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New report on Complete Streets
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

*Complete Streets - New Report* The National Complete Streets Coalition in the U.S. has just released a new report updating and comparing the skyrocketing number of Complete Streets policies that have been implemented in the past couple of years. Waterloo, ON became Canada's first community to implement a Complete Streets policy last week. The report can be downloaded from: http://www.completestreets.org/news-blog/blog/ If you're not sure what this is all about, here's a quick explanation from the report: "Complete Streets policies formalize a community’s intent to plan, design, and maintain streets so they are safe for all users of all ages and abilities. Policies direct transportation planners and engineers to consistently design and construct the right-of-way to accommodate all anticipated users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, motorists, and freight vehicles. Complete streets can be achieved through a variety of policies: ordinances and resolutions; rewrites of design manuals; inclusion in comprehensive plans; internal policies developed by transportation agencies; executive orders from elected officials, such as Mayors or Governors; and policies developed by stakeholders from the community and agency staff that are formally adopted by an elected board of officials..." The report identifies the strongest policies existing today and provides guidance on the key elements that should be included. cheers, Beth -- *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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Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '11

27 Apr '11

Canada gets a failing grade for childhood fitness ANDRÉ PICARD, PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTER— From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Apr. 26, 2011 6:00AM EDT Canadian children spend a mere 14 minutes of their after-school hours being physically active, a new study shows. “The days of biking home from school and putting the nets out for a game of road hockey are long gone,” said Mark Tremblay, chief scientific officer with Active Healthy Kids Canada. In its annual report card on physical activity, published Tuesday, AHKC identifies a number of factors that contribute to the sedentary behaviour of kids in the key 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. time period, including: * After-school programs do not see activity as a priority; * Lack of supervised programs, particularly for older children; * Schoolyards that are devoid of play structures; * Transportation policies that result in kids being whisked away as soon as the bell rings; * Latch-key children who come home and plunk themselves down in front of the TV; * Parental fears about community safety that keep children inside. “We need a fundamental rethink of how we deliver after-school programs,” said Elio Antunes, chief operating officer of ParticipACTION. “Getting kids outside needs to become a priority.” While it is often argued that modern children are overwhelmed by homework and that the pressure to succeed takes precedence over activity, Mr. Antunes does not buy that argument. “If they can find hours a day to watch screens for entertainment, they can find time to be active,” he said. “Besides, we know that kids who are physically active do much better in school.” Canadian research shows that young people aged 5 to 19 who spend time outside after school take about 2,000 additional steps a day – the equivalent of walking two kilometres. The new data reveal that that 72 per cent of children do not have access to after-school programs, which are geared principally to young kids. Further, less than half the after-school programs focus on physical activity. “Essentially, it’s babysitting – sedentary babysitting,” Dr. Tremblay said. The children who are on their own after class is dismissed seem to fair even worse. “Screen-time is replacing after-school activity. We have to find a way to turn that around,” Dr. Tremblay said. Active Healthy Kids Canada is a charitable organization that advocates the importance of physical activity for children and youth where they live, learn and play. It has published an annual report card for the past five years. The group now assigns 23 grades related to childhood physical activity. This year’s grades include: * F for overall physical activity: Only 9 per cent of boys and 4 per cent of girls meet guideline recommendations of 60 minutes daily of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; * F for active play: Only one in eight children engage in play every day after school; * F for screen-related behaviour: Canadian kids spend, on average six hours daily in front of TV, computer and game screens; * D for active transportation: One in four children get to and from school under their own steam, such as walking or biking; * C- for physical education: One in four children get no gym classes; half get one to two gym periods a week and; one in four gets three to four periods; * C for organized sport: 75 per cent of parents say their children participate in organized sport in the past year; * A- for proximity and availability: 95 per cent of parents polled say that parks and outdoor spaces are available locally. Dr. Tremblay noted that the grades have remained fairly consistent over the years - “consistently and uniformly grim” - but that will not change until there is a concerted effort to improve the situation. “We talk a lot about all this stuff, about childhood obesity and lack of physical activity, but we don’t seem to do anything about it,” he said.

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Japan: Out of disaster, a burst of enthusiasm for bicycling
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Out of Disaster, a Burst of Enthusiasm for Bicycling By MIKI TANIKAWA Published: April 18, 2011 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/business/global/18iht-rbog-bicycle-18.htm… TOKYO — Whenever Shigeki Kobayashi spots a salaryman on a bicycle with his bag in the front basket, he knows that he is watching a novice bike commuter: putting the heavy load up front makes steering harder, an elementary mistake. Mr. Kobayashi also realizes that someone is new to street cycling when the rider is on the sidewalk. “Some people mistakenly think it is safer on the sidewalk,” he said. “That’s wrong, because on the sidewalk there is greater chance you’d bump into someone or something.” Mr.Kobayashi is director of the Bicycle Usage Promotion Study Group, a nonprofit organization that promotes usage of bicycles in Tokyo. Since March 11, when an earthquake devastated northern Japan and rattled the Tokyo metropolitan area, the streets of Suginami ward, where he lives, have teemed with wobbly bikers pedaling their way to work. “The increase was sudden and visible,” he said during an interview. Over the past 20 years, more commuters in urban areas like Tokyo have been switching gears and choosing to bicycle to work instead of using trains and cars, citing concerns for health, environment, costs and an escape from packed trains. The catastrophe last month has now converted some of the holdouts by proving one more benefit to cycling: you have a means to go home when the trains stop moving. On that fateful day, millions of workers were stranded in the middle of the city when virtually the whole Tokyo train and subway system — which together shuttle nine million people in and out of the megalopolis daily — ground to a halt. Railways stopped trains for fear of aftershocks. While most of the trains and subways resumed service toward midnight, hundreds of thousands walked home or took shelter in their offices or public halls. Amid worried colleagues wondering how to get home, Masataka Isashiki, 32, a government worker in downtown Chiyoda ward, wowed his colleagues when he announced he was going like he always did: He put on his helmet and headed for his bike. The street was jammed with traffic, “but I simply found my way between cars which were stuck,” he said. “My colleagues were impressed.” That night, hordes of workers trailing home, sometimes as far as 20 kilometers, or 12 miles, on foot, swarmed any bicycle shops they found on their route. “There were many, many people who bought a bike on their way home,” said Kenji Tanaka, secretary general of a bicycle retailers’ association in Tokyo. “Many stores went empty that night.” Since then, “sales have been steadily growing and orders have been pouring in,” he added. Reflecting that, “there are more people on a bike on the road in the morning” now than a month ago, Mr. Isashiki said. “I also see more bicycles parked in the premise of the building I work in.” Mr. Kobayashi, director of the bicycle advocacy group, regularly counts the number of bikers passing by a busy boulevard that leads to downtown Tokyo. On a day last November, he counted 105 bicycles from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. That rose to 243 on March 14, three days after the earthquake and to 330 on March 30. “The quake has clearly changed the number of bike commuters,” he said. “It resembles the sudden spike in bike commuters in London after the 2005 bombings when public transportation was suspended for a while.” People who try biking to work quickly discover that finding their way on the meandering Tokyo streets is neither as daunting nor as exhausting as they expected. “With smartphones and Google<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/google_inc/index.html…>map, the task is made easy,” Mr. Kobayashi said. “They also notice it is quite a pleasant experience cycling. All together, the earthquake may have triggered a change in lifestyle for many.” Mr. Isashiki, the government worker, rides 10 kilometers each way — a 40 minute trip — on his silver Bianchi, an Italian-made bike for which he paid 80,000 yen, or $960. “It just feels good on the bike, generally,” rather than being squeezed into a train, he said. Riding lowers stress, said Takayuki Maruyama, 51, an executive with an information technology company in downtown Tokyo, who cycles to work once or twice a week. “Some people say you might get exhausted on the bike,” he said. “But I feel refreshed. The only snag is parking. There is no dedicated bicycle park, so I leave it on the sidewalk.” For most metropolitan riders, the mental and cardiovascular benefits outweigh the perceived environmental gain, since most have switched from train commutes rather than cars. “Since around 2002, people began talking about the metabolic syndrome and so forth for middle-aged people, which gave birth to the initial boom in bicycling,” Mr. Kobayashi said. According to the Japan Bicycle Promotion Institute, a government affiliated agency, bike ownership in Tokyo rose to 8.99 million in 2008, the most recent available yearly figure, from 7.07 million in 2000. Recently, electric-powered bicycles have also seen something of a boom in demand, particularly in the aftermath of the March temblor. Tooru Miyake, manager of the sales planning team at Panasonic<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/matsushita-electric-i…>Cycle Technology, based in Osaka, said that, probably as a result of the earthquake, the company’s sales of electric bicycles rose about 30 percent in March from that month last year. In February, the increase was just 10 percent, he said. The company would not say how many bikes it had sold, but it said total electric bike sales in Japan were running at about 380,000 a year, of which Panasonic holds a 40 percent market share. *This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:* *Correction: April 19, 2011* * An earlier version of this article stated that bicycle ownership in Tokyo rose to nearly nine million in 2008 from 7.07 million in 1990. The 7.07 million figure was for 2000, not 1990. *

