- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

The Headliner: Inmates learn skills in bike shop (Jun10'20)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jun '20

10 Jun '20

Gearing up for success Inmates learn skills in bike shop https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/headliner/Gearing-up-for-… A broken bike abandoned at the Brady Road Landfill may look like a piece of junk, but it could make a big difference in at least one person’s life. Sheryl Reid-Corrales, Headingley Correctional Centre’s Winding River Community unit manager, said that bike could become one of the 2,000 bikes repaired by inmates and donated to The WRENCH (Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub) to distribute to community groups serving immigrant and other Winnipeg residents in need. “We go and get the bikes from the Brady Road Landfill,” Reid-Corrales said. By repairing bikes, inmates learn valuable job skills as part of an addiction program offered at the special unit, which houses up to 150 men. Winding River is based on the model of Guthrie House Therapeutic Centre at Nanaimo Correctional Centre in British Columbia, she said. It is a self-contained unit that offers counselling and behavioural modelling to keep inmates fighting addictions out of the main prison system. “We’re an addiction program with a positive environment,” Reid-Corrales said. Two correctional officers oversee the bike shop, teaching inmates to repair bikes. Reid-Corrales said 16 inmates at a time work for a half-day, and the other part of their day is devoted to counselling and programs supporting their desire to kick an addiction to alcohol and/or drugs. “It takes a year for them to go through the program,” she said. “Working in the bike shop is a practice run for when they get out (of prison). In the bike shop, they are treated like an employee.” This puts the onus on inmates to show up on time and call in if they are sick and unable to come to work. Reid-Corrales said giving inmates personal responsibility for their success or failure in the bike shop and Winding River program is important. “They’re learning confidence.” She said working on bikes, especially children’s bikes, leads inmates to reflect on their own families and how their actions that brought them into Headingley Correctional Centre impacted their loved ones and others in the community. For example, they might have stolen bikes to sell for profit and purchase substances. “It’s important that they give back to the community,” Reid-Corrales said The WRENCH recently gave away 320 bikes repaired by Winding River inmates. Reid-Corrales said the inmates also make bike seats that are available at The WRENCH’s office at 1057 Logan Ave. in Winnipeg.

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WFP - Future of AT routes
by Kristine Hayward 10 Jun '20

10 Jun '20

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/future-of-city-active… Kristine Hayward Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metred street parking and pay lots in the area - please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion<https://twitter.com/search?q=wpginmotion&src=typd> Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Scent Free Facility - visitors are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes/colognes/heavy-scented lotions/oils This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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CBC: Extending Winnipeg active transportation routes until fall gains support but has critics (Jun9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jun '20

09 Jun '20

*Extending Winnipeg active transportation routes until fall gains support but has critics* Calls to tweak location of routes, change hours and provide better communications on closures https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-active-transportation-rout… A push to extend the temporary closure of nine Winnipeg streets to vehicle traffic got plenty of support Tuesday, while others want city council to slow down and examine what's already in place. The nine streets were closed earlier this spring to provide active transportation options to residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vehicle traffic is limited to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the routes, seven days a week. The temporary closures are set to end on July 6, but on Tuesday, the city's infrastructure and public works committee heard from several councillors and a dozen delegations about extending the closures for another two months. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard has a motion that would extend the active transportation routes until the September long weekend. "The majority of people I have heard from in my ward supports keeping them open," Allard said on Tuesday. Several councillors appeared in front of the committee in full support of the motion, but others say changes should be made before the life of the routes is extended. Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie says he has "no real problem" with the routes, one of which — Scotia Street — is in his ward. But he did inject a note of caution about the interaction between pedestrians, cyclists and drivers on the routes. "There is tension on all sides," Eadie said, adding the restrictions bring out the "aggressive nature" in people while attempting to share the road. Assiniboine may not be right fit for route The councillor for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood says there was little advance notice to residents when five more routes were added <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-more-active-transport…> in early May to the four that had opened up in April <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-active-transportation…> . "There was no information given to residents.… It was just done," Kevin Klein told the committee. Assiniboine Avenue from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive, which is in Klein's ward, was among the routes added in May. He says there are six bus stops on the street and no proper signage was put in place to explain the changes to residents. Klein says perhaps the route could remain closed to vehicles on the weekends or evenings, but whatever happens with the motion to extend the routes until the fall, residents and the local councillors should be consulted first. Westwood resident Darlene Van Ruiten agreed with Klein on both the concerns about the bus stops on the route, and the lack of consultation. "There wasn't any time to speak to residents that this was coming," Van Ruiten told the committee. She says the barricades on the street have created a potential danger, as transit buses attempt to manoeuvre around them. The Green Action Centre appeared in support of extending the routes beyond the current nine streets, urging councillors to follow the lead of other cities around the world. "Create a pop-up network routes accessible by foot and bikes," urged the Green Action Centre's Mel Marginet. After hearing from some councillors and delegations, Allard allowed there may be a need to tweak some routes. "I want to acknowledge there have been a number of concerns raised by residents and councillors," Allard said. Allard believes the motion going to council has the flexibility in it to allow area councillors to adapt the routes in each ward. The infrastructure and public works committee is expected to vote on Allard's motion later Tuesday. It also has to pass executive policy committee before a full vote of city council.

