- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 (May25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/vancouver-looks… Vancouver is considering plans to repurpose 50 kilometres of roadway in an effort to create more space for restaurant patios and lines outside of businesses, as well as walking and cycling, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The so-called "slow streets" would have signs and barriers telling people to drive slowly and use the streets for local access only, the city said in a news release Monday. Its plans also include expediting the permitting process for outdoor patios that allow room to serve people while maintaining physical distancing requirements. The city said 12 kilometres of slow streets have already been installed and council will consider a motion asking staff to rush the repurposing of road space in more neighbourhoods across the city. Lon LaClaire, the general manager of city engineering services, said physical distancing will be in place for some time and more space is needed for people to safely go about daily activities, such as exercise or travel to work. "We also want to help people return to some of the things they really enjoy doing, like eating at a favourite restaurant, picking up items from local businesses or connecting with friends outdoors." The city will work with businesses and community partners to assess the needs for space while making sure streets and public spaces are safe and accessible, LaClaire said in the city's release. In Victoria, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Monday for a total of 161 fatalities among 2,530 cases in B.C. Gatherings will be limited to 50 people for now even as some COVID-19 restrictions are being loosened, said Henry, because any new outbreaks could affect vulnerable residents in long-term care homes. She said bigger gatherings would undo the gains B.C. has made to "flatten the curve" of the epidemic, while creating more work for public health employees doing time-consuming contact tracing. The public health officer's order establishing a maximum of 50 vehicles at drive-in events also stands, said Henry, adding that increasing that number would bring together more people who would likely not stay inside their vehicles. Henry said it's also dangerous to reopen long-term care facilities to visitors but health authorities are considering how that could be done when the time is right. Another wave of the pandemic may strike in the fall as respiratory illnesses such as flu make their seasonal appearance, so keeping the number of COVID-19 cases low through the summer is key, she said. Health Minister Adrian Dix said he understands and regularly hears about the consequences for families who can't visit their loved ones in care homes. "For the moment it is not possible to change those policies around visiting," he said. Dix said emergency-room visits around the province are going up, indicating people are starting to use them as they should. *This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020. *

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#KeepTransitMoving - May 28th Day of Action
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts. Join the national day of action for emergency transit funding! Thursday May 28. View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/052aaa232595/keeptransitmoving-may-28th-day-of-action?e=…> Day of Action: Emergency Transit Funding Essential workers -- like nurses, doctors and sanitation staff -- rely on transit to get to work. But public transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts and driver layoffs, because they depend mostly on fares for funding. Right now we need more service, not less, for safe physical distancing on transit! Join Functional Transit Winnipeg and organizations across Canada for the national day of action and share why public transit is important to you! Here's how you can join in: * 1) Sign the petition*: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 2) Save the date for May 28th* (click “going” on the Facebook event <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> ) * 3) Spread the word!* - Get your local community and organization on board! - Download promotional graphics here: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 4) On May 28th, share why public transit matters to you* - Download graphics from our toolkit and share on social media: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Take a selfie and explain why transit is important for you. Use the hashtag #keeptransitmoving <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> and tag your elected representatives on social media - Make phone calls to PM Trudeau and your local MP and provincial representatives - Find your MP here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search?province=MB <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Find your MLA here: https://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Voting/MyVotingInfo <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Sign the petition: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> Questions? Want to get more involved? Contact us at contact(a)functionaltransit.com <contact(a)functionaltransit.com?subject=Get%20Involved%20with%20%23KeepTransitMoving> [image: Twitter] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Facebook] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Website] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> *Copyright © 2020 Functional Transit Winnipeg, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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The pandemic is suburban – and it wants us back in our cars
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A less encouraging view; looking at the suburban situation:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-pandemic-is-s… the truth is that the big priority for cities as their citizens return to work in the next weeks and months is not going to be bicycles or pedestrians. Rather, it’s going to be a large-scale shift from public transit to private automobiles.And that’s because the people whose lives will change the most are not the fortunate downtown minority who can afford to live within a half-hour’s cycling distance of work and shopping and child care. We may dominate the conversation, but the biggest challenge involves the far larger number of employed citizens who live farther out and are too vulnerable or frightened to get back on their crowded buses or commuter trains.This is a pandemic of the suburbs. The places with the highest infection and death rates aren’t the big cities but the residential areas far outside them. Paris and Stockholm have seen relatively little infection, while their apartment suburbs have been badly hit. Even in New York City, the virus has largely spared Manhattan, but Queens and Long Island and especially bedroom communities such as New Rochelle and Rockland County have been devastated. It is the low-density places where death and fear have generally been the highest.That’s why automakers, despite a near-total collapse in sales in March and April, are surprisingly optimistic, their shares recovering. “We definitely do see a return to what I’ll call personal transportation and trust,” Volkswagen’s U.S. chief executive Scott Keogh told Bloomberg. Cars, he said, are being pitched as sources of public safety....Sent from my phone.

