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WFP: Active transportation group urges city to block traffic in some curb lanes (Apr25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '20

25 Apr '20

*Active transportation group urges city to block traffic in some curb lanes * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/active-transportation… THE city is being asked to block off curb lanes to vehicle traffic on many normally busy streets to clear more space for pedestrians and cyclists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Winnipeg Trails Association wants the city to give people using active transportation nearly exclusive 24-7 access to some stretches of key streets and lanes [map attached]. The organization said that should cause little disruption, since the traffic volume has dropped significantly. “Now there’s very little excuse to not (do this). Vehicle traffic is extremely low,” said Anders Swanson, the association’s executive director. Swanson said the need for biking and walking space will grow as Winnipeg Transit begins to reduce services after seeing its ridership plummet. The reduced frequency of buses could lead some to use other options, he said. “We need a comprehensive (transportation) network that works for everybody,” he said. The association suggests that buses be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers in the affected curb lanes, but not travel through them. Swanson is lobbying for the lanes to be placed on key stretches of St. Mary’s Road, Osborne Street, Pembina Highway, Jefferson Avenue and Burrows Avenue, among many other typically well-used routes. The association also wants the city to reduce residential street speed limits and add traffic-calming measures near homes. Council’s public works chairperson said he’s discussed the association’s request with city staff but no decision has been made. “Before we go forward with something, we want to make sure to get it right,” said Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). The city will add some extra travel space for bikes and foot traffic in early May, limiting vehicle travel to one block between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily on five new routes. Allard said this will help ensure people can stay two metres apart, as health officials recommend. “This is a perfectly acceptable way to get your exercise while maintaining physical distancing requirements,” he said. Newly designated routes will be in place from May 5 until May 29 on Assiniboine Avenue (from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive), Churchill Drive (from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue), Egerton Road (from Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue), Kildonan Drive (from both Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent and Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place) and Kilkenny Drive (from Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive.) The city will also extend previously announced bicycle/active-transportation routes to May 29. Drivers will also see the road-construction season kick off next month, with about 200 planned projects. Meanwhile, the city is cancelling its spring giveaway weekend for residents to lay out items marked “free” at the curb for others to collect; it had been scheduled May 9-10. COVID-19 is spread by droplets that leave a person’s mouth when they cough or sneeze, which could fall on the “free” items and then infect someone picking them up, said Jason Shaw, Winnipeg’s assistant chief of emergency management. Shaw said he’s also concerned Winnipeggers would roam through neighbourhoods in search of free items, despite being urged to stay home as much as possible. “The giveaway weekend encourages a lot of people to get out and about,” he said. Winnipeggers also won’t be able to collect free city-made compost any time soon, since social distancing has created delays at the 4R depots. Instead, that program has been indefinitely postponed. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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City expanding temporary bicycle/active transportation routes effective May 5 to May 29
by Beth McKechnie 24 Apr '20

24 Apr '20

City expanding temporary bicycle/active transportation routes effective May 5 to May 29 Released: 9:00 a.m. Winnipeg, MB – In an effort to assist with social distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City is further extending its annual bicycle and active transportation route schedule and expanding the temporary routes to include five new streets. “As the global pandemic continues to have an effect on our residents, I’m pleased to see an expansion of active transportation routes that can better facilitate physical distancing,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. “With ever-evolving circumstances related to COVID-19, the City is once again demonstrating its willingness and ability to innovate.” “It’s important that we provide Winnipeggers with safe spaces they can use to keep active while practicing social distancing,” said Councillor Matt Allard, Chairperson of the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works. “I’m pleased that we were able to expand upon active transportation routes to give residents even more options to enjoy the outdoors as the weather begins to warm up this spring.” The following four streets in Winnipeg are currently designated as bicycle/active transportation routes, and will be extended until Friday, May 29, 2020: - Lyndale Drive - Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street - Scotia Street - Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue - Wellington Crescent - Academy Road (at Wellington Crescent) to Guelph Street - Wolseley Avenue - Raglan Road to Maryland Street Winnipeggers are invited to take advantage of these additional 5 designated routes from Tuesday, May 5 until Friday, May 29, 2020: - Assiniboine Avenue - Bedson Street to Westwood Drive - Churchill Drive - Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue - Egerton Road - Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue - Kildonan Drive - Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent & Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place - Kilkenny Drive - Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive These designated routes limit motor vehicle traffic to one block throughout the designated area. The routes will be in place daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The City will re-evaluate at the end of May to determine if the designations need to be extended. Signs are posted on all approach roadways as notification that motorists are entering a bicycle/active transportation route. Signs are also posted at the end of the routes advising motorists that they are leaving the bicycle/active transportation route. It is important to note that these roads are not closed. Cyclists and pedestrians are reminded to use caution and continue to follow the rules of the road.

