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More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation experts
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '15

01 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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Light up your bike
by Zdan, Terry (MIT) 28 Mar '15

28 Mar '15

‎http://mashable.com/2015/03/28/volvo-lights-up-nighttime-cyclists/ Happy trails Terry Zdan MIT 2042273724 Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca

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Spin - inspired by the story of Annie "Londonderry" Kopchovsky
by Beth McKechnie 28 Mar '15

28 Mar '15

Mark your calendars to pick up tickets for Prairie Theatre Exchange <http://www.pte.mb.ca/database/files/library/Season_at_a_Glance_website.pdf>'s presentation of "Spin" by Evalyn Parry <http://www.thecollectionagency.ca/evalyn%E2%80%88parry/> running Jan 13-31, 2016. Annie was recently featured by Momentum Mag as one of three women who changed the course of history on bicycles <http://momentummag.com/three-women-changed-course-history-bicycle/>. SPIN Created and Performed by *evalyn parry* Directed by *Ruth Madoc-Jones* Innovative, award-winning Toronto artist evalyn parry takes her audience on an uncommon theatrical and musical journey in* SPIN*, her tour-de-force performance celebrating the Bicycle as muse, musical instrument and agent of social change. Inspired in part by the incredible true tale of Annie Londonderry – the first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle in 1894 – parry spins a web of stories which travel from 19th century women’s emancipation to 21st century consumer culture, peeling back layers of history to ultimately reveal a profoundly contemporary and personal heart to her performance. parry’s “co-star” is a vintage bicycle: suspended in a mechanic’s stand on stage and connected to a variety of electronic effects pedals, the bike is played – from fenders to spokes to bells – by percussionist *Brad Hart*, conjuring an astonishing and unique sonic accompaniment to parry’s songs and monologues. Projections by award-winning designer *Beth Kates* add a captivating visual layer to *SPIN*, which sold out the run of its premiere in Toronto in 2011. “part theatre, part musical gig, part spoken word poetry and part documentary … whatever it is, it is brilliant” –*Toronto Star*

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Job Posting: Active Transportation Coordinator, City of Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 27 Mar '15

27 Mar '15

Hello everyone: You may have heard that Kevin Nixon, the City's AT Coordinator, is retiring shortly. We are very sorry to see him go! Here's the job posting – please share widely! thanks, Beth * * * * * ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Posting #: 112240 Under the general direction of the Transportation Facilities Planning Engineer, this position implements programs that are critical to the successful management of the transportation network and the position is expected to excel in communications, team building and project management in a multi-task and multi-disciplinary environment. This position shall be responsible for encouraging and implementing Active Transportation projects and coordinating related interdepartmental activities. A significant responsibility of this position is the implementation and coordination of programs, education, promotion and funding activities including the preparation of reports to the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works. This individual fulfills a facilitation/coordination role with community groups and various City Departments. The position is responsible for the supervision of two technical/support positions and also administers the work of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee. As the Active Transportation Coordinator you will be: - Implementing the City's Active Transportation Strategies and Policies. - Chairing meetings with and administers the Active Transportation Advisory Committee. - Encouraging innovation and seeking partnerships in funding and supporting Active Transportation facilities and programs. - Assessing and recommending the incorporation of Active Transportation facilities in all transportation projects. - Administering the Active Transportation Capital Budget Program. Your experience includes: - A Community College Diploma in a related discipline such as Urban Planning or Environmental Studies. - Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering or Urban Planning would be considered an asset. - Minimum of three (3) years of prior related work experience. - Indepth knowledge of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Policy. - Knowledge of cycling and pedestrian best practices and policies. - Proven ability in public speaking; dealing with the public and stewardship groups. - Demonstrated application of transportation planning methods. - Demonstrated current research related to policies and design guidelines in the area of Active Transportation. Requirements: - Possess and maintain a valid Manitoba class 5 Driver's License. If YOU are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply online at winnipeg.ca/hr quoting Posting No. 112240, Active Transportation Coordinator position by 4:30 p.m., Monday, April 13, 2015. The salary range for this position is $2,669.48 to $3,585.65 biweekly. We have great benefits and competitive salaries, and we are committed to ongoing learning and career development! For more information on this opportunity and other careers within the City, visit: winnipeg.ca/hr/. WE SEEK DIVERSITY IN OUR WORKPLACE. ABORIGINAL PERSONS, WOMEN, VISIBLE MINORITIES, AND PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY ARE ENCOURAGED TO SELF-DECLARE. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. #LI-POST Posting and to apply online: http://www.winnipeg.ca/resumeol/peoplesoft/job_req.asp?req=112240