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Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Research shows biking, walking can thrive in suburbia<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive…> Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)<http://bikeportland.org/author/jonathan-maus/>on April 26th, 2011 at 8:47 am http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/26/research-shows-biking-walking-can-thrive… It's a somewhat generally accepted concept in urban planning circles that there's no hope for suburbia. Cinderblock walls, cul-de-sacs, and wide arterials all make for a car-centric lifestyle. But new reseach shows that among suburban multifamily housing — the fast growing housing type in the U.S. — biking and walking can thrive. In *Overlooked Density: Re-Thinking Transportation Options in Suburbia<http://otrec.us/project/216> * Nico Larco <http://otrec.us/research/researcher/larco/>, an assistant professor of architecture at the University of Oregon, focuses on suburban multifamily housing, which he calls a "widespread and overlooked example of density." "Dispelling commonly held beliefs about the amount of walking and biking occurring in suburbia, our study shows that more than a third of all trips to the LCA [local commercial area]... are active travel trips." His findings show that, not surprisingly, site design and connectivity to commercial areas are major factors in whether or not residents choose to walk or bike. Among developments in the study that were well-connected to commercial areas, more than 44% of residents choose to walk or bike to them — a rate that's nearly twice as high as multifamily developments that lack connectivity. But what is surprising is that, contrary to our popular perception of suburbia, "Across *all* studied developments, more than a third of all trips to nearby commercial strips are taken on foot, with a total of 38.7 percent taken on foot or by bicycle." Nico Larco, AIA Larco writes that there may be, "additional latent active transport in suburbia," but it will only be realized if developers and planners make connectivity and "pass through" between their units and commercial areas a top priority. For those that get it right, here's what they have to look forward to (taken from chapter 2 of the study): "The latent potential in proximity of residences and commercial areas can reduce residents’ reliance on automobiles and increase active modes of travel such as walking and biking, especially for short trips under a half mile. Increasing active travel might reduce vehicle miles traveled, which has positive impacts on the environment as it reduces carbon emissions. In addition, walking and biking can have a positive effect on residents’ physical and mental health and can provide economic savings." Especially significant in Larco's field of study are the health, economics, and equity implications. As he notes in the study, the typical demographic of suburban multifamily housing includes the elderly and lower-income individuals. "Increasing active travel for these populations," Larco writes, "can have an economic effect as residents do not need to have access to automobiles or pay for additional fuel for these short trips." Larco's study was funded by the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium (OTREC). Learn more and download the final report at the OTREC website<http://otrec.us/news/entry/suburban_developments_can_build_in_walking_and_c…> .

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Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Tue, Apr 26, 2011 at 10:26 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: April 26, 2011 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. Twenty new items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** 1. A dreadful accident, a wake-up call on street safety 2. City of Waterloo Adopts Canada's First Complete Streets Policy 3. The Federal Election and Cycling 4. Toronto - 2011 Complete Streets Forum 5. Guerilla Urbanism: North Oak Cliff residents create their own Complete Street ************************************************************************************* A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions **activetransportation(a)rogers.com<http://ca.mc883.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=activetransportation@rogers.com> 613.424.2803

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WFP: Pedestrians risk life and limb - Dodge traffic after pathway submerged (Apr.26'11)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '11

