April 2011 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

[At-network] Ticketing blitz seeks rapport between cyclists, drivers
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '11

29 Apr '11

Ticketing blitz seeks rapport between cyclists, drivers CORBETT HANCEY From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published Friday, Apr. 29, 2011 10:27PM EDT http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/ticketing-blitz-seeks-… As warmer weather brings out more cyclists, Toronto police have started a ticketing blitz in a bid to persuade downtown cyclists and drivers to respect each others’ rights on the road. Police say most cycle-related accidents in the downtown core happen when drivers open car doors without first looking for cyclists. They also said residents have complained about cyclists driving on the sidewalk and not obeying traffic signals. Urban cycling consultant Yvonne Bambrick agrees that it’s the job of the police to enforce cycling-related traffic laws, but thinks police should focus more on public education for cyclists. “Not everybody knows the rules or how they apply to cyclists. People do need to know,” she said, adding, “and ideally they would be wearing lights on their bike at night and obeying the stop signs and giving right of way to pedestrians.” As the ticketing began on Friday, cycling advocates from across Canada and the world met at a downtown cafe to talk about strategies for promoting cycling to municipal politicians. It was part of the Complete Streets Forum, a conference organized by the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation. The group’s website says the goal of the conference was to “embrace and protect cyclists and pedestrians while accommodating all road users, including transit and cars.” “The most important issue is creating excellent bikeways and encouraging people to bike, to get out there and do it, enjoy it, take it seriously and smile while you're doing it,” said Mia Birk, a speaker at the conference, and president of Alta Planning and Design, a Portland, Ore.-based firm that works with cities across North America to promote biking, walking and mass transit. “That’s far more important than focusing on enforcement,” she added. She said less attention should be paid to the negative aspects of cycling like ticketing for violations and more on the positives, such as the city-wide bike-sharing program that launches next week. The program starts May 3 and will put 1,000 bikes at the disposal of Torontonians. “Having all these bikes is going to be a big moment for Toronto,” she said. But not everyone at the event shared Ms. Birk’s enthusiasm. The police campaign comes after council voted to stop work on the Fort York pedestrian and cycle bridge, and Mayor Rob Ford’s executive committee voted to dissolve the cycling advisory panel, along with 20 other citizen advisory groups. Toronto Councillor Mike Layton said he worries that eliminating the advisory committee shuts down an important line of communication between Torontonians and their municipal government. He said he hopes it’s not a sign of things to come under Mr. Ford. “The cycling committee is made up of people who actually bike and are dedicated bike activists,” he said, adding, “We need to have their opinion when we’re making decisions.” The advisory committees will be shut down after the next council meeting unless something is done to save them, Mr. Layton said. More related to this story - Rob Ford could become a champion of cycling<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/marcus-gee/rob-ford-co…> - Ford’s committee criticized for vote to cancel citizen panels<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/fords-committee-critic…> - Ford pedalling away from downtown bike-lane network <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/ford-pedalling-away-fr…>

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Shine your walking shoes - Jane's Walk Festival May 7 & 8
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '11

