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WFP: People-powered push for active transportation (Jul8'19)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '19

14 Jul '19

*People-powered push for active transportation * FOR some, “valet service” conjures up images of people in uniforms parking expensive cars at posh parties. For a local organization, a valet service is a way to encourage active transportation. Since 2010, Bicycle Valet Winnipeg has offered its services to local event promoters interested in reducing traffic and parking congestion. The program works like a coat check for bicycles: people check their bikes into a secure compound and can retrieve it later with a claim ticket. Bicycle Valet Winnipeg provides the equipment, setup and volunteers. Guy Bonnetta volunteers with the program because it reflects his interest in cycling. “I enjoy talking and rubbing shoulders with other cyclists,” the 67-year-old says. Now retired, Bonnetta got into cycling when Bike to Work Day was introduced in Winnipeg. (The 12th edition of the annual event ran June 17.) Intrigued by the idea, he decided to cycle the 15 kilometres to his job on campus at the University of Manitoba from his home in Charleswood. He enjoyed the commute, and began doing it regularly. “I really liked it,” Bonnetta says. “I just felt a lot more healthy.” After he began cycling regularly, he joined Bike Winnipeg’s board. Eventually, he started volunteering with the bike valet program. One of his favourite experiences with it was volunteering at IG Field for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup games Winnipeg hosted. “It’s a big rush when everyone arrives at the same time and leaves at the same time, and you’ve probably got 500 bikes or more,” he says. “We were really running off our feet, and that was a lot of fun. The busier we are, the more enjoyable it is.” Bicycle Valet Winnipeg is scheduled to offer its services at a number of events throughout the year, including the MS Society of Canada’s Gimli bike tour, ManyFest and Nuit Blanche. Crystal San Filippo, 11, also volunteers with the program. “I help people fill out their tickets and then I keep all the (slips) in order,” says Crystal, whose aunt was involved with the program and recruited her to help. “It’s really fun.” “I think that everybody dotes on (her),” says Karen San Filippo, Crystal’s grandmother. “She’s quite shy, or has been quite shy, so what we’ve noticed at bike valet is that she knows what she’s doing there, she has her job to do, and it’s really helped to make her more confident.” Bicycle Valet Winnipeg has worked more than 20 events this year, including the Winnipeg Whiteout street parties, the Rise Up concert in Old Market Square and Canada Day at The Forks. Volunteers also look after trailers, strollers, skateboards and more. The bike valet is always open to new volunteers, says Stephanie Chow, who runs the program. Anyone interested can email info(a)bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca. “Amazing volunteers are essential to our service,” Chow says. “If (you) love festivals, bikes and being outdoors, there are many great opportunities.” *If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp(a)gmail.com <aaron.epp(a)gmail.com>.*

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Bike share study
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '19

14 Jul '19

Included in the nine innovation pilot projects under development in the City's department of innovation, transformation and technology (complete report can be found at wfp.to/d5A) as reported by the Winnipeg Free Press (Jul9'19): BIKE SHARE ● $80,000, six-month study for public works to establish partnerships with “micromobility rental vendors (e.g. bikeshare, e-bike and e-scooter) to trial their services and establish future relationship models.”

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WFP: Speed-limit debate revving up (Jul10'19)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '19

14 Jul '19

*SPEED-LIMIT DEBATE REVVING UP* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/bombers/city-to-cut-ties-… PRESSURE on city hall to lower the residential speed limit to 30 km/h continues. Nine individuals were among the delegations Tuesday, asking EPC to drop the speed limit to make the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists. However, the issue wasn’t on the agenda. EPC was dealing with a bylaw that will maintain all current speed limits at their posted rate, in anticipation of the province ending its authority to set street speed limits. Previously, road speeds were regulated by the Highway Traffic Board. City staff have proposed maintaining all current speed limits as they were March 1 — with the exception of a stretch of Marion Street, which will be reduced to 50 km/h from 60 km/h. The new bylaw, once approved by city council, will take effect Sept. 1.

