March 2022 - AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Omand Park eyed for river access (Mar30'22)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Mar '22

30 Mar '22

City report considers options as residents pursue outdoor recreation during pandemic Omand Park eyed for river access https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/omand-park-sole-site-for-river-acce… A NEW public access point to the Assiniboine River could help Winnipeggers better enjoy the water, though many sites aren’t suited to the purpose, a new report notes. A study of potential pedestrian access points to the Assiniboine explores options along Wolseley Avenue and Palmerston Avenue, between Canora Street and Omand Park. The report by city staff notes more Winnipeggers enjoyed local rivers during the pandemic when other recreation options were at times cut off. “The desire of the public to access the river for both winter and summer activities has been especially evident during the pandemic as a significant number of residents have been pursuing recreational and leisure activities that are available locally and are not impacted by (public health) restrictions,” the report notes. It finds Omand Park at 1430 Portage Ave. to be a viable location for public river access, but it stops short of recommending whether the city should pay for the feature. City officials estimate it would cost between $300,000 and $600,000 to create that access. The head of council’s water and waste committee, which will discuss the report on April 4, said rivers can offer Winnipeggers a different view of their city. “The first time I was… on the river (skating) trail (at The Forks), I was just blown away. You never get this kind of view, (it’s) amazing. It’s like adding a whole different park for four or five months a year,” said Coun. Brian Mayes. The report recommends the city only add access to the river in winter if it also implements a program to regularly monitor ice condition, clear snow and maintain clear safety standards. The report says Omand Park aligns with existing paths and could accommodate a facility that is universally accessible. “It has the greatest visibility from the street to the river and through the whole area. This is a potential deterrent to unwanted activity and possibly a benefit with respect to public safety,” it notes. The report also explored potential access points at: Canora Green at 850 Palmerston Ave.; 2 Arlington St. right-of-way; Aubrey Green at 1020 Palmerston Ave.; William Marshall Park at the Dominion Street right-of-way; 1254-1256 Wolseley Ave. (at Clifton Street); and Greenwood Park at 1270 Wolseley Ave. However, it found those sites aren’t suited to the use, largely due to inadequate space and the potential to damage forests. While Mayes said there is demand to make rivers more accessible, he believes funding a specific access point should be part of a larger budget debate, which could look at entry points close to multiple wards. “I think taking a bigger picture view of it would make more sense,” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP Analysis: Selkirk a model of progressive planning (Mar28'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Mar '22

28 Mar '22

Selkirk a model of progressive planning https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/selkirk-a-model-of-progr… JUST north of Lower Fort Garry, stretching along the banks of the Red River, is Selkirk. A city with about 10,000 residents, the seventh largest in the province, it has in the past been largely known for its catfish and its steel mill. Today, however, a new image is being crafted. Through several innovative and forward-thinking planning policies, Selkirk is beginning to stake a claim as the most progressive city in Manitoba. About a decade ago, Selkirk started down its path of city-building focused on social, economic and environmental sustainability when a group of dedicated residents and political leaders identified the need for more accessible and inclusive mobility options in their city. After years of hard work, Selkirk became only the fourth city in Manitoba to introduce a public transit system. Operating as a non-profit community organization, Selkirk Transit today provides equitable and sustainable transportation. Since conquering the challenge of public transit, the City of Selkirk has never looked back. In recent years, a long list of strategic plans has been introduced in Selkirk, informing everything from climate adaptation to downtown renewal, recreation and economic growth. Last year, a five-year Active Transportation Strategy was introduced, building on the sustainable mobility that public transit began. The strategy is a comprehensive action plan that will connect neighbourhoods to downtown, recreational facilities, schools, employment and shopping, through walking, biking and accessible transportation like scooters and wheelchairs. As part of this strategy, the city has embarked on the largest street redevelopment in its history, transforming seven blocks of Eveline Street in the downtown. Running along the waterfront, Eveline was Selkirk’s first business street, and at one time featured the first rural streetcar in the West, making the 50-minute journey, five times a day, to Winnipeg. Designed by HTFC Planning & Design, the redevelopment will restore the street’s past prominence by focusing on the pedestrian experience. Intersections will be narrowed, sidewalks widened, benches and lighting will be added, street trees and plantings will line the boulevards, and a shared-use active transportation path will be installed. The redevelopment of Eveline Street will create a natural extension of Manitoba Avenue, which underwent a similar transformation a few years ago. The 2019 redesign of the historic commercial strip returned one-way traffic to two-way, added an off-street bike lane, widened sidewalks and transformed two empty lots into landscaped pocket parks. Together, a redefined Eveline Street and Manitoba Avenue will transform downtown Selkirk into a place for people, attracting new residents, businesses and visitors. Many cities develop great plans, but the true aspirations of a community are found in the lines of its civic budgets, not in the pages of its planning documents. In 2019, the City of Selkirk made a bold move to ensure its planning goals are realized when it purchased 130 hectares of land directly connected to existing neighbourhoods on the west side of the city. Much of the land was a brownfield site, used as a landfill, snow dump and gravel pit, creating a significant opportunity for the city to guide the future direction of its urban growth not only as a regulator, but also as an owner, investor and developer of a major area within the civic boundary. The city recently released the West End Concept Plan, a vision document developed with Winnipeg’s Scatliff + Miller + Murray, that will guide development and growth in this area of Selkirk for the next 50 years. The plan calls for an innovative mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood of 5,000 homes that, when built out, will double the city’s current population. The West End plan envisions a pedestrian-oriented development centred on a mixed-use village of higher-density multi-family buildings ranging between four and eight storeys. Commercial ground-floor spaces will line the sidewalk of a neighbourhood high street connecting directly to Manitoba Avenue. Extending out from the mixed-use village will be a network of walkable neighbourhoods of mixed-density housing and small-scale commercial spaces. The development will strive to be modern and innovative by returning to successful development patterns of the past. Tree-lined streets will be laid out in a traditional grid pattern, and new growth will occur as an extension of the existing city streets, instead of typical suburban subdivision islands, replicating the way cities grew in the past, and ensuring connectivity to existing amenities such as schools, shopping and community centres. The compact neighbourhoods will be laced with public green space, promote walkability and active transportation, and be a model for Selkirk’s sustainability and climate adaptation policies. Selkirk may not be grand in size, but it has a grand vision. The city has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable urban development and city-building. The forward-thinking strategic planning being done today, backed by tangible actions supported in annual budgets, will result in a prosperous, livable and equitable city that future generations will fall in love with and proudly call home. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP: Clear path to better transit access (Mar25'22)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Mar '22

