- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

EVENT INVITATION: Saturday February 2nd: Lindsay's Cool Million
by Anders Swanson 28 Jan '13

28 Jan '13

Dear At Network, You are cordially invited to take part in an historic event. *This Saturday, February 2nd at 11:30 am<http://www.theforks.com/events/calendar-of-events/date:2013-02#event_1631_2…> *, Lindsay Gauld will be riding his *1 000 000th* kilometer as he rides down the frozen Rivertrail into the Forks port. There will be a celebration honoring this achievement (*this is the equivalent of riding around the world 25 times*). As part of the celebration, The Forks is hoping to have *1000 riders on their bikes in the Forks port* to welcome Lindsay as he rides in. For those of you who don't know who Lindsay is...well...he's gotta be Winnipeg's only former-Olympian-turned-successful-bikeshop-owner-turned-year-round-bike-courier. He's also been meticulously documenting his kilometers ridden from a young age. While certainly many of those "kilometers-biked" haven't strictly been "for transportation", many of them have been (he's a bike courier after all) and, more importantly, Lindsay has been inspiring people and demonstrating what's possible - rain or shine, snow or sleet, no matter what your age - for a long time. One million kilometers is an incredible achievement of incredible scale. IMO, Lindsay is also a rather nice fellow too! If you've never ridden in the winter before, this is also your chance: The River Trail provides a nice well-packed, safe place to try it. Consider it an ideal place for a Winter Bike to Work Day<http://winterbiketoworkday.org>or Ice it to Work Day practice run, a chance to test your fortitude for Actif Epica <http://actifepi.ca/> or an opportunity to add a few kilometers to your team's Jack Frost Challenge<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/bougeons-en-hiver/>tally. Whatever your reason, get out there. It took Lindsay a million 'clicks' to get here, so it's probably the least we could do! Hope you can make it. Please invite any and all who would like to be there at this historic event. The Forks has asked that you please twitter, facebook, email, write letters but most of all, show up on your bike on the 2nd. Sincerely, Anders Swanson Lindsay's Cool Million *When* Sat, February 2, 11:30am – 12:30pm GMT-06:00 *Where* The Foks Port *Who* (Guest list has been hidden at organizer's request)

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Take on The Jack Frost Challenge!
by Beth McKechnie 24 Jan '13

24 Jan '13

Hi everyone We would really appreciate if you could share the following with your networks and consider signing up your own team of your co-workers, friends or families! Event poster attached and also available online<http://greenactioncentre.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Bougeons_JackFrost_2…> . thanks, Beth ---------- *Registrations are now open for: Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/bougeons-en-hiver-the-jack-frost-challe…> !** * Frolic in the snow and celebrate winter Manitoba-style. *SIGN UP*<http://jf.macroelite.ca>your team of friends, co-workers or classmates to skate, bike, ski, snowshoe, run or walk a combined total of 130 km the week of *February 9-15, 2013*. Prizes and bragging rights up for grabs. Check out a few of the stories<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/stories-from-jack-frost-challenge-2012/>from last year! Bougeons en hiver: The Jack Frost Challenge is a Co-Actif Epica<http://actifepi.ca/>event. * * * * * *Vous pouvez maintenant vous inscrire à l'édition 2013 de * *« Bougeons en hiver : The Jack Frost Challenge !<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/bougeons-en-hiver-the-jack-frost-challe…>» * Amusez-vous dans la neige, tous en célébrant l’hiver manitobaine ! * Inscrivez-vous*<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/bougeons-en-hiver-the-jack-frost-challe…>en équipe avec vos collègues de travail, membres de famille, amis ou camarades de classe pour faire le patinage, la bicyclette, le ski, la raquette, la course ou la marche d’un total collectif de 130km sur une durée d’une semaine, du *9 au 15 février, 2013*. Courez la chance de gagner des prix et de vous mériter le droit de vous vanter! Lisez des histoires<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/stories-from-jack-frost-challenge-2012/>de nos participants de l'année dernière. Bougeons en hiver : The Jack Frost Challenge ! est un co-événement d’Actif Epica <http://actifepi.ca/>.

