August 2013 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Forbes: Who's Out There On The Roads? The 4 Types Of Cyclists
by Shoni Litinsky 30 Aug '13

30 Aug '13

Interesting article shared by a friend....McGill study on 4 types of cyclists. Which kind are you? I definitely have multiple-cyclist personalities depending on the day :) Shoni Who's Out There On The Roads? The 4 Types Of Cyclists<http://www.forbes.com/sites/michelinemaynard/2013/08/27/whos-out-there-on-t…> Micheline Maynard <http://www.forbes.com/sites/michelinemaynard/>, Contributor People who prefer to get behind the wheel of a car for every trip often wonder what motivates someone to cycle everywhere. Now, researchers at McGill University in Montreal have come up with some answers. Their new study divides cyclists into four types: dedicated cyclists, path-using cyclists, fairweather utilitarians, and leisure cyclists. The Montreal researchers — associate professor Ahmed El-Geneidy, research fellow Michael Grimsrud and graduate research assistant Gabriel Damant-Sirois — believe the findings will help guide urban planners, transportation engineers and policy makers as they remake cities to respond to new transit demands. “Cycling as a means of transportation has increased in many European and American cities,” the researchers write. “From what was seen by many as a recreational or physical activity, cycling also has become a mode to commute in urban areas.” Montreal, like a growing number of U.S. cities, is embracing a broad view of transportation that includes Bixi bike sharing and bike paths, a subway system, along with vehicle and pedestrian traffic. This week, the San Francisco area will kick off Bay Area Bike Share<http://bayareabikeshare.com/>, which spans the region from Oakland to San Jose, and promises to be one of the most ambitious systems in North America. Canada’s second largest city is its highest in terms of biking, walking and public transit use, according to the researchers. Montreal also ranks first in North America among bike-friendly cities, and 11th in the world, according to the Copenhagenize index. <http://copenhagenize.eu/index/> The study included 2,000 cyclists, who participated in an online, bilingual survey. The researchers divided up the respondents this way. *Path-using cyclists* (36 percent) are motivated by the fun of riding, its convenience, and the identity that cycling gives them. They’d rather use a continuous route, rather than dodge cars. They were actively encouraged by their parents to ride for fitness and to get places. *Dedicated cyclists* (24 percent) are motivated by speed, predictability and flexibility that bike trips offer. These cyclists are the least likely to be deterred by the weather. They aren’t as interested in bike paths, and actually enjoy riding in traffic. The researchers say these cyclists consider riding to be an important part of their identity. *Fairweather utilitarians* (23 percent) are just that. They like to ride in good weather, and they’ll take another form of transportation in rain or snow. These are also bike path users, and they don’t necessarily see themselves as cyclists. *Leisure cyclists* (17 percent) ride because it is fun, and not as much for commuting. They prefer bike paths, don’t like to deal with traffic, and want to feel safe, especially when riding with family members. The study found that cycling demographics are changing rapidly. In a 2008 Montreal study, conducted before Bixi and the growth of bike paths, 65 percent were men and 35 percent women. But in 2013, the study included 60 percent men and 40 percent women. The age of cyclists also is dropping. The average age of the 2013 cyclists was 37.3 years old, compared with 42 years old in a 2008 study. But the study also showed cyclists’ income skews high. In 2008, 13 percent of cyclists had a household income of $100,000 or more. In the 2013, one-quarter of the respondents’ household income was above $100,000. Based on the results, the researchers said a one-size-fits-all approach might not be the right way to encourage more cycling. Emphasizing health benefits, for instance, works best with first-time and returning cyclists, but doesn’t affect the most committed cyclists who ride for different reasons. Likewise, dedicated cyclists aren’t as interested in bike paths, although other groups see them as important. “Building a network adapted to the cyclist population, and emphasizing its convenience, flexibility and speed would be an effective strategy to increase cycling frequency,” the McGill researchers said. -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

1 0

Fwd: "Ciclovia in Thompson" - Open Street Sunday - Sept 8th
by Shoni Litinsky 28 Aug '13