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WFP: Safety of bike paths criticized (Jul10'19)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jul '19

14 Jul '19

*Former police officer says crumbling routes deter riders* * Safety of bike paths criticized* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/ex-police-traffic-commander-cycling… FOR some Winnipeg cyclists, the city’s bike paths are full of holes. Gord Friesen has been commuting by bike for more than two decades, including for many years to his job as an officer with the Winnipeg Police Service. Now, the River Heights resident said he’s worried the city’s patchwork of bike paths — including a south Osborne route that has a gap between Brandon and Togo avenues, where it turns into a dirt trail, forcing cyclists who don’t want to weather the rough terrain onto a busy street or sidewalk — might deter people from getting into cycling. “It’s just an additional challenge,” Friesen said. “Gaps are obviously problematic for people, because I think one of the things about being out on a bike is you want to be able to have some predictability in terms of the quality of the road surface.” In an emailed statement to the Free Press, a city spokesperson said plans to improve the south Osborne route were put on hold because of riverbank stabilization issues. It also said the city will be doing a design study of another route with similar issues later this year: the North Winnipeg Parkway, which has a gap between Burrows and Alfred avenues, forcing cyclists into a zigzag of residential streets, or onto Main Street. Friesen said his career with the police force — where he served at one point as the commander of the traffic division — helped form his perspective on cycling and other kinds of active transportation. Even in retirement, the 57-year-old said he and his wife use their bikes to get wherever they need to go, and he hopes more people will start to do the same. “Our car sits for days on end, because (whatever we do), it’s almost always on a bicycle,” he said. Mark Cohoe, executive director of the Bike Winnipeg advocacy group, said he was riding on the south Osborne bike path with some friends a few nights ago. They turned around after deciding they wouldn’t be able to make it through the gap. Cohoe said if people who are new to cycling encounter the same problem, it might turn them off entirely. “People remember the worst part of their ride, and that’s sort of the decision point for them,” he said. “If they don’t feel like they have a safe connection... they’re going to choose to drive.” Meanwhile, cyclists travelling a few minutes southeast on the same south Osborne route are being forced onto the road for the foreseeable future. On Friday, the city announced it was closing the east sidewalk on the St. Vital Bridge for at least 18 months to replace the sewer main underneath. With two elections looming in the coming months, Cohoe said he’s hoping to see more leadership encouraging cycling in Winnipeg. “I think if we want to act on climate change, if we want to act proactively on health, we need to make sure that all levels of government — especially the provincial government, which is responsible for health — make sure funding is available to get people out of their cars and onto their bikes,” he said. caitlyn.gowriluk(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Back to the future?
by Charles F 09 Jul '19

09 Jul '19

⁣ A bit of humour that this audience might enjoy.. . https://getpocket.com/explore/item/make-driving-dangerous-again?utm_source=…

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BBC News: Electric cars 'will not solve transport problem, ' report warns
by Charles F 05 Jul '19

05 Jul '19

Electric cars 'will not solve transport problem,' report warns https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48875361

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E-scooters: a transport 'tsunami' flooding cities worldwide
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 05 Jul '19

05 Jul '19

https://phys.org/news/2019-07-e-scooters-tsunami-cities-worldwide.html HAPPY TRAILS Terry Zdan BA MEDes Policy and Legislation Unit | Manitoba Infrastructure 1520 215 Garry Street Winnipeg MB R3C 3P3 C 204 227 3724 E Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca<mailto:Terry.Zdan@gov.mb.ca> [winnipeg-jets-logo-new] "...Resilience is the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events..." þ Think green, read on screen | Soyez écolo, lisez à l'écran

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Safe Speeds Winnipeg
by Dave Elmore 05 Jul '19

05 Jul '19

If you would like to see speed limits lowered in Winnipeg, please consider signing the on-line petition by Safe Speeds Winnipeg. Here is their website with the link to the on-line petition. https://www.safespeedswpg.com/

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Join Bike Winnipeg for TAC Webinar: Protected Intersections in Vancouver
by Mark Cohoe 02 Jul '19