26 Apr '11

Pedestrians risk life and limb Dodge traffic after pathway submerged By: Melissa Martin High water and heavy construction have choked off key walkways through one of Winnipeg's busiest downtown routes, triggering a jaywalking jam many fear is a disaster waiting to happen. On Monday afternoon, as the first waves of southbound rush-hour traffic started to flow south down Osborne Street from downtown, dozens of pedestrians and cyclists gingerly picked their way between oncoming cars to make it to Osborne Bridge's single open sidewalk. "This is what passes for planning in this city," said Paul Hesse, who walks or bikes every day from his Osborne Village home to his downtown law office. "It's terrible. Something has to be done." The problem: Since Monday morning, the east side of the Osborne Bridge sidewalk has been closed to accommodate the bridge's year-long rehabilitation. The city expected pedestrians and cyclists crossing the bridge from Osborne Village to use a path underneath the bridge's north side to get to the legislature grounds or the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway. But with that walkway deep under the swollen Assiniboine River and no temporary crossing from Mostyn Place to the legislature grounds, pedestrians walking downtown are forced to either walk north to Broadway -- or, as hundreds of people did on Monday, nip across three lanes of bustling Osborne Street traffic. Until the underpass reopens, Hesse worries, a scheme that pushes dozens of people an hour across Osborne Street traffic risks tragedy. "People haven't been warned about this," he said, minutes after a construction worker in a bright orange vest helped escort an elderly woman through the traffic. "Will people have to risk lives crossing illegally through Osborne's traffic?" Monday was a holiday for city employees, who were not available to discuss the issue in-depth. But in an email to Hesse on April 21, a city bridge engineer acknowledged the concern and said the city had "considered installing a temporary crossing at street level but determined that it is not safe to do so." The letter also noted that once the Assiniboine River water level retreats, the city will raise the walking path so it isn't impacted by future flooding. The bridge-level sidewalk will not re-open until October. The bridge project will also add a permanent pedestrian crosswalk between Assiniboine Avenue and Mostyn Place, the city said, but that will not be open until October 2012. At the impromptu crossing on Monday, some pedestrians scooting between cars were taken aback by the city's decision. "It's too dangerous (to put a temporary crossing)? Oh, that's good," said Kendall Hinds, an Osborne Village resident, on his way to toss a Frisbee on the legislature grounds. "They really thought this one through -- this is the major access point into the village." On the flip side, drivers seemed to understand that too, as they slowed down and stopped on Monday to let pedestrians and bikers cross. "It's a little inconvenient, but for the most part motorists have been really considerate," said bike commuter Bonnie Van Steelandt, waiting for an opening in traffic to pedal across to the west side of Osborne Street. "But it would be nice to have a crosswalk here. I don't know the right answer -- I just hope it doesn't last long." melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca -- *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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Employment opportunity: Bike to the Future Office Administrator / Bicycle Valet Winnipeg Project Coordinator
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

The Bike to the Future Office Administrator / Bicycle Valet Winnipeg Project Coordinator will report to Bike to the Future's Board of Directors and provide administrative support to the organization. This person will also be the primary leader and executive director of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg, a project of Bike to the Future. Find the job posting and more details here: http://biketothefuture.org/news/archives/2011/04/23/employment-opportunity-… For more info, or to submit a resume, please email contact(a)biketothefuture.org.

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AASHTO withdraws objection to stronger bike-ped rules
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/25/under-pressure-aashto-withdraws-object… Under Pressure, AASHTO Withdraws Objection to Stronger Bike-Ped Rules by Angie Schmitt <http://dc.streetsblog.org/author/angie-schmitt/> on April 25, 2011 The Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is withdrawing its opposition to an important federal policy change that puts cyclists and pedestrians on a more equal footing with motorists. Active transportation groups were outraged earlier this month when AASHTO requested<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/12/aashto-new-rule-makes-it-too-hard-to-i…>that the FHWA revert to an old standard that required state DOTs show only that “due consideration” had been given to the needs of cyclists and pedestrians in federally financed transportation projects. *A newer requirement increased the standard to “due accommodation,” shifting the burden on transportation agencies to demonstrate that extreme circumstances prevent the inclusion of bike and pedestrian infrastructure.* In his statement Friday, AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley said the agency’s request was meant “to streamline the effort and paperwork required to justify why bicycle or pedestrian facilities may or may not be appropriate on a given federal aid project.” But he added that the group would withdraw the request in light of opposition that emerged after the League of American Bicyclists<http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2011/04/aashto-wants-to-weaken-us-dot-bicycl…>, this blog<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/04/12/aashto-new-rule-makes-it-too-hard-to-i…>and other bike advocates<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/19/odot-expresses-disappointment-in-aashto-…>took up the issue. Horsley said that since that time several state DOT chiefs also came out against the request, including Matthew Garrett of the Oregon DOT<http://bikeportland.org/2011/04/19/odot-expresses-disappointment-in-aashto-…> . “In response to the concerns expressed by several members of AASHTO’s Board of Directors, President [Susan] Martinovich has directed AASHTO for the time being to withdraw its request that FHWA rescind its guidance on the meaning of ‘due consideration’ of bicycle and pedestrian needs,” said Horsley. “This will give AASHTO an opportunity to meet with bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups on May 19 to discuss this issue.” Andy Clarke of the League of American Bicyclists is planning to attend the meeting. He says he’s glad AASHTO is warming to the idea that all transportation projects should begin with the idea of including bicycles and pedestrians in the plan “rather than ‘we’re not going to include bike stuff unless someone makes us.’” Clarke said AASHTO’s backpedaling is an important demonstration of the collective power of bicycle and pedestrian advocates. “I’m glad we called them on it,” he said. “I’m glad they heard a good deal of dissent.” -- *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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Illinois tracking 'dooring' crashes involving cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

State begins tracking ‘dooring’ crashes involving cyclists SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE Apr 25, 2011 11:50AM Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday announced the state will begin tracking “dooring” crashes — accidents involving bicyclists struck by opened doors from parked cars. The change will help determine locations where road improvements and public outreach efforts may be necessary to protect cyclists, a release from the Active Transportation Alliance said. The new policy is the result of a collaboration between the Illinois Dept. of Transportation and the Active Transportation Alliance. Before the change, dooring collisions went unrecognized in IDOT’s annual reporting of traffic statistics because a moving vehicle was not involved. The data will be used to plan for improved roadway designs and additional communication with motorists in areas with high concentrations of cyclists, the release said. IDOT’s Division of Traffic Safety is also reaching out to law enforcement agencies with instructions on how to begin recording dooring crashes. Police departments that have already begun tracking them, including Chicago, will have their data included in the state’s statistics retroactive to May 2010. http://www.suntimes.com/5014213-417/state-begins-tracking-dooring-crashes-i… -- *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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Jane's Walk strolling into town!
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '11

