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WFP: Wolseley traffic-calming plan touted for cyclists (Jan8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jan '20

08 Jan '20

*Wolseley traffic-calming plan touted for cyclists * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-unveils-wolseley-to-downtown-b… DOWNTOWN residents can expect more one-way streets, protected bike lanes and traffic-calming measures if the city’s proposal for active transportation in and around Wolseley and the core gets the green light. Following more than a year of public consultations, the City of Winnipeg has made public its plans for the “Wolseley to Downtown Walk Bike Project.” The blueprint aims to close gaps in the area’s pedestrian and cycling network, while increasing safety and convenience for all commuters. It suggests making sections of major arteries, including Westminster and Wolseley avenues, one-way to prevent short-cutting that backs up traffic on surrounding residential streets. Also on the table are more right-on-red light restrictions, speed humps, and raised bike lanes and crosswalks. “Everybody has a right to get where they want to get to and you hope you can go as quickly as you can, regardless of your mode of transportation,” said Greg MacPherson, executive director of the West Broadway Community Organization. “I think they’ve done a good job of trying to balance convenience and safety, and the overall hope for a greener approach to transportation in this area.” MacPherson said the community has been pushing for changes to the flow of traffic in the area for years, since a large chunk of residents don’t own vehicles. He typically commutes on foot, although he also bikes and owns a car. While 70 per cent of the city’s population drives to work, the latest census data indicates only 37 per cent of residents in West Broadway rely on cars as a go-to mode of transportation. About 32 per cent take the bus, 20 per cent walk, and nine per cent bike to work. Wolseley resident Nicholas Douville, 38, bikes to work every day — rain or shine, summer breeze or windchill. He submitted some of the 11,000 comments the city received during phases 1 and 2 of the project. Douville said his main concern is Maryland Street gets so backed-up during rush hour motorists try to sneak through residential roads and create traffic jams, which can put cyclists in danger due to increased traffic in areas with no bike lanes. To avoid short-cutting, the city has proposed a westbound one-way traffic stretch between Maryland and Chestnut streets. As for other one-way sections, the city has proposed restrictions for eastbound traffic along Westminster, as well as Young and Balmoral streets west of Langside Street. “If there was a bike lane that could be cleared (on Westminster) and kept up, that would be the greatest thing, because I wouldn’t have to worry about driving straight along with cars,” said Santiago Lasko, a 16-year-old student who commutes to and from high school in the West End. A protected bike lane could stretch along Westminster, starting at Chestnut in the west, to Young and Balmoral streets and Granite Way until Osborne Street in the east, as per the plan. Mark Doucet, the study’s project manager and a transportation facilities planning engineer with public works, reiterated the intent of the study is to balance all commuter interests. Members of the public are invited to provide feedback online. The city is also holding an open house for in-person consultations at Westminster United Church on Jan. 29, 6-8 p.m. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie

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Oregon becomes 4th state with "Stop as Yield" law for cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jan '20

07 Jan '20

*(Thanks to Terry Zdan for the share)* *Stop as Yield Law* Starting on January 1st a new law went into effect making Oregon the fourth state with a "Stop as Yield" law for people riding bikes (Idaho, Delaware, & Arkansas being the other three). Also known as the "Idaho Stop" after the law that was first passed there in 1982, this new law allows people on bikes to approach an intersection with a stop sign at a "slow speed" and if it is clear (no other person with potential right-of-way present) then they may proceed through the intersection without coming to a complete stop. If there is a pedestrian or other vehicle that has the right-of-way then the person on the bike is *still required to stop*. Different from the Idaho law there is no provision to treat a red traffic signal as a stop sign (except a flashing red light used at stop controlled intersections). This section from Idaho, which allows people riding bikes to treat a red traffic signal as a stop sign, was added in 2006 but was not considered for the Oregon bill. It's important to remember that this "Stop as Yield" law still requires people riding bikes to STOP if a pedestrian, a person in a car, or another road user may have the right-of-way at the intersection. Be courteous, take your turn, and be safe. If you've approached the intersection with care and it's safe and clear you can keep that momentum going and roll on through! For more information on how the law came to be read this post on BikePortland.org: "*How Oregon Got Idaho Stop* <https://eugene-or.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b0fe6c4eda5f68f34c6ec9…> "

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Oslo closing in on Vision Zero goal with no pedestrian or cyclist deaths in 2019
by Beth McKechnie 07 Jan '20

07 Jan '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Gary R. Cremeens <grc22(a)cornell.edu> Date: Tue, Jan 7, 2020 at 11:12 AM Oslo, Norway is getting closer to achieving a Vision Zero goal, with zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths last year. The city's lone traffic death occurred when a driver ran his car into a fence this summer — a decline from five traffic fatalities in 2018, according to Norwegian news outlet Aftenposten. The *Road Safety Annual Report 2019 <https://www.itf-oecd.org/sites/default/files/docs/irtad-road-safety-annual-…>*, recently released by the International Transport Forum, examines 41 countries' performance and repeatedly cites Norway's progress. The country nearly halved traffic deaths between 2010 and 2017, dropping from 208 to 107. Shareable Links (Same Info as above) · https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/oslo-vision-zero-pedestrian-cyclist-de… · https://www.facebook.com/CornellUniversityTransportationServices/posts/2899… · https://twitter.com/GaryCremeens/status/1214568097211977728 · https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gcremeens_oslo-closing-in-on-vision-zero-goa… Thank you, Gary Cremeens <https://www.linkedin.com/in/gcremeens> | Cornell University Transportation & Delivery Services <https://goo.gl/maps/G14w8nFzcaS2> Projects Associate II

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FI Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 07 Jan '20

07 Jan '20

[http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=cover_nchrp_wod_273] [http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=viewthispdf]<http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_wod_273.pdf> [http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=sponsorbeta]<http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/180122.aspx> [http://www.trb.org/Resource.ashx?sn=buythisbook]<https://www.mytrb.org/Store/Product.aspx?ID=> Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_wod_273.pdf 180122 Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals Prior to 2013, the use of bicycle-specific signals in the U.S. was limited to a few jurisdictions. However, in recent years, the number of installations has grown rapidly. This research identified more than 500 intersections using bicycle signals in a variety of contexts. Despite the recent approval and practice, the TRB National Cooperative Highway Research Program's NCHRP Web-Only Document 273: Road User Understanding of Bicycle Signal Faces on Traffic Signals explores the questions that remain regarding road-user understanding of bicycle signals. The objective of this research was to summarize and synthesize the U.S. experience with bicycle signal installations to identify any remaining gaps in understanding road-user comprehension and compliance with bicycle signals that could be effectively addressed through further research. E-Newsletter Type: Recently Released TRB Publications<http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs.aspx?fields=ENewsletterType|Recently%20Relea…> TRB Publication Type: NCHRP Web-Only Document<http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs.aspx?fields=PublicationType|NCHRP%20Web-Only…> HAPPY NEW YEAR IT will be EYE POPPING [8E11B49] Terry Zdan, BA MEDes

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WFP: Oslo holds key to making Winnipeg safer (Jan4'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jan '20

