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CBC: Why these advocates hope COVID-19 could lead to a more walkable, bikeable Winnipeg (May3'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 May '20

04 May '20

COVID-19 has cut car traffic and made Winnipeg more bike-friendly — but will impacts last when lockdown lifts? https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-pedestrian-cyclist-covid-1… Strolling down any of Winnipeg's traffic-free streets over the past several days has been a "beautiful experience," in the eyes of Patrick Krawec. "You're seeing lots of people, lots of smiles, lots of children, lots of play," said Krawec, the executive director of the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, or WRENCH. Traffic restrictions from the City of Winnipeg on a handful of streets across the city <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-more-active-transport…> has turned them into physical distancing-friendly pedestrian and cycling paths for residents cooped up thanks to COVID-19. Temporary traffic restrictions on four streets were announced in April, with five more set to join on Tuesday, limiting vehicle traffic to one block, so people and families can walk and ride — while distancing — outside. "It is a very elegant, simple solution," Krawec said. "No costs, tons of savings and it was led by the people." Across the country, other cities have made similar moves, from a ban on cars <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/stanley-park-vancouver-phys…> in Vancouver's Stanley Park to reduced traffic lanes <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/biking-naheed-nenshi-covid-coronavir…> to make room for cyclists on some Calgary streets. Around the world, expansive, kilometres-long networks have sprung up in cities like New York, Paris, Lima and Bogota. Those, alongside tanking oil prices, have prompted some observers to wonder if COVID-19 could be a nail in the coffin of the car <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200429-are-we-witnessing-the-death-of-…> . "It was like flicking a switch, and it achieved so many goals of community wellness," Krawec said of the changes he saw on closed streets in Winnipeg. "In a time of isolation, it has really brought people together, although they're staying apart." As Manitoba starts reopening Monday and restrictions roll back, Krawec and other advocates are hopeful the change in how Winnipeggers use and view their streets won't fade away. 'Reconnecting with nature' Cities across Canada and around the world have seen drops in traffic since the pandemic began <https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/satellite-images-no2-smog-gta-vancouver-1.…>, with wide swaths of the population staying home thanks to shutdowns and physical distancing measures. In Winnipeg, the traffic measurement company TomTom has recorded a congestion drop of 21 to 34 per cent <https://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/traffic-index/winnipeg-traffic/> during peak rush hour every day over the past week. Emptied streets combined with the need for physical distancing have thrown a sudden spotlight on decades of traffic-centred urban planning strategies, said Anders Swanson, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association. "You very quickly realize how the space has been allocated, as soon as you're walking down a 1.5 metre-wide sidewalk towards somebody [and] you're afraid of having them breathe on you," said Swanson on the phone from Finland, where he was stuck due to the pandemic. "You very quickly realize that you don't have anywhere to go to, except for this giant, wide street, which is right there and empty." Robin Cox, a professor of disaster and emergency management at Royal Roads University in Victoria, says that realization is being accompanied around the world by a greater value placed on getting outside. "We are witnessing in many areas, particularly urban environments, people … reconnecting with the value of nature to them and to their lives, as other aspects of their lives get more constrained," said Cox, who is also the director of the Resilience by Design Research Innovation Lab. The devastating global impacts of the pandemic have exposed or amplified fault lines in many sectors, she said — from social inequities on health outcomes to the fragility of global supply chains for food and medical supplies. It's also sparked a greater focus on health, particularly in how underlying conditions can influence the way individuals experience the disease, said Lawrence Frank, a professor in the school of population and public health at the University of British Columbia. Staying active can help prevent some of those pre-existing conditions, such as heart and lung disease, he said. "Myself and others have been doing lots of studies showing that active transportation contributes significantly to the reduction of chronic disease, reduces health-care costs," said Frank, who teaches sustainable transportation and health and runs the school's health and community design lab. When it comes to fighting chronic disease in general, and COVID-19 in particular, he said, "we think that investing in active transportation is, really, probably one of the best things we can do in the near- and long-term." Building back from crisis Global drops in traffic and air travel have been accompanied by a reduction in observed emissions. In late February, CO2 emissions in China dropped by 25 per cent <https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/covid-19-coronavirus-climate-carbon-emis…> after the country locked down entire cities and shut factories, highways and airports. The pandemic is now expected by some to lead to the biggest single-year CO2 emissions drop since the Second World War, according to the World Meteorological Organization. That group predicted COVID-19 would lead to a global drop of roughly six per cent by the end of this year. Scientists around the world have been clear these temporary drops won't make a dent <https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/covid19-co2-emissions-1.5521271> in long-standing climate issues. "We need to understand that the climate crisis is a health-care crisis that will impact, and has already impacted, health," Cox said. "And if this isn't a warning siren for that, then I'm not sure of what is." It's hard to say for sure whether temporary interventions like a few closed streets will translate to long-term policy change, said Cox. But hallmarks of communities that have faced disaster and come back better include slow, purposeful rebuilding, she said, along with early community engagement. Crises disrupt the "normal," she said, and should be followed by questions about what wasn't working. "We tend to be a reactive culture, whether it's health care or economics or whatever. And what we're seeing [about] that reactive culture is that it doesn't serve us well." 'Dipping one toe in the water' In Winnipeg, Swanson said he wants to see leaders do more for cyclists and pedestrians. Across Canada, he characterizes the policy moves made so far as focused on recreation, rather than transportation. "Most of the cities I've seen in Canada kind of made that same mistake, of only dipping one toe in the water — and Winnipeg, too," he said. Opening only a few streets at a time creates a destination, making it harder for people to stay distanced, he said. The Winnipeg Trails Association he heads is calling on the city to create an emergency cycling network and curbside lane dedications in its OpenStreets 2020 plan <https://www.winnipegtrails.ca/openstreets2020/>, to give more Winnipeggers access to trails to give commuters options as the economy reopens. Winnipeg Transit is reducing bus service and laying off 253 full- and part-time drivers <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-layoffs-transit-covid-19-1…> because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and city officials said last month ridership dropped 72 per cent compared to the same timeframe in 2019. "When you have an entire transportation system shut down in the middle of an emergency … you would think that you'd want to have some kind of serious backup plan in place," Swanson said. A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg said in an emailed statement the city is collecting data on the current routes to track usage. "The city will re-evaluate at the end of May to determine if the designations need to be extended," he wrote. Like Krawec, he's hopeful the pandemic will leave a long-lasting shift in how Winnipeggers see their streets. "We've known that people want to walk and bike a lot more than they can, but they just feel concerned about traffic, basically," he said. "It becomes a kind of a vicious circle, and all of a sudden, that vicious circle got broken."

