Webinar: Congestion Pricing & Travel Behavior During COVID
by Beth McKechnie 20 Aug '20

20 Aug '20

Join us on Wednesday, September 2 at 1:15pm ET for a discussion on congestion pricing, travel behavior, and COVID-19. ROAD TO RECOVERY WEBINAR Rebalancing the Load: How Road User Charging Can Influence Traveler Behavior September 2, 2020 from 1:15pm ET to 2:00pm ET Congestion pricing can be a valuable tool for regions to address congestion and meet goals for sustainability and equity. ITS tools and ETC technologies to enable congestion management systems that can sense, adapt, and influence driver behavior so that planners and policy makers can optimize their transportation networks. Given the current changes in traveler behavior due to the pandemic, there is increasing interest in road user charging schemes as a new approach to manage the load on regional transport systems. In this webinar, you’ll learn how technology is being leveraged to integrate other road network systems, holistically manage networks, coordinate planned demand against different modal capacities, and incentivize specific choices. *Speakers:* *Marc Deflin,* *Vice President of Business Development – Road User Charging, Cubic Transportation Systems* *Brianne Eby,* *Senior Policy Analyst, Eno Center for Transportation* September 2020 02 REGISTER <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> *Connect with us and don't miss out on other great resources!* [image: Facebook] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> Facebook <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: Twitter] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> Twitter <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: VIEW UPCOMING WEBINARS] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> VIEW UPCOMING WEBINARS <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> *Copyright © 2020 Eno Center for Transportation, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in to our email list. *Our mailing address is:* Eno Center for Transportation 1629 K St. NW Ste 200 Washington, DC 20006 Add us to your address book <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff96&id=d…> -- 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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Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America (Angie Schmitt)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Aug '20

19 Aug '20

Free Webinar - a conversation with author Angie Schmitt Support Walkable Communities <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America – a conversation with author Angie Schmitt September 8th, 2020 at 1pm – 2pm EST, 10am – 11pm PST Register Here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> Join us for an interview with Angie Schmitt and discussion of her book, Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America. This webinar is hosted by America Walks Board Member Charles Brown, who wrote the foreword. Right of Way documents the traffic violence that occurs daily on America’s streets and reveals the racist policies and practices that create and perpetuate these tragedies. Contrary to popular opinion, pedestrian deaths are not unavoidable “accidents,” but highly predictable events, occurring in stark geographic patterns that tell a story about systemic inequalities. The victims are disproportionately those marginalized by society: immigrants, People of Color, those with lower incomes, the elderly, and the disabled. The discussion will address the following critical questions: - Why do we accept pedestrian fatalities as the status quo? - Why do we hold pedestrians, not drivers, responsible for traffic collisions? - How do political inaction, victim blaming, lack of media interest, and cultural apathy block change? - What does the national walking movement need to do to implement solutions that save lives? Learn More and Register Here <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> Help Us Spread the Word About this Webinar [image: Facebook] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> [image: Twitter] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> Angie Schmitt, author and journalist, former National Editor at Streetsblog Angie Schmitt is one of the best-known writers in the United States on the topic of sustainable transportation. She was the long-time national editor at Streetsblog, covering the movement for safe, multi-modal cities, and her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Atlantic, Bicycling, and GOOD. She is frequently sought out as an expert source on transportation topics by the news media. Schmitt holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and an undergraduate degree in journalism. Charles T. Brown, Senior Researcher, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center Charles T. Brown, MPA is one of the nation’s leading voices in transportation equity and justice. He is a senior researcher with the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) and adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, both at Rutgers University. He also serves as a 2020 Fellow within the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication in Partnership with The OpEd Project. His work has been published in international journals and featured by various national outlets, including the New York Times, Vice and CityLab. STAY CONNECTED [image: Facebook] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> [image: Twitter] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> [image: LinkedIn] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> [image: Instagram] ‌ <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> Donate to Our Webinar Program <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001by_ghNbl05qUfvwIUtUDw0AzGinaCIdORiECdJFB9gvP…> America Walks | PO Box 70742, Bethesda, MD 20813 Sent by info(a)americawalks.org powered by [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE> Try email marketing for free today! <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF19_3GE>

