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Portland will lower speeds to 20 mph on 70 miles of residential 'greenway' streets
by Anders Swanson 13 Sep '12

13 Sep '12

*[note - **20 miles/hr = 32**km/hr] *Portland will lower speeds to 20 mph on 70 miles of residential 'greenway' streets<http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/08/portland_will_lower_speeds_to.…>Published: Thursday, August 23, 2012, 1:12 PM Updated: Thursday, August 23, 2012, 2:10 PM --------------------- A year after the Oregon Legislature removed some of the red tape from its onerous speed-review process,<http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/oregon_house_bill_aims…>the Portland City Council has approved a 70-mile network of new 20 mph neighborhood streets. On Friday, Mayor Sam Adams will hold a celebration event at Northeast Morris Street between Rodney Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, one of the many "neighborhood greenways"<http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/406089>where the speed limit will be lowered from 25 to 20 mph. The public is invited to the 10 a.m. event, which will also feature speeches from state senators Ginny Burdick and Jackie Dingfelder. Rather than list myriad streets getting the new signs, here's a map of what the city has planned<https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-_Kv2GsQnEfbGVPMTFYVnl6bm8>. (PDF) It pretty much covers the entire existing greenway network. So, if you step onto the front porch and see sharrows on the pavement and bicyclists zooming by, you're street is probably on the map. None of the Portland suburbs have announced plans for lowering speeds on neighborhood streets under the new law. "We're examining the possibility," said Tina Bailey, a Hillsboro traffic project manager, "but we're waiting on Portland to take the lead and to see how they develop their policy. I can't say for certain that we will do it." PBOT is expected to install 250 to 300 new 20 mph signs at about $150 per sign. But that's assuming every sign needs a new pole. The total cost will be $30,000 to $45,000. "Costs will be lower if fewer poles are needed," said PBOT spokesman Dan Anderson. Even a small adjustment in speed can save lives, experts say. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <http://www.nhtsa.gov/>, for example, shows pedestrians struck by an automobile traveling 30 mph have a 40 percent chance of being killed. At 20 mph, it's 5 percent. Until the new law took effect, cities had to get permission for speed reductions on a street-by-street bases from an Oregon Department of Transportation review panel. The panel factors everything from accident history and roadside culture to traffic volumes and roadway alignment. Portland has long complained that the process is too laborious, unpredictable and out of sync with local needs, especially on residential streets. Now cities can arbitrarily reduce speed limits. There are strict guidelines: Only streets with average speeds of under 30 mph and with 2,000 or less daily car trips. Also, the reduction could be no more than 5 mph and each would require passage of an ordinance. Portland has always said it will focus on turning most greenways, from Northeast Going and Klickitat streets to Southeast Center and Gladstone streets, into 20 mph zones. Of course, before the bill passed in 2011, its sponsors were forced to change its terminology from "neighborhood greenways" to "neighborhood byways," a term that is more palatable to Republicans who worry the former was too Portland-centric. In Portland, side streets modified to discourage car traffic and attract bicyclists and walkers are called neighborhood greenways. And that's the terminology used in the law to describe streets eligible as new 20 mph speed zones. Under the law, the new 20 mph signs will also read "speed limit" rather than simply "speed." In the past, under Oregon law, only placards in school zones and on interstate freeways had the words "speed limit." Cities, are free to go with the shorthand of "Speed 25" (or whatever the limit may be) on any other street, which allows them to make the numbers bigger. source: http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2012/08/portland_will_lower_speeds_to.…

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East St. Paul on Northeast Pioneer Greenway Pedestrian Bridge over Perimeter Highway
by Mark Cohoe 12 Sep '12

12 Sep '12

Hi, For those at today's webinar, I looked up the East St. Paul motion regarding the pedestrian overpass of the perimeter highway that has been proposed for the Northeast Pioneer's Greenway Highway 59/Perimeter Highway Interchange project. Here it is. Meeting – Province of Manitoba MIT – Interchange WHEREAS THE Northeast Pioneer Greenway Active Transportation Path is located southwest of the proposed Province of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation PTH 59N and PTH 101 interchange; AND WHEREAS THE Province of Manitoba have announced in September, 2011 that their ultimate plan is to extend the Northeast Pioneer Greenway Active Transportation Path to Bird’s Hill Provincial Park by way of a safe pedestrian/cyclist crossing over the Perimeter Highway (PTH 101) from the Northeast Pioneers Greenway into Rural Municipality of East St. Paul; AND WHEREAS THE Rural Municipality of East St. Paul has identified in a Transportation Master Plan prepared by Stantec Consulting Ltd. that the development of the Raleigh Gateway corridor as an arterial route is critical to the municipality’s transportation sustainability; AND WHEREAS THE Transportation Master Plan includes a conceptual plan, as part of the Raleigh Gateway corridor, for a PTH 101 flyover to accommodate traffic traveling between East St. Paul and the City of Winnipeg; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul request that the Province of Manitoba support a joint use structure and construct the bridge supports (base) of the proposed pedestrian/cyclist crossing to accommodate vehicular traffic for the future flyover. It passed by a vote of 4-0 at the council meeting on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. Cheers, Mark

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Bike rider's heaven
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '12

12 Sep '12

[Winnipeg Free Press, Letter to the Editor, September 12/12] Bike rider's heaven Thank you for Jen Skerritt's Sept. 10 article, *Minneapolis warming up to winter riding*<http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/city-finds-pathways-to-cyclin…>. It was a pleasure to experience the revival of cycling in Minneapolis first-hand. Checking into a downtown hotel, we were asked if we'd like our bikes held in a locked baggage check room or if we would like to keep them in our room. No one batted an eye as we wheeled bikes through the lobby and up the elevator. After a meeting in St. Paul and an unsatisfactory experience with expressway travel back to Minneapolis, the following day I biked from downtown Minneapolis to St. Paul. Travelling the 26 kilometres to and from my business meeting, mostly on bike lanes with reasonable separation from cars, made the trips time-efficient and pleasant. Half of it was on the University of Minnesota transit corridor, which is only for buses and bikes. Racks for hundreds of bikes on the Nicollet Mall made shopping by bike easy. Going out to eat was easy with a fast, safe and scenic route to evening dining, where we could eat on a patio overlooking the Mississippi River and our bikes. To see more of the city, we cycled a big loop covering much of northern Minneapolis and St. Paul, including the Cedar Lake Trail, the Grand Rounds Trail and the Saint Anthony Parkway. With an extensive biking network that effectively separates cyclists and motorists, more winter cycling makes sense in Minneapolis. I cycle-commute in Winnipeg all winter, and it is usually a pleasure. In bad weather, it is an exciting challenge. (Of course, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.) After a serious snowfall, it is unreasonable to have bike trails here cleared within 24 hours, as Minneapolis aims to do, but the City of Winnipeg usually plows the Churchill bike trail, which I use, within a couple of days. Last winter, bike paths in Assiniboine Park were immaculately cleaned the morning after a snowstorm. So don't sell Winnipeg's winter cycling options short. Where bike routes are separate from motorized traffic and the trails are maintained, it is already a viable option in Winnipeg. DAN PROWSE Winnipeg http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/have-your-sa…

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WFP: The city has made major gains in AT, but there are still some big holes in the network (Sept.8'12)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '12

