- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Crosswalk cams eyed (Jan.25'14) & Metro Winnipeg: Wpg Police to study ped cameras (Jan.27'14)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jan '14

27 Jan '14

Crosswalk cams eyed Chief accepts proposal from councillor on concept By: Aldo Santin *http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crosswalk-cams-eyed-241935001.html <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crosswalk-cams-eyed-241935001.html>* WINNIPEG police will examine the feasibility of installing photo-radar-like cameras and other safety measures at pedestrian corridors. "We have to be open to look at anything that would improve safety for our citizens," Chief Devon Clunis said. The Winnipeg Police Board met Friday morning and agreed to the proposal from Coun. Ross Eadie to study measures to bring motorists into compliance with traffic laws. "Bad motorists are doing this all the time," Eadie (Mynarski) said. "They're blowing through pedestrian corridors because they know they can and they know it's against the law." The board instructed the WPS to look at all aspects of installing cameras, including possible locations, costs and benefits. The report will be brought back in 60 days. The WPS will also consider adopting other measures that will improve pedestrian safety and bring motorists into compliance. Eadie said he's pleased with the board's response and the willingness of Clunis to look into the issue. "This is an issue of police enforcement," Eadie said, adding he believes the most violations are occurring on busy regional routes, including Main Street and Pembina Highway. In Manitoba, motorists who fail to stop for a pedestrian at a pedestrian corridor face a fine of $175.30. Motorists can also be fined an additional $143.75 for passing another vehicle stopped for a pedestrian. Washington, D.C., is the only major municipality in North America with pedestrian cameras, having installed them in November at 16 crosswalks near schools and recreation centres. Clunis told the board installing similar cameras would likely require the approval of the province. Clunis said the WPS had already been looking at the issue of pedestrian safety and driver violations but was not prepared to release any results before a comprehensive report is brought back to the board. "In principle, it sounds like an excellent idea but... you have to look at the practicality of implementing it," Clunis said. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 25, 2014 B4 * * * * * Winnipeg police to study proposed pedestrian corridor cameras http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/920848/winnipeg-police-to-study-proposed-… A report on the feasibility of red-light-type cameras at pedestrian corridors will be delivered in 60 days, said Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis. “I’m looking at the impetus behind this, it’s about safety,” said Clunis following Friday’s Winnipeg Police Board meeting. Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) said the cameras are necessary because drivers are blowing through the crossings. As to how big the problem is, Clunis said the police’s admin will be checking their stats. “We need to go back and look, ‘OK, is this really a primary concern?,’” he added. “Certainly we know that at pedestrian corridors people have been killed in the past, and one death is one too many, but is it a very serious problem? We need to go back and look at that.” Coun. Scott Fielding (St. James-Brooklands), who chairs the police board and is known for his opposition to the photo radar program, said he’ll reserve his judgment until the police report is delivered. “My concern with the photo radar program in the past that it has been more about revenue than it has been about safety,” said Fielding. “(But) from my point of view, I think it doesn’t hurt to listen to ideas.” Should the pedestrian corridors cameras idea garner support, Chief Clunis said any implementation would require changes to provincial legislation.

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The City of Calgary - Bicycle Program Yearbook
by Beth McKechnie 25 Jan '14

25 Jan '14

The Bicycle Program Yearbook<http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Documents/cycling/cycle-yearbook.pdf> is a new tool to help measure, track and report progress on The City’s effort to improve conditions for cycling. The City of Calgary is one of only a few cities world-wide to have published this type of document, also known as a Bicycle Account. Bicycle Accounts are a recommended practice of the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Community Program. The Yearbook includes the most recent information on: - The many ways that bicyclists are counted - Tracking the number of bikeways built over the last decade - Photos and descriptions of new bikeway projects - Collision and safety trends - Summary of education and encouragement efforts A snapshot of bicycle data in the Yearbook<http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/TP/Pages/Cycling/The-Bicycle-Program-Y…>

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Montreal Gazette: Bixi files for bankruptcy protection (Jan20'14)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jan '14

