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WFP: The sneaky parking-lot plot - Hydro proposal for Notre Dame Avenue ill-conceived (Apr.13'15)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Apr '15

13 Apr '15

The sneaky parking-lot plotHydro proposal for Notre Dame Avenue ill-conceived ON ARCHITECTUREBy: Brent Bellamy http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/the-sneaky-parking-lot-plot-29952… IN the past decade, downtown has experienced development and renewal. To keep up with increasing electrical demand and serve this growth, Manitoba Hydro will soon begin construction on a new $62-million substation downtown. It will be located on a large parking lot at the corner of Adelaide Street and Notre Dame Avenue, previously owned by nearby Calvary Temple. As part of the transaction to secure the property, Hydro agreed to replace the church parking by co-ordinating the purchase of an adjacent 40-stall lot with the intent of demolishing four commercial buildings along Notre Dame to make room for another 35 cars. An application to the city for a demolition permit has not yet been submitted, but intentions to do so have been made public. An important obstacle facing this scheme is that demolition to create surface parking as a primary use on a downtown property is no longer permitted. Building demolition is only allowed with proof that an appropriate redevelopment plan is forthcoming. The negative effect surface parking lots have on urban areas is well recognized across North America, and these restrictions in Winnipeg have been put in place to begin the long process of reversing their blight on our city. It is staggering to consider that almost one-quarter of Winnipeg's downtown is devoted to surface parking. The most significant reason they are so detrimental to urban areas is that they degrade the pedestrian experience, which has a cascading effect on the economic and physical health of the city. Unlike suburban businesses that cater to the automobile, commerce downtown relies on a volume of foot traffic for its success. Large swaths of asphalt parking reduce the density of a neighbourhood and in turn the intensity of that pedestrian traffic, hurting the economic vitality of the area. Buildings constructed to the sidewalk improve the pedestrian experience by creating a continuous edge that provides shelter, increased retail density and activity, greater visual interest and connection to interior spaces. This edge encloses the peripheral expanse of a street, which intuitively slows vehicular traffic, heightening pedestrian comfort and security. Surface parking also increases the perception of crime in a downtown. Building density and increased sidewalk traffic is a self-policing deterrent to criminal activity. Crime is attracted to secluded open spaces such as parking lots, and without feeling connected to adjacent buildings as a pedestrian, the perception of safety decreases as one's feeling of isolation increases. Every Winnipeg mayor since Glen Murray has recognized the negative effect of surface parking on downtown and each has campaigned on promises to reduce their numbers. Former mayor Sam Katz referred to them as "magnets for crime" and Mayor Brian Bowman along with Premier Selinger, who himself made anti-parking-lot pledges, recently announced an important new residential grant program that targets development on open lots. For initiatives such as this to be successful long-term, it's crucial we maintain consistent values and uphold these goals and ideals in all instances. The demolition application for the Notre Dame properties will likely make the argument the overall amount of surface parking will not increase because the substation will rise on a lot across the street. This may be technically true, but if impact on the neighbourhood is the measure of a project's value, the parking-lot trade is not an even one. A building is not merely the inverse of a parking lot. The opportunity it provides and its interaction with the street are what create relative value for the neighbourhood. Many people will look at these four buildings and decide they are small, old and of no real worth, but these types of buildings are vital for establishing healthy and economically prosperous urban neighbourhoods. The high rents required to make new construction viable in Winnipeg generally prevent local or small business from affording space in new buildings. Redevelopment of older structures such as these can provide lower-cost opportunities for small-scale commerce, promoting a diversity and entrepreneurship that is the backbone of a neighbourhood's economy. The West End has seen a renaissance, transforming itself into one of the most vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods in the city, fuelled by a proliferation of small, unique, family-owned businesses that have found success in the low-cost model offered by the older buildings in the area. Located on a busy thoroughfare between Central Park and the West End, the Notre Dame buildings are perfectly situated to provide opportunity for the area's population, many of whom are new immigrants or migrants from rural areas searching for an independent livelihood. The restaurants, corner stores, retail shops and services that build a strong, vibrant community can only find a home in these types of small, older structures. With three unique storefronts, low commercial rents and small flexible spaces, the Notre Dame buildings can be a catalyst in furthering the neighbourhood's transformation by enabling this fine-grain commercial growth. Startup companies, arts groups and non-profit incubator organizations have also found success in these types of buildings. Winnipeg's new Innovation Alley, directly adjacent to the Notre Dame properties is a celebrated collection of creative industries that could only have happened in the low-rent spaces of older buildings. Manitoba Hydro is making a significant contribution to downtown Winnipeg by constructing its new substation. Calvary Temple has been an important and positive presence in the city centre for several decades. There is a strong will from both partners to be good neighbours and to do what is best for the community. The Central Park and West End neighbourhoods deserve more than a parking-lot trade and the status quo. They deserve a project that improves the safety, economic opportunity and sense of pride for everyone who lives in those communities. If a provincial Crown corporation is allowed to co-ordinate the creation of a new surface parking lot on one of downtown's main commercial streets, the precedent will be difficult to defend when private building owners hope to follow suit and cash in on the reduced property taxes, low maintenance costs and easy profits surface parking can provide. Reducing the four unassuming buildings on Notre Dame to rubble would represent a lost opportunity to make positive change in a sensitive inner-city neighbourhood. It is not too late to reconsider the need for those 35 parking stalls and find a solution that is a win for Manitoba Hydro, for Calvary Temple and for everyone in the community. Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group. bbellamy(a)numberten.com Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 13, 2015 B3 -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Wpg Sun: Portage and Main study moves forward (Apr.10'15)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Apr '15