12 Sep '12

The city has made major gains in active transportation, but there are still some big holes in the network By: Jen Skerritt http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pedalling-hard-169016466.html Tom McMahon hops on his bicycle every day to make the trek from his Riverview home to his downtown law practice. It's something he's done for the better part of a decade, and his commute to The Forks is fairly simple, thanks to a river trail that allows him to avoid traffic on busy streets. But every day for nine years, McMahon has encountered the same problem: a south Winnipeg bike path that stops dead in its tracks with no warning. There isn't even any signage directing cyclists where to go. The same route starts again four blocks later. It's one of many holes in Winnipeg's cycling network, McMahon said, which make it difficult for cyclists to find their way around. "It's a city-wide problem. I get frustrated every day," he said. "It drives me a little bit crazy." It's been two years since a $20.4-million federal stimulus program helped kick-start Winnipeg's active-transportation network. Thanks to the cash, more than 100 kilometres of lanes, pathways and tracks were built in record speed. The good news is, Winnipeg has made major gains in making the bicycle a viable option for getting around. There are more people using bicycles to commute and for recreation than ever before. The city has more paths for cyclists and pedestrians than cities such as Regina and Halifax -- and Winnipeg now has 35 km of on-street bike lanes. The not-so-good news is cycling can still be tricky -- and sometimes scary -- on trouble spots such as bridges or underpasses. Cycling advocates say the death of Victoria Nelson, who was struck and killed riding her bike near the underpass at Main Street and Higgins Avenue in May, and the death of a 68-year-old cyclist near York Avenue and Main Street Aug. 29 is proof problems still exist and more needs to be done to accommodate cyclists on the road. Next year, the city plans to start work on an active-transportation strategy -- a specific plan that will set out what needs to be done to reduce conflicts between cars and cyclists, improve connections between existing paths, and encourage more residents to walk or hop on a bike. Transportation manager Luis Escobar said Winnipeg cycling is still in its infancy and the city needs to figure out where it needs to focus its efforts in the coming years. "We have to step back a little bit and say we addressed the immediate needs and now we need to start thinking strategically," he said, noting the city does not have a long-term active-transportation plan. "We've got to go back and ask, 'what else do we need to do?' " In 2010, Winnipeg decided to spend five times as much money on active-transportation corridors as it had been thanks to an influx of federal stimulus cash. The goal was to add 102 kilometres of bike and pedestrian routes to the existing network within 18 months in order to catch up to some of the active-transportation progress being made elsewhere in the country. Despite initial opposition to some projects, most notably the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway, most projects were completed and more Winnipeggers are using the new paths to get around. Recent statistics compiled by advocacy group Bike to the Future estimate there are close to 13,000 people travelling by bike in and out of downtown most days. The city has continued to focus on how to build its pedestrian and cycling network. This year, Winnipeg beefed up its snow-clearing budget to clear more snow from active-transportation routes and encourage more people to use the trails for recreation and to commute during the winter. Escobar said the department tries to incorporate the needs of pedestrians and cyclists into every major road project. If there isn't a sidewalk, they build one. If there's no room for cyclists, they try to accommodate them. Right now, Winnipeg is working to connect two existing active-transportation paths by creating buffered bike lanes between Crescent and Plaza drives on Pembina Highway. "I think right now we've caught up to many other cities that are a similar size," Escobar said. But there is still more work to do. Most Winnipeggers still rely on their cars to get around, and tension exists between cyclists and motorists. Jino Distasio, director of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg, said the city needs to determine where bike infrastructure fits into its other priorities, such as fixing crummy roads riddled with potholes and investing in rapid transit. Distasio said cycling has evolved and is not just a "niche thing for hipster kids." Its popularity continues to grow and in order for motorists and cyclists to share the road safely, Winnipeg needs to make capital investments in its infrastructure and educate road users, he said. "I think a lot of it comes back to motorist education," Distasio said. "Even the most experienced (cyclist) will share tales of being clipped by a mirror or screamed at by an angry motorist who doesn't want to share the road." Jason Carter, head of Manitoba's Cycling Association, said he got lost earlier this summer trying to find bike routes to travel from north Main Street to downtown. Routes aren't clearly marked, he said, and far too often cyclists ride on the sidewalk or in the middle of the lane because they feel unsafe or there's not enough room for them on the streets. That, in turn, upsets motorists. McMahon, who is the co-chair of Bike to the Future, said he tries to avoid riding alongside cars as much as he can. He said some motorists try to squeeze by cyclists in the same lane, and many motorists do not understand how to use sharrows -- a shared lane for cyclists and motorists. "If I'm really feeling nervous there are times I will take the sidewalk," he said. "It's scary when somebody tries to share the lane with you." McMahon said Winnipeg should follow the lead of cities such as Montreal and Minneapolis and do more to connect routes and promote cycling, particularly for those who can't afford a car. He said building up the on-street cycling infrastructure could reduce road spending in the long-run, since there will be fewer vehicles and less wear-and-tear on city streets. It's something other Canadian cities have been moving toward. Last year, Ottawa became the first Ontario city to create segregated bike lanes downtown. In just one year, the lanes have seen more than 406,000 trips. Vancouver has made planning a bike ride much like planning a bus ride: insert your starting point and destination online, and the city's website will map the way. Riders can choose their own adventure: the shortest route or the one with the least pollution? Tree-lined path or the one with the fewest hills? Tom Thivener, the head of Calgary's cycling program, said downtown Calgary has 130,000 workers and no on-street bikeways. The brave take the lane, he said, while others avoid cycling altogether. He said U.S. cities are further ahead in building on-street infrastructure. This gets more people on bikes since they feel safe. "You don't see the results right away, but once you start implementing a well-designed network and bikeways on the street, you start to make it really easy for people to get on a bike," he said. jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca [image: Transportation manager Luis Escobar says cycling in Winnipeg is in its infancy. 'We've got to go back and ask,] Transportation manager Luis Escobar says cycling in Winnipeg is in its infancy. 'We've got to go back and ask, "What else do we need to do?"' (WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES) Bike-ology 101 *A snapshot of active-transportation lingo:* *Bike lane:* A painted lane on a street for cyclists. *Bike paths/multi-use pathways:* Separate paths designed for pedestrians and cyclists which are not part of the roadway. *Sharrow:* A lane shared by both cars and cyclists. Typically, sharrows are created in wider curb lanes and a bicycle is stenciled on the street to show motorists it's a shared lane. *Bicycle track:* Facilities designed for cycling which are separate from vehicle traffic, such as the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway. *Bike boulevard:* Green and white signs mark bicycle routes. These are mostly found on wider, residential streets. Winnipeg *On-street bike lanes: 35 km* *Multi-use pathways: 181 km* *Bike paths: 4km* *Bicycle track: 2km* *Sharrows: 37km* *Bike boulevards: 56km* *The plan:* To start work on an active-transportation master plan in 2013 which will help guide how Winnipeg builds upon its existing network of paths and trails. Edmonton *On-street bike lanes: 48 km* *Multi-use pathways: 150 km* *The plan:* To build 500 km of on-street pathways over the next 20 years. In the short-term, that means the city plans to build an additional 15 km of on-street lanes this year and an additional 35 km of on-street bike paths by the end of 2014. Calgary *On-street bike lanes: 50 km* *Multi-use pathways: 700 km* *Signage: 400 km on residential streets* *The plan:* Calgary recently hired a full-time cycling coordinator to focus on building up commuter paths in the downtown. The city plans to spend $20 million over the next three years. Regina *On-street bike lanes: 11.4 km* *Multi-use pathways: 35 km* *The plan:* The city is in the midst of developing a cycling master plan, as part of its long-term transportation strategy. Hamilton *On-street bike lanes: 130 km* *Multi-use pathways: 140 km* *Paved shoulders: 20 km* *Sharrows: 3 km* *Signage: 185 km on lower-volume streets* *The plan: *The city plans to continue spending $1 million a year expanding its cycling network. Toronto *On-street bike lanes: 113 km* *Multi-use paths: 286 km* *Signed routes on residential streets: 147 km* *Sharrows: 9 km* *The plan: *Toronto plans to spend close to $88 million over the next 10 years on its cycling infrastructure. The funding will help double its bikeway network to a total of 1,132.2 km. Montreal *On-street bike lanes: 63 km* *Multi-use pathways: 86 km* *Sharrows: 9.7 km* *The plan:* By the end of this year, Montreal will grow its 560 km network of paths and trails to 600 km of lanes, pathways and trails. The city plans to spend about $10 million a year in the next decade to continue to build its network. Ottawa *On-street bike lanes: 210 km* *Multi-use pathways: 341 km* *Paved shoulders: 140 km* *The plan: *Ottawa has nearly doubled its cycling network since 2000 and plans to spend a total of $18.5 million on cycling between now and 2014 to continue to increase on-road facilities. Over the next three years, the city plans to provide an additional 70 km of bike lanes and paved shoulders. Halifax *Bike lanes (including sharrows): 87 km* *Multi-use paths: 246 km* *The plan: *The city is in the midst of doing a review of their active transportation plan, and is looking to increase the number of designated bike lanes.

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City to look at lowering speed limit to 40 km/h
by Anders Swanson 11 Sep '12

11 Sep '12

*[poster's note: 40kmph is still widely considered to be too fast to provide adequate levels of pedestrian safety, esp. in Europe, but it's a step in the right direction for Winnipeg. Free Press article below. To read about a residential speed reduction experiment done in Edmonton, read this<http://www.edmonton.ca/transportation/traffic_safety/speed-reduction-pilot.…>. - Anders]* Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION City to look at lowering speed limit to 40 km/h By: Bartley Kives Posted: 3:00 PM | <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/City-to-look-at-lowering-speed-limit…> The City of Winnipeg will explore the idea of reducing residential speed limits to 40 km/h -- a move that would require provincial approval. City council's public works committee voted Tuesday to give city staff 90 days to consider the idea of reducing speeds on residential streets -- two-lane roads in residential neighbourhoods -- by 10 km/h. The idea was raised by Couns. Harvey Smith (Daniel McIntyre) and Ross Eadie (Mynarski). Dr. Lynne Warda of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority appeared before the committee to support the reduction, which she said would save lives. The reduction of residential speeds in other cities has led to a measurable reduction in the severity of injuries resulting from vehicle-pedestrian and vehicle-bicycle collisions, she said. Luis Escobar, the city's transportation manager, noted there's a difference between the posted speed limit and the speed people actually drive. Reducing speed limits can provide a false sense of security, he said. He said collisions causing injury have dropped from approximately 3,400 in 2001 to approximately 2,100 in 2010, even though the overall number of collisions has remained static. Nonetheless, Couns. Dan Vandal (St. Boniface), Brian Mayes (St. Vital), Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) and Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge) voted in favour of studying the idea. The public works committee also voted in favour of a water and waste recommendation against a plastic-bag ban in Winnipeg -- and voted to hold for a month on a plan to launch a study to create a regional transportation authority. All four members of the committee criticized Winnipeg Transit for bringing forward terms of reference for a transportation authority only 24 hours before Tuesday's meeting. Vandal said he cares more about the city than the capital region and questioned the direction of the study. source: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/City-to-look-at-lowering-speed-limit…

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Free Download - Steps to a Walkable Community: A Guide for Citizens, Planners, and Engineers
by Beth McKechnie 11 Sep '12

