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The Metro: Campaign aims to drop speed limit to 30 km/hr in Bruce Park (Jul28'21)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '21

28 Jul '21

Movement to calm traffic picks up https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/metro/Movement-to-calm-tr… When the pandemic struck, Bourkevale Community Centre organizers decided to pivot their efforts to create a safe and active neighbourhood outside of the building’s four walls, said board president Daevid Ramey. To make this happen, Ramey helped launch Bourkevale 30, a grassroots campaign to drop the area’s speed limit to 30 km/hr. Bourkevale 30 officially kicked off on July 18. “This is a perfect opportunity to engage an entire community and get it done,” Ramey said. “We really want to develop a groundswell of support.” Many studies have reported that pedestrians have a significantly higher rate of survival if struck by a vehicle travelling 30 km/hr rather than 50 km/hr, he explained. “If you create space for folks just to wander around and feel safe from vehicles, they’ll come out and use that space in a really great way,” Ramey said. There are no main through-roads in the Bruce Park neighbourhood, Ramey explained. It’s bookended to the west by George Waters Middle School and Bourkevale Park and Assiniboine Children’s Centre and Jae Eadie Park to the east. The Assiniboine River caps the area to the south and Portage Ave. does the same to the north. “We thought we could make this one of the most livable communities in the city by just getting the speed limit lowered to ensure everyone felt comfortable and our streets were safe and accessible,” Ramey said. Some residents have taken to walking down back alleys to avoid walking where cars often reach the speed limit, he said. With a newly printed set of campaign signs in hand, Ramey and his family set out on a recent muggy July evening to drop them off to fellow Bourkevale 30 supporters. The first stop was the home of Robert Froese, who’s lived down the street from Bourkevale Community Centre for six years. Froese often rides his bike straight out of his garage to the trail systems bisecting the area. As an avid cyclist and self-described tree-hugger, Froese noted the area’s high level of active transportation. “Nobody coming by any of these streets is here for any other purpose than (to go to) a destination within this area. They’re either going to their home or their friends or their neighbours or the community centre,” he said. The city has designated the stretch of Assiniboine Avenue that runs through Bruce Park as a weekend and holiday bike route. Here, vehicle traffic is limited to one block from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Assiniboine Avenue, like a handful of other streets in the neighbourhood, doesn’t have sidewalks, forcing pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to share the road. “You’ve got seniors with walkers, people walking their dogs and entertaining their children ... you get a car coming by here at 50 km/hr, that’s a death trap, there’s no reason for it,” Froese said. Considering city workers must drop off and pick up the bike route barricades every weekend, Froese figures reducing the speed limit in the entire neighbourhood would save time and money. Those interested in supporting the cause can find more information and a petition at www.mybourkevale.com

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WFP: Sidewalk cyclists face ticketing surge (Jul28'21)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jul '21

28 Jul '21

Fines disproportionately target certain demographics Sidewalk cyclists face ticketing surge https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/number-of-tickets-han… AS the number of cyclists increases on Winnipeg streets, more tickets are being handed out for riding on sidewalks. Winnipeg police handed out more than double the number of tickets to people for riding bikes on the sidewalk last year, issuing 87 in 2020 compared to 43 in 2019, said spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon. So far this year, police have handed out 38 tickets, which ding a rider $113. Anders Swanson, cycling advocate and executive director at Winnipeg Trails Association, believes people shouldn’t get fined for such an infraction. “Fundamentally, we should be giving out tickets to anyone who does a road without putting in bike lanes — that’s who should be getting the sidewalk tickets because it’s not the fault of the people who are doing it. The people who are doing it are trying to save lives,” he said. The Winnipeg Trails Association warns people they could be ticketed for taking to the sidewalks on bikes, but Swanson thinks it’s often necessary for them to do so at times because of dangerous stretches or intersections where traffic squeezes out cyclists. “The reality is when you’re giving tickets like that, the message it’s sending is that you should be doing something else, and that something else is usually driving, which is far more dangerous for everybody for all kinds of reasons, whether it’s for health and environment or road violence and trauma. There has to be a better way, because there are places around the world that have figured that out,” Swanson said. Orly Linovski, who researches transportation equity at the University of Manitoba, said there’s another issue: cycling tickets disproportionately target certain demographics. Linovski and other researchers acquired ticketing data through a freedom of information request for the years 2018 through 2020. The data include all cycling tickets, which Linovski has mapped out but has yet to publish. “The vast majority were in probably four or five different census tracts in the downtown core, but also north of it,” she said. Data showed a few hundred cycling tickets in those areas, including downtown and the neighbourhoods bordering Main Street north to Higgins Avenue, she said. Tickets were almost non-existent outside central Winnipeg, with most neighbourhoods registering either zero or one ticket for all three years. “There’s a few reasons for this: there’s no cycling infrastructure in some of those neighbourhoods. You know what Main Street is like. On top of having an underpass, in some places there’s four lanes in each direction of very fast moving traffic. It makes sense that people would cycle on the sidewalks,” she said. Linovski doesn’t believe the frequency of sidewalk cycling is specific to those neighbourhoods. “I think the level of policing in that neighbourhood is higher. You see cyclists on the sidewalk everywhere, but they’re not ticketed,” she said. While the ticketing data didn’t include racial or socioeconomic information, the areas with higher ticket counts generally have populations with lower incomes and higher rates of visible minorities than the rest of the city, Linovski said. When asked for the city’s stance on sidewalk cycling, a spokesman for the public works declined to comment, instead referring the Free Press to the Winnipeg police, who said they were unable to respond before publishing time Tuesday. cody.sellar(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Wales suspends all future roadbuilding
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jul '21

21 Jul '21

Wales Suspends All Future Roadbuilding <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> (The Guardian) Reports the Welsh government has suspended all future road-building plans as part of plans to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Money saved by not building new roads would be used to improve existing ones, including creating new bus and cycle lanes and infrastructure for sustainable transport.

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WFP Analysis: Reduced speeds won’t expand travel time (Jul17'21)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jul '21