25 Apr '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Matt <mgcarreau(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 5:36 PM Subject: Jane's Walk strolling into town! Hi there, my name is Matt Koop-Pearce and I am a volunteer organizer for this year's edition of Jane's Walk. The organizing committee is making a big push to promote the fast approaching Jane's Walk on May 7 & 8 and we would appreciate your help. I am contacting you because you or your organization either has a community member leading a walk or because Jane's Walk is an event that yourself and folks in your community would most certainly be interested in hearing about and participating in. Can you please help us get the word out by forwarding the message below through your personal, professional, and community networks and email list serves? I have also attached a PDF of our media release and a poster that you are welcome to forward along with this message. Of course, word of mouth promotion is always the most powerful, so we hope you will take a moment to check out some of exciting walks planned for this year and convince your friends and neighbours to participate in Jane's Walk on May 7 & 8! Thank you sincerely, Matt Koop-Pearce ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shine your walking shoes Winnipeg: The fifth annual Jane's Walk festival is coming up May 7 & 8 ! On Saturday May 7 & Sunday May 8, join a walking tour in your community lead by your neighbours. Explore Winnipeg's diverse and vibrant neighbourhoods while walking, talking and sharing ideas. What is Jane's Walk? Jane's Walk is an annual celebration of sustainable cities, walkable neighbourhoods, and vibrant communities. Named in honour of Jane Jacobs<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Jacobs>--an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building--the first Jane's Walk was organized in Toronto five years ago and has since spread to more than 30 cities across Canada and 70 cities worldwide. Jane's Walk is now in it's fifth year in Winnipeg and includes walks on a range of themes and topics, including local history, urban biodiversity, city planning, design and transportation issues, social experiences of the city, and more. Jane's Walks are intended to create a space for citizens to talk about what matters to them in the places they live, work and play. How do I join a Jane's Walk? Participating in Jane's Walk is simple: local community members with a passion for urban issues and local history have organized walking tours in their neighbourhood; a list of confirmed walks is published on the Jane's Walk website <http://janeswalk.net/cities/landing/category/winnipeg/> and the public is invited to join any walk of their choosing—no registration or RSVP required. Simply meet your walk leader at the time and place indicated in the online listing. Remember, Jane's Walk is a "walking conversation" and we encourage walk leaders and participants alike to contribute to the conversation by asking questions and sharing their knowledge and passion for cities. What walks are being offered this year? Some of the walks confirmed for this year's Jane's Walk include: - *History Lives In North Point Douglas* with Robert Galston - *Winnipeg Modern: Explore Winnipeg's Modernist Architectural Heritage*with Serena Keshavjee - *The Rapid Tranist Walk* with Paul Hesse - *So You Thought You Knew the West End: Murals and More* with Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner - *Discover Public Art in Downtown Winnipeg* with Tricia Wasney - *Sharing Cars and Gardens: An educational walk through Osborne Village *with Melissa Dupuis and Shauna Carmichael - Walks in *West Broadway, Selkirk Avenue, and Central Park* neighbourhoods are also planned! New walks are being confirmed everyday. For a complete listing of Jane's Walks check out our website: www.janeswalk.net I want to organize a Jane's Walk in my community! Awesome! Jane's Walk is presently accepting submissions from individuals or groups interested in organizing a walking tour in their community. To propose a walk, visit our website and send an email to our coordinator Matt Koop-Pearce at mgcarreau(a)gmail.com The deadline to submit a walk is May 6th. Contact Facebook: http://on.fb.me/janeswalkwinnipeg Matt Koop-Pearce, volunteer organizer mgcarreau(a)gmail.com (204) 421-2903

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Bicycling Renaissance in North America?
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '11

20 Apr '11

[*Transportation Research A, Vol. 45, 2011*, in press] *Bicycling Renaissance in North America? An Update and Re-Appraisal of Cycling Trends and Policies *by John Pucher, Ralph Buehler and Mark Seinen http://www.8-80cities.org/Articles/Bicycling%20Renaissance%20in%20North%20A… *Abstract* This paper reviews trends in cycling levels, safety, and policies in Canada and the USA over the past two decades. we analyze aggregate data for the two countries as well as city-specific case study data for nine large cities (Chicago, Minneapolos, Montreal, New York, Portland, San Francisco, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington). Cycling levels have increased in both the USA and Canada, while cyclist fatalities have fallen... The bike share of work commuters is more than twice as high in Canada as the USA, and is higher int he western parts of both countries. Cycling is concentrated in central cities, especially near universities and in gentrified neighborhoods near the city center. Almost all the growth in cycling in the USA has been among men between 25-64 years old, while cycling rates have remained steady among women and fallen sharply for children. Cycling rates have risen much faster in the nine case study cities than in their countries as a whole, at least doubling in all the cities since 1990. They have implemented a wide range of infrastructure and programs to promote cycling and increase cycling safety: expanded and improved bike lanes and paths, traffic calming, parking, bike-transit integration, bike sharing, training programs, and promotional events. Portland's comprehensive package of cycling policies has succeeded in raising cycling levels 6-fold and provides an example that other North American cities can follow. -- *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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Bike to Work Day - call for Volunteers
by Beth McKechnie 18 Apr '11

18 Apr '11

Hi everyone, *Bike to Work Day Winnipeg 2011* needs volunteers to help with tasks right away as well as on June 24th. It would be great if you could share the attached volunteer application form with your various professional networks, family and friends. many thanks! Beth

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Link to new literature review on policies to improve health through active transportation
by Beth McKechnie 16 Apr '11

16 Apr '11

*Environment International*<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01604120> Volume 37, Issue 4<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=PublicationURL&_tockey=%23TOC%2358…>, May 2011, Pages 766-777 * Improving Health through Policies that Promote Active Travel: A Review of Evidence to Support Integrated Health Impact Assessment* Abstract Background Substantial policy changes to control obesity, limit chronic disease, and reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gasses, have been recommended. Transportation and planning policies that promote active travel by walking and cycling can contribute to these goals, potentially yielding further co-benefits. Little is known, however, about the interconnections among effects of policies considered, including potential unintended consequences. Objectives and methods We review available literature regarding health impacts from policies that encourage active travel in the context of developing health impact assessment (HIA) models to help decision-makers propose better solutions for healthy environments. We identify important components of HIA models of modal shifts in active travel in response to transport policies and interventions. Results and discussion Policies that increase active travel are likely to generate large individual health benefits through increases in physical activity for active travelers. Smaller, but population-wide benefits could accrue through reductions in air and noise pollution. Depending on conditions of policy implementations, risk tradeoffs are possible for some individuals who shift to active travel and consequently increase inhalation of air pollutants and exposure to traffic injuries. Well-designed policies may enhance health benefits through indirect outcomes such as improved social capital and diet, but these synergies are not sufficiently well understood to allow quantification at this time. Conclusion Evaluating impacts of active travel policies is highly complex; however, many associations can be quantified. Identifying health-maximizing policies and conditions requires integrated HIAs. Research highlights ► Active travel policies are growing in popularity worldwide. ► We review multiple benefits and potential risks associated with policies. ► Quantitative relationships for health impact assessments are discussed. ► Major health benefits are especially expected from physical activity outcomes. ► Well designed policies may enhance co-benefits and mitigate risks. LINK: http://bb4md8jw9n.search.serialssolutions.com//?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&ctx_ver…<http://bb4md8jw9n.search.serialssolutions.com/?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&ctx_ver=…>

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Interesting series from Grist
by Stacy Matwick 12 Apr '11

