- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Green Action Centre's submission regarding proposed speed limit increases
by Beth McKechnie 27 Nov '12

27 Nov '12

Hi everyone, In the spirit of sharing, here's the letter that Green Action Centre is submitting to The Highway Traffic Board regarding the proposed speed limit increases on four-lane divided roadways. cheers, Beth

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30 km zones - Copenhagenize analysis
by Beth McKechnie 27 Nov '12

27 Nov '12

In the spirit of current discussions, here's some analysis [pdf attached] from Copenhagenize regarding the impact on pedestrians and cyclists of raising/decreasing posted speed limits. cheers, Beth

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BttF position against proposed higher speed limits
by Charles Feaver 27 Nov '12

27 Nov '12

Please find attached the policy position Bike to the Future will be presenting to the Highway Traffic Board hearing Tuesday opposing the raising of certain speed limits in the City of Winnipeg We are very concerned that higher speed limits on any residential or commercial streets would make those streets more dangerous and would put another barrier in the way of Manitobans choosing to make short trips on foot or by bike. Sign up to the Bike to the Future mailing list to be part of upcoming campaigns to push for lower speed limits and safer streets. http://biketothefuture.org/get-involved/email-list

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Oregon Scenic Bikeways --is something like this possible in Manitoba?
by Zdan, Terry (MIT) 26 Nov '12

26 Nov '12

Oregon's innovative Scenic Bikeways program offers the very best of Oregon's scenic, historic, natural and cultural experiences - from the seat of a bike. Learn more about the Oregon Scenic Bikeways program<http://rideoregonride.com/inspiration/scenic-bikeways/>. Oregon: The land of dreamers. And the land cyclists dream about. The concept of the Ride Oregon site emerged from the creative energy of hundreds of cyclists who gather each year for the Oregon Bike Summit<http://www.oregonbikesummit.com/> with the goal of making Oregon the premier cycling state. The need for a site like this was identified years ago, but in 2008 the #1 recreation and tourism strategy targeted at the Summit was to develop an online epicenter for information on cycling in Oregon, to continue progress toward making our state the best place in America to ride a bike. Travel Oregon is the agency charged with encouraging economic growth and enhancing the quality of life in Oregon by strengthening the economic impact of tourism throughout the state. The agency stepped up to the plate and brought the site to life between 2008 and 2009 with the help of a diverse and robust work group (see Partners<http://www.rideoregonride.com/partners/>) and a brilliant digital branding firm, Substance.<http://findsubstance.com/> What you find on this site is the result of years of exploring. Years of building. And years of dreaming. Thank you and regards Terry Zdan BA MEDes Policy & Service Development Manitoba Infrastructure & Transportation 1520 215 Garry Street Winnipeg MB R3C 3P3 P 204 945 7381 C 204 227 3724 E Terrry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca

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Fw: International Transport Forum recommends 12 ways for governments to make roads safer for pedestrians
by Zdan, Terry (MIT) 24 Nov '12

24 Nov '12

________________________________ From: Dr. Lane <dr.lane(a)shaw.ca> To: Zdan, Terry (MIT) Sent: Sat Nov 24 11:20:57 2012 Subject: International Transport Forum recommends 12 ways for governments to make roads safer for pedestrians http://www.greencarcongress.com/2012/11/itf-20121122.html Key recommendations of the report are: 1. Integrate the needs of pedestrians at the earliest stages of urban planning projects and transport investments. 2. Establish clear administrative responsibilities at all levels of government for coordination of initiatives to promote walking. 3. Improve knowledge about walking: Create a standardized methodology for measuring, reporting and monitoring pedestrian mobility. Create national pedestrian observatories and encourage international comparisons. 4. Treat public transport services as an integrated part of the development of new urban areas. This can support a shift towards higher-density, mixed-use walking and transit-oriented urban environments. 5. Give more space to non-motorized traffic in city centres: Provide easy, safe, well-maintained pedestrian access to public transport and city center destinations. Develop car-free areas, discourage over-use of cars in city centres, and prevent parking on pavements and pedestrian crossings. 6. Develop national pedestrian planning guidance for local administrations. Plans should routinely consider the impact of projects on pedestrians and cyclists. They should also include targets for future levels of walking. 7. Encourage employers to create incentives for employees to walk and cycle to work. 8. Adopt a “safe system” approach for the design of walking environments. (The “safe system” approach recognizes that road users make mistakes and requires road design to take account of this to reduce the risk of serious injury). 9. Implement traffic-calming zones and generalize 30 km/h zones (19 mph) in areas with high pedestrian activity. 10. Introduce high-quality road safety education in schools and local community centres. 11. Review current traffic codes to strengthen the legal and financial protection of pedestrians. 12. Commission more research to better understand mobility behavior and trends. http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?sf1=identifiers&st1=9789282103… Terry Zdan 126 Duncan Norrie Drive Winnipeg, MB R3P 2J9 204.488.8988