11 Sep '12

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here <http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=7ujbt4bab&v=001-VufbrhO4…> [image: AW generic use banner]* A new book and workshop series puts innovative, multidisciplinary pro-walking tactics in the hands of citizens, planners, and engineers. STEPS TO A WALKABLE COMMUNITY: A Guide for Citizens, Planners and Engineers is now available as a free download.<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5cr7z3P_16BHcIBnbbOu6QXZk9fBqrGXZY9…> * Dear Beth, I am pleased to announce that America Walks and our partners Sam Schwartz Engineering, the transportation engineering consulting firm, have just launched Steps to a Walkable Community: A Guide for Citizens, Planners, and Engineers<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5cr7z3P_16BHcIBnbbOu6QXZk9fBqrGXZY9…>. This book and downloadable PDF is a collection of innovative tactics that have successfully improved and encouraged walking in communities around the country. This resource serves as the basis for a series of webinars, phone discussion groups, trainings, and walking campaign walkshops™ also launching this month. Stay tuned for more information about this series. Walk On in Health and Safety, Scott Bricker Executive Director Please see our website<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5dGsWcY6vBRDBNas6i8N6wUWh1w4bqgQG8R…>for more information about Steps to a Walkable Community. Support our work with a donation<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5eknVWXcwh58EuDNQwr8GAFwrYeCqAGoWl5…> *Home<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5cYaTcu0u6HP7y_qzqM7g7LzAw3Mkz1xm7Q…> l Endorse our vision statement<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5cJD5eqcF35W1FXSI4KY-CVgVFPetFVTc2M…> * [image: Find us on Facebook]<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5cij84_kGNFS_w7dnU0DsQKsFOS8Kh5x1R3…> Connect on facebook [image: Follow us on Twitter]<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001qcXNnIKvw5euoN6xd5EnY68PG8Nun-4OpqN456gvTDzL…> Follow us on twitter America Walks PO Box 10581 Portland OR 97296 703.738.4889 Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=7ujbt4bab&m=1101645522588&ea=…> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001nkQbX5l1Qs-sYmoTIOU1AUn7H…> <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=TEM_BusLet_002> This email was sent to beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca by info(a)americawalks.org | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001nkQbX5l1Qs-sYmoTIOU1AUn7H…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. America Walks | PO Box 10581 | Portland | OR | 97296 -- *Beth McKechnie* | 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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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AT webinar: Connecting Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility, Wed, Sept 12th, 2-3:15 pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming American Trails webinar this Wednesday, Sept. 12th, and an APBP webinar on Wed, Sept. 19th. Both take place at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed descriptions are provided below.* **The Third Mode: Connecting Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility * Wednesday, September 12th | 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. CDT * **Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk Wednesday, September 19th | 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CDT * RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * * American Trails presents... * *The Third Mode: Connecting Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility **This session will look at the latest issues and policies in planning and designing urban mobility networks and how these can best integrate with greenway and trail networks to create seamless metro-wide systems. * Communities around the globe are looking for better solutions that engage more people in traveling by bike, on foot, and other human powered modes for both transportation and recreation. In the face of an epidemic of physical inactivity, climate change, and rising energy costs, this know-how is becoming increasingly important for public health and quality of life. These improvements are increasingly recognized as essential for communities to be competitive as places to live and to attract new businesses. This session will look at the latest issues and policies in the planning and design of urban mobility networks and how these can best integrate with greenway and trail networks to create seamless metro-wide systems. The webinar will provide participants with a chance to see how the trails and active transportation movement can be seen as part of larger cultural trends. We will also look at the current funding environment in the face of the new MAP-21 federal legislation and how to best navigate change. . *About The Third Mode, by Jeff Olson* Walking and bicycling are metaphors. While they are unique forms of mobility, they can also be thought of together to represent a “third mode” of transportation that is as important as highways and mass transit. This mode of transport, and the kind of change that is required to integrate it into our modern world, symbolizes a different perspective on our way of thinking. If you can understand why non-motorized mobility is important for transportation, you can also see how other problems could be resolved with similar thinking. This thought process is called the Third Mode, and this book describes how it can lead to a more connected, healthy, and sustainable society. Sam Piper, an intern with Alta Planning + Design is assisting author Jeff Olson in promoting “The Third Mode: Towards a Green Society.” He is responsible for e-publishing the book and coordinating a social media campaign. Sam received a BA in Business from Saint Anselm College and is currently pursuing a Masters of Urban and Regional Planning at the State University of New York at Albany. Contact Sam with any questions regarding the book release and promotional campaign at thethirdmode(a)gmail.com. ** *Presenters for "The Third Mode: Connecting Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility":* *Jeff Olson*, Partner - Alta Planning + Design<http://www.altaplanning.com/>(Author of “The Third Mode”) Jeff Olson is an architect and planner who has been involved in greenways, open space, active living and alternative transportation projects for more than 20 years. He has had a diverse career with experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. His unique vision and leadership ability are important assets to projects ranging from regional planning to site specific projects and programs. He is an avid bicyclist and skier who has the perspective of a parent with three young children. *Andy Clarke*, President, League of American Bicyclists<http://www.bikeleague.org/> Andy Clarke is President of the League of American Bicyclists, the nation's oldest national bicycling organization founded in 1880. Andy has been the chief staff officer of the League since his appointment as Executive Director in 2004, prior to that he served as the State and Local Advocacy Director. He was also the League's Government Relations Director from 1988 to 1990. He has served variously as Chair of the Transportation Research Board's Bicycle Transportation Committee, Chair of the America Bikes Coalition, and a founding steering committee member of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Complete Streets Coalition. Andy is a regular bicycle commuter and recreational rider. *Bob Searns (moderator)*, Owner of The Greenway Team<http://greenwayteam.com/>and Chair of American Trails Board <http://www.americantrails.org/board.html> Bob is the current Chair of the American Trails Board of Directors. He is the founding owner of The Greenway Team, a planning and development firm based in Denver, CO that has specialized for three decades in greenways, trails, and conservation. He was Project Director of Denver's Platte River Greenway, one of the nation's benchmark urban trail projects, and produced 10,000 Trees, an eight-mile river corridor restoration project involving 3,000 volunteers. He has authored a greenways and trails plan for the 43-square-mile area west of Denver International Airport, as well as trail and greenway projects across the nation including Chicago, Dallas, Memphis, Louisville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, and Portland. He was a development consultant for the Grand Canyon Greenway, a precedent-setting 72-mile system of multi-use trails along the canyon rim. Bob has conducted workshops throughout North America, China and Europe. He co-authored Greenways: A Guide to Planning, Design, and Development (published in the U.S. and. China), Trails for the 21st Century, and contributed to Greenways, The Beginning of an International Movement. * * * * * The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) presents: Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk Wednesday, September 19th | 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CDT The law is a tool--not a barrier--to making public streets safer for all users. Learn how city and state departments of transportation use the law as a normal part of evaluating bicycle and pedestrian projects and when determining whether improvements are needed after a crash occurs. [image: risk]Presentations will provide the context of federal and state guidance on local policy and design decisions, an overview of the legal concepts, and a case study of how the City of Seattle has successfully documented and defended design decisions. This webinar session will specifically discuss the concepts of negligence, reasonable care and governmental immunity. Examples are offered to encourage engineers, planners, law enforcement and legal counsel to collaborate for improved outcomes. Who should attend? Transportation planners, engineers, public works directors and staff, legal counsel, law enforcement and elected officials who need to know how to work within the existing framework of federal and state requirements to meet public demand for safe streets that are pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Presenters: Rebecca Boatright, Senior Assistant City Attorney with the City of Seattle; Michael Ronkin, Principal, Designing Streets for People; Benjamin Winig, Senior Staff Attorney and Program Director, ChangeLab Solutions.

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FW: ParticipACTION Forum- Active Transportation
by Kristine Hayward 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

From: ParticipACTION [mailto:sarah@participaction.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of ParticipACTION Sent: Friday, September 07, 2012 3:30 PM To: Kristine Hayward Subject: ParticipACTION Forum- Active Transportation PARTICIPACTION FORUM Dear friends of ParticipACTION, You have shown interest in ParticipACTION Forums in the past and so we would like to invite you to attend our upcoming Forum occurring this September 18 2012, 1:00-2:30 PM EST. The ParticipACTION Forums (national webinars) are designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing between partners. The theme of our September 2012 Forum will be Active Transportation. The online Forum will allow participants to connect, share insights and potentially collaborate on future initiatives pertaining to the topic at hand. We would love to have you participate in this online Forum. If you are interested, please email forum(a)participACTION.com. If you would like to receive updates, news, tips, and research information from us, sign up for one of our monthly ParticipACTION E-Newsletters <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001sZtLCRG2nvQuF3V_rBfAPhgE9XD8Ksfgo1zIsxXM x06mSeExJh6PFc0WAO2luhHZ36LNLvqwEPxHLAEzvsGea7ku2B2qS078074LC4JZEaYUfmaD c7oX6hWIcgiFBmZcJamtbFoOLxzzDNzKtJNIlkhRQOzYaY8-5tr3rIyXYMM=> . Thank you! ParticipACTION logo<http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1102033761678/img/241.gif> If you do not wish to receive emails about upcoming ParticipACTION Forums please email forum(a)participACTION.com. Forward email <http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=omnjflcab&m=1102033761678 &ea=khayward%40wrha.mb.ca&a=1110940993261> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=0016kgdmuAR3nDA9dPME10z- 5A1Aa2F66Fx&t=001WWOjAmsH5y0TzPiQVHfkKg%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001IqezpQbqEsU%3D&llr=omnjflcab> This email was sent to khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca by forum(a)participaction.com | Update Profile/Email Address <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&mse=0016kgdmuAR3nDA9dPME10z- 5A1Aa2F66Fx&t=001WWOjAmsH5y0TzPiQVHfkKg%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001IqezpQbqEsU%3D&llr=omnjflcab> | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=0016kgdmuAR3nDA9dPME10z- 5A1Aa2F66Fx&t=001WWOjAmsH5y0TzPiQVHfkKg%3D%3D&lang=001FCSs65SMrsI%3D&rea son=001IqezpQbqEsU%3D&llr=omnjflcab> (tm) | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp> . ParticipACTION | 2 Bloor street E | Toronto | Ontario | M4W 1A8 | Canada <http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?t=1110940993261.0.1102033761678.762&ts=S0813& o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif> This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain legally privileged or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this transmission in error, please notify the sender immediately and return the original. Ce courriel et tout document dans cette transmission est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé. Il peut contenir des informations privilégiées ou confidentielles. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie, ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous n'êtes pas le destinataire de ce message, veuillez en informer l'expéditeur immédiatement et lui remettre l'original.

