- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

STRIDE Report: Using crowdsourcing to prioritize bicycle route network improvements
by Beth McKechnie 18 Jul '18

18 Jul '18

This one is for the real data nerds out there! Some of you may recall the OTTO cycle study done in Winnipeg years ago. This study is somewhat similar but using smartphones and the Strava, CycleDixie and Cycle Atlanta apps. https://stride.ce.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/STRIDE_Report_2013-083… In a nutshell, here are the research objectives: - Collect crowdsourced cycling data through smartphone applications - Compare and analyze measures describing the quality of bicycle facilities, in terms of level of service and level of stress - Model the factors affecting bicycle route choice in urban and suburban areas - Develop route suitability score and route preference models If you want to skip to the conclusions, go to page 138 of the pdf, though the conclusions are not particularly surprising; it's the methodology that is likely of most interest (to those so inclined), in particular the Bicycle Level of Service (LOS) and Level of Stress discussion. Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share. 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) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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NACTO guide: How cities should regulate the scooter and dockless bikeshare surge
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jul '18

17 Jul '18

How cities should regulate the scooter surge This article from Curbed discussed a new report by the NACTO, “Guidelines for the Regulation and Management of Shared Active Transportation <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001hpCMF90qxHIrXECg_jUiBq7mo5rCns1PNYXt4tdGNWmM…>,” which lays out potential rules and regulations for the fast-growing world of electric scooters and dockless bikeshare, collating current examples from more than a dozen cities with existing policies, permitting fees, and ideas for equity programming. In many respects, the NACTO report offers common-sense recommendations, beginning with the not-so-radical idea that cities—which have the financial and legal responsibility to build, maintain, and protect the local transit system—should have a say in deciding what vehicles are allowed to use said streets. The report comes down hard on the common practices of tech transit companies, that tend to beg for forgiveness as opposed to asking for permission. Due to differing and sometimes incomplete regulations, ebikes, scooters, and electric scooters “exist in a regulatory grey area, regulated in a limited fashion on an individual or recreational level but not envisioned en masse or in an automated rental scenario.” The NACTO report also offers a few starting points for cities that want to design pilot programs to help these companies expand. These proposed rules of the road offer a pretty easy template for cities to adopt. Most importantly, they should take control of the street and the curb. New startups also should require legal permission, which can cap the number of vehicles in operation, and be subject to fines or expulsion if rules or regulations are flagrantly or repeatedly violated. Cities should push for data-sharing, transparency, and safety. Agreed-upon rules to clear disabled or downed vehicles from right-of-ways should be strictly enforced, cities should be aware of staffing and operations plans, protocols for extreme weather or natural disasters should be clearly laid out. Additionally, companies should be rewarded for pushing equity and access to underserved neighborhoods. For example, in St. Louis, dockless bike companies will be allowed to expand past an initial 2,500 vehicle cap, but only if they present and implement a social equity plan and meet other ridership requirements. I -- *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) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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AT webinar reminder: Safety Manuals - the Good Stuff | Wed, July 18th | EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jul '18

17 Jul '18

*** Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar *** Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg on *Wednesday, July 18th*, for a group viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. *AT Webinar: Wed, July 18th, 2-3pm* *Safety Manuals – The Good Stuff* FHWA Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) Program: Selecting Countermeasures for Uncontrolled Crossing Locations APBP is hosting a webinar to share information about a new guide and tech sheets promoting the use of countermeasures for uncontrolled pedestrian crossing locations. The “Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations” follows a six-step process and provides tools that help agencies select countermeasures for uncontrolled crossing locations based on roadway characteristics and pedestrian safety issues. This guide was developed as part of the FHWA Every Day Counts - Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program. In addition to this new guide, the STEP program released a series of new tech sheets highlighting the safety benefits of the STEP countermeasures. The tech sheets provide conceptual visualizations, best practices for installation, and cost considerations for each of the countermeasures. The new STEP guide and tech sheets are posted to the program website: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/step.cfm *Presenters*: - Lauren Blackburn, VHB - Charlie Zegeer, UNC Highway Safety Research Center -- *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) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Job Posting - Trails Manitoba
by Erik Dickson 13 Jul '18