28 Aug '13

Very exciting news to share - Thompson, Manitoba's first Ciclovia! Open street Sunday. Also great to see their volunteer-run Fork in the Road bike shop<http://m.thompsoncitizen.net/article/20130703/THOMPSON0201/130709999/commun…>is up and running for community members now :) Great work Bruce Krentz and many others in organizing this event. Please share with everyone you know up there! S ** ** **** ** ** *Open Street Sunday – September 8th, 2013* On Sunday September 8th cyclists will take over one lane of our core streets. A loop will be created using Cree Road and the West side of Thompson Drive. The inner most lanes on those streets will be blocked off to vehicle traffic and open to cyclists. **** ** ** Everyone in the community is invited to “loop the loop” and do a lap or two. The loop will be closed to vehicles from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.**** ** ** Event headquarters will be the Fork in the Road Bike Shop, located on the Boys and Girls Club property. Fork in the Road will not only be open for repairs but they will also have refreshments, a bike skill’s rodeo and will be giving away bikes and helmets. The Fork in the road will be open from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. **** ** ** Open Street Sunday is a partnership between the Northern Health Region, The City of Thompson and the Fork in the Road Bike Shop. The event is a great way to get out and get some exercise. It is also a sneak preview of what it would feel like to have dedicated cycling paths in our community.**** ** ** For more information on Open Street Sunday and a map, visit the City of Thompson website, facebook page or contact; Bruce Krentz at (204) 677-1742, bkrentz(a)brha.mb.ca or Cory Sparks (204)677-7952 , facility(a)thompson.ca**** ** ** Bring your friends and family to Open Street Sunday on September 8th, 2013 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.**** ** ** -- *Shoni Litinsky* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

1 0

Updated: Sharing a New Film and a word about Bike Friendly Underpasses from Finland to California
by Anders Swanson 28 Aug '13

28 Aug '13

Since a couple of you, upon reviewing the maps that were include as a companion to the video, have kindly taken the time pointed out a few "missing" underpasses in Winnipeg, I wanted to provide a clarification: The maps purposely avoid counting any grade-separated crossings where bicycle facilities were included in a road project - ones that had to be built to get the road across a railway, river or another road. These are common. I tried to avid counting those in Oulu and Davis as well. The reason being that, while these are indeed useful, the application of these facilities to locations where bike paths meet collectors/arterials is fairly unique. What struck me about Oulu and Davis was threefold: a. their similarity in urban/residential structure to Winnipeg b. the similarity in terms of weather extremes and topography to Winnipeg *c. the usage of bicycle underpasses built specifically for AT that were intended only to avoid crossing collector/arterial streets or railways at grade. * To me, what this represents is an acknowledgement by the designers/planners/engineers that, to a bicycle rider, even a collector street is akin to a river (or freeway or railway track) if it has to be crossed at grade. There is value in sending them underground instead. Note that the relative traffic volumes of the roads being avoided is also interesting. Even roadways with the equivalent amount of traffic as say, McLeod or DesMeurons, seem to be candidates for an underpass in both Oulu and Davis. Note that I avoid discussion of bridges. They have their benefits, especially with high groundwater, but bridges have the drawback of being exposed to the wind and usually require steeper approaches (to clear large vehicles or containers, for example). Lastly, with regards to mode share, from what I remember, Davis had an overall 15% share of commuter traffic in 2010. For Oulu, it was a 12% bicycle mode share in winter, and around 32% in summer. Winnipeg, of course, sadly still hovers at around 2.6% overall (at least 5X less than Davis and 12X less than Oulu in the summer). Another reason the correlation stuck with me. Kind regards, Anders >

1 0

Sharing a New Film and a word about Bike Friendly Underpasses from Finland to California
by Anders Swanson 28 Aug '13