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AT Webinar: Data and Resources to Propel Local Walking Programs and Solutions - Thurs, Nov. 29, 1-2:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 23 Nov '12

23 Nov '12

Green Action Centre invites you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming America Trails webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion of local applications.* *Detailed description provided below. *Data and Resources to Propel Local Walking Programs and Solutions Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 | 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. CST* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! Please note that this is a free webinar, so you can also register individually if you prefer (https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/886842880) . cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * * * All Things Walking Webinar Series *Webinar Topic #1: Data and Resources to Propel Local Walking Programs and Solutions* ** ** *Have you wondered how to keep up with all the tools and data available for successful local walking initiatives?* This webinar, the "kickoff" of a new series, will provide you with in-depth information and resources to support your work at the state, tribal and local levels. *Presenters* - Tom Schmid, Sr. Evaluation Specialist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Physical Activity and Health Branch - Laura MacNeil, Planner II, Sam Schwartz Engineering - Scott Bricker, Executive Director, America Walks *Tom* will talk about how the CDC has a growing interest in promoting walking as a critical intervention to improving public health, their recent Vital Signs<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001kaXRK9MspmNDCEyxIqMYkILiFxmAMjWzyMnv43jzxwcA…> report that highlights encouraging trends in walking among adults, and exciting work that addresses walking. *Laura,* whose engineering firm partnered with America Walks to develop the new Steps to a Walkable Community Guide<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001kaXRK9MspmMb-eT7xnBe9FeMvMNQbBQmBlUifO6Xjuh9…>, will talk about the Guide and how to use this book and our "soon-to be-launched" on-line resource to develop strategies toward walkable communities. * * *Scott* will give an overview of how America Walks is working to develop multi-sector partnerships to advance walking initiatives. He'll also talk about our on-line technical resources, community Walking Action Network workshops, and give an update on our national campaign strategy.

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Metro Winnipeg: Winnipeg cyclists not sold on speed limit increases (Nov.20'12)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Nov '12