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Active & Green - Ciclovia, back to work, and youth on transit
by Jessie Klassen 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=bad05980bc…> *Looking to improve commuter options at your workplace?* Request resources<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>on cycling, carpooling, commuting surveys and tracking progress, among others. Book a presentation<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>on the various commuting options, as well as fuel-efficient driving, creating a commuter friendly workplace, and greening the workplace. Attend a Creative Commuting Ambassador<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>workshop. It's free! ------------------------------ Upcoming Events *Ciclovia*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> Sunday, Sept. 9 *PARK(ing) Day*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> Friday, Sept. 21 *World Car Free Day* Saturday, Sept. 22 *IWALK*<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> International Walk to School Day Wednesday, Oct. 10 International Walk to School Week October 8-12, 2012 ------------------------------ Make Green Action Centre Your Charity of Choice Every year, thousands of Manitoba employees participate in workplace giving programs, such as the provincial government’s All-Charities <http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>campaign. By giving just a few dollars from your paycheque each month you can make a big difference for protecting the environment and promoting environmental education. *Please consider making Green Action Centre your charity of choice this year *. Ciclovia this Sunday! Come out on foot or by bike for Winnipeg's 4th Ciclovia<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>this Sunday, September 9th! Cycle a network of car-free streets from Assiniboine Park all the way to The Forks. Take your time along the north side of Broadway from Osborne to Donald Street for local food, displays, music and all sorts of activities. From Zumba and yoga to a wine and cheese festival, soap box derby and lots in between! Start Something Good Want to improve commuting options at your workplace? Pick a project, large or small, and gather a few co-workers and a manager to help make it a reality. Maybe a bike rack or a ride-matching board for carpooling. Get started here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>. Find a great source of ideas in the judging criteria<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>for the Commuter Friendly Workplace Award. Or check out what Assiniboine Credit Union, the 2012 Gold Award winner<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, is doing. Every step counts! Youth on Transit With the new school year starting, it can be a great time to introduce your kids to transit. Whether you’ll be taking transit with your children<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>, or whether they’re at an age to try transit on their own<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…>, public transit can help you to avoid rush-hour stress, school bus headaches, and wasted gas. Cycling Roundabouts to Edible Bus Stops - Turns out that GenY-ers are driving less than generations before. But it kind of makes sense. Read about it here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. Then check out Peg City Car Co-op<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> . - Minneapolis is the #1 Bike City in the U.S.? Who'd a thunk our neighbours to the south – with winters pretty much like Winnipeg's – would cap the list. Take that, Portland! Pedal to the article here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> . - Some people were confounded by small traffic circles introduced in Winnipeg to calm traffic and make those streets more bike- and walk-friendly. How about a floating cycle roundabout instead? Bike in circles here<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> . - Take a ride to an Edible Bus Stop<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a1…> . Cold Weather Cycling You can feel the definite chill of fall in the evenings now. Perhaps you'd like to continue cycling longer into the season or even year-round. Find all sorts of winter cycling tips<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>here along with this cold weather cycling brochure<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…>. You are receiving this email because you are an Active & Green subscriber. Unsubscribe<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/unsubscribe?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> jessie_klassen(a)hotmail.com from this list. Our mailing address is: Green Action Centre 3-303 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4 Canada Add us to your address book<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/vcard?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f5…> Copyright (C) 2012 Green Action Centre All rights reserved. Forward<http://us2.forward-to-friend1.com/forward?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=ba…>this email to a friend Update your profile<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Two wheels good but often misunderstood
by Shoni Litinsky 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Thank you to Dave Elmore for posting this excellent blog focusing around cooperation on the road between motorists and cyclists. Very useful tips which have certainly helped me on the road daily on my bike, or when driving a car! Link: http://greenactioncentre.ca/2012/two-wheels-good-but-often-misunderstood/ *Two wheels good but often misunderstood.* A recent article in the Winnipeg Free Press (Bartley Kives, Septemeber 9) <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/b_kives/two-wheels-good…>and some prompting from a friend started me thinking about my own simple rules to help cyclists and drivers co-exist on the roads. As both a motorist and long time commuter cyclist, I also see Winnipeg’s roads from both perspectives, but maybe a little different than Bartley. As a Can-Bike instructor and cycling educator I definitely see some aspects that others might overlook. I would agree with Mr. Kives’ statements that riding on the sidewalk is dangerous, the city is not overly hostile towards cyclists and that the city still has some distance to go before it can rank as and among the best. I would not necessarily agree that there are a lot of places that “it’s freaking horrifying to be in traffic on a bike.” With appropriate education and skills most roads can be navigated safely. While a small minority of motorists can be intolerant, the vast majority of drivers and cyclists are reasonable people and given the appropriate education and information, can share the road quite amicably. Here are a few other things that motorists and cyclists can do to make the streets of Winnipeg a comfortable and pleasant place to ride a bike. reduce the potential for car-bike conflict. Some are common sense, some are counterintuitive while others have simply been forgotten or never learned in the first place. FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE COOPERATION ON THE ROAD IF YOU’RE ON A BIKE: 1. Communicate: Hand signals are not common among cyclists, however they are an essential part of communicating your intentions and sharing the road. Drivers cannot read your mind! Hand signals alert drivers to what you want to do and you will be surprised how often they will let you do just that. And don’t forget shoulder checking. A simple shoulder check also communicates to a motorist that you are considering a change to your position on the road. 2. Follow the rules: In order to get the respect of motorists, you must earn it. Following the same rules will go a long way to helping drivers understand that we are not a bunch of scofflaws that follow their own set of rules. As more cyclists begin to demonstrate fair and reasonable behaviour, motorists will in turn change both their opinions and actions towards cyclists. 3. Ride predictably and allow space to manoeuvre: The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) states that cyclists are to ride as close as “practicable” to the edge of the road. Practicable should mean SAFE. This means NEVER hugging the curb but instead positioning yourself at least 1 meter away from the curb to maintain a straight line while avoiding the debris, potholes, cracks and manhole covers that litter the edge of most roads. In some situation such as construction or bridges with no bike lanes, practicable may mean taking the centre of the lane. Riding too close to the curb will encourage drivers to try and slide by you in the same lane, but also requires that in the event that you need to avoid a hazard, you must move left into the traffic flow. When passing parked cars increase this distance to 1.5 meters and stay out of the door zone. Riding too close to parked cars is dangerous and the consequences of hitting an open car door can be catastrophic. And while you are passing by those parked cars, don’t weave in the out from between them. Remember riding in a straight line makes you predictable. 4. At intersections or stop signs, take the middle of the lane: At intersections many cyclists stop beside the curb and rest their foot on it. This allows vehicles to pull up beside you and if they happen to be turning right, puts you in the perfect position for a “right hook.” If you are proceeding straight, that right turning vehicle may “hook” right in front of you. If you reposition yourself to the centre of the lane as they approach the intersection, you will stay in the driver’s field of vision and allow yourself room to manoeuvre when you start up again. Would you prefer to start up with tons of steel behind or in front of you, or directly beside you. The decision is an easy one! In heavy traffic many cyclists also ride up along the right hand side of stopped vehicles to reposition themselves to the head of the line. This is another habit that can result in a “right hook” or maybe even getting “doored.” It annoys drivers because they are forced to once again pass by you on the road ahead. If you want to be treated like an equal, you must act like one. 5. Get off the sidewalk: Riding on the sidewalk is illegal and statistically the most dangerous place to ride. Drivers are not looking for fast moving bicycles on sidewalks, they are looking for slow moving pedestrians. Further complicating this are all those uncontrolled intersections like driveways and back lanes. At many of these intersections the driver’s field of vision is blocked or obscured by fences and trees making it impossible to see you until they have already pulled out into your path. Sidewalks are for walking, it’s in the name. Cyclists need to remember that they are vulnerable road users, however it is also true that with proper skills and knowledge you can easily navigate the streets safely. The keys are knowledge and skills. We can all improve our cycling skills. Ttake a course that teaches actual on road cycling skills, you’ll find that there is much you didn’t know and much you can improve on. FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE COOPERATION ON THE ROAD IF YOU’RE IN A CAR: 1. Stay alert for bicycles: Keep your focus on the road, especially at intersections. You’ll not only avoid accidents in general but hopefully you will see the many cyclists that are now using Winnipeg’s streets. Too often when car-bike collisions occur, drivers claim they did not see the cyclist. This could be due to the cyclist’s behaviour, but it can also be driver inattention. Regardless of who made an error, a car-bike collision will result in serious injury or even death for a cyclist. 2. Provide a safe passing distance: At speeds under 60 km/hr drivers should provide a minimum of 1 meter of passing distance. At higher speeds drivers should move over to the adjacent lane. In fact, if the lane adjacent to you is available, use it. For the vast majority of Winnipeg streets there is not sufficient space to pass a cyclist in the same lane. Plan ahead when you see a cyclist and reposition your car at least partially into the next lane in order to provide sufficient passing distance. It is a frightening experience on a bike to be passed closely by tons of steel and could cause a cyclist to panic and lose control. No one really wants to add another statistic. 3. Think before you react: In many cases drivers simply don’t understand what constitutes reasonable or even safe behaviour on the part of a cyclist. Let’s start with two of the most common misunderstandings: - Cyclists do not belong on the sidewalk: Riding on the sidewalk is illegal and far more dangerous than riding on the roadway where drivers will actually see a cyclist. Riding on sidewalks is particularly dangerous at intersections where you may have difficulty predicting or even seeing a fast moving bike on the sidewalk. - The Highway Traffic Act states the cyclists are to ride “as close as practicable” to the edge of the road. This does not mean hugging the curb. The edges of many roads contain hazards like ruts, potholes, cracks, manhole covers, and debris. While these don’t represent a problem on 4 wide car tires, they can be a significant issue while balancing of two thin tires. If cyclists are to ride predictably in a straight line and avoid these hazards, they need to maintain a minimum distance of 1 meter from the edge. On bridges with no bike lanes or through construction or other similarly narrow traffic lanes, there is no room to share and so cyclists may need to take the centre of the lane. We’re not hogging the road, just taking enough space to ride safely. 4. Don’t honk your horn at me: Honking your horn, even if well intentioned, can be very startling for the cyclists. They are not insulated by steel and glass and the sound of a car horn behind them can cause them to panic and lose control. Save your horn for times when you really need it. 5. Shoulder-check before opening your car door: Cyclists should not ride within the door zone of parked cars, but traffic conditions and lack of knowledge result in many cyclists doing just that. It’s easy to check over your shoulder before opening the door just to be sure. Drivers need to remember that from inside tons of steel and glass you can’t see what a cyclist sees, hear what a cyclists hears, or feel what a cyclist feels. They are vulnerable road users, but with your cooperation they can be just another vehicle on the road. -- *Shoni Litinsky* | 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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Job Posting - PACM Project Coordinator
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '12

05 Sep '12

Emerging from the Coalition Strategic Planning Session in May 2012 and with funding support from Manitoba Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs/Manitoba *in motion, *PACM <http://pacm.ca/> is embarking on a 8 month project to: 1. Increase opportunites for knowledge exchange among coalition members, supporters and the general public that focus on evidence based research, best and promising practices, current trends and issues and highlight the value and benefits of physical activity across the life span. 2. Enhance communication strategies that support key or critical messages and promotes PACM as a strong, unified voice for physical activity in Manitoba and 3. Enhance membership and partner strategies that support collaboration and networking among organizations, agencies and government departments locally, regionally and provincially. *Hence, PACM is in search of a Project Coordinator. It is a part-time, eight month (8) term position to March 2013.* *Please share and distribute the attached job posting through your respective networks. Application deadline is 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 14th* Have a great day! Cory Jackson Chair, PACM (Physical Activity Coalition of Manitoba) Executive Director, Recreation Connections Manitoba