29 Apr '11

** please share widely - thanks! ** Shine your walking shoes Winnipeg: The fifth annual Jane's Walk festival is coming up May 7 & 8 ! On Saturday May 7 & Sunday May 8, join a walking tour in your community led by your neighbours. Explore Winnipeg's diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods while walking, talking and sharing ideas. What is Jane's Walk? Jane's Walk is an annual celebration of sustainable cities, walkable neighbourhoods, and vibrant communities. Named in honour of Jane Jacobs<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs>--an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building--the first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto five years ago and has since spread to more than 30 cities across Canada and 70 cities worldwide. Jane's Walk is now in it's fifth year in Winnipeg and includes walks on a range of themes and topics, including local history, urban biodiversity, city planning, design and transportation issues, social experiences of the city, and more. Jane's Walks are intended to create a space for citizens to talk about what matters to them in the places they live, work and play. How do I join a Jane's Walk? Participating in Jane's Walk is simple: local community members with a passion for urban issues and local history have organized walking tours in their neighbourhood; a list of confirmed walks is published on the Jane's Walk website <http://janeswalk.net/cities/landing/category/winnipeg/> and the public is invited to join any walk of their choosing—no registration or RSVP required. Simply meet your walk leader at the time and place indicated in the online listing. Remember, Jane's Walk is a "walking conversation" and we encourage walk leaders and participants alike to contribute to the conversation by asking questions and sharing their knowledge and passion for cities. What walks are being offered this year? Some of the walks confirmed for this year's Jane's Walk include: - *History Lives In North Point Douglas* with Robert Galston - *Winnipeg Modern: Explore Winnipeg's Modernist Architectural Heritage*with Serena Keshavjee - *The Rapid Tranist Walk* with Paul Hesse - *So You Thought You Knew the West End: Murals and More* with Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner - *Discover Public Art in Downtown Winnipeg* with Tricia Wasney - *Echoes of Our Past: Walk the Historic Seine & Red Rivers in St. Boniface and visit of Fort Gibraltar* with Jean-Pierre Brunet - *New Central Park* with Designers from: Scatliff Miller + Murray Inc. Landscape Architects, David Penner Architect, Cohlmeyer Architecture Ltd. - *West Broadway* with Robert Shaw - *The Heart of Fort Rouge Tour: Riverview a Place with it all* with Jino Destasio - *Sharing Cars and Gardens: An educational walk through Osborne Village *with Melissa Dupuis and Shauna Carmichael - *Urban Wildlife in Winnipeg *with Laurel McDonald - *Transcona Remembers with ** Transcona Historical Museum* - Matthew Komus - *Winnipeg Modern: Explore Winnipeg’s Modern Architectural Heritage* with Serena Keshavjee New walks are being confirmed everyday. For a complete listing of Jane's Walks check out our website: www.janeswalk.net Contact Facebook: http://on.fb.me/janeswalkwinnipeg Matt Koop-Pearce, volunteer organizer mgcarreau(a)gmail.com (204) 421-2903

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Join the Commuter Challenge!
by Jessie Klassen 28 Apr '11

28 Apr '11

*Join the Commuter Challenge!* Sign up to bike, bus, carpool or walk to work for the Commuter Challenge running June 5-11! Sign up by stopping in at one of Downtown Biz's conveniently located kiosks or register online! Wednesday, May 4 from 11:30 to 1:30 in the walkway by the Millennium Library stairs, Thursday, May 5 from 11:30 to 1:30 in Portage Place, Edmonton Court, or on Friday, May 6 from 11:30 to 1:30 in Portage Place, Edmonton Court. Free mini muffins and cinnamon buns from Tall Grass Prairie Bakery will be available for those who stop by. Also, enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Sydney's and a $50 gift certificate to Mountain Equipment Co-op. This is an initiative of the Green Action Centre and Downtown Winnipeg BIZ. For more information, please contact Francine at 204-925-3779 or challenge(a)greenactioncentre.ca. **For more information on the Commuter Challenge, go to: http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/commuter-challenge/

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Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Active Transport lab UBC
by Beth McKechnie 28 Apr '11

