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USDOT releases new National Roadway Safety Strategy - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 28 Jan '22

28 Jan '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/01/20220128-nrss.html

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L.A. Just Ran (and Ended) the Biggest Free-Transit Experiment in the U.S.
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jan '22

27 Jan '22

In March 2020, Los Angeles’ public-transit agency, Metro, stopped collecting fares on its buses as a COVID-19 safety precaution. For the next 22 months, Metro waived fares for anyone who wanted to keep riding its buses, anywhere they wanted to go (as long as they wore a mask, of course). And people did keep riding. Outside of the initial stay-at-home order in the spring of 2020, Metro’s ridership never dipped below 50 percent of before-times ridership, with buses eventually recovering to within 10 to 15 percent of pre-pandemic numbers <https://xtown.la/2021/12/01/free-transit-los-angeles/>. While the agency doesn’t know exactly how many people were riding fare-free buses during this time — because fare collection is one of the ways to track ridership — a spokesperson says that from April 2020 to December 2021, it’s safe to say Metro’s buses provided about 281 million fare-free boardings. This means the agency has inadvertently been conducting what may be the biggest free-transit experiment in U.S. history. Fare collection restarted last week after two unprecedented years in which transit agencies learned a lot about how people moved (or didn’t) around their cities, and now Metro is using some of this information to game out improvements and pilot other free- and reduced-fare programs. ...(According to that same data, New York’s MTA has yet to surpass 60 percent of its pre-pandemic ridership.) That at least suggests that free fares were a factor. Bus ridership also recovered at a faster rate than rail, where fares continued to be collected, says Oscar Zarate, assistant director of organizing with Strategic Actions for a Just Economy: “I don’t think that’s by coincidence. I think it’s because most of the people who ride the bus depend on it because they’re workers and that’s their primary transportation. And because they didn’t have to pay for it, it was really easy to get on and benefit from our public transportation system.” ...L.A.’s Metro is unique among large U.S. transit agencies in that its budget doesn’t rely heavily on the fare box, which made the decision to temporarily waive fares a bit easier in the first place. A ride costs only $1.75, and the total funds collected make up only 6 percent of total revenue — about a third of which goes right back into fare enforcement (although that doesn’t include contracts with law-enforcement agencies <http://allianceforcommunitytransit.org/metro-as-a-sanctuary/>). Adding to Metro’s relatively comfortable financial situation is a local sales tax, Measure M, which was approved by voters in 2016 to generate $120 billion for the system over 40 years. Aside from L.A.’s experiment, the largest permanent free-transit program in the U.S. is run by Kansas City <https://archive.curbed.com/2019/12/6/20998617/kansas-city-missouri-free-pub…>, which is providing free rides <https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-05-31/everyone-gets-a-seat-on-the-bus-for-fr…> for 30,000 to 40,000 passengers a day. Boston is trying it on some dedicated bus routes <https://www.boston.gov/news/mayor-wu-takes-steps-expand-fare-free-bus-servi…>. But New York’s MTA has argued that fares, which bring in $6 billion during a non-pandemic year, are too critical to waive, and is instead cracking down harder on fare evasion, even on buses <https://www.amny.com/lifestyle/travel/mta-wants-to-put-more-cops-on-buses-t…> . Full story: https://www.curbed.com/2022/01/los-angeles-metro-free-transit-buses.html

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Applications now being accepted for the Active Transportation Fund! / Les demandes sont maintenant acceptées pour le Fonds pour le transport actif !
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jan '22

27 Jan '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: ATF-FTA (INFC) <ATF-FTA(a)infc.gc.ca> Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2022 at 2:26 PM *(Le français suit.)* *Applications now being accepted for the Active Transportation Fund! * Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, opened the call for applications <https://www.canada.ca/en/office-infrastructure/news/2022/01/government-of-c…> for the Active Transportation Fund, as well as other new funding opportunities in support of public transit systems. We are pleased to announce that Infrastructure Canada will be accepting applications for both the planning and capital funding streams of the Active Transportation Fund between *January 27, 2022 and March 31, 2022, at 7:00 P.M. EST. *Applications from eligible Indigenous recipients will be accepted on an ongoing basis. The Active Transportation Fund’s goal is to generate economic, environmental and social benefits for Canadians by increasing the amount, quality and usage of active transportation infrastructure. If you are an eligible recipient with a project that will support a modal shift away from cars and towards active transportation, we invite you to submit your application through the Applicant Portal <https://infrastructure-applicant.canada.ca/en/>. To assist potential applicants in determining eligibility and preparing an application, guidance materials are available on Infrastructure Canada’s website <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/index-eng.html>, including: - General information <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/info-infos-eng.html> on the Active Transportation Fund, which includes applicant and project eligibility requirements; - Answers to Frequently Asked Questions <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/faq-eng.html>; - Instructions on how to apply <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-eng.html>, including: - The Applicant Guide <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-eng.html#ApplicantGuide>; and - The Step-by-Step Guides <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-eng.html#SBS> for submitting an application. Infrastructure Canada will be hosting weekly Webinars for interested potential applicants, beginning on February 2nd, 2022. At these webinar sessions, attendees will be provided with details on applicant and project eligibility, the application process, and the evaluation process. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. A list of available sessions and links to register are available on the Webinars for Potential Applicants <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/webinar-webinaire-eng.html> page. The Active Transportation Fund team welcomes you to contact us in regard to any questions you may have about the Active Transportation Fund or the application process by sending an email to ATF-FTA(a)infc.gc.ca. Please be advised that we will not be able to provide information on project eligibility until an application is received in full through our project intake process. We wish you a nice and active day, *The Active Transportation Fund Team* Infrastructure Canada ATF-FTA(a)infc.gc.ca *If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, please let us know by responding to this email.* *Les demandes sont maintenant acceptées pour le Fonds pour le transport actif !* Aujourd'hui, l'honorable Dominic LeBlanc, ministre des Affaires intergouvernementales, de l'Infrastructure et des Collectivités, a lancé l'appel de demandes <https://www.canada.ca/fr/bureau-infrastructure/nouvelles/2022/01/le-gouvern…> pour le Fonds pour le transport actif, ainsi que d'autres nouvelles possibilités de financement à l'appui des systèmes de transport en commun. Nous avons le plaisir d'annoncer qu’Infrastructure Canada acceptera les demandes pour les projets de planification et les projets d'immobilisations du Fonds pour le transport actif entre *le 27 janvier 2022 et le 31 mars 2022 (19h00 HNE)*. Les demandes pour les projets de planification et d'immobilisations des bénéficiaires autochtones admissibles seront acceptées de manière continue. Si vous êtes un bénéficiaire admissible avec un projet qui soutiendra un transfert modal de la voiture vers le transport actif, nous vous invitons à soumettre votre demande via le Portail des candidats <https://infrastructure-applicant.canada.ca/fr/>. Pour aider les demandeurs potentiels à déterminer leur admissibilité et à préparer une demande, des documents d'orientation sont disponibles sur le site Web d'Infrastructure Canada <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/index-fra.html>, notamment : - des informations générales <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/info-infos-fra.html> sur le Fonds pour le transport actif, y compris les conditions d'admissibilité des demandeurs et des projets; - des réponses dans la section Foire aux questions <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/faq-fra.html>; et - des instructions sur la façon de déposer une demande <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-eng.html>, incluant : - Le Guide du demandeur <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-fra.html#Guidedudemandeur> ; et - Les Guides étape par étape <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/application-fra.html#EPE> pour soumettre une demande. Infrastructure Canada organisera des webinaires pour les demandeurs potentiels intéressés, à partir du 2 février 2022. Au cours de ces webinaires, les participants recevront des détails sur l'admissibilité des demandeurs et des projets, le processus de demande et le processus d'évaluation. Une période pour poser des questions sera également allouée. Une liste des sessions disponibles et les liens pour s'inscrire sont disponibles sur la page Web des webinaires pour les demandeurs potentiels <https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/trans/webinar-webinaire-fra.html>. L'équipe du Fonds pour le transport actif vous invite à nous contacter pour toute question concernant le Fonds pour le transport actif ou le processus de demande en envoyant un courriel à ATF-FTA(a)infc.gc.ca. Veuillez noter que nous ne sommes pas en mesure de fournir des informations sur l'éligibilité d'un projet avant d'avoir reçu une demande complète dans le cadre de l'admission des projets. Nous vous souhaitons une belle journée active, *L’équipe du Fonds pour le transport actif* Infrastructure Canada ATF-FTA(a)infc.gc.ca *Si vous souhaitez être retiré de notre liste de diffusion, veuillez nous le faire savoir en répondant à ce courriel.*