12 Apr '11

Bikeonomics by Elle Blue. http://www.grist.org/article/series/bikenomics "The economic case for on-street bike parking" This is the fourth column in a series focusing on the economics of bicycling. http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-04-11-the-economic-case-for-on-street-bike… cheers Stacy Matwick Information Centre International Institute for Sustainable Development 161 Portage Ave. E., 6th floor Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 0Y4 Voice: (204)958-7755 Fax: (204)958-7710 Email: smatwick(a)iisd.ca<mailto:smatwick@iisd.ca> IISD Research Library web page: http://www.iisd.org/ic SD-Cite: IISD Research Library database: http://sd-cite.iisd.org<http://sd-cite.iisd.org/> GENERata web-magazine: http://www.iisd.org/generata/ "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx

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A donkey cart without the cart - where you do the work of the donkey
by Erik Dickson 07 Apr '11

07 Apr '11

Hopefully the author's tongue is firmly planted in their cheek! Have a great day and happy cycling! Erik Dickson Scatliff+Miller+Murray Emailed to me today from the other side! By P.J. O'ROURKE Getty Images Cyclists ride over the Brooklyn Bridge. 'Although the technology necessary to build a bicycle has been around since ancient Egypt, bikes didn't appear until the 19th century. The reason it took mankind 5,000 years to get the idea for the bicycle is that it was a bad idea.' A fibrosis of bicycle lanes is spreading through the cities of the world. The well-being of innocent motorists is threatened as traffic passageways are choked by the spread of dull whirs, sharp whistles and sanctimonious pedal-pushing. Bike lanes have appeared in all the predictable placesAmsterdam, Copenhagen, Berkeley and Palo Alto. But the incidence of bike lanes is also on the rise in unlikely locales such as slush-covered Boston, rain-drenched Vancouver, frozen Montreal and Bogotá, Colombia (where, perhaps, bicycles have been given the traffic lanes previously reserved for drug mules). Even Dublin, Ireland, has had portions of its streets set aside for bicycles onlysurely unnecessary in a country where everyone's car has been repossessed. Then there is the notorious case of New York City. Not long ago the only people who braved New York on bicycles were maniacal bike messengers and children heeding an abusive parent's command to "go play in traffic." Now New York has 670 miles of bike lanesrather more than it has miles of decently paved streets. The proliferation of New York's bike lanes is the work of the city's indomitable transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-(Genghis)-Khan. Her department has a horde of 4,500 employees and a budget nearing a billion dollars. The transportation commissioner's job isjudging by rush-hour cab and subway rides and last December's blizzardto prevent the transportation of anybody or anything to anywhere in New York. Bicycles are the perfect way to go nowhere while carrying nothing. The bicycle is a parody of a wheeled vehiclea donkey cart without the cart, where you do the work of the donkey. Although the technology necessary to build a bicycle has been around since ancient Egypt, bikes didn't appear until the 19th century. The reason it took mankind 5,000 years to get the idea for the bicycle is that it was a bad idea. The bicycle is the only method of conveyance worse than feet. You can walk up three flights of stairs carrying one end of a sofa. Try that on a bicycle. View Full Image The Image Works A French racing cyclist, in 1912 Almost everything that travels on a city street, including some of the larger people in the crosswalks, can crush a bicycle. Everything that protrudes from or into a city streetpot holes, pavement cracks, manhole coverscan send a bicycle flying into the air. When the president of the United States goes somewhere in Washington, does he ride an armored bicycle? Given that riding a bike in a city is insane and that very few cities need more insane people on their streets, why the profusion of urban bike lanes? One excuse for bike lanes is that an increase in bicycle riding means a decrease in traffic congestion. A visit to New Yorkor Bogotágives the lie to this notion. You can't decrease traffic congestion by putting things in the way of traffic. Also, only a few bicycles are needed to take up as much space as my Chevrolet Suburbanjust one if its rider is wobbling all over the place while trying to Tweet. And my Suburban seats eight. The answer to traffic congestion is lower taxes so that legions of baby boomers my age can afford to retire and stay home. Bike lane advocates also claim that bicycles are environmentally friendly, producing less pollution and fewer carbon emissions than automobiles. But bicycle riders do a lot of huffing and puffing, exhaling large amounts of CO2. And whether a bicycle rider, after a long bicycle ride, is cleaner than the exhaust of a modern automobile is open to question. If drops in pollution and traffic congestion are wanted and if discomfort and inconvenience are the trade-offs, we should be packed into tiny circus clown cars. These fit neatly into bike lanes and provide more amusement to bystanders than bicycle wrecks. In fact, bike lanes don't necessarily lessen car travel. A study by the U.K. Department for Transport found that the installation of "cycle facilities" in eight towns and cities resulted in no change in the number of people driving cars. Bike lanes don't even necessarily increase bike riding. In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Dutch government spent $945 million on bicycle routes without any discernible effect on how many Dutch rode bicycles. The bicycle is a parody of a wheeled vehiclea donkey cart without the cart, where you do the work of the donkey. But maybe there's a darker side to bike-lane advocacy. Political activists of a certain ideological stripe want citizens to have a child-like dependence on government. And it's impossible to feel like a grown-up when you're on a bicycle if you aren't in the Tour de France. All but the most athletic among us get on and off a bicycle the way a toddler goes up and down stairs. Wearing bicycle shorts in public is more embarrassing than wearing Depends. Exchanging briefcases for backpacks takes us from the boardroom to the schoolyard. And it's hard to keep a straight face when talking to anyone in a Skittles-colored, Wiffle ball-slotted bike helmet that makes you look like Woody Woodpecker. Bike lanes must be intended to foster immaturity or New York would have chosen instead to create 670 miles of bridle paths. Being on horseback has adult gravitas. Search plazas, parks and city squares the world over and you won't fine a single statue of a national hero riding a bike. This promotion of childishness in the electorate means that bike lanes are just the beginning. Soon we'll be making room on our city streets for scooter and skateboard lanes, Soapbox Derby lanes, pogo-stick lanes, lanes for Radio Flyer wagons (actually more practical than bicycles since you can carry a case of beerif we're still allowed to drink beer), stilt lanes, three-legged-race lanes, lanes for skipping while playing the comb and wax paper, hopscotch lanes and Mother-May-I lanes with Mayor Bloomberg at the top of Lenox Hill shouting to the people on Park Avenue, "Take three baby steps!" A good, hard-played game of Mother-May-I will make us all more physically fit. Fitness being another reason given for cluttering our cities with bike lanes. But why is it so important that the public be fit? Fit for what? Are they planning to draft us into forced labor battalions? Bike lanes violate a fundamental principle of democracy. We, the majority who do not ride bicycles, are being forced to sacrifice our left turns, parking places and chances to squeeze by delivery trucks so that an affluent elite can feel good about itself for getting wet, cold, tired and run-over. Our tax dollars are being used to subsidize our annoyance. Bicycle riders must be made to bear the burden of this special-interest boondoggle. Bicycle registration fees should be raised until they produce enough revenue to build and maintain new expressways so that drivers can avoid city streets clogged by bike lanes. Special rubber fittings should be made available so that bicycle riders can wear E-ZPass transponders on their noses. And riders' license qualifications should be rigorous, requiring not only written exams and road tests but also bathroom scales. No one is to be allowed on a bicycle if the view he or she presents from behind causes the kind of hysterical laughter that stops traffic. Bike lanes can become an acceptable part of the urban landscape, if bicycle riders are willing to pay their way. And if they pay enough, maybe we'll even give them a lift during the next snow storm. Mr. O'Rourke's many books include "Don't VoteIt Just Encourages the Bastards."

