September 2020 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP Weeklies: Final pedestrian sound signal installed (Sep30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

Final pedestrian sound signal installed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Final-pedestria… As a “coo-coo” sound rang out over the noise of traffic, the final pedestrian sound signal was installed last week at a street corner in River Heights, during an event hosted by the City of Winnipeg. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), chairperson of the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works, and Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) were on hand on Sept. 24 at the corner of Stafford Street and Kingsway Avenue to announce the successful implementation of audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections throughout the city. “I wanted to say, I never thought I’d see the day. I thought the plan was going to be... and I’d be dead before it was completed,” Eadie said with a laugh. Audible pedestrian signals communicate traffic signal timing information to pedestrians using non-visual, audible tones. The City had originally anticipated completing the installation of the audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections by the end of 2021. “The installation of the 670 signalized intersections was made a priority and completed over a year ahead of schedule,” Allard said, adding it’s a huge achievement to improve accessibility for Winnipeggers at all intersections with traffic signals. “With the addition of audible pedestrian signals, everyone can now safely navigate these intersections with the help of auditory cues to provide guidance indicating when it’s safe to cross the street.” For those not familiar with the sounds made by the signals, the “coo-coo” typically indicates it’s safe to cross in a north-south direction. The signals also make chirping, ticking and tocking sounds. The first audible signal in Winnipeg was installed in 1953 at Portage and Sherburn by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. “I am pleased that this project is finally completed as it will improve accessibility and safety for all of our citizens,” Eadie said. “I want to thank all those who have been involved over the years championing this worthy effort for the benefit of all Winnipeggers regardless of what part of the city they live in. We prioritized this project because we understood and recognized the importance of safety and accessibility for all Winnipeggers.” The City began installing audible pedestrian signals at signalized intersections throughout the city in 1996 under then-mayor Glen Murray. “We who are blind fought for this in the mid-1990s, to convince the city to move ahead, to install audible signals so we knew when it was our turn to cross at all the intersections, no matter where you work, live, play or go to school,” Eadie said.

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Webinar series on the intersection between transportation and health
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '20

29 Sep '20

The focus on the intersection between transportation and public health is increasingly important as communities plan for recovery and response amid COVID-19 and tackle more persistent health and safety issues. Emerging research to better align the two fields offers not only an expanded perspective of their connections, but also opportunities to address health issues through the lens of transportation. *The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), in partnership with many organizations, is delivering a* five-part webinar series <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y_uZFci0Y6LLgGHRFkC-VyI4g4UutomkCFyvWH88Ztvh…> t*o explore the integration and advancement of health in various transportation planning practices, including the confrontation of power and privilege in communities, collaborative partnerships, data integration, project prioritization, and policy change*. The series will be held from October 13-28 and participants are encouraged to register for any or all of the sessions. For details and to register: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/webinars/webseries_healthtransp.cfm -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Wpg Sun: Breathing Space - School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play (Sep26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Sep '20

27 Sep '20

BREATHING SPACE: School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/0925-school-streets A collaboration between the City of Winnipeg and the Green Action Centre, a non-profit promoting greener living, is getting a lot of positive feedback stemming from a pilot program aimed at giving students a little more room to breathe outside of one Winnipeg school. The School Street Project, which has become commonplace throughout the United Kingdom, is being piloted at Issac Brock School in Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood. The initiative sees street closures in front of schools to vehicles, allowing students more space to walk, bike, play and physical distance. The result? Cleaner air, less noise, calmer streets and less traffic. “These projects have started to be adopted across North America and other parts of the world because they are so beneficial, particularly for young students,” said Denae Penner, Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator at Green Action Centre. “It’s really important that students have the ability to walk a little bit and the start and end of each day, and the majority of traffic you see around schools in the morning — and the majority of rush-hour traffic in general — is people driving their kids to school.” Since students returned to the classroom on Sept. 8, Barratt Avenue, which runs adjacent to the front doors of Isaac Brock, has been closed to allow for students to better move around what’s normally a busy area during school hours. It’s part of a 60-day pilot project in partnership with the city, including backing from Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) and school trustee Jennifer Chen. The hope, according to the GAC, is School Streets will support families in choosing to walk or bike to school, reduce traffic congestion in the area, and alleviate some of the stresses on school buses, while creating safer streets for children to play around. “The Isaac Brock Parent Council has always been concerned with making sure the students and community members have safe ways to get to school,” said Elizabeth Jackimec, president of the Isaac Brock Parent Council. “We also encourage active transportation, so this initiative is great.” The Safer Streets program has been highlighted further since the beginning of the school year as a strike by Winnipeg School Division bus drivers, which Isaac Brock falls under, has meant more parents having to drive their kids to and from school. “Anecdotally, and what some of the school administrators have said, is the streets feel much calmer,” Penner said. How that changes when the strike ends is unknown, but so far, feedback has been great. “Response from residents I have interacted with so far has been really positive, and already, without any nudging or any kind of push from us, the families who are waiting to get their kids from school are spreading out on the street to give their kids more space to ensure physical distancing is being met,” Penner said. It’s too early to say whether or not the Safe Schools program will be implemented at other schools at this point, Penner said. “But I do know that the traffic engineers at the City of Winnipeg, who have been supporting us, are looking into more innovative approaches to address road safety concerns around schools,” she said. sbilleck(a)postmedia.com Twitter: @scottbilleck

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The Conference Board of Canada report: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System
by Beth McKechnie 25 Sep '20

25 Sep '20

Trekking Our Trails: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System https://www.conferenceboard.ca/focus-areas/canadian-economics/2020/trekking…

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CBC: New cycling maps pop up around Winnipeg schools to help kids find safer ways to bike to class
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '20

21 Sep '20

Winnipeg Trails Association's School Loops maps show active transportation routes around schools https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/school-trails-maps-winnipeg-1.57288…

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WFP: Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets (Sept 18'20)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Sep '20