04 Jan '20

*Oslo holds key to making Winnipeg safer * * Norway’s capital bans cars in certain areas* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/oslo-holds-key-to-making-winnipeg-s… BRENT Bellamy has long called for more bike paths and pedestrian-friendly streets to make Winnipeg safer by reducing the number of fatal collisions. That’s why it wasn’t surprising for the senior design architect with Number Ten Architectural Group (who also writes a column in the Winnipeg Free Press) to take to social media Friday, pointing out different civic policies created different results in 2019. In Winnipeg, two cyclists and 13 pedestrians were killed on city streets; in similarly-sized Oslo, zero such fatalities were recorded. There was one angle Bellamy didn’t tweet about: he could easily have been the third cyclist killed, when an inattentive SUV driver collided with him at Wellington Crescent and Academy Road in early December. “I was so lucky,” he said Friday. “(The driver) was turning and looking for an opening, and I was yelling at him but he plowed into me. “He hit me just behind the seat. I have a Dutch bike, so I sit upright, and it was just like a tablecloth being pulled out — the bike was hit and I was left on the pavement in the same position.” Such an incident would likely not have happened had he been cycling in the Norwegian capital instead of Winnipeg, he said. One of the biggest reasons: Oslo has banned cars in certain areas of the city. As well, Oslo has replaced almost all of its downtown parking spots with lanes for bicycles, benches to sit on, small parks to congregate in, greenery, and dropped speed limits to 30 km/h. “The biggest difference between the two cities is just political will — they just decided to do it and they did it,” Bellamy said. “I was there five years ago, and they had no bike lanes and they have hills — it’s not a great place to bike — but they just decided, ‘Let’s do it.’ Traffic was getting worse there, just like here. We have 15,000 more cars on the road every year. Oslo was the same,” he said. “They decided they could build expensive, big roads or they could ban cars, build 15 kilometres of bike trails each year, and expand public transit — and it has worked.” Bellamy pointed to a tweet by Anders Hartmann, who works on policies for walking, cycling and road safety in Oslo, which had information on the number of road deaths in the city. Hartmann, after noting, “This makes me happy,” pointed to a graph that shows road deaths in Oslo, now with a population of 673,000, has not only been going down since 1975 (41), but has dramatically fallen since about 2007. Hartmann also noted the only fatality in traffic last year involved a driver who died after a car struck a railing at a light rail station. No children died in a traffic-related death in Norway in 2019. Still, Hartmann posted it doesn’t mean Oslo had reached Vision Zero, a global traffic project aimed at having no fatalities or serious injuries caused by vehicles. It began in Sweden in 1997, and the City of Winnipeg has since adopted it. “While we are making great progress, there is still a way to go to consistently keep deaths at zero for all road users,” he said. Marc Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said the Nordic countries and the Netherlands are at the forefront of Vision Zero, and he would like to see Winnipeg follow their lead. “The numbers show if you use that pathway, the results are there,” Cohoe said. “The numbers of people killed in a collision over there is miniscule compared to the numbers in North America. Losing 13 or 15 people on our streets isn’t acceptable. Why do we accept it on our roads, but we wouldn’t in the workplace? I’m hoping we can do more with the city’s transportation master plan this year. “Over there, they say five minutes of inconvenience isn’t worth the lives we are losing — we will still get around. And they have buy-in from the general population.” kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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New snow-clearing method allows Montreal cyclists to 'really see the asphalt'
by Beth McKechnie 21 Dec '19

21 Dec '19

*New snow-clearing method allows Montreal cyclists to 'really see the asphalt'* *Pilot project in Plateau-Mont-Royal and Ville-Marie involves sweeping pavement, spreading snow-melting brine* https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/plateau-mont-royal-bike-paths-snow-… It was so cold Thursday morning that parts of Magali Bebronne's bicycle froze, but the determined Montreal year-round bike commuter got her bicycle rolling and hit the road. To her surprise, she found the 20-minute ride through the Plateau-Mont-Royal easier than usual, despite the recent snow accumulation. That's because the borough is testing a new way of keeping its bike paths clean — a two-step process that uses street-sweepers to clear the pavement before coating the path with a special snow-melting brine. "When I rode on the Rachel bike path yesterday, I really noticed the surface was a lot clearer than it had ever been," said Bebronne, a program manager with the cycling advocacy group Vélo Québec "When you're riding on a bike, just a few centimetres of snow can really make it difficult to ride. Conditions that work for cars don't work for bikes." But with these new techniques the borough is testing, "you can really see the asphalt," she said. That's why her organization has been pushing the city to get more of such equipment out on the road. The method has already been tested in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, and now Ville-Marie is giving it a shot, along with the Plateau. The sweepers can be deployed when the accumulated snowfall is about five centimetres or less. Tractors towing tanks filled with a calcium chloride solution then spread the solution onto the paths. The brine coats the asphalt and makes it easier to clean after the next storm. While this method could be used on sidewalks, it's not as effective on concrete, because asphalt's dark colour absorbs heat and melts the snow faster. 'If you plow it, they will come' The results on the bike paths have left everybody smiling, so far. Blue-collar workers have had no problems implementing the technique, and cyclists have been giving positive feedback, said Coun. Marianne Giguère, who is the city's executive committee member in charge of active transportation. "With all the climate changes that we have — having very cold, and then very warm, and the cold and snow and rain and everything — we need to adjust our old methods," she said. "The cyclists are quite happy," said Giguère, a councillor in the Plateau's De Lorimier district and a long-time voice for cyclists. Keeping bike paths clear in the winter is a sure way to encourage people to bike to work or school all year round, she said. "If you plow it, they will come," said Giguère. She said the number of winter cyclists is estimated to have doubled since more effort has been put into keeping bike paths clear. "In Montreal, the popularity of winter biking has risen a lot every year." Boroughs are always looking for new ways to keep streets, sidewalks and bike paths clear of ice and snow, she said — comparing notes at the end of the season on new methods they've tried. Officials also attend annual winter cycling conferences that bring municipal representatives of wintry cities around the world to share ideas. Cyclists pedalling no matter the cold Even when temperatures plummeted to bone-chilling levels by Thursday evening, cyclists were pedalling up and down Rachel Street East's protected bike path. Vélo Québec's headquarters is on Rachel Street, and Bebronne said she'd seen a mother with her two young daughters all out biking earlier in the day. When the path is clear, she said, people are more inclined to cycle, no matter how frigid the temperature. - Montreal's new 'proactive' snow-clearing plan comes without big budget boost <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-snow-removal-operations-20…> She, too, has seen a substantial increase in the number of cyclists using the bike path as the city improves snow-clearing techniques on bike paths. Now, she said, it's time to adopt tried-and-tested methods throughout the city. "Maybe not every borough would have to invest in such equipment, but maybe it's time to imagine that such equipment could be shared between boroughs," Bebronne said. "One piece of equipment could go over the bike path of a few central boroughs."