12 Apr '15

Portage and Main study moves forward By Joyanne Pursaga <http://www.winnipegsun.com/joyannepursaga>, Winnipeg Sun First posted: Friday, April 10, 2015 03:17 PM CDT http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/04/10/portage-and-main-study-moves-forward A city committee has taken a step to ensure pedestrian access at Portage Avenue and Main Street continues well beyond the occasional hockey celebration. Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said the fact fans flocked to the iconic intersection Thursday night to celebrate the Winnipeg Jets' playoff berth highlights its significance. "People went down to Portage and Main to celebrate, which, I think, shows you that even when you close something for 35 years, people will not forget that's a place for people," said Gerbasi. Winnipeg's most famous intersection is closed to foot traffic due to a 40-year agreement with property owners of an underground shopping mall at the site. But that contract expires in 2019 and Mayor Brian Bowman has pledged to re-open the intersection to pedestrians. The downtown development motion would direct city staff to lay out guidelines for a full traffic study and determine any other steps needed to allow the change. It still requires full council approval. The committee also received confidential legal advice on the matter, which didn't appear to impede further work toward the alteration. "We didn't hear anything that would cause us to stop a study," said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), the committee's chair. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) cast the sole opposing vote to the motion, fearing it would cause traffic woes. "Certain parts of our traffic network, key arterial routes, go through our downtown and I think opening it up to pedestrians would be a detriment to that flow," said Browaty. joyanne.pursaga(a)sunmedia.ca

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Paris wants to become world capital of cycling
by Beth McKechnie 09 Apr '15