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WFP: Future of city active transportation routes draws debate (Jun10'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jun '20

09 Jun '20

Future of city active transportation routes draws debate https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/future-of-city-active-transp… Some Winnipeggers fear a route restricting vehicle access to make more room for pedestrians and cyclists has created new safety concerns. The city introduced nine active transportation routes as an option for socially distanced exercise during the COVID-19 pandemic, where vehicle traffic is limited to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. While that was slated to end July 6, city council is now considering a motion that would keep the paths open to Sept. 7. Coun. Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood) opposed the extension, however, after the Assiniboine Avenue route (from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive) triggered complaints. "There’s buses and there’s a lot of turns and dips on that road, so it’s difficult to see pedestrians and cyclists," Klein said Tuesday, noting there are also multiple bus stops along Assiniboine. "It creates a diversion of traffic that’s not expected in the community." The councillor said the vehicle restrictions also fuel notable traffic increases in a nearby back lane, as drivers search for alternative routes. "Right now, it’s creating division among the street, it’s creating issues. I don’t want to see a child get hit in the back lane because a ball went out of their yard (and they weren’t expecting the traffic)," he said. Klein said some of his constituents do support the AT route. However, he urged city staff to conduct consultations to determine if other nearby alternatives may be better suited to active transportation. He said each ward councillor should be invited to provide input on route placement before any extension occurs. If that doesn’t happen, council could also consider restricting the vehicle limits to Saturdays, Sundays and weekday evening hours. Darlene Van Ruiten, a resident of the ward, told the committee she’s also concerned about heavy bus traffic forced to move around the route’s barricades. "The barricade causes this bus, this full-sized bus, to go (switch lanes) to make those corners… It causes a potential danger to either hit a car or a child that’s not paying attention," said Van Ruiten. On Tuesday, the public works committee voted to support the extensions, which means the AT access for sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive will be extended. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), committee chairman, noted the motion does call for all councillors to be consulted to see if any changes to the routes are required. Allard said that should ensure ward concerns can be addressed without AT routes getting shut down to do so. "By design, this motion is meant to include the area councillor," he said, adding he’s heard plenty of support for the route extension. By late Tuesday afternoon, more than 8,000 Winnipeggers had signed an online Winnipeg Trails Association petition to support the extension and call for more permanent AT routes. The public works committee also heard clear support from many delegates at Tuesday’s meeting. "A small inconvenience for some folks to limit their driving to a block during designated hours in exchange for all of the benefits of movement and fresh air is an incredibly simple trade-off for the city to champion," said Mel Marginet of the Green Action Centre. Marginet said the routes must be expanded, however, since many Winnipeggers live too far from the current ones to easily access them. If council approves the changes as proposed, the city’s public service would also study the addition of permanent, year-round active transportation routes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Building active transportation routes on a tight budget possible, councillor says (Jun9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Building active transportation routes on a tight budget possible, councillor says https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/building-active-transportation-rout… As more residents make biking and walking an essential part of their day through the coronavirus pandemic, one city councillor says supporting active transportation might not necessitate big-budget investments. "The nine active transportation corridors we’ve opened, we were able to do that with very small financial implications, so perhaps there’s ways of expanding active transportation in the city without spending a whole lot of money," Coun. Matt Allard said. "Part of it is investment, but part of it is what do we want to do as a city? How do we want to use the spaces that we have?" Allard’s remarks came Monday as city officials cut the ribbon on the latest multimillion dollar piece of infrastructure built with pedestrians and cyclists in mind. The new $2.5-million underpass connecting Niakwa Trail to Des Meurons Street beneath Fermor Avenue saw plenty of people jogging, cycling and walking past news crews gathered Monday morning to cover the opening. The pathway, located about midway between St. Anne’s Road and Archibald Street, and not far from the Windsor Park Golf Course and St. Vital Outdoor Pool, was part of the city’s $29.6-million Fermor Avenue reconstruction project. The underpass allows easier access to active transportation corridors connecting to downtown from southeast Winnipeg. "This