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The economics of bike lanes vs car parking - compilation.
by Laura Donatelli 24 Mar '15

24 Mar '15

Not sure if this has already been shared, but if not, it's quite interesting. http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/03/the-complete-business-case-for-con…

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Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall
by Beth McKechnie 24 Mar '15

24 Mar '15

You may recall hearing about this collaboration of an artist with the City's climate change office. Could be a really interesting presentation. Please share widely! http://plugin.org/events/201503/artist-talks-erika-lincoln-victoria-scott-a… *From:* Plug In ICA [mailto:info@plugin.org] *Sent:* March 19, 2015 1:45 PM *To:* erika(a)lincolnlab.net *Subject:* Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall [image: Plug In ICA bulletin] Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall March 26, 2015 - 7pm to 8:30pm Plug In ICA | 460 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Canada Plug In ICA is pleased to host *Erika Lincoln* on *Thursday, March 26th* as she introduces the scope of her residency with the Climate Change Ofﬁce at the City of Winnipeg Planning, Property & Development Department. Erika Lincoln was selected as the Artist-in-Residence with the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council Public Art Program. Collaborating with the Planning Department’s Ofﬁce of Climate Change, Lincoln’s project augments public engagement opportunities for citizens of Winnipeg to learn more about climate change and the city. The Reﬁll Project, <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/> featuring Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall, will be the ﬁrst in a series of events organized by the Lincoln. For this presentation, each artist will speak about their individual art practices as well as introduce The Reﬁll Project <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/>, a public workshop on data visualization and mapping happening Friday, March 27, 6 – 9 pm and Saturday, March 28, 12 – 5 pm at VideoPool Studio, 300 – 100 Arthur Street. San Francisco-based artists Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall have been invited by Erika Lincoln to speak about the Reﬁll Project which addresses the 2013 closing of the Freshwater Institute Library in Winnipeg. Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall’s collaborative art practice in data visualization and public intervention helps engage citizens with their cities. More information on the artists and this project can be found at The REFILL Blog. <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/> The Winnipeg Arts Council Public Art Program’s Artist-in-Residence Program integrates artists and their ideas into City facilities to engage citizens in civic processes through art. Plug In ICA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council and Winnipeg Arts Council as well as our generous donors, dedicated members and hardworking volunteers. For general information please contact: info(a)plugin.org. For media inquiries please contact: Janique Vigier at janique(a)plugin.org or by telephone at (204) 942-104 ext 27. Share this on: Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.plugin.org/events/201503/art…> | Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/home?status=Currently%20reading%20http://www.plugin.…> Become a member of Plug In ICA <http://plugin.org/news/200902/become-member-plug-in-ica> Visit our web shop <http://plugin.org/shop> *Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art* Unit 1 - 460 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0E8 Canada View the online version <http://www.plugin.org/events/201503/artist-talks-erika-lincoln-victoria-sco…> | Unsubscribe from this bulletin <http://plugin.org/newsletter/confirm/remove/2d54bd5d0b654t4>

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WFP: From parking spot to 'parklets' (Mar.21'15)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Mar '15

22 Mar '15

From parking spot to 'parklets' By: Emily Badger http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/from-parking-spot-to-parklets-297114… Conventional wisdom says businesses need parking spots. If would-be customers can't pull up out front, how will they come inside? This is a powerful idea, and it invariably animates the opposition any time cities threaten to redesign roadways, replacing parking spots with bus lanes, cycle tracks, bike racks or wider sidewalks. Remove parking, the argument goes, and business will wither. The reality, though, is more complicated. Consider one illustration: For the last few years, Philadelphia has converted a handful of parking spots in front of neighbourhood businesses into temporary "parklets" no bigger than the space that might fit one or two cars (these tiny interventions are now popular in a lot of cities). Records from adjacent businesses show sales went up about 20 per cent immediately after the parks were installed, relative to right beforehand. The data come from a recent study by the University City District, a neighbourhood development organization in Philadelphia that sent interns out in the spring and summer of 2013 to exhaustively record what happened after a half-dozen of these tiny parks were placed. Most of them included tables, planters and bike racks that created something in between a new public park and an outdoor extension to nearby cafés and sandwich shops. The result: a lot more people packed into these spaces than could ever be accommodated by a single car. Outside a taco shop, as many as 150 people used a space over the course of the day that was only about 240 square feet in size. The seats were packed outside the café in early afternoon and an ice cream shop in the evening. Not all of these people were spending money at these nearby businesses (that's a good sign -- it means people recognized they could treat these spaces as public parks and not private outdoor restaurants). But the sales data shared by these businesses suggest the extra foot traffic -- and the outdoor attraction -- was a boon for business, even when it came at the expense of a little parking. The takeaway here isn't we should turn parking spaces everywhere into public parks. This idea wouldn't work in a lot of other contexts (you're a lot more likely to need your car on the way out of an IKEA than a coffee shop, for one thing). But it illustrates a parking spot isn't always the best use of roadside real estate, although we often treat it as such. And it adds a little more evidence to the growing economic case for deploying our streets differently, for use by more than cars. Other research suggests cyclists may actually spend more than drivers at some kinds of businesses because it's easier for them to pop in often and unplanned. And there are some signs that bike-share docks boost business nearby, too. -- The Washington Post Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 21, 2015 D5