25 Mar '22

Councillors push for changes to snow clearing policies Clear path to better transit access https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/councillors-push-for-changes-to-sno… A WINTER of heavy snows has exposed serious problems with City of Winnipeg sidewalk clearing policies, two of its councillors say. On Thursday, Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) put forward a motion, backed by Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), calling for the city to consider a pair of changes while conducting its upcoming review of snow and ice clearing policies. The councillors want low-priority sidewalks near high-frequency transit routes (particularly in their own wards) to be upgraded in priority. They are also asking the city to consider reassuming control over a greater portion of snow clearing services, currently delegated to private contractors. “It’s known (in Daniel McIntyre) we have some of the highest rates of Transit riders in the city… I think when they do the snow and ice clearing review that they need to look at prioritizing areas that have really good Transit lines, because we are looking at getting more people taking Transit,” Gilroy said, making special mention of Portage, Ellice, Wellington and Notre Dame avenues as hot spots in her ward. Gilroy said while streets with a bus route are designated P2 — meaning they are to be cleared to the paved surface within 36 hours of a significant snowfall — when lower-priority streets leading to those routes are uncleared, snow can make Winnipeg Transit difficult to access. Gilroy said she would like to see all sidewalks in her ward upgraded to P2 priority. “In some of the portions of the area… I think we should be cleaning to cement. They are highly used in terms of the business around there and their connection to the different transit routes.” As for bringing more snow clearing services in-house, many times even higher-priority sidewalks were left uncleared or insufficiently cleared, Rollins said. The current system has made it difficult for Winnipeggers to find out who is responsible for a problem and how to fix it, she added. “Oftentimes, councillors and residents alike were told that it was a contractor,” Rollins said. “There were times when the city would even say, ‘Which contractor was it?’ I don’t like that level of accountability.” Joelle Robinson, with the Manitoba League for Persons with Disabilities, said she’s “hugely in favour” of adding more high-priority sidewalks for snow clearing. However, the motion fails to consider other important accessibility issues, she said: “People who have reduced mobility also need to be very much considered and prioritized.” For example, Robinson said, loading zones need to be considered high priority. “We’ve had situations where people have not been able to get to their jobs for three and four weeks because the snow is so bad, and they’re not clearing those spots that Transit Plus would use.” Kyle Owens, president of Functional Transit Winnipeg, said while he was glad to see the motion recognized the importance of Transit to Winnipeg’s plans, it doesn’t go far enough. “The city should invest broadly, so that we have fast, effective sidewalk snow clearing every year,” he said. That would increase Transit accessibility, he said, adding that improved clearing city-wide may also encourage more people to use public transit in lower- frequency areas. Rather than ask for a recommendation or a review, Owens said: “We can reverse service cuts and start funding the (Winnipeg) Transit Master Plan immediately.” fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Crosswalk lights initiative shifted back to committee level (Mar19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Mar '22

20 Mar '22

*Crosswalk lights initiative shifted back to committee level * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crosswalk-lights-initiative-shifted… A safety initiative meant to expedite the addition of eye-level lights at all of Winnipeg’s lighted pedestrian crosswalks will be delayed to determine how best to pay for it. City council’s public works committee looks set to take a second look at how best to fund the lower-mounted safety lights, which a motion seeks to have installed “as soon as possible.” The referral back to public works still awaits a council vote. On Wednesday, Coun. Matt Allard repeatedly told EPC members it’s essential to get the work done as quickly as possible to prevent future collisions. Allard stressed it’s also critical to achieve that without any reduction to the resources devoted to other road safety initiatives. “The city has known since 2013 that these low-mounted lights are a cost effective way, an easy way to better pedestrian safety… I’m convinced there’s capacity within the signals department… to do the work that needs to be done,” said Allard, who raised the motion that calls for the new safety initiative. The executive policy committee ultimately asked council to send the matter back to public works instead of giving it final approval, which Allard eventually agreed to. Multiple EPC members argued the motion failed to pinpoint an appropriate funding source. “I feel like what’s being proposed here… it’s clear as mud in terms of what we are asking the public service,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. Bowman and others stressed they didn’t oppose the idea itself, which Allard raised after safety concerns at lighted crosswalks were raised in a recent Free Press series. The series noted traffic safety activist Christian Sweryda has lobbied the city for more than a decade to add more of the eye-level lights, deeming these easier to spot than overhead lights for drivers whose vehicles are close to an intersection. Sweryda links the lighting issue to six crashes at crosswalks with overhead lighting over a 19-month span from February 2018 to September 2019, which resulted in four deaths. The city has already installed 25 low mounted lights at crosswalks, while 158 locations still await funding. Council approved $145,000 in the 2022 budget to convert 15 more. Allard’s motion proposes to raise that amount to $1.6 million to complete all installations instead. The original motion had called for the public service to fund the work through council’s so-called “rainy day fund,” the local and regional streets renewal budget, savings from an Archibald Street construction project and/ or “another source identified by the executive policy committee.” The head of council’s finance committee said that sparked concern for the following reasons: the Archibald project involved a funding agreement with the provincial and federal governments, so its savings aren’t necessarily available for city use; the street renewal budget was already tapped to cover operating costs in the 2022 budget; the rainy day fund has dwindled to cover COVID-19 pandemic losses; and the call for “another source” of cash is too vague. “I would like to see those lights installed but, at this time, a legitimate funding source has not been identified,” Coun. Scott Gillingham said Friday. Coun. Brian Mayes agreed: “There is no new money identified to do this… We all agreed this is a worthwhile initiative… it’s just something’s got to give to fund it.” Allard could not be reached for an interview Friday. In an email, executive assistant Ryan Palmquist said additional funding options will be explored. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Lowering speed limits, restricting cars in city centres key to quickly cutting global oil demand, IEA says
by Charles Feaver 18 Mar '22

18 Mar '22

Globe and mail: <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/emma-graney/> EMMA GRANEY, ENERGY REPORTER Lower speed limits, occasional restrictions on car access to city centres and cheaper or free public transportation would quickly cut millions of barrels of daily oil demand, helping avoid a looming supply crunch as the world heads into peak consumption season, according to an international energy watchdog. Taking such steps would also reduce the pain at gas pumps around the world, lessen the economic damage wrought by Russia's war in Ukraine, shrink Moscow's hydrocarbon revenues and help move demand for crude toward more sustainable alternatives, the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) said Friday. The IEA's recommendations, part of a push to curtail reliance on Russian oil, come as the West continues to squeeze Moscow's economy with a series of increasingly strict sanctions. The IEA warned earlier this week that those sanctions and a general reluctance to purchase Russian crude and refined products could wipe three million barrels a day from global supplies. And that, it said, could further raise oil prices, drive up inflation and undercut the global economic recovery. To help ease supply strain and keep prices in check, the IEA recommends that advanced economies take 10 specific, immediate steps - mainly centred on transportation - that it says would lower oil demand by 2.7 million barrels a day within four months. That's equivalent to the demand of all the cars in China. The steps include lowering highway speed limits by 10 kilometres an hour, encouraging more working from home, placing occasional limits on car access to city centres, making public transportation cheaper or even free, and promoting greater use of high-speed rail and virtual meetings instead of air travel.. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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WFP: Downtown Selkirk to get makeover (Mar18'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '22

18 Mar '22

THE City of Selkirk will spruce up the downtown section of Eveline Street. Selkirk CAO Duane Nicol said medians will be installed at intersections to make them safer, sidewalks will be widened, a cycling path will be added, and trees will be planted. An underground storm water management system will be added. The $7.2-million project is a key part of the revitalization of downtown Selkirk, Nicol said, adding the area has needed an upgrade for almost 30 years. “I’m extremely excited to see this happen… We know that businesses in the area, the residential developments are really excited to see this happen to bring more foot traffic and people into the downtown area,” he said. “We want to build a place that people want to be and spend time in after five o’clock in the evening.” Nicol said like many cities, Selkirk is trying to increase downtown density. “It brings vibrancy to the community, and it makes the streetscape safer because you get more eyeballs on the street,” he said. The plan is off to a quick start: three residential developments slated to begin on Eveline Street in the next two years. “A big part of that is their knowledge that we are investing in ourselves and in our downtown area,” he said. Construction will involve seven blocks from Eaton Avenue to Selkirk Park. The target date for completion is Sept. 30. “It’s a very aggressive timeline,” Nicol said. “Everything has to go quite well.” Selkirk will pay the full cost after it was denied a grant under the federal Building Canada Fund.