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Webinar reminder: NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Wed, Sept 5th, 2-3:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '12

04 Sep '12

*Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar...* Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* *2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, Sept 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* Also mark your calendars for these additional September webinars (details to follow closer to the date): *The Third Mode: Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility (American Trails)* *Wednesday, Sept 12th, 2:00 to 3:15 pm CDT* *Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk (APBP)* *Wednesday, Sept 19th, 2:00 to 3:00 pm CDT* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and NACTO present: 2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, September 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* ACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide has quickly emerged as the preeminent resource for designing safe, protected bikeways in cities across the United States. NACTO will release the second edition of the guide in June, with updated graphic profiles for all of its bicycle facilities, a new subsection on bicycle boulevard planning and design, and a survey of materials used for green color in bikeways. The guide continues to build upon the fast-changing state of the practice at the local level; it responds to and accelerates innovative street design and practice around the nation. This 90-minute webinar on the second edition of the Bikeway Design Guide offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from some of the cities that compiled the guide. Gain a better understanding of the guide's contents, hear how to use and implement these designs, and find out what NACTO envisions as the next steps to adopt and deploy these tools and design guidelines. *Presenters*: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Joe Gilpin, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design; David Vega-Barachowitz, Sustainable Initiatives Program Manager, National Association of City Transportation Officials. -- *Beth McKechnie* | 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) 925-3772 | 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/memberships/>

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88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '12

03 Sep '12

[Saw this wonderful story circulated by WinnipegBikeAlerts and had to share! -Beth] With a bike and an oxygen tank, 88-year-old Calgarian credits long life to daily cycling routine By Annalise Klingbeil, Calgary Herald | August 30, 2012 [image: Calgarian Ken Johnson is 88-years-old and, despite relying on a wheelchair and oxygen tank, rides his bicycle for at least an hour every day.] *Photograph by: *Colleen De Neve , Calgary HeraldCALGARY - There’s nothing that will stop 88-year-old Ken Johnson from riding his bicycle. Not a wheelchair. Not an oxygen tank. Not Calgary’s cold winters. Every day, the octogenarian uses a wheelchair to get from his northwest apartment to the building’s parkade, where he stores his bicycle. He uses a bungee cord to strap his metal oxygen tank onto a shelf on the back of his bike. Then he puts on a blue helmet, trades his wheelchair for his bicycle and pedals, for at least one hour a day. “I’m probably healthier now than I was 20 years ago, and the only reason that I’m still able to do things is because of bike riding,” Johnson said. “If it wasn’t for bike riding, I probably wouldn’t be here now.” When the mercury drops below zero, Johnson rides inside, up and down the seven floors of his apartment building’s parkade. The great-great grandfather started cycling when he was in his 60s, after he was diagnosed with emphysema. “I quit smoking and started to ride,” he said. While he initially struggled to keep his balance, Johnson, who learned to bike as a child but never owned a bicycle of his own, kept pedalling because he knew it was good for his health. Recent health struggles haven’t caused the senior to slow down. When the widower started using oxygen about four years ago, after being diagnosed with colon cancer, he continued to cycle. “Once I went on oxygen, I didn’t want to quit riding and I couldn’t ride very far without the oxygen,” Johnson said. Riding with his oxygen tank, a move that elicits stares from the people he passes on Calgary’s bike paths, was the logical next move for the senior. “I’ve got to have my oxygen on all the time because my lungs are really, really bad,” he said. When his legs began to slow down last year, Johnson visited a Canadian Tire sale and picked up an electric bicycle for half price. “I still pedal a lot but I use the electric bike to go up the hills and against the wind,” he said. Six months ago, Johnson began using a wheelchair when he was forced to stop four or five times to catch his breath, even with oxygen, on the short walk from his apartment to his bicycle. “It’s far easier for me to ride than it is to walk,” Johnson said. “I can ride for hours and hours and hours. I usually cut my oxygen down when I’m riding.” The retired salesman always rides solo and typically cycles in the afternoon to places accessible on the city’s bike paths, such as the zoo and Bowness Park. Johnson, a Second World War veteran who rode motorcycles in the army, drove a motorcycle, with his oxygen tank strapped to the back, until last year when his license was taken away. He’s yet to let anything stop him from riding his bicycle and is determined to keep it that way. “As long as I can get down to my bike, I’m going to ride,” he said. AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/With+bike+oxygen+tank+year+Calgarian+cr… <AKlingbeil(a)calgaryherald.com>

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WFP: Motor vehicle or bicycle? Law must decide (Aug.31'12)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

Motor vehicle or bicycle? Law must decide By: The Guelph Mercury The death of a man driving a gas-powered bicycle a week ago in Toronto is raising questions about the legality and the lack of regulation surrounding such vehicles. The Toronto fatality took place after the man aboard the gas-powered bike, a small engine strapped to its frame, collided with a car in Toronto's east end. The bikes aren't terribly common but are becoming more popular and are on the radar and becoming a headache for Ontario police services. The bike involved in the fatal Aug. 23 crash had a maximum speed of 42 km/h. But Toronto police said after the crash a gas-powered bike was spotted driving at 80 km/h on a Guelph road earlier this month. Toronto traffic Const. Clinton Stibbe said officers were "blown away at how fast he was going." And well they should be. So, too, should Ontario's citizens and its lawmakers. These bikes have a capacity to create significant safety problems -- as evidenced by the Toronto death and the Guelph speeder. And the laws governing the use of these bikes aren't clear. Stibbe suggested the Ontario traffic laws surrounding them amount to a "really strange grey zone." That's because the bikes still have working pedals. So if the cyclist is pedalling, both criminal law and the Highway Traffic Act consider it a regular bicycle. But if the cyclist fires up the engine -- typically by squeezing a lever on the handlebar -- the ride becomes a motorized vehicle. Then, the cyclist is prohibited from using bike lanes. If pulled over for drinking and driving, the operator can be charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle rather than a less serious careless driving charge. Police believe the Toronto bike-crash victim may have been impaired at the time of the fatal collision. Some motorized bikes are considered mopeds by the Ministry of Transportation's definition. But many are not. The bike involved in the Aug. 23 crash, made by a Chinese manufacturer, doesn't meet Ontario's commercial motor-vehicle safety standards. Those standards oblige motorized bikes to have safety features such as a horn, lights and braking requirements. Bikes failing to meet these standards don't require insurance or licence plates, as do mopeds. This is a problem area. Lawmakers must pay attention to this. Perhaps a coroner's inquest into the Toronto case would hasten needed action on this matter. -- The Canadian Press

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Copenhagenize: Fear of Cycling & WFP: Second bike fatality this year prompts call for reviews (Aug.31'12)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '12

31 Aug '12

Hello everyone: I recently revisited a series of five short articles on the "Fear of Cycling" and highly recommend that you take the time to read them in conjunction with the Free Press article below. -Beth * http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/09/fear-of-cycling-01-essay-in-five-parts… * Second bike fatality this year prompts calls for review By: Jen Skerritt The death of a 68-year-old man has sparked calls for a review of all cycling fatalities to improve road safety. On Wednesday, a cyclist and car collided near York Avenue and Main Street. The cyclist was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died. Police said early indications show the man was not wearing a helmet. He's the second cyclist killed on city streets this year. Thirty-five-year-old Victoria Nelson was killed on May 23 when she collided with a vehicle and fell into the path of a semi-trailer at Main Street and Higgins Avenue. Since 2009, seven cyclists have died on Winnipeg roads. Bike to the Future co-chairman Tom McMahon said Ontario's chief coroner recently reviewed all cycling deaths and issued recommendations to improve public safety. He said a similar review in Manitoba could identify what caused the accidents, and whether things such as extending the paved shoulder or adding separated bike lanes could prevent injuries and deaths. "I think it is useful and timely and important for the appropriate authority -- whoever that may be -- to examine what is happening. Not just fatalities but also serious injuries," McMahon said. On average, two cyclists were killed every year from 2005 to 2010 in Manitoba. Another 220 were hurt, Manitoba Public Insurance said. At the same time, more Winnipeggers are travelling by bike. Recent statistics compiled by Bike to the Future estimate there are close to 13,000 people travelling by bike in and out of downtown on a given day -- about 47 per cent more people than in 2011. Winnipeg police central traffic unit Staff Sgt. Rob Riffel said the number of fatal collisions involving cyclists has remained steady in the past few years. He said motorists and cyclists need to be aware they both have to share the road since anyone on a bike is likely to be seriously hurt during a collision. "It's just people being careless at inopportune times," Riffel said. "When you pit a cyclist against a vehicle, the vehicle is going to win." City of Winnipeg officials said in a statement they wait for police to complete an investigation to see if any traffic-related factors contributed to a fatal collision. If so, city officials will follow up to see what improvements can be made. For example, the city changed the pedestrian corridor at Osborne Street at Wardlaw Avenue following a number of collisions. MPI spokesman Brian Smiley said the public insurer has partnered with local cycling groups to educate cyclists on how to make themselves visible to vehicles, the importance of helmet use and existing traffic laws. Smiley said MPI will host workshops to train cyclists on how to avoid road hazards. He said motorists have to be patient and not squeeze by cyclists. In turn, he said cyclists have to know how to keep themselves safe. "We know in many situations some cyclists may not be that road savvy or anticipate a potentially dangerous situation," Smiley said. Earlier this year, the province introduced legislation that requires children under 18 to wear helmets. Adults are still exempt, but some avid cyclists such as Winnipeg Cycling Club member Henry Shorr believes that should change since head injuries can be "catastrophic." The group plans rides within Winnipeg and outside the city, and mandates that everyone on the rides wear a helmet, Shorr said. He said some bike lanes end suddenly and much of their rides end up being on city streets since the path system is not well-developed. "I think the city needs to do a better job of building bike paths and room for dedicated lanes for cyclists," Shorr said. McMahon said motorists need to be better educated about what to do when they encounter a cyclist on the road or see special markings for bike lanes. He said many drivers still squeeze by cyclists instead of changing lanes, and other jurisdictions have stipulated vehicles need to give cyclists at least one metre of space when passing. "I think we all need (safety) reminders," McMahon said. "The cyclist has a right to be on the road and feel safe." jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca Drivers 'cut you off on purpose' Jason Marshall has been in his share of bike-car collisions as a bike courier. He's been hit five times in the last 10 years and sports his latest wound on his left knee, where a car sideswiped him last week. "Drivers in Winnipeg are definitely worse than in other cities," he said, having been a bike courier in Regina and Calgary as well. "Drivers are really rude and disrespectful to cyclists. They don't pay attention. They'll cut you off on purpose." Marshall said bike paths, such as the one in front of his Assiniboine Avenue apartment, help make cycling safer, but he said more respect and attention needs to be paid to cyclists. "It could happen to anyone. It could happen to me," he said about Wednesday's crash. Marshall has broken his collar bone, arm and wrist from his many bike-car collisions. He said signalling is important to stay out of harm's way and also anticipating what's going to happen long before it does. "I look five car lengths ahead of me to see what's going on," he said. Cyclists sound off on safety How safe do you feel as a cyclist in Winnipeg? We put the question to Twitter readers. Here's a sample of their replies: alysonshane: Safer than I used to, but motorists are still really aggressive toward cyclists, especially outside downtown. littlesrule: My hubby was hit by car while biking on Pembina. Received multiple broken bones. palmerfritschy: As a commuter cyclist I've been struck by five cars but I've never felt unsafe. Eye contact with drivers is paramount. mykaelsopher: Much safer cycling downtown now versus five years ago. Drivers respect bike lanes way more than feckless "share the road" signs. samuelevan: Depends where. Wolseley is a cycling culture, so it's more expected, ergo safer. Portage Avenue can be an absolute nightmare. CBoho: On designated bike paths or lanes, I feel safe. On routes like Pembina, Marion, Osborne, not too safe. jsadowski2001: I do my best to take off road trails as much as possible. Cycling on the road is stressful and not enjoyable. HammieMB: I cycled down Portage once and it scared the crap out of me. *The number of cyclists killed on city streets, Winnipeg Police Service statistics show* 2 in 2012 (as of Aug. 30) 2 in 2011, one serious injury 2 in 2010 1 in 2009 0 in 2008