brings us a step closer to the dream, which is a completely connected separated network from the road," said Allard (St. Boniface), who is chair of the city’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee. "I’m cycling much more since being elected to city council and understanding the value of these facilities, but as the father of an 11-year-old girl, I can tell you protected facilities are essential to get people to make the choice to use their bicycles and active transportation — to make the switch." In April, the city extended four Sunday and holiday bike routes to allow for pedestrians and cyclists to use the routes seven days a week with vehicle traffic restricted to one block between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., as part of its COVID-19 response. Five additional residential streets were added in the following weeks, with vehicle restrictions in place until July 6. Allard said use of these active transportation corridors has been significant and, overall, more people are choosing to leave their vehicles at home or find alternatives to using the bus. "With COVID-19 we’ve seen some trends and one trend that we expect, and are actually encouraging, is bus ridership is down," Allard said. "We’re asking people to ride the bus only if they have to… that’s a big part of the mode shift in Winnipeg." The standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works will vote Tuesday on a motion to extend the initiative to Sept. 7. The motion also calls on the public service to report on the results of the program and the feasibility of establishing permanent year-round active transportation routes. A petition by Trails Winnipeg to keep the routes in place had received more than 7,800 signatures by Monday afternoon. "In terms of a culture change, I think that’s just happening now," Allard said. "It’s going to have an impact on what the public demands of city hall." St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes, whose ward residents will also benefit from the Fermor Avenue underpass, said he wants to see the city upgrade existing, well-used active transportation infrastructure and assets. "I’ve been on this campaign to upgrade all these running tracks across the city and we could fix some of those up pretty cheaply, and we haven’t," Mayes said. "So we should have a balancing act here. "I think we should keep building and cycling walking paths but also we’ve got some old running and walking infrastructure; people can use those and we need to put some money into that, too." danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Editorial: Extend active-transportation routes (Jun8'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Extend active-transportation routes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/extend-active-transpor… AS Winnipeggers adjust to the new normal in the age of COVID-19 — whatever that may be — there is opportunity to change how roads are used in the future. Sections of multiple streets were designated as active transportation routes early in the wave of changes brought by physical-distancing recommendations. Motorized traffic was restricted to one block along parts of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Some of these routes, such as Wolseley Avenue, already had such restrictions in place — but only on weekends and only during summer months. City council extended the initial period of the closures to July 6. A motion by Coun. Sherri Rollins, seconded by Brian Mayes, would extend the designation to Sept. 7. The Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works is scheduled to vote on it June 9. As more people who were working from home return to commuting in some form, there may be more pressure on the city to again allow motorized traffic on these streets. But the new normal need not be the car-centric normal that dominated Winnipeg previously. With a usually busy Manitoba summer suddenly emptied by multiple event cancellations, more people now find the time to dust off their bicycles or don a sturdy pair of walking shoes. These people will get a nod of approval from their doctors because, when it comes to preventative health, active living is an effective prescription. The risk of being exposed to COVID-19 is currently low, but the means by which it spreads remain the same. Joggers, cyclists, roller-skaters — anyone using the roads to get a bit of exercise — still need space to maintain distancing, and such space can be provided by allowing some or all of these road areas to be used for active transportation. It’s a timely topic because the city is already working on a long-term active transportation network. Community consultations are ongoing as to where bike routes and dedicated paths should go. Other Canadian cities have experimented with temporary barriers to add such lanes to city streets, to see whether people will eschew their vehicles and take to their bikes. Creating such spaces here, as the city has done, presents an opportunity to see how Winnipeggers would use active transportation. Some areas may not prove popular with enough commuters, or residents, to justify making permanent changes to the infrastructure. This is something the city should collect information on, and something Winnipeggers should tell their councillor about. What kind of city do we want to live in when we’re through the COVID-19 pandemic? It’s time for active transportation to be more than an afterthought in Winnipeg. The pandemic offers a rare opportunity to try expanded, and healthier, ways to use pavement.