17 Jul '21

Reduced speeds won’t expand travel time https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/reduced-speeds-wont-expa… I DRIVE a car that spends almost all its time on the streets of Winnipeg. Thanks to the vehicle’s trip computer, I know my average speed — 31 kilometres per hour. So, the current debate over lowering speed limits on some city streets comes as a bit of a surprise. There is some opposition as the City of Winnipeg begins a yearlong experiment with reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on sections of four local streets. Do opponents of the move realize how fast they really travel? The simple fact is that lowering speed limits to 30 km/h on many residential streets is not going to change how quickly you get around town — and it will save lives in the process. It is well known that the actual speed vehicles travel in an urban area is governed by such factors as traffic volumes, the road system, accidents and construction — and not so much by posted speed limits. A study in New York a few years ago famously found that the average travelling speed of a vehicle in Manhattan was 7.5 km/h, which means you can just about keep up to cars on foot at a brisk walking pace. Winnipeg rarely has gridlocked traffic, but try crossing the city on Route 90 during morning or afternoon rush hours. Sure, the signs say 50 km/h, 70 km/h or even 80 km/h, but try achieving that on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. I am about as average a motorist as can be, driving to work and other activities over a series of residential streets, neighbourhood collector roads and highways, all within city limits. I rarely venture outside the Perimeter Highway. Over thousands of kilometres every year, the trip computer comes up with the same average of 31 km/h in the stop-and-go traffic I encounter across the city. That’s not going to change if I have to slow down to 30 km/h on some residential streets. In fact, like most drivers, I spend very little time on residential streets and rarely drive the speed limit on them in any event. They are usually the first leg or the last leg of a journey, as they are intended to be. The focus on speed limits shows a lack of knowledge about how fast people really drive, and also about how speed limits fit into the bigger program of road safety. The stated goal of many cities now is to achieve “Vision Zero,” a concept that eliminates traffic fatalities entirely. Lower speed limits play a role in this. But the concept is much broader. Its goal is a safe transportation system in which the needs of street users, vehicles and the transportation network have to be addressed in an integrated manner, through a wide range of interventions. It can involve redesigning roads, redirecting traffic, creating separate routes for pedestrians and cyclists, improved driver training and many other features. The whole system must work together and cannot have elements that are at odds with the bigger picture. That is where lower residential speed limits come in. The design of most residential streets makes them perfectly safe if vehicles travel at 30 km/h. Drivers can stop quickly if, for example, a child runs onto the street. Motorists and cyclists can safely share the road, with lots of time to react, move over and drive around. Speed things up to 50 km/h and the dynamics change. The motorist expects to travel at that speed. The child is in danger. The cyclist and motorist get into conflict because the motorist must slow down or stop to avoid a collision. My River Heights street has speed bumps, stop signs and yield signs, all within a distance of a few hundred metres. The only thing that makes it dangerous is a motorist racing to get up to the 50 km/h speed limit for a few seconds on the oneblock, 400-metre unimpeded stretch in front of my house. A street for vehicles going 50 km/h needs separate lanes for motorists and cyclists, more traffic lights and crosswalks, more safety measures. There are lots of streets like this in Winnipeg, nearby the residential streets, and the speed limits on them are not changing. Neither is the time it is going to take you to get across the city, travelling at the real average speed you go on city streets. *Bob Cox is the publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press*.

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Next national series event - Bike To The Future
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '21

16 Jul '21

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Shaun Loney <info(a)encompass.coop> Date: Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 1:52 PM The role of bikes in designing cities for people. Getting from here to there. [image: Logo] <https://encompass.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9f8c78844735ab51e913e66…> Upcoming series event:Bike To The FutureRole and impact of bikes in designing cities for people. Thursday July 22nd at 1:00 - 2:30 EDTSeries: What If the Ways We Build Back Better Rewrite the Social Contract? During the pandemic Canadians started biking more than ever, and it became apparent to many people that so far city planning has focused on moving cars around efficiently. As part of a larger discussion on active transit, this week's series seeks to ask “what could the impact be of instead centering our designs on moving people? Specifically, what if biking was fast, easy, safe, and maybe even the most fun way of getting around? What needs to happen to get us from here to there? (pun intended!) Join us with special guest Mel Marginet of the Green Action Centre in Winnipeg, as we continue this generative series about shooting for better than “normal” as we come out of the pandemic. Mel, who is prolific on twitter <https://encompass.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9f8c78844735ab51e913e66…>, is focused on what individuals can do to live sustainably, while also advocating for governments to do their part to make healthy, green choices the most convenient, appealing and affordable for all. We look forward to having her as part of this timely conversation. By re-writing social contract we mean the rules, written and unwritten, that hold society together. Is there a better time than now to question societal norms and assumptions? In the series so far, we’ve explored how everyday people can invest in non-profit real estate through community bonds and we learned about complementary currency. Before we take a break in August, we’ll get together from coast to coast to talk bikes. Encompass Coop and Axiom News invite you to park your bike and jump on Zoom and join a highly participatory conversation….. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXPERIENCE: - Being lit up by new ideas that bring more love, compassion, and kindness into the world. - Aha moments that excite you. - A tangible ways of approaching city design that could: - Increase livability, environmental action, affordability, and maybe our own physical and mental health. - How about some confidence and inspiration? Then this might be the conversation for you! YOU MUST REGISTER <https://encompass.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9f8c78844735ab51e913e66…>TO RECEIVE THE LINK FOR THE CALL. *See you there!* Lucas and Shaun Register at Eventbrite <https://encompass.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9f8c78844735ab51e913e66…> *Copyright (C) 2021 Encompass Co-op. All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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WFP: Bike-building event to put discarded rubber back on road (Jul16'21)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '21

16 Jul '21

Bike-building event to put discarded rubber back on road https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/bike-building-event-to-put-discarde… IT’S a venture that combines cycling with recycling. Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, a non-profit, is set to hold the first of two events that will get more bikes on the road at the very time cycling has experienced a resurgence. At “empty the fill” events (the first one takes place this weekend), volunteers collect discarded bikes from Winnipeg 4R depots and make them roadworthy. They sort, disassemble and reassemble the bikes, deliver them to volunteer builders and shops so they can be donated to people who need a set of wheels. Executive director Kate Sjoberg said the rising popularity of cycling means there’s a greater opportunity to make bicycles and bicycle repairs more accessible to schools, non-profits and the greater community. “Bikes are such a source of joy for so many,” she said. “So, to be able to divert this waste from the landfills and make them really useful to communities that really want them, that’s really exciting.” This weekend’s event involves parts collected at the Brady Landfill recycling depot. To account for COVID-19 safety measures, some volunteers will take the bikes into their own homes to put together. Using this socially distanced system, the charity was able to fix almost 600 bikes last December during its annual Cycle of Giving event. This weekend’s event will gear itself more towards children’s bikes, which will go to schools along with weekly giveaway events in different locations. The shop has added events to its schedules, including pop-up bike repair stands and bike giveaways at pop-up COVID-19 testing sites. WRENCH depends on volunteers, such as longtime core volunteer and bicycle advocate Dave Elmore. Years ago, bicycle parts were wasted, but during his time, Elmore has been able to recycle the parts so they “find their way back into the hands of people who need them,” he said. gillian.brown(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Transit's Rider Happiness Benchmark survey results & webinar
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '21

14 Jul '21

Hi everyone, Please see the link below to access a webinar recording below (which I haven't listened to yet) and here's the link to the Rider Happiness report for Canada: https://blog.transitapp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/RHB-Report_CAN.pdf *Note*: This data is from Transit app users and the goal is to get transit agencies to subscribe to the service for reports. Still, it provides some potentially helpful information. cheers, Beth ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Elizabeth Resta <elizabethresta(a)gmail.com> Fellow transportation enthusiasts, I wanted to share the results of Transit's April 2021 Rider Happiness Benchmark survey. Findings could be helpiness as you're thinking about building out your organization's post-COVID transportation plan. https://blog.transitapp.com/case-study/rider-happiness-benchmarking-survey-… There will be a webinar Thursday, May 27th, 2pm PT if you're interested in diving deeper into the results. There's also a link to the full report. Some takeaways: - Transit riders are incrementally returning and feeling optimistic about riding more. - They’re getting vaccinated at an even higher rate than the general population. - Transit riders' overall satisfaction with their agency has increased since November (but some agencies have risen in the rankings, while others have fallen). Happy reading, Beth --- Beth Resta elizabethresta(a)gmail.com