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AT webinar slides: Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '15

18 Mar '15

Hi everyone, Thought others – beyond those who attended today's APBP webinar on Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs – might be interested in the attached slides and additional links and info. 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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WFP Herald: Browaty stirs up emotions with "bike tunnel" ad (Mar.16'15)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '15

18 Mar '15

Browaty stirs up emotions with “bike tunnel” ad By: Sheldon Birnie http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/Browaty-stirs-up-em… Plans to include an active transportation link and emergency corridor beneath an elevated interchange at Highway 59 and the Perimeter Highway have come under fire from one Winnipeg city councillor. But Manitoba government and RM of East St. Paul officials say Browaty is being alarmist. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) took out a full page ad in last week’s issue of* The Herald* calling on premier Greg Selinger not to "waste $$$ on (a) bike tunnel." "Originally proposed as a simple active transportation bridge over the Perimeter Highway by the NDP during the 2011 provincial election," Browaty’s statement reads, "the revised proposal is calling for an elaborate tunnel, costing $10’s (sic) of millions of dollars and routing thousands of vehicles daily onto residential streets in North Kildonan and East St. Paul." "The money could be better spent," Browaty told* The Herald*, saying he believes upgrades to Lagimodiere Boulevard and Henderson Highway are more deserving of public investment. Lance Vigfusson, assistant deputy minister of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, and Shelley Hart, mayor of East St. Paul, both said Browaty made incorrect and misleading statements in his ad and subsequent press release. "For one, this is not a tunnel," Hart told *The Herald*. "It’s a level-grade crossing. The new cloverleaf (interchange) will be above it." Vigfusson explained that, in order to deliver on the 2011 promise of an active transportation connection "there were two options" when designing that link into plans for the upgraded interchange at the Perimeter and Highway 59. "One option was up and over the Perimeter," Vigfusson said. "The other was taking the Perimeter up and over, making the active transportation corridor as a through path, not a tunnel." After consulting with trucking industry representatives, the province determined that a bridge over the Perimeter which could accommodate large, oversize loads would be the more difficult of the two options. "We would have had to build with at least seven metres of clearance," he said. As a result, he explained, the overpass would have been "approximately nine metres above the ground," making it impractical for active transportation. Keeping the active transportation corridor at grade was the option selected. As a result of Browaty’s ad, some North Kildonan residents have expressed concern that the proposed transportation link will increase traffic in the residential area along Raleigh Street and Gateway Road south of the perimeter. "This’ll increase traffic flow," said Ross Campbell, who lives near the intersection of Gateway and Knowles Avenue. "Traffic will in turn create problems in residential areas. All in all, I do not believe the province or East St. Paul put any thought into it." Vigfusson stressed that the active transportation corridor will not create additional traffic headaches as it won’t be open to commuter traffic. It will be made wide enough to accommodate emergency vehicles, which would access it via a gated system. Vigfusson did say that, if the city of Winnipeg and the RM of East St. Paul decide to open the corridor to regular vehicle traffic in the future, the costs to upgrade would be minimized. "We designed this (interchange) to last for 75 years," he explained. "If ever East St. Paul and the city want to convert it down the line, it would cost a fraction of overall cost to do it now, rather than retrograde." Vigfusson said he believes Browaty’s estimate of thousands of vehicles "that number is highly exaggerated." "From where we’re standing, we applaud the province’s foresight," East St. Paul mayor Hart said. Longtime East St. Paul resident Gary Alderson agreed. "The option of going with a two-lane underpass is probably, if you look down the road, a good idea," Alderson told *The Herald*. "To me, this is good planning. Sure, it’ll cost residents here a few million bucks, and it’ll cost the province. But that’s inevitable if you’re going to do something like this." The province is now awaiting final proposals for the Highway 101/59 interchange as part of the competitive process. Vigfusson said a proposal should be selected by June and hopes to see construction begin at the end of summer. He expects the project to take three to four years to complete. "We have a lot of bridges and lanes to build," he said. "And a lot of dirt to move." *Facebook.com/TheHeraldWPGTwitter: @heraldWPG*

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