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Portage la Prairie Active Transportation Committee to Host Bike Week
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Transportation Committee to Host Bike Week <https://portageonline.com/local/transportation-committee-to-host-bike-week> https://portageonline.com/local/transportation-committee-to-host-bike-week The Portage la Prairie Active Transportation Committee is bringing back Bike Week for the sixth annual year. The Committee has a full week of bike-related events for you to take part in from June 15-21. Chair of the Bike Week Committee Heather Bruce says their most popular event, the Cookie Ride, has been altered because of the pandemic. "This year, it's going to be a freezie ride so we can hand out freezies, and we will hand other things out as well. It's very popular because it makes families get out after supper to go for a bike ride. That's part of what we're trying to do, encourage people to get out and about." Other activities planned for Bike Week include Bike & Yoga, bike trails, and a public art bike tour. Bruce says they've taken safety into mind when planning the activities. "Because we're outside the social distancing thing will be easy, and we're on bikes. For instance, our Grub Crawl is on Thursday this year. Last year, we went to three different places and had something small to eat at each place. This year, we're only having it at Cafe on Prince." The Transportation Committee strives to hold the event as a way to showcase Portage's many biking paths and bring awareness to active transportation. Bruce says Bike Week has a new event this year, the Bike Jam. "Even the route is kept a secret right until the last minute. There will likely be music blaring. It's just a nice slow-moving ride throughout the city, and people are encouraged to ride in costume, or decorate their bikes." Bruce wants you to get outside and enjoy the Manitoba summer. "We know that during COVID, there's been a lot of talk about people's mental health, so bike week fits in getting people outside, active and in the fresh air with other people, but socially distant." You can keep up to date with Bike Week on their Facebook Page. <https://www.facebook.com/activetransportationplap>

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CBC: Bike lanes installed on urgent basis across Canada during COVID-19 pandemic (Jun7'20)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