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Upcoming Webinar on Rails-with-Trails
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '21

13 Jul '21

*Webinar Announcement* Upcoming Webinar on Rails-with-Trails *Thursday, August 19, 2021* 1:00 - 2:30 pm Eastern Time Register Here <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> Many communities across the United States recognize the benefits of developing shared use paths and other trails to make transportation network connections for bicyclists and pedestrians and to increase physical activity and improve health. A new report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Rails-with-Trails: Best Practices and Lessons Learned <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…>, examines safety, design, and liability issues associated with the development of shared use paths and other trails adjacent to active railroad and transit rights-of-way. It explores lessons learned from the experience of rails-with-trails, and suggests best practices to enhance safety and security for railroads, transit, and trail users. During this webinar, the authors will share findings, recommendations, and lessons learned. Following the presentations, the panelists will respond to questions from webinar participants. Panelists include: - Shari Schaftlein, Director, Office of Human Environment, Federal Highway Administration - Mike Long, Director, Regional Operations, Office of Regional Operations and Outreach, Federal Railroad Administration - Frank Frey, General Engineer, Federal Railroad Administration - Michail Grizkewitsch, Transportation Analyst, Federal Railroad Administration - Jared Fijalkowski, Community Planner, U.S. DOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center - Kelly Pack, Senior Director of Trail Development, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - Christopher Douwes, Community Planner, 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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WFP: City speed pilot project lifts off on select streets (Jul13'21)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '21

13 Jul '21

CITY SPEED PILOT PROJECT LIFTS OFF ON SELECT STREETS TRAFFIC on some Winnipeg roads will soon need to slow down. The City of Winnipeg will reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on sections of four local streets known as “neighbourhood greenways,” with the first changes starting Monday. Between July 12 and 23, city crews will install new speed limit signs, speed humps and intersection controls along the routes to support the slower speed limit for a one-year pilot project. The changes will begin this week along Machray Avenue (between Fife and Main streets) and Powers Street (between Dufferin and Partridge avenues). The speed will begin to drop during the week of July 19 on Eugenie Street (from St. Mary’s Road to Youville Street) and Warsaw Avenue (from Thurso Street to Pembina Highway). Once new speed limit signs are posted, they will take effect immediately.

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How to make your bike data count
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jul '21

07 Jul '21

Best-practices for analyzing and applying bike data *Let's talk data: join us for a free webinar* View this email in your browser <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/lk-about-data-4992738-e-UNIQID/725ry…]> 'How to make your bike data count' *On Tuesday July 20th at 2PM ET, join us for a webinar* For the past few months, we have been running a competition called 'Bikes Count' <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/-during-bike-month-eco-counter/725s1…> with our partners at The League of American Bicyclists <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/community/725s3/295005844?h=LgIONFQU…>. This year's winners - Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance and the City of Charlottesville (VA) - are receiving expert data services from us, including data cleaning, analysis and communications. In two weeks from now, on July 20th at 2-30PM ET, join us for a free webinar to hear about those projects and discover actionable best-practices for organizing, analyzing and communicating bike data. Click here to register for the webinar <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/urrTsvHtcqLa279KkJgFFq8uPEOk9k/725s5…> *About the webinar:* For Bicycle Friendly Communities and bike advocacy groups, the importance of collecting bike data is often well known. From manual counts to surveys, bike parking data to automated counts, bike data is more available than ever. Analyzing, organizing and communicating that data for meaningful change, however, remains challenging and under-discussed. What are the best-practices for collecting, analyzing and communicating bike data? How can advocates get the most out of a little bit of data? How can manual bike counts be leveraged in a community to support change? During this free one-hour webinar, hear from bike data experts and the winners of this year’s Bikes Count data competition on all things bike data. We look forward to seeing you there! [image: Facebook] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/EcoCounter-/725s7/295005844?h=LgIONF…> [image: Twitter] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/Eco-Counter/725s9/295005844?h=LgIONF…> [image: Website] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/2021-07-07/725sc/295005844?h=LgIONFQ…> Copyright © 2021 Eco-Counter. 3981 Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 604 | Montreal, QC | H2W 1Y5 Office: 1-514-849-9779 | Toll Free: 1-866-518-4404 This email was sent to <<Adresse e-mail>> *why did I get this?* <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/e85ca3a9-e-UNIQID-c-b9989169e3/725sf…> unsubscribe from this list <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/e85ca3a9-e-UNIQID-c-b9989169e3/725sh…> update subscription preferences <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/e85ca3a9-e-UNIQID-c-b9989169e3/725sk…> Eco-Compteur · 4 Rue Charles Bourseul, Lannion, France · Lannion 22300 · France

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PST eliminated for electric bicycles in BC
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jul '21

07 Jul '21

As the popularity of electric bikes (e-bikes) continues to grow in North America, the B.C. government has eliminated the PST on e-bikes and e-trikes, as announced in Budget 2021. “We have removed the PST on e-bikes to help people save money,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance. “This is just one of the ways our government is encouraging people of all ages to make the switch to an electric-assisted bicycle that will ease commuting pressures and help the environment.” The PST exemption on e-bikes and e-tricycles is a component of building a greener, stronger economy as part of CleanBC. Budget 2021 includes $36 million over the next three years for active transportation infrastructure, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, lighting improvements and multi-use pathways. Read full release <https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021FIN0045-001313>

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When a car improves your life, it’s a public policy failure
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jul '21

05 Jul '21

[excerpted from https://ggwash.org/view/81764/national-links-when-a-car-improves-your-life-… ] *If we had better transit, I wouldn’t need this car*: When buying a car cuts down travel times and opens access to more of a city, that is a failure of planners and leaders who could be making many more people’s lives better by providing more robust active transportation including transit. Baltimore-based writer Dharna Noor laments the improvements to her mobility that purchasing a car during the pandemic created because of poor policy and service. (Dharna Noor | Earther <https://bit.ly/3iWKBkd>) https://gizmodo.com/buying-a-car-improved-my-life-it-shouldnt-have-18471060… <https://gizmodo.com/buying-a-car-improved-my-life-it-shouldnt-have-18471060…>

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WFP: Wellington Crescent bike access to remain unchanged (Jun25'21)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Wellington Crescent bike access to remain unchangedCouncil votes 13-1 against curtailing 'open streets' period https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/wellinton-crescent-bike-access-to-r… City council has voted to maintain the "open streets" project route on Wellington Crescent that has been the source of debate among neighbourhood residents and street users. Brenlee Carrington Trepel, who gathered 68 pages' worth of letters that supported the route reduction, said more than 100 households wanted it changed. Meanwhile, a petition that called for council to keep Wellington’s daily access in place until November had gathered more than 1,700 online signatures by Thursday night. Just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Coun. Matt Allard’s (St. Boniface) call to keep the Wellington Crescent route’s daily status in place until November was approved in a 13-1 vote, which only Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) opposed. Klein said he voted against the motion due to a lack of consultation on the routes. Councillors John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) and Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) were absent from the meeting, due to personal matters. The Wellington route is one of 17 street sections where vehicle travel is restricted to one block between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. to allow more room for cyclists, a follow-up to the 2020 program known as "open streets." Most of this year’s routes operate daily, though a few are already limited to weekends and holidays. During debate prior to the vote, multiple council members urged all road users to share the road respectfully.