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WFP: Province seeks to clear path for e-scooter arrival (Mar17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Mar '22

17 Mar '22

*Province seeks to clear path for e-scooter arrival * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/province-seeks-to-clear-path-for-e-… PROPOSED legislation would pave the way for e-scooters to hit roadways in Manitoba, after years of stalled efforts to launch micro-mobility services. On Monday, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk introduced Bill 21, which would allow the government to approve pilot projects for dockless e-scooters, low-speed vehicles, and other micro-mobility devices currently prohibited on public right of ways. “Expanding the use of low-emissions vehicles will help to reduce Manitoba’s greenhouse emissions,” Piwniuk said. “These changes will allow devices like electric kick scooters, low-speed vehicles to be tested safely while ensuring Manitoba keeps pace with other jurisdictions that are already testing and allowing these devices.” Since early 2019, officials with the City of Winnipeg have been preparing for the arrival of dockless e-scooters, which have become popular in urban centres in Canada and Europe. The e-scooters can be deployed on boulevards, in parks and plazas and rented through a smartphone application. An administrative report from summer 2020 recommended the city ask the provincial government to approve a trial to operate on its transportation network. At the time, a provincial spokesperson said the legislative framework to test e-scooters did not exist but could be considered in regulations under the Vehicle Technology Testing Act, which passed into law in May. Ultimately, the Vehicle Technology Testing Act would only cover autonomous vehicles. Pilot project regulations for self-driving cars are still in development. In a statement, Ryan Palmquist, executive assistant to public works chairman Coun. Matt Allard, said the proposed legislative changes are welcome news. Allard was out of town Tuesday and unavailable for an interview, Palmquist said. “At most recent communication, we understand the industry to still be interested in coming to Winnipeg with both scooter- and bike-share options,” Palmquist said. “With these welcome (Highway Traffic Act) amendments from the province, we can now resume working with the public service to develop an appropriate bylaw to allow this new micro-mobility and mode-shift service in Winnipeg.” Chris Luvancigh, general manager for Lime Canada, said the company is also open to exploring the possibility of bringing micro-mobility services to Winnipeg. The company currently has a network of electric scooters, mopeds and e-bikes in more than 30 countries and four Canadian cities. “Lime is glad to see more and more Canadian cities warming to micro-mobility as a way to build transportation systems that are more sustainable, affordable, and accessible to all,” Luvancigh said in a statement. Bill 21 would also allow municipalities to designate streets as “shared streets” for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and other users with speed limits of no more than 20 km/h. Palmquist said an administrative report on the past two years of the city’s open streets and enhanced bike route programs is expected in April. Last spring, pedestrians were told to stick to the sidewalk after taking to the streets in 2020, when some seasonal active transportation routes were opened to foot traffic. Under the Highway Traffic Act, pedestrians are prohibited from walking on roadways where a reasonably passable sidewalk is present. “It’s our hope that many of the more successful routes, particularly those which filled gaps and improved connectivity of our active transportation network, can return in their original shared use form from 2020 on a permanent basis,” Palmquist said. “We have already reached out to the public service for their take on how these amendments can strengthen this program.” danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Amendments to Highway Traffic Act allow for testing of scooters, other lightweight vehicles
by Beth McKechnie 16 Mar '22

16 Mar '22

Wpg Sun: https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/amendments-to-highway-traffic-act-al… Province of Manitoba press release: https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=53757

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New Zealand halves public transport fares as petrol prices soar amid Russia-Ukraine war
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '22

14 Mar '22

Fare cut among measures Jacinda Ardern’s party has introduced to ease cost-of-living pressures https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/14/new-zealand-halves-public-tra… New Zealand is halving public transport fares to ease the pain of sharply rising petrol costs, as fuel oil prices soar following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that the country would cut fares by 50% amid a suite of other changes to try to ease sharp increases in the cost of living. The government is also cutting petrol excise duties and road user charges by 25c a litre – changes that will come in at midnight on Monday. The finance minister, Grant Robertson, said the changes would last for an initial three months and then be reviewed. “The global energy crisis has quickly become acute,” Ardern said. “We cannot control the war in Ukraine <https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine> nor the continued volatility of fuel prices but we can take steps to reduce the impact on New Zealand families.” Petrol prices in New Zealand are over NZ$3 ($2) a litre and have been rising sharply in recent weeks. Unleaded petrol has gone up 15% since the start of the year and is expected to continue to rise. “In the long term we need to build greater resilience into our transport system so we are less vulnerable to spikes in the price of petrol,” Ardern said. “But for now halving the cost public transport will provide some families with an alternative to filling up the tank.” Even with the changes, the government expected petrol prices would continue their upward trajectory, Robertson said. “We do need to recognise that petrol prices are expected to continue to rise,” he said. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine is continuing to undermine and destabilise global energy markets and, added to the other inflationary pressures the world has due to Covid supply chain disruptions, this is sadly not over yet.” The Ardern government has come under growing pressure to address rising cost of living in New Zealand, where households have faced significant increases in the cost of living and supermarket essentials. Inflation in Aotearoa has hit a three-decade high <https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/annual-inflation-hits-a-three-decade-high-at…>, and is showing no sign of slowing. Inflation reached 5.9% at the end of 2021, and ANZ, the country’s biggest bank, expects it to continue rising <https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/462934/inflation-predicted-to-reach-7-p…> in 2022. In February, fruit and vegetable costs were up 17% year-on-year. New Zealand’s opposition has declared the country has a “cost of living crisis”. In recent polling, the Ardern-led Labour party fell behind the centre-right opposition, National, for the first time since the pandemic began.

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WFP Analysis: If it isn’t waste (and worse) at public works, what is it? (Mar12'22)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Mar '22

12 Mar '22

If it isn’t waste (and worse) at public works, what is it? https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/if-it-isnt-waste--and-worse--at-pub… JUST about everyone knows this scene from television and movies. There’s a man, pants around his ankles, engaged in “the act” with a woman who is not his wife. Suddenly, the wife bursts into the room. “Honey! It’s not what it looks like!” It’s funny because viewers know that he is, in fact, doing exactly what it looks like. When is that scenario not funny? When it’s performed at a city finance committee meeting. This week, managers from the City of Winnipeg public works department were called to defend themselves against allegations raised in a Free Press investigative series by journalist Ryan Thorpe. The series — Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight — detailed the findings of Christian Sweryda, an independent investigator who used Google Street View images to document dozens of unexplained, and seemingly unnecessary, modifications city crews made to traffic-control equipment and intersections over a decade. The series documented, in meticulous detail, a long list of unjustified infrastructure rebuilds, the swapping out of traffic-control devices before their normal end of life and traffic-light poles repeatedly changed and moved small distances, or replaced with new ones, for no apparent reason. And how did public works director Jim Berezowsky respond to the Free Press report? Councillors! It’s not what it looks like! “We believe there is an explanation for each and every Google picture,” Berezowsky told the city councillors who serve on the finance committee. If that’s true, it doesn’t explain why Berezowsky and transportation manager David Patman refused numerous requests for interviews, during which the Free Press was willing to share Sweryda’s research. Berezowsky actually complained during Thursday’s meeting that he wasn’t given a chance to respond before the series was published, ignoring the fact that he was. And if the explanations were straightforward, why wouldn’t he nip the entire oncoming scandal in the bud? We should assume that some of the issues raised by Sweryda can, in fact, be explained. But the scope and magnitude of the things he uncovered go well beyond a few unrelated concerns into the realm of systemic concerns. The other problem that Berezowsky and his department face is the clear need for intersection and traffic-signal improvement all over the city. >From poorly designed “black spot” intersections that regularly generate the highest number of serious collisions, to poorly marked crosswalks that put pedestrians at risk, this is a city that has simply not kept up with the desperate need for basic safety enhancements. A subplot to the Free Press series on mismanagement at public works focused on the glacial pace at which the city was installing eye-level flashing lights at pedestrian crosswalks. The overhead lights are not just ineffective at alerting drivers, they are rather wasteful. The infrastructure to suspend the lights too high to be seen by some motorists is clearly more expensive than installing easier-to-see eye-level flashers. Despite clear advantages in terms of both cost and safety, the city has fallen way behind in installing them. In total, 158 crosswalks need the new lights and the 2022 budget approved funding to convert a mere 15 locations this year. That is a maddeningly slow pace when you consider the very strong possibility the city has been squandering funds by unnecessarily replacing traffic lights and the poles they are attached to for reasons not yet shared with taxpayers. And, finally, this is not the first time we’ve been assured by city managers that what we can plainly see is not what it looks like. Almost three years ago, a Free Press report on workplace misconduct in the city’s planning, property and development department, based on the findings of a privately funded investigator, revealed some building inspectors were working an average three hours a day, and using paid work time to run personal errands and enjoy lengthy lunch and coffee breaks. Initially, department managers denied there was a problem. When an internal audit confirmed the Free Press report, eight inspectors were fired and seven were suspended. Those same managers were forced to admit they had some inkling of problems, but did not know the full extent of the misconduct when they rushed to defend their employees. In fairness, there are instances when something the public views as an obvious error of commission are really just a reflection of the challenges of the job. Snow-clearing is a good case in point. Most residents believe keeping roadways clear of ice and ruts is a simple matter of diligence. In reality, the combination of snowfall amounts, high winds and rapidly dropping temperatures can create ruts that are very difficult to scrape from streets. As such, the ruts are a reflection of our often extreme winters, and not of any particular shortcoming in city services. In this instance, however, it’s going to be a lot harder for the public works department to fully explain the worrisome pattern that emerged in the Free Press series. If an internal audit, which is now underway, confirms there is a problem, then you can bet it will shake the entire department — maybe the entire municipal government — to its core. Right now, the last thing that Winnipeggers need is someone at the city telling them that an obvious problem is “not what it looks like.” It would be much better to explain why it looks that way and what’s being done about it. dan.lett(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: Public works defends traffic-control work to committee (Mar11'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Mar '22