Bike lanes installed on urgent basis across Canada during COVID-19 pandemic Commuters nervous to take public transit hop on bikes; driving not an option for many https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bike-lanes-covid-pandemic-canada-1.5598164 Been meaning for years to bicycle to work, as a way to improve your fitness and save money on gas and parking? Now is your chance. Municipal governments across Canada are moving quickly to create clearly marked bicycle lanes in order for people to travel safely through cities. A number of city councils have approved road closures, either partial or complete, as an emergency alternative to public transit. Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Kitchener, Toronto, Montreal and Moncton have all recently extended their cycling networks, according to Vélo Canada Bikes, a national advocacy group for cycling. "We're doing a lot of work that was meant to be spread out over a few years in a few weeks," said Toronto mayor John Tory said in an interview. "It's going to keep people safer, because it's going to give people an alternative to the transit system, where they're still a bit anxious." The World Health Organization has issued guidelines <http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-emergencies/coronavirus-cov…> on how to get around during the COVID outbreak, which include "whenever feasible, consider riding bicycles or walking" to help with physical distancing and physical activity. Safe transit for essential workers But many of the bike lane extensions introduced in Canada during the pandemic are are temporary, marked with portable stanchions. Permanent bike lanes typically involve lengthy public consultations with merchants and residents, a process that isn't feasible given the urgent need for transportation options right now. Toronto-based urban planner Jennifer Keesmaat said transportation alternatives are critical as many workplaces begin to reopen. As well, essential service workers need to get to their places of employment. "In the absence of having a vaccine and being unable to pack everybody on transit the way we have in the past, cycling is a viable option," said Keesmaat, Toronto's former city planner. "It's simply impossible for everybody who takes transit to get into a car, and secondly, it's not affordable," she said. "A lot of people don't have access to a car or can't afford one." Keesmaat hopes the new bike lanes will become permanent. She is the chief architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities <https://www.2020declaration.ca/>, a statement signed by 100 well-known Canadians calling on political leaders to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to "kickstart" a move toward more accessible, equitable, and sustainable cities. The list of 20 priorities on the declaration includes protected bike lanes. Cities such as Amsterdam and Copenhagen have long boasted a cycling culture, with crowds of citizens pedalling along cycling routes around the city. Since the pandemic began, New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan and Bogota and others have shifted street space away from cars, to add pathways for bikes and pedestrians. Friction with motorists The Canadian Automobile Association supports proper cycling infrastructure, according to spokesperson Ian Jack. "The more people on bikes and on transit, the fewer people there are on the road," he said. "There will be less congestion." But Jack also believes that the cycling lanes work especially well right now, with fewer Canadians driving due to the lockdown. "These temporary lanes have been fine because there's been so little vehicular traffic, it hasn't been an issue," he said. "It's going to become one as more and more people start to go back to work." Then there's the issue of insurance. "If the breadwinner of the family is on their bicycle, they only have their home insurance and that doesn't cover them fully," Melissa De Genova, a city councillor in Vancouver. "They wouldn't be covered the same way as with vehicle insurance if there was an accident." How long will the lanes last? Even so, many proponents of cycling hope that the new extended cycling routes will be made permanent. They point to health benefits, as well as the environmental impact, noting Canada's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change. No one can say at this point how long the bike lane extensions will be left in place, due to the unpredictable course of the pandemic. Nor is it clear how many Canadians will be eager to bundle up to ride their bike to work once winter sets in. Montreal typically sees just 20 per cent of its cycling population on its bike network in February. "You need to get a bit prepared," Keesmaat said. "But we get prepared to get into our cars too. We buy windshield fluid, we make sure we have a scraper in our car, we change our tires. You can change the tires on your bike as well, and buy proper clothing." Kimberley Nelson of Vélo Canada Bikes believes cyclists will need to put pressure on political leaders in order for the temporary extension to be made permanent. "We really need to come together and push those communities that are doing it now as a temporary measure, to say 'hey, look how much better this street works when everybody is included'," she said. A national strategy Early in March, Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna appointed Halifax MP Andy Fillmore to head up a new National Active Transportation Strategy. He said although many of the strategy's goals are long term, the government is also looking to amend and update its 12-year, $180-billion Infrastructure Plan to acknowledge "the realities" of COVID-19. That will include a greater focus on cycling. "We already had money set aside for active transportation," Fillmore said. "But not by intention, maybe by oversight, you had to squint to see it. There wasn't a particular line item for it." Fillmore, who worked as an urban planner prior to his political career, said the plan will be updated to highlight investments that support communities in their recovery from the pandemic. He believes COVID-19's impact on transportation will boost awareness of the need for more safe cycling routes, and accelerate Canadian cities towards more sustainable practices. "If we're looking for silver linings, I think we've found one," Fillmore said.