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Update on Wellington Cres story
by Patman, David 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Wellinton Crescent bike access to remain unchanged - Winnipeg Free Press<https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/wellinton-crescent-bike-access-to-r…> Wellinton Crescent bike access to remain unchanged Council votes 13-1 against curtailing 'open streets' period Posted: 8:47 AM CDT Friday, Jun. 25, 2021 City council has voted to maintain the "open streets" project route on Wellington Crescent that has been the source of debate among neighhbourhood residents and street users. Brenlee Carrington Trepel, who gathered 68 pages' worth of letters that supported the route reduction, said more than 100 households wanted it changed. Meanwhile, a petition that called for council to keep Wellington's daily access in place until November had gathered more than 1,700 online signatures by Thursday night. Just after 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Coun. Matt Allard's (St. Boniface) call to keep the Wellington Crescent route's daily status in place until November was approved in a 13-1 vote, which only Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) opposed. Klein said he voted against the motion due to a lack of consultation on the routes. Councillors John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) and Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) were absent from the meeting, due to personal matters. The Wellington route is one of 17 street sections where vehicle travel is restricted to one block between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. to allow more room for cyclists, a follow-up to the 2020 program known as "open streets." Most of this year's routes operate daily, though a few are already limited to weekends and holidays. During debate prior to the vote, multiple council members urged all road users to share the road respectfully. [City of Winnipeg logo]<https://winnipeg.ca/> David Patman P.Eng Manager - Transportation Transportation Public Works Telephone: 204-986-5895 Mobile: 204-806-6471 Email: dpatman(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:dpatman@winnipeg.ca> Website: winnipeg.ca<https://winnipeg.ca/> Address: 101-1155 Pacific, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P1 Connect with us: [Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg> [Twitter] <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this message is intended solely for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any use, dissemination, distribution, copying or disclosure of this message and attachments, in whole or in part, by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and permanently delete the complete message and any attachments. Thank you.

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WFP: Frustration drives debate over Wellington Crescent closure at city hall (Jun25'21)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Frustration drives debate over Wellington Crescent closure Rubber meets road at city hall https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rubber-meets-road-at-city-hall-5747… SOME say it’s a desperately needed active transportation path, while others blame it for triggering conflict between cyclists and drivers. The hotly debated call to reduce access to the enhanced summer cycling route on Wellington Crescent (Academy Road to Guelph Street) sparked plenty of passionate feedback at Thursday’s city council meeting. By 8 p.m., councillors had yet to vote on a motion to reduce the route’s operations to weekends and holidays only, starting Sept. 7, instead of a previous council-approved plan to let seven-daya- week access continue until Nov. 5. Council was expected to vote sometime Thursday night. Sharon Kirk told councillors reducing access to the route would set a bad precedent for other streets in the pilot program. “Removing Wellington Crescent from open streets early… could set a precedent for other open streets to be taken off as well,” said Kirk. The Wellington route is one of 17 street sections where vehicle travel is restricted to one block between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. to allow more room for cyclists, a follow-up to the 2020 program known as “open streets.” Most of this year’s routes operate daily, though a few are already limited to weekends and holidays. Kirk said the four drivers who live at her Wellington Crescent home have not experienced delays in their commutes since the change took effect. “This fall, when schools open and more cyclists commute to work, it is critical that Wellington Crescent remain closed to vehicles (except for oneblock access) until November for the safety of these community cyclists,” she said. “The ability to exercise (safely) should be considered a human right.” However, several other Wellington Crescent residents said the route has forced vehicle traffic to increase on other nearby routes, made turning onto Academy Road “a nightmare” and added congestion to back lanes. In addition, several residents said some cyclists have lashed out at drivers for using the one-block travel option to reach their homes. “Many individuals apparently feel empowered to be the street police and do not hesitate to lecture, scream, swear, give finger gestures, photograph without consent and physically attempt to block access to our (homes),” said Leah Restall. In one case, Restall said that included a male cyclist who refused to let her pass in her vehicle. She said the cyclist swerved back and forth in front of her car, appeared to photograph or videotape her reaction and then yelled obscenities at her. Brenlee Carrington Trepel, who gathered 68 pages worth of letters that support the route reduction, said more than 100 households want that change. Meanwhile, a petition that calls for council to keep Wellington’s daily access in place until November had gathered more than 1,700 online signatures by Thursday night. Late Thursday afternoon, Coun. Matt Allard shared a motion that would cancel the change, leaving daily access in place. Allard, council’s public works chairman, said he was “optimistic” council would support that. “In terms of public opinion, I think the route is popular and I think, even (with Wellington residents), it’s popular… I’m hoping the program works well and we can make it a permanent addition,” said Allard (St. Boniface). Mayor Brian Bowman previously voted in favour of reducing the route’s operations, along with most members of his executive policy committee. Bowman told media Thursday that many residents weighed in on the topic following that vote. “This is a prime example of where having open, transparent opportunities for Winnipeggers to weigh in on matters that affect them is something that benefits the decision-making at city hall,” he said. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), whose ward includes Wellington Crescent, was absent from Thursday’s council meeting due to a personal matter. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Wellington neighbours at odds over open streets initiative (Jun23'21)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jun '21