11 Mar '22

*Public works defends traffic-control work to committee * WINNIPEG’S public works department responded publicly for the first time Thursday to allegations of financial mismanagement within the traffic signals branch at a special meeting of the city’s finance committee. Chairman Scott Gillingham (St. James) called the session in response to the recent Free Press investigative series Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight, based on the findings of independent traffic researcher Christian Sweryda. Public works director Jim Berezowsky disputed allegations his department has engaged in widespread patterns of financial mismanagement and wasteful construction practices dating back more than a decade. “We believe there is an explanation for each and every Google picture,” Berezowsky said, referring to Sweryda’s research, the result of hundreds of hours spent analyzing Google Street View images and cataloguing changes to traffic infrastructure in Winnipeg. Berezowsky said he stands with department staff and is proud of the work they do, expressing displeasure the matter was aired publicly by the media and councillors before city staff had an opportunity to respond. The Free Press reviewed Sweryda’s research and shared it with several experts in the field. The newspaper repeatedly offered to walk city staff through Sweryda’s research if Berezowsky and David Patman, manager of transportation, were made available for interviews. Those requests were declined. Sweryda — who has been studying traffic-related issues in the city since 2009 — delivered a summary of the information he provided to councillors recently. When he was done, Couns. Janice Lukes (Waverly West) and Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo) suggested there are good people doing good work in the public service but there are systemic issues with administrative turnover and mismanagement. Engineer Roger Petursson explained the department’s justification for changes made to traffic-control infrastructure at a handful of the intersections Sweryda highlighted and discussed the impact road renewals can have on the lifespan of traffic-control equipment. Berezowsky defended the department’s record-keeping practices, and said design drawings and work orders will justify changes to traffic-control infrastructure in the council-ordered investigation conducted by city auditor Bryan Mansky. Public works chairman Matt Allard called for an audit after the Free Press series was published. After the meeting, Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said it felt, at times, like a “kangaroo court,” but she was happy public works staff had been able to respond to the allegations and “speak truth to power.” Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) and John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) are the other members of the committee. ryan.thorpe(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe

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The "roll" of cargo bikes in urban freight webinar
by Terry Zdan 10 Mar '22

10 Mar '22

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5515404732930030859

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How Prepared Are Canadian Municipalities to Facilitate Mobility Innovation?
by Beth McKechnie 10 Mar '22

10 Mar '22

Check out the Winnipeg section starting on page 36 of the document: shorturl.at/emFZ4 <https://t.co/jVm2uXI9R3> -- 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 located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * 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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Picard in the Globe: "taking vehicle violence seriously as a public health issue"
by Charles Feaver 09 Mar '22

09 Mar '22

Health reporter Andre Picard wrote an excellent opinion piece in todays Globe and Mail; https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-how-the-pandemic-spurred-mor e-traffic-violence/ How the pandemic spurred more traffic violence The COVID-19 pandemic has, in addition to the obvious ravages caused by the novel coronavirus, affected public health in many unexpected ways. One of the most concerning consequences has been a sharp increase in traffic violence, from pedestrian deaths to motor vehicle crashes and road rage. When the first lockdowns began, most commuters stayed home. In cities across North America, large swaths of streets were closed to traffic to make way for an influx of pedestrians practising physical distancing. Bicycle sales soared as people embraced the quiet streets. There were bold predictions that traffic deaths, which were already far too high, would fall sharply. Some urbanists dreamed aloud that we would finally start rethinking the design of our car-centric towns and cities. But, after a brief respite, something strange happened. Beginning in the summer of 2020, traffic deaths soared. That trend continued through 2021 and shows no signs of slowing down as the return to normalcy continues. The United States recorded <https://www.nsc.org/newsroom/motor-vehicle-deaths-2020-estimated-to-be-high est> 42,060 road deaths in 2020, up sharply from <https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/introduction/> 39,107 in 2019, according to the U.S. National Safety Council. The number of pedestrian deaths <https://www.ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA/Ped-Spotlight-Addendum21# :~:text=GHSA%20projects%20there%20were%206%2C721,increase%20from%201.9%20in% 202019> climbed to 6,721 in 2020, up from 6,412 in 2019, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. While thats a modest increase, when you consider that the miles travelled were down sharply (by 13 per cent), that translates into a 21-per-cent increase based on vehicle miles travelled, a commonly used metric. In addition, the GHSA only catalogues deaths on major roadways. A significant number of pedestrians are also killed in parking lots, driveways and such about 1,500 annually. As with COVID-19, the burden of traffic violence falls disproportionately on low-income residents and elders. They are more likely to walk, and have a greater dependence on decent pedestrian infrastructure. The economic cost of traffic violence is around <https://www.nsc.org/speeches-testimony/testimony-to-the-us-house-of-represe ntatives-commi> US$463-billion annually, again according to the National Safety Council. That includes property damage, medical costs, and wage and productivity losses. Those are U.S. numbers. The trend is a bit different in Canada. In 2020, fatalities were down one per cent to 1,745; serious injuries down 12 per cent to 7,868 and; personal injuries down 28 per cent to 101,572. However, Canadians cut back on travel far more than Americans, so the numbers are all up based on kilometres travelled. And its not clear what happened in 2021 when restrictions loosened. But there is good anecdotal evidence that the trend toward more death and destruction on roads is occurring here, too. The consumer group Piétons Québec, for example, says that a decade of gains in pedestrian safety was wiped out during the pandemic. So, whats going on? The short answer is that quieter roads have not made for safer roads; the result of open roads has been more speeding and reckless driving. Three factors account for the majority of fatal motor vehicle crashes: speeding, impaired driving and a lack of seat belts. But underlying those human factors is the reality that cars (and trucks and SUVs) are designed to go fast and make cocooned drivers feel impervious to risks. Roads, too, are designed for speed, not safety. During the pandemic, there has been less enforcement of traffic rules (not that there was much before) as police were urged to minimize unnecessary contact. Who has not noticed a growing tendency of vehicles to blow through red lights and stop signs? Road racing seems to have become a popular pastime. Crossing streets has increasingly become a contact sport for pedestrians and cyclists. During COVID-19, alcohol consumption <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-drinking-skyrocketed-during -covid-19-whys-it-so-hard-to-learn-the/> skyrocketed, and so did <https://tirf.ca/downloading/?dlm-dp-dl=6571&utm_source=stalberttoday.ca&utm _campaign=stalberttoday.ca%3A%20outbound&utm_medium=referral> impaired driving. There is also a lot of pandemic anxiety and frustration, and in many instances weve seen that translate into COVID rage not just on the roads, but in restaurants, on airplanes and during many other public interactions. Its all part of a larger problem of fraying social norms and an embrace of selfish individualism. And what better symbol than a big, hoarking truck? The anonymity afforded by sitting in a large metal box (often with tinted windows) is similar to the anonymity afforded by social media platforms. Violence is up sharply in these pandemic times, from <https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00017-eng.htm> murders, to random attacks, to the gurgling anger in cyberspace. Traffic violence is part of that disturbing trend. We have vehicles increasingly used as tools for disruption, from truck convoys to overt violence. A <https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2021/10/vehicle-rammings-against-p rotesters/map/> Boston Globe analysis found at least 139 incidents of cars driving into demonstrators between May, 2020, and September, 2021. There is much to be done to counter these problems. But it begins with taking vehicle violence seriously as a public health issue. We need to stop blindly worshipping at the altar of the car, and get back to the instincts we had early in the pandemic to make streets more accessible, more pleasant and safer. Its well past time to return urban streets to people, to build a foundation for healthy, green, liveable cities. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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WFP: Committee takes step towards citywide crosswalk upgrades (Mar9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Mar '22