22 Jan '14

[Sad news! Hopefully there's a solution to be found.] Bixi files for bankruptcy protection Service will roll in Montreal this year, Coderre says BY ANDY RIGA, GAZETTE TRANSPORTATION REPORTER JANUARY 20, 2014 http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Bixi+files+bankruptcy+protection/94… MONTREAL — Bixi was not supposed to cost them a cent but Montreal taxpayers could be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars, the city admitted Monday. The bike-sharing service's debt is almost $50 million. Citing Bixi's "grim financial portrait," Mayor Denis Coderre announced he had forced the city-controlled non-profit company to enter bankruptcy protection. Though he wants Bixi out of the international bike-sharing business, Coderre said he would like to see Bixi continue to roll in Montreal. "We will have Bixi in Montreal this summer," he said, noting many users have purchased memberships. Keeping Bixi operating in the city in 2014 could cost taxpayers a further $1.5 million. Coderre was less definitive about whether Montrealers will have access to bike-sharing beyond 2014. Bixi is unable to neither "meet its financial obligations nor find a viable short-term solution," Coderre said. That was causing "uncertainty regarding the possible recovery of the sums injected by the city." Bixi owes the city $31.6 million on a $37-million city loan. Montreal also guaranteed a line of credit on which Bixi owes $6.4 million. That means Montreal taxpayers could be stuck with a $38-million bill, though the city hopes a sale of the international part of the business will cut that amount. Bixi also owes its suppliers $9 million. In total, then, Bixi's total debt is at least $47 million. Bixi is also embroiled in multimillion-dollar lawsuits with a former software supplier. Montreal's auditor general had warned the city about Bixi's precarious situation. In September, Jacques Bergeron expressed "serious doubts about Bixi's ability to continue operations." At the time, the city denied Bixi was on the brink of bankruptcy. Bixi has operated Montreal's popular bike-sharing service since May 2009. Though backed by the city, the company has refused to make public basic information about its operations. For example, Bixi's 2012 financial statements have yet to be disclosed. For 2013, all Bixi would say is that it had 41,000 Montreal members and that it operated with a deficit of about $4.5 million. Coderre, who took power in November, promised his administration will "keep Montrealers informed about any new developments regarding Bixi." The mayor said "if Bixi can be saved," it is through bankruptcy protection, which will allow Bixi to restructure and give it time to sell its international arm. But Coderre admitted previous attempts to sell off that part of the business have failed. On Monday, he disclosed that for the second time, a potential buyer walked away from a deal after taking a closer look at Bixi's books. Under former mayor Gérald Tremblay's plan, devised in 2007, the sale of the Bixi system to other cities would completely finance bike-share operations in Montreal. It did not work out that way. Bixi was stymied by legal disputes, software glitches, upgrade delays and, most recently, by New York City and Chicago withholding payments, claiming Bixi was not fulfilling its end of the bargain. Since 2012, Bixi has been in a legal dispute with 8D Technologies, the Montreal firm that provided the software for initial Bixi stations. The dispute arose after 8D refused to sell all the rights to the software. Bixi hired a company to build software to replace 8D's in future systems. That software, initially plagued with bugs, is now used by several cities. The latest problems involve back-end software under development by Bixi. It is used by cities to track and analyze usage, among other things. Bixi admits it has been late in providing promised updates, angering New York and Chicago. Bixi chief executive Michel Philibert said Chicago owes Bixi $2.6 million. New York City owes $3 million. In addition, Alta Bicycle Share, the company that operates New York's service, has told Bixi it wants $11 million in damages for software delays. Such disputes are common in business. But Coderre said a city should not be involved in commercial enterprises. He called the international expansion "a mistake." The city "embarked on commercial operations that it should not have been involved in. ... It is not up to taxpayers to assume the financial risk involving a business plan." The opposition at city hall backed Coderre's move. Projet Montréal leader Richard Bergeron said when the dust settles, the system could end up costing taxpayers $25 million or more. He blamed wrong-headed decisions by the Tremblay administration, which shovelled money into Bixi to create an innovative system that would sell internationally. Instead, it should have focused on developing a basic, inexpensive system for Montreal. Bergeron said Montreal's transit authority, the Société de transport de Montréal, has already drawn up a contract that would see it take over Bixi's Montreal operations, though it wants nothing to do with the service's debt. Whether the STM or a private company runs the system, "Bixi will be in the streets in 2014 and there's no reason why it shouldn't be on the streets in 2015, 2016 and so on," Bergeron said. But "it will be a public service, as it should have been from the very beginning." That means an annual city subsidy, which Bergeron estimated would range from $1.5 million to $2 million. "That is not too much for such a service, with more or less 2 million trips a year," he said. "If you pay $1.5 million for 2 million trips, it's 75 cents per trip. That's perfectly acceptable and affordable." Bergeron compared Bixi to public transit: Bixi users pay a fee but not the full cost. The bankruptcy protection process gives Bixi an initial 30 days to restructure. That period can be extended for up to six months, the city said. Bixi employees 66 people. "No job losses are expected at this time," the city said. *BIXI BY THE NUMBERS* *$31.6 million:* Amount Bixi still owes the city of Montreal on $37-million loan. *$6.4 million:* Bixi line of credit, guaranteed by Montreal taxpayers. *$1.5 million:* Estimated amount it could cost the city to ensure Bixi service operates in Montreal this year. *$4.5 million: *Bixi's estimated deficit for 2013 (financial results have not been made public). *$9 million:* Amount Bixi owes to suppliers. *$3 million:* Overdue amount owed by New York City to Bixi. *$11 million:* Amount that Alta Bicycle Share, the company that operates New York's bike-share service, has told Bixi it wants in damages for software delays. *$2.3 million:* Overdue amount owed by Chicago to Bixi. That city, too, is unhappy with software delays. *37,000:* Number of Bixi bikes in operation around the world. *15:* Number of cities that have adopted Bixi, including London and New York. *5,000:* Number of Bixis on Montreal streets in 2013 <ariga(a)montrealgazette.com> <ariga(a)montrealgazette.com><ariga(a)montrealgazette.com><ariga(a)montrealgazette.com><ariga(a)montrealgazette.com><ariga(a)montrealgazette.com><ariga(a)montrealgazette.com> ariga(a)montrealgazette.com © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette BY ANDY RIGA, GAZETTE TRANSPORTATION REPORTER JANUARY 20, 2014