23 Jun '21

Wellington neighbours at odds over open streets initiative; issue to go before council Thursday Crescent conflict going to city hall https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crescent-conflict-going-to-city-hal… IT’S a street fight that has pitted Winnipeg’s elites against each other. The tug of war over closing Wellington Crescent to vehicles, so cyclists and pedestrians can use the tony boulevard almost exclusively, is headed toward a showdown at city hall Thursday. A small group of residents rallied Tuesday to show support for current rules that restrict vehicles to one block of travel from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily from Academy Road to Guelph Street. The “Open Streets” program affects several streets across the city that are popular with cyclists and pedestrians and is scheduled to continue till Nov. 5. Organizer Sharon Kirk said the group represented a fraction of overall support to keep the street closed to vehicles, pointing to an online petition she and her husband organized that collected nearly 500 signatures over two days. “I’m a counsellor, so I fully believe having a safe place to exercise enhances the mental well-being of everyone, not just during COVID times, but moving forward,” Kirk said. She said the program improves the neighbourhood’s “community feel.” On the opposite side, a group of residents has submitted letters to city hall asking it to lift restrictions for vehicles on the street. Some argue traffic congestion has moved to nearby Academy Road, while others say people should be allowed to drive down the crescent and look at the landscaped yards. Gail Asper wrote it is “simply unfair to ban all vehicles from having any opportunity to experience Winnipeg’s most beautiful street” and that the prioritized access to cyclists is “discriminating against thousands of Winnipeggers.” Resident Brenlee Carrington-Trepel compiled a 68-page document that includes dozens of letters from residents who complained about the program. That prompted city hall to consider lifting the ban on vehicles on weekdays as of Sept. 7 In an email, Carrington-Trepel said more than 100 residents have contacted her and want “to keep Wellington Crescent part of the Open Streets program as a Sunday and holidays bike route after Sept. 7.” She notes the street had closed on Sundays and holidays “for decades.” She declined to speak further before council votes. Resident Atul Sharma said the letters exaggerate the inconveniences of the program. “I actually resent people speaking for me and saying that these are insurmountable obstacles,” he said. “They’re minor inconveniences.” Sharma has a disability which forces him to use a walker. He said he uses an adaptive bicycle to get exercise. The bike is wider than a regular bike, he said, which makes it difficult to safely coexist on the road with cars. Some of the residents who want the street open said the project discriminates against the disabled, but Sharma disagrees. “This opens the crescent up to them. We see them. We see them in electric wheelchairs, being pushed along by family members, using adaptive vehicles. I think it expands opportunity.” One major concern for resident Jutta Essig is making Winnipeg’s transportation culture safer and environmentally friendly. The mother of three from Germany said she and her family used to bike everywhere in Europe, but when she moved to Winnipeg, she noticed a lack of bicycle infrastructure. When a close friend was hit while biking on Wellington Crescent, her habits changed, she said. “From that moment on we went into North American lifestyle that we use the car for every little commute. It bothered me, but there was no option,” she said. Anders Swanson, executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, a nonprofit that advocates for sustainable infrastructure, said reopening the street early to motorists would be a step in the wrong direction. “We can’t declare climate emergencies then roll back the simplest thing we’ve done,” he said. “That’s not leadership.” He said “Open Streets” is a “drop in the bucket” in terms of what needs to be done to boost active transportation. He commended residents who showed up on Tuesday, but said the issue affects everyone in Winnipeg. “Access to fresh air is a right,” he said. “The ability to drive is not.” The city conducted a survey about “Open Streets” in November 2020. At the time, 83 per cent of Wellington Crescent residents responded positively to the idea, out of the 48 per cent who answered the survey. Kirk said she believes this poll still represents her neighbourhood. In research conducted for the program in 2020, Wellington Crescent had the most cyclists and pedestrians during two 12-hour periods. The second busiest street was Wolseley Avenue. cody.sellar(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Wellington residents start their own petition to save the Open Street
by Anders Swanson 22 Jun '21

22 Jun '21

View their petition <https://www.change.org/p/mayor-brian-bowman-don-t-exempt-wellington-crescen…>. Background: Yesterday, I learned that residents along Wellington had started a petition of their own to counter the messaging in the media and have their own say. It is intended to reflect the views of the majority of their neighbours who, according to their experience and the data, support open streets and are concerned about the process seems like it would lead to their early closure if a vote is successful at Council this Thursday. Winnipeg Trails' statement is here. <https://www.change.org/p/keep-winnipeg-s-open-streets-open-expand-them-unti…>

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WFP Analysis: Reimagining Wellington Crescent (Jun21'21)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '21

22 Jun '21

Reimagining Wellington Crescent https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/reimagining-wellington-c… “WE heard birds” exclaimed Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, France, in an interview with Time magazine last summer. She was describing her city, all cities, during the first COVID-19 lockdowns, when, with fewer people driving, we were provided a glimpse into what the future of cities could be. She vowed that Paris would not return to a pre-pandemic world, pledging to learn from the devastating challenges of the last year and emerge as a more socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, cleaner, healthier and happier city. The changes that have swept across Paris since have been far-reaching and impactful, driven by a policy framework called the “la ville du quart d’heure,” or the “15-minute city.” The strategy focuses on building more diverse, integrated, and mixed-use neighbourhoods that provide residents access to all of life’s core services and amenities, within a 15-minute walk, bike or transit ride. Designing communities with integrated supports such as shops, restaurants, gyms, groceries, offices, schools and parks is in direct contrast to most modern neighbourhoods, where housing is separated by a vehicle trip from employment, shopping, entertainment and industry. The pandemic has forced many people to work from home and spend more time in their own neighbourhoods. The 15-minute city concept builds on this evolving social and employment landscape, offering an opportunity to improve local economies and deliver lasting health, equity and environmental benefits. In Paris, incentives are being provided to support development of small businesses and community facilities in targeted areas, emphasizing equal access to services, amenities and green space that strengthen neighbourhoods and actively reduce social divides and inequalities. A new policy has been developed to create pockets of “urban forest” and community gardens for local urban agriculture, in school yards, parks, plazas and other public spaces like city-owned surface parking lots. To facilitate more outdoor dining during the pandemic, restaurants and cafés across Paris were allowed to set up temporary outdoor patios in parking spaces on the street. It was recently announced that these patios will be made a permanent fixture in the city. As the pandemic lifts, other neighbourhood businesses such as florists or bookstores will also be invited to apply for summer terraces, turning over large parts of streets to more pedestrian uses. At the centre of the 15-minute city idea is a complete transformation of how people will move around the city. During the pandemic, more than 50 kilometres of new bike lanes, called coronapistes, were built on major streets across Paris, to provide direct access to key destinations that allows the bicycle to become a viable mode of daily transportation. These lanes are now being made permanent, and the government has committed to building another 650 kilometres of new cycleways, with public space and sidewalks that will transform 70 per cent of the city’s on-street car parking into places for people. To provide more public space during the pandemic, the city’s iconic east-west artery, Rue de Rivoli, became an open street to allow socially distanced outdoor activity. This major artery has now been made permanently open, complementing the riverside freeway that once served 40,000 vehicles per day that has now been transformed into a pedestrian promenade. More than one billion euros per year has been pledged for the maintenance and beautification of streets, squares and gardens, including the famous Champs-Élysées, which will see half of its eight vehicle lanes removed with new bike lanes, pocket parks, and public space, being created along its length. As one of the few positive legacies of the pandemic, Winnipeg’s Open Streets are, on a very small scale, reminiscent of what is happening in Paris. We have taken a tiny fraction of Winnipeg’s 7,000 kilometres of street lanes dedicated to vehicles and turned them into large linear parks. You can hear the birds again on Wellington Crescent. As popular as they are, Open Streets face opposition, but closing them doesn’t necessarily mean a return to the past. Paris offers us an important alternative to consider. The goal of its mobility strategies in the 15-minute city has been to connect pedestrians and cyclists safely and conveniently with their day-to-day destinations, by pedestrianizing major streets and building protected bike lanes on direct, heavy traffic, central routes. Wellington Crescent doesn’t have to be an Open Street, but its future can be something more than the high-speed vehicle freeway it once was. It could be reimagined with parking space removed to build bike lanes and sidewalks. Stop signs and raised crosswalks could be added at every intersection to reduce and slow traffic. It could become a vital active transportation connector between Polo Park and Osborne Village, and a slow, safe, park-like street to drive on. Similarly, instead of opening Scotia Street, adding wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes on a major route like Salter Street would provide equitable access to education, employment and recreation for North End residents. Every neighbourhood has main streets with similar opportunities to connect people with the places they want to go, using more diverse, affordable and sustainable modes of transportation. Paris has shown through its 15-minute-city strategy that by focusing on building stronger, more connected neighbourhoods that allow biking, walking and transit to be used as everyday transportation, great change can be realized. It is OK if Open Streets are not Winnipeg’s priority, if new, more impactful ideas replace them. It is impossible to compare any Canadian city to a global capital like Paris, but its desire to use the lessons of the last year to emerge from the pandemic with a new vision of what the future can be, is something that should inspire all cities. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Webinar: Authentic Community Engagement - Best Practices for Equitable Work
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jun '21