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[SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Free Webinar Thursday, June 11: Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

===== UofM Email Security Notice - SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE ===== The message below may be a potential threat. It may trick victims into clicking a link and downloading malware. Do not open suspicious links. If you do not know the sender or cannot verify the integrity of the message, please do not respond or click on links in the message. Depending on the security settings, clickable URLs may have been modified to provide additional security. Please contact the Service Desk if you have any questions. (204) 474-8600 ==== Original Email Body Follows ==== ------------ Suspicious threat disclaimer ends here ------------ You don't want to miss this. FREE WEBINAR THURSDAY <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EDT Participants of the live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits. The connection between walkable communities and public health was already at the center of planning discussion in many communities before the Covid-19 pandemic prompted many cities to close public streets for pedestrian use. This webinar features Dan Burden and Mark Fenton of Blue Zones, two of the nation’s leading walkability experts. Find out more and register for this free webinar via the link below. Register For Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse | 410-767-4943 | SmartGrowth.org The Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse is a project of the Smart Growth Network and is partially funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Community Revitalization and managed by the Maryland Department of Planning. Maryland Department of Planning | 301 W. Preston Street, 11th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 Sent by michael.bayer1(a)maryland.gov in collaboration with [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…> Try email marketing for free today! <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…>

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CDC revise awful COVID-19 commuting recommendations, but they’re still not great
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

CDC Revise Awful COVID-19 Commuting Recommendations, But They’re Still Not Great https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/06/04/cdc-revise-awful-covid-19-commuting-… The Centers for Disease Control is no longer recommending that employers incentivize their workers to commute by car alone as businesses reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the agency’s revised guidelines still don’t do enough to protect workers from the novel coronavirus — *or *the myriad public health threats posed by our unsafe transportation network. The original version of the agency’s workplace safety recommendations encouraged employers to offer workers who use public transportation “incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others, such as offering reimbursement for parking for commuting to work alone or single-occupancy rides.” The CDC have now amended the recommendation as follows <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesse…> : For employees who commute to work using public transportation or ride sharing, consider offering the following support: - If feasible, offer employees incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others (e.g., biking, walking, driving or riding by car either alone or with household members). - Ask employees to follow the CDC guidance on how to protect yourself when using transportation <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/using-transport…> . - Allow employees to shift their hours so they can commute during less busy times. - Ask employees to wash their hands <https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html> as soon as possible after their trip. The minor tweak came after major backlash from media outlets like Streetsblog <https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/05/29/feds-seek-incentives-to-encourage-dr…> and leading transportation organizations like the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the American Public Transportation Association, and Smart Growth America. ... But even the new-and-improved guidelines still don’t adequately address the safety needs of vulnerable road users — or the inequities disproportionately faced by people who are black, brown, and/or poor. For one, the CDC still encourage employers to provide financial incentives *for every mode except transit use* — despite emerging evidence from East Asian countries like Korea <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/05/08/subways-trains-buses-are-si…> and Japan <https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/japan-ends-its-covid-19-state-emerg…> that transit might still be safe during the pandemic, especially if networks undertake proper protocols, like frequent vehicle cleanings and supplying passengers with masks. The advisement threatens to starve transit networks further when fare collections are already at historic lows, rendering transit agencies unable to provide adequate service to the riders who have no choice but to remain. Low-income workers with long commutes, who generally cannot afford cars *or *get to work via active transportation modes, disproportionately rely on transit. <https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/long-commutes-are-awfu…> Providing employer-based financial incentives to bike or walk is great, but it won’t do much good if the many safety barriers to active transportation that walkers and bikers still face are not addressed. Of course, workplace leaders alone can’t fix those, but they can do their part, by leveraging their influence as a business community with government officials to support policies to end police harassment, brutality and killing — a significant barrier to the mobility of BIPOC <https://chi.streetsblog.org/2020/06/03/police-have-always-limited-black-peo…> — and implement Vision Zero <http://visionzero.org/> policies, programs and infrastructure.

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