23 Nov '12

Winnipeg cyclists not sold on speed limit increasesBy Shane Gibson | Metro Winnipeg http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/447360/winnipeg-cyclists-not-sold-on-spee… While the province’s Highway Traffic Board considers increasing the speed limit on a number of Winnipeg streets a group of city cyclists who advocate for bike safety say not so fast. Bike to the Future executive director Mark Cohoe told Metro the group would meet Tuesday night to discuss the changes proposed for many four-lane divided streets in Winnipeg. “It’s really seems they haven’t thought about cyclists,” said Cohoe. “They are just thinking about how to get cars moving quicker but they have to put the context of all road users into consideration as well.” The Highway Traffic Board has reviewed all the existing 50-km/h four-lane divided roadways within the city and is considering increasing them to 60-km/h. Board chair Al Rivers explained the idea is to eliminate sections where speed limits suddenly change—which have become popular spots for cops to set up speed traps. “It’s just far too confusing,” said Rivers. “Our job is to make everything as consistent as possible, and when you do that the roadways become safer.” Among the dozens of roadways being considered for increases are University Crescent between Chancellor Matheson Road and Pembina Highway, Broadway between Osborne Street and Main Street and Moray Street between Portage Avenue and Ness Avenue. Cohoe is also worried about pedestrian safety on roadways like Waverly Street between Taylor Avenue and Grant Avenue that have residential houses on both sides. “It seems like they’ve gone with the decision that if a roadway is divided it automatically goes to a higher speed limit, and for some of the areas that doesn’t really make a lot of sense,” he said. The board has three public hearings planned for Nov. 27, Dec. 4, and Dec. 11 to go over the proposed changes with Winnipeggers, and Rivers said it’s too soon to say if or when limits will increase. *A breakdown of streets under consideration for speed limit increases in Winnipeg*: On *November 27/12* the Board will be hearing the following streets: - Dugald Road, between a point 400 metres east and west of Plessis Road; - Grant Avenue, between Kenaston Boulevard and Stafford Street - Pembina Highway, between Ducharme Avenue and the bridge crossing the La Salle River (also under consideration is increasing the speed zone from 60 km/h to 80 km/h between rue des Trappistes to south of Turnbull Drive and increase the 90 km/h to 100 km/h between Turnbull Drive and the City limit); - Waverley Street, between Taylor Avenue and Grant Avenue. On *December 4, 2012* the Board will be hearing the following streets: - Corydon Avenue, between Kelvin Boulevard and Cambridge Street; - Roblin Boulevard, between Haney Street and Wexford Street; - University Crescent, between Chancellor Matheson Road and Pembina Highway. On *December 11, 2012* the Board will be hearing the following streets: - Broadway, between Osborne Street and Main Street; - Memorial Boulevard/Colony Street/Balmoral Street, between Broadway and Qu’Appelle Avenue; - Isabel Street/Salter Street, between William Avenue and Stella Avenue; - Main Street, between Assiniboine Avenue and Manitoba Avenue; - Inkster Boulevard, between Lansdowne Avenue and Main Street; - Moray Street, between Portage Avenue and Ness Avenue; - Wellington Avenue, between the east limit of James Armstrong Richardson International Airport and St. James Street. Additional streets not yet advertised: - Kenaston Boulevard; - Taylor Avenue; - Provencher Boulevard.

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Winnipeg Open House - Manitoba Capital Region Transportation Master Plan
by Janice Lukes 21 Nov '12

21 Nov '12

Just off the phone with Chris Baker, MMM group. Chris is organizing the Manitoba Capital Region Transportation Master Plan consultations <http://www.manitobacapitalregion.ca/downloads/Newsletter-November2012.pdf> . Chris assured me the decision has been made to hold an Open House IN Winnipeg - Date and Location to be announced. Currently the three open houses being held are outside of Winnipeg but due to multiple requests - MMM Group will be holding one in Winnipeg. SEE THE SURVEY posted - please respond - there are multiple active transportation questions: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CRTMP located on this website: http://www.wmcrp.com/ thanks Janice Lukes

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Life in the curb lane
by Dave Elmore 21 Nov '12