18 Sep '20

*Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/public-works-chair-wants-15-… Winnipeg city council’s public works chairman wants to prioritize pedestrian access on sections of more than a dozen streets. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) is lobbying colleagues to permanently add seasonal active transportation routes on 15 streets, which would run seven days a week between the May long and Thanksgiving weekends each year. The routes would include 10 sections of "open streets" the city tested out this year, continuing to limit vehicle traffic on them to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The routes were created to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists to stay active, while offering room for them to also keep least two metres apart from others during the COVID-19 pandemic. "In my opinion, and I think the opinion of many across the city, (the routes) were a tremendous success. They were very low cost and opened up very large recreational opportunities for Winnipeggers… I don’t think COVID-19 is necessarily going away, so Winnipeggers will potentially need those recreational opportunities again next year," said Allard. The councillor raised a successful motion to support the change at a public works committee meeting Wednesday. If council approves it, the motion will have Winnipeg’s public service study the 10 routes and consider adding others on five additional streets. A report on implementing those changes would return for a second round of council votes, perhaps in November. Allard hopes a final decision will be made in time for the routes to reopen by May 2021. Some of the 10 temporary trial routes closed for the season Sept. 7. Others will be offered until Oct. 12, but only on Sundays and holidays. The closures triggered plenty of public pressure to extend the active transportation access, especially through online petitions and social media. However, not all Winnipeggers support the seven-day-per-week routes. "Why would you close a road seven days a week when there’s nobody using it for walking and cycling during the daylight hours because they’re at work or school? That’s nonsense," said Riverview resident Tom Pearson. Pearson said he’s concerned the Churchill Drive route in his neighbourhood also diverts drivers to streets that actually have more pedestrians than it does, creating a new safety risk while also interrupting commutes along Churchill. The city must consult the broader public before considering permanent changes, Pearson said. He fears politicians may otherwise base decisions solely on input from those who support the change, which he argues could be a "vocal minority." Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said he’s convinced there is ample demand to warrant the number of open streets the motion recommends. "Looking at the numbers we saw biking down those roads this year, there’s a huge amount of demand to have that kind of access," said Cohoe. "I think it’s (also) something that moves the city forward towards its goals on climate change, towards its goals on sustainability." He expects the city’s approval process will offer time and flexibility to assess feedback on each individual route and make adjustments to address some residents’ concerns. For example, Cohoe said he agrees the Churchill Drive route warrants extra consideration, suggesting it may be better suited to offer a protected bike lane than an open street section. Allard said public feedback will be incorporated in the November report. If the changes are implemented, seasonal open streets would resume every year on sections of Wellington Crescent, Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue, Vialoux Drive, Wolseley Avenue and Churchill Drive. New routes would also be added for parts of Glenwood Crescent, Youville Street, Rosseau Avenue and Ellen Street, as well as two sections of Alexander Avenue. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Transport Findings Journal published a study analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 17 Sep '20