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Winnipeg ranks 6th in Walkscore's most walkable Canadian cities
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jan '13

23 Jan '13

Walk Score's latest top 10 ranks <http://www.walkscore.com/rankings/canada/>Canadian cities by walkability: 1. Vancouver (Walk Score: 78) 2. Toronto (Walk Score: 71) 3. Montreal (Walk Score: 70) 4. Mississauga (Walk Score: 59) 5. Ottawa (Walk Score: 54) 6. Winnipeg (Walk Score: 53) 7. Edmonton (Walk Score: 51) 8. Hamilton (Walk Score: 51) 9. Brampton (Walk Score: 48) 10. Calgary (Walk Score: 48) [source: http://www.treehugger.com/public-transportation/vancouver-crowned-most-walk… ] [ http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1103091/vancouver-toronto-and-montreal-top-… ] "The ratings were tabulated by the [WalkScore] app, which generates a score out of 100 based on the proximity of amenities like grocery stores, cafes and libraries. To achieve a city-wide score, the data was calculated by applying the score of each block then factoring in population density." [source and chart: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1318764--toronto-ranked-second-most… ]

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Call for Expressions of Interest and Qualifications | School Travel Planning Web App
by Anders Swanson 23 Jan '13

23 Jan '13

Hello, See the unique and exciting opportunity attached. Please forward to tech-savvy folks with a background in software development (and perhaps a penchant for active transportation) whom you think might be interested. Thank you, Anders Swanson Project Manager Active and Safe Routes to School Program | Green Action Centre 303 Portage Ave, 3rd Floor | Winnipeg, MB | R3B 2B4 c. 1-204-797-1962 | anders(a)greenactioncentre.ca

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Six creative options for the bridge plaza (see #2)
by Anders Swanson 21 Jan '13

21 Jan '13

source: http://metronews.ca/voices/urban-compass-winnipeg/517196/five-creative-opti… Six creative options for the bridge plaza January 20, 2013 ** *_______________* ** I never thought placing a Salisbury House on the Esplanade Riel was a great idea. Nothing against the restaurant chain, which serves reasonable food at a reasonable price, but the idea always seemed terribly uninspired. After all, there was nothing “reasonable” about building a restaurant plaza in the middle of a bridge in the first place. It was a bold, expensive gambit to create a unique attraction for our city, and filling the space with another outlet of an ordinary restaurant chain didn’t come close to achieving that goal. And while a reasonable argument could be made that the plaza never should have been built, reality is that it exists now, and with the Salisbury House lease ending, the city has an opportunity to pursue more creative ideas. So with that in mind, let’s explore a couple of options: *1. Pop-up retail/restaurant.* Winnipeg has been typically slow to adopt the worldwide trend of pop-up commercial spaces. However, a group of entrepreneurs will soon open a pop-up restaurant along the river trail, and if all goes well then that could spark new opportunities. Having a flexible space on the bridge available for short-term rent could help get more ideas off the ground, whether it’s seasonal food concepts, art exhibits or even major retailers who want to test the Winnipeg market (like what Lululemon recently did with its pop-up retail store in Regina). *2. Urban cycling centre.* Inspired by the Midtown Bike Center in Minneapolis (which has the exact same square footage), the bridge plaza could be converted into an all-purpose bike retail/rental/repair/storage outlet that could serve as a hub for community outreach activities for the city’s cycling community. And as an added bonus, the lack of an adjacent parking lot isn’t a concern for this group. *3. Ice cream/burger mecca.* For decades, Winnipeggers have been lining up at the BDI and Sargent Sundae for a chance to buy ice cream and walk across a bridge. Combine that idea with some classic White Top/Mrs. Mike’s/VJ’s-style burgers, and you’re guaranteed success … for at least six months of the year. *4. Event centre.* Given its unique location, it’s easy to imagine the bridge as a French-Canadian-themed bar during Festival du Voyageur, a venue with a view for Folklorama, a spot for swanky cocktail parties during fireworks shows at The Forks, or even a cool site for wedding photos and small receptions. *5. French restaurant.* The original idea when the bridge plaza was built a decade ago was for it to become a bistro or creperie that provides a culinary complement to the bridge’s physical connection between downtown and St. Boniface. Maybe now the city would be willing to provide more of an economic incentive (free rent? no business taxes?) to make it happen. *6. Winnipeg Jets… something.* I don’t even have an idea here, but put the logo of our most recognized team on our most recognized piece of architecture, and it’s certain to draw a crowd at any time during the year. News Worth Sharing: <http://metronews.ca/author/cfast/>By Colin Fast<http://metronews.ca/author/cfast/> Metro Winnipeg Connect with Colin