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WFP: Whether he’s playing a symphony or battling the elements on his bike, WSO’s Daniel Perry goes the distance (Jan21'22)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jan '22

21 Jan '22

Whether he’s playing a symphony or battling the elements on his bike, WSO’s Daniel Perry goes the distance DOUBLE BASS, SOLO RACE https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/double-… ONE day in December, the sun had yet to rise, the temperature was -30 C and Daniel Perry decided to go for a 250-kilometre bike ride down a snow-packed trail in rural Wisconsin, with Ritz crackers and granola for sustenance, wearing turkey-roasting bags on his feet. Perry is perfectly sane: 30 years old, he is a section bassist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, an organization he joined at just 22, and he speaks with clarity and patience. He is mindful: most days, he spends some time sprawled out on his mat, following videos of Yoga With Adrienne on YouTube. He is accustomed to precision and he is not one to shy away from a challenge. But most people who seek to challenge themselves take on tasks that are more attainable as to-dos on a list: to eat more salad, to call their mother, to do the dishes before they pile up to “let’s do a few now and a few later” levels. Most people do not drive eight hours southeast to the Tuscobia Trail in Wisconsin in a rented Hyundai Santa Fe, only to emerge and pedal their heart out of their chest for an entire day. Daniel Perry knows how it sounds. Any extreme endurance athlete is often confronted with two types of questions by non-extreme athletes, including newspaper reporters who happen to fit that criterion: hows and whys. How did you get started? Why do you enjoy it? How do you get ready? How do you stay motivated? How does it feel to finish a race 99 per cent of the population would not consider starting? Let’s start with the first how: Perry was raised in Indianapolis, where his father was the principal trumpet in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and where his French-horn-playing mother, who comes from Norway, exposed her kids to skiing and Nordic sports. ‘WINTER exists in Indianapolis, but it’s nowhere near a Manitoba winter,” Perry said. So when he graduated from Indiana University and was accepted into the WSO, he had a slightly different reaction than most Winnipeg transplants. “It was fun to come to Manitoba, where it stayed below freezing and the snow stayed on the ground.” A few years after arriving, Perry, who already was an avid fair-weather cyclist and a volunteer bike mechanic, decided to give the foulest weather a try, signing up at a friend’s suggestion for Actif Epica, an icy annual winter ultra race. He rode from Emerson along the Trans-Canada Trail and ended up at The Forks. “I was hooked.” As much as he enjoyed riding in the summer or spring, Perry found winter racing meditative, much like playing the double bass, an instrument he initially chose to pursue as a child because it was too big to drag with him on vacation. He later came to appreciate the role it plays in the orchestra. “It’s a collaborative instrument,” he says. “It plays a supportive role to a larger concept.” While playing the bass, he must be attuned to every other instrument and to his own. On the bike in the winter, racing for hundreds of kilometres, he gets the rare opportunity to play a solo, and to push his physical and mental capacity to meet the perfection a solo demands. ‘I’M very keen on completing my personal goals,” he says. “In some ways, it’s almost therapeutic management to put myself in these situations. It’s like a trauma response. There are a lot of things in our lives that are very difficult and we don’t always have the choice to be in those situations. These challenges are different: I think there’s something liberating and therapeutic about being there by choice.” And then choosing to get through it. The choice is one requiring commitment: in September, in the lead-up to his race in Wisconsin, Perry began working with cycling coach Nick Bergen, recognizing that, as in his musical pursuits, he could not reach his goals alone. Bergen plans workouts for Perry six days a week: low-endurance rides, core work, reverse squats, upper-arm training, VO2 max (maximal oxygen consumption) workouts, and more intense interval training designed to raise the upper limits of his heart rate. “A lot of people can’t finish those workouts,” Bergen says. “Daniel always does.” “His mental fortitude is bar none,” the coach adds. “He spent his whole life playing music, so this ability to hit the right notes translated to the bicycle. That virtue and devotion to perfection transferred to this intense desire to execute.” But not all orchestra members can do what Perry does. Just ask Meredith Johnson, the WSO’s principal bassist, one of several colleagues — two other bassists, both clarinetists, one of the trombonists — whom Perry, an advocate for active transportation, inspired to commute by bike in winter. (No, Johnson says, he doesn’t carry his bass when he rides; he has one at work.) ‘NOBODY else does what Daniel does,” Johnson laughs when asked if others race. “That is where Daniel is, at least thus far, a breed apart. I go out and ride 40 or 50 kilometres in the winter, not during a race, mind you. I’m not worried about my time. But when I come home, the first thing I think about is how on Earth does he manage 250 kilometres in a competitive environment?” Johnson points to Perry’s winning his job in the WSO at 22, the result of rigorous work and a “fervor.” To audition “is almost like being an athlete. I think Daniel has that singularity of purpose.” The training aside, the dressing routine is in itself an ordeal. Perry squeezes his five-foot-10, 185-pound frame into a pair of padded bike shorts, followed by a merino-wool base layer of upper- and lower-body long johns (he likes wool because of the sustainability of organic matter, but also because it stays warm when wet and doesn’t smell as badly). He then puts on a second pair of shorts as wind protection, followed by a pair of ski pants. Onto his cheeks and nose, he applies kinesiology tape to prevent windburn and frostbite. On his feet, he dons turkey roasting bags between his skin and his socks as a vapour layer; these keep the feet dry and are better than standard bags. Then he puts on wool socks, with toe warmers, followed finally by his boots. Up top, he wears a windproof black balaclava, a merino neck buff, a thin merino cap, a neon soft-shell jacket, his helmet, light and tinted sunglasses. On his hands, he wears latex gloves under soft-shell gloves, which he shoves into his pogies — insulated handle-bar mitts. Inside the pogies, he dumps Ritz crackers and Nature Valley granola bars, because they stay edible past freezing. In Wisconsin, he got dressed in the car, and at 6 a.m., he began the longest winter race of his life on his fat-tired bike. The snow conditions were not great: the powder was fresh and very sticky. “It was a practice in pacing to not get too sweaty,” Perry said. He tried to lower his tire pressure to give himself more traction, but the rear wheel lost too much air. He had to stop to pump. Then, the plastic bags on his feet didn’t properly hold moisture, so his socks got wet. He was already worried about frostbite when the nozzle on his Camelbak water mechanism froze. “I was in a bit of a situation,” he says. Fortunately, he was along a regularly traversed trail, serviced by gas stations along the way. About 50 kilometres in, the balaclava-clad Perry walked into a roadside shop, wearing an N95 face mask, to drink, eat, change socks and buy new Ziploc bags for his feet. “The cashier did not bat an eye.” >From there, it was smoother sailing, aside from a missed checkpoint, which caused Perry some mental and physical fatigue. But he kept riding, averaging 16 km/hr according to his Garmin bike computer. Twenty-one hours after he began, at 3:03 a.m., Perry finished the race, in third place overall out of 167 entrants. It felt similar to finishing an audition, Perry said. “There’s a big rush of achieving, and the flood of positive feelings of finishing something I’ve worked so hard toward, but at the same time, there’s a sadness to it. To be done with it. Almost a bit of aimlessness, because so much of my focus leading up is looking toward it and not about looking past it. He went to a hotel nearby and slept in until the afternoon. He got back in the car, drove back to Winnipeg, and arrived at 9 p.m. to his downtown apartment, where he went to sleep again. ben.waldman(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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Upcoming Webinar: From Complete Streets to Complete Networks: A Data-Driven, Performance-Based, Multimodal Planning Tool
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jan '22