28 Aug '13

Hello at-network, We know that not every best practice around the world works for Winnipeg, but occasionally something comes along that you can't ignore. I would feel amiss if I were to not report back about something important I saw while in California recently. Maybe it was the similar endless-suburban landscape in some places, maybe it was the flat topography, maybe it came from being in a flood plain or maybe it was the similarly hot weather, but I think it could work here. Certainly Davis, California offers some unique and valuable lessons. Bike underpasses is one of them. See for yourself. [video] Built For Bikes: The Tunnels and Paths of Davis, California<http://vimeo.com/activetransportation/bike-tunnel-davis-california> *Background and Reference Maps* I was in Sacramento to share a project at the US Safe Routes to School conference. I luckily signed myself up for a guided bike infrastructure tour of nearby Davis. I turned my camera on. While biking around, it occurred to me that the *humble little bicycle underpasses* made a really really really big difference. More importantly, I had seen the same arrangement in Oulu, Finland in the snow. Oulu is known as the bike capital of Finland. Davis is known as the bike capital of the US. Both a replete with these tunnels. Coincidence? The mode share numbers suggest that there is something going on anyway. It could happen here. Use your imagination. The clay and the drainage issue is something we can handle if we want to. There are lots of candidate locations. Think *Maple Street*. Think Bishop. Think Northeast Pioneers Greenway. Think all the crossing that currently say "dismount" and just about everything we build new from now on (at least until cars disappear). To help you remember the parallel, see this little set of 3 photos<http://imgur.com/a/yBVYH> for comparison. To give an idea of just how many of these there are and where they are located, I subsequently put together a map of each of the above-mentioned places highlighting the bike underpasses in red: Oulu<https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=215874840102932743143.0004e4ef9fce4291b…> Davis<https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=215874840102932743143.0004e4f035992af96…> Winnipeg<https://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=215874840102932743143.0004e4f0c605a28d6…> I found more than 140 of them in Oulu (pop.c.200,000). There are likely more. I couldn't look at the map any more. You can see how they create a critical porosity in the bike network. Apparently, there are more than a dozen <http://daviswiki.org/bike_tunnels> in Davis (pop.65,000), although I gave up on mapping them all. You can see clearly how useful they are. In Winnipeg, there are only 2 that I am aware of that come close to qualifying. Note that neither of them are really wide, airy or bright enough to meet best practices, but I mapped them for comparison's sake anyway. In all cases, I tried to map only the ones that are AT-specific. For comparison's sake, I tried not to count the ones that simply run alongside a road with a bridge over both. Conclusion: Winnipeg + more bike underpasses = bike capital of Canada . . . . ??? Kind regards, Anders Swanson

1 0

Women on a Roll: Benchmarking Women’s Bicycling in the United State and Five Keys to Get More Women on Wheels
by Beth McKechnie 28 Aug '13

28 Aug '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 09:34:53 -0500 *Women on a Roll: Benchmarking Women’s Bicycling in the United State and Five Keys to Get More Women on Wheels<https://odlinks.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPWprZnNrY…> * <https://odlinks.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPWprZnNrY…> The League of American Bicyclists has released a report that discusses the health benefits of bicycling and ways to increase women’s participation in the sport. -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

1 0

BIZ FORUM: Downtown Transportation
by Beth McKechnie 27 Aug '13

27 Aug '13

*SAVE THE DATE!* SPECIAL FORUM | FREE ADMISSION Viafara Consulting Presents *IDEAS FOR ACTION ON TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT* A Conference on Transit Malls and Mobility Opportunities for a Thriving Downtown You’re invited to a special forum made possible by the Downtown BIZ’s sponsorship – exclusively for you, our members and the general public. *September 12, 2013 | *7-9PM Portage Place Edmonton Court Light food & refreshments served *FEATURING* *Dr. Reid H. Ewing, Director of the Metropolitan Research Centre (University of Utah) | *Planning for Supportive Transit, Transformative Investment Strategies: The Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design * * *Mr. Michael Lander, Lander Urban Development Group (Minneapolis, MN)* | Developing Around Transit, How central city areas benefit from modern transit infrastructure *Moderated by Dr. Richard Milgrom, Head Department of City Planning, University of Manitoba* *RSVP:* info(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com

1 0

PBIC News: Free Ped/Bike Lessons for Course Instructors
by Beth McKechnie 27 Aug '13