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WFP Metro: Should we lower residential speed limits? - Scott Gillingham (Aug19'20)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Aug '20

19 Aug '20

Should we lower residential speed limits? I regularly hear from many residents of St. James concerned about the speeds that vehicles are travelling down their streets. My office receives multiple requests every year for speed humps, slow down signs, stop signs, pedestrian crosswalks, traffic studies and increased police enforcement, all in an effort to make the streets we live on feel safer. The people of St. James are not alone in their desire. My council colleagues receive similar requests from residents across Winnipeg who are calling for steps to be taken to improve the sense of safety on local streets. This is a trend that is growing across Canada. The cities of Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto are currently engaged in studies examining the reduction of speed limits on residential streets to something less than 50 km/h. The City of Winnipeg is also considering reducing the default speed limit on residential streets to either 30 km/h or 40 km/h. The speed limit is currently 50 km/h on residential streets. A recent report from the city’s administration says “(t)here is a strong interest from both Council and the public to investigate a city-wide speed limit reduction for Winnipeg’s residential streets, as reducing speeds is proven to make streets calmer, quieter, and safer for people walking, biking, driving, and enjoying their neighbourhood.” Council has asked city staff to conduct a jurisdictional scan, to examine the impacts of reducing speeds on residential streets to 30 km/h or 40 km/h, to review the existing street classification system, to look at best practices and engineering data and to conduct public engagement in order to get feedback, ideas and involve the public in decision-making. This work will take place over the next year. The study will also include a trial speed limit reduction on one street in each ward (including the St. James ward) of either 30 km/h or 40 km/h. The pilot streets have not yet been selected. I support lowering the default speed limit from 50 km/h on Winnipeg’s residential streets. Research shows that there is a relationship between speed and the severity of injuries in a collision. Even though lower speeds are known to improve safety, I still hear from some residents (albeit fewer) who want the speed limit to remain at 50 km/h. Therefore, I believe 40 km/h on local streets has the best chance of getting public support as a reasonable middle ground between those residents opposed to any change and those calling for 30 km/h. I realize that speed limits are a contentious issue, so I want to hear from you. Are you in favour of seeing speed limits on residential streets lowered from 50 km/hr? Please call me at 204-986-5848 or email scottgillingham(a)winnipeg.ca Enjoy the rest of your summer.

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WFP - The Times: A healthier community — one bike at a time (Aug17'20)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '20

18 Aug '20

A healthier community — one bike at a time https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/forum/A-healthier-c… Over the spring and summer months, I have been working very closely with an organization in the Notre Dame constituency that does really great work. The Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, also known as The WRENCH, builds, repairs, and helps to maintain bikes. They sell, rent, and donate their bikes, not just to individual people, but they even have entire fleets available for businesses. Bicycles are a fantastic way to participate in active transportation. We know that getting around by bike is healthy not only for ourselves but for the environment and our community, as well. In cities around the world where bike use is more common, traffic congestion lightens up and air pollution is reduced. The WRENCH is a permanent fixture of Hugh John Macdonald School, where staff and volunteers provide skills and training to students. They also do community outreach events such as cycling safety workshops and bike giveaway/tune-up events which they have held at IRCOM and Rossbrook House. I was thrilled to work with The WRENCH on some of these outreach events where I got to witness firsthand how hard they work for our community. Not only is The WRENCH promoting a healthier community by getting people on bikes, they are also saving bike parts that are still useable from landfills. Sustainably is a core value of the organization. Most recently, I was happy to be in attendance when The Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) donated four laptops to The WRENCH that will be used by staff to keep the organization running, growing, and thriving. *Because The WRENCH has been so successful at making a good impact in our community, it is expanding. It is currently in a basement on Logan Avenue which it has outgrown. So, The WRENCH is looking to purchase a larger building to meet the demands of the growing organization. In order to achieve this, The WRENCH is planning a capital campaign to raise $250,000 to put towards the purchase of a bigger space.* To learn more about this fantastic organization and to see its event schedule, you can visit thewrench.ca/ <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/times/forum/thewrench.ca/> As always, feel free to get in touch with my office at Malaya.marcelino(a)yourmanitoba.ca or call 204-788-0800.