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WFP: City looking to close more streets to vehicles (Apr23'20)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Apr '20

23 Apr '20

City looking to close more streets to vehicles https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/city-to-close-six-mor… THE city is looking to expand its street closures to make space for people who want to get outside as the weather warms without fighting vehicle traffic. Coun. Matt Allard said as many as six streets are being prepared for similar restrictions to the ones imposed on four others earlier this month, which limit motor vehicle travel to one block between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The infrastructure renewal and public works committee met Tuesday, where Allard (St. Boniface), chairman of the committee, said closures on Egerton Road, Churchill Drive, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Assiniboine Avenue and Glenwood Crescent are under consideration. Ryan Palmquist, a spokesman for Allard, said in an email the committee’s goal is to have the restrictions in place in the next two weeks and that the streets were chosen because of their similarities to Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue, which are under the same restrictions 12 hours per day. The city plans to collect data on the restrictions in the future, Palmquist said.

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Open Streets Winnipeg proposal
by Anders Swanson 22 Apr '20

22 Apr '20

AT-Network: Winnipeg Trails has been working on developing a comprehensive response to emerging mobility concerns in this pandemic. We are supporting the efforts that have been announced thus far by the city of Winnipeg, and monitoring the emergence of the Open Streets movement across North America. With serious mobility issues looming regardless of the length of lockdown, we are hoping to advance the conversation and are seeking your input and help. Please see this and look for the links to offer feedback: https://www.winnipegtrails.ca/openstreets2020/ If you are inclined to share, please do so widely. Here are links to Twitter <https://twitter.com/WinnipegTrails/status/1252976273430896641>, Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/WinnipegTrails/posts/2905469946203199?__xts__%5B0%…> and Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/p/B_SrDn-AhKK/>. Anders WTA

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Upcoming webinars on Quick Build Networks (including Minneapolis)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Apr '20

22 Apr '20

*Webinar Announcement* Upcoming Webinars on Quick Build Networks *Quick Build Networks for All (Part 1) Tuesday, May 19, 2020* 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern Time Register Here <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> *Quick Build Networks for All (Part 2) Wednesday, May 20, 2020* 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern Time Register Here <https://pedbikeinfo.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7ae385fc8506278c2e45…> Cities across the US are planning and prioritizing low-stress networks that support bicycling and walking, working to integrate active travel into their transportation system. This two-part webinar series will profile the experiences of several cities – Houston, Minneapolis, and San Jose – as they start turning their plans into action. Using rapid deployment and quick-build techniques, these cities are delivering multimodal facilities to support safety and comfort and broader community goals. Learn about their experiences with community engagement and maintenance, integrating equity, universal design, micromobility, and a host of other factors. Part I will explain the value of Quick Build approaches and highlight examples from around the globe, and feature a detailed case study from Houston. Part II will dive deeper into examples from Minneapolis and San Jose. Panelists include representatives from Toole Design; Harris County, TX; Minneapolis, MN; and San Jose, CA. ------------------------------ 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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Milan announces ambitious scheme to reduce car use after lockdown
by Beth McKechnie 21 Apr '20

21 Apr '20

Milan is to introduce one of Europe’s most ambitious schemes reallocating street space from cars to cycling and walking, in response to the coronavirus crisis. The city has announced that 35km (22 miles) of streets will be transformed over the summer, with a rapid, experimental citywide expansion of cycling and walking space to protect residents as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/milan-seeks-to-prevent-post-c…

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WFP Editorial: Time to park cars outside parks (Apr20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '20