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WFP: Cyclists, drivers can't point fingers (Jan.19'13)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jan '13

19 Jan '13

Cyclists, drivers can't point fingers Collision data show both parties need to take better care on road By: Bruce Owen http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cyclists-drivers-cant-point-fingers-… It's time to call a truce in Winnipeg's war between cyclists and drivers. It turns out both are at fault for crashes, injuries and even cyclist fatalities during the past decade, according to data released by Manitoba Public Insurance. The continuing rate of collisions between bikes and vehicles is one reason Manitoba's Public Utilities Board told MPI late last year to put together a more comprehensive public education campaign on road safety and messaging to motorists regarding cyclists, such as giving cyclists one metre of space when passing them. "We're both to blame," said Dave Elmore, director of safety and education for the cyclist lobby group Bike to the Future. "There's equal fault on both sides. The numbers that we've had in the past from MPI really show that at least 50 per cent of cyclists are at fault for most of their own collisions." MPI's numbers from 2001-10 appear to back that up. MPI spokesman Brian Smiley said 13 cyclists were killed and 68 seriously injured in that period, and there were 2,144 less-serious injuries to cyclists. Almost 68 per cent of reported collisions happened at intersections, as did 61 per cent of the 13 fatalities. In 63 per cent of those collisions, the cyclist was pedalling straight ahead and 20 per cent of the vehicles involved were turning right, meaning the driver likely turned into the cyclist without shoulder-checking. Of the cyclists in a collision with a motor vehicle: -- 10 per cent reported they were distracted or confused; -- 4.3 per cent failed to yield the right-of-way; -- three per cent disobeyed a traffic-control device. Of the motor vehicle drivers in a collision with a cyclist: -- 4.1 per cent said they were distracted; -- 4.8 per cent failed to yield the right-of-way; -- 1.1 per cent were speeding. "Everyone is expected to share the road," Smiley said. "Cyclists are entitled to be on the road. They are also expected to observe the rules of road, meaning stopping at stop signs, observing traffic lights and yielding when appropriate. Vehicles are also expected to share the road with cyclists." The numbers were compiled from claims filed with MPI. City police do not record these statistics. Elmore said the numbers he has show there is an overall downward trend in the number of car-cyclist collisions in the past decade, but that the numbers have edged up in the past two years. "I think that's really a result of the fact that we have more and more cyclists on the road these days, and fewer of them actually understand how they should be behaving on the road," he said. "In some cases, they don't possess the skills, and in some cases, they don't have the knowledge and understanding. "It's easy for drivers to point to cyclists who shoot through red lights and at stop signs, but they're by far the minority of cyclists. And the same holds true for cyclists, who say that drivers speed and also roll through stop signs." What's needed is a more rigorous public education campaign on cyclist safety, run by MPI and the province, as dedicated bike lanes on streets are slow in coming and costly. "People believe that there's this war between cyclists and drivers, but ultimately, I don't believe it's a war," Elmore said. "I think that really it's just a misunderstanding and it's created because of the knowledge gap. There's a huge gap in knowledge on both sides of the coin. Education is unfortunately overlooked as a solution." Smiley said MPI has met with cyclist groups to rework the information MPI gives to the public in brochures and on the Crown corporation's website. He said the worst months for cyclist fatalities are June and July, with 23 per cent of such deaths happening in those two months. June and July were also the worst months for injuries. No cyclist deaths were recorded in December, January and February. The worst day of the week for cyclist-car collisions is Wednesday, with 18 per cent recorded, and the worst time of day is the 3 p.m.-to-6 p.m. rush hour, during which 30 per cent of such crashes occurred. Smiley said 90 per cent of all bicycle-vehicle mishaps were reported, and 10 per cent were classified as hit-and-runs. *bruce.owen(a)freepress.mb.ca* ** *To avoid it, you have to see it* EVER wonder why motor-vehicle drivers don't see the person on the bicycle until the last second, if at all? It's not so much because they're not paying attention, it's because the human brain can only process the images the eyes see directly in front of them, not what's around them. It's another way of saying your eyes weren't designed for driving. Your peripheral vision is only as good as the size of the object approaching you from the side, such as a truck. Your peripheral vision would not necessarily pick up a cyclist, especially when lost momentarily in the blind spot of a car-door pillar. The lesson here is drivers should always look right and left at least twice before going into an intersection. It also means fully turning your head so your brain processes what your eyes see. For cyclists, it means wearing high-contrast clothing so they can be seen. Flashing lights front and back are a must at dusk and during the night. It also means not only looking at vehicles around you, but at the drivers. If a driver doesn't appear to notice you, or worse, is on a cellphone, play it safe and assume you have not been seen. Also be predictable in your riding. "A lot of people look at it like it's that old expression, 'it's just like riding a bike.' That's not true," said Dave Elmore, director of safety and education for Bike to the Future. "That's balancing a bike. Riding a bike in traffic is a totally different world." *For more information, go to www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists* Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 19, 2013 A4