17 Sep '20

fyi From: FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) <FHWA.HEP(a)info.dot.gov> Sent: September-17-20 11:02 AM Subject: Human Environment Digest 9/17/20 [header] Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…>. September 17, 2020 Human Environment Digest Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Human Environment biweekly email digest. This digest shares the latest information from a range of Federal and non-Federal sources, addressing transportation and its relationship to the human environment. Through this information exchange, FHWA hopes to foster dialogue at all levels and continue to further the state of the practice on these important topics in support of safety; infrastructure, including accelerated project delivery, access to jobs, and community revitalization; technology and design innovation; and accountability, including, data-driven decisions and performance-based planning. For more information on any of these topics, see the FHWA Related Links on the sidebar. Click here<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> to manage your subscriptions. *The information provided in this mailing does not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration or the U.S. Department of Transportation. EVENTS Please check with event organizers on if/how events are being adjusted to accommodate remote participation. September 21-27, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…>: National Bike to Work Week. September 23-24, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…>: American Planning Association's Policy and Advocacy Conference. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 28-October 2, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…>: AASHTO 2020 Joint Policy Conference: Connecting the DOTs. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to 2021) September 29-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…>: 3rd National Summit on Rural Road Safety: Rural Road to Zero. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 30-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…>: North American Bikeshare Association's Together, We Keep Moving Virtual Conference. (There is a fee) October 7, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…>: National Walk to School Day. October 20 and 21, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to March 17-19, 2021) October 26, 28, 30, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…>: MOBILIZE Virtual 2020 Summit. (There is a fee) October 27-29, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVy…>: AMPO's Virtual Annual Conference. (There is a fee) December 2-10, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVy…>: NACTO's Designing Cities 2020. Virtual Event. January 28-29, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…>: Micromobility America Conference. Bay Area, CA. (There is a fee) March 17-19, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program, Washington, D.C. (There is a fee for some) WEBINARS September 17, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Road to Zero and Transportation Equity: An Opportunity to Learn, Engage, and Act. September 20, 6:30-9:30 AM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVy…>: The 23rd IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transport Systems, Virtual Workshop: Smart Initiatives to Improve Last-mile and 50 Feet Logistics to Improve Freight Fluidity. (There is a fee) September 22, 12:00-1:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Connecting Prioritizing Safety with Transportation Equity. September 23, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTcsInVy…>: National Scenic Byway Foundation's A Byway with a View: Managing Vegetation to Restore Iconic Views. (There is a fee) September 24, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTgsInVy…>: Vision Zero Network's How MPOs Can Lead on Vision Zero & Equitable Mobility. (There is a fee for some) September 24, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTksInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Tax Incremental Finance Districts and Transportation Reinvestment Zones. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjAsInVy…>) September 29, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjEsInVy…>: National Center for Sustainable Transportation's Spatial Equity Analysis of Dock-Based and Dockless Bike Share in San Francisco. September 29, 4:00-6:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjIsInVy…>: Transportation & Climate Initiative's Ensuring Environmental Justice and Equity in a Regional Low-Carbon Transportation Program. September 30, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjMsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, The Safety Premium: Designing Equity in Vehicles and Beyond. September 30, 2:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjQsInVy…>: Safe Routes Partnership Safe Routes for Older Adults: Walking, Cycling, and Transit. September 30, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjUsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Incorporating the Transition Plan in the STIP Process. September 30, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVy…>: America Walks' Youth Leading the Way: Inspiring Stories of Youth Creating Safe, Accessible Neighborhoods. October 1, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVy…>: American Trails' Managing High-Use Trails Why Trail Stewards are a Necessity in Creating Safe, Sustainable Trails. October 1, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVy…>: TRB's Governing Data to Improve Transportation Asset Management. (There is a fee) October 6, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVy…>: National Institute for Transportation and Communities' Economic and Business Outcomes of Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements. October 13, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVy…>: TRB's Advancing Transportation Equity. (There is a fee) October 15, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVy…>: American Trails' Using Volunteers to Maintain Trails in Parks. October 21, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVy…>: Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' Thinking About Cycling Experience: Cycle Highways and Methods for Human-Centered Bikeways. (There is a fee) October 22, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVy…>: American Trails' Make it Count: Collecting and Applying Trail Count Data. October 22, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Joint Development & Use Right-Of-Way Agreements. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVy…>) October 28, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Dedicated ADA Funding. December 2, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation. FHWA RELATED LINKS Environment Homepage<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVy…> Bicycle/Pedestrian<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVy…> Environmental Justice<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVy…> Transportation Alternatives<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVy…> Recreational Trails Program<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVy…> To submit comments or information for inclusion in the next HE Digest, click here<mailto:livable.communities@dot.gov>. Submissions must be made before 12 PM ET Wednesday. [safety] National Walk to School Day is October 7 On October 7, National Walk to School Day will be observed in a variety of formats across communities this year due to COVID-19. Events will take place virtually, within neighborhoods, or at schools, depending on the local context, and registration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVy…> is now open. The National Center for Safe Routes to School released 20 Ideas for Walk to School Day in 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVy…> including virtual participation activities. Study Analyzes Vehicle Safety Criteria Between Younger and Older Drivers The Traffic Injury Prevention Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVy…> examining risks associated with vulnerable driver groups in New Jersey by focusing on young, newly licensed drivers, older drivers, and drivers in low-income areas. The study suggests younger and older drivers experience higher rates of crash risk and fatalities, and those living in low-income areas are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal crashes. Researchers analyzed Statewide crash and licensing data over a seven-year period, cross referencing with information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing platform<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVy…> to determine safety characteristics of the vehicle fleet among a range of drivers. The findings indicate the youngest and oldest drivers, as well as drivers of all age groups living in low-income areas, are more likely to drive older, less safe vehicles that lack safety features such as side airbags. Study Examines Impacts of Docked Bikeshare Programs on Bicycle Crashes The Transport Findings Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVy…> analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities. Using survey data of self-reported crashes, researchers aimed to better understand whether the introduction of this new mode impacts the rate of reported bicycle crashes in communities. The findings suggest that reported bicycle crashes overall did not increase after implementing bikeshare programs, and decreased in areas such as Boston, Montreal, and Toronto which had existing bikeshare programs in place. ________________________________ [infrastructure] U.S. DOT Announces Availability of $70 Million for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Grants The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced the availability of $70 million in grant funding<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVy…> for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP). The funding opportunity will support cities, States, Tribal governments, and Federal lands management agencies with the construction and repair of roads and bridges serving Tribal or Federal lands. To help address rural needs and enhance key rural routes, the NSFLTP grant program will consider projects located in rural areas with goals and actions that are consistent with U.S. DOT's Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVy…> initiative. The NSFLTP Notice of Funding Opportunity<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVy…> application period will remain open through November 2, 2020. BUILD Grant Project Addresses Downtown Connectivity and Pedestrian Safety in Pembroke, North Carolina The Town of Pembroke, North Carolina received a $5.2 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTIsInVy…> program to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity in the downtown district. The project improves access to Tribal lands and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus through various multimodal infrastructure improvements. Once completed, the project will enhance safety for community members and visitors, improving quality of life and economic development in a rural area. BUILD Grant Project Supports Development of Downtown Riverfront in Toledo, Ohio The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments received a $23.6 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTMsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTQsInVy…> program to develop the Glass City Riverwalk in the city of Toledo, Ohio. The project encourages multimodal transportation around a regional riverfront through the creation of a shared-used path network. The project will improve connectivity between nearby neighborhoods and businesses, provide additional recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and promote public health and economic growth in the area. Study Discusses Role of Green Infrastructure in Supporting Mobility in Environmental Justice Communities The National Institute for Transportation and Communities at Portland State University published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTUsInVy…> discussing the role of green infrastructure in mitigating flood impacts in environmental justice communities in Arizona. The study demonstrates how flooding and extreme storm events present major challenges to the transportation system in communities across the country, and particularly the mobility impacts on low-income and minority populations. Researchers conducted a flood vulnerability assessment to identify priority locations for improvements to mitigate transportation system flooding. The findings highlight comprehensive neighborhood-scale green infrastructure in the public right-of-way as an effective approach in areas with moderate flooding conditions. ________________________________ [innovation] NACTO Releases Report on Shared Micromobility The National Association of City Transportation Officials published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTYsInVy…> on shared micromobility in 2019. The report discusses the growth and use of shared micromobility across the country, including shared bicycles and electric scooters (e-scooters) and electric bicycles. The report found that there was a 45 percent increase in dockless e-scooter programs between 2018 and 2019 in communities. The report also notes that shared bicycle and e-scooter trips are replacing trips by motor vehicle, walking, and transit. It provides a snapshot of trends, challenges, and opportunities to support policy development and decision making. GHSA Report on Micromobility Highlights Role of State and Local Partners The Governors Highway Safety Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTcsInVy…> discussing challenges associated with shared micromobility systems, as well as opportunities for States and local partners to help address issues. The research analyzes micromobility challenges across six categories: oversight, funding, data collection, enforcement, infrastructure, and education, including growth trends and COVID-19 impacts. It captures research findings led in coordination with a panel of Federal, State, and local roadway safety officials, as well as bicycle and rideshare advocates, micromobility providers, and public health practitioners. It also highlights solutions related to community engagement, education programs, funding, and training opportunities. NABSA Releases State of the Industry Report on Shared Micromobility The North American Bikeshare Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTgsInVy…> discussing the trends and growth of the shared micromobility industry in 2019. The report examines successes and challenges in shared micromobility including traditional bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric scooters. It analyzes data points for 292 cities across several topics such as rider demographics, trends by vehicle type, system statistics by city size, operating costs and revenues, operating characteristics, equity, and community benefits. The findings indicate riders in North America took 157 million micromobility trips across 194,000 vehicle types in 2019, in which 36 percent of the rides replaced a car trip. ________________________________ [account] Approaches with Underserved Populations in Regional Active Transportation Plan The Federal Highway Administration published a case study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTksInVy…> discussing noteworthy community engagement approaches with traditionally underserved populations, including Hispanic and Tribal communities, in the Lake Tahoe region during the development of a regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan facilitates increased active transportation and transit through the planning process to shift more trips to these modes, and to address the seasonal increases in traffic. The outreach process highlighted how many residents rely on the regional bicycle and pedestrian network for mobility needs, and identifies areas for improvement where people felt unsafe. It also identified Tribal priorities including safety along major roadways, connectivity of existing active transportation infrastructure, and the importance of protecting Tribal sacred sites during construction. FHWA Releases Updated Livability Fact Sheets The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released updates to a series of fact sheets discussing how livability considerations during the transportation decision-making process can benefit communities. Through the Transportation and Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjAsInVy…> resources, FHWA provides support to State departments of transportation, regional planning agencies, Tribes, and other partners in both rural and urban settings. The most recent updates focus on the topics of Economic Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjEsInVy…>, Safety<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjIsInVy…>, and Rural Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjMsInVy…>. The Economic Development fact sheet discusses how targeted transportation investments can improve access to jobs, education, shopping, and goods movement through compact development, relocation decisions, and increased connectivity. Safety promotes safer roads for all users, including strategies to combine safety and redevelopment, repurpose spaces, and create bike-friendly cities. Since rural communities vary widely, Rural Livability focuses on providing transportation choices and connections to a broad audience through projects enhancing quality of life, improving safety for students, and creating active transportation networks. Fact Sheet Describes Best Practices for Complete Streets Regional Policy Development The Safe Routes Partnership released a fact sheet<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjQsInVy…> discussing notable practices and resources in regional complete streets policy development, including ideas for collaboration between regional and local jurisdictions. The fact sheet also outlines policy considerations and case studies to assist metropolitan planning organizations and regional agencies with complete streets planning, funding, and construction. [footer] ________________________________ Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjUsInVy…>. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjYsInVy…>. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjcsInVy…>. ________________________________ using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration * 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE * Washington, DC 20590 * 202-366-4000 [GovDelivery logo]<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjgsInVy…>

