- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Dutch study: Bike commuters can save employers 27 million euros in absenteeism
by Beth McKechnie 02 Apr '09

02 Apr '09

[Snipped from The National Center for Bicycling & Walking's newsletter CenterLines, Issue 224, April 1'09] BIKE COMMUTERS CAN SAVE EMPLOYERS 27M EUROS IN ABSENTEEISM According to a Jan. 26th TNO article, "Employees who cycle regularly to work are less frequently ill, with on average more than one day per year less absenteeism than colleagues who do not cycle to work. If employers in the Netherlands were to encourage employees to cycle to work more, annual savings could reach 27 million euros." Download the 2-page summary at: http://www.tno.nl/downloads/reduced_sickness_absence_kvl_l_09_02_978Em_laag… -cheers, Beth Green Commuting Initiatives Resource Conservation Manitoba www.resourceconservation.mb.ca www.LivingGreenLivingWell.ca

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New resource: A Resident's Guide to Creating Safe and Walkable Communities (U.S.)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Apr '09

02 Apr '09

[Snipped from: http://www.walkinginfo.org/library/details.cfm?id=4163] A Resident's Guide to Creating Safe and Walkable Communities includes information, ideas, success stories, and resources to help neighborhood residents learn about issues that affect walking conditions; find ways to address or prevent these problems; and promote pedestrian safety. The Guide also contains fact sheets, worksheets, and sample materials that can be distributed or adapted to meet the needs of a community. The guide contains 5 major sections: 1.. Chapter 1: How can I identify problems with walking conditions in my neighborhood? 2.. Chapter 2: Who can help me make my neighborhood a safer place to walk? 3.. Chapter 3: How can the safety of my neighborhood be improved? 4.. Chapter 4: I need more information! 5.. Resource Materials Download the entire guide or sections at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/ped/ped_walkguide/ cheers, Beth Green Commuting Initiatives Resource Conservation Manitoba www.resourceconservation.mb.ca www.LivingGreenLivingWell.ca

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BRT and Bicycle Lanes
by David Wieser 31 Mar '09

31 Mar '09

This is another terrific streetfilm that was just added. This film is about the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Curitiba, Brazil. http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/curitibas-brt/ They talk about the use of bike lanes in that they omitted them in the original design and are now incorporating bicycles in the planning of new BRT lines. Perhaps the City of Winnipeg should pay attention to Curitiba's city planners and ensure an Active Transportation corridor is included in the entire route out to the U of Manitoba. David Wieser

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CBC News: Transit use associated with better fitness, say Canadian Researchers (Mar.27'09)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Mar '09

30 Mar '09

Transit use associated with better fitness, say Canadian researchers http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/27/transit.html Last Updated: Friday, March 27, 2009 | 11:12 AM ET People who use public transit are three times more likely to meet fitness guidelines than those who don't, say researchers at the University of British Columbia. That conclusion comes from an examination of telephone travel surveys from metropolitan Atlanta, Ga., showing transit riders met requirements by walking to and from stops. Researchers used the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada's suggested daily minimum of physical activity of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day, five days a week. The survey also suggests the more people drove their cars, the less likely they were to get their 30 minutes of daily physical activity. "The idea of needing to go to the gym to get your daily dose of exercise is a misperception," associate professor Lawrence Frank, who teaches community and regional planning, said in a release. "These short walks throughout our day are historically how we have gotten our activity. "Unfortunately, we've engineered this activity out of our daily lives." The report, published in the current Journal of Public Health Policy, does not examine motivation, but its authors suggest some possibilities. "Whether these results may be caused by transit users' preference for an active lifestyle, travel constraints, or choice of residential location warrants further analysis," they write. The researchers conclude that making transit incentives more broadly available may produce indirect health benefits by getting people walking, even if it's just in short bouts. The survey was based on interviews with 18,326 people who were asked to keep diaries of their modes of travel over the course of two consecutive days in 2001 and 2002.

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Active Transportation - Canada: March 21, 2009
by Beth McKechnie 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes To: undisclosed recipients: Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:23 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: March 21, 2009 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. The following items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** AT Infrastructure Example: Bike Ramps on Stairs 1.. Press Release - US: 'Complete Streets' Bill Introduced to Help Americans Save on Transportation Costs, Cut Congestion 2.. Video - Bicycle Counters in Vanacouver 3.. Report - Creating Walkable and Transit-Supportive Communities in Halton 4.. Ontarians Walking NOW: Pickpockets, Placemakers, and Planning 5.. Article - The secret Canadian exercise weapon: Walking 6.. Article - Edmonton cyclists to lobby for $100M bike plan 7.. Article - Bike, sidewalk plans get support 8.. Article - Active Transportation Plan Being Developed 9.. Article - City plans to get active at last 10.. Article - Plateau unveils plan to ease congestion 11.. Article - US: Traffic, safety committee scrutinizes Portsmouth's skateboard ordinance 12.. Article - In Markham, the dream of an urban village that never was 13.. Study - Walk 100 Steps a Minute for 'Moderate' Exercise 14.. Article - The benefits of walking around your neighborhood 15.. Article - US: Salt Lake City plans for bicycle transit station **************************************************************************************************** A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

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Job posting: Centre for Sustainable Transportation
by Beth McKechnie 24 Mar '09

24 Mar '09

Employment opportunity: The Centre for Sustainable Transportation FYI: Attached is a job posting with CST. Please pass it along if you know someone who might like the work. --------------------------------------------------------------- Marika Olynyk Researcher The Centre for Sustainable Transportation at The University of Winnipeg (204) 982-1152 m.olynyk(a)uwinnipeg.ca

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March 25th webinar: Bike Lanes, On-Street Parking and Business
by Beth McKechnie 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