14 Jan '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Maryland Department of Planning <planning(a)info.maryland.gov> Date: Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 1:23 PM [image: Bookmark and Share] <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…> THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3 AT 1:00 P.M. EST ------------------------------ [image: From Complete Streets to Complete Networks: A Data-Driven, Performance-Based, Multimodal Planning Tool] <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> ------------------------------ >From Complete Streets to Complete Networks: A Data-Driven, Performance-Based, Multimodal Planning Tool *Thursday, February 3 at 1:00 p.m.; EST* *Participants of this live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits.* Moving beyond complete streets to complete networks – entire networks of continuous and connected facilities for transit, bike, auto, freight, and pedestrians – involves conducting a larger review of networks for each mode. Join the Maryland Department of Planning and Smart Growth Network as planners from the Michigan Department of Transportation and Southeast Michigan Council of Governments share a set of tools they have built to evolve the state of the practice for complete streets planning and design. *Find out more and register for this free webinar via the link below.* Register for "From Complete Streets to Complete Networks: A Data-Driven, Performance-Based, Multimodal Planning Tool" <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…> ♦ Upcoming Smart Growth Online Webinars ♦ ------------------------------ [image: Jason Corburn small for social] <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…> January 26 at 1:00 p.m. EST Cities for Life: How Communities Can Recover from Trauma and Rebuild for Health Get more information about this webinar <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…> ------------------------------ *Subscribe to Smart Growth Online Weekly Twitter Updates* <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…> *Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse | 410-767-4949 | SmartGrowth.org* [image: SGIC Logo] <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…> The Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse is a project of the Smart Growth Network and is partially funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Community Revitalization, and managed by the Maryland Department of Planning ------------------------------ Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…> Follow us on: Facebook <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>and Twitter <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…> This service is provided to you at no charge by Maryland Department of Planning <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…> . ------------------------------ [image: GovDelivery logo] <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>

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The Deadly Myth That Human Error Causes Most Car Crashes (The Atlantic)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jan '22

13 Jan '22

The Deadly Myth That Human Error Causes Most Car Crashes Every year thousands of Americans die on the roads. Individuals take the blame for systemic problems. By David Zipper <https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-zipper/> More than 20,000 people died on American roadways <https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-transportat…> from January to June, the highest total for the first half of any year since 2006 <https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/-crisis-road-fatalities-hit-15-year-hi…>. U.S. road fatalities have risen by more than 10 percent <https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths…> over the past decade, even as they have fallen across most of the developed world. In the European Union <https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_1004>, whose population is one-third larger than America’s, traffic deaths dropped by 36 percent between 2010 and 2020, to 18,800 <https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_1767>. That downward trend is no accident: European regulators have pushed <https://www.euroncap.com/en/vehicle-safety/the-ratings-explained/vulnerable…> carmakers to build vehicles that are safer for pedestrians and cyclists, and governments regularly adjust road designs <http://www.welivevisionzero.com/vision-zero/> after a crash to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. But in the United States, the responsibility for road safety largely falls on the individual sitting behind the wheel, or riding a bike, or crossing the street. American transportation departments, law-enforcement agencies, and news outlets frequently maintain that most crashes—indeed, 94 percent of them, according to the most widely circulated statistic—are solely due to human error. Blaming the bad decisions of road users implies that nobody else could have prevented them. That enables car companies to deflect attention from their decisions to add heft and height to the SUVs and trucks that make up an ever-larger portion <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/21/business/suv-sales-best-sellers.html> of vehicle sales, and it allows traffic engineers to escape scrutiny for dangerous street designs. The recently passed infrastructure bill will encourage some safety improvements, including technology to prevent drunk people from operating a car <https://about.bgov.com/news/automakers-pushed-to-fight-drunk-driving-in-inf…> and better crash tests to address risk to people outside a vehicle <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-06/u-s-new-car-safety-ratin…>. Yet even as the federal government prepares to shovel out hundreds of billions of dollars for roadwork, Americans’ fundamental misconception of traffic deaths as merely a profusion of individual mistakes will go largely uncorrected. In 2015, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation, published a two-page memo <https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812115>declaring that “the critical reason, which is the last event in the crash causal chain, was assigned to the driver in 94% of the crashes.” The memo, which was based on the NHTSA’s own analysis of crashes, then offered a key caveat: “Although the critical reason is an important part of the description of events leading up to the crash, it is not intended to be interpreted as the cause of the crash.” To understand what the NHTSA was trying to say, imagine the following scenario: It’s a foggy day, and the driver of an SUV is traveling along a road at the posted speed limit of 40 miles per hour. The limit then drops to 25 as the road approaches a town—but the road’s lanes do not narrow (which would naturally compel a driver to apply the brakes), and the lone sign announcing the lower speed limit is partially obstructed. Oblivious to the change, the driver keeps traveling at 40. As he enters the town, a pedestrian crosses the road at an intersection without a stoplight. The driver strikes the pedestrian. By the federal government’s definition, the “critical reason” for this hypothetical crash—the last event in the causal chain—is the error made by the driver who was speeding at the time of the collision. Almost certainly, the police will hold him responsible. But that overlooks many other factors: The foggy weather obscured the driver’s vision; flawed traffic engineering failed to compel him to slow down as he approached the intersection; the SUV’s weight made the force of the impact much greater than a sedan’s would have been. The authors of the 2015 NHTSA report were aware of such contributing factors. But their disclaimer that the “critical reason” for a crash is not the same as the “cause” has been largely ignored. Even a page on the agency’s own website <https://www.nhtsa.gov/technology-innovation/automated-vehicles-safety> whittles the message down to “94% of serious crashes are due to human error.” Seeking to find a single cause for a crash is a fundamentally flawed approach to road safety, but it underpins much of American traffic enforcement and crash prevention. After a collision, police file a report, noting who violated traffic laws and generally ignoring factors like road and vehicle design. Insurance companies, too, are structured to hold someone accountable. Drivers aren’t the only ones who face such judgments. Following a crash, a pedestrian might be blamed for crossing a street where there is no crosswalk (even if the nearest one is a quarter mile away), and a cyclist might be cited for not wearing a helmet (although a protected bike lane would have prevented the crash entirely). News stories reinforce these narratives, with stories limited to the driver who was speeding or the pedestrian who crossed against the light. Indeed, journalists have disseminated the misleading 94 percent line on influential platforms including *The Wall Street Journal* <https://www.wsj.com/articles/teslas-push-to-build-a-self-driving-car-sparks…> , *ABC News* <https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/study-autonomous-vehicles-make-…>, and *The Washington Post* <https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/more-people-died-i…>. Research institutions such as the University of Michigan <https://www.nhtsa.gov/technology-innovation/automated-vehicles-safety>and the University of Idaho <https://www.uidaho.edu/engr/programs/cybersecurity/osama-al-qahtani> have done it too. Even former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has helped sow <https://fortune.com/2017/02/26/trump-self-driving-car-guidance/> confusion, as have transportation departments in states such as Illinois <https://idot.illinois.gov/dms-contest>, Utah <https://twitter.com/UtahDOT/status/1118995407407681536>, and Texas <https://twitter.com/txdot/status/1291148224120541184>. “The 94 percent line is a repeated reference at almost every state [department of transportation] conference I’ve ever attended,” Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, told me. When the Michigan DOT spokesman Jeff Cranson speculated in a 2019 podcast <https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9620-514462--,00.html> that human error is actually responsible for more than 95 percent of crashes, the Michigan State University engineering professor Timothy Gates responded, “Yeah, I would agree with that, there’s very few crashes caused by a vehicle defect or road defect, a lot of it really is human error.” That’s a convenient perspective for engineers designing vehicles and roads. And if the buck stops with the driver, automakers feel less pressure to make lifesaving safety features standard across their models—which many of them do not. Last year, *Consumer Reports* found <https://www.autonews.com/commentary/expensive-vehicle-safety-tech-out-reach…> that the average vehicle buyer would have to pay $2,500 for a blind-spot-detection system. Pedestrian-detection technology was standard on 13 of the 15 most popular vehicle models—but unavailable on one and part of a $16,000 optional package on another. With responsibility falling on those directly involved in a crash, it’s unsurprising that so many highway-safety efforts revolve around education campaigns, assuming that if people were just more careful, we’d all be okay. Officials at the NHTSA and state DOTs pour millions of dollars into these programs, but their benefits seem modest at best <https://www.mdpi.com/2313-576X/7/4/66/htm>. Officials “see their role as trying to cajole people on the roads to make smarter decisions,” Seth LaJeunesse, a senior research associate at the University of North Carolina’s Highway Safety Research Center, told me. “Wear a seat belt, don’t be drunk when driving, and signal appropriately. I think it’s misguided. After all, who’s going to address structural problems, if it’s just people being stupid out there on the road?” For now, the idea that human error causes nearly all crashes is a useful talking point for the makers of autonomous-vehicle technology, which supposedly will prevent such mistakes. Companies including General Motors, Google, and the start-up Aurora have touted the 94 percent statistic in promotional materials <https://www.gm.com/stories/self-driving-cars>, press statements <https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2015/12/16/google-disappointed-by-…>, and even SEC filings <https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0001828108/000119312521259457/filen…>. But, as the Carnegie Mellon University engineering professor Phil Koopman has pointed out <http://safeautonomy.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-reality-check-on-94-percent-huma…>, autonomous systems will make their own errors on the road. He does not expect AVs to reduce crashes by more than 50 percent, even in a best-case scenario. And an all-autonomous driving future is still at least decades away, suggesting that AVs will not reverse the growing death toll on American roads for many years to come—if they ever do. With the infrastructure bill now signed into law, the federal government has a chance to rethink its approach and messaging. Dumping the dangerous 94 percent myth would be a good start; deemphasizing pointless traffic-safety PR campaigns would help too. Encouraging state and local transportation agencies—not just law enforcement—to investigate crashes, which New York City <https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2021/03/25/passed-city-council-establishes-dot-…> is now doing, would be even better. What we need most is a reexamination of how carmakers, traffic engineers, and community members—as well as the traveling public—together bear responsibility for saving some of the thousands of lives lost annually on American roadways. Blaming human error alone is convenient, but it places all Americans in greater danger. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/11/deadly-myth-human-error-c… David Zipper <https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-zipper/> is a Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Taubman Center for State and Local Government. He writes frequently about the future of urban mobility and technology.