02 Jul '19

Please join Bike Winnipeg for a group viewing of the July 9th webinar, “Protected Intersections in Vancouver” in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom. This will be followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. RSVPs are welcome, but are not required. Date: Tuesday, July 9th Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Location: MB Eco-Centre Board Room (3rd Floor, 303 Portage Avenue) *About the Webinar* Since 2013, Vancouver has been building protected intersections, which extend protected bike lane design principles into the intersection to create a safe and comfortable environment for everyone. This webinar will give examples of protected intersection designs that Vancouver has implemented, discuss the design principles behind them, and show how those principles have been adapted to different situations. *Presenter* *Paul Storer, City of Vancouver* Paul manages the City of Vancouver’s Transportation Design Branch, and is responsible for transportation infrastructure improvements including functional design, public engagement, and implementation support. He is a professional engineer with 15 years of experience at the City of Vancouver in street design, bike facility planning and design, neighbourhood traffic calming, rapid transit planning, and implementation of the City’s Transportation 2040 plan. Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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WFP: Electric scooter company interested in Winnipeg (Jul2'19)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jul '19

02 Jul '19

*Electric scooter company interested in Winnipeg * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/electric-scooter-company-interested… THE CEO of Bird Canada, a new subsidiary of California-based e-scooter company Bird, would love to expand to Winnipeg after it launches in Edmonton and Calgary. “We’re going to who raised their hands first,” Bird Canada CEO Stewart Lyons said. “Most provinces need an exemption in their highway traffic act because e-scooters were not thought of when the regulations were drafted.” Lyons said the company decided to launch in Alberta because it anticipates that exceptions to provincial regulations requested by the cities of Calgary and Edmonton will be granted soon, allowing the e-scooters to be operated on public roads. The company says Kelowna, B.C., will likely be the next city it will operate in. Lyons said Saskatoon and Charlottetown have also expressed interest, but the company “would love to come to Winnipeg.” He said the company will put between 500 and 1,000 e-scooters in Calgary. The size of the city dictates the number of scooters it gets. Generally, electric scooters have been praised as a welcome addition to public transit. Bird Canada customers would be able to use the vehicles at a cost of $1.15 to start and 35 cents per minute after, a rate that Lyons said makes the service competitive with public transit. Electric scooters, however, have been criticized for cluttering roads and sidewalks and being tossed into waterways. There’s also the potential for injuries and the issue of insurance liability. Temporary bans have also been placed on companies like Bird in U.S. cities such as Nashville, where a man was killed after being hit by a car. Lyons said the subsidiary company is more focused on safety and doesn’t anticipate any bans in Canada. In Winnipeg, theft is a concern. The city has a notorious reputation when it comes to bike thefts. Lyons realizes scooters are easy to carry, so there’s no guarantee that they won’t be stolen. But he said the scooters’ wheels can only be unlocked through the company’s app. “The wheels won’t move, but you could take it,” Lyons said. “It could make for a nice doorstop, or something in your garden.” In February, council’s public works committee voted to direct city staff to spend six months determining how scooter-share and bike-share companies such as Bird can operate here. A city spokesman said “changes to City of Winnipeg bylaws and policies may be needed to permit firms to share bikes, e-bikes, or other small transportation micro-mobility options.” Gord Spado of the Winnipeg Police Service’s traffic division said provincial legislation would not allow Bird Canada scooters to be driven in Winnipeg. Under the Highway Traffic Act, e-scooters would be considered motor vehicles, which means they would have to be driven on roadways. Manitoba Public Insurance said anything specified as a vehicle under the act would need to be licensed and insured. Spado said, however, that e-scooters “cannot be registered due to the fact they do not have safety equipment, and are not part of any registration class of vehicle. Therefore they cannot be operated on the roadway, under the (Highway Traffic Act).” He added that, even if the scooters did not have an engine, they could not be driven on roadways because push scooters must be driven on sidewalks. Spado said only electric bikes can be driven on roads right now because they are listed in the traffic act. Founded in 2017, Bird has grown to operate in 120 cities, mostly in North America and Europe. Lyons said the company negotiated the exclusive licence to offer device-sharing services in Canada. nicholas.frew(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @n_frew

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