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WFP: City boosts bike path plowing (Nov1'23)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '23

01 Nov '23

Aim to clear snow on active routes quicker City boosts bike path plowing https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/11/01/city-boosts-bike-… SNOW is expected to be removed from most active transportation routes in less than two days this winter, as the city adds special plows to its snow-clearing arsenal. Avid cyclists hope more snow-free paths will mean fewer road rage incidents, as cyclists won’t be forced into the street. Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance, said snow days for active transportation paths will be shorter, now that the city has added 15 new bike path and sidewalk snow-clearing machines to its fleet of 31. Cantor said the extra machines, coupled with ones owned by private contractors, will allow the city to clear the sidewalks and paths along major streets and bus routes within 36 hours, if five centimetres of snow has fallen. Paths and sidewalks beside residential streets will be cleared in five days. “These machines are like a small truck plow that has a blade at the front or a snow blower and they are both on these new units,” he said. “They can also pull sand behind them. They look exactly like a snow blower you use at home only they are bigger, wider and stronger.” Cantor said the extra machines should allow the city to meet snow-clearance times mandated by council. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard, who regularly cycles to city hall from his ward, said he’s pleased the city has more capacity to clear bike paths because it is safer for cyclists and reduces road rage incidents. But Allard said he has noticed a change in how cyclists are treated on the streets in recent years. “I think attitudes are changing. There’s an understanding now that there are many road users, not only motorists, but also cyclists and pedestrians,” he said. “Yes, there are still some moments where a motorist, when there is no active transportation route or it hasn’t been plowed, gets upset and they honk or they come close, but I think public opinion is moving to a much greater appreciation for those who use active transportation. “In general, we need to be kind to each other.” Bike Winnipeg’s Mark Cohoe said he has also noticed more positive change in peoples’ attitudes while cycling. He said it could be because there are more bike paths in the city — and more are on their way, including paths along River and Stradbrook avenues, as well as Goulet Street and University Crescent. But there are still major gaps, Cohoe said, including Regent and Nairn avenues, where there aren’t dedicated bike paths. Ian Walker, an elementary school teacher, said he was recently targeted in a road rage incident on Nairn. “The driver in a pickup truck didn’t like I was taking the lane and he came up behind me and then went around me horn blaring, scaring me,” Walker said. “I then felt a bunch of liquid on me and thought it was a snowball. It turned out it was coffee. I had to go to a meeting with principals covered with coffee. Walker said motorists have vented their rage at him in the past when he had to pedal on the street with no bike path, or when it was filled with snow. Despite the recent incident on Nairn, Walker said it is still better to ride a bike now than a few years ago. “I think it is getting better, honestly. I think people are more tolerant.” kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: City eyes imposing speed limits on active transportation paths (Oct28'23)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Oct '23

28 Oct '23

City eyes imposing speed limits on active transportation paths https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/10/27/city-eyes-active-transpo… THE City of Winnipeg will study the idea of imposing speed limits for electronic bikes and scooters. On Thursday evening, Winnipeg city council approved a call to have city staff study the potential new restriction, which could affect all motorized devices used on active transportation pathways. Traditional bicycles will be excluded. Coun. Janice Lukes said it’s great to see a hike in the number of people relying on active transportation. However, she said concerns about unsafe speeds of travel are triggering complaints and raising a need to consider new rules. “We’ve got people calling (about) getting hit (while) standing in the (path) and a dog’s leash got caught up in an e-bike… There are scenarios that are unfolding that are requiring us to look to see what other cities are doing that have addressed this issue,” the public works chairwoman said during the meeting. She noted Calgary has already imposed such a speed limit. The Alberta city requires all pathway users, including those riding manual bikes, to travel at or below posted speed limits. The maximum speed is typically set at 20 km/h, the City of Calgary’s website notes. The decision comes amid criticism an active transportation speed limit could prove difficult to enforce. Prior to ordering the report, the majority of Winnipeg council members opted to remove traditional bicycles from the potential speed limit. Coun. Matt Allard, who moved that amendment, told council members he feared including manual transportation could prove complicated. “I do believe that some of these (electronic) devices, particularly those that have been modified from the original manufacturer’s specifications, may achieve speeds that are significant. I would hope that we would not move in the direction of establishing maximum speeds for (traditional) bicycles because that would… likely mean installation of speedometers on bicycles and all sorts of issues with enforcement,” said Allard. Coun. Ross Eadie, who said he was once struck by a manual bicycle many years ago, voted against removing traditional bikes from the potential speed limit, suggesting all active transportation options should be limited to a maximum speed of 30 km/h. “If somebody gets hit by a bike moving really fast, believe me, it hurts… The older you get, the worse the injuries are,” said Eadie. Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act already sets a restriction of 32 km/h for “power-assisted” bicycles with motors of up to 500 watts. Coun. Shawn Dobson, who raised the speed limit motion, argues an even lower cap is needed. “Thirty-two (km/h) on an active transportation path is way too fast. Probably anywhere from 10 (km/h) to 20 (km/h) would be reasonable,” Dobson said in an interview Friday. Dobson said he supported the call to remove traditional bikes from the speed limit to avoid holding up the report, but believes the option could be revisited in the future. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City to consider new bike registry (Oct26'23)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '23