27 Aug '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: PBIC News <PBIC_News(a)mail.vresp.com> Date: Mon, Aug 26, 2013 at 9:44 AM Subject: PBIC News: Free Ped/Bike Lessons for Course Instructors To: beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca <http://cts.vresp.com/fbl?33017d6d02/a153a5784b/http%3A%2F%2Fhosted-p0.vresp…> <http://cts.vresp.com/ts?33017d6d02/a153a5784b/http%3A%2F%2Fapi.addthis.com%…> <http://cts.vresp.com/ls?33017d6d02/a153a5784b/http%3A%2F%2Fapi.addthis.com%…> ** [image: PBIC News Brief -- News from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center] *August 26, 2013* *New ped/bike planning and design lessons available for course instructors** * CHAPEL HILL, NC — The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center is pleased to announce the release of new bicycle and pedestrian planning teaching modules for undergraduate students. The Pedestrian and Bicycle Transportation Short Series is designed to augment undergraduate courses in basic civil engineering and/or transportation planning. The series consists of three lessons covering Planning for Pedestrians and Bicycles, Pedestrian and Bicycle Facility Design, and Pedestrian and Bicycle Data and Performance. The modules are ideally suited to be integrated into an existing course, such as the first or introductory course in transportation engineering. Each of the educational modules contains presentation slides for a 50-minute lecture, speaker notes for instructors, references, and recommended additional readings. The program also includes one supplemental assignment. The modules can be used individually or sequentially. "Interest in bicycling and walking is growing nationally. Introducing undergraduate students to pedestrian and bicycle planning and design basics will create more well-rounded transportation professionals capable of addressing the complex transportation challenges of the future,” said Carl Sundstrom, PBIC staff member and co-author of the new curriculum. The teaching modules were developed, pilot tested and evaluated by an interdisciplinary team from the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of City and Regional Planning, the UNC Highway Safety Research Center (which houses the PBIC), and Auburn University’s Department of Civil Engineering. The effort was funded by the Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center and the PBIC. This is a first of its kind supplemental curricula designed to fit within existing university courses. PBIC currently offers several semester-long courses for graduate and undergraduate students studying civil engineering and planning. All PBIC course materials can be found online at http://www.walkinginfo.org/training/university-courses/Short-Series.cfm<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?UNCHighwaySafetyRese/33017d6d02/a153a5784b/afcecaa6…>. Access to the instructional materials is limited to instructors. ------------------------------ 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. ------------------------------ *Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center* 730 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Campus Box 3430 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3430 Phone: 1.888.823.3977 Fax: 919.962.8710 www.walkinginfo.org<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?UNCHighwaySafetyRese/33017d6d02/a153a5784b/3d5d26fe…> www.bicyclinginfo.org<http://cts.vresp.com/c/?UNCHighwaySafetyRese/33017d6d02/a153a5784b/55c6c716…> ------------------------------ Click to view this email in a browser<http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/871151/33017d6d02/1497217639/a153a5784b/> If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: Unsubscribe <http://cts.vresp.com/u?33017d6d02/a153a5784b/mlpftw> ------------------------------ Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center 730 MLK, Jr. Blvd. CB 3430 Chapel Hill, NC 27599 US Read <http://www.verticalresponse.com/content/pm_policy.html> the VerticalResponse marketing policy. [image: Non-Profits Email Free with VerticalResponse!] <http://www.verticalresponse.com/landing/ef/?np/33017d6d02&utm_campaign=foot…>

1 0

Oregon: Crater Lake National Park Announces Inaugural Vehicle-Free Weekend
by Beth McKechnie 22 Aug '13