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Developing methodologies for improving customer levels of service for walking
by Beth McKechnie 15 Sep '20

15 Sep '20

Interesting study from NZ. Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/research/reports/667/667-Developi… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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How to make the most of a COVID winter
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Don’t write off the darkest season just yet. Even with colder weather and shorter days, it’s still possible to plan for pandemic-safe outdoor fun. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-11/how-to-prepare-for-a-cor… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Editorial: Closing roads to cars showed promise (Sep14'20)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Closing roads to cars showed promise https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/closing-roads-to-cars-… AMONG the many assumptions the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to confront is: why are we driving everywhere? An initiative that let people physically distance while getting fresh air and exercise was the restriction of motorized traffic on certain city streets. It was instituted in the spring and city council voted to extend the restrictions through the summer. The limitations were lifted on Tuesday. In a city where many events were cancelled, fitness and entertainment venues were shuttered, and many people worked and studied from home, the street closures allowed many thousands of Winnipeggers to get out and enjoy themselves. Wide, paved surfaces are good for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, skateboarders and many more to travel safely while maintaining physical distance. The move on the city’s part coincided with a boom in bicycles, as sales of new bikes increased and many Winnipeggers hauled out their dusty bikes and tuned them up. To paraphrase Field of Dreams: if you build it, they will ride. Of course, the streets in question didn’t necessarily form a connected network, so they weren’t a permanent solution to provide space for active transportation. And many residents in the affected areas weren’t happy about the effects the restricted streets had on traffic in the area — often, motorists trying to get through the neighbourhood merely shifted to a nearby street, which concentrated more vehicles on fewer routes. Clearly, what is needed is a long-term approach. Blocking off certain streets from motorized traffic, as has been done for many years on Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — but only on weekends, for a designated period of summer months — is a piecemeal approach that treats active transportation as a diversion. Instead, as the city upgrades road infrastructure, many streets and neighbourhoods are getting an active transportation component. This is often done in consultation with the affected residents, and the various stages each project is in can be found on the city’s website. If the city keeps building its active transportation network, will more people use it? Maybe. It will largely depend on whether the network is a reliable way for Winnipeggers to ditch their cars and power their way to work, school, errands or entertainment. But if they do, then motorists and area residents win as well, even if they never use those protected lanes or bike paths. More people using bikes, rollerblades, skateboards or scooters means fewer vehicles on the road, making the traffic less clogged. And that also means residents tired of blocks-long lines of cars and trucks will see fewer of those. The city has been slowly improving the active transportation infrastructure over the years and, despite the recent cash crunch owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, continued investment in such improvements should be part of every street renewal project. It will pay dividends in people’s quality of life and better health for decades. There’s also the fact that merely increasing road capacity doesn’t solve traffic jams, it merely results in more vehicles using the streets. What if we apply the same logic to active transportation — increase capacity, and see how many more people take advantage of it. The temporary, improvised open streets transformed neighbourhoods by showing Winnipggers what they can do with their streets when they’re not behind the wheel. Long-term, continued active transportation investment could transform the entire city. We’d all be better off for it.