26 Oct '23

CITY TO CONSIDER NEW BIKE REGISTRY WINNIPEG could soon endorse a new bike registry in hopes of reuniting more stolen cycles with their owners. A new public service report calls for the city to urge citizens to register their bikes with 529 Garage, a free, cloud-based system that would replace an internal city-run bike registry that has a $7.35 registration fee. Council would also consider providing about $50,000 in each of the next four years to implement a new registration and theft-prevention program. The city sought new bike registration options in June, noting up to 2,000 bicycles are reported stolen in Winnipeg each year; about 1,000 are recovered but less than 10 per cent are successfully returned to their owners. If council approves, the new registry would share data with hundreds of police agencies and Winnipeg civic officials to help get more bikes returned.

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WFP: City seeks feedback on speed-limit reductions (Oct19'23)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Oct '23

19 Oct '23

(Adding to Dave Elmore's earlier message) *City seeks feedback on speed-limit reductions* THE City of Winnipeg is seeking feedback from residents in select neighbourhoods where speed limits have been reduced for several months. The city announced Wednesday it is entering the second phase of its reduced-speed neighbourhood pilot, in which speed limits in the Bourkevale and Tyndall Park neighbourhoods were reduced to 30 km/h, and limits in Worthington and Richmond West were reduced to 40 km/h per hour. “The pilot will tell us if changing the speed limit changes how fast vehicles actually travel, and if lowering the speed limit within a residential area affects neighbourhood livability,” the city said in a news release. The city has created separate surveys to assess the effectiveness of the program — one for residents living within the reduced speed limit areas, and another for the rest of Winnipeg residents. “Survey responses will help us understand both pilot area residents’ experience with the speed limit change and broader perspectives on speed limits in general,” the city said. In addition to the surveys, the city released the findings of a public engagement survey conducted in the program’s first phase before the limits were reduced. Sixty per cent of respondents felt residential speed limits should not be changed, while 40 per cent agreed with lowering them. The city is organizing a series of forums to be held early next year in which residents will be able to discuss the program. The first forum will take place at the Bourkevale Community Centre on Jan. 29 at 4:30 p.m. Further discussions will continue in each respective neighbourhood between Jan. 30 and Feb. 1. The survey is available online <https://www.winnipeg.ca/news/2023-10-18-winnipeggers-invited-talk-residenti…> on the City of Winnipeg website, along with a list of forum dates and locations.

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Thanks
by Dave Elmore 19 Oct '23

19 Oct '23

The City of Winnipeg put this survey about residential speed limits and the neighbourhood pilots. Please share widely! https://www.winnipeg.ca/news/2023-10-18-winnipeggers-invited-talk-residenti… Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X)

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WFP Editorial: Cities must adapt to new bike tech (Oct17'23)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '23