13 Jul '18

FYI Please see the attached job posting for Trails Manitoba Executive Director. Note the deadline to submit resumes is July 17, 2018. Have a nice weekend! Regards, Erik Dickson, MCIP, RPP Planner [solid_smm_logo] 204.927.3444 | edickson(a)scatliff.ca<mailto:edickson@scatliff.ca> | www.scatliff.ca<http://www.scatliff.ca/> 1120-201 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 3K6

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AT Webinar: Safety Manuals - the Good Stuff | Wed, July 18th | EcoCentre
by Heather Mitchell 12 Jul '18

12 Jul '18

Please join Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg on *Wednesday, July 18th*, for a group viewing of the monthly APBP webinar in the EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/uncategorized/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-o…> boardroom followed by discussion for those who wish to stay. Best, Heather -- *AT Webinar: Wed, July 18th, 2-3pm* *Safety Manuals – The Good Stuff* FHWA Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) Program: Selecting Countermeasures for Uncontrolled Crossing Locations APBP is hosting a webinar to share information about a new guide and tech sheets promoting the use of countermeasures for uncontrolled pedestrian crossing locations. The “Guide for Improving Pedestrian Safety at Uncontrolled Crossing Locations” follows a six-step process and provides tools that help agencies select countermeasures for uncontrolled crossing locations based on roadway characteristics and pedestrian safety issues. This guide was developed as part of the FHWA Every Day Counts - Safe Transportation for Every Pedestrian (STEP) program. In addition to this new guide, the STEP program released a series of new tech sheets highlighting the safety benefits of the STEP countermeasures. The tech sheets provide conceptual visualizations, best practices for installation, and cost considerations for each of the countermeasures. The new STEP guide and tech sheets are posted to the program website: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/innovation/everydaycounts/edc_4/step.cfm *Presenters*: - Lauren Blackburn, VHB - Charlie Zegeer, UNC Highway Safety Research Center -- *Heather Mitchell * Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> | 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue (204) 925-3777 ext:107 Green Action Centre is your green living hub. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/green-action-centre/>. <http://canadahelps.org/> <https://www.gomanitoba.ca/Public/Home.aspx>

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Winnipeggers more linkely to blame drivers than cyclists for conflict
by Wendy Chapman 28 Jun '18

28 Jun '18

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/poll-winnipeg-cyclists-drivers-blame… Wendy Chapman Injury Prevention Coordinator Injury Prevention Program Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R3A 0X7 Phone: (204) 391-0949 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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WFP: Residents want more bike lanes: survey (Jun28'18)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jun '18