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After School Program Survey
by Beth McKechnie 04 Apr '11

04 Apr '11

Recreation Connections Manitoba is pleased to partner with Green Action Centre to coordinate a new two year initiative - *After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project.* The initiative, funded through the Public Health Agency of Canada Healthy Living Fund and the Province of Manitoba until March 2013, is focusing on promoting and supporting increased access and opportunities for children and youth aged 6-12 years to engage in physical activity and healthy living practices in the critical after school time period (3 – 6 p.m.). The project goals include: 1) Increasing capacity for children’s physical activity and healthy eating in the after school time period. 2) Improving access and reducing barriers to physical activity opportunities and facilities. 3) Promoting active and safe routes to and from school. One of our first steps is to collect some basic information about what is currently happening in Manitoba in regard to after school programming. If you provide programming for *children aged 6 to 12 years* during the *3 – 6 p.m.* time period, we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to complete the on-line survey by clicking on the link below, no later than *April 14, 2011*. A draw for an activity/game equipment & resource kit with a value of approximately *$200* will be made from all completed surveys meeting the deadline date. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/After_School_Recreation_Project_SURVEY We are attempting to make this provincial survey as inclusive as possible and this request is being sent out to various organizations across the Province. However, we are aware that our mailing list does not include all after school providers. If you represent an organization/network with a number of service providing entities, we would ask that you either complete the survey on their behalf, if appropriate, or forward the request to the various members. If you are aware of additional after school programs that may have been missed, please forward the request to them as well. Please be aware that we have distributed the survey to the following groups with multiple programs/sites - Boys & Girls Clubs of Winnipeg, City of Winnipeg Community Services Department, General Council of Winnipeg Community Centres, YMCA-YWCA, Youth for Christ, Lighthouses, Coalition of Community Based Youth Serving Agencies, Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres. We apologize in advance to any service providers who receive multiple copies of this request. We are in the process of developing a web site related to the After The School Bell Rings project. It is anticipated that survey results will be posted on the web site. Thank you for your assistance in providing information on your programs and sharing the survey with other providers. Roy Mulligan Project Coordinator After The School Bell Rings: A Manitoba After School Recreation Project Recreation Connections Manitoba 317-145 Pacific Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3B 2Z6 Phone: 925-5751 Email: recconnections.pro(a)sportmanitoba.ca

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Spring tune-up time
by Stacy Matwick 30 Mar '11

30 Mar '11

Found at http://www.BoingBoing.net "It's spring! Time to watch some videos that will teach you how to tune-up and repair your own bike<http://bicycletutor.com/>. (Not that I would need a pre-spring tune-up, of course. I've totally been riding all winter. Yeah. Totally.) - Maggie<http://www.boingboing.net/author/maggie-koerth-baker/> " http://bicycletutor.com/ The purpose of this site is to help people learn how to fix their own bikes. With over 200 videos you're sure to find what you need. Cheers Stacy Matwick Information Centre International Institute for Sustainable Development 161 Portage Ave. E., 6th floor Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3B 0Y4 Voice: (204)958-7755 Fax: (204)958-7710 Email: smatwick(a)iisd.ca<mailto:smatwick@iisd.ca> IISD Research Library web page: http://www.iisd.org/ic SD-Cite: IISD Research Library database: http://sd-cite.iisd.org<http://sd-cite.iisd.org/> GENERata web-magazine: http://www.iisd.org/generata/ "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read" Groucho Marx

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Grist: Pedaling away from the health care crisis
by Beth McKechnie 29 Mar '11