17 Jun '21

How to wield your walkable, people-first community advocacy work as a true tool for empowerment Support Walkable Communities <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> Authentic Community Engagement - Best Practices for Equitable Work Wednesday, July 14th at 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT Register Here <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> Join us for presentations and a robust Q & A dialogue with active transportation professionals, nonprofit leaders, and equitable engagement experts around what it means to practice and build authentic community engagement with diverse coalitions as the foundation for driving those vital relationships. Panelists will share their best practices for equitable work in striving for inclusive, accessible, connected, and walkable communities - through the lens of their invaluable learned, professionally practiced and lived experiences. Among the details covered, presenters will lean into the importance of acknowledging past harms and learning how to demonstrate an awareness and distinction of active transportation and walkability work as a true tool for empowerment vs. a weapon of racialized oppression. The presentations/discussion will address the following critical questions: - What are the most universal best practices in achieving equity in our work? - How can advocates, practitioners and leaders center the needs and desires of BIPOC and low-income residents? - How can we achieve buy-in and funding streams from government leaders? - How can we habitually challenge normativity in how we define safe walking, biking, mobility, and access? - Why is it imperative to get out of your demographic bubble? - How can we get overlooked community members involved in government-decision discourse? - What are examples of removing barriers for individuals to experience safe destination-based movement while lowering car dependency? - How can we build trust, empowerment and agency with communities that have been perpetually ignored, harmed, and disinvested in? - What kind of data points, projects, or outreach can provide the most insight for determining connected, safe active transportation routes and services in the given community? Learn More and Register Here <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> Help Us Spread the Word About this Webinar [image: Facebook] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> [image: Twitter] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> Learn More About Our Presenters John Yi is the Executive Director of Los Angeles Walks. Prior to joining LA Walks in 2019, John was the Advocacy Director for the American Lung Association in California, where he worked on strong tobacco control and air quality policies. At the Lung Association, John also served as a lead organizer by training tobacco control coalitions throughout the state. He helped bring smoke-free ordinances to over a dozen different cities, fighting back against secondhand smoke and Big Tobacco's efforts to target low-income and communities of color. John also served as the interim National Director for Parent Revolution, an education and social justice non-profit. In this role he led parent organizing campaigns in Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, and Ohio. He received his master's degree at Georgetown University and his bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan. He is a brother of Pi Alpha Phi, speaks Korean and Russian, and loves to cook. Waffiyyah Murray is the Better Bike Share Partnership Program Manager and a Philadelphia native with a love for walking and biking. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Temple University, and over fourteen years of experience working with different Philadelphia-based non-profit and community organizations. As Education Program Manager for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, she worked with the City to support its Safe Route to School program, a national initiative promoting safety and physical activity in school age children through walking and biking. Waffiyyah first arrived at oTIS as the Indego Community Coordinator, where she worked to connect communities to Indego programming and resources to ensure equitable access to Indego, the City of Philadelphia’s bike share system. In her current role as the Better Bike Share Partnership Program Manager, Waffiyyah works to address barriers to the use of bikeshare in low income communities and communities of color, and increase equitable access in bikeshare systems nationally. Jeremy Maxand is the Executive Director of the Living Independence Network Corporation, a center for independent living serving 16 counties in southwest Idaho. Jeremy grew up in a small island community in Southeast Alaska and has used a manual wheelchair since 1989. He moved to Idaho in the early nineties to attend Boise State University, where he earned undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice Administration and Sociology, and a graduate degree is Applied Historical Research. Jeremy holds a certificate from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute, and from the University of Missouri’s College of Human & Environmental Sciences, School of Architectural Studies, ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program. Jeremy has twenty years of nonprofit management experience, and 10 years in executive leadership. Most recently, he was an emergency preparedness program specialist with the Idaho State Independent Living Council, working with local, state, and federal emergency management and public health partners to improve disaster response and recovery for people with disabilities. In Alaska, Jeremy served as an assembly member and mayor of the third geographically largest city by area in the country. Jeremy currently serves on the Valley Regional Transit Regional Advisory Council, the Ada County Highway District ADA Advisory Committee, the Idaho State Independent Living Council, the Idaho State Building Code Board, the Idaho Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Board, and is a founding board member of the Idaho Access Project. José Leal (moderator) At MIG, his projects have encompassed everything from complete streets, parks, schools, and recreation facilities. As Director of the Tribal Nation Building Studio, José is responsible for guiding an interdisciplinary studio of designers, planners, engineers, and scientists to provide engagement, planning, and design services to Tribal Nations to support and strengthen tribal community cohesiveness and resilience, self-determination, and sovereignty. His work focuses on the power of inclusive planning and design and cultural relativism to connect people to the spirit of place through storytelling. STAY CONNECTED <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> Donate Today <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> [image: Facebook] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> [image: Twitter] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> [image: LinkedIn] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> [image: Instagram] ‌ <https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014CmJIQ6i_1yELurQdLLA9bjguVufZzlkTtu4a4qb02S…> America Walks | PO Box 371, Annandale, VA 22003

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WFP: Open-street project promotes accessibility, users say (Jun16'21)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '21