28 Apr '11

Postdoctoral position in Health and Community Design - *Employer:* Bombardier Active Transportation Lab, University of British Columbia<http://jobs.phds.org/employer/jobs/5376/university-of-british-columbia> - *Location:* Vancouver, BC, Canada<http://jobs.phds.org/in-vancouver-bc-canada?location=Vancouver,%20BC,%20Can…> - *Posted:* Apr 26, 2011 *Expires:* May 31, 2011 Description: *Full Time Postdoctoral Research Fellowship(s) in Health and Community Design Research* *Active Transport lab -- University of British Columbia (UBC)* The Active Transportation Lab (ATL) at the University of British Columbia, directed by Dr. Lawrence Frank, invites applications from accomplished researchers in the fields of environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion, urban planning, geography, engineering, and others. The Lab’s mission is: *assessing and conveying how community design, including the location and form of transportation investments and land development actions, impacts travel, time use, and activity patterns; air quality; climate change; energy consumption; and public health*. The lab is positioned between the Schools of Environmental Health and Community and Regional Planning at UBC. Postdoctoral fellow(s) will be encouraged to traverse health and environmental impacts of community design with a direct focus on comparative work across socio-demographic sub-groups. This is an excellent opportunity for a candidate with strong quantitative skills to play a leadership role in cutting-edge research that has societal implications for health, environmental and economic sustainability, and overall quality of life. The Vancouver region is a wonderful setting for this work with several very progressive and supportive organizational partners at the municipal, regional, and provincial level along with a growing transit system. Canada is making several advances in promoting healthy communities that offer unique research opportunities. Postdoctoral Fellow(s) will participate in recently funded longitudinal studies and conduct original research and publishing drawing upon several recently completed large scale observation studies (4 NIH funded Neighborhood Quality of Life Studies see www.nqls.org – Sallis, Saelens, Frank, King and others); the King County (Seattle) Healthscape Study; and the NEWPATH Study which integrates travel diary, dietary, and objectively measured physical activity and built environment data including pedestrian infrastructure. Data include objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time, and features of the built environment in GIS at the parcel level, transit and roadway accessibility, and most have in field collected micro scale features of the pedestrian environment. We have also audited parks and food establishments and collected dietary data. Applicants should have a sound theoretical and practical understanding of the linkages between the built environment and travel behavior, including relationships with secondary outcomes such as physical activity, obesity, air pollution, and access to food. Strong research design skills are desired. Applicants are requested to provide a cover letter detailing their research interests and expertise. The application should also include a current CV, representative publications, and contact information for three references. Please submit these documents as pdf files to andrea.procyk(a)ubc.ca by May 31, 2011. Source: http://jobs.phds.org/job/28492/university-of-british-columbia/postdoctoral-…

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New report on Complete Streets
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

*Complete Streets - New Report* The National Complete Streets Coalition in the U.S. has just released a new report updating and comparing the skyrocketing number of Complete Streets policies that have been implemented in the past couple of years. Waterloo, ON became Canada's first community to implement a Complete Streets policy last week. The report can be downloaded from: http://www.completestreets.org/news-blog/blog/ If you're not sure what this is all about, here's a quick explanation from the report: "Complete Streets policies formalize a community’s intent to plan, design, and maintain streets so they are safe for all users of all ages and abilities. Policies direct transportation planners and engineers to consistently design and construct the right-of-way to accommodate all anticipated users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and freight vehicles. Complete streets can be achieved through a variety of policies: ordinances and resolutions; rewrites of design manuals; inclusion in comprehensive plans; internal policies developed by transportation agencies; executive orders from elected officials, such as Mayors or Governors; and policies developed by stakeholders from the community and agency staff that are formally adopted by an elected board of officials..." The report identifies the strongest policies existing today and provides guidance on the key elements that should be included. cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness ANDRÉ PICARD, PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2011 6:00AM EDT Canadian children spend a mere 14 minutes of their after-school hours being physically active, a new study shows. “The days of biking home from school and putting the nets out for a game of road hockey are long gone,” said Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer with Active Healthy Kids Canada. In its annual report card on physical activity, published Tuesday, AHKC identifies a number of factors that contribute to the sedentary behaviour of kids in the key 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. time period, including: * After-school programs do not see activity as a priority; * Lack of supervised programs, particularly for older children; * Schoolyards that are devoid of play structures; * Transportation policies that result in kids being whisked away as soon as the bell rings; * Latch-key children who come home and plunk themselves down in front of the TV; * Parental fears about community safety that keep children inside. “We need a fundamental rethink of how we deliver after-school programs,” said Elio Antunes, chief operating officer of ParticipACTION. “Getting kids outside needs to become a priority.” While it is often argued that modern children are overwhelmed by homework and that the pressure to succeed takes precedence over activity, Mr. Antunes does not buy that argument. “If they can find hours a day to watch screens for entertainment, they can find time to be active,” he said. “Besides, we know that kids who are physically active do much better in school.” Canadian research shows that young people aged 5 to 19 who spend time outside after school take about 2,000 additional steps a day – the equivalent of walking two kilometres. The new data reveal that that 72 per cent of children do not have access to after-school programs, which are geared principally to young kids. Further, less than half the after-school programs focus on physical activity. “Essentially, it’s babysitting – sedentary babysitting,” Dr. Tremblay said. The children who are on their own after class is dismissed seem to fair even worse. “Screen-time is replacing after-school activity. We have to find a way to turn that around,” Dr. Tremblay said. Active Healthy Kids Canada is a charitable organization that advocates the importance of physical activity for children and youth where they live, learn and play. It has published an annual report card for the past five years. The group now assigns 23 grades related to childhood physical activity. This year’s grades include: * F for overall physical activity: Only 9 per cent of boys and 4 per cent of girls meet guideline recommendations of 60 minutes daily of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; * F for active play: Only one in eight children engage in play every day after school; * F for screen-related behaviour: Canadian kids spend, on average six hours daily in front of TV, computer and game screens; * D for active transportation: One in four children get to and from school under their own steam, such as walking or biking; * C- for physical education: One in four children get no gym classes; half get one to two gym periods a week and; one in four gets three to four periods; * C for organized sport: 75 per cent of parents say their children participate in organized sport in the past year; * A- for proximity and availability: 95 per cent of parents polled say that parks and outdoor spaces are available locally. Dr. Tremblay noted that the grades have remained fairly consistent over the years - “consistently and uniformly grim” - but that will not change until there is a concerted effort to improve the situation. “We talk a lot about all this stuff, about childhood obesity and lack of physical activity, but we don’t seem to do anything about it,” he said.