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Even as they age, US millennials are driving less than older generations
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jan '22

12 Jan '22

US millennials are slowing their roll when it comes to car travel. A new study <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0965856421003165?via…!> published in the peer-reviewed journal *Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice *found a wide generational divide in the daily driving habits of adult Americans. Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are driving 8% less than Gen X (1965 to 1980), and 9% less than younger baby boomers (1956 and 1964). Full article: https://qz.com/2109753/us-millennials-drive-less-than-older-generations/

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CBC: Pop-up ski library helps make winter sports more accessible for Winnipeggers
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jan '22

08 Jan '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-trails-association-winterp…

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The ice cycle
by Terry Zdan 08 Jan '22

08 Jan '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/i-want-to-ride-my-ice-cycle-1.63084…

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Free Press Weeklies: Path cleared for extension of Pioneers Greenway (Jan7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jan '22

08 Jan '22

Path cleared for extension of Pioneers Greenway https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/east/Path-cleared-for-ext… The East Kildonan-Transcona community committee held its first regular meeting of 2022 on Jan. 4. An application that would change the alignment of the entrance to the Pioneers Greenway, and open and close some portions of Gateway Road and Elmwood Road, was also discussed during a public hearing. The changes would allow the path to continue south of Nairn Avenue. The proposal, the public service noted, would allow for increased active transportation rates and reduce traffic congestion in the area while being in line with Our Winnipeg and the city’s climate action plan. Coun. Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan), while supportive of the project, noted he did not believe it would in any substantive way affect the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. "I just have to say it," Schreyer said. "I’m doing this for the sake of the active transportation plan." "Promoting active transportation is in line with our climate goals, is it not?" Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) added. "If someone leaves their car in their garage and takes their bike, that won’t reduce our carbon footprint?" "Each small step adds up," Catherine Gagnon, author of the report, told the committee. "This gives the residents of Winnipeg an opportunities to reduce their carbon impact by choosing put their cars away and use these paths as a different, alternate means." [image: image.png]

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PBIC Messenger: Upcoming Webinar on Addressing Child Pedestrian Safety
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jan '22

07 Jan '22

*Webinar Announcement* Upcoming Webinar on Addressing Child Pedestrian Safety *Child and youth pedestrian crashes deserve another look: Why and how to do it Thursday, January 27, 2022* 1:00 - 2:30 pm Eastern Time Register Here <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> In most cities children don’t comprise a large share of pedestrian crashes yet there are good reasons and real benefits for a deliberate approach to give this age group the special protection they need. Starting with a focus on youth also can build momentum to address road safety for all. Presenters will offer an overview of Vision Zero for Youth and the results of a two-year demonstration project with the city of Philadelphia using policy change and testing a systemic process to identify high risk roads for children and youth in combination with an equity analysis. Presenters include: - Nancy Pullen-Seufert, PBIC/National Center for Safe Routes to School - Diane Lambert, Toole Design Group - Lily Reynolds, City of Philadelphia Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability ------------------------------ 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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Free Press Community Review: Sharma discusses goals, priorities for 2022 (Jan5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jan '22

05 Jan '22

Sharma discusses goals, priorities for 2022 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/Sharma-discusses-goals-pr… Moving into the new year, Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) laid out some of her goals for 2022. “We have a lot of things to deal with,” Sharma said. “Northwest Winnipeg continues to grow. It’s one of the fastest growing areas of the city. Obviously, with growth comes new amenities that are needed and the regular issues we deal with across the city.” First off, Sharma acknowledged the pandemic has made a “massive change” in the lives of all Winnipeggers, and it has also affected the operation of the city itself. In light of that, Sharma said working closely with community organizations will continue to be important in 2022, as people have relied on community supports to keep themselves afloat during the pandemic. Sharma said she’ll be supporting improvements to the city’s active transportation, including the Northwest Hydro Corridor Greenway, which will run parallel to McPhillips Street. Phase 1 will be approximately 2.4 kilometres from Leila Avenue to Church Avenue. Construction on that project is set to get underway this year, Sharma said. One issue Sharma said she feels strongly about is regulating the growing of medical cannabis in residential areas. “The growing of cannabis in neighbourhoods, there’s a lot of negative impacts that come along with that,” Sharma said. Since cannabis was legalized, Sharma said there’s been a significant uptick in reports of home growers, some that Sharma said are growing “hundreds of plants.” Neighbours have complained of strong odours coming from these residences, she said. Besides that, the operations can cause long-term damage to the houses and attract criminal activity, Sharma said. She’s calling for growers to be licensed in the future. Sharma said the city needs to take the steps to deal with these side-effect issues of cannabis’ relatively fresh legalization. “Winnipeg would be the first major Canadian municipality to actively take steps toward addressing these issues,” she said. Additionally, Sharma mentioned road renewals as a perennial priority in Winnipeg. She said for major projects, she expects to see part of Leila Avenue renewed, as well as the finishing of Keewatin Street north of Inkster Boulevard. However, Sharma acknowledged the upcoming budget makes new projects “challenging.” That budget was put forward by Mayor Brian Bowman, who said he will not be running 2022’s municipal election. Sharma said she’s ready to work with whoever assumes the mayoral title. “I’m excited about new leadership. I think it brings new ideas, a new individual around the table,” she said. “I’m someone that’s a relationship builder. I pride myself on good relations with each member of council, including the mayor, and that’s how I intend on working in the future. I think that’s what gives good results, is co-operation.” Sharma said public safety is also a high priority for the year. She expressed her support for the Northwest Watchers community watch group and said a new group will be forming at North Point. “It’s additional eyes and ears in neighbourhoods,” she said. “It’s getting to know one another, and it’s that culture of safety, in my view, that’s always been important since I was a child.” Sharma has been the councillor for Old Kildonan since 2010.