28 Jun '18

Advocates say city is shortchanging active transportation budget Residents want more bike lanes: survey https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/residents-want-more-bike-lanes-surv… MOST Winnipeggers say there are too few separated bike lanes in the city and they want more of them, according to a poll released Thursday by the Angus Reid Institute. The poll examined a randomized sample of 5,423 people from eight major Canadian urban centres — Winnipeg, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Toronto and Mississauga, Ont. — regarding cyclist-traffic issues, focusing largely on separated, protected bike lanes. Two-thirds of Winnipeg respondents said there were too few separated lanes (compared to 46 per cent of total respondents), while 76 per cent called the lanes “a good idea” (second only to Montreal’s 80 per cent). In July 2015, the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies were approved by Winnipeg city council and the 20-year plan for accessible, convenient transportation got underway. The city estimated a cost of $334 million for the plan, in addition to $3.7 million in annual operating costs. Since then, the city has slowly worked toward establishing an active transportation network, rolling out painted, buffered and protected bike lanes; however, many cycling advocates have been critical of the pace. This year, the city’s capital funding for the pedestrian and cycling program totalled $5.4 million, not including $12 million earmarked for projects such as the Empress Street overpass rehabilitation. The executive director of the city’s active transportation advisory committee, Bike Winnipeg, said Wednesday the city is spending less than it should be in order to align with the plan, putting the figure at closer to $13million to get on track. “The funding we’re putting in is between one-third and one-half of what we need annually,” Mark Cohoe said. Winnipeg’s 2008 budget allocated only $150,000 for recreational walkway and bike path projects, he said. “The city is making progress, but we’re starting from far behind.” Mel Marginet, the workplace program co-ordinator at Green Action Centre, a sustainable commuting organization, said more money should go toward protected bike paths to convince more people to take up cycling. “Right now, it’s only really accessible to people who are brave and willing to bike with traffic,” she said. “It’s really hard to convince someone who’s never tried (biking in the city) to try it.” Manitoba Public Insurance data from 2017 says no cyclists were killed in the city last year. On average, according to MPI, two cyclists die in the province each year, while 144 are injured in collisions. Melanie Ferris, who lives in the Crescentwood neighbourhood, worries when her 12-year-old son goes cycling. “There really is no safe place for him to ride,” she said. “I won’t let him ride on Corydon and Grant, so he tells me he rides on sidewalks there. He may be on the street though. He wants to go fast and the sidewalk is slow.” Danielle Moore, who moved to Winnipeg in October, said cycling is her main method of transportation. She’s lived in Halifax and Toronto, where since June 2016, nearly 100 pedestrians and cyclists have died in traffic accidents. “I would say Winnipeg is probably the least accessible city for bikes that I’ve lived in,” she said. “Protected bike lanes could really help ease the pressure off both drivers and cyclists.” The report released Thursday also asked respondents about conflict between drivers and cyclists. In Winnipeg, nearly two-thirds of respondents said there’s “quite a bit,” and more than half placed the blame on drivers. Winnipeg was the only city polled in which a majority blamed drivers, not cyclists. Winnipeg Trails Association executivedirector Anders Swanson said he doesn’t believe any party deserves more blame, however, he thinks adding more protected lanes will benefit anybody on the road. There are currently about 1.15 kilometres of protected lane along Assiniboine Avenue, but by the end of this year, the city hopes to have about 5.5 km of protected lane developed within the downtown grid, in addition to almost 3.2 km along Chevrier Boulevard and St. Matthews Avenue. However, Swanson said, more can be done. “One lane means nothing. To do it properly, you need one on every street.” Not just cyclists support bike lanes, the poll found — of the 4,226 respondentswho drive cars frequently, 72 per cent said the lanes make a community a better place to live and 44 per cent said there weren’t enough of them. Swanson said Winnipeg should budget more money sooner for cycling and pedestrian infrastructure development, especially on major streets. “There’s really no reason for cycling to be the poor cousin in transportation,” he said. “Every single mayoral and council candidate should take a real hard look at those numbers before beginning their (2018 election) campaigns.” bwaldman(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @benjwaldman

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WFP Editorial: Portage and Main plebiscite pitch premature (Jun28'18)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jun '18