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Japan: Out of disaster, a burst of enthusiasm for bicycling
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Out of Disaster, a Burst of Enthusiasm for Bicycling By MIKI TANIKAWA Published: April 18, 2011 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/business/global/18iht-rbog-bicycle-18.htm… TOKYO — Whenever Shigeki Kobayashi spots a salaryman on a bicycle with his bag in the front basket, he knows that he is watching a novice bike commuter: putting the heavy load up front makes steering harder, an elementary mistake. Mr. Kobayashi also realizes that someone is new to street cycling when the rider is on the sidewalk. “Some people mistakenly think it is safer on the sidewalk,” he said. “That’s wrong, because on the sidewalk there is greater chance you’d bump into someone or something.” Mr.Kobayashi is director of the Bicycle Usage Promotion Study Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes usage of bicycles in Tokyo. Since March 11, when an earthquake devastated northern Japan and rattled the Tokyo metropolitan area, the streets of Suginami ward, where he lives, have teemed with wobbly bikers pedaling their way to work. “The increase was sudden and visible,” he said during an interview. Over the past 20 years, more commuters in urban areas like Tokyo have been switching gears and choosing to bicycle to work instead of using trains and cars, citing concerns for health, environment, costs and an escape from packed trains. The catastrophe last month has now converted some of the holdouts by proving one more benefit to cycling: you have a means to go home when the trains stop moving. On that fateful day, millions of workers were stranded in the middle of the city when virtually the whole Tokyo train and subway system — which together shuttle nine million people in and out of the megalopolis daily — ground to a halt. Railways stopped trains for fear of aftershocks. While most of the trains and subways resumed service toward midnight, hundreds of thousands walked home or took shelter in their offices or public halls. Amid worried colleagues wondering how to get home, Masataka Isashiki, 32, a government worker in downtown Chiyoda ward, wowed his colleagues when he announced he was going like he always did: He put on his helmet and headed for his bike. The street was jammed with traffic, “but I simply found my way between cars which were stuck,” he said. “My colleagues were impressed.” That night, hordes of workers trailing home, sometimes as far as 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, on foot, swarmed any bicycle shops they found on their route. “There were many, many people who bought a bike on their way home,” said Kenji Tanaka, secretary general of a bicycle retailers’ association in Tokyo. “Many stores went empty that night.” Since then, “sales have been steadily growing and orders have been pouring in,” he added. Reflecting that, “there are more people on a bike on the road in the morning” now than a month ago, Mr. Isashiki said. “I also see more bicycles parked in the premise of the building I work in.” Mr. Kobayashi, director of the bicycle advocacy group, regularly counts the number of bikers passing by a busy boulevard that leads to downtown Tokyo. On a day last November, he counted 105 bicycles from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. That rose to 243 on March 14, three days after the earthquake and to 330 on March 30. “The quake has clearly changed the number of bike commuters,” he said. “It resembles the sudden spike in bike commuters in London after the 2005 bombings when public transportation was suspended for a while.” People who try biking to work quickly discover that finding their way on the meandering Tokyo streets is neither as daunting nor as exhausting as they expected. “With smartphones and Google<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/google_inc/index.html…>map, the task is made easy,” Mr. Kobayashi said. “They also notice it is quite a pleasant experience cycling. All together, the earthquake may have triggered a change in lifestyle for many.” Mr. Isashiki, the government worker, rides 10 kilometers each way — a 40 minute trip — on his silver Bianchi, an Italian-made bike for which he paid 80,000 yen, or $960. “It just feels good on the bike, generally,” rather than being squeezed into a train, he said. Riding lowers stress, said Takayuki Maruyama, 51, an executive with an information technology company in downtown Tokyo, who cycles to work once or twice a week. “Some people say you might get exhausted on the bike,” he said. “But I feel refreshed. The only snag is parking. There is no dedicated bicycle park, so I leave it on the sidewalk.” For most metropolitan riders, the mental and cardiovascular benefits outweigh the perceived environmental gain, since most have switched from train commutes rather than cars. “Since around 2002, people began talking about the metabolic syndrome and so forth for middle-aged people, which gave birth to the initial boom in bicycling,” Mr. Kobayashi said. According to the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute, a government affiliated agency, bike ownership in Tokyo rose to 8.99 million in 2008, the most recent available yearly figure, from 7.07 million in 2000. Recently, electric-powered bicycles have also seen something of a boom in demand, particularly in the aftermath of the March temblor. Tooru Miyake, manager of the sales planning team at Panasonic<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/matsushita-electric-i…>Cycle Technology, based in Osaka, said that, probably as a result of the earthquake, the company’s sales of electric bicycles rose about 30 percent in March from that month last year. In February, the increase was just 10 percent, he said. The company would not say how many bikes it had sold, but it said total electric bike sales in Japan were running at about 380,000 a year, of which Panasonic holds a 40 percent market share. *This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:* *Correction: April 19, 2011* * An earlier version of this article stated that bicycle ownership in Tokyo rose to nearly nine million in 2008 from 7.07 million in 1990. The 7.07 million figure was for 2000, not 1990. *