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No accident: It's time to change the way we talk about motor vehicle violence
by Beth McKechnie 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

*No accident: It's time to change the way we talk about motor vehicle violence* Transportation Alternatives | http://transalt.org/newsroom/magazine/2012/Summer/2 A few years ago, the *New York Times* published a five-sentence brief about a man who “intentionally ran over five people” with an SUV after a fight in North Bellmore, Long Island. The driver, the *Times* reported, “fled the scene of the accident.” The police later located the vehicle that “they believed was involved in the accident.” One of the victims was in critical condition. Ho hum. News briefs about the previous day’s car crashes are as routine as box scores and the weather forecast. Yet, in this case, the *Times*’ (and, presumably, the Nassau County cops’) choice of one particular word stood out: If a man intentionally ran over five people, how could that possibly be considered an accident? If, instead of car keys, the man had picked up a gun and shot five people, would the press and police have called that an “accident” too? No. They’d have called it “attempted homicide.” Yet, for some reason when the weapon is a car, when the violence on our streets is done with a motor vehicle, it’s always just an “accident.” Words are powerful. They shape the way we see the world around us. As a recent study by Stanford University cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shows, small changes in language can have a profound impact on how we conceptualize and act on public policy issues. Boroditsky presented two separate groups with nearly identical paragraphs about rising crime rates in a fictional city. For one group, the story started: “Crime is a beast ravaging the city of Addison.” The other group’s story began: “Crime is a virus ravaging the city of Addison.” For both groups the story continued with an identical set of alarming statistics. After they read the paragraph, Boroditsky asked her subjects what the police should do about Addison’s crime wave. Participants who read the “beast” story overwhelmingly called for more police enforcement. They wanted criminals to be captured and punished. Participants who read the “virus” story leaned toward social reform. They tended to want police to investigate the root causes of the crime to stop its spread. Changing just a single word, Boroditsky found, “can have a powerful influence over how people attempt to solve social problems like crime and how they gather information to make ‘well-informed’ decisions.” When the study’s 485 participants were asked to highlight what they thought was the most influential part of the text, almost everyone insisted that they had been persuaded by the statistics. The influence of the beast and virus metaphors, Boroditsky concluded, is “covert.” People often don’t recognize when they are being swayed by a specific choice of words. So, is it any surprise that the NYPD’s “Accident” Investigation Squad so frequently declares “no criminality suspected” after a motor vehicle is used to kill a pedestrian or cyclist on New York City streets? After all, they don’t call themselves the Motor Vehicle Manslaughter Squad. They don’t think of themselves as homicide detectives, or cars as weapons, or drivers as killers. The word “accident” implies no fault. It’s what we call it when a toddler makes a small mess. “Don’t cry over spilled milk,” we say. The assumption is built into the name of the NYPD bureaucracy itself: Death by motor vehicle is an “accident” before the investigators even get to what may very well be the scene of a crime. The Accident Investigation Squad is there to clean up and keep the traffic moving. Though it may sometimes seem otherwise, New York City drivers don’t wake up in the morning intending to harm pedestrians and cyclists. Most crashes are unintentional and “accident” is not an inaccurate word to describe them. But the fact remains: Driver negligence is the number one cause of crashes, and it’s no big surprise—or accident—when negligent driving hurts and kills people on crowded city streets. In fact, our legal system has a word for this type of unintentional killing: “Manslaughter.” Lots of work needs to be done and lots of things need to change to fix the way the NYPD deals with pedestrians and cyclists who have been injured and killed by negligent drivers. But if it’s true that small changes in language can have a big impact on public policy, then the easiest change is simply this: Stop calling car crashes “accidents.” Aaron Naparstek is on temporary loan to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he is a Visiting Scholar at MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. He is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog.org.

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Glow in the Dark Bikes and Other Fun Stuff - Ciclovia Events Sept.8-9
by Anders Swanson 30 Aug '12

30 Aug '12

Hi, *Saturday Sept.8* Ciclovia is kicking off with something new and exciting this year:* *a* * glow-in-the-dark-decorate-it-yourself-bike-parade!!! The festival has ordered approximately a bazillion free glo sticks (just in case your personal stash of blinky lights and phosphorescent body paint ran out). Bike decorating starts in local parks at 5:30 (for those who really need the time to carefully adjust the position of each glo-stick). You can start at one of six parks located in various corners of the city: - Omand Park - St. John’s Park - Lagimodiere Gaboury Park - Lyndale Dr Park - Riverview Community Centre - Memorial Park Group rides head out for downtown at about 7:30. Join the thousands of people who will have showed up for the Lights on Broadway extravaganza on foot (...suckers) and make them jealous of your bling-ky ride. *Volunteer on Saturday?* If you are able to show up an hour early and have basic mechanical skills *or* enjoy leading group rides *or* are simply a master of the glo-in-the-dark arts willing to help decorate, we could really use ya. Please contact Stephanie <stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com>. ----- *Sunday Sept.9* Not a member of the raver generation? Strobe lights give you headaches? That's OK. There's something for you too. The main draw - Ciclovia itself where the long stretches of streets are yours for the taking - starts the next day. *Volunteer on Sunday?* A few more volunteer marshalls are needed to help us close down parts of Broadway, Mostyn, Wolseley, Wellington and Balmoral to cars and open it to people for the day. Hang out. Watch people. Harvest the appreciation. If you are interested, please contact Stephanie<stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com>. *Free Stuff for All Volunteers:* Besides all the smiles and laughter you will indubitably induce, there's some free wine up from the winetasting folks up for grabs and some other great schwag. Shift details and other info attached and below. Please forward as you see fit. Regards, Anders Swanson volunteer steering committee member, Ciclovia 2012 P.S. Here's some inspiration: P.P.S. If you want to decorate your stroller, skateboard, wheelchair, why not? Work your magic: P.P.P.S. Also I heard that Harlequin is playing, not sure what they sound like, but they look awesome: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stephanie Voyce <stephanie(a)downtownwinnipegbiz.com> Date: Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 9:55 PM Subject: Ciclovia help requested ** ** ** The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is looking for your help to make Ciclovia 2012 a success. We're looking for cycling related in-kind donations, volunteers and participants. **** ** ** In particular, we need volunteers to help with route signage placement, marshalling and group rides. As appreciation, these key Ciclovia volunteers will receive special gift packages ($25 value per each time you can assist us). You will also receive food and wine tickets to use at Manyfest. **** ** ** Anyone available to help with placing promotional signs this Thursday, Aug 30 at 6pm (starting from Memorial Park), please let me know! **** ** ** We also really need donations of bike lights, prizes and used helmets. Please read the attached letter to find out more!**** ** ** Also, please direct family, friends and colleagues who may not wish to help with cycling related tasks but would like to volunteer in another capacity to our volunteer hub: www.manyfest.volunteerhub.com. For Ciclovia, we still especially need block captains, site decorators and take-down crews. **** ** ** For other details on Ciclovia, please visit www.manyfest.ca**** ** ** Thank you,**** **** *Stephanie Voyce* Project Manager,* *Image & Transportation *Downtown **Winnipeg BIZ *204.958.4621 office 204.958.4630 fax Visit our website at www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com!