09 Apr '15

A little something to drool over – €150 million investment for everything from dedicated bike highways to bike parking and 30km speed limits throughout the city (and only 50km on major roads). While Copenhagen and Amsterdam probably don't have to worry about losing the title of world cycling capital, it should certainly help with the smog problems in Paris. Lots more details on the bike plan provided in this link for French speakers. - cheers, Beth https://wehicles.com/news/un-nouveau-plan-velo-ambitieux-pour-paris-1504034… * * * * * Now Paris Wants to Become the 'World Capital of Cycling' Lower speed limits, subsidies and loads more bike lanes are all forthcoming. Will it be enough? - FEARGUS O'SULLIVAN <http://www.citylab.com/authors/feargus-osullivan/> - @FeargusOSull <https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=FeargusOSull> - Apr 6, 2015 http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/04/now-paris-wants-to-become-the-world-… Paris is destined to become the “world capital of cycling,” or at least, that's the grand ambition declared recently <http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2015/04/03/01016-20150403ARTFIG0027…> by Paris City Hall. While Amsterdam and Copenhagen may not be sweating it just yet, the French capital is indeed taking bicycle transportation more seriously than ever before. To underscore that effort, the city has just announced a €150 million ($164.5 million) program over the next five years that aims to make Paris far easier, safer and more attractive for cyclists. At the heart of the project are plans to double the city's bike lanes. Between now and 2020, Paris will add 80 kilometers (roughly 50 miles) of new, improved routes. The crown jewels of this new network will be a grid of five bike highways <http://s3.lprs1.fr/images/2015/04/01/4657497_f1a04caa-d8a3-11e4-be07-001517…> that will be bi-directional and almost entirely protected from automobile traffic by barriers. Three of the new lanes will be axial—two bisecting the city north to south and one east to west—while a further two will follow the banks of the River Seine as closely as possible. Quite apart from their value for commuters, the tourist potential for these alone is huge. Visitors on rental bikes will soon be able to amble down the Champs-Élysées and along the Seine Quays without braving traffic. The overhaul isn’t just sticking to tourist spots, however. Paris will also focus on overcoming obstacles that hamper cyclists from crossing the *Boulevard Périphérique* beltway. Separating the city core from its suburbs, routes across this barrier will be smoothed, easing the transition through Paris’s traffic-filled, potentially dangerous “city gates <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_gates_of_Paris>.” And off the express network, things should get easier too. Junctions with traffic lights will be equipped with 7,000 new alternative corner crossings that allow cyclists to turn without waiting for lights to turn green. Where these are not in place, cyclists will benefit from priority at all lights. People who ride bicycles in Paris should also stand to benefit from an ongoing plan to cut the citywide speed limit to 30 kilometers (18 miles) per hour, with only major roads rising to 50 kilometers (30 miles). And finally, when they arrive at their destination, cyclists will have more places to put their bikes, as Paris will fund 10,000 new parking spots for bicycles. Improved infrastructure is great, but it won’t mean much without lots more cyclists to use it. Paris is clearly aware of this. In a bid to coax bike riders onto the road who don’t necessarily want to arrive at their destination sweaty, the city is also providing financial help for electric bike purchases. Parisians can now get reimbursed <http://www.paris.fr/pratique/deplacements-voirie/dossier/velo-a-assistance-…> for 33 percent of the cost of an electric bike, with the upper cap set at €400. These are radical, healthy changes indeed, but they won’t make Paris a cyclist’s paradise overnight. The new plan’s ambitions to get 15 percent of Parisians commuting on bikes by 2020 still sets it target far below matching the 43 percent of Amsterdammers who already do <http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/02/amsterdam-has-officially-run-out-of-…>. Paris transit and public space secretary Christophe Najdovski acknowledges Paris still has a long climb ahead of it. “It’s a long-haul job,” he says. “The Netherlands has been working on it since the ‘70s. We’ve got a lot of work to do to reach their stage, but we’re optimistic.”

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Invitation: Winnipeg Trails Strategic Planning
by Anders Swanson 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

*Where Do We Go From Here?* *Trailblazing Summit 2015* *Saturday April 18th* *Norquay Community Centre* *(Just North of the Disraeli Ped/Bike Bridge on the North Winnipeg Parkway)* *65 Granville Street <https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Norquay+Community+Centre/@49.909947,-97.12…>* *Meeting: 11am to 2 pm* *Site visits: 2-3pm* *We want to hear from you! * Come share your perspective on the past, present and future of Winnipeg Trails. Our last coordinator is now Chair of Public Works; and boy does the new guy have some big boots to fill. Join us as we review our mandate and vision, review the impact of the City of Winnipeg's walking and cycling strategies, and talk about about our shared priorities for the next year. When we are done chatting, those interested will be heading out to check out some emerging projects and priorities right nearby. So don't forget your shoes or bikes or skateboards . . .we're going on a little trailblazing adventure! Lunch & refreshments will be served Introductory remarks by former WTA Coordinator Janice Lukes. Facilitated by new WTA Coordinator, Anders Swanson. *Everyone Welcome.* Kindly RSVP today by contacting Sylvie at info(a)riverswest.ca.