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Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive…> Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)<http://bikeportland.org/author/jonathan-maus/>on April 26th, 2011 at 8:47 am http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive… It's a somewhat generally accepted concept in urban planning circles that there's no hope for suburbia. Cinderblock walls, cul-de-sacs, and wide arterials all make for a car-centric lifestyle. But new reseach shows that among suburban multifamily housing — the fast growing housing type in the U.S. — biking and walking can thrive. In *Overlooked Density: Re-Thinking Transportation Options in Suburbia<http://otrec.us/project/216> * Nico Larco <http://otrec.us/research/researcher/larco/>, an assistant professor of architecture at the University of Oregon, focuses on suburban multifamily housing, which he calls a "widespread and overlooked example of density." "Dispelling commonly held beliefs about the amount of walking and biking occurring in suburbia, our study shows that more than a third of all trips to the LCA [local commercial area]... are active travel trips." His findings show that, not surprisingly, site design and connectivity to commercial areas are major factors in whether or not residents choose to walk or bike. Among developments in the study that were well-connected to commercial areas, more than 44% of residents choose to walk or bike to them — a rate that's nearly twice as high as multifamily developments that lack connectivity. But what is surprising is that, contrary to our popular perception of suburbia, "Across *all* studied developments, more than a third of all trips to nearby commercial strips are taken on foot, with a total of 38.7 percent taken on foot or by bicycle." Nico Larco, AIA Larco writes that there may be, "additional latent active transport in suburbia," but it will only be realized if developers and planners make connectivity and "pass through" between their units and commercial areas a top priority. For those that get it right, here's what they have to look forward to (taken from chapter 2 of the study): "The latent potential in proximity of residences and commercial areas can reduce residents’ reliance on automobiles and increase active modes of travel such as walking and biking, especially for short trips under a half mile. Increasing active travel might reduce vehicle miles traveled, which has positive impacts on the environment as it reduces carbon emissions. In addition, walking and biking can have a positive effect on residents’ physical and mental health and can provide economic savings." Especially significant in Larco's field of study are the health, economics, and equity implications. As he notes in the study, the typical demographic of suburban multifamily housing includes the elderly and lower-income individuals. "Increasing active travel for these populations," Larco writes, "can have an economic effect as residents do not need to have access to automobiles or pay for additional fuel for these short trips." Larco's study was funded by the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC). Learn more and download the final report at the OTREC website<http://otrec.us/news/entry/suburban_developments_can_build_in_walking_and_c…> .