20 Apr '20

*Time to park cars outside parks * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/time-to-park-cars-out… AS the pandemic grinds on and confinement in our homes becomes bleak at times, Winnipeg’s abundant green spaces offer a therapeutic escape. It’s unfortunate motorized vehicles are allowed to intrude. A temporary ban on cars, trucks and motorcycles from city parks would go a long way toward helping pedestrians enjoy outings while still keeping the required physical distance. Pedestrians in parks could use the full width of the the roadways to keep a safe space from each other. Vancouver did it with Stanley Park on April 8, banning vehicles from its world-class park so pedestrians can walk on roads and enjoy the tonic of the natural world while remaining distanced from other people. Minneapolis-St. Paul has banned vehicle traffic from three of its parkways. Portland, Ore., has closed 10 of its parks to cars and trucks. Similar sensible measures are underway in U.S. cities including Cleveland, Philadelphia and Denver. Like all urban centres struggling to contain COVID-19, these cities banned vehicles from green spaces because of two pragmatic realities: 1) it’s physically and mentally healthy for people to enjoy the rejuvenating effects of nature as a break from being cooped up under stressful circumstances; and 2) city parks can accommodate a lot of people safely, with everyone heeding physical distancing guidelines, as long as vehicles are removed so pedestrians have room to spread out. Personally, the need to bar vehicles from Winnipeg parks was clear last weekend when my wife and I, in dire need of fresh air and exercise, walked the two-kilometre loop around Kildonan Park, the green-space jewel in north Winnipeg. The main walking path is a rind of the roadway’s edge, only one metre wide, so walkers are separated from traffic only by lines painted on asphalt. The vehicle traffic is often bumperto- bumper, so close that walkers could literally touch moving vehicles. With pedestrians at Kildonan Park squeezed into such narrow paths, we couldn’t adhere to the physical distancing guidelines as we met and passed other pedestrians. The vehicles also marred our walk in other ways. The constant din of vehicle engines erased the soothing sounds of birds and the wind blowing through branches. The smell of exhaust fumes overpowered the delicate scents of grass and tree foliage springing into new life. I’m told some pedestrians who use Assiniboine Park feel the same way. If vehicles were barred, people in search of a pandemic panacea would be better able to appreciate the sights, sounds and smells of the natural world. Some of our area’s most precious green spaces have been closed or changed by COVID-19 restrictions. The showcase gathering at Birds Hill Provincial Park, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, was cancelled on Tuesday, but the park itself remains open for people who want trees to massage their minds (although washroom facilities at Birds Hill remain closed). Unfortunately, Fort Whyte Alive is completely closed (perhaps the geese are wondering when the humans will flock back). Winnipeg is fortunate to have more than 1,200 neighbourhood, community and regional parks, and this pandemic crisis is a time when they are needed more than ever. Banning vehicles from parks to allow pedestrians room to roam is the natural next step after the city decided earlier this month to designate four streets in Winnipeg as bicycle/active transportation routes. Sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue have been largely freed from vehicles, so the space is free and clear for pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. Winnipeg’s green spaces have long been urban treasures that greatly enhance the quality of life by providing mini-oases amid the buildings, concrete roads and parking lots. That said, the trees that tower over Winnipeg’s green spaces have had a tough time in recent years, battered by the triple assault of Dutch elm disease, the emerald ash borer and a freak ice story in October that damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of trees. The mayor had planned a planting spree called the Million Tree Challenge to restore the giant sentinels, but now the roles can be reversed. Trees can restore us. Plenty of evidence shows connecting with nature can refresh our brains, relieve tension and brighten grim moods. These healing properties are particularly appealing to the many Winnipeggers whose lives have been disrupted by pandemic measures and might make one feel a bit stir-crazy after weeks of sitting at home and watching the walls. Winter-weary Manitobans traditionally have a zealous appreciation for spring and summer, but our usual methods of enjoying the warmer weather — cottages, camping, restaurant patios, picnics and festivals — have been cancelled, prohibited or declared inadvisable. City green spaces remain open, however, and if vehicles are banned from entry, our parks offer the breathing space we need to recuperate before returning to our residences to resume our submission to the necessary discipline of confinement. carl.degurse(a)freepress.mb.ca *Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board.*

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East London council to block cars to protect cyclists and pedestrians from speeding drivers during pandemic
by Beth McKechnie 16 Apr '20