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re transportation modeling data Winnipeg PERSENTECH-BigDataforTransportation-092015.pdf
by Terry Zdan 29 Dec '21

29 Dec '21

Yours truly has always been a fan for more transportation data..CST produced this vehicle sooed map using on oard gps Ottomate instruments. , see report below investigating excessive idling in Wpg during summer months. The vehicle speed images are real time and document/confirm driving habits in the city. CST student researchers combed the literature for explanations of this phenomenon and came up empty. I have an unpublished non peered story attempting to do that. Cudos to PERSENTECH and their Ottomate...which CST later used in amazing study to document and map bicycle routes in the city. The project was jointly funded by the CoW and FCM (who in my opinion did not understand bicycles as a viable transportation vehicle at that time.) The project was called Ottocycle. Provided a benchmark of active cycling info that was lightyears ahead of it time...at that time. In my opinion.

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Interesting article about modelling of bike network flows using Winnipeg as a Case Study
by Mark Cohoe 29 Dec '21

29 Dec '21

Hi, I stumbled across this paper while researching prioritization of bicycle network segments, and thought I'd pass it along. It's not like there are a lot of papers based on Winnipeg's bike network, so this piqued my interest. I'm really not sure what the connection to Winnipeg is, as there doesn't seem to even be a Canadian University attached to the paper, let alone a Winnipeg institution. Considering Space Syntax in Bicycle Traffic Assignment with One or More User Classes <file:///C:/Users/MCohoe/AppData/Local/Temp/sustainability-13-11078-v3.pdf> The paper discusses a model that was created to estimate bike flows in Winnipeg and compare different ways of estimating the route choice of people on bike. They use shortest path, what they term "route cognition", and Bicycle Level of Service as criteria to assign trips from an origin destination model. I'm not sure how the origin-destination trip tables were attained; maybe through the WATS study, but maybe generated through Space Syntax methodology. The latter seems lilley as I gather that Space Syntax involves dividing the city into smaller zones that are understandable at a personal level. It seems similar to cycle zone analysis. The "route cognition" criteria is new to me, but essentially seems to be related to how easy it is to understand a route. The more turns, the harder to understand, and the less attractive. It seems to come out of "Space Syntax", which is also new to me. I find it to be an interesting criteria. For Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS), they seem to have calculated BLOS for every road segment and intersection based on methods from the Highway Traffic Manual (HTM). Cheers, Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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Evaluating Transportation Equity: Guidance for Incorporating Distributional Impacts in Transport Planning (VTPI)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Dec '21

23 Dec '21

*Equity* refers to the fairness with which impacts (benefits and costs) are distributed. Transportation planning decisions can have large and diverse equity impacts. Evaluating these can be challenging because there are several types of equity and impacts to consider, and various ways to measure them. Horizontal equity assumes that people with similar needs and abilities should be treated equally; vertical equity assumes that disadvantaged groups should receive a greater share of resources. Social justice addresses structural inequities such as racism and sexism. This report provides guidance for transportation equity analysis. It describes various perspectives and impacts, and practical ways to incorporate transportation equity goals into planning. *Transportation Equity Analysis Summary *(www.vtpi.org/equity.pdf) *Type* *Description* *Metrics* *Optimization Strategies* Horizontal – Fair Share Each person receives a fair share of public resources Per capita share of public resources (money, road space, etc.). Multimodal transport planning. Least-cost funding. Efficient pricing. Horizontal – External costs Travellers minimize and compensate for external costs. Infrastructure costs, congestion, crash risk and pollution that travellers impose on other people. Minimize and compensate for external costs. Favor resource-efficient modes. Vertical – Inclusivity Transportation systems provide basic mobility to disadvantaged groups. Quality of travel for people with disabilities and other special needs. Disparities between groups. Favor inclusive modes and accessible community development. Vertical – Affordability Lower-income households can afford basic mobility. Transportation costs relative to incomes. Quality of affordable modes. Favor affordable modes and housing in high-access areas. Social Justice Policies address structural inequities. Whether organizations address inequities such as racism and classism. Identify and correct structural inequities. Affirmative action. *This table summarizes transportation equity types, ways to measure them, and optimization strategies.*

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Ski Train Rolls into The Forks, Bicycle Garden Grows
by Beth McKechnie 20 Dec '21

20 Dec '21

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: The Plain Bicycle Team <Sales(a)plainbicycle.org> Date: Sat, Dec 18, 2021 at 3:32 PM Subject: Ski Train Rolls into The Forks, Bicycle Garden Grows Come see the exciting second Plain Bicycle location at The Forks. Ski library opens. Kicksleds, cargo bikes and more at both locations. View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/18922d70975e/ski-train-rolls-into-the-forks-bicycle-gard…> [image: Logo] *By Donation Ski Library Opens At The Forks* Reserve Skis Now <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> Around this time last year, as winter and another pandemic wave approached, we put out a call to the community to help us build a ski equipment library to make winter fun more accessible. Suddenly, hundreds of generous Winnipeggers began pouring in ready to donate and rent used skis, boots, and poles, snowshoes, snowboards, moccasins and more! *Skis are back. Come get yours* *at the antique train cars at The Forks. *Reserve them <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> and take them to the cabin or your favourite ski trail. Once the River Trail opens, you can even ski from the door! Your donations help support the non profit work of Winnipeg Trails, including the free mobile ski library that will soon be heading out to parks all over Winnipeg as part of Winter;Peg. *We believe in mobility, year round. *Bicycles, kicksleds, baby seats, cargo bikes, lights, gifts… the new Plain Bicycle train cars have everything any family needs to get outside and get active. Our Bicycle Garden Grows Our location at 267 Sherbrook Street, just south of Portage and located in the heart of Winnipeg’s bike-o-philic West End remains open! Although we ran out of room for all the skis (all skis must be picked up at the Forks now), you can still buy dutch bikes, cargo, get repairs done and pickup and return snowshoes! Visit the Plain Bicycle Online Store <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> Need a surefire gift idea? We have gift certificates. Gift certificates come in the form of a snazzy card, and are redeemable at either location. Hours and addresses for both locations <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> Note on Holiday hours: Christmas Eve: noon-5 both locations. Christmas Day: Closed at both locations. Boxing Day: Forks noon-6; Bicycle Garden closed. News Year Day: Closed at both locations. [image: Facebook icon] <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> [image: Instagram icon] <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> [image: Twitter icon] <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> [image: Email icon] <http://Sales@PlainBicycle.org> [image: Logo] <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f5…> *Copyright (C) 2021 Plain Bicycle. All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you are on the waiting list or you purchased a plain bicycle and because we promised to send updates on bicycle repair and parts. Our mailing address is: Plain Bicycle 267 Sherbrook Ave Winnipeg, MB R3C 2B8 Canada Add us to your address book <https://PlainBicycle.us16.list-manage.com/vcard?u=7bf38a87667ed8e78f57eb067…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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WFP: A warm winter embrace (Dec18'21)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Dec '21