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WFP Editorial: Winnipeg hasn’t arrived as a cycling city (Dec19'19)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Dec '19

19 Dec '19

EDITORIAL *Winnipeg hasn’t arrived as a cycling city * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/winnipeg-hasnt-arrived… WINNIPEG has long been known as a city that prioritizes cars. So, you’d be forgiven if your reaction was “Huh?” earlier this month when a list from online real estate brokerage Redfin ranked Winnipeg in the top 10 Canadian cities for biking. This ranking is best taken with a grain of road salt, however. Our city’s score, 61, puts us at “bikeable.” We have a good way to go before we could be considered “very bikeable” (70 to 89 points) or a “biker’s paradise” (90 to 100). Victoria, B.C., topped the list with a score of 80. For a city to rank above 90, its citizens must be able to run daily errands or commute to work via bike. Access to bike lanes, road connectivity and hilliness are all factors in the bikeability score. So, we have flatness going for us. Winnipeg’s bike-lane infrastructure, meanwhile, leaves a lot to be desired. It’s a slipshod patchwork of unprotected sharrows with few protected lanes, many of which come to abrupt ends. A lack of connectivity creates a chicken-and-egg scenario: cyclists are likely to avoid lanes that are frustrating to use, and then motorists complain that the bike lanes aren’t being used. And, as we’ve seen in the Exchange District — held up as a positive example of urban density — business owners are annoyed with what they call piecemeal development in the area, including bike lanes. Our winter-city climate is often cited as reason to not invest in cycling infrastructure, especially the kind geared toward commuter cycling. But Minneapolis, routinely ranked the most bikeable city in the U.S., has a climate similar to ours. Average highs are a few degrees warmer in the Twin Cities than in Winnipeg, but its placement on the globe means it is just as susceptible to deep-freezing arctic air masses and snowstorms as its neighbour to the north. The average annual snowfall total in the Twin Cities is 115.1 cm, one centimetre more than Winnipeg’s annual total. They’ve figured it out. Why can’t we? Bike Winnipeg’s co-chairwoman Liz Shearer told the Free Press that the lack of a fully connected cycling grid keeps Winnipeg from being a bikeability leader. But that’s only part of what’s holding us back. Beyond the accessible bike lanes, weather and terrain, a place’s “bike-friendliness” should consider the attitudes of drivers toward cyclists. Winnipeg’s bikeability score of 61 is tied with that of Toronto, a city in which 41 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2018. Is that really “bikeable”? An Australian study published this year found that around half of non-cyclists viewed cyclists as “less than fully human,” and that “dehumanization measures were significantly correlated with aggression toward cyclists.” It’s not a stretch to say Winnipeg can be a rather cyclist-hostile city. Yes, there are bad cyclists and bad drivers, to acknowledge another common argument. But a bike does not become lethal weapon the way a 2,000-kilogram car travelling at 60 km/h does. To become a truly bikeable city that actually merits being on a top-10 list is a noble goal. Cycling is good for our increasingly sedentary bodies and good for our environment. But getting there will involve more than building protected lanes and more cyclists embracing our designation as a winter city the way cyclists in Nordic countries have. It will also involve an attitude adjustment that extends across the broader community.

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WFP: City gives frosty reception to reopened bridge over troubled water (Dec17'19)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Dec '19

17 Dec '19

*City gives frosty reception to reopened bridge over troubled water* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-gives-frosty-reception-to-reop… Plus CBC coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/men-cleared-ice-omands-creek-bridge… THERE’S not much love at city hall for the two residents who did what the entire public works department was unable to: reopen the Omand’s Creek footbridge. Brad Hignell and Chris Beauvilain spent three hours Saturday morning clearing ice from the footbridge — a key link in the active transportation network which connects Wolseley to River Heights and Assiniboine Park — which the City of Winnipeg had closed for safety concerns after an unusual late fall flood and freeze-up. While area residents may be grateful for not having to make a long cold walk or bike ride detour, the city was not impressed. “What the residents did at the Omand’s Creek footbridge, though well-intentioned, did not mitigate the public safety risk that existed at this location, as it went beyond simply clearing ice off the bridge surface,” a city spokeswoman said Monday in an email to the Free Press. “Opening and closing bridge structures can only be done by professional engineers; the residents who ultimately cleared and reopened the bridge had no way of knowing whether the structure was sound. Luckily, an inspection by our bridge engineers (Monday) morning confirmed that the bridge had not sustained any structural damage due to the ice nor subsequent unsanctioned clearing.” Despite what Hignell and Beauvilain had accomplished with a bit of sweat and hard work, the spokeswoman said conditions in the area had been simply unsafe for crews to access with their equipment. “Fluctuating water levels through late October and November caused overland flooding that formed thick, hazardous ice that — for weeks — expanded and contracted on, underneath and around the bridge,” she said. “This posed potential for damage to the bridge structure, which we were unable to inspect until the ice was cleared — a simple task in and of itself, but one the city decided not to undertake due to other, less easily mitigated hazards in the area. “When the ice formed, expanded, and contracted on the pathways, it created a two-layered system of thick, uneven surface that made the trail incredibly steep and unstable and also left a sharp drop-off leading onto the bridge. The risk of taking machinery down these pathways to adequately clear them and lay enough sand to create traction outweighed opening the area to foot and bike traffic through the winter.” City hall thus erected barricades, and forced those who used the route on foot and bike to take a long, windy detour, until Hignell and his friend (both of whom had studied engineering at university) grabbed a couple of picks, bars, shovels and a bucket of gravel. Ward Coun. Cindy Gilroy did not respond to questions on the bridge. Coun. Sherri Rollins, chairwoman of council’s protection, community services and parks committee, said she understood the two men’s frustration but said city hall opted to side with caution when safety is at stake. “Sometimes things are closed for reasons. Whether it’s high river levels, and this is a reality this year, where there’s a lot of paths and skating (closed) that isn’t about budgetary cutbacks, it’s about safety,” Rollins said. “I don’t want Winnipeggers to be confused by that.” Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of the public works committee, echoed that stance. “City staff did their job, and made a judgment call using the available information to ensure public safety,” he said in an email statement. Ironically, the public works department had envisioned such a scenario, and had proposed replacing the bridge in 2010 with one with greater river clearance. It dropped the idea in the face of overwhelming opposition from local residents. The civic spokeswoman said while the footbridge is structurally sound and safe to cross, the same can’t be said for the pathway on either side. Crews and heavy equipment were in the area Monday. “We urge anyone who chooses to use the pathway to please exercise caution and be aware of the steep incline and decline, as well as the uneven terrain,” the spokeswoman said. Anders Swanson, executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, said the public works department appears to have done a good job keeping other parts of the active transportation network cleared this winter. “I don’t know why they gave up on the bridge,” Swanson said, adding the bike and pedestrian paths continue to be treated in a second-class fashion. “If there was a sewer line break or a big pothole in the middle of Portage Avenue, it wouldn’t be acceptable to stretch snow fencing across it and walk away.” — with files from Danielle DaSilva aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Driver charged with death at crosswalk (Dec14'19)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Dec '19

14 Dec '19

*Driver charged with death at crosswalk * * Police allege novice motorist not supervised* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/driver-charged-in-crosswalk-death-o… A 31-year-old Winnipeg woman charged in connection with a collision at a crosswalk in March, in which a child was killed, was allegedly a novice driver who should not have been driving without supervision, police say. On Friday, Winnipeg police announced that Highway Traffic Act charges have been laid against the unidentified driver in connection with the March 18 incident that killed a four-year-old girl and injured her mother. Genet Bruk and her daughter Galila were struck at the crosswalk at Isabel Street and Alexander Avenue, on their way to Dufferin School to meet her six-year-old son at lunch time. Galila later died in hospital and her mother is still recovering from her injuries, a family friend said Friday. The charges related to the collision include careless driving causing death, careless driving causing bodily harm, disobeying a traffic device and operating a vehicle as a novice driver without a supervising driver. The driver was released on an appearance notice, Winnipeg police said in a press release. It stated the Highway Traffic Act charges were laid at the direction of the Crown. The most serious charges — careless driving causing death and bodily harm — have a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison. It defines careless driving as driving “without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway.” Had the driver been charged under the Criminal Code of Canada, the penalties would have been much harsher and required the Crown to prove the driver was criminally negligent and driving in a way that’s a “marked and substantial departure from the standard of a reasonable driver.” “That would be driving with wanton disregard — so poorly and badly in a way nobody could possibly expect for someone to operate a vehicle,” said criminal defence lawyer Scott Newman, who has no connection to the case. “The Highway Traffic Act has a lower burden of proof.” Hearing that the driver has been charged nine months after the fatal collision was news to Dorota Blumczynksa, a friend of Galila’s mother and the executive director of IRCOM Isabel, where the Eritrean family has lived since arriving in Canada last January. “If there was a mistake made or inadequate training, or someone was not supposed to be driving, should a person be held to account for their actions? Absolutely,” said Blumczynska, who doesn’t know anything about the accused. “Nothing will bring Galila back, but it’s for the safety of others.” The child’s mother, Genet Bruk, now uses a wheelchair outside the home and a walker inside the home and is receiving physiotherapy, said Blumczynska, who’s had tea at the home several times and cries with the woman every visit. “She’s got a very, very long road to physical recovery. She hopes to walk again independently.” Emotionally and spiritually, she and her husband are coping, Blumczynska said. “They have found an enormous amount of comfort in their faith. They believe their daughter was called to be at God’s side. They’re able to make sense of their world in that way and come to some peace with this tragedy.” She hopes that news of the charges being laid may act as a deterrent and prevent more fatalities. “None of the children who witnessed that accident, none of my colleagues who accompanied the (victims) to hospital or saw Galila’s lifeless body will ever be the same,” she said. “I think it’s important to understand we are accountable to one another and responsible for one another.” carol.sanders(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Omand’s Creek footbridge closed till spring due to ice (Dec14'19)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Dec '19