16 Apr '20

[*It seems the propensity to speed with the lower traffic volumes reaches far and wide*.] East London council to block cars to protect cyclists and pedestrians from speeding drivers during pandemic An east London council could be the first in the UK to cut rat running traffic on neighbourhood streets in a bid to ease pressure on its parks and pavements, as part of emergency plans to help people walk and cycle safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://road.cc/content/news/emergency-measures-stop-rat-running-drivers-an… A Hackney councillor has “crowdsourced” potential locations from residents on social media, and the council is in the process of creating a shortlist - but they are 100% planning to “filter” a number of residential streets to protect people from a growing number of speeding drivers on the borough’s roads. The council will use low-cost planters and bollards on selected streets to allow walking and cycling through trips, and access to key workers and emergency vehicles, but preventing people driving through – a process known as filtering. According to the government, traffic levels on London’s main roads have dropped by 63% during the crisis. Hackney Councillor, Jon Burke, said: “By creating those temporary liveable, healthy streets we could also be reducing pressure on some of our green spaces, as we approach some of the warmer months. If we heavily restrict the vehicles on the public highway people will be able to walk in the middle of the road safely, while socially distancing.” Burke wants to “use this as a teachable moment to see what’s possible around road closures”. He said: “We haven’t got weeks to deliver it, we need to deliver it now, because this crisis is happening now,” he says. The council will treat the changes like an “ongoing event” during the crisis, and after the restrictions on movement are lifted they will ask residents if they want the changes made more permanent. “I think we can create healthy urban environments in this moment. We might realise, with the support of the public, which might be able to stay afterwards, when we return,” he says. “This is in inflection point in our future, we are running around making sure vulnerable people have enough food but we aren’t doing something about the 40,000 people that are dying each year because of air pollution.” Although other councils may be quietly considering similar measures, Cllr Burke is the first politician in the UK to announce any action so far. Temporary cycle lanes on main roads won’t be part of Hackney’s plans, however, due to concerns over emergency vehicle access. There are also concerns over increased levels of speeding during the crisis. Cllr Burke says on 30mph roads across London, average speeds are now 37mph. “We have noticed a significant up-tick in speeding on our 20mph roads,” he says. “The kinds of speeds we usually see at night when the roads are empty, we are now seeing in the day.” He says while “the responsible drivers have heeded the government advice”, many of those still driving are behaving badly. Burke argues there is a case to “heavily fine and remove licenses of those individuals”. The council will create a shortlist of locations on Monday, and a final decision will need approval from the cabinet and Hackney mayor. Cllr Burke says they will have the final list on 20 April. Burke adds: “I think we have just got to throw stuff up against the wall and see what sticks, adding there is a risk that otherwise, “by the time we have got around to doing this the crisis will be over and we will be back to business as usual.” London’s walking and cycling commissioner, Will Norman, says there are no citywide plans to implement emergency cycle lanes during the crisis. Norman said: “The Mayor and the Government’s clear message is that Londoners should stay at home to save lives. Our continued investment in walking and cycling over the past four years is making it easier and safer for critical workers to get to where they need to be and we’ve ensured that NHS staff, care workers and the police can use our Santander Cycles hire bikes free of charge.” “Any temporary cycle lanes on TfL’s road network would not be effective at keeping people safe without major changes to junctions. These changes would need to be installed by a significant number of on-site workers and the Mayor has made it clear that construction workers – including those who were constructing new cycleways - should not be travelling at this time.” He adds road traffic has halved, making it easier to take advantage of quieter streets to cycle. “We would remind drivers that breaking the speed limit is dangerous and especially reckless during this time of national crisis. Robust action will be taken against drivers who put themselves and others at risk.”

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Cycling Industries of Europe - online conference
by Anders Swanson 16 Apr '20

16 Apr '20

Coming up April 28th, if interested. Full agenda: https://cyclingindustries.com/fileadmin/user_upload/CIE_2020_Summit_Draft_A… Registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cycling-industries-europe-2020-summit-registra… [Anders note: Cycling is booming in many places worldwide. Beyond staying on top of the future of the cycling industry in crazy times, this esoteric event may be of particular general interest to some due to the keynote from the Deloitte global head of research and technology. Sharing this here as a unique chance to get a very specific view of what the future holds. Also you may appreciate Philippe Crist as moderator, and the panel featuring a few interesting MEPs who'll be looking at it from a EU-level strategic perspective. I'm personally interested to learn more about Karima Delli, a young French Green MEP, daughter of Algerian immigrants and younger than me who was tapped to lead the Volkswagen emissions scandal inquiry and now chairs the EU's transport and tourism committee.] <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cycling-industries-europe-2020-summit-registra…> This event is *free.* Stay healthy. -a

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WFP: Waverley West speed-limit cut given red light (Apr16'20)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Apr '20

16 Apr '20

Waverley West speed-limit cut given red light https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/waverley-west-speed-limit-cut-shelv… A PROPOSED three-year pilot project to reduce the speed limit on residential streets in Waverley West is set to be put in park. The councillor for the area, Janice Lukes, said she will tell councillors on the public works committee on Monday to put aside her motion for now. The proposal involved reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h. Lukes said it makes no sense to implement that when people are staying home and children are away from school because of the fight against COVID-19. “With Waverley West only having three or four specific entrances into it, I thought, ‘Let’s try for a pilot project on speeds here,’” she said on Wednesday. “We have a lot of speeding cars, but in light of the pandemic, what is most needed now is seeing more streets open for cycling and pedestrian access. Is (the pilot project) important now? No. There are other things the public works department could do, including identifying which streets can be closed.” The idea was to drop the speed limit on residential streets in Bridgwater Forest, Bridgwater Lakes, Bridgwater Trails, Bridgwater Town Centre, South Pointe and Prairie Pointe. Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of the committee, said it makes sense to delay the pilot project. “We do have a residential, citywide, street report coming… in June,” Allard said. “Not all roads are created equal in Winnipeg. We have priority one, two, three streets, we have streets with different engineering, we have high-speed streets (and) residential streets. I think all of this needs to be considered and there needs to be a response that makes sense citywide.”

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