18 Dec '21

A WARM WINTER EMBRACE The pandemic has made clear just how important fresh air and social connections are to our well-being; rather than surrender to the cold, cities that spend a significant portion of the year under snow and ice can, and should, rise to the challenges and… enjoy? https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/a-warm-winter-embrace-575940602.html WHETHER it was a picnic at a plaza, or a gathering on a patio, or a literal walk in the park — the importance for social connections and a high-quality public space has been punctuated during the pandemic. We took our computers and meetings outside, took up jogging or cycling on sidewalks that extended into city streets, and sought places to interact with our friends and loved ones. Cities were compelled to support individuals and businesses during the pandemic, with quick responses and changes to public policy and programs. In Winnipeg, streets were turned over to pedestrians, allowing for safe distancing from one another while outdoors — a temporary pilot project that many advocated to remain permanent in several areas across the city. In Edmonton, restaurants were provided free, expedited permits for outdoor patios, and businesses along major commercial corridors were invited to apply for micro-grants to support their transition to pandemic resilient models such as contactless payment systems or infrastructure for pickup of goods. Cities converted vacant or underutilized spaces into temporary shelters for people experiencing homelessness, as mandated physical-distancing measures could not be accommodated in existing overcrowded facilities. To allow for these transitions, city governments had to relax bylaws and policies. In many ways, they tossed out their usual playbooks, so to speak, shifting the way they govern and respond. Many of the interventions continued throughout the coldest months; in Edmonton, 40 per cent of survey respondents indicated that they spent more time outside than in previous winters and 71 per cent said they would spend either the same amount or more time outside this year. As the snow begins to fall, we should reflect on which interventions worked well, and howwe might adapt them this winter. What do we need to do to stay active, to staymentally well and to keep our cities’ hearts beating? ●●● LAST winter, Bloomberg CityLab cited Edmonton’s WinterCity Strategy as an important precedent from which other cities can learn, noting, “It has become clear that the safest place to be with other people is outdoors, and we can learn from winter cities how to keep the good times (literally) rolling.” Launched in 2012, the WinterCity Strategy outlines ways to: increase opportunities for outdoor play; improve winter transportation; design for safety, comfort, and beauty; develop a four-season patio culture; and increase festivals and celebrations. Through these endeavours, Edmonton hopes to nurture a vibrant winter life, prioritize quality winter design, bolster a bustling winter economy and celebrate the city’s wintry identity. Cities can take inspiration from Edmonton’s strategy. For example, they might pilot creative projects that use snow and ice as a resource. Imagine if cities used snow to build snow forts, slides, sculptures and climbing mounds. What if businesses used snow to develop wind barriers for patrons to remain outside comfortably? Edmonton’s strategy also calls for accessible opportunities to play outside, from free skating at outdoor rinks to reconfiguring existing city trails for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Specifically, the plan calls for “whiteof- ways” where snow cover is kept on parts of sidewalks and other routes for snow-assisted mobility. “While we are connecting and sharing with others that are generating ideas and solutions, one thing is clear, Edmonton is arguably the international leader in winter city approaches,” says Lisa Cavicchia, program director of the Canadian Urban Institute. “It’s the only city that I have come across that has a comprehensive strategy focused on embracing winter. And the only strategy that is holistic in that it includes changing mindsets, building community and building the local economy.” ●●● FOR Sheena Jardine-Olade, one of the founders of Night Lab, a research and policy consultancy focused on the night-time economy, illumination should be a key consideration when preparing our cities for the upcoming cold. “With negative perceptions of winter being dark and dreary, lighting has an impact,” says Jardine-Olade. “Our travel in winter tends to be destination- driven, and the proper lighting can get us to stop and take a moment to interact and engage with our surroundings. Lighting improves legibility, wayfinding, perception of comfort and safety, and creates better access and use of public space during the winter months for everyone — night workers, those with mobility issues, vulnerable populations, those participating in recreation or social gatherings. So, how can we play with light to create positive winter narratives?” With changing climate and weather patterns, the one thing that all festivals and events can rely on is darkness. This means they can play with light. But to do that, they need to manage darkness. “Light can shape feelings in spaces. Light can guide us, inspire us,” says lighting designer Sabine De Schutter. In winter cities, often less light is needed because it reflects off the snow. We can add permanent or temporary lighting to spaces to draw people in. One of Edmonton’s new skating trails has colourful lights that project a mosaic effect on the ice. This creates a whimsical experience while gently lighting the trail, allowing skaters’ night vision to remain so they can still see stars overhead. In winter cities, access to sunshine is important for physical and mental health during the darker months. As cities add taller buildings to meet higher- density goals, rooftop spaces will become more important for public life and well-being. In Calgary, a temporary park designed byWinnipeg-firm Public City Architecture, High Park, was erected on an underused downtown parkade. Colourful picnic tables, fake grass, and lights adorned this new public space throughout 2021. Local music venues and fitness centres that have had to close because of COVID-19 are also exploring whether they could use the space for concerts and fitness classes. Public washroom access has long been an issue for everyone, regardless of age, gender, ability, or wealth. Put in simple terms, when you gotta go, you gotta go! Public toilets have largely been absent in most cityscapes, or are available at limited capacities or in states of disrepair. When patronizing businesses this past summer, many found it difficult to stay in place for longer periods of time with limited access to public toilets. Rae and Wins Bridgman of Winnipeg-based firm BridgmanCollaborative Architecture, have long advocated for four-season public toilets that are colourful, highly visible, open and well-ventilated, spacious and comfortable with places to sit, non-gendered and for everyone. “Washing hands is key to stopping the pandemic in its tracks. It’s so obvious we need more safe, clean, monitored, year-round public toilets in our cities. Clean public toilets (with places to wash our hands), they make all the difference between thriving healthy cities and declining unhealthy cities,” Wins says. The City of Toronto, as part of its COVID-19 response, expanded its supply of washroom facilities in parks from 64 to 143 near the end of 2020. ●●● EDMONTON’S Winter City Strategy led to the creation of three tool kits designed to encourage citizens to get outside in winter: Be Active, Be Social and Be Creative. They provide tips and ideas on things such as dressing for being outside, activities, recipes to cook on the fire, decorating front yards and houses and hosting winter picnics and backyard parties. Neighbourhood play streets, where a street is closed off for activities, have become popular inmany cities in the summer, and can be adapted to provide safe spaces for physically distanced winter gatherings. Every winter inWinnipeg, Hazel Borys’s neighbours collaborate and share their front lawns to develop slides and play space. Borys, CEO of PlaceMakers Inc., is a winter city aficionado who guides governments around the world through policy, physical planning and land-use law reforms. “When the development bylaw prioritizes a human-scaled public realm, it makes wintertime activation much easier,” says Borys. “That is, when rear lanes take care of parking cars and storing trash, it frees up front yards to get convivial. That’s when Winnipeggers are prone to put two front yards together for a skating rink or a toboggan run…. When people have space that is easily compiled and when the city allows temporary uses to spring up, we are more prone to inhabit our outdoors year round.” While the above activities present an opportunity to support the local economy and neighbourhood participation in the winter, it is important to note that winter also presents significant challenges to those underhoused. While cities are in a hurry to transform public spaces for the local economy to flourish in the winter, it is incumbent on us, as planners, designers, and as neighbours, to consider the harsh realities of the cold and its impacts on those sleeping rough. How do we reconcile a desire for interventions that carve out public space for private uses? How do we reframe our thinking to ensure spaces are for everyone, not just for the few? During the height of COVID-19, underutilized spaces and buildings were used as temporary shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness to adequately physically distance themselves. Would that be the appropriate response for the upcoming winter season? What might need to be reconsidered? What other spaces should be adapted to accommodate? Most cities have ample space to provide socially-distanced services and shelter to residents struggling with homelessness. So what can we do? Tool kits and guidelines to respond to COVID-19 have been prepared across the nation, with many now focusing on city building through a winter lens. Below are several implementation scenarios that may unfold in the short term. ● Celebrate winter: attend your local winter fest. City administrations and citizens should look at what is already happening in winter in their cities. What kinds of festivals and events are already being produced? How can they be supported to continue in a COVID-19 context? Find out how to host a neighbourhood play street. Meet neighbours in the park, take a chair, a blanket and your own hot chocolate. ● Create an experience: creating a captivating winter experience is key to thriving in the coldest of months. The Flying Canoe Volant Festival in Edmonton has been doing this for years — taking more than a kilometre of forested ravine in the heart of the city and turning it into a magical display of light, art and culture. Temporary light installations and public art displays created by local artists fill the space with colour and wonder, while cultural displays and performances entrance with displays of heritage, history and resilience (including the most Canadian of treats: hot maple syrup folded with fresh snow). In 2018, temperatures reached the -38 C in Edmonton, yet more than 20,000 people showed up. The next year, with -20 Cweather, which is much more common for the time of year, 50,000 attended. The proof is in the pudding— or the syrup, for that matter. To truly thrive in the winter months, we need to create a winter experience. ● Enjoy refreshments al fresco: support local venues by going to a winter patio. Venues can make their patios winter-friendly by blocking the wind and adding heating elements and lights. Adding a touch of colour and (even fake) greenery will make a space more inviting. It is important to keep in mind that a winter patio experience does not have to be, and will not be, the same as one in summer. Appetizers, desserts, soups and hot drinks are much more suited to sitting outside than a full meal. ● Create an authentic winter experience; do not try to recreate a summer one. And keep in mind, your backyard patio does not need to be retired for the winter, either— blankets, a fire pit and hot chocolate will make for a cosy family evening. ● Clear the snow: help your neighbours by keeping your sidewalk clear of snow. Getting outside and walking will be so much more important this winter. City administrations might need to increase snow clearing in parks, too. A single uncleared path or windrow on a corner creates a barrier for some folks that will end their journey. Residents with limited mobility, such as wheelchair users or parents with strollers, should always be considered in snow-clearing procedures. This winter in particular, when social isolation could be more serious than usual, good snow clearing becomes a matter of social justice. ● Keep on pedalling: try winter cycling. Cycling became so popular around the world during the pandemic that it was difficult to buy a bike. That trend continued in Edmonton, as 24 per cent of winter cyclists said they had picked up cycling in the last 12 months. Many cities closed streets to vehicular traffic so people could walk and cycle with more room. Many cities such as Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg continue to add bike lanes. Put studded tires on your bike and give it a go. If cities want to encourage year-round cycling, maintenance of bike lanes is key. People of all ages will cycle when the lanes are clear and they feel safe. As an added bonus, in many cities, businesses on bike lanes seem to have an increase in sales because pedestrians and cyclists will stop more frequently than vehicle drivers. So cycling will support the local economy, too. ● Use winter as a resource: we have two options when it comes to planning and designing for a cold, winter city — plan for winter, or plan with winter. Winter, and the usual suspects that follow — snow, wind, ice, and darkness— can be understood as resources we can use to create an experience, as opposed to vicious elements we need to mitigate against. Cities need to harness the power that these elements provide — free, natural resources, often occurring in abundance, and use them to create experiences. By planning and designing with our natural environment, instead of against it, we can build a flourishing winter experience in which we embrace the beauty of the coldest months. These ideas are not new — in Edmonton, the Silver Skate Festival has been inviting internationally renowned snow carvers to craft and create unique and engaging displays out of our most abundant winter resource. When used correctly, snow and ice can be important building resources. Once we understand winter as a resource instead of a nuisance, we can plan and design a winter city that actively thrives in its environment — instead of constantly cursing that fluffy white stuff. ● Be flexible, creative and supportive: ask what is getting in the way of supporting vibrant, fun outdoor winter life, and what can be done to help. Cities can look at which policies and regulations were designed with summer in mind, and reimagine them with a winter lens. Toronto, for example, has already changed its rules to allow portable heaters on all patios. Edmonton’s strategy calls to “further develop a culture of shared responsibility for safety that supports active, engaged winter lifestyles and appropriate risk taking.” Shifting to a shared culture of risk around winter activities also requires flexibility, creativity and support from all sides. Partnerships and community-driven ideas can be supported by city administrations in many ways, such as grants, stewardship and permit relief. Focused, collective, centralized marketing will also support activities and businesses. Led by city administration or a tourism office, a targeted campaign will promote festivals, events and local businesses and will help citizens find out what is going on and what they need to know during this COVID-19 winter. ● Rising to the challenge: Winnipeg and Edmonton are both known for their winter identities — cities where temperatures can dip lower than -30 C during a cold snap. Whether we take to ice rinks for a game of shinny or skate along frozen rivers, we also enjoy times of indoor coziness à la Danish hygge. Both realities are necessary, as not everyone will embrace winter. But like it or not, winter is here and we need to plan for it. We can do it in a way that creates an invitation for people to get out and enjoy it. The snowy season has been a source of strength for both cities’ creativity, ingenuity and resilience. We want to leverage it, to bolster our economy, to encourage neighbourly participation and to support connectedness and livability. The question is, what resources are we willing to put into the advancement of our winter plans, and has this pandemic created a compelling enough reason for us to get started? Time will tell, and our investment or divestment will be quite evident as our cities thaw. Jason Syvixay is an urban planner and PhD candidate who convenes dialogue around pressing urban issues. He has helped to build safe, resilient, and equitable places and policies through his work at the DowntownWinnipeg BIZ, HTFC Planning& Design and the City of Edmonton. Isla Tanaka is theWinter City Planner for the City of Edmonton. She has presented on winter life and design around the world and helped plan two international winter cities conferences. Amos Kajner-Nonnekes is an urban designer, public artist and creative. He is a founding partner of Thirdspace Design Group Inc., an Edmonton urban design and placemaking studio, as well as a partner with Vignettes Showcase Inc., an Edmonton-based design studio and public art firm.