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AT webinar: Basics of Bicycle Parking, Wed, Jan.23, 2-3 pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 17 Jan '13

17 Jan '13

Green Action Centre and Stantec Consulting invite you to join us for a local viewing of the first of four APBP webinars on bicycle parking. It takes place at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications.* *APBP strongly recommends viewing this first webinar as a prerequisite to others in the bicycle parking series. *Basics of Bicycle Parking Wed, Jan. 23, 2013 | 2:00-3:00 pm CST* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * * * The Basics of Bicycle Parking APBP presents a series of four webinars that covers all aspects of bicycle parking. The first session reviews some of the basic principles of accommodating bicycles in both public and institutional environments. We will review types of parking in current use for both short and long term parking, and describe the conditions and constraints which guide selection of parking strategies and equipment. The session will look globally at the organization of the APBP Bicycle Parking Guidelines and preview the following sessions. Topics include core concepts, rack design and features, site planning and innovations. Who should attend? Municipal staff, transit agency staff, managers of educational, corporate and healthcare campuses, and members of Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPACs), as well as elected officials and staff of bicycle advocacy organizations. Both the experienced agency manager and those new to developing bicycle parking solutions will benefit. *For future dates and topics in the Bicycle Parking Webinar series, see: * http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/apbp-bicycle-parking-webinar-series/

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FW: Active Transportation - Request for Documents
by Kristine Hayward 16 Jan '13