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Better Streets: Whatchu whatchu whatchu want?
by Dave Elmore 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

http://www.placemakers.com/2015/04/06/better-streets/ Better Streets: Whatchu whatchu whatchu want? "What a bunch of idiots. Don't they know this will create a traffic nightmare?" Sound familiar? It's the most commonly voiced complaint any time the community conversation turns to traffic calming. Taken at face value, it's not an outrageous sentiment. After all, when you're out and about, anything that stands between you and where you want to be looks like a problem. So why on earth would anyone choose to further complicate your commute on purpose? I don't blame them. Most people alive today have been told for their entire lives that infrastructure upgrades occur to ease congestion and, by that measure, the reduction of lanes does seem sort of, well, stupid, right? But here's the thing: Traffic calming isn't done to ease congestion. That's not the problem it's trying to solve. If that's surprising news to the community, one of two things has likely taken place: Either leadership has done a poor job of articulated and validating a particular vision; or infrastructure investments are being made outside the participation of the community. Hell, sometimes it's even both. Let's start at the beginning The right-of-way, as it exists from property line to property line, is public space, which means that we, the public, can divvy it up any way we want. Long before money gets released and design schematics surface, that's the conversation we need to have. What kind of space do we want this to be? (From time to time I'll come across great illustrative graphics on social media, then get annoyed that they're small or of insufficient resolution to print or use in presentations. This week, I took some time to rebuild a number for this post and am including them all at a large, useful size. Feel free to use, link or otherwise circulate.) Complete Mobility <https://twitter.com/dewanmkarim> suggests looking at our built environment in terms of either Links, in which movement is prioritized, or Places, in which destination space takes precedence. Each has design best practices to serve its larger respective goal. In a Link environment, the design objective is to save time. In a Place, it's to spend time. Neither is a value judgment. It's just a decision that needs to be made one way or another. This graphic explains: <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Prioritized-Space1.jp g> Concept from Complete Mobility (Twitter user @dewanmkarim). Click for larger view. Once you've narrowed down the context that defines your objectives, then you can get down to the decisions that flow from there. In a Links environment, you'll face questions like: Are we seeking maximized automotive throughput (your classic car sewer scenario), or do we want a more humane and equitable environment in which facilities exist to serve all users, from cars to bikes to those on foot or with assisted mobility? What are the advantages and negative impacts associated with each? That's even a conversation that most DOTs are now equipped to participate in. But sometimes communities have a different realization. Such as: Why do we care if people can pass through our community faster on their way to somewhere else? First and foremost, our streets should be engineered to serve us, the surrounding community. When that's the case, you're talking about the public realm as a Place rather than a Link. Which means a totally different set of criteria takes over. In a Place, automobiles might be accommodated but they are not prioritized. Human scale and comfort are what rule, and all subsequent design decisions reflect that. First and foremost in that consideration is speed. Simply put, people places don't function with high speeds. If you constrict capacity but do nothing to reduce speeds, you're investing a whole lot of money in a lose-lose scenario. Why is speed so important? Because if people don't feel safe, they don't hang out. If they don't hang out, it's not really a people place now, is it? So why don't they feel safe in the presence of higher speeds? These two graphics do a great job of explaining: <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Injury-Severity1.jpg> Original image from Complete Mobility (Twitter user @dewanmkarim). Adapted for US measurements. Click for larger view. Now available in metric <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Injury-Severity-METRI C.jpg> as well. <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Speed-Mortality-Graph ic1.jpg> Adapted from a graphic at www.gjel.com. Click for larger view. Now available in metric <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Speed-Mortality-Graph ic-METRIC.jpg> as well. There you go. When people drive fast, pedestrians are injured more severely and die in greater numbers. Which is not a particularly enticing prospect when you're trying to get people to treat the street as a shared public resource. Why we get confused Generally speaking, traffic engineers only see Links, so when they talk about safety, they're looking at ways to reduce accidents without compromising throughput. That's car-first safety. It has its place in certain contexts, but people places are not one of them. People places require safety measures that put pedestrian safety and comfort first. Failing to begin any change in infrastructure with a community conversation of Link vs. Place will result in all the public confusion and outrage we've come to expect. And why not? We all know such discontent stems from unmet expectations and our expectation as a culture, which has been reinforced for more than a half century, is that we spend money to ease congestion to help us get where we're going faster. Sometimes that's still the case, but sometimes it's not. That's why the conversation is so important. Without it, you end up like Gainesville, Florida (where they installed and are now removing bike lanes <http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/01/why-one-florida-city-reversed-its-ro ad-diet/384307/> ) or Denver's new urban community of Stapleton (where a failure to adhere to the distinctions of Link and Place has left them transportationally confused <http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/04/a-case-study-in-flawed-street-desi gn/389291/> ). You can't be all things to all people. No one expects that. But you can minimize conflict when you define what kind of street you want up front, then commit to the path that'll get you there. Further resources It's worth noting that transportation decisions don't just impact mobility. Or lifestyle. So those shouldn't be the only factors in the discussion. Transportation policy also plays a huge role in associated development models and our friends at Strong Towns <http://www.strongtowns.org> have done tremendous work quantifying the economic returns associated with different development patterns. Spoiler alert: A lot of the conventional wisdom peddled by politicians is wrong. Flat out wrong. Finally, once you get the big question of context answered, you eventually work your way down to the very granular details of design. To that end, the book to read is Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns <http://www.amazon.com/Street-Design-Secret-Great-Cities/dp/1118066707> by John Massengale and Victor Dover. -Scott Doyon <http://www.placemakers.com/meet-and-contact-us/#Atlanta>