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CBC: City of Winnipeg budget tweaked to include public washroom funds, active transportation reporting
by Beth McKechnie 16 Dec '21

16 Dec '21

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-of-winnipeg-budget-small-chang… Full city council will vote on entire budget at Wednesday meeting Mayor Brian Bowman's inner circle sent the City of Winnipeg's preliminary budget to council largely unchanged, but with some small tweaks to address priorities of councillors and community delegates. Changes to the $1.195 billion budget include shuffling around $50,000 to fund the maintenance and operations of new public washrooms, funding for new spray pads in Whyte Ridge and The Maples, and an order for the public service to report on efforts to access federal funding for trees. "Part of what these amendments reflect is the effort to work with all councillors," said Coun. Scott Gillingham, chair of the city's finance committee, after the executive policy committee meeting. "These amendments reflect the fact that we're trying to work with our council colleagues, both those on the executive policy committee and those not on executive policy committee." City council will vote on the entire budget and any amendments at a meeting on Wednesday. The executive policy committee added a requirement that the public service report back to council any time an active transportation project can't be completed along with a road renewal or rehabilitation. City policy requires that active transportation facilities be included whenever a street that is part of the city's active transportation strategy is rebuilt, but those facilities are sometimes scrapped due to issues that arise once construction starts. If that happens, the public service must now come back to council with an alternative plan or a request for more funding, Gillingham said. Bowman, speaking at a news conference after the meeting, said challenges arise with projects due to existing infrastructure. "There's just increasing scrutiny and increasing demands of council to do more for active transportation, and we want to make sure that the reporting throughout the year is just more proactive," Bowman said. One change was made as a result of presentations from delegates at EPC's open meeting on Friday. Advocates for preserving Winnipeg's urban canopy questioned whether the city was spending enough to save mature trees and plant new ones. The committee added a requirement for the public service to report quarterly on efforts to access federal funding, such as the 2 Billion Trees Program, which will begin taking applications soon. "This budget amendment really places the onus on us to demonstrate that we're leveraging contributions for Winnipeg's urban canopy," Coun. Sherri Rollins told the committee. The draft police budget, including a requirement that the Winnipeg Police Service find more than $9 million in annual savings, was referred to full council. Earlier this month, the Winnipeg Police Board passed the $320-million police budget, with a warning that there are risks associated with trying to meet the $9-million savings target. The police budget will rise $7 million next year, but police sought a larger increase. "We have, under this mayor, increased funding," Coun. Brian Mayes, who sits on the police board, told the committee. "We have, however, reduced the acceleration rate quite dramatically. So the bigger increases we used to see, the arc has been flattened over time." A $58,000 pilot project to provide free menstrual products in select city facilities will be funded using existing resources. "I do see the benefit and I think the pilot is something that should be supported," Bowman said during a news conference after the meeting. "The hope and expectation is that, as a result of the pilot, that those products would be made available throughout city facilities." The budget maintains the 2.33 per cent property tax increase — the same amount it has increased each year during Bowman's term. This year's increase will cost the average homeowner about $43.