17 Oct '23

*Cities must adapt to new bike tech* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2023/10/17/cities-must… IT’S a bike, it’s a car, it’s something in between. If you spent any time travelling around Winnipeg this summer, you probably noticed some new vehicles whizzing around the city’s roadways and active transportation routes. Electric bicycles and scooters have accelerated into common use recently with riders of all stripes jumping on the bandwagon. The battery-powered vessels have seen a surge in popularity thanks to their environmental advantages, accessibility and fun factor. But their presence isn’t beloved by all. Last week, the city’s public works committee agreed to commission a report on the viability of establishing speed limits on active transportation paths for bikes, e-bikes, scooters and other devices. The motion, raised by Coun. Shawn Dobson last month, argues speed restrictions are necessary to protect all path users from collisions. The department has 300 days to report back. As in other jurisdictions, the issue is proving to be a contentious one, with some Winnipeggers expressing safety concerns about mingling with the speedy personal vehicles on pathways and others raising questions about the effectiveness of speed limit enforcement. All are valid viewpoints, which is why the city needs to take an holistic approach to regulations. With every new form of transportation technology, governments have had to grapple with their application on roadways. When horses and buggies were the norm, they were barred from being “driven at a gallop” on New York streets or risked incurring a hefty fine. Alberta introduced its first speed limits in 1906, capping automobile travel at 32 and 16 km/h on highways and within city limits, respectively. Road safety has improved as speed limits have increased thanks to a combination of regulation, enforcement, infrastructure and public education. The city must acknowledge each of these factors when drawing up new rules around e-bikes and scooters. Doing too little will create undue tension between users on active transportation routes. Doing too much will impede e-bike and scooter use, which has the potential to take vehicles off the road and reduce carbon emissions. Speed limits are a good starting point, but they need to come with cost-effective enforcement strategies. In the absence of a fleet of bicycle bylaw officers, signage and public education campaigns can encourage self-policing. Currently, Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act restricts “power-assisted” bicycles to speeds of 32 km/h with an electric motor of up to 500 watts. That’s faster than vehicles are allowed to travel in school zones — a regulation designed to protect young pedestrians from death or injury. In Calgary, most active transportation routes have a maximum speed limit of 20 km/h for all path users. The bylaw also requires users to use a bell or vocal signal when passing others and denotes which vehicles are allowed on which pathways. Fines range between $100 and $400. The rules are clearcut and fair, while setting a standard for decorum on shared roadways. The latter is likely more important for e-rider and pedestrian safety than speed limits. Recent studies from Europe and the United States found that while e-bike users suffer higher rates of more severe injuries than traditional cyclists, rider behaviour and user error were the main culprits of collisions, followed by road conditions, such as speed limits. E-bikes and scooters are not a passing trend. While city councillors are busy mulling speed limits, they should also be thinking about how these increasingly popular modes of transportation will fit into future infrastructure and active transportation developments. Giving residents many different options to get where they need to go offers a direct path to improving Winnipeg’s livability.

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CTV News: New bike lanes cause close quarters driving along Goulet
by Beth McKechnie 14 Oct '23

14 Oct '23

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/near-impossible-new-bike-lanes-cause-close-quar…

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WFP: Speed limit proposed for bike paths (Oct6'23)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Oct '23

06 Oct '23

Speed limit proposed for bike paths https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/10/05/speed-limit-propo… A WINNIPEG councillor’s bid to create a speed limit for bicycles, electric bikes and scooters on active- transportation pathways is raising questions of whether such a restriction would be adequately enforced. Coun. Shawn Dobson argued a speed limit is necessary for the safety for all path users. “I’m trying to be proactive on our pathways because we have a number of bicycles, e-bikes, etc., that are going too fast,” the St. James councillor said Thursday. “I could see this getting much worse.” The potential for collisions increases with speed, he said, noting the growing use of e-bikes and scooters. A motion raised by Dobson at city council’s Sept. 29 meeting asks city staff to study the matter and report back. The motion was referred to the public works committee’s Oct. 10 meeting for consideration. “I just thought it made sense. We can’t turn them into raceways,” he said. Dobson wants staff to look at what other cities are doing. Calgary has a speed limit of 20 km/h for its paths and sidewalks. Fines range between $100 and $400. Dobson’s motion doesn’t recommend a specific speed limit or fine for Winnipeg. “It could be 10, 20 km/h,” he said. The limit would apply to bikes, e-bikes, scooters and other devices, according to the motion, which states many Winnipeggers are afraid to use pathways because they fear being in a collision. Manitoba’s Highway Traffic Act sets a restriction of 32 km/h when power-assisted bicycles are using an electric motor of up to 500 watts. The minimum driving age is 14. Helmets are required. Only bicycles with a rear wheel diameter of 410 millimetres or less are allowed on sidewalks. Enforcement of a city-imposed speed limit on pathways could be an issue, according to some cyclists and e-bike users, as well as public works chair Coun. Janice Lukes. “The police have more important things to do,” said Jeff Bowes, manager of retailer EBike Winnipeg. He thinks a speed limit is a good idea. Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said a speed restriction shouldn’t be viewed as the only solution for matters such as safety. “It’s something we have to consider, but we have to consider carefully,” he said. “We have to look for solutions that are going to work for us and be enforceable and manageable and fair.” He would like cities to consider ways to integrate e-bikes into current and future active-transportation networks. The bikes exploded in popularity when many of Winnipeg’s paths were already in place or designed. Bowes agreed Winnipeg must be more bike-friendly. He and Cohoe said a majority of people who would be affected by a speed limit ride responsibly. Ian Walker, an e-bike user and spokesman for Safe Speeds Winnipeg, believes the increase in electric bicycles, coupled with limited space on paths, is leading to more complaints about speed. There is a need for wider and more pathways, he said. “Our paths are small. There is not a lot of space for passing, which is a problem,” said Walker. He encouraged people to slow down when passing. Lukes, who supports a speed limit on paths, recently discussed e-bikes with police after some residents contacted her with questions. “It is definitely time to take a look at this and make a decision on what we’re going to do,” the deputy mayor said. Whatever the city chooses to do, it must not discourage people from using bicycles or e-bikes, she said. Lukes believes an effective education campaign would encourage a large majority of people to comply with a speed limit. “I think, sometimes, things can self-enforce,” she said. Safe Speeds Winnipeg has lobbied city council to reduce the speed limit for vehicles to 30 km/h on all residential streets. Doing so would reduce the risk of fatal or serious injury collisions, while encouraging more cyclists or e-bike riders to use the roads, it argues. That proposal should be a higher priority for council than speed restrictions on paths, Walker said. Dobson does not support lowering the speed limit for all residential streets. “There’s no way people would follow that,” he said. Last March, the city turned four streets into 30- or 40-km/h zones as part of a pilot project. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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WFP: Assiniboine Avenue closure considered (Oct5'23)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '23