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FW: Pedal Power
by Reaney, Vicky (MLG) 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Hi all - thought you would enjoy this article. Vicky Reaney Provincial Active Transportation Coordinator/Community Liaison (204) 945-8794 Vicky.reaney(a)gov.mb.ca<mailto:Vicky.reaney@gov.mb.ca> http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli… Pedal power in parliament: Olivia Chow<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…> [cid:image001.jpg@01CD8446.965F5660]<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Olivia-Chow-by-Reb…> Pedal power in parliament: Olivia Chow Driving change from the Hill Photos by Rebecca Baran; Story by Tammy Thorne This story is from our current Summer 2012 youth and employment issue of dandyhorse. Order it here<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…>. Youth apathy towards our political status quo is at an all-time high. Sixty-five per cent of 18 to 25-year-old Canadians didn't vote in the last federal election. Enter Olivia Chow. Chow is one of the most visible social advocates and politicians in Canada. And she's fed up with the status quo. In her current role as the NDP Transport and Infrastructure Critic, Chow is fighting for the mobility and safety of all Canadians across all modes of transportation. She recently tabled a private member's bill, which calls on the federal government to take a leadership role through the introduction of a National Public Transit Strategy<http://www.oliviachow.ca/2012/05/national-transit-strategy-join-the-team/>. Coordination and dedicated funding for transit on a federal level is something both experts and cities across the country are calling for - and that Canada alone lacks among its G8 peers. Chow is deeply rooted in her downtown riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto- she bikes or takes the ttc everywhere from her home in Chinatown - so she knows how bike lanes, safe roads and accessible and affordable transit make our communities liveable and vibrant. Trinity-Spadina is home to the University of Toronto and numerous other elementary and high schools. Since her election to federal government in 2006, Chow has pushed for a variety of high profile initiatives, including a universal national child care program and immigration reform. She's a veteran city councillor with decades of experience, having learned from cycling advocate and councillor Dan Leckie. Married in 1988, Olivia Chow and Jack Layton (or "Olivia and Jack" as they were known) both worked tirelessly to make Canada a better place: first as city councillors in Toronto and then in parliament. Jack's death last year made Olivia the touchstone for all the emotion that goes with fighting for a better country - and she is, without any doubt, determined to carry on the work he started as Leader of the Official Opposition. Layton said last year; "Cities like Toronto are grappling with how to balance an effective public transit system at the same time as keeping the property tax reasonable." (Municipalities have much more limited sources of revenue than provincial and federal governments, since the bulk of funding for the city comes mainly from property taxes.) Chow's Bill C-305 went through first reading on September 30, 2011. Her recommendations to the House Committee on Transport note that Canada is the only G8 country without a national transit strategy. The goals of the bill are to provide fast, affordable and accessible public transit; increase access and use; reduce commute times and congestion; enhance quality of life; reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality. It states that to achieve these laudable and much needed results, coordination is needed between all levels of government to maintain and expand public transit. Sounds dandy. So, we asked Chow: What's the hold up with the national transit strategy? "Harper only knows how to look backwards," says Chow. "He doesn't understand what moving Canada forward is all about; it's old thinking... it's the status quo. Harper just doesn't want to take any leadership role, or have any kind of real partnership with municipalities or transit authorities." Chow continues, "Congestion is costing up to 6 billion per year in the GTA alone, so we know it's a fiscally conservative move to support transit." Now that the NDP is in the Official Opposition in the House of Commons, will the party be able to force transit on to the federal agenda? "The first study that we did at the House Committee on Transport is a transit strategy, so that shows they understand it's important - it's just a question of what they are going to do about it." Chow says the Conservatives want to control every detail, yet lack leadership when it comes to moving the country forward. "They don't want to give more money to municipalities [for transit] but they want to do all the ribbon cutting," she says. She suggests more funds could be found in the gas tax. Cycling is not without its politics, either. During her years at City Hall, Chow was chair of the cycling committee. Now, in her federal role, she has called for a national cycling strategy. In 2011, she said: "The federal government should take a leadership role to promote cycling by dedicating infrastructure investments to create bicycle lanes, paths and secured parking. Transport infrastructure projects should incorporate the needs of cyclists in their design. Side guards on trucks should be installed to reduce cycling fatalities. Bike racks should be available on buses and financial incentives should be offered to Canadians buying new bikes. After all, 82 per cent of Canadians support federal government spending to encourage safe cycling and a healthy lifestyle." Youth are arguably the demographic with the most to gain from progressive policies like these. Young people rely on transit and bikes, especially those saddled with student debt, pounding the pavement in search of decent jobs. Riding a bike is great way to keep personal costs low, while contributing to the local economy - or even just to get to that first job interview on time. This story is from our current Summer 2012 youth and employment issue of dandyhorse. Order it here<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/blog/2012/05/20/pedal-power-in-parliament-oli…>. [cid:image002.jpg@01CD8446.965F5660]<http://dandyhorsemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DH9_FINAL_web_june…>

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Sept AT webinars: NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Wed, Sept 5th, 2-3:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* *2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, Sept 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* Also mark your calendars for these additional September webinars (details to follow closer to the date): *The Third Mode: Greenways, Trails and Active Mobility (American Trails)* *Wednesday, Sept 12th, 2:00 to 3:15 pm CDT* *Liability: Understanding and Managing Risk (APBP)* *Wednesday, Sept 19th, 2:00 to 3:00 pm CDT* RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 * * * * * The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) and NACTO present: 2nd Edition, NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide *Wednesday, September 5th | 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. CDT* ACTO's Urban Bikeway Design Guide has quickly emerged as the preeminent resource for designing safe, protected bikeways in cities across the United States. NACTO will release the second edition of the guide in June, with updated graphic profiles for all of its bicycle facilities, a new subsection on bicycle boulevard planning and design, and a survey of materials used for green color in bikeways. The guide continues to build upon the fast-changing state of the practice at the local level; it responds to and accelerates innovative street design and practice around the nation. This 90-minute webinar on the second edition of the Bikeway Design Guide offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from some of the cities that compiled the guide. Gain a better understanding of the guide's contents, hear how to use and implement these designs, and find out what NACTO envisions as the next steps to adopt and deploy these tools and design guidelines. *Presenters*: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator, Portland Bureau of Transportation; Joe Gilpin, Senior Planner, Alta Planning + Design; David Vega-Barachowitz, Sustainable Initiatives Program Manager, National Association of City Transportation Officials.

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BC group identifies, improves, and maps walking and biking routes around the province.
by Shoni Litinsky 28 Aug '12

28 Aug '12

Congrats to our Active and Safe Routes to School partners in B.C for getting the City of Vancouver on board in their efforts towards route mapping and walking school buses to improve the safety and participation of children on the way to school! http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/08/22/walking-school-buses-gain-traction… Walking or biking to school didn’t used to require an organizational team, but it’s come to that in urban North America and Vancouver’s getting on board this fall. The city recently joined New Westminster, Surrey and Langley in funding a project that identifies, improves and maps safe walking and biking routes to schools. The Okanagan City of Vernon has done the same. Vancouver will start out with six yet-t0-be-named schools. New Westminster is the leader so far, says Mike Smith, the school programs manager with the provincially funded Hub for Active School Travel or HASTe<http://www.hastebc.org/> which runs the mapping projects. That city has produced maps for every school <http://www.newwestcity.ca/residents/city_maps/best_walking_routes_to_school…>within its boundaries that include a distance scale for estimating walking and cycling times. New Westminster is also looking at enshrining safe school routes in its master transportation plan which is a huge step, he says. And HASTe is starting a bike-pool program in selected middle schools there this fall that will send a riding instructor along with student commuters for one week to get them familiar with local routes and talk about bike maintenance and theft prevention. The province created HASTe in 2008 after it identified walking school buses and bicycle trains as tools to combat the twice-daily traffic jams and exhaust fumes that plague most elementary and middle schools when parents in cars and minivans line up to drop their kids. But the idea for walking school buses — groups of children strolling to school with a volunteer adult supervisor — was originally a response to dangerous inner-city streets in Chicago. It morphed into a health program as teachers and parents throughout the U.S. and Canada observed a growing number of chubby kids who have almost no outdoor activities. HASTe couldn’t provide me with any figures on the total number of students who are turning down a lift to school — or perhaps being turned down — because it ebbs and flows with the seasons, parent volunteers and as kids move to higher grades, said Smith. And many arrangements are less formal such as parents or older siblings taking turns walking younger kids to school. But follow-up surveys in New Westminster found that traffic calming, an in-class Cool Routes to School Program along with mapping and safety education resulted in an 18-per-cent increase in walking at Richard McBride Elementary and a nine-per-cent increase at Glenbrook Middle school which has a large catchment area, says Sandra Jones, HASTe’s travel planning and mapping specialist. At Queensborough Elementary, the number of students driven to school dropped by 17 per cent. A Canadian coalition of groups working to get kids out of cars conducted a survey<http://www.hastebc.org/files/attachments/2012%20Executive%20Summary.pdf>earlier this year with 18,547 parents. It found that 13 per cent of today’s parents were driven to school, but 41 per cent of their kids get a ride. The most common reasons cited for driving children to school was time and convenience. In asking parents what would help them unleash their kids, only 10 per cent said a program like the walking bus would do it. Just under 50 per cent said physical improvements to make safer streets, such as bumped-out curbs that reduce the distance a child has to cross at a street corner, and safety education were more important. And 15 per cent said special school events helped their kids start walking and cycling to school. That’s all part of the planning in participating cities, explains HASTe’s community programs manager Kerry Hamilton. When parents, students, teachers, school administrators, urban designers and engineers get together, they look at the safest routes and then ways to improve them such as better visibility at corners, or perhaps barrier walls to allow kids to walk along busy streets. “It’s a process that you go through… In the end you get an action plan,” she says. If the so-called bubble-wrap generation is to get on its feet, there has to be a huge shift, Smith says, and he believes it has slowly started. “Parents want to do what is best for their kids and here is an opportunity to encourage their kids’ independence.” HASTe offers an array of information, tools and advice at http://www.hastebc.org/. It’s also co-sponsoring International Walk to School Week <http://www.hastebc.org/resources/iwalk-international-walk-school-week>from Oct. 8-12 and provides resource kits to schools that sign up. eellis(a)vancouversun.com -- *Shoni Litinsky* | 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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Kingston Tranist offers free bus pass to Grade 9 students
by Beth McKechnie 22 Aug '12

22 Aug '12

Kingston Transit Offers Free Bus Rides to Grade 9 Students Robert John <http://kingstonherald.com/author/robert> | 2012/08/21 Grade 9 students are being offered a free Kingston Transit Pass to encourage them to ride the bus to access recreational programs throughout the city as part of Kingston Gets Active’s Grade 9 Community Activity Pass program. “This pilot project is about encouraging young people to establish healthy, active habits including riding the bus, an active and sustainable form of transportation,” says Mayor Mark Gerretsen. “The free bus pass will help them experience Kingston Transit and offer them access to recreational programming all over the city.” Students starting Grade 9 at Kingston high school this September can obtain their complimentary Kingston Transit pass starting today (August 20), by presenting the following items at City Hall, 216 Ontario St. or the Information Desk at the Cataraqui Centre: A birth certificate and a 2012-13 Grade 9 high school timetable, OR A valid 2012-13 Grade 9 student photo i.d. card. To use the Kingston Transit service, students will be required to tap their valid transit pass on the fare box to board the bus. The transit pass is valid from September 1, 2012 until August 31, 2013. Kingston Gets Active, a community-wide partnership of organizations including school boards and the City, administers the Grade 9 Community Activity Pass program throughout Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Counties. The program offers these students free access to recreation programs, such as swimming and skating. The free Kingston Transit pass is only for Grade 9 students attending a high school in the city of Kingston only: Bayridge Secondary School Frontenac Secondary School Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI) LaSalle Secondary School Loyalist Collegiate & Vocational Institute (LCVI) Queen Elizabeth Collegiate & Vocational Institute (QECVI) Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School École Secondaire Publique Mille-Iles École Secondaire Catholique Marie-Rivier Ride Kingston Transit. Plan your bus trip at: kingstontransit.ca/tripplanner . http://kingstonherald.com/release/kingston-free-bus-grade-9-201039781