16 Jun '21

Open-street project promotes accessibility, users say https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/open-street-project-promotes-access… AT the height of evening rush hour, winding Wellington Crescent is abuzz with all kinds of traffic — even with automobiles limited to one block of travel. Cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers, children on skateboards and scooters, families out for an evening walk with the dog all crowd to the tree-canopied route, taking advantage of the barricaded streets and wide pedestrian boulevard in the warm, sunny afternoon. While most car traffic stuck to the open block, a handful still trekked further, one earning a flash of police lights and a conversation with an officer. Since May, the Winnipeg street has been closed to most vehicle traffic between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.; cyclists are permitted to use the roads, pedestrians are asked to use walkways, and drivers allowed only to travel a block to and from their homes. Though the policy has drawn ire from Wellington and River Heights residents who feel the “open street” brings more problems than opportunities, others say the program provides more accessible ways to get outside and get active — provided everyone shares the road. In a recent package of submissions to the City of Winnipeg public works committee, some disgruntled residents took issue with the increases in traffic on the alternate route, Academy Road. Some residents noted difficulty turning onto the alternate route during rush hour, “bumper-to-bumper” traffic, or tacking extra minutes onto their commute. Others described frustrating encounters with pedestrians and cyclists aggravated by cars on the road — even while driving just one block to their residences. For Sarah Manteuffel, who lives in the Fort Rouge/River Heights area and uses Wellington Crescent when it’s closed to vehicle traffic, the wide-open road provides a safer place for her to ride. On her day off Monday, Manteuffel went for a leisure ride down Wellington and posted a photo of herself — smiling wide next to road barriers outlining the open street rules — in response to criticism of an initiative she feels “makes Winnipeg great.” “I have dwarfism, so I ride a smaller bike and on the streets don’t usually feel very safe,” Manteuffel said in an interview Tuesday. “Even in a designated bike lane, am I going to be trusted to be seen by large vehicles? I go pretty slow, so even other passing cyclists can sometimes be a hazard.” Brian Szklarczuk, an adaptive cycling advocate who co-owns Wolseley’s upcoming bike shop Prairie Velo, said more inclusive forms of movement (three-wheeled bikes, handcycles) often take up a little more space, but those who use them also want to feel safe and comfortable on the road. “We know we need a little more space in the adaptive world, but we really want to be able to not be on the margins all the time,” he said. “(We want) to be able to use the other areas and just feel normal, just feel like we’re another person riding — and that’s what the open streets have allowed folks to do.” As some area residents argued the streets were inaccessible to those who are not as mobile and unable to travel the street except by car, Manteuffel said she found that perspective “challenging” to hear. “I understand that people may want to participate in driving down the crescent to utilize it but, there are other methods and opening the street allows for a different variety of body types to take advantage of that space,” Manteuffel countered. Szklarczuk agrees, and hopes to see all Winnipeggers mindful of each other’s needs when out on the roads. “If we can have the conversations about true inclusiveness, we can have everyone feel safe on whatever mode of transportation they’re using: cyclists, walkers, folks using mobility devices, power chairs, manual chairs — everything you can think of can co-exist really well. We can also co-exist with vehicles really well if there is a shared responsibility that we are all using the road,” he said. Coun. Matt Allard, public works chairman, said a recent motion to knock Wellington Crescent off the holiday closure list came about in an effort to both satisfy the community’s needs and keep the street program running. After Wellington’s ward councillor, John Orlikow, tabled a motion asking for more flexibility on open street rules, by putting power in the hands of the public works director, Allard feared staff could have the power to nix the program. After talking off-the-record with legal advisors, public works instead motioned to take Wellington Crescent off the list and let the area councillor and the public works team decide how best to proceed. Allard said the intent was not to see Wellington permanently dropped from the list, but rather to empower the local councillor and public works director to add routes in a way that works best for constituents. Internal conversations about Wellington Crescent — and its future use as a Sunday/holiday closure street — are still underway at city hall. “The road belongs to everyone, at the end of the day,” Allard said. “All of our taxes pay for the roads, and they are a public space and meant to be shared.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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WFP Editorial: Street strife on Wellington Crescent (Jun16'21)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '21

16 Jun '21

Street strife on Wellington Crescent https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/street-strife-on-welli… THE city should pay close attention to the serious concerns raised by some Wellington Crescent residents about the consequences of favouring cyclists and restricting motorists. What the city must ignore, however, is the suggestion by several residents that their high-end addresses entitle them to special treatment. To bestow municipal favours on the basis of property value is a type of classism that has no place in Winnipeg. It would be a logistical nightmare, for example, if city staff had to prioritize posh areas for services such as fire, police and snow-clearing. It would also violate the egalitarian foundation of democracy, where citizens, regardless of address, get equal access to government consideration. That said, it’s equally important not to stoop to negative stereotypes. Many critics in public forums are denouncing the recent feedback on bike routes as the laments of well-to-do Winnipeggers who don’t want their tony street to be sullied by visitors. It’s a pilot project, after all, and feedback is warranted. These Wellington Crescent residents took the opportunity to offer their feedback, plenty of feedback, a prerogative that could be equally exercised by homeowners along any of the other 17 city areas involved in this summer’s Enhanced Summer Bike Routes program, formerly known as Open Streets. Their views were outlined in about three dozen letters, citing problems with the traffic-calming program that restricts motorists to one block of travel between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week. Homeowners wrote about increased trash on the ground, and dog deposits on lawns. Many were also miffed that their alternative driving route, along Academy Road, is now so crowded that traffic is slowed. Alarmingly, several letter writers described conflict. One wrote: “I was threatened, yelled at, and physically blocked by cyclists and pedestrians, on a daily basis, while driving the one block allowed to access my residence.” Another wrote: “When you close the roads, the people that live on the street are treated like trespassers onto their own properties.” While councillors should thoughtfully weigh such concerns, they should ignore an attempt by several letter writers to wield their property taxes as a lobbying weapon. One writer noted: “I pay almost 12K a year in property taxes.” Another wrote: “I hope that with our hefty property tax bill our voices will be heard.” The letters were submitted to the city’s public works committee, which then recommended Wellington Crescent be removed from the open streets list. The recommendation now goes to council’s executive policy committee. Councillors should be wary about granting Wellington Crescent an exemption that could set a precedent and undermine the entire open roads program. Council could be required to grant similar exemption to any street where a few homeowners took the initiative to door-knock neighbours and obtain a petition and letters seeking, like Wellington Crescent, an exemption from open roads. Councillors, and Wellington Crescent residents, should live with the current open-road restrictions until this year’s pilot program ends on Nov. 5. It will then be decided which routes will be included in next season’s open-road program. Wellington Crescent is a beautiful area with well-tended properties, grand homes, lush gardens and flowering trees. It’s to be hoped homeowners fortunate enough to live there can bear with the added cyclists and pedestrians for now, perhaps even considering it a community service that their haven offers visitors a geographical tonic from the stressful grimness of the pandemic.

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Webinar Recording - Improving Traffic Signals for Bicycling and Walking
by Mark Cohoe 15 Jun '21

15 Jun '21

Hi, I had the chance to watch this webinar last week, and found it very interesting and useful. https://www.pedbikeinfo.org/webinars/webinar_details.cfm?id=109 One key part was the need to look at average pedestrian delay when setting phasing for traffic signals. When left out of reports that calculate average delay and levels of service for vehicles, average pedestrian waiting times often end up exceeding 40-50 seconds, or Level of Service F, even though it might actually be pretty easy to greatly reduce the average pedestrian wait times without causing much added delay to vehicles. To prevent this from happening, some cities's have adopted policies that require average pedestrian wait times to be measured in any report that includes intersection level of service for vehicles. Pedestrian Level of Service is then reported based on values in the 2000 edition of the Highway Capacity Manual. Cheers, Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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Advancing Equity in Transportation Planning webinar
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jun '21