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Fwd: Info: Walking Visionaries Awards launched
by Anders Swanson 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

Wanna go to Vienna? Enter a project in the Walking Visionaries Awards. See details from Florian below. The formal submission process is over, but a new award has been announced. If you have an innovative project that aims to advance pedestrian design, policy or planning, throw your name in the ring. You'll be in good company. Hundreds of organizations and ideas apply. Most are interesting and worthwhile. If your project win, you get free registration (which is not cheap), an excuse to visit Vienna and a chance to present/discuss your work to the leaders in the field (priceless). Take it from me: in 2013 at Velocity Vienna, CounterPoint <http://counterpointapp.org> was one of two winning entries from Winnipeg (The U of W's Bike Lab was the other) to make the cut for a similar award for cycling. It was an incredible chance to engage and partner with leaders in this field from around the world. It led to countless opportunities such as being invited to Australia. Walk21 Sydney in 2014 was an excellent conference packed with information critical to understanding pedestrian issues. The depth of things to learn is incredible. So.. Go for it. You might win. Even if you don't, but you work in this field and your boss will let you, try to attend this conference. You won't regret it. Anders ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Florian Lorenz <florian.lorenz(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 12:39 PM Subject: Info: Walking Visionaries Awards launched To: awards(a)walk21vienna.com Dear friends peers and people interested in active transport, This is an email to notify you about the Walking Visionaries Awards <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/>, an initiative that I am working on as member of the Walk21 Vienna Management Team. This year Vienna, Austria will be hosting Walk21, the foremost conference about walking as a strategy to foster liveable communities and vibrant public spaces. Within the conference we launched the Walking Visionaries Awards <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/> to 1. invite people to share creative, visionary and bold ideas for how to foster more walkable spaces and thereby build a reference collection to inspire people to work together towards more walkable and liveable cities, and 2. award a minimum of 30 "Walking Visionaries" who will receive free tickets to participate in the Walk21 Vienna conference <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/>. I am writing to you to ask you to help us spread the word about the Awards, participate yourself in them and/or visit the awards page to see the growing collection of submissions. Follow the hashtag #WalkVision on Twitter <https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23WalkVision&src=hash> (and Facebook) to keep updated. Attached I am also sending you some info material that you can use upon your wish. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thank you very much and hope to see you soon! All the best Florian Florian Lorenz 弗洛里安

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Bicycle crash study could guide design of bicyclist detection systems
by Beth McKechnie 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

Interesting article and study on common crash situations, and the idea of adding bicycle detection to cars: *http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/50/3/3 <http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/50/3/3>* ...So far most efforts to improve bicyclist safety have focused on infrastructure. Cities have added bike lanes and cycle tracks and have delineated bike boxes at intersections to give bicyclists their own space to wait for a light to change. In many cases, safety was found to improve after such changes (see "Sharing the road: Communities try new ways to improve bicyclist safety <http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/48/1/1>," Jan. 24, 2013). But even with improved infrastructure, it would be impossible to eliminate all conflicts between vehicles and bicycles. That's why it's important to incorporate bicyclist detection into front crash prevention systems. ... A handful of automakers are already adding bicyclist detection to their crash avoidance systems. Volvo and Subaru say their optional forward collision warning and automatic braking systems recognize bicyclists as well as pedestrians. BMW's Night Vision is designed to detect bicyclists, pedestrians and large animals in the dark and highlight them on a display, issuing an audible warning if necessary. All these systems have certain limitations, and it's not clear what percentage of bike crashes they actually prevent or mitigate. cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Peer to peer bike share
by tjzdan50＠gmail.com 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