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Great webinar! Slides from today's Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces
by Jessie Klassen 15 Aug '12

15 Aug '12

For those who were interested but couldn't make it to today's webinar: Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces, the presentation slides and handouts can be found here <http://www.apbp.org/?page=Webinar_Downloads>. All three presentations were excellent, but the examples from Portland and San Fransisco were especially inspiring. Jessie * * * * * Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description provided below.* **Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces* *Wednesday, August 15th | 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.* * * * * * Innovative thinking can transform auto-centric streets into inviting public spaces. This webinar explores projects and programs in three communities that reclaim areas in the public right of way for people-friendly uses. Attend this webinar to learn how to turn transportation challenges into projects that build community and contribute to pedestrian and bicyclist safety, public health, and economic development. Speakers will discuss the barriers to implementing these projects, issues of planning, design, maintenance and cost, and lessons learned. Please note: this is a 75-minute webinar. Featured projects include: • The Uptown Roundabout in Normal, Illinois; • San Francisco's Pavement to Parks Program; • Portland's Intersection Repair Projects. Presenters: Mercy Davidson, Town Planner, City of Normal, Illinois; Greg Raisman, Traffic Safety Program Specialist, Active Transportation Division, Portland Bureau of Transportation; and Ilaria Salvadori, Project Manager, San Francisco Planning Department. ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Webinar Reminder - Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 2-3pm, Ecocentre - Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces
by Jessie Klassen 14 Aug '12

14 Aug '12

** Friendly reminder regarding tomorrow's webinar ** Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a > local viewing of the upcoming APBP webinar at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 > Portage Ave) followed by group discussion.* *Detailed description > provided below.* > > **Transforming Streets into Inviting Public Spaces* > *Wednesday, August 15th | 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.* > > RSVPs are appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! > > Thanks, > Jessie > 925-3772 > > * * * * * > Innovative thinking can transform auto-centric streets into inviting > public spaces. This webinar explores projects and programs in three > communities that reclaim areas in the public right of way for > people-friendly uses. Attend this webinar to learn how to turn > transportation challenges into projects that build community and contribute > to pedestrian and bicyclist safety, public health, and economic > development. Speakers will discuss the barriers to implementing these > projects, issues of planning, design, maintenance and cost, and lessons > learned. Please note: this is a 75-minute webinar. > > Featured projects include: > • The Uptown Roundabout in Normal, Illinois; > • San Francisco's Pavement to Parks Program; > • Portland's Intersection Repair Projects. > > Presenters: Mercy Davidson, Town Planner, City of Normal, Illinois; Greg > Raisman, Traffic Safety Program Specialist, Active Transportation Division, > Portland Bureau of Transportation; and Ilaria Salvadori, Project Manager, > San Francisco Planning Department. > ** > ** > > *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options > > <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find > us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> > > 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 > > > > Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. > > Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> > >

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Recession-squeezed Greeks ditch cars for bikes
by Beth McKechnie 09 Aug '12

09 Aug '12

Recession-squeezed Greeks ditch cars for bikes Published on Wednesday August 08, 2012 * Karolina Tagaris | *Reuters ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's dire economic plight has forced thousands of businesses to close, thrown one in five out of work and eroded the living standards of millions. But for bicycle-maker Giorgos Vogiatzis, it's not all bad news. The crisis has put cash-strapped Greeks on their bikes - once snubbed as a sign of poverty or just plain risky - and Greek manufacturers are shifting into fast gear. The high cost of road tax, fuel and repairs is forcing Greeks to ditch their cars in huge numbers. According to the government's statistics office, the number of cars on Greek roads declined by more than 40 percent in each of the last two years. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 bikes were sold in 2011, up about a quarter from the previous year. Shops selling bicycles, and equipment ranging from helmets to knee pads, are spreading fast across the capital, popping up even between souvenir shops on the cobbled pedestrian streets of the touristy Plaka district. "They're sprouting up like mushrooms," said Vogiatzis, who designs and builds tailor-made bicycles in his workshop on the Aegean island of Rhodes. A former cyclist on Greece's national team, Vogiatzis opened his business in the mid-80s, combining his love for drawing and mathematics, but only recently watched sales boom from a modest 40 bikes a year to over 350. "There's no more money for luxuries and that helps," said Vogiatzis, who works away furiously with two other staff to meet demand for all sorts of bikes - some lavishly hand-painted in glitter, others flaunting the Greek flag. "People who were never interested in cycling are buying bikes," he added. Vogiatzis now exports to seven countries including Germany and the United States, and opened shops across Greece, including in Athens where competition is fierce. A far cry from the shuttered shopfronts in the capital that have become a painful reminder of the country's worst downturn since World War Two, bike shop owners estimate that at least one store opened every month in 2011. Vogiatzis laughed: "Every neighbourhood has its bike shop just as it's got its kebab shop." POTHOLES, TRAFFIC JAMS In austerity Greece, the once lowly bike is winning new fans every day, from middle-aged commuters who relied on their cars to those who poked fun at former prime minister George Papanadreou's penchant for cycling as not being macho enough. The new national fashion has even prompted the Athens mayor to start working on a public bike hire scheme similar to those in other European capitals - a first for a city where the few cycling lanes are often dotted with pine trees or parked cars. The lack of infrastructure and Athens's mountainous landscape have not deterred Greece's new cyclists who have begun pedalling through traffic jams, up and down steep hills and over potholed roads. "This is not Berlin. Here it's risky but you need to start thinking what you'll cut back on - taxis, the metro," said Elena Koniaraki, 39, a music saleswoman who joked about sticking a learner's sign on her back for the first few bumpy rides. A pay cut two years ago forced Koniaraki to give up her car under a "cash for clunkers" scheme as she could no longer afford to pay the road tax or fill up her tank. She also moved from her house in a leafy northern Athens suburb to the centre. And to get through a cash squeeze in March, she picked up a second-hand bike for the first time since childhood. "At first my friends would laugh at me and say: Oh, poverty!" said Koniaraki, who now cycles to work from the foothills of the ancient Acropolis, past shop-gazing tourists in Plaka and through the bustling Syntagma square. "We've never had a bike culture in Greece. Sometimes I'll leave my local street market on my bike, loaded with bags of tomatoes, and people will stop and wave at me," she said. THE ONLY WAY IS UP With fuel prices catapulted by tax rises to about 1.72 euros per litre in July - one of the highest rates in Europe - a bike culture may just develop. "A lot of people are starting to see it as an alternative," said Tolis Tsimoyannis, a cycling aficionado who imports fold-up bikes from Taiwan. Tsimoyannis, who opened his business in 2006, said he saw a steady increase in demand in the previous two years, many of his customers students and people in their 40s who were struggling to make ends meet. Lately, his business has started to level out - not because of a drop in demand but because the opening of so many bike shops means they each get a smaller piece of the pie. But even as prospects of Greece's recession-mired economy remain glum and many fear the pain from the crisis will only intensify in the days ahead, bike enthusiasts are optimistic that the appeal of the bicycle will only grow. "The only way is up," Tsimoyannis said. www.thestar.com/business/article/1238625--recession-squeezed-greeks-ditch-c…

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ITE Pedestrian and Bicycle Council Newsletter: Request for Articles
by Beth McKechnie 08 Aug '12

08 Aug '12

Any ideas for articles to submit? Deadline is September 5th. Thanks to Bob Kurylko for sharing. cheers, Beth ** ** *From:* Institute of Transportation Engineers [mailto:info@ite.ccsend.com] *On Behalf Of *Institute of Transportation Engineers *Sent:* Wednesday, August 08, 2012 6:00 AM *To:* Kurylko, Robert *Subject:* ITE Pedestrian and Bicycle Council Newsletter: Request for Articles**** ** ** [image: A Community of Transportation Professionals]**** * * *Fall 2012 Newsletter: Request for Articles* August 2012**** The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Pedestrian and Bicycle Council (PBC) is currently soliciting contributions for the Fall 2012 edition of the PBC e-newsletter. We are looking for current news, journal articles, or other items of interest to share with the membership. Please feel free to forward this solicitation to your colleagues. We welcome submissions from non-ITE members. Please refrain from marketing companies, products, or services.**** ** ** The PBC e-newsletter is a quarterly publication for ITE members designed to keep transportation engineers involved in, and informed about, bicycle and pedestrian transportation best practices. Criteria for submissions are flexible, but should be related to bicycle and pedestrian planning/engineering, policy, or advocacy. Previous editions of the newsletter have included academic research, updates on recent changes to MUTCD design standards, solicitations for public comment on MUTCD standards, "how to" guides for community groups and transit agencies, project case studies, data collection and education efforts, and news items related to pedestrian and bicycle projects. All of these topics (and others) are suitable for submission.**** ** ** Submissions should not exceed 1,000 words in length. If submitting original academic research, please include an abstract of no more than 200 words and a link to the full article. If submitting graphics, please submit them separately from the Word documents (e.g., jpg, tiff, or gif files).**** The deadline for submissions for our Fall newsletter is *September 5th, 2012 *.**** ** ** Please send your questions and submissions to the editors via e-mail: ite.pbc.news(a)gmail.com.**** ** ** *Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=umc9fycab&m=1102470515092&ea=…> * <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001kkqO0FxDKZT4vX7yz6nMv4DYC…> **** <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?pn=buynow&cc=news08>**** This email was sent to robert.kurylko(a)stantec.com by info(a)ite.org | **** Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001kkqO0FxDKZT4vX7yz6nMv4DYC…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. **** Institute of Transportation Engineers | 1627 Eye Street | Suite 600 | Washington | DC | 20006**** ****

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