29 Mar '11

Pedaling away from the health care crisis by Elly Blue <http://www.grist.org/people/Elly+Blue> 28 Mar 2011 11:36 AM [ http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-03-28-pedaling-away-from-the-health-care-c… ] *This is the third column in a series focusing on the economics of bicycling. Part 1 is "How bicycling will save the economy (if we let it)<http://www.grist.org/article/2011-02-28-how-bicycling-will-save-the-economy>." Part 2 is "Tearing down freeways to make room for a new bicycle economy<http://www.grist.org/article/2011-03-14-tearing-down-urban-freeways-to-make…> ."* * *In the United States, we have the most expensive health care system in the world. We collectively invest more than 15 percent of our GDP<http://www.visualeconomics.com/healthcare-costs-around-the-world_2010-03-01/>-- that's around $2 trillion, or $5,700 per person -- into health care every year. The tragedy of these enormous numbers is that they fail to stem the tide of our increasing ill health. "Most of the money we're spending on health care is going to treat preventable chronic diseases," Michael Pollan told Grist<http://www.grist.org/article/2009-11-06-michael-pollan-on-agriculture-and-h…>in 2009. Our poor diet, he added, is responsible for most of those illnesses. But it's not just about what we eat. The other part of that equation is our national and increasingly desperate need for physical activity. We need to rethink our transportation system and built environment on the same scale as Pollan and others have reconsidered our agricultural system. It has become obvious that we can't afford to keep doing things the same old autocentric way. For a fraction of the cost of the world's most expensive health care system, we could all enjoy the world's best bicycling and walking infrastructure -- and with it much, much better health than we enjoy now. Even minor investments in quality bicycle and walking transportation infrastructure, particularly at bottlenecks like bridges, leads directly to increased physical activity<http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/may/12/bridge_pedestrian_lane_raise>for people who live nearby. A recent analysis of the health savings resulting from the bicycle infrastructure in Portland, Ore, came up with stunning results<http://bikeportland.org/2011/02/04/research-by-2040-portlands-bikeway-inves…>. If the city builds out only the infrastructure it currently plans, the researcher found, it will break even by 2015. By 2030, Portland will have saved $800 million -- partly in fuel costs but primarily in health care and the value of reduced mortality. For every $1 we spend, $5 is saved. And that doesn't take into account a multitude of other factors. It's been shown again and again that the benefits of bicycling outweigh the risks<http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.0901747>, that not bicycling is more dangerous<http://www.ecovelo.info/2008/06/06/the-dangers-of-not-cycling/>in the long run, and that being sedentary is worse for your health than nearly anything else<http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2009/05/05/sitting-death-rate.html>. When kids, particularly, don't get enough physical activity and good food, they are set up for a lifetime of ill health<http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/March/22/Obesity-Type-2-Diabet…> . Then there's the mental health factor. People who bicycle and walk to work love their commutes<http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2006004/pdf/9516-eng.pdf>[PDF], whereas everyone else is stressed <http://www.vtpi.org/traveltime.pdf> [PDF], even pathologically<http://www.grist.org/article/2011-01-20-new-report-quantifies-just-how-much…>so. * *Stress is often overlooked as an indicator and instigator<http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/archives/2011/03/stress-may-alte.html>of poor health. And bicycling isn't just good for your personal health. There's also a significant public health benefit to having fewer people driving. Air quality is a big one. Cars produce secondhand smoke that none of us can avoid. A parade of studies over the last few decades have steadily linked living near freeways to heart disease<http://www.justmeans.com/Freeway-proximity-can-put-you-on-road-heart-health…>, lung cancer <http://www.ehjournal.net/content/6/1/23>, asthma<http://www.usc.edu/uscnews/stories/11614.html>, impaired lung development<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/26/AR200701260…>, and even autism<http://articles.latimes.com/2010/dec/16/health/la-he-autism-20101217> . Even being sealed in a car doesn't protect you<http://www.velorutia.ro/blog/util/1281-road-user-exposure-to-air-pollution.…>from the perils of concentrated car exhaust <http://www.icta.org/doc/In-car%20pollution%20report.pdf> [PDF]. Car crashes cost the country $230 billion<http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=130350&page=1>in 2000 alone. Only $33 billion of that was spent on medical costs -- but to put that in perspective, that's the same amount as that year's federal highway budget. Worse, in 2009 car crashes caused nearly 34,000 deaths and 2.217 million injuries <http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2010/dot16510.html>, many of them serious enough to prevent victims from navigating our car-oriented landscape in anything *but* a car. What do we do about this? How do we address the health care crisis through reforming our transportation system? We'd be much healthier, we're always being told, if only we could get more physical activity. Bicycle transportation is uniquely suited to fill this requirement. Bicycling is uniquely suited for quickly and flexibly getting around a city designed for cars. And riding a bike for transportation is as good a workout as exercising at the gym<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10694139>. The cost, time, stress, and inconvenience of exercise evaporates with the bicycle. If only we all could take advantage of it. We are blessed in this country with a chorus of voices urging people to exercise more and try riding a bike -- but very little is being done to make that option safe and comfortable for everyone. I know, because I grew up in suburbia, that people don't eat unhealthy food and sit on the couch all day out of laziness. They end up falling into those behaviors because the options aren't there, or the cost -- in money, time, and stress -- of living differently is simply too high. Of course we want better options<http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/05/qa-transportation-secretary-on-bi…>. As many as 60 percent of Americans would like to ride more<http://streetsblog.net/2010/12/20/wooing-the-hesitant-cyclist/>, and most of us already have bikes stashed in the basement or garage. But we don't feel safe, and often that's because there aren't safe or convenient routes for us to take. Fortunately, that doesn't stop everyone from getting on a bike. And the more people out there riding, the safer *everyone* becomes<http://bikeportland.org/2011/01/27/not-just-safer-for-bikes-fatal-car-crash…>, whether or not bicycling is an option for them individually. It would be absurd to suggest that bikes will solve our health care crisis or that they can eliminate the political and economic machinations that continue to deepen it. But bicycling, like food, is one of the few areas where people can directly and concretely address the health care crisis in the context of our community. By improving our own health and working towards healthier cities, we're also taking money from a health care system that doesn't improve our health. In this light, bicycling for transportation isn't so much a lifestyle choice as it's a form of civic action.

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Wed, Mar.30 webinar: How to increase the number of women cycling for transportation, 2-3:30 CST
by Beth McKechnie 28 Mar '11

28 Mar '11

Green Action Centre will be hosting a local group viewing of the following APBP (Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) webinar on how to increase the number of women cycling for transportation. If you would like to join us, please let me know at *beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca*. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth 925-3772 p.s. Sorry for the late notice -- we just heard about it this morning. ------------------------------ Webinar: * How to increase the number of women cycling for transportation *Date: *Wednesday, Mar. 30th, 2:00-3:30 p.m. CST * Location: *EcoCentre boardroom, 303 Portage Ave, third floor* (enter via elevator inside front doors of MEC) *Description* Learn how to increase the number of women cycling for transportation in your community. This webinar builds on last year's APBP session, "Writing Women Back into Bicycling". Five speakers offer compelling insights about cycling projects run by inspiring women, illuminate what women told APBP they want in a cycling environment, and suggest best practices to help you make a difference in your community. Don't miss the stories of some of the wonderful women leading the cycling movement, and results of APBP's 2010 survey on Women Cycling.

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Costs and Benefits of Cycling Investments in Portland, OR
by Beth McKechnie 28 Mar '11

28 Mar '11

*Journal of Physical Activity and Health 2011, 8(Suppl 1), S49-S58 Costs and Benefits of Bicycling Investments in Portland, Oregon Thomas Gotschi* http://journals.humankinetics.com/jpah-pdf-articles?DocumentScreen=Detail&c… *Background: *Promoting bicycling has great potential to increase overall physical activity; however, significant uncertainty exists with regard to the amount and effectiveness of investment needed for infrastructure. The objective of this study is to assess how costs of Portland’s past and planned investments in bicycling relate to health and other benefits. *Methods:* Costs of investment plans are compared with 2 types of monetized health benefits, health care cost savings and value of statistical life savings. Levels of bicycling are estimated using past trends, future mode share goals, and a traffic demand model.* Results:* By 2040, investments in the range of $138 to $605 million will result in health care cost savings of $388 to $594 million, fuel savings of $143 to $218 million, and savings in value of statistical lives of $7 to $12 billion. The benefit-cost ratios for health care and fuel savings are between 3.8 and 1.2 to 1, and an order of magnitude larger when value of statistical lives is used. * Conclusions: *This first of its kind cost-benefit analysis of investments in bicycling in a US city shows that such efforts are cost-effective, even when only a limited selection of benefits is considered. -- *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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New Yorkers support bicycle lanes, poll finds
by Beth McKechnie 21 Mar '11