16 Jan '13

Hi AT folks - see below the request from the Leisure Information Network (LIN) for additional resources on Active Transportation. Kristine Hayward in motion Coordinator 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 940-1676 Cell 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion Sign up to receive updates from Winnipeg in motion @ http://www.winnipeginmotion.ca/signup/ <http://www.winnipeginmotion.ca/signup/> PLEASE NOTE THAT WE HAVE MOVED (MAY 5, 2012) - our mailing address and fax number has changed. From: LINNEWS [mailto:acroxford@lin.ca] Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 1:01 PM To: Kristine Hayward Subject: Active Transportation - Request for Documents <http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?t=1112166007465.0.1101653690364.795&ts=S0859& o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif> LINNews Banner<http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs074/1101653690364/img/20.png> Find us on Facebook Find LIN on Facebook <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019cgJmpIvtKzwel6kNElk0pFN5rJRxUkDS4tQbhmE I8H42xaRE8tkdJyLffX7fMVrjCF4sYischyFm8J9yBUYibfBVhF3akuKFYzVbplPX7FVWRtG Ctt8xCIBDnuwopNLkjjCd2VvuDzoiR9IVtSkOIjQvrv7I1HN2gr-GEuAv946gkJsNP2widGK NEYMyuuEDw6Gw5Nnrn_p_DF_c0fhS9QOvnaiDO_C> LIN maintains a database of all messages sent out on LINNEWS and most of the responses. You can search it at any time by going to: http://www.lin.ca/index.cfm?fa=resource.linnews <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019cgJmpIvtKwJcSBJeYtRwpbFY0c6dzS01zIBJeYs lePaMvGsBU3Xe2L2qVWa8SkYInjcvQshmwPWGDWYBhrGoUmQMBNF_ILRtI0Aev1dJ1noqiKN g1gW5fTZD_Vi3iUU0PW6gQzLrTM3XXUDZXDVHQ==> To help us, please make sure that your replies to messages are copied to archive(a)lin.ca <mailto:archive@lin.ca> (there will be a reminder on every message we send.) To post a message to this listserv, address your email to linnews(a)lin.ca Active Transportation Request for Documents for the National Recreation Database Happy New Year everyone In our recent survey on the National Recreation Database, the vast majority of respondents said they would submit documents to the database, if they were asked for specific items... so now we're asking! Many specific examples were given and we will be making requests on a regular basis. Those who submit documents will have their names entered in a draw for prizes at the end of the year (we don't know what the prizes will be yet, but we're working on finding some really good ones). This week we're looking for active transportation plans, research, policies etc., so if your organization has anything like this, please take a few minutes to send them along. You can send us the full document, or a link to something on your own website (if you think it will remain there permanently). Let's see how quickly we can make the database grow in 2013! By the way, you can see a report on the survey results on our home page: www.lin.ca <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=0019cgJmpIvtKyOz8cXoAiUjuhmtowvKb036tn2PYxR BlbW1KIqE46ieaBTDNlGvZ_kwDzfAxmJqdsg_kv4puqgLu_vgzqu9df1F1k_bQSsYGI=> Forward email <http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=74r994bab&m=1101653690364 &ea=khayward%40wrha.mb.ca&a=1112166007465> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001ytzJgXCdPi6eNDPx28rAn dQIGyfgIfxy&t=001Ej9Ta588qOPUr0htbZk9bA%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=74r994bab> This email was sent to khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca by acroxford(a)lin.ca | Update Profile/Email Address <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&mse=001ytzJgXCdPi6eNDPx28rAn dQIGyfgIfxy&t=001Ej9Ta588qOPUr0htbZk9bA%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=74r994bab> | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001ytzJgXCdPi6eNDPx28rAn dQIGyfgIfxy&t=001Ej9Ta588qOPUr0htbZk9bA%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001y5KaVlBn7_Y%3D&llr=74r994bab> (tm) | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp> . Leisure Information Network | 1 Concorde Gate, Suite 302 | Suite 502 | Toronto | ON | M3C 3N6 | Canada 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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U.S. Federal Safe Routes to School Program reduces child injuries by more than 40 percent in New York City
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jan '13

16 Jan '13

[Sold evidence of the positive impacts of the Safe Routes to School program. If you're not aware of the program in Manitoba, check it out here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/program/asrts/>. Thanks to Terry Zdan for sharing! -cheers, Beth] U.S. Federal Safe Routes to School Program Reduces Child Injuries by More Than 40 Percent in New York City http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130114092702.htm Jan. 14, 2013 — The national Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program was funded by Congress in 2005 in an effort to create safe environments for American children to walk or bike to school. Has the program been effective? In New York City, most definitely, according to a new study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health that evaluated the program here. Researchers found that the annual rate of injury to school-age pedestrians ages 5-19 fell 44% during the peak times for walking to school, in neighborhoods where the program was implemented. Significantly, the injury rate did not drop in parts of the city where the SRTS safety program was not in place. Findings of the report are published online in *Pediatrics*. The researchers analyzed motor vehicle crash data for 169,000 pedestrian injuries between 2001 and 2010 for different age groups and neighborhoods with and without SRTS interventions to assess the program's effectiveness. Interventions for reducing pedestrian injury included new traffic and pedestrian signals, the addition of exclusive pedestrian crossing times, speed bumps, speed boards, high-visibility crosswalks, and new parking regulations. More than 120 NYC schools were selected by the NYC Department of Transportation for the interventions because they had the highest rates of pedestrian injury. The researchers created a school-travel time indicator variable to further identify crashes that occurred during days and hours when school-aged children would be traveling to or from school. This time period was defined as 7 AM to 9 AM or 2 PM to 4 PM, Monday through Friday between September and June. "Our data show that interventions to make the built environment safer can greatly reduce injuries to children as they walk to school," says the lead author of the study, Charles DiMaggio, PhD, associate professor of Epidemiology and research director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention at Columbia. The Safe Routes to School program was funded through 2012, and is now in place in all 50 states at approximately 10% of elementary and secondary schools. Under the current federal transportation bill, MAP-21, the Safe Routes program will no longer have dedicated funding. It is now one of a number of possible programs eligible for funding based on state and local priorities, making it "even more important to evaluate and demonstrate the effectiveness of programs like Safe Routes to School," according to Dr. DiMaggio. "Our study provides compelling empirical evidence that is essential to guiding policy makers," says senior author Guohua Li, MD, DrPH, Mailman School professor of Epidemiology and Anesthesiology and director of the Center for Injury Epidemiology and Prevention. "It indicates that the Safe Routes to School program has made a marked difference in improving the safety of school-age children in New York City."