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WFP: Pedal pushers - Freedom fighter (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*FREEDOM FIGHTER * *Leigh Anne Parry is on a two-wheeled mission to empower and improve the lives of women by giving them the skills to safely, independently and confidently join Winnipeg’s male-dominated bicycle-riding community* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… I’M coasting down the bike lane on Sherbrook Street on a plain, black Dutch bike, carrying Plain Bicycle Project co-manager Leigh Anne Parry on my rear panier rack. She guides me through traffic and along the sidewalks as we make our way to Gordon Bell High School for a bike lesson, the same kind she gives to dozens of women in their 20s and older who are interested in learning to ride. Normally the lessons, currently on pause thanks to COVID-19, would take place in the schoolyard at Ecole Victoria-Albert. On this fall morning, however, we coast languidly along the path looping Gordon Bell’s soccer field. “These bicycle lessons have been in the back of my head for a while now,” Parry explains. Inspired by a woman in the Netherlands for whom bike lessons and Dutch bikes are a lifetime project, Parry — whose work with the Plain Bicycle project stretches 3 ½ years — decided earlier this summer to begin running sessions to make cycling more accessible to the Dutch bike’s key customers: adult women. “It’s something that can be freeing for the whole family,” she says. “Empowering women empowers the whole family’s ability to take different modes of transportation.” First things first: balance. We start sitting on the bike seats, feet flat on the ground, and begin to walk. The trick is to get comfortable balancing by gaining momentum and lifting the feet, practising little coasts down the path. For me, most confident on a hard-tailed mountain bike, the gentle ride and upright stance is a comfortable change of pace. It’s part of the reason why, Parry says, the bikes appeal to new riders. Parry, 33, got invested in biking in university, she says. She grew up outside the city, but moved into Winnipeg for school and was gifted a bike to ride around. After using it as her main mode of transportation for some time she got a fast-paced job as a bike courier. “I started to ride with a particular kind of work purpose, I got to explore the city a lot, I got more comfortable and confident riding a bicycle, especially in traffic,” she says. “Then I was working as an urban farmer and had a big trike that I would deliver vegetables on; I’ve always integrated bicycles into my work life because I find it very useful and I think it’s a good idea.” Using the bike as a tool for her everyday activities, Parry became familiar with the city’s strengths and weaknesses in bike infrastructure, and began to notice the biking community was dominated by men who felt comfortable enough to weave with traffic on the city’s busy streets. “Women are sort of an indicator species for how good your infrastructure is in a city,” Parry says. “Women statistically take less risks because they’re usually depended on a lot more and their stakes are higher, and they feel less confident being an aggressive rider in among the traffic.” In the Netherlands, she explains, 60 per cent of bike-riders (she prefers to avoid “cyclist” as a term) are women. In Winnipeg, by contrast, women make up closer to 30 per cent of the cycling crowd. That number is something Parry is slowly setting out to change. Biking is more convenient for women, she says. It’s a quick way to “trip-chain,” or make multiple stops close together: dropping the kids off at school, visiting the grocery store and getting to work, for example. “It’s also something that can be really empowering and freeing for women to have that sense of independence and to be able to do all of those errands and runs on their own, on their own transportation, quickly and easily,” Parry says. Lately she’s seen an “inspiring” uptick in older women — those over 50 — learning to ride, especially with the comfort and ease of the “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” “Our intention is to integrate this kind of bike into the market,” Parry says. “That message, I think, landed with older women who had been thinking and considering their abilities and maybe a shift in their life a little bit... it creates this other sense of independence.” After we practise our balance, including getting our feet on the bottom and top pedals while we coast and pedalling backwards to brake, Parry explains the mounting and taking- off process. With one foot on the top pedal, we slip up onto the seats and press down, pushing us through another curve in the path. Parry explains that in her class sessions, usually attended by 15 to 20 people each, the women she teaches often begin to help each other; once they’ve mastered a stage they support one another, building confidence and camaraderie among the avid learners. Most learn to ride in one or two sessions, she says. “It’s very beautiful — people are helping each other out, they’re teaching one another how to ride. They were coming in there saying they weren’t feeling confident and they were scared, and then they leave feeling really excited that they were successful at the stage where they’re at,” Parry says with a smile. “People are very courageous and ready to go.” >From there, riders move on to Phase 2, which consists of turning, lifting hands off the handlebars to signal and shoulder checks. Normally Parry would teach this on an obstacle course until riders can confidently do all three at once. They’re key steps for city riding, where bikers need to navigate traffic, bike lanes and more to stay safe on the roads. Parry wants to instil confidence, so the women she teaches can start integrating cycling into their day-today lives. “The next steps are going to be really exciting because when they start to be able to use it for their transportation, when I see them riding around downtown with their kids on their back, that’s not only going to be great for them but also for Winnipeg,” she says. “If you see more people on a bicycle — and not just white men in Speedos and helmets — you can start to see yourself riding a bike, so it changes other people’s lives, too.” The more people, and particularly adult women, who become empowered to ride, the safer the streets will become, Parry explains. “I think when you’re learning to ride a bike, especially in a place that is not bike-friendly, you might end up thinking that you can’t do it and you’re the issue,” she says. “But you should be allowed to get to your grocery store easily and safely, even if you’re not a confident rider; you should be able to do it beside somebody that you’re teaching how to ride a bike, or your kids or your partners, these are sort of normal and common practices in a place where you see most people riding a bike. So keep your imagination open, and your ability to see the possibility of change within your city and ask for it and demand it.” Part of Parry’s cycling classes have involved working with central Winnipeg groups such as the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, teaching cycling skills to moms, newcomers, youths and those typically not visible in the cycling world. Abiba Salamu attended three of Parry’s sessions through IRCOM this summer. Never having biked before, she can now ride around a little on her own, and is able to help others start pedaling, too. She’s still a beginner, but one day she’d like to be able to go for rides to the store or around her neighbourhood for fresh air. For Salamu, the community was the best part of the classes. Even as she waits anxiously for the classes to start again, she’s staying in touch with friends she made in the field. “I was so happy…through that I found my friend that I’m still talking to now, on the phone, greeting each other, all that.” At the end of the day, for Parry, the classes are about instilling hope — something she possesses in spades. The future of the project is wide open; she crosses her fingers excitedly describing a major grant that could be on the way, bringing hundreds of new bikes into the shop. “It could get really big and I want it to get really big,” Parry says with a smile. “I had the opportunity to prove to myself that I could do it, so now I think anything is possible.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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WFP: Pedal pushers - riding in style, plain and simple (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*A trip to Europe opened Dutch bike enthusiast Erin Riediger’s eyes to the simple pleasures of a civilized, active and healthy daily commute to her Exchange District workplace* *RIDING IN STYLE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… IT’S a warm and windy day in early September and urban cycling advocate, Erin Riediger, has agreed to spend her lunch hour touring me through a section of her daily commute. We meet on the sidewalk in front of her east Exchange District office and chat about the route while she unlocks her bike — a simple black cruiser with a touch of superficial rust (or “character,” as she likes to call it). Riediger, 32, is wearing chic ankle boots and a dusty pink jacket that matches the hue of her bike bag and front tire. She doesn’t look like a cyclist. And that’s the point. “The Dutch mentality is that you should dress for the destination, not the journey,” she says. Wearing the trendy office attire of an architect while riding her bike to and from work at Number Ten Architectural Group is a form of everyday advocacy for Riediger, who believes wider representation is necessary for cycling to become a mainstream mode of transportation, rather than a subculture. >From her vantage, the majority of regular cyclists in Winnipeg fall into two main camps: enthusiasts who ride because they like bikes and recreational cyclists who ride for exercise and entertainment. Like most people, Riediger learned to ride a bike as a kid, but drifted away from cycling as an adult because she didn’t identify with the local scene. “Some of my friends had faster road bikes and rode with traffic,” she says. “I felt like that was a little risky for me, and it just wasn’t really my personality.” A post-university trip to Europe in her 20s gave her a new perspective. “As I travelled around, I saw people in everyday clothes biking, and I thought, ‘That’s kind of cool, I could get into that.’” She returned home and bought her first “grown-up” bike with the intention of reducing her car dependency. Riediger became a full-time bike commuter and accidental cycling advocate when her 1997 Honda CR-V bit the dust four years ago. “I decided to just not get it fixed,” she says. “Owning a car didn’t really improve my lifestyle at all, whereas I’ve found that cycling has.” The decision to spend 30 minutes a day biking to and from work boosted her mood, cut her transportation costs and allowed her to explore the city from a different vantage point. The decision also garnered local media attention and framed Riediger as an outlier in a city with a deeply ingrained car culture — something she looks back on with a laugh. “It’s just kind of hilarious because it’s almost like the price to participate in society is owning a car,” she says. “And it doesn’t have to be that way.” The route Riediger has plotted for our afternoon bike ride takes us from the Exchange District to The Forks by way of some of the city’s newest protected bike lanes. In 2019, the city completed construction of a two-way protected lane down Garry Street, connecting the grid of bike lanes in the Exchange with the well-established cycling thoroughfare on Assiniboine Avenue. The Garry corridor feels like something that’s been air-lifted from a larger city. It’s a modern, well-planned route that provides safe separation from cars and pedestrians; but it’s fleeting. Our journey from Point A to Point B takes about 15 minutes to complete. It’s a short trip that offers a glimpse of Winnipeg’s potential as a cycling city and a stark reminder of the infrastructure and political will needed to get there. “A lot of times for people in those decision-making seats it’s easy to take that path of least resistance,” Riediger says. While cycling infrastructure is still lacking in most parts of Winnipeg, she’s seen a gradual shift in the right direction from city hall. “Now, people are realizing that if you really want to see more people using (bikes) as a tool of transportation you need that protected bike lane and you need the proper infrastructure… and it needs to go places people want to go.” Beyond protected lanes, Riediger believes Winnipeg’s cycling culture would benefit from a wider variety of bikes on the road. “If you can’t get a bike that’s really easy to ride that you can wear any clothes on and that can carry the stuff you need to carry, then you can’t really replace your car,” she says. It’s an epiphany Riediger experienced for herself last year when she purchased a Dutch-style commuter bike from the Plain Bicycle Project — a local organization that has been bringing shipping containers full of used bikes from the Netherlands to Winnipeg since 2017. “When I got my Dutch bike, I started using it even more and just biking for everything,” she says. “I was an idiot for not getting one in the first place… this is the type of bike I’ve always wanted and I’ve been trying to modify other bikes to be more like it.” Riding side-by-side, there’s a noticeable difference between our bikes. I’m hunched over the handlebars of my road bike, while Riediger is sitting in a comfortable upright position atop her “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” The simple cyclers are designed to be used by anyone (including grandmas) and come equipped with everything from fenders and a rear rack to a headlight and a drink holder. “There’s another plain bicycle,” Riediger says excitedly, referring to a woman pedalling past on her own omafiet as we cross Main Street. There are nearly 700 of the Dutch bikes on the road in Winnipeg, but spotting a fellow rider in the wild is still something of a novelty — one that’s usually celebrated with a wave and a ding of her bell. Riediger has turned her newfound omafiet fandom into a podcast called Plain Bicycle. The six-part series dives into the motivations behind the grassroots project of the same name and features interviews with Dutch cycling experts. WHILE recording a podcast with no prior experience has been challenging, the project has served as a creative outlet amid the coronavirus pandemic, while most of her usual hobbies — hot yoga, shopping for new records and competing in Harry Potter trivia events — have fallen by the wayside. It’s also become a way to share her passion for transportation and people-first city building with a wider audience. “Transportation culture has a lot to do with the way that architecture and cities are formed,” she says. “When you build around the car, you’ve got these wide roads, the storefronts aren’t as important because people aren’t going slowly. “We just have to stop prioritizing cars, we have to start thinking about multi-modal (transportation)... cars have a place but they’re not everything.” Like many born-and-raised Winnipeggers, Riediger had dreams of leaving home and moving to a big city. Instead, she’s decided to focus on making Winnipeg a better place to live, one bike ride at a time. “I think there’s just... there’s a lot of room for growth, which makes it interesting as someone who wants to advocate for better things.” eva.wasney(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney