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Webinar: Dynamic Streets, Curbs, and Sidewalks in COVID-19
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '20

01 May '20

Join us next week for our upcoming webinar on dynamic streets, curbs, and sidewalks during the COVID-19 pandemic. WEBINAR Dynamic Streets, Curbs, and Sidewalks in COVID-19 May 7, 2020 from 2:00pm - 2:30pm ET <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> Previous plans to expand bike networks and more space for pedestrians are being fast-tracked as stay-at-home orders for COVID-19 demand more room for people to adequately practice social distancing while remaining active and making trips for essential goods and services. As cities move quickly, it is important for them to have tools to rapidly create these new policies and communicate them easily to mobility operators and the public. Cities across the world, from Oakland to Denver to Milan to Paris, are moving to free up more space for pedestrians and cyclists, often by accelerating existing plans. This webinar will discuss how cities are taking action and how new digital tools can support more dynamic management of their streets, curbs, and sidewalks. *Speakers:* *Rodney Stiles,* *Head of Policy, Populus* *Paul Lewis,** Vice President of Policy and Finance, Eno Center for Transportation* May 2020 07 REGISTER <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> *Connect with us and don't miss out on other great resources!* [image: Facebook] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> Facebook <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: Twitter] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> Twitter <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> [image: VIEW UPCOMING WEBINARS] <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> VIEW UPCOMING WEBINARS <https://enotrans.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d2579cc7754f7b743881bff9…> *Copyright © 2020 Eno Center for Transportation, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in to our email list. *Our mailing address is:* Eno Center for Transportation 1629 K St. NW Ste 200 Washington, DC 20006

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Stanley Park vehicles ban a ‘tremendous success,’ says park board GM
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '20