22 Aug '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 10:43:10 -0500 Travel Oregon**** [image: Travel Oregon Breaking News]**** **** **** ** ** *August 20, 2013***** ** ** *Crater Lake National Park Announces Inaugural * *Vehicle-Free Weekend on September 21-22* Crater Lake National Park Superintendent Craig Ackerman announced today the inaugural Vehicle-Free Weekend at Crater Lake to be held this year Sept. 21-22. The park plans to preserve every third weekend in September as an annual opportunity to highlight non-motorized use of the park. **** “In June, Crater Lake National Park, Travel Oregon and Cycle Oregon collaborated to open Crater Lake’s East Rim Drive to non-motorized traffic for a first-time trial,” said Ackerman. “After an outpouring of positive feedback from the many people who participated in this rare opportunity, we decided to make it an annual occurrence.” **** Whether hiking, biking, walking or running, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy stunning views of Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States, from various points around the rim with no vehicle traffic. **** "Crater Lake and scenic cycling opportunities are state treasures that Oregon proudly claims,” said Todd Davidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Creating world-class recreation opportunities within Oregon’s unique landscapes is what we do best. I commend Craig and his team for giving Oregonians and visitors yet another opportunity to experience Crater Lake in such a remarkable way.” **** Under the plan, East Rim Drive will be open to non-motorized vehicles only (except for administrative and emergency vehicles) from North Junction around the East Rim of Crater Lake all the way to the intersection at Crater Lake National Park Headquarters and the Steel Visitors Center. Hwy 62 through the south end of the park, West Rim Drive and the North Entrance Road will be open to vehicles. Regular parking areas will be open, but generally fill up quickly. Normal park entrance fees apply. **** Visit the National Park Service’s website<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/pfsudb>for details on parking, entrance fees and Crater Lake resources. **** *Photo credit: RideCyclingTours.com***** *Upcoming Events* *September 8, 2013* Bounty of the County <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/l0tudb>**** *September 12-15, 2013 * Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA)<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/1suudb> <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/hlvudb> *September 19-22, 2013* Feast Portland <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/xdwudb>**** *September 30, 2013* Travel Oregon 101 <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/d6wudb> **** *October 1, 2013* Oregon <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/9qyudb>Tourism Commission Meeting<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/pjzudb> **** *October 2, 2013 * Travel Oregon 101 <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/5b0udb> <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/1w1udb> *October 2-4, 2013 * Oregon Main Street Conference <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/hp2udb> *Oct. 8, 2013-Jan. 28, 2014* Wild Rivers Coast <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/xh3udb> <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/da4udb>Rural Tourism Studio<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/t24udb> **** ** ** *Important Deadlines* *August 30, 2013* Deadline to submit OTPF Project Beneficiary Form<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/9u5udb>to Jeremys(a)SustainableTravel.org **** *October 7, 2013* Register for October <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/pn6udb> <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/5f7udb>Wild Rivers Coast <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/l87udb> <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/108udb>Rural Tourism Studio<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/ht9udb> **** ** ** *Resources* Industry.TravelOregon.com<http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/xlavdb> **** Oregon Travel Barometer <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/debvdb>**** ** ** *Contact Us <Industry(a)TravelOregon.com?subject=null>* ** ** *TravelOregon.com <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/t6bvdb>* ** ** *Sign up for our Consumer eNewsletters* Subscribe to our General, Culinary and Outdoors eNewsletters <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/prdvdb> **** **** **** **** *Share this email with a friend <http://e2.ma/share/outbound/e/p3uod/l87a2c> * The Oregon Tourism Commission aims to improve Oregonians' quality of life by strengthening economic impacts of the state's $9.2 billion tourism industry. Industry.TravelOregon.com <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/5jevdb> **** **** Become a fan <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/lcfvdb>**** <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/14fvdb>**** Follow us <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/hxgvdb>**** <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/xphvdb>**** Be LinkedIn <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/diivdb>**** <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/tajvdb>**** **** If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online<http://e2.ma/message/p3uod/l87a2c>. **** *Share this:* <http://e2.ma/share/outbound/e/p3uod/l87a2c><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/t/p3uod/l87a2c><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/f/p3uod/l87a2c><http://e2.ma/share/outbound/l/p3uod/l87a2c> **** powered by**** [image: emma] <http://e2.ma/click/p3uod/l87a2c/92jvdb>**** **** -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

1 0

Briefing on the British Government's Ambition for Cycling
by Beth McKechnie 21 Aug '13

21 Aug '13

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 09:34:51 -0500 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/2… long live the queen -- Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Wpg MB R3P 2J9 CANADA tjzdan50(a)gmail.com <tjzdan(a)gmasil.com>

1 0

Thunder Bay: Stats show bike lanes make streets safer, city says
by Beth McKechnie 21 Aug '13

21 Aug '13

Stats show bike lanes make streets safer, city says Police collision reports show decreases in crashes every time a bike lane is put in, city says CBC News | Posted: Aug 15, 2013 3:46 PM ET http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2013/08/15/tby-thunder-bay-… The man in charge of planning bicycle lanes in Thunder Bay says they've resulted in a big drop in cycling collisions. The city’s active transportation coordinator, Adam Krupper, said studies prove the value of bike lanes in Thunder Bay. “The city of Thunder Bay has been using police collision reports to measure changes in collisions before and after bike lanes have been implemented,” he said. ** “What engineering has found is that there has been a 70 per cent decrease in collisions every time a bike lane is put in. These are really important numbers to keep in mind in terms of [questions like] 'Do bike lanes make the roads safer?' Every time a bike lane is put in the road becomes safer." 'A real surprise' Krupper said there's also been a decrease in motorist collisions on streets where bike lanes are installed. The same study found a 22 per cent drop in car accidents. "That's something that was a real surprise to us,” Krupper said. “Engineering didn't expect to see changes in motor vehicle collisions. But it's a very nice surprise to see there's actually been a decrease." Krupper said the decrease is likely because the more narrow car lane makes motorists more cautious. “They're paying a bit more attention,” he said. “We've found that traffic volumes haven't changed when a bike lane is put in. The same number of people are driving, but we believe that those people who are driving are being more cautious." This week the city is painting new lane markings and putting up signs for the newest additions to the network. The streets will include Adelaide, Arundel, High, Keith and Theresa, as well as Leslie Avenue. Beverly Street will be next, after reconstruction of the road has been completed.

1 0