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More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation experts
by Beth McKechnie 02 Apr '15

02 Apr '15

More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation expertsKingston Heritage By Bill Hutchins <http://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/5535536-more-traffic-congestion-in…> http://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/5535536-more-traffic-congestion-in… News – If you think some Kingston roads are congested now, you’d better get used to it. The city is in the process of updating its Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and one of the strategies is to allow traffic congestion to get worse. “It’s not nice to drive if the capacity of that road is virtually reached,” explained Valerie McGirr with AECOM, the consulting firm hired to help the city map out its long-term transportation needs. Experts told council that extending local road capacity to its maximum design is more likely to persuade automobile users to consider alternate transportation means such as car-pooling, public transit and cycling. “This is how we further help people make that choice,” McGirr told council March 24. The TMP’s first update since 2009 sets new long-term goals to promote active transportation while reducing reliance on car travel. In 2004, automobile use was the dominant form of transportation, representing an 82 per cent share of all commuters in Kingston. By 2009, the automobile mode share was down to 76 per cent. Experts believe Kingston can further reduce that figure to 69 per cent by the year 2034. At the same time, they’re forecasting an increase in active transportation users (walking and cycling) from a 12 per cent share in 2004 to 17 per cent by 2034. Public transit is projected to rise from just a three per cent share in 2004 to 9 per cent in 2034. Getting people out of their cars and into more sustainable forms of transportation is a cornerstone policy of the proposed 2015 TMP update, which council is expected to approve later this year. A city-funded telephone and online survey of 846 residents conducted last year identified the top reasons that influence travel choices. The majority of respondents, 38 per cent, said they were swayed by convenience, 25 per cent said travel time and 14 per cent said it was the cost. Regardless of the mode of travel, the survey also looked at what residents consider as “very important” improvements that need to be made; 48 per cent want more multi-use trails for pedestrians and cyclists, 42 per cent want transit improvements along with designated carpool and park-and-ride facilities, 41 per cent identified building and widening roads, and 39 per cent favoured more cycling lanes. The city has already invested millions of dollars to install new sidewalks and bicycle lanes, and officials promise that more will be done down the road. At the same time, experts want to increase the threshold by which traffic engineers determine whether roads need to be widened. The former standard to determine whether a particular road was a candidate for expansion was when traffic counts reached 90 per cent capacity during peak periods. The new standard is 100 per cent. It’s a standard that’s already been adopted by communities such as Ottawa, London, Waterloo Region and Burlington. “This LOS (level of service) threshold will allow the City to defer capital costs until roads reach capacity,” said a report by director of engineering Mark Van Buren. He added: “Given that the population forecasts for the City of Kingston are forecast to peak in 2034 and then gradually decline, it is reasonable to adopt a higher level of congestion.” For example, two-lane Bayridge Drive is already a busy commuter route for suburban motorists. Yet city officials confirmed they have no plans to widen Bayridge to four lanes to ease the weekday morning and afternoon congestion. What they have done, however, is launch a west end-to-downtown 15-minute peak express transit service, and more express busses will be added this May to the central and east end areas of Kingston. “We are emphasising the active modes,” explained McGirr during a presentation to council. Coun. Rob Hutchison says increased bus service frequency is what the city should be striving for. “Ten minute service is one of the thresholds where you see people being willing to leave their cars and that’s why I think it’s something we should seriously look at.” While many councillors appear enthusiastic with the active transportation vision, they are not about to abandon the needs of motorists completely. In fact, the TMP has identified some key road projects that should be built over the next 20 years, subject to final council approval. The list includes the third bridge crossing over the Cataraqui River, completing the controversial Wellington Street extension, finishing the widening of John Counter Blvd. with a bridge over the CN tracks, extending two-lane Bayridge Drive (Sierra Avenue to Creekford Road), extending Cataraqui Woods Drive east (Centennial Drive to Sydenham Road), extending four-lane Centennial Drive (Cataraqui Woods to Gardiners Road), widening Highway 15 to four lanes (Highway 2 to Gore Road) and connecting Leroy Grant Drive (Concession Street and Elliott Avenue.) The expensive road projects, coupled with improvements to transit, intersections and pavement widening for cycling lanes, adds up to $293 million over the next two decades.