05 Oct '23

ASSINIBOINE AVENUE CLOSURE CONSIDERED VEHICLE traffic may lose access to a key section of Assiniboine Avenue if a proposed pilot project to enhance the area for pedestrians is approved. On Oct. 10, council’s public works committee will consider a call to order a report on a pedestrian-prioritized pilot project that would close Assiniboine Avenue to vehicle traffic between Fort and Main streets. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said shutting down vehicle access at this stretch of Assiniboine Avenue would improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. “Vehicles would not have a right or left turn onto Assiniboine Avenue (from Main Street), basically closing Assiniboine Avenue,” said Lukes. A pilot project could help determine how best to use the space and to study its impact on traffic and safety. Lukes suggested the area could include more green space and/or a plaza in the future. The motion also calls for options to eliminate the right turn lane at River Avenue and Osborne Street and consider adding a pedestrian scramble in that area. At a pedestrian scramble, all vehicle traffic has a red light at the same time in order to let pedestrians cross in all directions at once.

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WFP: City spring cleanup crews to make on-road active-transportation routes a priority (Oct4'23)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Oct '23

04 Oct '23

City spring cleanup crews to make on-road active-transportation routes a priority https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2023/10/04/city-spring-cleanup-crew… Starting next spring, some Winnipeg active transportation routes will be cleared of winter sand and grit before other roads, with the goal of making them accessible sooner. A new city staff report notes the city’s on-road active transportation network will be prioritized for cleaning first in the spring. The prioritized routes include bike paths, active transportation priority routes, seasonal bike routes and neighbourhood greenways. (The city defines neighbourhood greenways as on-street routes that typically use reduced speeds and traffic-calming measures to safely move cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles.) The off-road network of sidewalks and pathways will continue to be cleared based on the priority level of associated streets. “It is anticipated that the on-road active transportation network can be cleaned within two weeks (as opposed to the larger network’s five to six weeks), providing a safer environment to users earlier in the season,” Michael Cantor, city manager of streets maintenance, writes in the report. An active transportation advocate welcomed the change Wednesday, suggesting it will reduce the risk of injuries on routes where cyclists travel at higher speeds. “What it means is that if you’re on your bike, there’s less risk that you’re going to be crashing because there’s loose gravel out on the roadway,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Since Winnipeg tends to have lengthy, snowy winters that require the repeated spreading of sand to improve traction, Bike Winnipeg has advocated for the change in the past. Cohoe said the on-road routes tend to collect more sand than other active transportation ones, partly because nearby motor vehicle tires can push excess debris into curbside spaces designated for bikes. He would like the city to also prioritize spring cleanup for separated sidewalks and paths, in order to encourage more people to use active transportation routes. Coun. Janice Lukes, head of council’s public works committee, said she would also like to see all active transportation routes prioritized for spring cleanup, but considers this change an important first step. “We’re starting with the roads for the vulnerable road user… It’s just to try and get more people to use active transportation and to have it presented to them (earlier in the year) and in a safe manner,” said Lukes. Since the change mainly adjusts the schedule of existing spring cleanup efforts, the city councillor said it’s not expected to cost more money. Street sweeping typically starts in mid-April, weather permitting. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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