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WFP: Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/report-advises-councillors-to-accep… THE City of Winnipeg could soon accept a gift of flashing amber lights that better alert drivers to the reduced speed in school zones — but it could take decades to get the lights in place. The deal could eventually lead the city to add more lights at its own cost, according to a new report by the public service. The report recommends the city accept as many as 480 solar-powered beacons through a donation from Expert Electric, which would provide two of the devices per school. The company’s owner, Chuck Lewis, has been offering to donate the lights to the city since at least 2017. He says he’s willing to continue that effort for as long as it takes, since he believes it will make school zones safer. “If… it saves one life, then that was worth that fight,” said Lewis. He has described the beacons as more eye-catching than traditional signs, which should help ensure more drivers slow down to 30 km/h in school zones. That speed limit is in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, from Sept. 1 to June 30. Expert Electric would also handle repair and warranty issues for at least five years. An outline of the agreement noted most of the installations would depend on the success of the first set of lights over a three-month trial period, noting the rest could be cancelled if problems emerged. But the city later clarified that it expects testing done prior to this agreement will be sufficient for Winnipeg officials to commit to the full project, if council approves it. “Given that testing of the beacons has already occurred, if approved, the city will likely work with the donor to move directly into implementation,” wrote city spokesman Ken Allen in an emailed statement. Meanwhile, the city says some schools will need more than the two donated beacons to cover adjacent school-zone roads. The city report predicts Winnipeg would eventually spend about $1.4 million to add 391 units for those areas, if the deal is approved. “In order to ensure consistency, (it) is anticipated that the city would make up any shortfall of beacons,” wrote Allen. For at least the first five years of installation, however, the city says only the donated lights would be installed. The proposed agreement calls for the donor to install the lights “as soon as is practicably possible,” with a minimum rate of two per month. That minimum rate would mean the entire installation would take 20 years. Lewis said that a lengthy timeline may be needed for him to keep the project affordable, since each set of two lights will cost him about $7,000. He said the process could be sped up if others also donated to the effort. Allen noted the long timeline does mean that “in the future, there may be reasons for either party to revisit the agreement.” The property and development committee is set to cast the first vote on the deal on Sept. 17. Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), the committee chairwoman, said she expects to support the proposal. “We should be looking at how we deal with some of the congestion around our schools,” said Gilroy. The councillor said she believes the future cost to the city is worth consideration. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Longer times for amber lights disappoint (Sep11'20)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Sep '20