21 Nov '12

This is a pretty interesting perspective of life on 2 wheels. Can’t agree with the reference to “hugging the curb” but it unfortunately what many cyclists believe to be safe. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/life-in-the-curb-lane-1798475… Life in the curb lane A grandmother spends a summer as a bike courier -- and lives to tell the tale By: Bev Watson Bev Watson learned an important lesson in her summer of cycling: Bike couriers don't cry. Bev Watson learned an important lesson in her summer of cycling: Bike couriers don't cry. The traffic on St. Mary's Road didn't seem as busy one morning as I neared Fermor Avenue to head back to the Exchange District. I can pedal at a fairly fast clip when my legs feel like it. I was making good time; I could feel the strength in my quadriceps, and I smiled. I was becoming quite proud of the shape my legs were in and how many miles they could take me on my bike. As I cruised along, I became aware of the roar of a loud engine coming up behind me. That sound seems to spark a "spidey-sense" in cyclists; it usually means a large vehicle is approaching, and you automatically double check to make sure you're hugging the curb. Turning my head slightly to the left, I could see out of the corner of my eye a large dump truck gaining on me at a good clip, but he moved to the left lane. Suddenly, a second dump truck was speeding up to pass him in the curb lane; he was at my side in a split second: engine roaring in my ears, wheels up to my shoulder spinning in a blur, passing me by a whisper. I screamed out loud. And then swore. Out loud. It's my third week as a bike courier. I'm 51 years old. And I'm a grandmother. If I could have caught up with that truck driver, who was probably my son's age or younger, he would have had some finger wagging like never before. What if it were his grandmother, I'd say. How would you feel if someone did that to her? I'd ask him. She could be horribly hurt or even dead, all because someone was in a hurry, I'd nag, shaking my finger in his face. I'm sure he would no more than roll his eyes and drive away shaking his head at the crazy old lady. I worked for Natural Cycle Courier for four months this summer. They deliver anywhere in the city, 12 months a year. They use no cars; larger items are towed behind the bike on a trailer. And they're all very young. I swear I have 10 years on their mothers. But they took me on, and I had a summer like no other. My new job as a bike courier opened my eyes to life in the curb lane. I've heard that cyclists are a nuisance. I've heard sneers at their "saving the environment" and their young, granola-thinking attitudes. I've heard comments that they ride bikes because they just can't afford cars. I know otherwise. We're young; we're old. We're rich; we're poor. We're fit; we're fat. We do indeed "save the environment" to some degree every time we don't use a car, but we do own cars. A few of us weave in and out of traffic; most of us follow the rules of the road, and don't like to be lumped into the same group as the weavers. We are horrified when another cyclist -- stranger or not -- is injured or killed on the streets. And we don't like the "you're just asking for it" responses that we hear. The cyclist you see every day throughout the city is a student saving money to get through university. She's a girl who wants to play her part in doing something "green." He's a janitor making a few extra dollars working as a courier. It's a business woman taking a hiatus for a summer to take her mind off things. It's a grandmother wanting to get into better shape. And none of us want to lose our lives for a dump truck in a hurry. In my four months of pedalling, I've been hit by two cars and wiped out three times. I've cut my knee, scraped my legs and bruised my hips. I've been yelled at: "Get on the sidewalk!" "Get off the sidewalk!" "You're in my lane," and "Get your fat ass off the road." I've discovered a real camaraderie between bike couriers and bike commuters alike. "Girl power!" yelled one cyclist with her long thick red hair flowing out from under her helmet. "Good for you!" calls out one man with a salt-and-pepper beard as he pedals along with his own deliveries. We talk about our bikes, we brag of miles travelled, and we share stories of those close calls. I grew to love the painted bike lanes on the downtown one-way streets. There's something about that solid white line embracing that large white bicycle decal that seems to keep vehicles at a safe distance from our handle bars. Diamond lanes create somewhat of a safe haven for us, even though we share the lane with the biggest vehicles out there -- the city buses. Transit drivers may get frustrated with our speed, but most are amazingly patient. Unpainted streets create a different feel for a cyclist; at times we get crowded out for being "in the car's lane." While some drivers give us no space at all and even speed up to pass, others give us such a wide berth that it causes a danger to cars in the neighbouring lanes. Just take your foot off the gas for a few seconds, squeeze to your left, and you'll be on your way, and so will we. I shake my head at the poorly thought out bike lanes over the Main Street Bridge. If I take the bike lanes within the cement barrier, they force me onto the sidewalk with no safe way to get back onto the road. If I stay on the road, drivers yell at me to get on the other side of the barrier. And the positioning of the southbound bike lane? Thousands of cars headed into St. Vital are forced down to one lane due to a barricaded bike lane that I can't get on to or off of when I'm cycling. This makes no sense for cyclists or for motorized vehicles. I've seen it from both sides of the barrier. You quickly learn of roadways in our city that are not bike friendly, or even worse: downright dangerous. St. Anne's Road in South St. Vital has manhole covers in cement four inches higher than the road's surface. At a minimum, that's a horribly bruised crotch. At its worst, it's a deadly wipe-out waiting to happen. In St. James, the streets are roughest right along the curb. Add that to the very narrow lanes in the congested area and the impatience of the drivers, and it becomes one of the most difficult areas for deliveries. Lagimodiere is simply off limits for cyclists. There's nowhere to go; no paved shoulders and no sidewalks as a safe alternative, legal or not. Travelling in gravel does not work. Just ask my front tire. In my desperation to meet a delivery deadline, I tried to travel along the side of Highway 59 when my tire sunk into the dirt and threw me down hard. My helmet-covered head hit the dirt just a few feet from the white lined edge of the road. My leg slammed into the gravel, the bike chain ripped my skin and the handlebars stabbed into my side. I got up, brushed the dirt off my bleeding leg and straightened out my handlebars, while tears welled up in my eyes. I remember thinking "bike couriers don't cry!" So I walked along the gravel with my beat up bike and hurting body; blinking away tears until I reached the next paved intersection. Then I climbed back on my bike, and cycled away. Making my delivery on time. Bev Watson is a 51-year-old grandmother who has recently hung up her helmet and parked her bike for the winter. She is now driving her car to her much safer office job. Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 18, 2012 A8