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Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 10:26 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. Twenty new items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** 1. A dreadful accident, a wake-up call on street safety 2. City of Waterloo Adopts Canada's First Complete Streets Policy 3. The Federal Election and Cycling 4. Toronto - 2011 Complete Streets Forum 5. Guerilla Urbanism: North Oak Cliff residents create their own Complete Street ************************************************************************************* A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions **activetransportation(a)rogers.com<http://ca.mc883.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=activetransportation@rogers.com> 613.424.2803

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WFP: Pedestrians risk life and limb - Dodge traffic after pathway submerged (Apr.26'11)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Pedestrians risk life and limb Dodge traffic after pathway submerged By: Melissa Martin High water and heavy construction have choked off key walkways through one of Winnipeg's busiest downtown routes, triggering a jaywalking jam many fear is a disaster waiting to happen. On Monday afternoon, as the first waves of southbound rush-hour traffic started to flow south down Osborne Street from downtown, dozens of pedestrians and cyclists gingerly picked their way between oncoming cars to make it to Osborne Bridge's single open sidewalk. "This is what passes for planning in this city," said Paul Hesse, who walks or bikes every day from his Osborne Village home to his downtown law office. "It's terrible. Something has to be done." The problem: Since Monday morning, the east side of the Osborne Bridge sidewalk has been closed to accommodate the bridge's year-long rehabilitation. The city expected pedestrians and cyclists crossing the bridge from Osborne Village to use a path underneath the bridge's north side to get to the legislature grounds or the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway. But with that walkway deep under the swollen Assiniboine River and no temporary crossing from Mostyn Place to the legislature grounds, pedestrians walking downtown are forced to either walk north to Broadway -- or, as hundreds of people did on Monday, nip across three lanes of bustling Osborne Street traffic. Until the underpass reopens, Hesse worries, a scheme that pushes dozens of people an hour across Osborne Street traffic risks tragedy. "People haven't been warned about this," he said, minutes after a construction worker in a bright orange vest helped escort an elderly woman through the traffic. "Will people have to risk lives crossing illegally through Osborne's traffic?" Monday was a holiday for city employees, who were not available to discuss the issue in-depth. But in an email to Hesse on April 21, a city bridge engineer acknowledged the concern and said the city had "considered installing a temporary crossing at street level but determined that it is not safe to do so." The letter also noted that once the Assiniboine River water level retreats, the city will raise the walking path so it isn't impacted by future flooding. The bridge-level sidewalk will not re-open until October. The bridge project will also add a permanent pedestrian crosswalk between Assiniboine Avenue and Mostyn Place, the city said, but that will not be open until October 2012. At the impromptu crossing on Monday, some pedestrians scooting between cars were taken aback by the city's decision. "It's too dangerous (to put a temporary crossing)? Oh, that's good," said Kendall Hinds, an Osborne Village resident, on his way to toss a Frisbee on the legislature grounds. "They really thought this one through -- this is the major access point into the village." On the flip side, drivers seemed to understand that too, as they slowed down and stopped on Monday to let pedestrians and bikers cross. "It's a little inconvenient, but for the most part motorists have been really considerate," said bike commuter Bonnie Van Steelandt, waiting for an opening in traffic to pedal across to the west side of Osborne Street. "But it would be nice to have a crosswalk here. I don't know the right answer -- I just hope it doesn't last long." melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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