11 Sep '20

Warning period still seen as too short *Longer times for amber lights disappoint * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/winnipeg-extends-amber-light-times-… AMBER light times are now longer at some Winnipeg intersections — but the move still falls short, says an advocate who has fought for the change. Winnipeg’s amber lights previously lasted a uniform four seconds on all roadways before a traffic signal turned to red, according to a new city report. An update completed Sept. 4 changed the duration to 4.3 seconds on 70 km/h routes and 4.7 seconds on 80 km/h routes for about 110 intersections on flat-grade roads. Todd Dube, founder of WiseUp Winnipeg, a driver’s advocacy group that has for years lobbied the City of Winnipeg for more time in the name of safety and red-light ticket reductions, called the change a first step “in the right direction.” “This is a bare minimum, but it still will be enough time to expose that all of these years (the city was) unfairly ticketing people that simply didn’t have enough time to stop at four seconds,” he said Thursday. Dube argues the new warning period is still too short, since his research found 80-km/h intersections, such as Bishop Grandin Boulevard and River Road, should have an amber light time of at least 5.4 seconds. “(The new measure) is still an unnecessarily… and dangerously short amber time,” Dube said, adding, however, he expects the number of photo enforcement tickets doled out at such intersections to drop dramatically. According to the city report, the new signal timings are based on a roadway’s speed and slope, as well as driver perception and reaction time. No change was made to the amber lights on roads with speed limits set at 60 km/h or lower — which will ensure a minimum four-second warning remains in place at intersections on those routes, the report notes. Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of council’s public works committee, said he believes those calculations show the city is evolving its practices to improve safety. “I think (the times) were set up with the understanding that they made the roads safer and taking a closer second look we found that, yes, there was some room for improvement,” said Allard (St. Boniface). He also refuted the argument photo radar use at high-speed intersections was unfair in the past, noting he believes the program remains necessary. “The motivation is public safety, and the (photo radar) fine happens to be the one enforcement tool we have as a city.” *The city report states the new extended amber light times should help increase the separation between vehicles and pedestrians, which some research indicates will help prevent collisions. Uniform amber light times were initially meant to provide a predictable warning time for drivers, while the new system is based on more recent research,** the city says. The city says it is still reviewing an option to further extend amber light times for left-turning vehicles.* joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close (Sep6'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Sep '20

06 Sep '20

City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/citys-open-streets-initiative-comin… RUNNERS and cyclists, young and old, sped down Vialoux Drive Saturday morning with little disturbance from motor vehicles. They will soon have increased traffic to navigate through. The City of Winnipeg’s Open Streets initiative ends Monday at 8 p.m. The program, which was announced in April, blocks vehicles from stretches of residential roads so people can walk, cycle and physically distance. Ten routes through the city were limited to active transport users and vehicles of people living on the routes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. The measures came to promote social distancing during the pandemic. Now, a motion at city hall proposes that Winnipeg keep some of its “Open Streets” open — but unless council votes for the changes, the city will return to its usual four routes that are exclusive to cyclists, runners and walkers on Sundays and holidays. Robbie Scott, 57, biked down Vialoux Drive for the first time in years on Saturday. But, Scott is no newbie — he’s been cycling for four decades, and he bikes a 40 to 45 km route daily in the summer. He said it’s been amazing seeing more people take up biking. “It’s families, it’s kids, old folks, all kinds of ages,” Scott said. “In terms of what (Open Streets) has done for the community, you just, you haven’t seen that.” Scott doesn’t spend all his time on blocked off residential streets, but some — portions of Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — are part of his loop. He said he feels safer, and he’s seen others feel it too. “For cyclists, it’s always, ‘OK, what seems like the least risky (path) at this time,’” Scott said. He said he was shocked and disappointed to hear the active transportation routes were ending, especially in the midst of a pandemic, when many people use them to get exercise while staying safe. “People have learned, ‘Hey, I could actually bike to work or bike to school,’” Scott said. Anders Swanson, the executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, said keeping the streets open would allow kids to bike safely to school instead of being driven by a parent or taking a bus. “You have the government telling people to drive their kids... We’re closing these open streets; it’s sending the message that there’s sort of a dark and unsustainable future ahead of us,” Swanson said. The city has a survey online where people can give feedback about Open Streets, including picking the best time of year to have the program, if at all. The survey ends Monday. The motion before city council aims to keep active transport routes until Nov. 1 at the Wolseley Avenue route and at Churchill Drive, from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. Council may vote on the matter at its Sept. 30 meeting. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) said he’ll make his decision after receiving the survey’s results. “We have time,” Orlikow said, adding if council votes for extended active transport routes, the changes will probably last from October to November. Some people felt a bit relieved over the ending of Open Streets, including Amy Bruno, who lives on Vialoux Drive. She’s been yelled at for driving down the road in her car, which she needs to do when she leaves her house. “It’s like, well, how are people supposed to go to work if people read the signs (on the street) and assume, ‘Oh, you’re not supposed to drive down here,’” Bruno said. Most people are understanding once they realize people who live on the road can still drive on it, Bruno said. She added she likes the initiative because people have more access to walking around and social distancing. Others, like Matt Ullenboom, feel indifferent about the program’s end. Ullenboom, 33, went for a bike ride with his five-year-old son through Assiniboine Park and Vialoux Drive Saturday. “It’s definitely a good thing in the warmer months, when people can be out,” Ullenboom said. “In the winter and fall, it wouldn’t bother me if they changed it back to car traffic.” Beginning Sept. 13, Lyndale Drive, from Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street; Scotia Street, from Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue; Wellington Crescent, from the west end of Academy Road to Guelph Street; and Wolseley Avenue, from Raglan Road to Maryland Street, will have limited motor vehicle traffic on Sundays and holidays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restrictions end Oct. 12. gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought (Sep5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '20