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Alternative signage on London Underground
by Jackie Avent (ASRTS) 22 Jan '14

22 Jan '14

Someone hacked the London Underground signage... If you need a morning smile to warm your bones, here's some persuasion... http://prosign.tumblr.com/post/33766157596/someone-has-made-fake-london-und… Enjoy! Jackie -- *Jackie Avent* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 *|* Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>

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List of Bike Share Programs Around the World
by Anders Swanson 21 Jan '14

21 Jan '14

*[ One more. Further to the two recent postings on bike sharing... Companies come and go all the time. Even banks. For anyone looking for a bit more context on the bankruptcy of one bike sharing company, consider the fact that there are now more than 535 the public bike sharing systems around the world and more opening every day. The amount since 2008 has more than doubled. See the link below, for example. Even more interestingly, bike share programs around the world are now starting to stay open all winter, see recent stories in New York, Denver and Chicago. - Anders ]* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bicycle_sharing_systems

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Guide to using policy to create bicycle friendly communities
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jan '14

21 Jan '14

Stumbled across this policy guide for bicycling that (at an initial glance) looks useful (US document). http://changelabsolutions.org/sites/default/files/Getting_the_Wheels_Rollin… cheers, Beth

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Toronto Star editorial: Urban sprawl is sickening, as well as ugly
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jan '14

20 Jan '14

Urban sprawl is sickening, as well as ugly: Editorial Urban sprawl is sickening, say researchers at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital, who found obesity and diabetes higher in suburban areas that discourage walking. http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/01/19/urban_sprawl_is_sicken… Published on Sun Jan 19 2014 Urban sprawl is ugly, inefficient and bad for the environment. It’s also – quite literally – sickening. The unhealthiness of spread-out, car-dependant neighbourhoods is clearly spelled out in a new study by St. Michael’s Hospital researchers. Urban planners, municipal leaders and city residents would be wise to pay close attention. Scientists from the hospital’s Centre for Research on Inner City Health found risk of obesity and diabetes was elevated<http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/01/15/more_obesity_diabetes_in_less_wa…>by as much as 33 per cent in suburban areas of Toronto with poor “walkability.” Simply put, the layout of a neighbourhood has a big impact on the health of the people who live in it. The findings were published this past week<http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0085295> in the online journal PLOS One. Older, downtown areas are more walking-friendly because they’re divided into shorter city blocks. There’s a higher population density, so residents aren’t as spread out. And there are more places to go (such as stores and services) within walking distance. In contrast, many outlying Toronto neighbourhoods don’t even have sidewalks. Furthermore, in contrast to sedentary suburbanites, people in walkable communities don’t just stroll more often, they also cycle and use public transit more frequently and are significantly less likely to drive. All that translates into solid health benefits. It’s important to note that other factors, beyond walkable neighbourhoods, do affect risk of obesity. Affluence and ethic origin play a big role too. And it’s possible that walking-friendly neighbourhoods don’t so much inspire residents to use their legs as attract people who were walkers in the first place. None of that should deter city planners and urban activists from pushing to cut sprawl and create walkable communities. Canada is facing an obesity epidemic. And rather than throw up their hands and lament that there’s not much that can be done, policy-makers can play an active role by promoting neighbourhoods specifically designed as healthier places to live. An emphasis on creating fewer single-family homes, and more multi-unit residential buildings, is fundamental. So are zoning initiatives aimed at developing more easy-to-walk-to mixed use areas, expanded public transit lines, and bicycle paths. Sidewalks would be nice, too. Discouraging driving and broadening opportunities for strolling, cycling, and using public transit don’t constitute a “war against the car,” as Mayor Rob Ford calls it, but part of a battle for better health. Urban sprawl is the real foe. And a determined effort is required in order to defeat it.