28 Jun '18

Portage and Main plebiscite pitch premature IN the Late Middle Ages, when meat was scarce, some consumers found they’d been scammed when they purchased an unopened bag containing an animal. It was their understanding that the bag, which was known to them as a poke, contained a delicious suckling pig. But when they opened the poke, they found it actually contained a dog or cat, which were very common and much less desirable as a dinner dish. The lesson of the pig in a poke could provide guidance, as two city councillors want Winnipeggers to vote in a plebiscite on whether to reopen Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic. They want the public to vote before knowing what’s in the bag. Setting aside for the moment the bigger issue of plebiscites and referendums — forms of populism that can cause regrettable decisions when used rashly — the most immediate problem with asking Winnipeg voters about Portage and Main is they haven’t been given enough information to make an informed decision. Councillors Jeff Browaty and Janice Lukes want to put the non-binding question on the ballot in the October civic election. City council will decide at its July meeting whether to let Mr. Browaty and Ms. Lukes have their way. By October, however, the public won’t know important details of the project. What is the entirety of the proposed design? What above-ground work will be necessary to make it pedestrian-friendly? What are the plans to upgrade the underground concourse? What’s the expected final cost of the entire project? Many of these questions will be answered by consultants chosen by the city in response to requests for proposals that were issued earlier this month, but the reports of the consultants who submit thewinning bid won’t be publicly available before the proposed October plebiscite. Unless voters have completeinformation to informtheir decision, the plebiscite sought by Mr. Browaty and Ms. Lukes would be an exercise in ignorance. While the principle of letting the public vote on political decisions might initially seem like an attractive form of power to the people, it is often misused. An example of a jurisdiction in which direct democracy has run amok is Switzerland, which has hosted nearly 600 referendums that led to binding decisions, such as a universal basic income, banning the Islamic towers atop mosques and the expulsion of foreigners convicted of minor offences. Fortunately, Manitoba has been more judicious in its use of direct democracy. One hesitates to think of the consequences if the public had been allowed to decide in 1962 whether then-premier Duff Roblin should be allowed to spend the equivalent of $505 million in 2018 dollars to build a ditch around the city, or whether voters in the late 1980s had been allowed to block the vision of returning an industrial-ugly rail yard at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers into a lively hub of social activity which now attracts four million visitors a year. With rare exceptions, decisions on big issues should be left to leaders who are elected on the basis of their campaign pledges. For instance, Mayor Brian Bowman has made reopening the intersection to pedestrians one of his signature issues, both as a candidate and an elected official, and he is running for reelection. One could fairly suggest Mr. Bowman’s pursuit of a second term could serve as the referendum his council colleagues are seeking. Citizens who care deeply about the Portage and Main issue can make their views known on Oct. 24, when they enter the voting booth and choose Winnipeg’s next mayor.

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WFP: St. Vital crosswalk upgrades OK’d by councillors (Jun27'18)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jun '18

27 Jun '18

St. Vital crosswalk upgrades OK’d by councillors https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/councillors-approve- safety-upgrades-at-st-vital-crosswalk-where-boy-struck-killed-486597551.html UPGRADES have been approved for the St. Vital pedestrian crossing where an eight-year-old boy was struck and killed in February. Councillors on the public works committee Tuesday unanimously approved the administration plan for the installation of eye-level warning lights and possibly strobe-like flashing LED lights at the St. Anne’s Road and Varennes Avenue crossing. David Patman, the city’s transportation manager, said the lights will be installed on a longterm basis to determine if they should be installed at other pedestrian crosswalks across the city. Surafiel Musse Tesfamariam, a Grade 3 student, was with his mother at the crosswalk at Varennes Avenue when he was struck by a vehicle. The boy’s death was the third at that crossing since 1981. The department had already been studying traffic safety improvements along St. Anne’s Road when they were asked to include the crossing following the boy’s death. “We did the analysis and we’re looking for a solution to be implemented for the new school year in the fall,” Patman told the committee. “Staff in the traffic management branch worked very hard to get this report to you in a timely fashion.” Residents had proposed the installation of traffic lights or a lower speed limit, but those suggestions were not accepted by the public works department. Patman said tree branches that might obscure the existing flashing amber lights at the crossing will be pruned to improve driver vision. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Transit can be an economic catalyst (Jun25'18)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jun '18