14 Dec '19

*Omand’s Creek footbridge closed till spring due to ice * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/hazardous-ice-closes-omands-creek-f… A well-used footbridge in Wolseley, considered an integral part of the active transportation network, will be closed until late spring. City crews blocked access to the footbridge over Omand’s Creek last week, after late-November flooding submerged the structure and froze into thick, hazardous ice, public works spokeswoman Julie Dooley said. “It’s completely iced over, so it’s just not safe for people to walk over it,” she said. Every spring, the bridge is flooded when the Assiniboine River spills into the creek and submerges parts of Omand Park in Wolseley. Latefall flooding, however, is uncommon. Dooley said the crossing had been under ice for a few weeks before it was closed, and creek levels have since returned to normal. There’s no indication the structural integrity of the bridge has been affected, she said, yet the city won’t make an effort to restore public access this winter. “We appreciate the inconvenience of the closure but want to ensure all park users stay safe. Pedestrians can still access the other side of the bridge by rerouting down Raglan Street to Portage Avenue,” she said. Anders Swanson, executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, said the closure is an example of deficiencies in the city’s maintenance of active transportation networks. “That bridge and the detour is indicative of a number of gaps in the city where we need things to be designed to accommodate all users, all year long,” Swanson said. The path through Omand Park is popular with cyclists, runners and pedestrians who use the footbridge to cross Omand’s Creek while out for walks with their dogs, running the popular Wolseley- Wellington loop or travelling between the Polo Park area and downtown. Without access to the crossing, people are choosing instead to traverse the heaved ice of the frozen creek, or head north on Raglan Street to Portage Avenue, and south again to the parkway to get to their destination, and neither option is ideal, Swanson said. “It really points to the fact that what are your alternatives? And when you have a city with the bare minimum of connectivity, every little piece counts,” he said. The bridge is also part of the North Assiniboine Parkway, which ties into the city’s planned active transportation network on Empress Street, part of a $22.83-million rehabilitation project of Empress Street and the overpass. It’s also a critical alternative to cycling on Portage Avenue, Swanson said. Given the importance of the bridge to the active transportation network, and the frequent flooding of the creek, more political attention could be paid to improving infrastructure in Omand Park, Swanson said. Raising the bridge to avoid chronic flooding would be a good starting point. danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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AT Webinar: Education and Encouragement - Bringing the Right People Together (Dec18th, 2-3pm)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Dec '19

12 Dec '19

Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg for a group viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom. This will be followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. * * * * * Education and Encouragement: Bringing the Right People Together December 18 at 2:00pm What really changes a person’s behavior? How can agencies and activists help inform appropriate behavior on our streets and pathways? When new infrastructure or operations are introduced, how can we ensure that users understand intentions and exhibit safe operation? How do we best utilize the resources of agency staff and advocacy resources to help this process? We'll examine the effectiveness of Education and Encouragement, and how to broaden the tent of who’s involved in the "soft" E's.

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CBC: Canmore will charge for downtown parking to keep bus service fare free (Dec8'19)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Dec '19

11 Dec '19

Canmore will charge for downtown parking to keep bus service fare free Parking downtown will cost $6 a day on weekdays starting summer 2020 ttps:// www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/canmore-parking-1.5388552 The Town of Canmore is hoping to alleviate congestion and fund its transit service by charging parking fees. Town council approved the change on Tuesday, which will affect those parking between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays, starting summer 2020. Parking downtown will cost $6 a day, or between $1 and $1.50 per hour to park, depending on whether or not it's peak season. Residents who live in the area will be able to register for permits. Mayor John Borrowman said while the move has been controversial, he's urging residents to wait and see how it plays out. "Parking has never been free. It's always been a cost that has been borne by the local taxpayer: the cost of providing that infrastructure and maintaining it," he said. "With paid parking and those paid parking revenues going toward our transit fares, our visitors are helping to pay for those costs, rather than 100 per cent of them coming from local residents." The money is earmarked for Canmore's local transit service, Roam, which is fare-free. Borrowman hopes the parking fees might alleviate congestion — which has been an increasing problem in the Bow Valley. "I hear from residents that they simply don't come downtown anymore because it's too busy. I am anticipating that through this program, we'll find that residents start coming back into the downtown because it is easier and it's less congested," he said. Banff is also considering introducing parking fees.

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WFP: Winnipeg pedals into Top 10 (Dec9'19)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Dec '19