---------- Forwarded Message ----------- From: Jackie Avent <co-chair2(a)biketothefuture.org> Hi Folks, Just a reminder that Bike to the Future is hosting this webinar in the Eco-Centre boardroom (3rd Floor, 303 Portage Avenue) at 1:30 pm on Wednesday, March 25th. Please spread the word to folks from the various Biz's, your interested colleagues, and other listserves you know about. There is space for about 25 people. Thanks! Jackie EVIDENCE SHOWS BIKE LANES ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS * Upcoming webinar: March 25, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. CST Is your community considering investing in its public realm through an improved pedestrian environment or increasing transportation options through the installation of on-road bike lanes? Often, such proposals involve removing some on-street parking and are met with opposition from merchants who fear that the reallocation of road space would hurt business. A recent study in Toronto found that contrary to common public perception, the evidence shows that removing on-street parking to install a bicycle lane or widened sidewalk would likely increase not decrease commercial activity. The study conducted in July of 2008 surveyed the opinions and preferences of merchants and patrons on Bloor Street and analyzed parking usage data in the Annex area. Among the studys findings: · Only 10% of patrons drive to Bloor-Annex neighbourhood; · Even during peak periods no more than about 80% of parking spaces are paid for; · Patrons arriving by foot and bicycle visit the most often and spend the most money per month; · There are more merchants who believe that a bike lane or widened sidewalk would increase business than think would reduce it; · The reduction in on-street parking supply from a bike lane or widened sidewalk could be accommodated in the areas off-street municipal parking lots. The Clean Air Partnership is pleased to invite you to participate in a webinar profiling the findings of the study, the tools and methodology used and a discussion on how a similar study could be conducted in your community. The findings of this study will also be presented in May at Velo-City 2009 in Brussels the worlds largest conference devoted to bicycling. Date: March 25th, 2009 Time: 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time Host: The Clean Air Partnership Presenter: Fred Sztabinski The studys lead researcher is an urban planning and policy researcher currently based in Amsterdam. Prior to this, Fred worked as the Project Coordinator and Active Transportation Researcher for the Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation and the Clean Air Partnership. Fred has a Masters in Planning from the University of Toronto. Fred's previous work experience, including time spent with the provincial government, the transit industry, and a transportation demand management association, has consistently aimed at raising the profile of more sustainable modes of transportation and promoting travel choice alternatives to the private car. To read the study report please click here. Support has been provided by a grant from the Toronto Community Foundation. The Clean Air Partnership would also like to thank Transport Canada and the City of Toronto for their generous support. ------- End of Forwarded Message -------

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2009 Wpg Bike Map Preview - Tues, Mar. 24, 5-7 p.m., Library
by Beth McKechnie 22 Mar '09

22 Mar '09

Friendly reminder to come out this Tuesday evening for an advance look at the NEW Winnipeg Bike Map. The map provides suggested cycling routes in Winnipeg based on the City's Active Transportation Network. Stop by the Carol Shields Auditorium on the second floor of the Millennium Library between 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24th. Thanks to all who have contributed to date. Hope to see you on March 24! cheers, Beth On behalf of the 2009 Winnipeg Bike Map steering committee: * Curt Hull, Climate Change Connection * Anders Swanson, One Green City * Janice Lukes, Winnipeg Trails Association * Ted Mann, Bike to the Future * Beth McKechnie, Resource Conservation Manitoba * Kevin Nixon, City of Winnipeg * Ron Brown, Manitoba Cycling Association * Tim Woodcock, Manitoba Cycling Association

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NEW Winnipeg Bike Map Preview - March 24, Millennium Library, 5-7 p.m.
by Beth McKechnie 16 Mar '09

16 Mar '09

Come see the 2009 Winnipeg Bike Map! Sneak a peek at the **NEW** Winnipeg Bike Map before it goes public. Stop by the Carol Shields Auditorium on the second floor of the Millennium Library between 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24th. Thanks to all who have contributed to date. See you March 24th! cheers, Beth On behalf of the 2009 Bike Map Steering Committee: * Curt Hull, Climate Change Connection * Kevin Nixon, City of Winnipeg, Public Works * Anders Swanson, One Green City * Ron Brown, Manitoba Cycling Association * Janice Lukes, Winnipeg Trails Association * Ted Mann, Bike to the Future * Beth McKechnie, Resource Conservation Manitoba * Tim Woodcock, Manitoba Cycling Association

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Active Transportation in River Heights - Fort Garry By Election - Candidates comments
by Janice Lukes 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

RIVER HEIGHTS - FORT GARRY BY ELECTION CANDIDATES FEEDBACK related to ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION: http://biketothefuture.org/news/archives/2009/03/05/river-heights---fort-gar ry-by-election-candidates-meetings Over the next 2-4 years, the majority of Active Transportation infrastructure spending will occur in the River Heights - Fort Garry ward due to significant projects (Bus Rapid Transit, Bishop Grandin Trail expansion, potential Kenaston Expansion, etc.) The Winnipeg Trails Association and Bike to the Future held two separate meetings for members and general public with the candidates. We presented a PowerPoint overview of Active Transportation in Winnipeg and the River Heights - Fort Garry ward, and then had question period. If you live in River Heights, I encourage you to look over the feedback. The PowerPoint and candidates feedback have been posted to the Bike to the Future website (link above) and I've attached a PDF of the candidates summary. It makes for an interesting read. thanks Janice Janice Lukes Winnipeg Trails Coordinator Winnipeg Trails Association 202 - One Forks Market Road Winnipeg, MB R3C 4L9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) 943-7915 <mailto:jlukes@shaw.ca> jlukes(a)shaw.ca winnipegtrails.com

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