25 Jun '18

Transit can be an economic catalyst https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/time-to- think-different-about-transit-486417301.html THE City of Winnipeg is seeking public input on the proposed alignment for its next bus rapid transit line. The eastern corridor will connect Plessis Road in Transcona with Harkness Station on Stradbrook Avenue, where the existing Southwest Transitway terminates. Two routes are being presented, one running through Point Douglas and one through St. Boniface. The plans begin by proposing an exciting option to locate the transitway on the elevated rail line between The Forks and Main Street, using Union Station as a magnificent transit stop. This creates the potential for the historic structure to become a multimodal transportation centre for downtown, operating as a central hub for such things as cycling and transit, water-bus, taxi, airport shuttles and tourist trolleys. The spectacular central hall of Union Station once again bustling with activity represents an opportunity to stimulate growth around south Main Street, by bringing pedestrian traffic to the sidewalks and drawing the vibrancy of The Forks and its future railside community into the rest of downtown. Beyond Union Station, the two proposals diverge. The Point Douglas option either continues up Main Street or passes through the Exchange District to Higgins Avenue, before crossing the river on a new bridge. The St. Boniface alignment crosses the river on the existing Provencher Bridge and then runs down Provencher Boulevard to Archibald Street and Nairn Avenue. A key justification of BRT investment across North America has been its ability to influence the patterns of development in cities, through transit-oriented development (TOD). As ridership increases, commercial and residential growth is attracted to the pedestrian density generated at major nodes along the system. Urban planners can use this to target growth by strategically placing transit lines and stations. Instinctively, the Higgins Avenue option would seem to be the more logical choice because it runs through an area that might benefit more from the TOD economic catalyst. It has been found, however, that TOD is not a silver bullet solution in urban areas, and wouldn’t typically have the power to transform an industrial road such as Higgins into a neighbourhood high street, particularly in a slow-growth city such as Winnipeg. Increased connectivity can be an economic catalyst, but it is most effective at generating the next level of growth in neighbourhoods that are already places where people are. The traditional build-it-and-they-will-come strategy for TOD has been found to be less effective than placing transit where development is already happening, where people already are, and connecting it to other places with similar conditions. Transit is only successful if it is frequent and accessible to a large population, and will only be a catalyst for growth if it has ridership levels sufficiently high to inspire the activity that is attractive to development. Relying on new projects to create the market for transit is rarely as successful as connecting to an existing population and using transit to intensify its density. Understanding the true capacity of transit as a development tool, the St. Boniface alignment for the eastern corridor becomes an attractive option. Provencher Boulevard doesn’t need to be transformed; it only needs an injection of incremental growth to be prosperous. It has the physical characteristics of a neighbourhood high street but currently functions as a six-lane commuter road, serving the outer suburbs and the adjacent industrial park. The single-family neighbourhoods surrounding it are not dense enough to support many neighbourhood services, shops or restaurants, resulting in the strip that has the potential to be a primary business street being predominantly destination services or underdeveloped properties. Coun. Matt Allard is championing a vision for Provencher Boulevard and St. Boniface that could use investment into a transit corridor to fulfil many long-standing community goals. He envisions Provencher as a multimodal, complete street, designed to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. He is proposing to transform one vehicle lane in each direction into a transit priority lane for electric buses. The plan would also slow vehicle traffic and eliminate truck traffic while developing protected bike lanes, enhanced sidewalks and centre boulevards. This newly defined corridor could become the catalyst for appropriately scaled infill development that creates enough residential density and sidewalk activity to attract the businesses, restaurants and sidewalk cafés that have long been envisioned as amenities for the neighbourhood but have not quite had the conditions to support it. The second-largest francophone community in Winnipeg is Osborne Village, because it offers the vibrancy, connectivity and affordability that young people are seeking, but is not available in St. Boniface. With increased mobility options and a direct rapid transit line between L’Université de Saint-Boniface and the University of Manitoba, young people would not have to leave their neighbourhood to find more convenient access to education and employment. New transit-inspired infill development along Provencher could provide the affordable housing options that are able to keep francophone youth, immigrants and seniors in the community. Significant new investment to transform Provencher Boulevard into a transit corridor could restore its place as a bustling commercial street that is the vibrant centre of a rejuvenated and stronger francophone community. The eastern corridor is an opportunity to think differently about rapid transit and transit-oriented development in Winnipeg. Instead of looking to bypass existing communities, the last few kilometres could be treated more like a streetcar system that is fully integrated into its neighbourhoods. With strategically located stops along the main streets of St. Boniface and even extending into the old town centre of Transcona, there is an important opportunity to become a model for future lines, using transit to inspire incremental infill growth that helps to densify and reinvigorate Winnipeg’s mature neighbourhoods. *Brent Bellamy is a senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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