09 Dec '19

*Fully linked grid would move city higher up Canadian list* *Winnipeg pedals into Top 10 * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/winnipeg-pedals-in-at-no-9-56596… ASK a random Canadian about Winnipeg’s reputation, and they’re more likely to mention the cold or crime than cycling. But new rankings from online real estate brokerage Redfin put Winnipeg squarely in the Top 10 Canadian cities for biking, tied with Toronto and Richmond, B.C. The rankings don’t qualify Winnipeg as a “biker’s paradise” (for cities with a score of 90 and above) or even “very bikeable” (70 to 89 points). But Winnipeg’s 61-point score earns a modest “bikeable” status in Redfin’s view, a category for cities with “some bike infrastructure.” Redfin’s bike-score ratings are similar to its proprietary walk scores and transit scores, which are often mentioned on real estate listings. (The company acquired Walk Score in 2014. Winnipeg’s average Walk Score is just 53, while Toronto has a Walk Score of 71.) The company’s inaugural Canadian bike-friendliness ranking covered roughly 100 cities, Redfin’s lead economist, Taylor Marr, said. “We know from our years of experience that people really value walkability. They also value being close to transit increasingly... But also people really value bikeability, not only for the health benefits but also for the cost savings,” said Marr, who commutes by bike in his home city of Seattle. The bike-score rankings evaluated cities across four criteria — topography, cycling infrastructure such as bike lanes, the number of bikeable destinations and the share of the population that commutes by bicycle. Liz Shearer, co-chairwoman of cycling advocacy group Bike Winnipeg, said bike ridership is on the increase in Winnipeg, “and as infrastructure is built, so is ridership... When people feel safer, they ride more often, which shouldn’t come as a surprise.” But Winnipeg’s lack of a fully connected cycling grid keeps Manitoba’s capital from being a true leader in bikeability, she said. Shearer is concerned about the future of the 20-year active transportation strategy Winnipeg passed in 2015, saying the plan is being underfunded by the city. “We’ve gotten international recognition for this cycling and pedestrian plan, but words without action is just a dream,” Shearer said. “So if we’re not enacting and funding this type of plan properly, we’ll never reach its full potential.” The chilling spectre of Winnipeg winters is frequently invoked in public discourse around the city’s need for cycling infrastructure. Redfin’s Marr said the company’s scoring model didn’t account for weather directly, although the share of bike commuters serves as an indirect proxy, especially in North America. “(You) often see somewhat of a correlation in terms of places that are more weather-friendly for biking do have higher shares of people biking. What is really odd, though, is that you don’t necessarily see that relationship very strongly on an international scale,” he said, citing the cold weather cycling paradise of Copenhagen. Winnipeggers tend to wear their cold weather credentials as a “badge of honour,” Bike Winnipeg’s Shearer said. “So it’s surprising when I hear that people think we’re not able to embrace (winter cycling) as part of our lifestyles, and I do think that it is because there is a lack of infrastructure so that people can feel safe and protected,” she said. “If we were to be able to make cycling a safe and convenient option year-round, then the only barrier we’d have to face in taking our bikes out on a winter’s day is the same battle we already face every day that we leave our homes as Winnipeggers.” Shearer encouraged Winnipeggers to try winter cycling if they haven’t before, suggesting a test ride on a route that’s protected from traffic. “I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re pressured into trying something that makes them feel unsafe, but I would encourage people to try something new, and to see what routes are available to them — and if there isn’t a safe route to get them from A to B, who should they talk to, to make that happen?” Victoria led Redfin’s bike-friendliness rankings with a score of 80, followed by Vancouver (79) and Montreal (73). Redfin rates Minneapolis as the most bikeable city in the U.S., with a score of 84 points. solomon.israel(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sol_israel

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WFP: Slower speeds urged after pedestrian injuries (Dec6'19)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Dec '19

06 Dec '19

*Slower speeds urged after pedestrian injuries * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/slower-speeds-urged-after-pedestria… HOPES for a safer, more pedestrian- friendly Winnipeg drew about five dozen people to the Old Grace Housing Co-op on Thursday night to hear local advocacy group Safe Speeds Winnipeg make its case for lower speed limits. Clayton Rudy, presenter and Safe Speeds Winnipeg member, said the organization was founded after “so many incidents where people have been injured or killed” on Winnipeg’s roads. “And that sparked a grassroots group to form to discuss the problem and explore some of the solutions.” Safe Speed Winnipeg’s key goal is convincing the city to reduce the default speed for Winnipeg roads from 50 kilometres an hour to 30 km/h unless otherwise posted. Back lane speed limits would be cut from 30 km/h to 15 km/h under the proposed policy. “Because there are thousands and thousands of kilometres of roads in the city, rather than going block-by-block through the whole city to see what needs to be lowered, the position of Safe Speeds Winnipeg is that the default should be lowered and then the city can raise the speed limits, or keep them as is in the case of higher-speed roads,” said Rudy, a private-sector transportation engineer whose presentation to the town hall focused on the science of pedestrian safety. “But it’s far more efficient and effective, to improve safety on the streets, to have a low default and then raise where it’s appropriate to do so.” Safe Speeds Winnipeg was among a number of groups that pushed Winnipeg’s public works committee to lower speed limits this past summer, after the provincial government allowed Manitoba municipalities to set speed limits on their own. Rudy said that effort didn’t succeed, although the public service has been assigned to study the matter. “Because of the amount of people and the frequency with which they’re injured or killed on the roads, it’s an urgent decision to make, and there’s no real need to wait for more reports and more studies to make that decision that the default should be lowered,” Rudy said in an interview before the town hall. Fellow presenter and Safe Speeds Winnipeg member Sylvia Buchholz believes the city’s willingness to at least reconsider speed limits is promising. “It’s a hard topic, right? People feel so passionate about it, but judging just by the tragedies that we’re reading in the news more and more, I think this is gaining public support,” she told the Free Press ahead of the event. In her presentation, Buchholz highlighted that her group’s proposal wouldn’t mean speeds would be limited to 30 km/h across the entire city, saying the policy would mostly affect residential areas. Cutting speed limits sounds like a good idea to attendee Allison Penner, a Wolseley resident who attended the meeting with her partner and nearly two-year-old son. She thinks improved infrastructure such as crosswalks and speed bumps would also help calm traffic in her neighbourhood. “Our kid is getting a little bit older, he’s going to be starting school in a couple years,” Penner said. “And we live right on Westminster, so we see how the traffic kind of just whips through, and it feels really unsafe.” Fellow meeting attendee Donald Swanson said he’s almost been hit by cars while crossing Portage Avenue, and also expressed concern about traffic on Sherburn Street where he lives. “On Sherburn Street, there’s a lot of kids, and they’re always playing in the front and people are whipping up and down,” he said. Coun. Scott Gillingham represents Winnipeg’s St. James ward, where two teenagers were injured Wednesday morning after being struck by a car at Ness Avenue and Woodlawn Street. He said he couldn’t attend the Thursday town hall but was open to the idea of reducing speed limits in residential neighbourhoods. “I don’t know if I support 30, but I’m certainly open to looking at something lower than 50 km/h on residential streets,” he said. MLA Lisa Naylor attended the event in her Wolseley constituency, and said pedestrian safety was an issue she heard about frequently while door knocking during the recent provincial election campaign. “The presentation tonight was really well done,” Naylor said. “I think they’re talking about a change across the entire city. I don’t feel like I have enough information to have an opinion on that, but I certainly think we would benefit by some lower speed limits in some areas of this neighbourhood, for sure.” solomon.israel(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @sol_israel

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Distance driven per person still down from maximum in 2004 (US)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Dec '19

04 Dec '19

Would be interesting to see similar breakdown for Canada. The US numbers are trending upward but still below the max in 2004. See full article (with charts!) here: https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/12/distance-driven-per-person-is-stil… - An increase of 40.9% from 1984 to 2004 (from 6,612 miles to 9,314 miles). - A decrease of 9.0% from 2004 to 2013 (from 9,314 miles to 8,472 miles). - An increase of 4.5% from 2013 to 2018 (from 8,472 miles to 8,855 miles). [image: Untitled] <https://bioage.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c4fbe53ef0240a4a4239b200c-pi>

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Request for Proposal for Professional Consulting Services for Winnipeg Area Transportation Master Plan - Core Framework Study
by Mark Cohoe 04 Dec '19

04 Dec '19

Sorry, that last email got sent before I wanted. The city has released an RFP <https://www.winnipeg.ca/matmgt/bidopp.asp#1243-2019>( https://www.winnipeg.ca/matmgt/bidopp.asp#1243-2019) for the Core Framework Study of its Transportation Master Plan. Project Milestones Task Milestone Date Project Work Plan February 16, 2020 Background, Existing Conditions, Challenges & Future Options August 31, 2020 Transportation Modelling of Future Options October 30, 2020 White Paper outlining key findings November 30, 2020 Development of Draft TMP Core Framework Study January 29, 2021 Development of Cost Estimates, Benefit / Cost Analysis February 26, 2021 Final TMP Core Framework Report March 31, 2021 Final Transportation Master Plan By others by (June 30, 2021 ) Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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Request for Proposal for Professional Consulting Services for Winnipeg Area Transportation Master Plan - Core Framework Study
by Mark Cohoe 03 Dec '19