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CBC: WRENCH's archive project asks public to share documents to tell story of cycling in Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 16 Dec '21

16 Dec '21

Relevant documents to be shared, presented on social media https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/wrench-launch-winnipeg-cycling-arch… -- 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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Boston Pilot Project Finds Free Transit Increases Ridership | Less Free Parking, More Shopping
by Beth McKechnie 15 Dec '21

15 Dec '21

Two topics of potential interest in this article from Next City: https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/boston-pilot-project-finds-free-transit-… 1) Boston Pilot Project Finds Free Transit Increases Ridership 2) A Gift to City Retailers for the Holidays: Less Free Parking, More Shoppers 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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Fwd: Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators
by Anders Swanson 03 Dec '21

03 Dec '21

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Winnipeg Trails Association <leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca> Date: Fri, Dec 3, 2021 at 6:16 PM Subject: Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators To: Anders Swanson <andersswanson(a)gmail.com> View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/b276c7f05fe2/winnipeg-trails-is-hiring-active-aging-faci…> *Winnipeg Trails is Hiring Active Aging Facilitators!* *We are looking for multiple active aging facilitators focused on outreach for programming and retail service for our Dutch bike shop. * SEE FULL JOB POSTING ON OUR WEBSITE HERE <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> *IMPORTANT: We value diversity and inclusion and will prioritize applicants who are BIPOC, older adults (55+), and women/non-binary. We also warmly welcome ESL speakers. If we can make this easier through accommodation in the recruitment process, please contact us. We will review applications as they are received and we look forward to hearing from you. Note that these two positions are funded thanks in part to funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons program. That program is geared at helping community organizations offer exciting new job opportunities to older adults. As a result, ideal candidates will identify as BIPOC women and/or non-binary folk aged 55 or older. We strongly encourage others to be in touch, but understand that as part of a push towards more inclusion in a field that presents itself as a bastion of the young and male, identity matters. This is not our only job posting, so we strongly encourage all interested parties to send us their resume and a letter of interest in working here. For more info about all available positions, view our website, social media or send an email to leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca <leighanne(a)winnipegtrails.ca>.* *Brief Job Description* (see more on our website <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> ) The job begins as soon as possible, up to 32 hrs/week starting at $17/hour. Lasting 3 months. Longer if funding allows. Depending on the skills you already have and what you want to learn, picture yourself making people happy by fitting bikes, sharing ski equipment, reaching out to community and seniors organizations to make connections and develop new and/or current programs like Winnipeg Trails’ Goal 5 project. You may also find yourself waxing skis, fixing bikes, and brainstorming ways of building new trails or running a shop! There are multiple positions so don’t hesitate to send this along to a friend, or even apply as a duo! And don’t sell yourself short know matter what your current skill set. You will be joining a team of action-oriented people whose multidisciplinary expertise ranges from mechanics, to city planning, to gardening and land steward knowledge, all with a commitment to learning, listening, and understanding. *Background on the opportunities* Winnipeg Trails runs a social enterprise called the *Plain Bicycle Project.* Since 2017, it has been successful in bringing lessons learned from Dutch cycling culture to Winnipeg. In the Netherlands, it is common to see groups of elderly people traveling daily to the grocery in complete comfort on bicycles designed to serve generations with comfortable rides, all blithely unaware that sights like this are much less common throughout North America. Winnipeg Trails and the Plain Bicycle project want to change that. Winnipeg Trails also runs *Winter;Peg*, a project whose goal is to bring winter fun to everyone. We have a by-donation equipment library where we stock snowshoes, skis and kicksleds! A large part of our audience includes older adults looking for recreation opportunities near their home. Another project of note is our *Goal 5* bike project where we get plain bikes into the hands of BIPOC women in exchange for volunteer hours. We also offer a variety of workshops and how to ride a bike lessons. In general, Winnipeg Trails is responding to sweeping international issues through local action, and we believe strongly that active aging is critical not just for the health and wellbeing of the people we serve, but our city and planet too. *Please spread the word about this opportunity to older adults that may appreciate an opportunity to connect with people in a fun retail environment. Have a fabulous weekend! Thank you for your continued support. Winnipeg Trails Team* [image: Twitter] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> [image: Facebook] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> [image: Website] <http://Winnipegtrails.ca> [image: Instagram] <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578…> or unsubscribe from this list <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> . This email was sent to andersswanson(a)gmail.com *why did I get this?* <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/about?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578c1…> unsubscribe from this list <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=128342d81c494f9ed…> update subscription preferences <https://winnipegtrails.us10.list-manage.com/profile?u=128342d81c494f9ed0578…> Winnipeg Trails Association · 306 Edwin St · Winnipeg, MB R3B 0Y6 · Canada [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Fwd: Trails MB Virtual Presentation - Trail Design for ALL abilities
by Anders Swanson 01 Dec '21

01 Dec '21

Should be a good one. See below. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Tim Coffin <executive_director(a)trailsmanitoba.ca> Good day, We are excited to announce that we’ll be hosting a virtual presentation by the amazing Janis Neufeld on December 10th. Janis, the CEO of *Inclusion by Design*, will be discussing what it means to design trails for all abilities, while highlighting some of the many examples that she has been involved with in B.C. Presentation will be approx. 50 min, followed by a short Q&A. Join us for this FREE, VIRTUAL, WATCH & LEARN EVENT. No registration required. Please share with your networks. Date: Friday, December 10th Time: 12:00-1:00pm (CST) Joining Instructions: *https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89032712434?pwd=V002UEF1ZXMyeUxMOW41TEdWa09Gdz09 <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89032712434?pwd=V002UEF1ZXMyeUxMOW41TEdWa09Gdz09>* Zoom Meeting ID: 890 3271 2434 Passcode: 385575 Dial by your location: 855 703 8985 Canada Toll-free *Primer:* https://www.westcoasttraveller.com/kootenay-mountain-bike-trails-poised-to-… Hope to see you online. Best, Tim Tim Coffin *Executive Director* *Trails Manitoba/Sentiers Manitoba* *3-303 Portage Ave.* *Winnipeg, MB R3B 2B4* *204-786-2688*

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Bike Winnipeg 100 x 100 challenge
by Charles Feaver 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

<https://gallery.mailchimp.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/bb5526a0-e05 6-4228-8b3c-f931c6193105.png> The challenge: Show that 100+ cyclists in Winnipeg care enough about safer cycling to contribute $100 on Giving Tuesday for a strong campaign to speed up cycling infrastructure implementation in City transportation plans. <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=cd92080f90&e=74a3f90507> I'm in; safe biking is worth $100 Giving Tuesday is about donating to things that matter, after the spending sprees of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Safer cycling in Winnipeg matters a lot. * The City has underspent its 2015 pedestrian/cycling implementation plan by more than $60 million. * Now, the City is developing a Transportation Master Plan to guide road infrastructure investments to 2050. * Winnipeg must achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 * Emissions from transportation account for over half of Winnipegs GHG emissions * To meet its climate targets, Winnipeg must change course NOW to make travel by bicycle a safe, convenient and enjoyable choice. Bike Winnipeg will use resources from this campaign to collaborate with CAA on a city-wide survey on climate and transportation, place strategic advertising, and other projects to inform City leaders on the benefits of redirecting resources to encourage travel by bicycle. <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=eb5b413da6&e=74a3f90507> I'm in; safe biking is worth $100 The first 18 $100 donations will be matched by our amazing sponsors for this campaign; HTFC Planning and Design and Bikes and Beyond <https://mcusercontent.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/00357f97-4e61-0a 56-b6e0-2633cd84c6bc.jpg> <https://mcusercontent.com/0eef3792ad826742c2565b5d5/images/1aefffa5-f538-4d ab-23d1-9974c0bee1b1.png> Alternatively, $100 will buy ¾ of a tank of gas for a Ford F150 and produce 170 kg CO2! Please share this message with your friends today. Watch our <https://bikewinnipeg.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=0eef3792ad826742c256 5b5d5&id=d838c10c39&e=74a3f90507> Facebook page for progress updates on this 100x100 Challenge. Charles Feaver <mailto:charles@bikewinnipeg.ca> charles(a)bikewinnipeg.ca 204.293.6332

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What If Riding the Bus Were Free? (or similar to the U-Pass)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

Interesting article circulated by Functional Transit on fare free transit. In terms of paying for it, a possible funding approach (similar to the U-Pass) would entail every person over 18 years old paying for a monthly bus pass equivalent (with specific exceptions) whether they ride transit or not. This could provide even more funding to enhance and expand transit services than the status quo. https://thetyee.ca/News/2021/11/29/Free-Bus-Fare-Public-Transit/

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It's Time for Public Participation to Evolve With Transportation Planning
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '21

30 Nov '21

Helpful article on recommended do's and don'ts of public engagement today: https://www.planetizen.com/features/115279-its-time-public-participation-ev… 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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