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Canada’s new normal begins in our cities
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A positive story on how cities can adapt:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canadas-new-normal-be… why we, alongside business and real estate leaders, urban planners, not-for-profit sector leaders, academics, and current and former politicians, have signed onto the 20 measures outlined in the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities. That manifesto provides a road map for how Canadian cities can immediately chart a future that is more affordable, sustainable and equitable, building on the thought leadership that has been produced around envisioning the world we’ll have when lockdowns are lifted and economic activity returns, and putting forward a specific,detailed course for immediate action in our cities. Among the proposed measures: permitting appropriately scaled multitenant housing, co-housing, laneway housing and other gentle density to flourish; accelerating the decarbonization of our transportation systems by transforming existing roadways for safe, active transportation such as walking and biking; and embracing sustainability in our built and natural environments, by enacting funded, detailed plans to achieve a 40-per-cent urban tree canopy in Canadian cities.....The full manifesto is at 2020declaration.caSent from my phone.

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Commuting Post-Pandemic: How to Nudge for Sustainable Commutes
by Mel Marginet 21 May '20

21 May '20

Greetings everyone, We're hosting a free webinar on May 27th about the impact of Covid-19 on commuting. Please help spread the word, and we hope you can join us! Registration here. <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/commuting-post-pandemic-how-to-nudge-for-sustai…> *COMMUTING POST-PANDEMIC: HOW TO NUDGE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUTESMobility is changing, let's make sure it is for the better.About this EventThe workplace commute has changed dramatically over the past two months. From the rise in telework, the fall of transit use and the explosion in bike sales, many opportunities and threats are on the horizon. The sustainable transportation team at Green Action Centre has collected some of the latest research on what is happening now, and how to encourage sustainable commuting as we re-open.This webinar is ideal for Commuter Challenge workplace coordinators, GoManitoba Subsite partners, and Human Resources professionals.Following the presentation, we will invite attendees to join in a discussion. Presented by the Sustainable Transportation team at Green Action Centre.* *Mel Marginet* | 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 x112 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> **Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few * *days to respond to you. * 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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CTV News: Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes (May21'20)
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '20

21 May '20

*Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes * https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/why-the-city-installed-video-cameras-along-acti… Winnipeggers may have noticed video cameras set up along active transportation routes in different areas of the city. A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg told CTV News that nine streets in the city have been designated as temporary active transportation routes to allow for recreational activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They said this allows pedestrians and cyclists to follow social distancing requirements. According to the City of Winnipeg website, these routes limit motor vehicle traffic to one block throughout the area between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The video cameras are counting to see how often these routes are getting used. The spokesperson said the city is collecting data at all nine sites. The video will be turned into numerical data to record the level of usage. These routes are in place until Friday, May 29. "The City will re-evaluate at the end of May to determine if the designations will be extended," the spokesperson said in a written statement. According to the city, video is often used instead of pneumatic traffic tubes when counting cyclists and pedestrians. Here is a list of the temporary bicycle and active transportation routes in Winnipeg: - Lyndale Drive - Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street - Scotia Street - Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue - Wellington Crescent - Academy Road (at Wellington Crescent) to Guelph Street - Wolseley Avenue - Raglan Road to Maryland Street - Assiniboine Avenue - Bedson Street to Westwood Drive - Churchill Drive - Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue - Egerton Road - Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue - Kildonan Drive - Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent & Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place - Kilkenny Drive - Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive

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Parking Flip Traffic Calming Animation release
by Anders Swanson 20 May '20

20 May '20

The AT-network might appreciate this. I made a little animation last night based on a conversation with traffic engineer Pekka Takhola. I added a challenge for people to name a street it would work on, the people who could make it happen and why: https://twitter.com/SwansonAnders/status/1263153980000964608 Reason for sharing: I believe it could work for most neighbourhoods build in Winnipeg prior to 1970 and be popular to boot (it gets bonus points for creating a couple community gardens just when we the world needs it) Its not a new idea, but I think it is a timely and simple one. Consider sharing. Thanks. -a

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WFP: Bicycle business booming (May20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 May '20