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WFP: Lower speeds on residential streets rejected (Jan.12'13)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jan '13

12 Jan '13

Lower speeds on residential streets rejected By: Jen Skerritt http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/lower-speeds-on-residential-streets-… A city committee decided to put the brakes on a call to reduce speeds on Winnipeg's residential streets. On Friday, council's public works committee rejected a push to do a further study on the issue. An administration report released earlier this week examined whether Winnipeg should reduce the residential-street speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h to improve safety, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. The report said many studies conducted throughout North America have shown driver speed is affected by the road, not speed-limit signs. Other cities that have lowered the speed limit on some residential streets, including Montreal and Edmonton, did not see a significant drop in the average speeds, according to the report. It said some drivers will follow the lower speed limit but others will ignore it, which may increase the potential for collisions between slower and faster drivers. The report recommended Winnipeg not move ahead with proposed speed-limit changes. Several councillors said they were disappointed by the report's conclusions. River Heights Coun. John Orlikow said to refuse to calm traffic on residential streets is a "tragic mistake." On Friday, health officials, cycling advocates and politicians told council's public works committee to further review how the city could reduce driver speeds and improve road safety. Winnipeg Regional Health Authority medical officer of health Dr. Sande Harlos said reducing speed is key for lowering the risk of serious injury for pedestrians and cyclists, noting speed is a factor in 25 per cent of all fatal collisions. But Harlos told the committee lowering speed limits alone is not the most effective strategy, and she urged the city to consider combining it with enforcement, public education and other ways to calm traffic. She said the report did not include statistics from other cities that have seen significant reductions in injuries and fatalities after lowering speed limits, including those in Norway that saw a 45 per cent drop in fatal crashes. "It's the least we could do," Harlos said of lowering the speed limit in residential areas. "When it comes to the health of the public, we should be doing the best we could do, so I think we could do more than that." Public works director Brad Sacher said lowering the speed limit to 40 km/h alone will not reduce vehicle speeds, as drivers typically use other factors, such as the number of pedestrians and the width of the road, to determine how fast they should drive. Sacher said Winnipeg has not had a widespread problem of residential collisions, and the city continues to investigate ways to cut drivers' speeds in problem areas, such as with traffic-calming circles or speed bumps. The committee decided against further study of the subject and voted against reducing the residential speed limit to 40 km/h. Public works chairman Coun. Dan Vandal (St. Boniface) said the bulk of reported vehicle collisions occur on regional streets, and he's more concerned about a provincial initiative to raise the speed limit on roadways such as Provencher Boulevard. Coun. Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre) initiated the push for lower speeds and said the committee should have consulted the public before voting on the issue. Smith said he plans to meet with Harlos and bring forward another motion on road safety. "To me, it's just saying status quo and we don't care," he said. jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca How bad is that crash? Medical experts say when a pedestrian gets hit by a car, speed can make a huge difference in the severity of injuries. - Injuries sustained in a 50 km/h collision are equivalent to falling from a three-storey building. - Injuries sustained from a 75 km/h crash are equivalent to falling from a seven-storey building. - Injuries sustained from a 100 km/h crash are equivalent to falling from a 12-storey building. Likelihood of surviving a crash: - At 30 km/h, five per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle will die. - At 40 km/h, 25 per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle will die. - At 50 km/h, 55 per cent of pedestrians struck by a vehicle will die. *-- source: Putting the Brakes on Speed / Bike to the Future*

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