05 Sep '20

Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought Wolseley Avenue, Churchill Drive named https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/motion-seeks-extra-time-for-pair-of… A new motion proposes city hall extend some of Winnipeg’s temporary active transportation routes, also known as “open streets,” which are set to close Monday. The current 10 routes, which include four traditional Sunday/holiday bicycle routes, limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists. The new routes and extended hours were a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, intended to help Winnipeggers stay active while keeping at least two metres apart. The six routes added this year are slated to close Monday at 8 p.m., while the traditional bike routes will reduce the vehicle travel restriction to Sundays and holidays only, between Sept. 13 and Oct. 12. The city centre community committee passed a motion Friday that aims to instead keep the enhanced AT access until Nov. 1 at both the Wolseley Avenue traditional Sunday/Holiday route and the temporary AT route on Churchill Drive. The changes require council’s approval. While a final vote on the matter could have to wait until the Sept. 30 council meeting, Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she’s hopeful the motion could instead inspire a quicker policy change by the public service. Rollins said she supports extending the other routes as well. “I would like more routes added… I think we need a lot more tools in our toolbelts to get children to and from schools in a safe manner,” Rollins said Friday. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), however, said he won’t push for the Wellington Crescent active transportation route in his ward to be extended, stressing public feedback on that decision should come first. A survey on the routes is slated to end Monday. Orlikow said the city must consider the views of those who support and oppose the routes, noting he’s heard complaints the one-block vehicle travel restriction has made it inconvenient for some drivers to reach their homes. “We have to be careful about councillors deciding how to use streets arbitrarily. We’re not traffic engineers, there’s impact city-wide, so we have to be making sure that we listen to our administration and the public,” said Orlikow. Open streets were also placed on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue and Vialoux Drive. The Lyndale, Scotia and Wellington sites are also slated to revert back to Sunday/holiday bicycle routes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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CBC: City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend (Sep3'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '20

04 Sep '20

City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend 4 remaining pedestrian, bike routes will be closed to vehicle traffic only on Sundays, holidays after Sept. 8 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-open-streets-closed-labour… More than half of the active transportation routes throughout Winnipeg will be closing after the long weekend, the city announced in a news release Thursday. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city designated 10 roadways as "open streets," limiting vehicle traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The city usually limits vehicle traffic to one block on four of those streets on Sundays and holidays, from the Victoria Day long weekend until Thanksgiving, but expanded the closures in an effort to create bike- and pedestrian-friendly routes during the pandemic. As of Sept. 8, the program will end for six of the current routes. Vehicle traffic will be limited on the remaining four only on Sundays and holidays after the Labour Day weekend, the city said in its release. Motor vehicle traffic will continue to be limited on these routes from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays until Oct. 12: - 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. Signs informing people they are entering or leaving an active transportation route will be posted at each end of the route. Barricades marking the ends of the routes will also be in place during operational hours, the city said. Violating the motor vehicle restrictions can result in a fine under Winnipeg's traffic bylaw, the city added. The vehicle restrictions will end after Sept. 8 on these routes: - Churchill Drive — Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. - Egerton Road — Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue. - Kildonan Drive — Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent, and Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place. - Kilkenny Drive — Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive. - Rover Avenue — Hallet Street to Stephens Street. - Vialoux Drive — Alcrest Drive to Wexford Street. The city launched an online survey <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/enhanced-active-transportation-routes-open-stree…> last month to gauge reaction to the program. Residents can still provide feedback for future consideration via that survey until Monday, the city's news release said.

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WFP: Bicycle Garden - Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels (Sep1'20)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Sep '20

01 Sep '20

Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels A Bicycle Garden grows on Sherbrook https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/a-bicycle-garden-grows-on-sherbr… THIS spring, with some freedoms put on hold, many people in Winnipeg found — or rediscovered — the freedom of riding a bicycle. Vendors, manufacturers and mechanics could hardly keep up with the reinvigorated interest as the global supply chain was interrupted and demand outpaced supply. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” Lifesport owner Walter Jozwiak told the Free Press in May. Under those circumstances, Leigh Anne Parry and Anders Swanson got their wheels turning on a new idea, a pop-up bike shop called the Bicycle Garden, where they could peddle Dutch-built pedals to riders young and old. The shop opened last week on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats building (267 Sherbrook St.). “We’d heard during the pandemic there was a shortage of bikes (particularly women’s bikes),” said Parry, who along with Swanson is co-founder of the Plain Bicycle Project. “And we had a source to get them in.” The project is a social enterprise that brings bicycles from the Netherlands, where they’re more popular than the Toyota Camry, to Winnipeg. The bikes are Dutch-style, featuring mudguards, skirt guards, and upright seating, which makes them practical for daily use regardless of athletic ability or the clothes you’re wearing. “It’s like you’re sitting in an armchair, floating in the clouds,” said Swanson, the director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, whose summer office is now in the shop. While the pop-up is selling leftover stock from previous shipments, it also features six pallets worth of bicycles and accessories — child seats, bells, lights, bags, baskets — that arrived from the Netherlands earlier this summer; another order is already being planned for later this week. The bikes range in cost from $350 (used) to over $1,000. Cycling had been rising in popularity in Winnipeg long before the pandemic: a 2018 poll conducted by Probe Research found over one fifth of respondents cycled weekly. While data related to the COVID-19 era is not yet available, Swanson said anecdotal evidence shows the mode of transportation has become an increasingly attractive option for many as habits changed during the pandemic. In April, when the city designated certain stretches for active transportation and restricted vehicle use, roadways were filled with cyclists, rollerbladers, or pedestrians. Elsewhere, vehicular traffic fell, leading to a minor reclamation of pavement by cyclists. “When the roads were empty, people were falling in love with (cycling),” Swanson said. Adding to the demand have been changes to the ways residents exercise. While gyms are open, many are struggling to regain members, and recreational sports, though ongoing, are dealing with similar reluctance. As well, bike ownership and maintenance is considerably cheaper than car ownership — a key consideration during a time of economic instability. As the school year nears, parents are also looking for active options for their kids to get to and from class, Swanson said. So far, the response from the community has been strong: the Bicycle Garden’s most recent harvest is nearly half-picked. AT other shops around the city, demand remains high, however supply continues to be an issue. “The biggest thing for us is that when a customer walks in the door, we’ll likely have a bike for them, but options are still limited,” said Mac Wood, the assistant sales manager at Woodcock Cycle. “In a typical spring or summer, that doesn’t happen.” “It’s certainly more difficult to forecast availability to our customers,” he said. “We, as an industry, are as much at the mercy of restrictions as any other.” The pop-up shop — which could go until October or beyond — is the commercial tenant on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats. “When (the pop-up) came to us with a proposal, I was very excited,” said Sotirios Kotoulas, the building’s designer and part-owner. “For us, the most important thing is to activate the street,” he added. “It takes time to transform a streetscape or find the right fit, but obviously a bicycle shop is an amazing fit.” Outside the shop, there are a few tables and chairs, meant to evoke the bikes’ Dutch vibe. Repairs are also being offered on the boulevard, which borders an unprotected bike lane on Sherbrook. Since opening, Parry said the interest from the public has been obvious. “Day one, we had a lineup outside mostly of older people looking to get around independently,” she said. “There are a lot of people walking and biking by, which is really good for us.” ben.waldman(a)freepress.mb.ca

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