09 Mar '22

Committee takes step towards citywide crosswalk upgrades https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-takes-step-toward-widespread-i… EYE-level lights intended to improve safety at pedestrian crosswalks by better catching the eye of drivers could soon be installed across Winnipeg. A new motion calls for the city to ensure low-mounted, eye-level safety lights are installed at all lighted pedestrian crosswalks “as soon as possible.” It was approved Tuesday by the public works committee but requires a final council vote. “We know these work, we know they’re cost-effective, we know they’re installed after people die (at crosswalks),” said Coun. Matt Allard, public works chairman, who raised the motion. “There’s a blind spot where if you’re too close to a crosswalk, you may not see the lights, so therein lies the problem… I think it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when there’s going to be another collision — another person injured or another fatality.” The motion follows a recent Free Press series, which noted a traffic-safety activist has lobbied the city to add more of the eye-level lights for more than a decade. Christian Sweryda argues overhead lights are more difficult to see for drivers whose vehicles are close to an intersection, while eye-level ones are more visible. While the City of Winnipeg has tested the idea through a past pilot project, Allard’s motion notes just 25 low-mounted lights have been installed permanently at crosswalks to date. He said 158 locations are still awaiting funding to add the lights, while $145,000 was approved in the 2022 budget to convert 15 more. Allard is pushing for council to increase that amount to $1.6 million to complete all of the installations. The motion also calls for sites to get new crosswalks where city engineers have deemed they’re warranted. The public works projects could be funded from the street renewal budget, unspent construction funds and/or reserves. Jim Berezowsky, Winnipeg public works director, said a clear funding source is critical to ensure expediting the light installation doesn’t force the city to postpone other important projects. “If we’re talking about every single crossing in a specific year… What other projects then have to fall by the wayside that are just as (important) safety-wise for all of the citizens of this city?” said Berezowsky. Allard’s motion does not set a specific deadline to get the work done. It also calls for all new installations of lighted pedestrian crosswalks with overhead lights to include an additional low-mounted light. A past city report found the eye-level lights improve safety by increasing “yield compliance” among drivers. Allard said the city has added the low-mounted lights at crosswalks after fatal collisions involving children occurred in the past. He deems his current motion a major safety priority. “I think it’s incumbent on us to get these installed because we know that they’re a cost-effective way to improve safety,” said Allard. The Free Press series noted six crashes occurred at crosswalks with overhead lighting over a 19-month span from February 2018 to September 2019, which caused four deaths. That included crashes at crosswalks that killed two children. In 2019, four-year-old Galila Habtegerish was killed at the pedestrian corridor on Isabel Street at Ross Avenue. In 2018, eight-year-old Surafiel Musse Tesfamariam was killed at the pedestrian corridor on St. Anne’s Road at Varennes Avenue while on his way to school. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP Editorial: Deeply entrenched practices must be re-examined (Mar7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 07 Mar '22

07 Mar '22

Deeply entrenched practices must be re-examined https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/deeply-entrenched-prac… AMONG the most oft-repeated rationales for the manner in which public service-related standards and practices remain stubbornly entrenched are variations on the following bureaucratic bromide: “We do it this way because we’ve always done it this way.” It’s a standard-issue, accountability-dodging cop-out. It’s also infuriating. And, as a recent Free Press investigative series on Winnipeg’s traffic-regulation infrastructure has suggested, on occasion it might even prove deadly. The week-long series titled “Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight” flagged numerous failures of decision-making and policy formulation within the traffic division. Based on the voluminous data compiled by independent researcher Christian Sweryda, the series raised serious questions about the city’s failure to take seriously the concerns raised by Mr. Sweryda about processes and equipment whose sole purpose is — or, at least, should be — keeping Winnipeggers safe when they venture onto or near the city’s roadways. The series examined several shortcomings uncovered by Mr. Sweryda’s exceedingly thorough research — some have described it as obsessive — in traffic-division operations, ranging from repeated and seemingly unnecessary replacement and repositioning of traffic light poles and the failure to replace missing speed-limit and schoolzone signs, to the persistent use of inadequate amber-light times at intersections and the chronic reluctance, despite numerous pleas and warnings, to install pedestrian-corridor warning lights at eye level rather than high overhead. Some of the highlighted issues relate to unnecessary work and expenditures that cost taxpayers untold millions; others expose safety concerns that, according to Mr. Sweryda’s research, can be linked to fatalities that might have been prevented by a simple, practical, relatively low-cost solution. After reviewing the materials that were the basis for the series, lawyer Kevin Gillese, who specializes in anti-corruption, called the information “extremely disturbing” and added “they suggest a pattern of either incompetence or corruption, or perhaps both.” The Free Press offered to walk the city’s senior managers through the data if those officials were made available for an interview. The offer was declined. Such reluctance to confront Mr. Sweryda’s reams of data and related information suggests a general satisfaction with the manner in which the traffic division continues to operate. So, too, does a statement from the city in response to the traffic light-relocation aspect of the series, which states the city’s traffic engineers “recommend solutions and make decisions… with diligence, care, and consideration of both best practices and the context of the location where they are to be applied.” There are, however, too many unanswered questions that render the “best practices” defence unsatisfactory. More, and more complete, answers are due the citizens of Winnipeg. The series did prompt some elected officials — councillors Matt Allard (St. Boniface), Shawn Nason (Transcona) and Scott Gillingham (St. James), chair of the city’s finance committee — to call for a full external audit and/or a public hearing related to the public-works department and the revelations in Mr. Sweryda’s findings. That’s a good place to start. Winnipeggers have the right to expect their tax dollars are being spent wisely and, more importantly, that the roads on which they drive, cycle and walk are not deadly dangerous. The city must justify its spending and planning, as well as its failure, reluctance or refusal to amend its practices when confronted with clear evidence of significant problems. Rather than “because we’ve always done it this way,” the officials in charge might be inclined to adopt the observation of Carleton University transportation-engineering professor Yasser Hassan after viewing the significant shortcomings uncovered in the series: “If there is no documentation, there is no defence.”