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WFP Analysis: Don't destroy Arlington Bridge (Apr.1'15)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '15

01 Apr '15

Don't destroy Arlington BridgeHistoric structure can be converted to pedestrian/cycling corridor By: Catherine Mitchell <catherine.mitchell(a)freepress.mb.ca> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/dont-destroy-arlington-br… It was a good start to another season, even with the double wipeout, on the same day. Getting on the bike March 9 was a personal victory -- I'm not one of the ninja cyclists grinding the gears through the dead of winter. (Thick skin; stout heart. Not me.) Construction season has also started early on Route 90 this year. They're working on sewer drains north of Silver Avenue, and there's more work to come this summer. I'm already hating the drive, hating the person behind my wheel. Cycling's good for the heart. Which brings me to the Arlington Bridge: It's not on my work route, but it's on my mind. It's 103 years old, and they want to tear it down. The city posted a public list of options, but it's clear the administration sees it coming down. It's crumbling, and a do-over is cheaper. The deck is corroded. The trusses may be salvageable (they still have to be assessed) but if the bridge is to be widened, that's not possible. A wider bridge would require rebuilding the piers that are supported on timber piles more than a century old. "If you're going to invest in another bridge for vehicles, you would have to rebuild the piers," says project manager Brad Neirinck. All prohibitively expensive. So, what they are mulling over (even amid talk of moving the CP rail yards; a generational project if ever it materializes) is whether to raise a new bridge over the CP rail yards at Arlington or move the crossing to another location, reviving the option of a bridge at McGregor. I agree designing a vehicle bridge would see the existing span pulled down. But we should wait to see how the numbers line up before condemning Arlington outright. The city is expected to produce a report in the fall. Neirinck was skeptical the superstructure -- the lattice-like work of riveted steel beams that gives the span its profile -- could be saved. But it should stay. We've got to stop putting cars before people, and Arlington Street is a good place to do that. This busy bus route is technically too narrow for the two lanes of traffic either way that happens every rush hour. A better option is to turn the curb lanes and sidewalks into pedestrian/cycling corridors. The Arlington crossing can be part of the corridor, although its approach is steep. The bridge, closed to trucks and buses since 1972 because of deck deterioration, sees about 15,000 vehicles per day. That can be shunted, partially to a rebuilt McPhillips underpass, facing a re-do of its own because its clearance is too low. A bridge at McGregor/Sherbrook would be the more natural conduit to residential expansion in Winnipeg's northwest because McGregor doesn't narrow to a glorified goat path the way Arlington does. Turn Arlington Bridge into a pedestrian/cycling bridge. Illuminate the girding, tear off the sidewalk cages that imprison walkers, and turn the bridge into a venue for public events, as other cities in North America have done with decommissioned rail/vehicle crossings. The cities of Newport, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio, did exactly that to preserve a gorgeous, trussed rail bridge opened in 1872 across the Ohio River. Closed to cars in 2001, it was painted purple, and for a short time people could walk up and over the five truss humps (purplepeoplebridge.com). At 2,670 feet, the crossing can be rented for wedding receptions, fundraisers and dinners. New York's Walkway over the Hudson (walkway.org) was opened in 2009 after a mammoth rebuild to save a 127-year-old rail crossing abandoned after a fire in 1974. At more than two kilometres, it is the world's longest, elevated pedestrian bridge and has given life to a state historic park. These are laudable conservation efforts that make the case saving Arlington is possible. In other cities, new pedestrian/cycling bridges are becoming architectural installations. Austin's Pfluger Bridge, on the Colorado River, is more a park than an overpass and has been credited with some of the best views of the cityscape and its sunsets. Have you seen how a retiring sun can set rail yards and its cars shimmering? It's Winnipeg's time to step into the 21st century, to defer to its growing cycling community. This is an opportunity to stitch together a historic divide. City council's Build Canada wish list is an aggressive vote to move more steel on the roads faster. But there's got to be room in a city to slow it down. Divert it. Give residents a space on Arlington to connect by pulling together the North End, inner city and the south. The gritty, storied stretches of Logan and Dufferin there are loaded with potential for rebirth as a hub of human activity. Let's start talking about that. Catherine Mitchell is a Free Press editorial board member. catherine.mitchell(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wfpcmitchell Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 1, 2015 A9

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