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Fwd: Four Reasons Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jan '14

16 Jan '14

Friend - It's easy to see that we're living in a changing country. The economy is rebounding after the biggest slowdown since the Great Depression. Americans are moving to cities in record numbers. And more and more people want to be in places where bicycling is easy and comfortable. City leaders and businesses are taking note of these trends. In response, they have discovered an unexpected tool to create opportunities in growing downtown economies: the protected bike lane. In our new report with PeopleForBikes, 15 business leaders explain how protected bike lanes benefit their companies. We break down the latest research to find out how these new lanes make an impact. Keep scrolling for a summary of the four biggest findings -- and click here to read the full report.<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> *1. Americans - especially young people - are driving less and biking more.* Employers say their headhunters get a competitive edge by locating in areas with great biking networks, so savvy companies are locating near protected bike lanes to attract and keep Millennials and Gen X-ers. *2. Americans are flocking to urban areas, congesting city streets and creating market demand for solutions that increase street flow without adding gridlock. * Studies show that homes near bicycle infrastructure appreciate in value more than equivalent houses away from bike lanes. *3. With health care costs at an all-time high, companies are scrambling to get more employees exercising regularly. * Newsflash: healthcare is expensive. Companies benefit when more employees find it pleasant to bike to the office, because workers who exercise regularly are less expensive to insure. *4. In shopping districts, the most valuable customers are those who stop by often. * People who shop by bike tend to buy less in a single visit, but stop by more often. When space is at a high premium, these regulars make for great customers. To learn more, check out the report: Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> . If you like what you see, will you help us spread the word by sharing it?<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001i4M3sOZNJUy-puZDH0qUeSY2pqfGe9zfyQusMWYJQZSq…> Thanks -- happy riding, walking, and transit-taking, Mary Lauran Hall Communications Director Alliance for Biking & Walking <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001fVXok0jsw3t7yu4AtMBC1w%3D%3…> <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=TEM_Basic_209> This email was sent to beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca by info(a)peoplepoweredmovement.org | Update Profile/Email Address<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001fVXok0jsw3t7yu4AtMBC1w%3D%3…> | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001fVXok0jsw3t7yu4AtMBC1w%3D%3…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. Alliance for Biking & Walking | PO Box 65150 | Washington | DC | 20035

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Indianapolis bike network built with philanthropic dollars...
by Jackie Avent (ASRTS) 16 Jan '14

16 Jan '14

Very interesting model! Jackie http://www.treehugger.com/cars/biggest-bicycling-infrastructure-achievement… -- *Jackie Avent* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3773 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/>

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Fwd: Let's bolster the BOLD discussion...
by Winter Cycling Congress 2014 15 Jan '14

15 Jan '14

[FYI. The focus of this discussion is walking, cycling and other modes of winter physical activity. See below.] ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alana Odegard <aodegard(a)winnipeg-chamber.com> Join the conversation and attend the Winnipeg Chamber’s BOLD Breakfast Wednesday, Jan. 22 | 7:30-9:00 am |Radisson Downtown Hear our panel talk about “Winterpeg” and some BOLD ideas on embracing an active winter lifestyle. Tickets: https://winnipegmbcoc.wliinc31.com/events/BOLD-Breakfast-Winterpeg-%28and-p… Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser<http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3a4a7e5892b132c1c2e330e81&id=41c2bcd691…> . <info(a)winnipeg-chamber.com?subject=BOLD%20Breakfast%20-%20Jan.%2022&body=Please%20register%20me%20for%20this%20event.> To register, please contact Marissa Schluter at (204) 944-8484 or info(a)winnipeg-chamber.com. * <http://www.winnipeg-chamber.com>* *Alana Odegard* Policy & Communications Manager The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce aodegard(a)winnipeg-chamber.com Office: (204) 944-3316 Cell: (204) 297-5703 [image: Description: cid:image001.png@01CEC981.B5FFFDE0]<http://www.winnipeg-chamber.com/>[image: Description: cid:image002.png@01CEC981.B5FFFDE0]<http://www.winnipeg-chamber.com/BOLD/> Confidentiality Warning: This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s), are confidential, and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any review, retransmission, conversion to hard copy, copying, circulation or other use of this message and any attachments is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, and delete this message and any attachments from your system. Thank you. *Winter Cycling Congress Winnipeg 2014 <http://wintercyclingcongresswinnipeg.org/>* *Feb 12-14, 2014* *Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada* [image: Inline image 1] phone: 1-204-797-1962 email. info(a)wintercyclingcongresswinnipeg.org facebook. /Wintercyclingcongresswinnipeg<http://facebook.com/Wintercyclingcongresswinnipeg> twitter. @wccwpg <http://twitter.com/wccwpg>. #wccwpg #wintercycling

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