03 Dec '19

The city has posted an RFP for the Transportation Master Plan. Project Milestones: Task Milestone Date Project Work Plan February 16, 2020 Background, Existing Conditions, Challenges & Future Options August 31, 2020 Transportation Modelling of Future OptionsOctober 30, 2020 White Paper outlining key findings November 30, 2020Development of Draft TMP Core Framework Study January 29, 2021 Development of Cost Estimates, Benefit / Cost Analysis February 26, 2021 Final TMP Core Framework Report March 31, 2021 Final Transportation Master Plan By others by (June 30, 2021 )

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WFP: Bike-building marathon brings community together to help children in need (Dec2'19)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Dec '19

02 Dec '19

*Putting the pedal to the metal * * Bike-building marathon brings community together to help children in need* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/putting-the-pedal-to-the-metal-5656… STAFF and volunteers at a community bicycle repair shop are aiming to make Christmas special for hundreds of children by giving them the gift of cycling. The WRENCH (Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub), an organization dedicated to making bicycles and cycling accessible to everyone, is holding its ninth annual Cycle of Giving event on Dec. 7. The 24-hour event will bring volunteer mechanics together to build more than 350 bicycles that will be distributed to children in need. The bike-building marathon takes place at the Orioles Community Centre at 448 Burnell St. Longtime WRENCH volunteer Robert Schulz Sr. looks forward to volunteering at Cycle of Giving each year. For Schulz, it’s an opportunity to do something meaningful with his two children, Robert Jr., 14, and Chanel, 11. “This whole Cycle of Giving has allowed me to be a good dad… by spending time with (my children) and interacting with them doing the same activity,” Schulz says. “It’s drawn us closer together in a lot of ways.” A dedicated cyclist, Schulz is proud to say that each bicycle his family owns has been built at the WRENCH. His children are avid cyclists, something Schulz has encouraged because it contributes to environmental sustainability. Schulz is a teacher at École Luxton School, an elementary school in the North End. He works with a small class that’s typically made up of about eight boys, and his volunteerism at the WRENCH has influenced his work in the classroom. Each year, Schulz’s students build bicycles for themselves. They also build an additional bicycle that is gifted to a student they have never met. “It’s a magical day here at Luxton when the bikes are given out,” Schulz says. “What a great way to teach empathy, humility and sustainability.” Like Schulz, Kim Segal is looking forward to this year’s Cycle of Giving. Each year, the self-employed massage therapist tries to spend as many hours at the event as possible. “You meet so many different people from all walks of life,” Segal says. “I love the fact that at the WRENCH, everybody is equal.” Watching the pile of finished bikes grow during Cycle of Giving is exciting, she adds. “It’s emotional when you think of all the people that are benefiting from this. I can’t think of many things I have been involved with where it’s such an incredibly good feeling of giving back.” In addition to volunteer bike mechanics, Cycle of Giving relies on volunteer bike cleaners, card makers, food servers and site crew who help set up, maintain and tear down the workshop. Anyone interested in volunteering can visit thewrench.ca/cycle-ofgiving- 2019 for details. In conjunction with the event, the WRENCH is raising $30,000 for its year-round programming, says Patrick Krawec, the organization’s managing director. People can donate at thewrench.ca. Donations of children’s bicycles and parts are also welcome. Cycle of Giving is a joyful celebration for those who participate, Krawec says, adding that the gift of a bicycle can help the recipient imagine a better tomorrow. “The impact of these bicycles in the community cannot be overstated,” he says.

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New Online Snow-Clearing Portal Launches (Nov30'19)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Dec '19

01 Dec '19

WINNIPEG - A new online portal was launched today, designed to make accessing snow clearing information easier for Winnipeggers. Winnipeg.ca/snow <https://winnipeg.ca/publicworks/snow/default.stm> includes winter parking ban information, a comprehensive FAQ, and – most notably – a new snow clearing status map for major snow plowing operations. Residents can now check on crews’ progress during major plowing operations and residential plowing operations by searching an address and viewing the percentage completed. During a major plowing operation, residents will be able to search an address, and view the percentage completed by geographic area for Priority 1 and 2 streets, as well as sidewalks and pathways. During a residential plowing operation, residents will be able to search an address, and view the percentage completed by snow zone. Residents can also view street priority by searching an address on our street priority map, in addition to viewing snow routes on a searchable map. The new resource also features information about the new winter maintenance improvements for identified Active Transportation (AT) priority routes that will be implemented city-wide, including a searchable map displaying the routes. Under this new system, identified priority AT routes will be cleared within 36 hours after three or more centimeters of snowfall. Prioritization occurred as part of a greater maintenance strategy developed over the last few years in consultation with various active transportation user groups; it supports making daily walking and cycling more convenient and accessible year-round travel modes for people of all ages and abilities. https://www.manitobapost.com/winnipeg-news/new-online-snow-clearing-portal-…

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Global News: Exchange District business owners fed up over ‘piecemeal’ development in the area (Nov29'19)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '19

30 Nov '19

Exchange District business owners fed up over ‘piecemeal’ development in the area https://globalnews.ca/news/6234378/exchange-district-business-owners-fed-up… A group of Exchange District business owners are calling for a moratorium on development in the area, telling the city there needs to be a better plan in place for things like bike lanes, parking, and loading zones in the neighbourhood before work starts up again. The group, which includes former Blue Bomber and Shawarma Khan restaurant owner Obby Khan, say recent changes made to the streets — in particular new bike lanes that have taken over parking spots and loading zones — have been bad for business. Khan says many are reporting a 20 to 30 per cent drop in business and he’s personally lost “six figures” since losing street parking across from his McDermot Avenue restaurant two years ago. “What are we trying to do? Are we trying to create a community or are we trying to create one way roads to get people out of the downtown core?” he said. “Do we want to make active transport or do we want to throw bike lanes in the middle of busy streets and get people out of the downtown core — What is the plan? What is the vision? “Us as business owners are feeling the squeeze right now without this plan.” Khan, along with the owners of King + Bannatyne and Bodegoes, canvassed the Exchange, getting signatures from a total of 67 local business-owners who echo their concerns. In a letter presented to Winnipeg’s mayor and council last week, the group calls for an end to “one-off interventions around parking, transportation, construction or development” in the Exchange until a comprehensive plan is created. They also want parking prices to drop from $3.50 to $2.50 in the area and to see recent street changes reversed. Khan stresses the group is not opposed to active transportation — in fact they welcome it — but want to see a plan put forward and more consultation with area businesses before work is done “We love the bike lanes, we are pro active transportation,” he said. “What we are not pro for is the design, implementation and roll-out without any real consultation of business and how the bike lanes were executed. What was the plan? What was the vision? Or did you just throw bike lanes down? “Stop doing piecemeal, stop putting in a loading zone here, stop putting in a light here or back-in parking here — what is the whole vision for the Exchange?” Khan said the group has gotten a good response from the city, and Mayor Brian Bowman said he is listening to the group’s concerns. “I appreciate the dialogue,” Bowman said Friday, telling 680 CJOB he’s working with business owners and the Exchange District BIZ to find solutions. “There’s been a lot of investments made in the downtown, including the Exchange, over the last few years and obviously we want to make sure that we’re doing our best to ensure that the businesses are as successful as possible. “We have some more work to do… finding the right balance is obviously key” In the meantime, Khan says if nothing changes, some businesses — including his — may look at leaving the Exchange District. “Everything needs to be looked at together to come up with a solution,” he said. “The Exchange is a vibrant, fun, beautiful area — we need to come up with a plan with the city, with urban designers, with residents, with business owners to make this work for everyone.”