30 Apr '20

Making Stanley Park car free has been a “tremendous success” in transforming people’s experience of the park, according to the general manager of the Vancouver Park Board. Malcolm Bromley said Tuesday that the board is learning from its move to limit the seawall to people on foot, move cyclists onto Stanley Park Drive, and ban cars in the park. The change came into effect <https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/park-board-to-close-stanley-park-to-vehi…> on April 8. “People have really loved it,” said Bromley. “It put a lot more people in a safe environment to cycle. It’s been transformational, really, for the experience of the park.” Any move to either create permanent car-free sections of set aside car-free days has to be measured against ensuring people can get to and from amenities such as restaurants at Prospect Point and Ferguson Point, he said. “Cycling has taught us something about how the park sounds and feels when it’s quiet,” Bromley said. “You notice more birds. It smells different. It feels different. It’s a very interesting experiment we’re doing in the name of the pandemic, and it’s teaching us some things.” Bromley said staff is collecting data on the number of cyclists on the roadway and pedestrians on the seawall and will be reporting back to the board about how to promote active transportation around the park. https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/covid-19-stanley-park-vehicles-ban-…

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Oregon drops use of 85th percentile for speed limits, adopts new rules
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '20

30 Apr '20

BikePortland.org reported on May 1st, traffic engineers in OR will no longer rely on an outdated and dangerous method for setting speed limits. Thanks to new rules adopted by the OR Transportation Commission last month ( https://bit.ly/2WndcT1 <https://pps.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a95a1ee6&id=…> , https://bit.ly/2YfI5ez <https://pps.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a95a1ee6&id=…>), the process for designating speeds has changed dramatically and now goes way beyond the traditional 85 percentile method, which said limits should be set at or under the speed at which 85% of drivers are currently driving. The new rule, which applies to all public roads except interstate freeways, adds many new factors into the decision-making process. When setting speeds, engineers will now have statutory guidance to consider dense urban contexts, presence of foot and bicycle traffic, demographics of road users, crash rate, public input, and other new factors. The adopted rule also introduces a fiftieth percentile rule along with new functional street classifications such as "urban mix," "urban core," and "suburban fringe" that allow engineers to further tune their analysis. It has also codified a list of recommended speeds for those new classifications. https://bit.ly/3cVKMG8 <https://pps.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c803e70a8ad33c13a95a1ee6&id=…>

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Making Safe Space for Cycling in 10 Days - A guide to temporary bike lanes
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '20

30 Apr '20

Berlin proves it is possible to build cycle infrastructure in 10 days The district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in Berlin stepped up to the challenge, building several temporary facilities in just 10 days and ensuring citizens could travel safely by bike while maintain recommended distances. Mobycon supported Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in the development of these measures and were asked by the district to produce this guidebook: Making Safe Space for Cycling in 10 Day - A guide to temporary bike lanes from Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Berlin <https://mobycon.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e2460a960f276acd64d34db3…>. This guide provides a good foundation for planning safe, temporary infrastructure that can be implemented almost immediately in towns and cities that do not currently offer enough space for cyclists. It serves as inspiration to cities worldwide that want to do something, but don’t know how to start.

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Portland launches 100-mile ‘Slow Streets Safe Streets’ COVID-19 response effort
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '20

29 Apr '20

The Portland Bureau of Transportation has revealed a plan to adapt the streets to the COVID-19 crisis. “The new strategy will repurpose streets, including closing them to car traffic, to make it easier and safer for Portlanders to practice physical distancing as the city recovers,” reads a statement just released by PBOT by way of Commissioner Chloe Eudaly. PBOT is proposing a series of steps and measured improvements for *neighborhood greenways, busy streets, and business districts*. The bureau will focus its initial efforts on areas of the city with the most pressing safety needs. https://bikeportland.org/2020/04/28/portland-launches-100-mile-slow-streets… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 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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Human Transit & Walkable Cities book sale | Webinar on Advocating For and Creating Effective Transit
by Beth McKechnie 29 Apr '20