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WFP: City seeks input on enhanced AT routes (Aug17'20)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '20

18 Aug '20

** please share widely ** City seeks input on enhanced AT routes The City of Winnipeg wants your views on opening local streets to offer greater active transportation access. As part of its COVID-19 response, Winnipeg now offers 10 enhanced temporary active transportation routes, which prioritize bicycles and pedestrians by limiting motor vehicles to one block of travel between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. The move was meant to help Winnipeggers safely enjoy the outdoors with enough room to socially distance themselves from others. The current routes are slated to last until at least Sept. 7. *To help evaluate future options for these “open streets,” Winnipeggers are asked to complete a survey now posted at *winnipeg.ca/walkbike2020. Prior to 2020, four enhanced AT routes were offered each year on Sundays and holidays only, between Victoria Day and Thanksgiving weekend. Complete the survey by September 7th.

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10th anniversary of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 14 Aug '20

14 Aug '20

Great article on the Bike Winnipeg website for the 10th anniversary of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg. Hard to believe it's already been 10 years! https://bikewinnipeg.ca/2020/08/12/winnipeg-bicycle-valet-from-idea-to-real… Congrats to founder, David Weiser, and to all the hard working staff and volunteers since 2009. cheers, Beth -- 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 shape and size of personal trucks
by Charles Feaver 14 Aug '20

14 Aug '20

An article about the growing size and shape of personal trucks, and the danger they pose to other road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists: https://theweek.com/articles/929196/case-against-american-truck-bloat FYI Bike Winnipeg argued this issue at the latest PUB review of MPI road safety programs, and the PUB has ordered MPI to analyze the extent to which personal trucks do more harm to other road users than sedan type vehicles. MPI is in a unique position to do this, what with having 100% of the data from crashes in the province and a methodology for assigning costs to injury (v. other jurisdictions which have highly variable injury cost settlements arising from court proceedings). It will be interesting to see what this study finds. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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CTV: City reopens new and improved Empress Street after three years (Aug13'20)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Aug '20

13 Aug '20

WINNIPEG -- After three years of road construction, the new Empress Street overpass, which included rehabilitation and the creation of a new cycling and pedestrian route, is now open. On Thursday morning the City of Winnipeg, along with the federal and provincial government, got together for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially reopen the stretch of road between Portage Avenue and St. Matthews Avenue. "I can't tell you how great it is to have protected cycling facilities that are separate from the road," said Coun. Matt Allard, chairperson of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works said. "Infrastructure investments like these are so essential to encouraging mode shift." Despite the pouring rain, Allard said he did cycle to the announcement to give the new cycling route a try. The project cost about $23 million, with $921,000 coming from the province and nearly $4.5 million coming from the federal government. The rest of the project was covered in the City's capital budget. "As a (former) city councillor, I understand that the city can't do it alone – we need the federal government and the provincial government to step up and that is exactly what we've been doing," said Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, representing the federal government. The project included new accessible pedestrian ramps on the north and south side of Portage Avenue, as well as new bi-directional bicycle paths in a protected lane along Empress from the Assiniboine River path. "As an avid cyclist, I am very thrilled to be partnering with my civic and federal counterparts to build more active transportation, because we know in Winnipeg we get all kinds of weather," said Rochelle Squires, Manitoba Minister of Municipal Relations. "I know this pathway will be used well into the future for all the people who do choose the active transportation." Coun. Scott Gillingham, who represents St. James, said this was a project he's had in his sights since he was elected. "When I was fundraising in 2014, the residents told me many times that roads were the number one issue, specifically around the Polo Park area, so I'm glad to see this project completed," he said. The City of Winnipeg has more information about the project online <https://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/construction/projects/empress.stm>. https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/city-reopens-new-and-improved-empress-street-af…

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Why Walking to Work May Be Better for You Than a Casual Stroll
by Beth McKechnie 12 Aug '20

12 Aug '20

Study finds people walk faster, report being healthier, when they walk with a purpose https://news.osu.edu/why-walking-to-work-may-be-better-for-you-than-a-casua…

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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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