20 May '20

BICYCLE BUSINESS BOOMING Pandemic fuels surge in bike sales with some shops running out of stock https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/bicycle-business-booming-5706085… UNLIKE some retailers who are worrying about how to convince people to come back to the stores, bike shops are facing a whole other problem — running out of stock. Demand is not the problem. Bike shops that have been around for decades are experiencing something they have never seen before — people queuing up to get in. But some are worried about what they’ll have left to sell as the summer months kick in. The lineups are partly a result of the social-distancing regulations once customers are in the store, but demand for all things biking is spiking. Riding a bicycle sits in one of the few sweet spots in the world of COVID-19-enforced social distancing, but shop owners are having to deal with the extra pressures of keeping their workplace up to the new safety and health standards in addition to dealing with a surge in cycling enthusiasm. “I don’t think you can find many ladies bikes in the whole city,” said Brian Burke, longtime owner of Olympia Cycle & Ski on St. Mary’s Road. “I have sold out and reordered and then sold them out even before they arrived.” Like many other popular consumer goods, bicycle manufacturing has succumbed to the global supply chain that is now almost exclusively based in Asia. Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works, said: “It doesn’t matter if the bike is made in Taiwan or Bangladesh or Vietnam, most of the parts come from China.” Shipments of all things from China was disrupted months ago by the coronavirus lockdown that happened there first, and shipments have still not caught up. Coupled with the fact prime biking weather is now upon us, more people have more time to ride. That means shop owners are scrambling to deal with an unusual confluence of high demand, limited supply and a scenario where they can only have so many people in the stores at once. “I’m a little stressed,” Woodcock said. He said he prides himself and his store on being focused on customer service and now he’s forced to make people wait outside. Then there’s the added pressure of discouraging excessive window shopping, what with the lineups outside. Claude Brunel, owner of Lifesport on Henderson Highway, could barely stop to take a call from a reporter. “I can’t get bikes, that’s the problem,” he said. “All the bikes are made in China.” Woodcock, who acts as an adviser to a Chinese bicycle manufacturer, had a good perspective on market development early on and made the decision to stock up on supply, ordering more earlier in the year than he typically might. “There’s normally three major shipping windows,” he said. “We realized by the time the second and third shipping window came along vendors probably would not be able to supply us. So we took as many as we could to have them later if there was a shortage. Now we are starting to see those shortages.” But even with that kind of planning, Woodcock said they are still scrambling to keep bikes on the shop floor. Most shops are operating on reduced hours, and it may be just as well, because it gives them the chance to have mechanics in at night assembling bikes and also dealing with the overwhelming demand for repairs. “We’re getting bikes (to repair) that don’t look like they have been on the road for 20 years,” Woodcock said. At Olympia, Burke said he’s been hiring repair people who are working every night from 5 to 10 p.m. “We have adapted,” he said. “You have to adapt.” Walter Jozwiak, owner of Lifesport on Pembina Highway, said the supply crunch is unprecedented. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” he said. “I was saying to one of my staff, ‘what am I going to do two weeks from now?’” In addition to running out of women’s bikes, popular-priced models — between $500 and $800 — are what people are looking to buy. Many say the “exotic” bikes that can cost as much as $4,000 are not what people are looking to buy. “It is a problem for everybody in the industry,” Jozwiak said. “We didn’t realize the general population would need something to do and this is one of the few activities that they can do in a safe mode. That’s what’s happening.” martin.cash(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Pandemic presents obligation to change our world (May19'20)
by Beth McKechnie 19 May '20