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WFP: Exchange District businesses petition city for master plan (Nov29'19)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Nov '19

29 Nov '19

*Issues with** parking, transportation, construction, development brought forward* *Exchange District businesses petition city for master plan * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/exchange-district-business-owners-p… DOZENS of Exchange District business owners frustrated with bike lanes popping up, loading zones taken away, and rising street parking rates have signed a petition asking the City of Winnipeg to hit the brakes. The group of 67 is asking the city put in place a moratorium on any more changes for parking, transportation, construction or development before a comprehensive plan is put into place for the area, and following full consultation. As well, they are asking for pay parking to be rolled back to 2017 rates and the city to commit to “immediately modify the recent, radical, physical street changes” by looking at impact on businesses, traffic circulation, parking, and safety concerns. Ibrahim (Obby) Khan, one of the leaders of the petition and owner of Shawarma Khan restaurants, said Thursday he has seen business drop at his Exchange District location about 20 per cent in the past two years. “It’s almost a six-figure loss,” Khan said. “We’re all local businesses which have put our passion and money on the line in the city and we need city council to help us... We need to get back to having a master plan for the area.” The businesses to sign the petition include: Toad Hall Toys, Pan Am Boxing, King and Bannatyne, Warehouse Artworks, Mayberry Fine Art, King’s Head, Deer + Almond, Into the Music and Parlour Coffee. At a civic committee meeting earlier this week, Khan was even more blunt about the changes outside the doors of his restaurant. “I feel betrayed,” he told city councillors on the innovation and economic development committee. “I feel hurt and I put so much into my store and it is dying a slow death. “You said you wanted to revitalize our downtown core, and we feel though you have turned your backs on us.” Khan said area businesses are fully supportive of bike lanes, but there should have been an overall plan for the area before they were put in. “No rights on reds because of bike lanes implemented on these lanes,” he said. “I love the idea of bike lanes, but the rollout, design, implementation... is a catastrophe — it is killing businesses. “Was there thought put in to how it’s going to affect the business owners?” Former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray, who lives, works and owns a business in the downtown, said he signed the petition because he believes the city needs an updated plan for the Exchange District. “I’m a 12-months-of-the-year cyclist,” Murray said. “We do want bicycling infrastructure in the area. But we need to have it better designed and organized... We are asking the mayor and council to put up a planning group. “Right now, it really looks like an evacuation plan there.” David Pensato, executive director of the Exchange District Business Improvement Zone, said the owners group is also concerned about the price of street parking in the area. Currently, the price set by the Winnipeg Parking Authority is $3.50 per hour in a large portion of the Exchange, but the city is looking at hiking it further. “It’s not supposed to be for revenue,” he said. Jeremy Davis, a spokesman for Mayor Brian Bowman, said the mayor has received the group’s letter and petition. “Mayor Bowman has met with area businesses and the Exchange District BIZ to discuss their concerns,” Davis said. “The mayor will continue to be actively engaged with the Exchange District BIZ to find solutions that can be acted upon for everyone’s benefit.” kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Measuring transportation success by improving people's access to jobs and services
by Beth McKechnie 27 Nov '19

27 Nov '19

*An excellent blog series from Transportation from America on how we currently measure the success of our road networks (i.e. vehicle speed) and how we should be measuring them (access to destinations, such as jobs and services). * MAKING ACCESS THE FOCUS OF TRANSPORTATION Catch up on a week spent focusing on "connecting people to jobs and services" The concept of measuring transportation success by improving people's access to opportunities <http://t4america.org/platform/>—not vehicle speed—is often hard for people to wrap their heads around. Especially because we have been wrongly conditioned to believe that being able to drive fast equals a transportation system that works. That's why we spent last week unpacking our third principle <http://t4america.org/platform/> for transportation investment, connecting people to jobs and services. Here's what we discussed: *(1) Success is getting people where they need to go: *For decades, transportation departments have been measuring the wrong thing: vehicle speed. Instead of measuring the speed of a car, we should measure the success of our transportation system by how many jobs and services people can access safely, quickly and affordably. Read more on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/19/its-time-to-define-transportation-success-b…> *(2) How bad metrics lead to even worse decisions: *When the top priority of our transportation investments is moving cars as fast as possible, the end product is streets that are wildly unsafe. This focus on vehicle speed and throughput is the result of outdated metrics that utterly fail to produce a transportation system that connects people to what they need every day. Read more on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/18/destination-access-week-how-bad-metrics-lea…> *(3) To improve equity, we need to measure what matters: *Our current process for deciding which transportation projects to build only considers vehicles—entirely ignoring people walking, biking, or taking transit. This ignores the impacts on everyone not using a car, particularly low-income persons, people of color, and older adults. Read more on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/20/to-connect-people-to-jobs-and-services-we-n…> *(4) How does measuring access actually work? *Our colleagues at the State Smart Transportation Initative explain how this new practice of measuring access (called "destination access" by academics and policy wonks) works in real life, and where and how is it already being used. Read more on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/20/connecting-people-to-jobs-and-services-week…> *5) Rethinking shared mobility:* Be it a new mode, like dockless e-scooters, or a mode as fundamental as walking—all transportation decisions must focus on connecting people to jobs and services. The New Urban Mobility Alliance's Madlyn McAuilffe writes about how shared mobility technologies can focus on achieving this goal. Read more on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/21/connecting-people-to-jobs-and-services-week…> *(6) The legislative path forward: *Local governments, states, and metropolitan planning organizations need support from the federal government to undertake this new approach of measuring people's access to jobs and services. It’s high time for Congress to make robust travel data and analysis tools available to transportation agencies. Read more on the blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/21/connecting-people-to-jobs-and-services-week…> *(7) Why Des Moines wants Congress to step up:* The Des Moines Area MPO wants to fund projects that improve access the most. But—like most MPOs and local governments across the country—its budget for the technology that makes this possible is small. It’s time for Congress to help local communities invest in the right projects. Read more on the blog > > <http://The%20Des%20Moines%20Area%20MPO%20wants%20to%20make%20a%20shift%20to…> *(8) What happens when Jarrett Walker takes over your Twitter: *Who better to explain how far we've deviated from transportation's purpose—to connect people to opportunity—and how to get back on track than transit planner Jarrett Walker? Walker and his team are famous for helping cities across the world align their land use with transit goals. Check out the tweet highlights on our blog > > <http://t4america.org/2019/11/25/jarrett-walker-twitter-takeover/>

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Toronto Star: Most peds and cyclists killed or seriously injured in Toronto hit in daylight, with clear visibility (Nov26'19)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Nov '19