15 Jun '21

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Winters, Philip <winters(a)cutr.usf.edu> Date: Tue, Jun 15, 2021 at 12:25 PM The next webinar in the 2021 Florida Public Transit Assn, FDOT and CUTR Professional Development Workshop series is “*The Journey Forward: Advancing Equity in Transportation Planning*.” It will be held on Wednesday, June 16, 2021 (10:00-11:30am ET). The webinar is free but pre-registration is required. The webinar will be recorded. *Registration:* https://cutr.adobeconnect.com/pdw-21-advancing-equity/event/registration.ht… *The Journey Forward: Advancing Equity in Transportation Planning* *Moderator:* Stephanie Lewis, CUTR *Presenters:* Tia Boyd, CUTR and Joshua Barber, Hillsborough MPO This session will describe innovative processes, strategies, and tools to integrate equity into transportation planning. We will begin by introducing the Transportation Equity Toolkit – a resource to advance equity in local and regional transportation planning. This toolkit provides agency staff and community members with tools, guidance, and resources to address the transportation needs of traditionally underserved communities and move equity to the forefront of transportation planning practice. The session will then explore how to apply tools such as the Transportation Equity Audit Tool and the Transportation Equity Scorecard Tool to identify the needs of underserved communities and prioritize projects for funding that advance equity. To provide an example of real-world applications of equity-driven practices, Hillsborough MPO staff will discuss their processes and findings from the Title VI and Nondiscrimination Plan update. To meet Title VI and Nondiscrimination Plan requirements, Hillsborough MPO staff have been developing a wide-ranging update that includes a framework for equity for the agency, documenting the history of racism in planning in Hillsborough County, a comprehensive public involvement process with the most underserved communities, and policy and process recommendations for the agency. We will discuss some of the findings from the historical analysis and the feedback from community outreach efforts. The discussion of community feedback will include challenges community members face accessing transportation, housing, planning meetings, and other community elements. Overall, the session will explore: 1. The impetus to investigate historical inequalities and the cumulative impacts of inequitable planning practices, 2. Strategies for more meaningful involvement from diverse communities, including outreach and survey design, and 3. Available tools and resources to identify and address the unique needs of traditionally underserved communities. Registration: https://cutr.adobeconnect.com/pdw-21-advancing-equity/event/registration.ht… A list of all sessions can be found at https://www.cutr.usf.edu/fpta/register.html *PHILIP L. WINTERS, TDM-CP *Director, TDM Program Center for Urban Transportation Research <https://www.cutr.usf.edu/> University of South Florida Tampa Campus 813.974.9811 winters(a)usf.edu [image: logo of Best Workplaces for Commuters] www.bestworkplaces.org Follow us on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/CUTRUSF/> | Twitter <https://twitter.com/CUTRUSF> | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/company/27012080/> | Newsletter <https://usf.us15.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c3b2561719f02cfb61009c74f&id=5…> *Due to Florida’s broad open records law, email to or from university employees is public record, available to the public and the media upon request.*

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Study: An economic analysis of the health-related benefits associated with bicycle infrastructure investment in three Canadian cities
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jun '21

15 Jun '21

Decision-makers are increasingly requesting economic analyses on transportation-related interventions, but health is often excluded as a determinant of value. We assess the health-related economic impact of bicycle infrastructure investments in three Canadian cities (Victoria, Kelowna and Halifax), comparing a baseline reference year (2016) with the future infrastructure build-out (2020). https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0246419

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WFP: City hall lobbied to lift restriction on Wellington Crescent (Jun12'21)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jun '21

12 Jun '21

City hall lobbied to lift restriction on Wellington Crescent ‘Open street’ drive residents crazy https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/open-streets-drive-wellington-cresc… CLOSING Wellington Crescent to vehicles has driven some residents of the city’s toniest street to distraction and forced the city to reconsider the designation. In a package of letters submitted to the public works committee, residents argued their mental health, safety, and human rights are being violated because motorists are restricted to one block of travel between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. seven days a week. A 68-page package — compiled by resident Brenlee Carrington-Trepel and comprising more than three dozen letters from disgruntled residents — outlines their concerns. One letter, penned by Asper Foundation president Gail Asper decried the closure of the “historic” street to vehicles, arguing the “100-year-old trees, lilacs and cherry blossoms in full bloom, spectacular gardens of the homeowners and the stunning homes themselves” are an essential “mental health break.” Asper, like many residents, suggested the open street model also amounts to discrimination against the city’s older population who may not be able to access the street by bicycle. “I strongly believe in bike paths, but I do not believe in closing important and historic streets like Wellington Crescent in order to make space for bike paths seven days a week. This is discriminating against thousands of Winnipeggers and I submit there is simply no need for this, when cars, bikes and pedestrians have co-existed for decades,” she wrote. Another letter from one-time mayoral candidate and former councillor Paula Havixbeck argues the policy has caused an increase in property crime. Havixbeck wrote about the observations in the River Heights Community Watch Facebook group — where she is one of the administrators — suggesting open streets resulted in an increase of “crime that quite literally walks across the bridge at both ends” of Wellington Crescent. “The fact that Wellington Crescent is closed, however, poses an issue because fewer people are on site to see these individuals coming in with their empty shopping carts and to be there to be more of a deterrent. Individuals are coming over the bridge day and night. They target yards they can access quickly,” Havixbeck wrote. “I have asked that there be some support in terms of cadets monitoring those entry points.” The open streets summer program bans vehicles from travelling more than one block on select streets in an effort to encourage cycling. Wellington Crescent is also popular with pedestrians and dog-walkers. After an in-camera discussion, the public works committee agreed to request Wellington Crescent be removed from the open streets list and that the public works director be given the power to amend open street rules. The executive policy committee will consider the motion. Area councillor John Orlikow, who originally submitted a motion to public works requesting the director have the ability to alter open street rules, said his intention was never to see the open street shut down. He wanted flexibility to adjust the program based on health restrictions, street usage, traffic capacity on nearby Academy Road and community feedback. “A lot of people are very supportive of (open streets),” said Orlikow. “I feel comfortable that the goodness of the neighbourhood understands why it’s needed and the vast majority of people support that.” Orlikow, who said he is a member of the neighbourhood watch, noted he has not seen data that substantiates claims crime has increased as a result of open streets. “I have seen data that people are not feeling as safe as they used to, and that is very concerning. Are open streets the reason for that? I really can’t say it is,” he said. Another writer, Ian Restall, wrote the closure amounted to “inequity” with a “human rights element.” He argued residents are “disadvantaged and some might say discriminated against by these closures” should they be unable to bike or walk down the road. “I don’t think driving is a human right,” Orlikow countered. “If they do have a concern about human rights, I would suggest they take it to a human rights tribunal.” Several residents — including letter writer Naomi Devine — noted they pay “significant taxes” for the “luxury” of living on Wellington Crescent, arguing they expect to be able to drive more than one block on the road in return. “I don’t agree with that claim. Everybody pays taxes and everybody has the same rights as everybody else,” Orlikow said. While community feedback from those who live on the street is critical, he noted, “I don’t care how much taxes you pay… no one owns the streets, they are public assets.” Before the pandemic, Orlikow said, conversations were held about pedestrians, cyclists and motorists sharing the road. “At the end of the day, it will be my intent to keep open streets on Wellington Crescent. People really do enjoy it. And just try to find some way to get flexibility so we can adjust it based on variables out there,” he said. (To read the letters, visit wfp.to/7nL) julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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