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WFP: Rising fuel costs reinflate cycling interests (Mar5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Mar '22

05 Mar '22

Rising fuel costs reinflate cycling interests https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rising-fuel-costs-reinflate-cycling… AS gasoline prices rise with no signs of stopping, Winnipeg bike shops are gearing up to take on new customers. Jeff Nespiak sells used bikes and offers repair services at Southside Cycle Works in South St. Vital. The industry — already in high demand since the start of the pandemic— will likely see a renewed surge in interest should fuel get even more expensive, he said. “I think that it’s probably going to drive up the cost on what will be available, but I think that there will definitely be a larger shortage this year,” Nespiak told the Free Press Friday. “That’s what I’m predicting, especially with gas (prices) across the country… I think it’s just going to continuously drive up the market, and I think a lot more people are going to turn to (bikes) for transportation.” If it does, it won’t be the first time in recent years. Like most local industry retailers and service providers, Nespiak has had trouble keeping bikes and parts in stock since the start of the pandemic, as Winnipeggers looking for safe, socially distant outdoor activities took to bike trails in droves. “I found that people were actually digging out, say, if they had an old mountain bike sitting in their backyard for the last 20 years and it’s got weeds and grass growing through the wheels… They were actually taking it out and having it fixed just because they couldn’t find anything decent for sale,” he said. Such demand will likely present itself in the commuter bike market, Nespiak said, and lightweight bikes with more gears will become tougher to find. At Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road, those lightweight commuter bikes can cost anywhere from $500 to more than $1,000. It’s a price many are willing to pay for the right high-end-but-everyday bike, general manager Jon Carson said, adding the long-running business is hoping a silver lining for gas costs is it gets more people thinking of alternate transportation. “I certainly am emphasizing more riding, personally, because the prices of gasoline are pretty outrageous,” Carson said. “We’re hoping that it will be just another incentive in this sort of bike boom we’ve experienced and, hopefully, another reason to see it keep going.” Recent demand hasn’t reached the fervour of peakmonths in 2020-21, but Carson said it appears more people are buying bikes during this off-season than nearly any other year. Woodcock has been pre-selling bikes set to come in from distributors around Europe and Asia, and supply chain issues that began with the pandemic and have yet to return to normal are still affecting supply. “It’s pretty amazing how fast (bike) orders fill, and how quickly our stock allocates… There’s still delays. I don’t think it’ll be fixed anytime soon, it’s a big chain of things that have been affected,” Carson said. The situation is similar at Olympia Cycle & Ski, co-owner Robb Massey said. “We’ve got certain bikes that were ordered 20 months ago that still haven’t arrived, so that continues to be a problem,” he said. “I mean, right now, our supply is really good. But as soon as we have that first nice day in spring, we’re going to have lineups again and we’re going to have disappointed people.” Massey said he’s concerned that if there is a boom in interest in cycling in tandem with gas costs, new cyclists will spend hundreds of dollars on mass-produced big-box store bikes not designed to last and become discouraged from the practice. He hopes people deciding to hop on a bike for the first time pursue the programming and support services available at the local level. “The price of gas might be $5 a litre, and people still aren’t going to ride their bikes because they just don’t feel comfortable on the roads… To me, it’s bigger than the pain point of watching the price of gas go up,” Massey said. “Because we’re going to get used to it, and then we’re going to go back to unhealthy habits unless you’ve got help and support to (not) do that.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Navigating city sidewalks is unsafe, almost impossible, for people with disabilities (Mar5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Mar '22

05 Mar '22

Navigating city sidewalks is unsafe, almost impossible, for people with disabilities ISOLATION, FRUSTRATION https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/isolation-frustration-576260082.html ISOLATION during winter is a fact of life for many Winnipeggers. This year, repeated heavy snowfalls have buried city sidewalks for weeks on end, forcing people to trudge on narrow paths trampled by trailblazers or climb over large windrows of snow and ice. It’s a nuisance for most people, but city folk with mobility problems find themselves in a huge bind. In Manitoba. 234,190 people 15 and older have a disability, data from a 2017 survey shows. About 40 per cent of that group has mobility issues and 22.1 per cent are visually impaired. Accessibility advocates raise the issue every winter, and little seems to change. They hope during this winter, which has been especially troublesome, fellow citizens and politicians try to understand how limited life can be when faced with such hurdles. Unsure footing Brian Thorkelson inched his foot forward through the mound of snow on the sidewalk. Had he not lived there in the summer, he might not have known there was a sidewalk. His guide dog hesitated. “The dog is totally not confident in guiding, because he perceives the snow mountains as obstacles and there’s no way to get around them,” said the 38-year-old who has total visual impairment. The dog is trained to take the path of least resistance, but in snow drifts, he gets confused, said the resident of Quail Ridge Road. “He’s completely confused and disoriented… I’ve even had times where I’ve had to pick my dog up, and he’s at least a good 75 pounds, to put him over the drift,” he said. Thorkelson said the dog’s ability to guide him could be affected. He hopes the dog’s training will hold up until spring. Taking a bus is a nightmare. Recently, a huge snowdrift blocked him from the bus stop on Sturgeon Road. He wasn’t sure he was at the right place. After about 20 minutes of trying to orient himself (his dog was unable to solve the problem), he called a friend on a video chat to ask them to see what he was dealing with. “They said: ‘You’re at the sidewalk to walk to the stop, but it’s just uncleared.’” Thorkelson had to carefully climb, with his dog, over the drift. This year, he said he’s fallen several times. “It’s definitely a worry of mine that one time I’m going to fall and not be able to get back up,” he said. “If it’s anything below -15 C, I won’t go out. I’ll just stay home, just because of that danger.” Spinning wheels Wheelchair users in Winnipeg know what it’s like to be stuck in a few centimetres of snow. Peter Tonge said the tires of his wheelchairs, both manual and motorized, spin as nothing happens. He’s had to depend on strangers to help free him. It’s no easy task pulling a person and their wheelchair from a snowy rut. “Someone may come along and very genuinely want to help, but they’re not physically capable of doing so,” said the Grant Avenue resident. “There’s always that stress level of just getting yourself free.” He feels that loss of freedom. “I no longer have spontaneous access to do anything,” he said. Every winter, and particularly this one, his freedom is limited by slush, snow or ice. “It’s not the big things in life, like I won’t be able to get to the hospital,” he said. “It’s the little things, like being able to spontaneously pop around and see a friend or run an errand…. If the sidewalks were clean and clear, you could go: ‘Gee, it would be nice to have some ice cream with our dessert,’ and you can buzz out and grab it.” Instead, Tonge is forced to rely on Winnipeg Transit Plus for most of his errands, which requires two days’ notice to book a ride. When waiting that long isn’t an option, Tonge can book a wheelchair-accessible taxi — but that’s expensive. Last month, Tonge, who is the executive director of the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association, booked private transit several times. “I spent over $300 in the month of February,” Tonge said. “For a lot of people that’s most of their income.” In a 2017 survey, about 60 per cent of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 were employed, compared to 80.1 per cent of people without disabilities. And as disabilities become more severe, the employment rate drops. That means extra expenses, such as private transit, aren’t affordable. Tonge has spent years advocating for more accessible sidewalks, among other things. Yet, nothing ever seems to change, he said. Tonge summed up his experience with a quote he’d once come across: “It doesn’t matter what direction I turned, it felt like the wind was blowing in my face.” New isolation Debby McLeod hasn’t always used a wheelchair. For about 20 years, she spent most days on her feet, rushing around Health Sciences Centre as a critical equipment specialist. But on Nov. 12, 2020, McLeod’s left leg was amputated below the knee due to a bone infection. In these first three winters as wheelchair user, the isolation imposed on her by snow and uncleared sidewalks has come as a shock. “Actually, I’m quite surprised. When you’re able-bodied, these are things you don’t think of,” she said. Before the operation, McLeod never would have imagined being trapped in her house, unable to get to work, for three weeks. But that’s what happened to the downtown Portage Avenue resident in February. “The sidewalks this year have been absolutely horrific. I understand that we’ve had an awful lot of snowfall and the city is having a hard time trying to keep up. But with so much snow on the sidewalks, it makes it impossible to get anywhere,” she said. For someone like McLeod, who describes herself as naturally independent, it’s hurt her mental health. “My inability to go into work very much affected me,” she said. Even just the contact with people on the way to work is “like a breath of fresh air,” McLeod said. People don’t understand how significant the loss of mobility, due to uncleared paths, is for people in wheelchairs and with other mobility issues, she said. “They really don’t. And I was one of them. You can’t comprehend until you are in the situation. You can understand, you can emphasize, but you can’t really relate.” Stuck in a loop Similar to Tonge, Rosalie Best advocates for more accessible sidewalks every winter. “I’m getting a little tired of doing the same interview over and over again,” said Best, a power wheelchair user who works remotely for an accessibility consulting firm in Ontario. “It feels like every year, I’m getting called, and I say the same things, and nothing changes.” She talks about the impossibility of moving around town as desired; about the increasing frustration; about looking out the window, seeing huge drifts of snow and feeling the weight of isolation as she considers the near-eternity (or so it feels) until they melt and allow her to live life with some semblance of liberty. “It’s very frustrating. And it makes winter extremely long,” she said. She also talks about getting stuck in the snow, needing the help of strangers to get free, and the anxiety of not being able to find someone — something Tonge and McLeod mentioned as well. The Spruce Street resident said when she does get out, which is rare, for a doctor’s appointment or some other necessity, snow piles often block loading zones or disabled parking spots, forcing her to park farther away or in precarious locations. Then, again, there’s the sidewalk to deal with. Best, Tonge and McLeod agree there is a lack of political will and public awareness about how poor snow clearing makes their lives so difficult. “Because people are so isolated, other people who are non-disabled, or don’t have mobility issues, aren’t seeing people with disabilities out and about,” she said. If people with disabilities and mobility issues were more visible in the community, perhaps the city and its able-bodied populace would better understand the problem, she said. “But because of the snow, or because of whatever kind of lack of accessibility, it becomes this weird, never-ending loop.” Going backwards Despite advocates’ calls for a more accessible winter city, there is a feeling conditions have worsened. Atlantic Avenue resident Tanis Woodland, who is blind, doesn’t believe the situation will improve. “It’s slowly getting worse over the years, in terms of actually plowing the sidewalks,” said Woodland. She has had to climb over huge windrows to catch the bus. It’s even tough to find the stop in mountains of snow on the sidewalk. “It seems like it’s increasingly worse, seems like they’re cutting a lot of our services,” said Suzanne Jakeman, who uses elbow crutches, co-owns wheelchair-accessible taxi company Sunshine Transit Services. Even though she has accessible transport at her disposal, just getting out to the street or from a parking spot to her destination is a struggle this year. “I’m not a billy goat,” She joked. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Examining the Use and Safety of E-Scooters in Tucson and Salt Lake City
by Beth McKechnie 03 Mar '22