27 Nov '19

*Amid arm-band backlash, police data shows most pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured in Toronto are hit in daylight, with clear visibility* https://www.thestar.com/amp/news/gta/2019/11/26/amid-arm-band-backlash-poli… A weekend event where seniors were given fluorescent arm bands to help protect them from getting hit by cars has sparked a fierce backlash from safe streets advocates who say the measure amounts to “victim blaming.” Toronto Coun. James Pasternak was the latest to cross advocates on Monday after he tweeted that high-visibility clothing or reflective gear is “a key part” of keeping everyone — including pedestrians, construction workers, cyclists and crossing guards — safe. Toronto police investigate the scene of an Oct. 13 crash in which two pedestrians and a baby in a stroller were struck at the intersection of Pharmacy Avenue and Ellesmere Road shortly before 11 a.m. The driver fled the scene, police said. (Rene Johnston / Toronto Star) That comment has prompted nearly 300 outraged responses <https://twitter.com/PasternakTO/status/1199016505343651841?s=20> from people who say asking pedestrians to wear reflective gear is at best a distraction from the city’s efforts to reduce traffic deaths. Several noted that a crossing guard <https://www.therecord.com/news-story/9734496-waterloo-crossing-guard-struck…> wearing a bright yellow and orange reflective vest was recently hit during daylight hours in Waterloo, and referenced recent crashes in which drivers plowed into (very visible) buildings. <https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/11/22/driver-arrested-after-15-cars-h…> “Wearing high visibility gear to protect yourself from negligent and reckless drivers is like asking people to wear fire-retardant pyjamas to bed just in case there’s a fire because someone was irresponsible with fire codes & safety,” said one typical response from Dale Thompson <https://twitter.com/daleethompson/status/1199349959826513920?s=20>. “In other words: This isn’t a pedestrian issue,” he wrote. The arm bands are supposed to make pedestrians, especially seniors who are the ones more likely to be hit, more visible to drivers. According to Toronto police data, most pedestrians and cyclists who are killed or seriously injured on city streets are hit by drivers in daylight hours with good visibility. Between 2007 and 2018, a majority — 1,413 in total — of killed or seriously injured pedestrians and cyclists were hit in daylight with clear visibility, the conditions in which an arm band would be unlikely to make a difference. Those conditions account for 51 per cent of the 2,741 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed or seriously injured over that period. The other 1,328 were hit under other conditions, from dusk to dawn, or in rainy, snowy, fogging or otherwise unclear visibility. Police and Coun. Cynthia Lai handed out hundreds of the armbands to seniors at Scarborough’s Woodside Square Mall on Saturday, part of an event in which officers shared safety tips like the importance of making eye contact with approaching drivers. Lai later defended the event to the Star saying everyone has a shared responsibility for road safety. This kind of effort is “textbook victim-blaming” that contributes to “misinformation” that pedestrians somehow contribute to their own deaths, said road safety advocate Jessica Spieker, a spokesperson for advocacy groups Friends and Families for Safe Streets. “To distribute arm bands to seniors flagrantly flies in the face of all of the evidence about road safety,” she said, adding that drivers and infrastructure are at fault he “vast majority” of the time. According to a city report on the same police data prepared as part of the city’s Vision Zero plan to reduce traffic deaths <https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2019/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-134993.pdf>, aggressive and distracted driving contribute to a majority — 52 per cent — of all crashes that cause a death or serious injury on Toronto streets. Spieker said she is frustrated with the “agonizingly slow” progress on making streets safer under the city’s plan. Ahead of police board meetings last week, Toronto police <https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/11/21/toronto-police-board-reinstates…> pointed to how crashes have spiked as traffic enforcement has fallen over the last six years. Police pointed to a sharp decline in provincial tickets arguing that the board should reinstate a dedicated traffic enforcement squad, something it agreed to do on Thursday. Separate statistics also presented to the board show Toronto police charged fewer drivers with a criminal traffic offence in 2018 than in any year since the city’s amalgamation in 1998 <https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/11/22/even-as-collisions-rise-toronto…>. Toronto police Deputy Chief Peter Yuen also defended the arm band giveaway, saying Sunday it was planned as part of Pedestrian Safety Month for seniors, who are disproportionately hit. “Visibility is a key contributing factor in many pedestrian, road and traffic incidents,” he wrote in an email.“We’ll continue to do all we can to protect our communities and eliminate deaths and injuries on our roads.” Speaking to CBC Radio’s “Metro Morning” on Tuesday, Councillor Pasternak expanded on his reasoning for supporting giving out the armbands, telling host Matt Galloway that the main focus of Vision Zero is to get cars to slow down and making roadways safer, but there’s also a “public education” aspect. “And that’s why we’re encouraging people to, when they’re crossing, to make eye contact with vehicles as they stop, to put away the cellphone and look up as they’re crossing, wear bright clothing, and of course for all traffic to stop.” Pasternak, councillor for Ward 6 —York Centre, also chairs the Infrastructure and Environment Committee which oversees the city’s Vision Zero road safety plan. He rejects the idea that the arm bands are victim-blaming. “No one’s forcing anyone to take it,” he said. “Nobody’s playing blame here.” Insisting that Vision Zero is working, Pasternak admitted there’s “mayhem” on the roads. “And I don’t like using the word lawlessness, but to some degree people are totally disregarding signalized intersections, stop signs, speed limits, it’s a major problem,” he added. The World Health Organization, he noted, does encourage <https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/road_traffic/ma…> educating pedestrians about the importance of wearing light-coloured clothing and reflective materials. “If we can save one life by reflective clothing or reflective gear I think it’s worth it,” he added. Traffic deaths have not significantly declined in the city since council first adopted the Vision Zero plan in 2016, and both collisions and pedestrian deaths hit a high for recent data last year. Based on the Star’s count, 34 pedestrians have been killed in Toronto so far this year. *With files from Ed Tubb* *May Warren is a breaking news reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @maywarren11 <https://twitter.com/maywarren11>*

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TAC Latent Demand for Active Transportation - Practitioner Survey (closes Nov 22)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Nov '19

21 Nov '19

*From:* Ronauq Sabharwal <Ronauq.Sabharwal(a)cima.ca> Good morning, The *TAC Transportation Planning and Research Standing Committee* is undertaking the project: *Methods for Estimating Latent Demand for Active Transportation*. Thank you to those who have already completed the survey. A reminder that the deadline is this Friday, November 22. The survey takes approximately ~15 minutes to complete. Your input will greatly help in understanding the existing research and develop various methodologies to estimate latent demand for active transportation and their benefits and dis-benefits. If you are an employee in the public sector: The Jurisdictional Survey Link <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surve…> *If you are an active transportation practitioner working in academia, consulting or advocacy: The Practitioner Survey Link <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.surve…>* Please see more information regarding the survey below. Thank you so much for your time and if you have any questions, please contact me. Regards, Ronauq Sabharwal ------------------------------ *RONAUQ SABHARWAL, *MEngCEM Traffic Analyst / Transportation – Traffic Engineering *T* 905-695-1005 ext. 5744 *F* 905-695-0525 500–5935 Airport Road, Mississauga, ON L4V 1W5 CANADA <http://www.cima.ca/> ------------------------------ Do you really need to print this email? Let's protect the environment! CONFIDENTIALITY WARNING This e-mail is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete it in its entirety.

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Fwd: SafeSpeedsWPG: We're on the gram and we're having a Town Hall!
by Dave Elmore 19 Nov '19

19 Nov '19

Please see the information below on a town hall planned for December 5th hosted by SafeSpeedsWPG and the Wolseley Residents Association. Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X) Hi everyone! Please note, SafeSpeedsWPG and the Wolseley Residents Association are hosting a Town Hall with Green Action Centre on December 5th, 7 - 8:30pm at Old Grace Housing Co-op on Arlington Ave. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join the conversation about what safe residential speeds can do for people and communities. We hope you'll attend and bring friends and family. As well, SafeSpeedsWPG is now on Instagram! Please follow us @safespeedswpg if you're on this platform and let others know. For Instagram content, we are asking people to share their stories with us: "what does a safe residential speed limit in your community mean to you?" Please email me your stories with a photo or two and we will share your stories on our page. As well, please send friends and family to *www.safespeedswpg.com <http://www.safespeedswpg.com> *- there, they can click on "Share your story" for instructions on how to share their experiences and photos on our Instagram page. Hope to see you at our Town Hall and have a great holiday season!

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