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WFP: 'Painful' limits reviewed - Manitoba Traffic Board slates public hearings on speed zones (Nov.20'12)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Nov '12

20 Nov '12

'Painful' limits reviewed Manitoba Traffic Board slates public hearings on speed zones By: Bill Redekop http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/painful-limits-reviewed-180094781.ht… There's a stretch of Pembina Highway just outside St. Norbert where there's nothing but open highway in front of you... and a 60-kilometre-per-hour speed limit. "It's painful" trying to keep to 60 km/h, said Todd Dube of WiseUp Winnipeg, who argues the limit should be 80 km/h. "There are horses on one side, a wide-open field on the other, and it's a divided highway." Dube and other Winnipeggers can have their say next week when the Manitoba Traffic Board opens public hearings on several four-lane divided streets where some people think the speed limits are too low and inconsistent with other speed limits. The Manitoba Traffic Board sets speed limits throughout Manitoba, including Winnipeg. The first public hearing is slated for Nov. 27 at 204-301 Weston St. starting at 10 a.m. Two of the disputed sections are on Pembina Highway in St. Norbert. Officials are studying whether to increase the speed limit from 60 km/h to 80 km/h on the aforementioned stretch from Rue des Trappistes to south of Turnbull Drive. It is also studying raising the speed from 50 to 60 km/h on Pembina Highway from north of Ducharme Avenue to south of the bridge crossing La Salle River. "It's long overdue" on both scores, said Dube. "We get calls from people from out of town and from the U.S. (driving into the city on Highway 75) who just can't believe the City of Winnipeg would allow this." Another generator of speeding tickets to be reviewed is a stretch along Dugald Road east and west of Plessis Road. The four-lane divided highway's speed limit is 70 km/h, then drops suddenly to 50 km/h for just 400 metres, then shoots back to 70 km/h. Police are often seen hiding in a forested yard with a radar gun at the start of the 50 km/h stretch. "That is so egregious. We got a call from an RCMP officer who was so outraged at getting a ticket there that she said she was going to fight it," Dube said. WiseUp considers the stretch along Grant Avenue between Kenaston Boulevard and Stafford Street as the worst area in terms of the high volume of photo-radar tickets it generates. A dispute over the accuracy of a photo-radar mobile unit on Grant near Nathaniel Street launched the anti-photo-radar group. Also being debated next week is increasing the speed limit on Waverley Street between Taylor and Grant avenues to 60 km/h. A proposal is also being made to increase the limit to 100 km/h from 90 km/h between a point 300 metres south of Turnbull Drive and the southern city limit. CAA Manitoba also thinks Winnipeg has some questionable speed limits on some four-lane divided roads. "We think (the review) is a really good thing," said Liz Peters, communications manager for CAA Manitoba. "There are some areas where it's been a long time coming, St. Norbert in particular. But even places like on Kenaston, there isn't much reason why the speed limit couldn't be raised a bit." That would improve traffic flow, she said. At the same time, CAA wonders how higher speed limits will mesh with current attempts to reduce speeds in school zones to 30 km/h. CAA is for some higher speed limits "as long as it's not in conflict with things like schools," Peters said. The review is "not just about motorists. It's pedestrians and cyclists and thinking of kids in school zones, too." The Manitoba Traffic Board will hold a second public hearing on Dec. 4 at the same time and place to discuss proposals to increase the speed limit from 50 to 60 km/h on the following streets: -- Corydon Avenue between Kelvin Boulevard and Cambridge Street. -- Roblin Boulevard between Haney and Wexford streets. -- University Crescent between Chancellor Matheson Road and Pembina Highway. Speed limits on Kenaston Boulevard, Taylor Avenue and Provencher Boulevard are already under review. bill.redekop(a)freepress.mb.ca

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