03 Mar '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: TREC <asktrec(a)pdx.edu> Date: Thu, Mar 3, 2022 at 3:01 PM In recent years, shared electric scooters (e-scooters) have taken cities around the world by storm. But how are people using this new mode of transportation? Seeking to understand the potential impacts of e-scooters on land use, infrastructure and sustainability goals, researchers have some new interesting data to share on e-scooter users, exploring the interplay between demographics, behaviors and trip purposes. Funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) and led by Kristina Currans <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Currans/4519> and Nicole Iroz-Elardo <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Iroz-Elardo/11996> of the University of Arizona and Reid Ewing <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Ewing/4149> of the University of Utah, the study combines a user survey with on-the-ground observations to characterize the use and safety of e-scooters. The research team also included students Dong-ah Choi, <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/news/university-utah-researchers-develop-index-me…> Brandon Siracuse <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/news/student-spotlight-brandon-siracuse-universit…>, and Torrey Lyons <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Lyons/9134> of the University of Utah and Quinton Fitzpatrick <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/education/2019-2020-nitc-scholars> and Julian Griffee <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/news/student-spotlight-julian-griffee-university-…> of the University of Arizona. The final report offers insights into what drives the behaviors of people using e-scooters, as well as those walking, biking and driving when e-scooters are present. Join the research team on June 7, 2022 <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/events/professional-development/webinar-06072022> to hear first-hand the results of their research at an upcoming free online webinar hosted by NITC. GATHERING DATA ON E-SCOOTER USERS Along with a literature review and a review of existing agency regulations, the researchers analyzed results from an online survey, administered through the City of Tucson in the winter of 2019-2020 (prior to COVID-19 lockdowns later that spring). The online survey gathered information on stated preferences (e.g. whether people reported riding on the sidewalk, or at night) and whether e-scooters were substituted for other modes of transportation. Additionally, they looked for information on how crash experiences corresponded with demographics and riding behaviors. Next came on-the-ground data collection. Researchers and students observed people riding e-scooters in Tucson in January of 2020; this data collection effort was soon curtailed by COVID-19 related lockdowns. In Salt Lake City, the team conducted observations in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, once e-scooter trips began rebounding. They examined how transportation infrastructure— specifically bike lanes, the presence of light rail, and the size of the facility—relates to observations of non-optimal behaviors for different mode users (e-scooters, bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers), and those behaviors for e-scooter users included: - riding on sidewalks, - riding in vehicle travel lanes, - violating traffic signals, - distracted riding, - riding without a helmet, - having two or more passengers on one scooter, or - leaving a scooter parked improperly (for example blocking the sidewalk). Researchers also recorded the behavior of cyclists, pedestrians and drivers. For more details on the observation protocols and the study sites, see chapter four of the final report <https://ppms.trec.pdx.edu/media/project_files/NITC-RR-1281_Scooting_to_a_Ne…> . HOW DOES INFRASTRUCTURE INFLUENCE TRAVEL BEHAVIOR? For both e-scooters and bicycles, the type of infrastructure can affect how people ride. Based on observations, a few patterns emerged: - *When bike lanes were available*, e-scooter riders generally used the sidewalks less. - *When light rail tracks were present*, sidewalk riding happened at similar rates with and without bike lanes. - *On wider roads*, e-scooter and bicycle users both significantly gravitated towards sidewalks. Researchers chose their study sites in order to understand how infrastructure related to behavior for different mode users. They collected data at 5 different types of intersections in Salt Lake City: Table 20 Select Site Characteristics .png <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/file/table-20-select-site-characteristics-png> [image: Site 1: 4 way intersection with no bike lanes, no rail transit, and medium-size road. Site 2: 4 way intersection with 4 way bike lanes, no rail transit and a medium-size road. Site 3: 4 way intersection with no bike lanes, with rail transit, and a medium] The researchers presented a poster on this at TRB 2022: Effects of Intersection Design on Non-Optimal Behaviors of E-Scooter and Other Users <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PYqGDcHIrTSBUsLzljuNTo0-y5iHzfgs/view?usp=…>. While the presence of multimodal infrastructure does matter, inadequate separation from larger automobile facilities may outweigh the use of "appropriate" facilities in the decision making process. This suggests that more optimal behaviors are likely to occur *not where permitted, but where infrastructure provided is perceived to be safe.* Demographics also play a role: In terms of crash experiences, older respondents (40-60 years old) were much less likely to have experienced a crash compared with younger riders (<30 years of age). OTHER E-SCOOTING BEHAVIORS With the advent of a new form of transportation, there are many different behaviors to consider with regards to safety, how users might combine with other modes, and how to end their trips on these micromobility devices. HELMETS Helmets are legally required for e-scooter riders. Not surprisingly perhaps, the reported use of helmets in the survey (21% at least some of the time and 13% while riding) far outweighs the researchers' observations in Salt Lake City (2%) or Tucson (2%). TRIP TYPES A substantial portion of e-scooter riding in Tucson appears to be supporting more recreational travel. In fact, e-scooter trips appeared to generate new restaurant activities. This finding is commensurate with other research which indicates that active transportation travelers tend to spend more money at convenience stores, drinking establishments and restaurants. See two related NITC-funded studies: *Examining Consumer Behavior and Travel Choices* <https://trec.pdx.edu/news/active-travelers-are-competitive-customers-resear…> and *Understanding Economic and Business Impacts of Street Improvements for Bicycle and Pedestrian Mobility* <https://trec.pdx.edu/news/study-finds-bike-lanes-can-provide-positive-econo…> *.* E-scooter trips that were substituting for transit travel were more frequent for people with lower incomes or who were older than 30 years of age, but especially for those older than 60 years of age. PARKING Of the 292 total parked e-scooters observed in Tucson, 76% of all e-scooters were well parked. 17% were improperly parked, and approximately 7% were questionably parked (meaning either there was ambiguity about the rules or a lack of context in the photo). Each vendor has their own mechanisms to educate chargers and riders about properly parking scooters; it is likely that parking might vary by vendor. Parking may also vary greatly in neighborhoods without designated parking zones. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE The findings from this study can be used to inform policy and practice in a myriad of ways. The safety and infrastructure-related findings can help decision-makers to prioritize and revise regulations and requirements for new micro-mobility options in mid-sized cities. The information on usage behavior can help practitioners advance the integration of new technologies into transportation systems to improve overall safety and performance. Finally, the insights with regard to modal substitution may provide evidence to support considering micro-mobility options as a feasible strategy for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of short-trip travel. ABOUT THE PROJECT *Scooting to a New Era in Active Transportation: Examining the Use and Safety of E-Scooters* <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1281> Kristina Currans <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Currans/4519> and Nicole Iroz-Elardo <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Iroz-Elardo/11996>, University of Arizona; Reid Ewing <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/researcher/Ewing/4149>, University of Utah - Download the Final Report (PDF) <https://ppms.trec.pdx.edu/media/project_files/NITC-RR-1281_Scooting_to_a_Ne…> - Download the Project Brief (PDF) <https://ppms.trec.pdx.edu/media/project_files/1281_Project_Brief_-Scooting_…> - Register for the June 7 Webinar <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/events/professional-development/webinar-06072022> which will cover findings from this project, along with two other NITC projects on e-scooters coming out soon: - Scooting to a New Era in Active Transportation: Examining the Use and Safety of E-Scooters <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1281> - Evaluation of Portland Shared E-Scooter Pilot Program Goals and Outcomes <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1284> - E-Scooters and Public Health: Understanding the Implications of E-Scooters on Chronic Disease <https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1358/E-Scooters_and_Public_Healt…> *This research was funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities, with additional support from the Arizona Board of Regents, the City of Tucson, Salt Lake City Corporation, the University of Arizona and the University of Utah.* *The National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC) is one of seven U.S. Department of Transportation national university transportation centers. NITC is a program of the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University. This PSU-led research partnership also includes the Oregon Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, University of Oregon, University of Texas at Arlington and University of Utah. We pursue our theme — improving mobility of people and goods to build strong communities — through research, education and technology transfer.* ------------------------------