29 Apr '20

Since 1984, we've been providing people like you solutions to inspire change. View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/7d7bb2ebef7d/we-want-to-help-you-change-the-world?e=c148…> <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> Thanks for joining Jeff Speck and Jarrett Walker's 1/17/20 webinar hosted by Smart Growth Network and the Maryland Department of Planning. The full recording is posted for your reference <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>. The books on which this webinar was based, *Walkable City Rules* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> and *Human Transit* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, can be invaluable resources as you look to apply these principles in your communities. You can grab the paperbacks or e-books for 30% off. [image: Human Transit by Jarrett Walker | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Human Transit* ------------------------------ "*Human Transit* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>... presents itself as a sort of Public Transportation for Dummies, explaining in abstract, but remarkably clear, terms the logic that governs public transit systems and the choices—some technical, some ethical—that transit planners and operators make." — California Planning & Development Report *$25.90 *$37.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Walkable City Rules by Jeff Speck | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Walkable City Rules* ------------------------------ "Cities are the future of the human race, and Jeff Speck knows how to make them work." —David Owen, staff writer at *The New Yorker* *$21.00 *$30.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Advocating for and Creating Effective Public Transit] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> FREE WEBINAR | THURS., MAY 7 • 1:00-2:30 PM EDT Advocating for and Creating Effective Public Transit Having greater access to transit is vital for the functioning of safe, equitable, and environmentally friendly cities. But what makes for effective transit? How do you advocate for it? And how can cities utilize buses to create fast, frequent and reliable service? Join the Maryland Department of Planning and the Smart Growth Network as Christof Spieler <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, author of *Trains, Buses, People* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, and Steven Higashide <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, author of *Better Buses, Better Cities* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, explain how to make better use of our current transit systems in clear ways for decision-makers, philanthropists, activists, and public agency leaders. *Participants of the live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits.* Register <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Person holding a newspaper with outstretched arms.] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *INSPIRE CHANGE WITH US* Island Press is proud to publish books by Jeff Speck and Jarrett Walker as well as many other authors. We believe knowledge is power—the power to imagine a better future and find ways to get us there. And we have been doing that since 1984. As an attendee of the webinar, we invite you to stay in our community. Our newsletter will keep you informed of the latest ideas from thought leaders creating solutions to our world's complex issues. 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Bicyclist Facility Preferences and Effects on Increasing Bicycle Trips | Blurbs New | Blurbs | Main
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 28 Apr '20

28 Apr '20

http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180560.aspx Happy Trails Terry Zdan

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Milan Limits Cars As Italian Cities Hope To Make Lockdown Environmental Changes Permanent
by Beth McKechnie 28 Apr '20

28 Apr '20

Milan Limits Cars As Italian Cities Hope To Make Lockdown Environmental Changes Permanent https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccahughes/2020/04/23/milan-limits-cars-as-… Cities in Italy have been recording cleaner air and significantly reduced pollution under coronavirus lockdown, and now plans are being made to maintain these environmental changes as life begins to return to normal. Milan in northwestern Italy has gone from chaos and traffic jams to silent streets in a few weeks under COVID-19 lockdown. Traffic congestion has fallen 30-75% and polluting nitrogen dioxide dropped 24% in March compared with the previous four weeks, according to the European Environment Agency. When lockdown begins to lift, Milan’s authorities have announced that the city will be introducing one of the most ambitious schemes in Europe to reduce traffic congestion in the center. “We are in an emergency and for phase two we must organize ourselves so all those who have to move to make the city work, do it in the safest way for them and to prevent contagion,” Marco Granelli, a deputy mayor for Milan, said in a statement. To avoid using crowded subways and buses, the city hopes to boost the use of bicycles and electric scooters so that residents won’t resort to using their cars. “We worked for years to reduce car use,” said Granelli. “If everybody drives a car, there is no space for people, there is no space to move, there is no space for commercial activities outside the shops.” Over the summer, 35 km of streets will be transformed to cater for cyclists and pedestrians. The *Strade Aperte* (open roads) plan will reallocate road space by introducing temporary low-cost cycle lanes and widened pavements. The new scheme will also see 30 kph speed limits and pedestrian and cyclist priority streets. As Rome prepares for phase two of the coronavirus emergency, it too is looking to switch to eco-friendly transportation. Mayor Virginia Raggi is promoting the use of bicycles and electric scooters to get around the city saying, “otherwise, we will be invaded by traffic, a prospect we must avoid.” In an interview with Radio Cusano Campus, Raggi explained: “We are working to privilege transport by bike and other ‘soft’ modes like scooters.” To help keep levels of pollution and traffic low, the city will see the creation of new cycle lanes. Raggi also stated that she had asked the government to “reopen bicycle shops quickly” and that she was “pushing to provide incentives for purchasing electric bikes.” Residents of Venice are also breathing cleaner air as polluting cruise ships are no longer docking in the city. The canals are still and in some places the water has become clearer as motorboat traffic has reduced. Many would like to see environmental measures imposed, such as resident Diana Vandeville who has started a petition <https://www.change.org/p/rinascita-di-venezia-post-covid-19?recruiter=18870…> calling for change. “Before the coronavirus lockdown, I could smell the pollution as I walked around,” says Vandeville. Vandeville’s petition proposes stricter controls on motorboat speed in order to reduce wake pollution, which damages building foundations and harms the lagoon eco-system by stirring up the sea and canal beds. Her petition also calls for switching to electric or hybrid engines and using biofuel. Italy is due to commence phase two of the coronavirus lockdown plan on May 4. The government has announced that some businesses and industries will be allowed to restart production in a bid to boost the crippled economy. Throughout May there will be gradual reopenings of clothes shops and restaurants for a takeaway service, although details are still to be released by premier Giuseppe Conte. Although the number of new cases of COVID-19 rose on Wednesday, the country is hoping that with adequate safety measures, some sense of normal life can tentatively resume.