19 May '20

Pandemic presents obligation to change our world https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/pandemic-presents-obliga… CRISIS creates opportunity and leverage for change. As governments prepare to make once-in-a-generation stimulus investments to fight a global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are faced with an opportunity, if not an obligation, to use it to change our world. We are faced with a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds, but we are not powerless against it. The choices we make today will create the tomorrow we live in. Our decisions must be guided by a vision for the future, holding every public dollar we spend up to the light and asking ourselves, what will this do today, and what will it do tomorrow? Changing our world doesn’t mean we need to start building wind turbines, autonomous vehicles and solar panel factories. The future can learn from the past. It can be simple, low-tech, but effective. There is an old, not-very-sexy machine that could be the key to making our cities more sustainable, more liveable, and more just — the humble bus. Public transit use has cratered during the pandemic, and it will likely be a lasting casualty. The only way to change that will be with high levels of investment to improve service and reduce crowding. The number of cars on Manitoba’s roads has already grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005. Congestion has increased, commutes are longer and today, half of Winnipeg’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicles. Imagine the social, environmental and economic impact if the 170,000 trips taken on transit every day were replaced with 170,000 more cars on our roads. We have an opportunity to use this crisis to redefine the perception of public transit in our city, not only to regain lost ridership but to increase it, by making transit more convenient, more comfortable and more frequent. Public transit may be an old idea, but it can modernize how we move around our city, reduce emissions, and even incentivize growth and investment through transit-oriented development. Until transit levels are restored, investing in a comprehensive active-transportation network that can be implemented quickly could be vital in providing access to employment, education and recreation. Because they use high amounts of labour and local materials, constructing bike-lane and sidewalk infrastructure has proven to create almost 50 per cent more jobs for every dollar invested, compared to car-only road projects. Active transportation could be an important short-term response to the pandemic crisis, and a legacy that transforms our urban mobility. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently proclaimed that the pandemic should result in a new golden age for cycling. It can do that here, too — if we build for it. Many are predicting that even after the pandemic is over, working from home might be a trend that continues, reducing the need for commercial office space. This could have a significant effect on the downtowns of Canadian cities, affecting housing demand, local restaurants and shops, and arts and entertainment venues already hit hard by the pandemic. Stimulus dollars targeted at downtown development could redefine the city centre and usher in a new era of residential urban growth. Investing in downtown development is another old idea. For many years, government programs have successfully encouraged downtown residential growth to drive urban renewal. These programs could be replicated quickly. A shining example of this success came in 2004, when the City of Winnipeg spent $9 million building Waterfront Drive. That investment is still leveraging private spending today; with two new projects soon beginning construction, it will have attracted more than $200 million in private development, creating almost 1,000 new homes. Tax increment financing (TIF) has also been used as a successful development driver in downtown Winnipeg. Using deferred taxes as the incentive instead of up-front spending, it could be an attractive strategy to promote economic growth for today’s cash-strapped governments. TIF programs have leveraged more than a billion dollars in private downtown development in Winnipeg, creating more than 2,700 new homes over 15 years. New TIF programs could be targeted to respond to important needs, such as affordable housing, helping to create neighbourhood diversity and addressing the fact that 21 per cent of Winnipeg households live in unaffordable housing, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. A prosperous downtown is a catalyst for foreign investment, tourism and immigration. It is also a source of civic pride, all of which might be particularly important as we negotiate the difficult economic times ahead. One important project that could capture the city’s imagination and redefine Winnipeg’s downtown is the Market Lands development on the site of the Public Safety Building, currently being demolished in the Exchange District. The first phase of the development will include a sparkling glass public market building and mixed-use affordable housing tower, targeting net-zero energy use, with several arts organizations establishing an urban creative campus on the bottom floors. As Waterfront Drive did 16 years ago, the dynamic first phase will create a new focal point downtown and be a catalyst to attract private development on the remainder of the site and beyond. It is estimated the development will leverage more than $100 million in private investment, create almost 1,500 person-years of employment, and return almost $26 million in provincial and federal taxes from construction alone. Accelerating visionary projects such as this and others with stimulus funding would create a lasting effect on the future of downtown and the city. Changing our world doesn’t mean reinventing it, and it doesn’t necessarily require futuristic ideas. Sometimes old ideas, such as investing in public transit, affordable housing and downtown development, or simply building a few sidewalks and bike lanes, can be all that’s needed to make the most effective change. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Commute Revolution - Free Webinar on Thursday, May 21
by Beth McKechnie 15 May '20

15 May '20

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Becky Alper <becky(a)moveminneapolis.org> Date: Fri, May 15, 2020 at 10:04 AM Hello TDM practitioners, Move Minneapolis is excited to invite you all to Commute Revolution 2020: A Seismic Approach to Transforming Transportation on Thursday, May 21 from 11am to 2pm CST. Massive changes to our transportation system were long overdue. With commuting routines upended and our economy in shambles we are forced to reckon with long-needed improvements to land use and infrastructure. Tune in to this free webinar as Move Minneapolis presents an amazing line-up of national thought leaders and local activists, each with a compelling take on how to build an equitable and sustainable post-pandemic transportation system. Full details and registration available at www.moveminneapolis.org/transportation-summit Here's a snapshot of the program (all times CST): 11:00 a.m. - Matthew Lewis, Director of Communications, California YIMBY 11:35 a.m. - Michael Kodransky, U.S. Director, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy 12:05 p.m. - Angie Schmitt, Author and former contributor, Streetsblog 12:20 p.m. - Adie Tomer, Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution 12:55 p.m. - Jarred Johnson, Director and COO, TransitMatters 1:25 p.m. - Alissa Walker, Urbanism Editor, Curbed Hope you can join us! ~Becky Outreach Director Move Minneapolis becky(a)moveminneapolis.org

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