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WFP: Complaints rise as city sidewalks remain snowed over (Mar2'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Mar '22

02 Mar '22

Complaints rise as city sidewalks remain snowed over Drifts of despair https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/drifts-of-despair-complaints-rise-a… SNOW-SWALLOWED sidewalks have forced parents to walk their children to school along icy, rutted roads and to clamber over snowy banks. Others trudge through deep snow; and many with mobility issues are simply stuck indoors. Winnipeg sidewalks this winter are the worst Daniel Guenther has seen. As the head of a residents association in the Garden City neighbourhood, he said complaints have flooded in. “I would say it’s progressively gotten worse,” Guenther said Tuesday. “There’s the general feeling that looking around, there’s been major cutbacks in the snow clearing operation.” Guenther pointed to a host of issues also noted by residents around the city, primarily in the northwest. Among them, the footpaths near R.F. Morrison School are blown over. “There’s been a lot of these major pathways of sidewalks that have not been cleared once this winter, and now we’re into March,” he said. “Even when they do come and clear it, there’s been times were I’ve seen the sidewalk clearing equipment just stop because they’ve let it pile up — five, six snowstorms worth.” That’s meant towering snow piles left at those locations. Guenther said he’s called the City of Winnipeg several times, but it seems the city is overwhelmed and unable to respond. City data support that hypothesis, at least in the northern region, where zero per cent of P3 sidewalks and pathways have been cleared. P3 sidewalks are the lowest priority, but comprise much of the residential areas. However, 74 per cent of P3 sidewalks in the city’s eastern half have been cleared. “It’s just disappointing,” Guenther said. “It’s showing the city’s lack of commitment and a lack of support for pedestrians, and it shows a prioritization of other areas.” Of efforts to clear the snow, city spokesman Ken Allen said in an email: “In response to multiple and back-to-back snow events with high accumulations of snow and ice, our crews, which are comprised of a combination of city staff and hired contractors, are working around-the-clock continuing to plow sidewalks and active transportation paths by priority.” In late February, Winnipeg manager of street maintenance Michael Cantor said city policy states priority 1 and 2 sidewalks should be cleared with 36 hours of a snowfall and priority 3 within five days, but heavy snow and cold weather has caused plows to break down and delayed clearing. Garden City residents are far from the only ones with complaints. Patricia Evans, who lives on Valour Road, said she doesn’t think sidewalk plows can even get through to her because street plows have deposited huge chunks of ice and packed snow onto the footpaths. Rachel Rempel said she’s had to help her child battle stacked snow all winter on Granville Street in North Point Douglas, just to get him to the school bus. For people with mobility issues, uncleared sidewalks can mean the difference between getting out of the house and complete isolation, said David Kron, spokesman for Barrier- Free Manitoba, a non-profit that advocates for disability and accessibility issues. “They’re locked out of life,” he said. “There’s no safe way for them to get around.” Kron said seen and heard about an increase number of people resorting to driving their scooters or wheelchairs along slippery roads. However, particularly for accessibility advocates, this is an old issue, he said. “We have this conversation every October after the first snow. But this year’s been a record breaker. It’s gotten worse and worse.” Kron said the city needs to develop a system to better system to inform people of when their sidewalks will be cleared. While city policy states sidewalks are to follow street clearings, this year has proven the delay between the two can be unexpectedly long. Kron wants improved communication, so people who depend on cleared paths to participate in the community can plan their lives. Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) said malfunctioning sidewalk plows have been an issue during his entire time as city councillor. There’s always been winters with heavy snow, and the city needs to pony up and buy new equipment if these problems are going to persist, he added. Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said calls about uncleared sidewalks have poured in to all councillors, and in response, the public works committee will be issuing a report on snow and ice control policy later this year. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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