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WFP: Active transportation group urges city to block traffic in some curb lanes (Apr25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '20

25 Apr '20

*Active transportation group urges city to block traffic in some curb lanes * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/active-transportation… THE city is being asked to block off curb lanes to vehicle traffic on many normally busy streets to clear more space for pedestrians and cyclists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Winnipeg Trails Association wants the city to give people using active transportation nearly exclusive 24-7 access to some stretches of key streets and lanes [map attached]. The organization said that should cause little disruption, since the traffic volume has dropped significantly. “Now there’s very little excuse to not (do this). Vehicle traffic is extremely low,” said Anders Swanson, the association’s executive director. Swanson said the need for biking and walking space will grow as Winnipeg Transit begins to reduce services after seeing its ridership plummet. The reduced frequency of buses could lead some to use other options, he said. “We need a comprehensive (transportation) network that works for everybody,” he said. The association suggests that buses be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers in the affected curb lanes, but not travel through them. Swanson is lobbying for the lanes to be placed on key stretches of St. Mary’s Road, Osborne Street, Pembina Highway, Jefferson Avenue and Burrows Avenue, among many other typically well-used routes. The association also wants the city to reduce residential street speed limits and add traffic-calming measures near homes. Council’s public works chairperson said he’s discussed the association’s request with city staff but no decision has been made. “Before we go forward with something, we want to make sure to get it right,” said Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). The city will add some extra travel space for bikes and foot traffic in early May, limiting vehicle travel to one block between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily on five new routes. Allard said this will help ensure people can stay two metres apart, as health officials recommend. “This is a perfectly acceptable way to get your exercise while maintaining physical distancing requirements,” he said. Newly designated routes will be in place from May 5 until May 29 on Assiniboine Avenue (from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive), Churchill Drive (from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue), Egerton Road (from Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue), Kildonan Drive (from both Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent and Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place) and Kilkenny Drive (from Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive.) The city will also extend previously announced bicycle/active-transportation routes to May 29. Drivers will also see the road-construction season kick off next month, with about 200 planned projects. Meanwhile, the city is cancelling its spring giveaway weekend for residents to lay out items marked “free” at the curb for others to collect; it had been scheduled May 9-10. COVID-19 is spread by droplets that leave a person’s mouth when they cough or sneeze, which could fall on the “free” items and then infect someone picking them up, said Jason Shaw, Winnipeg’s assistant chief of emergency management. Shaw said he’s also concerned Winnipeggers would roam through neighbourhoods in search of free items, despite being urged to stay home as much as possible. “The giveaway weekend encourages a lot of people to get out and about,” he said. Winnipeggers also won’t be able to collect free city-made compost any time soon, since social distancing has created delays at the 4R depots. Instead, that program has been indefinitely postponed. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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