21 Mar '11

Nice to see this article given some recent backlash by a select few in NYC where they are setting new standards in bike infrastructure for other cities in N.A. -Beth [ http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/18/new-yorkers-support-bicycle-la… ] * NY TIMES - City Room March 18, 2011, 4:55 pm* New Yorkers Support Bicycle Lanes, Poll Finds By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM <http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/author/michael-m-grynbaum/> Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News The Bloomberg administration’s new bicycle lanes, the subject of one of the more heated civic controversies in recent memory, are supported by a majority of New Yorkers, according to a poll released on Friday<http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1302.xml?ReleaseID=1569>by Quinnipiac University. More than half of registered voters — 54 percent — said they believed the expansion of bicycle lanes had been a positive development for the city. The only demographic groups opposed were Republican voters and, by a smaller margin, residents of Queens. Over all, 39 percent of respondents said they were unhappy with the lanes, and 6 percent said they had no opinion on the matter (or did not answer). The survey question was fairly stark: either that the bike lanes are “a good thing because it’s greener and healthier for people to ride,” or “a bad thing because it leaves less room for cars, which increases traffic.” The poll asked which statement was closer to the respondent’s point of view. “On balance, people like it,” said Maurice Carroll<http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x2011.xml>, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute<http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml>. “It’s not overwhelming, but it’s a plus.” Support for the lanes was strongest in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Voters in Queens disapproved of the lanes, but by 48 to 45 percent. Only 35 percent of Republicans supported the lane, while 59 percent of Democrats approved. Support for the bike lanes seemed to wane with age. Voters between ages 18 and 49 supported the lanes by wide margins, but support fell below 50 percent among voters older than 50. Still, supporters outnumbered opponents in each age group. The poll, which surveyed 1,115 registered voters earlier this month, had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Hundreds of new bicycle lanes have been installed since 2007, part of the administration’s plan to encourage environmentally friendly modes of transportation that cut down on traffic congestion. Arguments for and against the bike lanes typically go into more detail than the survey’s questions. The city’s Department of Transportation, led by its commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/nyregion/06sadik-khan.html>, argues that carving out street space for bicycles has resulted in slower car traffic and, in turn, fewer accidents. Critics of the lanes complain about lost parking spots, additional difficulty in driving in the city, and the risk to pedestrians from bicyclists who disobey traffic laws. Some opponents have also faulted the Transportation Department for installing the lanes without sufficient community outreach, and not disclosing all the relevant data related to the lanes. Those are among the arguments in a lawsuit filed last week<http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/nyregion/08bike.html>by a group of well-connected Brooklyn residents who have called on the city to remove a two-way bike lane along Prospect Park West. Biking advocates cited Friday’s poll as evidence that the city should continue expanding its bicycle network. “Whether they drive a car, ride a bike or get around by train, this poll shows that New Yorkers understand that bike lanes make our streets better for everyone,” Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, wrote in a statement. The survey also found that New Yorkers were unhappy with a plan to rename the Queensboro Bridge<http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/09/nyregion/09bandt.html>for former Mayor Edward I. Koch. Nearly two-thirds of voters opposed the plan, proposed last year by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, with opposition particularly pointed in Queens.

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Leisure Guide: Commuter Cycling Course
by Beth McKechnie 21 Mar '11

21 Mar '11

Please circulate widely. Thanks! -Beth *****active adult workshops* *****city cycling: commuter cycling skills* *****new!* Start commuting by bicycle or just feel more comfortable riding your bike. CAN-BIKE certified instructors from Bike to the Future will clarify the rules and teach you how to ride on the road with confidence. You will learn the skills you need to ride just about anywhere your bike will take you. The course includes both in-class and on-road training. Each participant will receive a free copy of the***** new* 2011 version of the Winnipeg Bike map. *****Fee:* $36.00 1 day Sport for Life Centre:145 Pacific Ave. *394547 Sat May 14 Noon–4:00pm* *394548 Sun May 29 Noon–4:00pm* You can find it on page 81 of the guide or at: * http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/Leisure/pdfs/leisureguide.pdf*<http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/Leisure/pdfs/leisureguide.pdf> Pass it around!

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Grist: Cyclists shouldn't 'share the road', they should have their own
by Beth McKechnie 21 Mar '11

21 Mar '11

[While reading this article, note that Winnipeg got its first cycletrack, i.e. physically separated bike lane, late last fall on Assiniboine Ave! - cheers, Beth] Cyclists shouldn’t ‘share the road,’ they should have their own by Elly Blue <http://www.grist.org/member/386213> 14 Feb 2011 1:14 PM It's long been the most controversial issue in bicycling: Should people on bikes ride in traffic with cars, using the same infrastructure and following the same procedures (a style of riding known as "Vehicular Cycling")? Should we ride on the sidewalks and off-road paths, with pedestrians? Or should we have our own place to ride that's designed specifically for bicycling? <http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwkrueger/5134415882/in/set-72157625160007617/> [image: Cycletrack-Vancouver(Paul Krueger copyright).jpg] A physically separated bike lane in Vancouver, BC. Looks nice, right? Photo: Paul Krueger<http://www.flickr.com/photos/pwkrueger/5134415882/in/set-72157625160007617/> -- Like Goldilocks, we've tried all these options. Riding with faster, heavier cars is hard on us. Riding with slower, roaming pedestrians is hard on them. Only when we have our own place in traffic are things anywhere near just right. Or so says a study released last week in Montreal<http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Separated+Montreal+bike+paths+lower+ris…>, which shows that not only does dedicated bicycle infrastructure work in North America, it borders on negligence for cities *not** *to build such infrastructure. (You can download the entire study here<http://gobiking.ca/risk-of-injury-study.pdf>[PDF].) We're not talking about the old, familiar bike lane, marked by a line of white paint -- which so often functions more as a symbol and reminder of our right to be in the road than as actual bicycle infrastructure. Car doors, intersections, potholes, and misinterpretations by law enforcement are among the many pitfalls of the old-school bike lane. But on any road where car traffic is traveling significantly faster than a person can pedal, a bike lane, flawed compromise that it is, is better than nothing at all. Cities across North America have in the last two years been discovering a better way to build a bike lane -- separating it entirely from motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic alike. It's called the cycle track. Though we recently discovered it, we didn't invent it: It's been the backbone of the world's most attractive, comfortable, safe bicycling environments for decades in European cities like Utrecht<http://hembrow.blogspot.com/2010/05/cycle-rush-hour-in-spring-in-utrecht.ht…>and Groningen <http://www.camcycle.org.uk/events/visits/groningen/> (see the system in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-AbPav5E5M&feature=player_embedded). Cycle tracks, also called segregated bike lanes or separated bike paths, are basically bike lanes that use the same right of way as a major street but are set off from car traffic by a barrier more substantial than a single painted white line. They may be separated by bollards, a concrete barrier, or a curb. On many streets, parked cars provide the barrier. Some cycle tracks are one-way and others carry two directions of bike traffic. Unlike their more dangerous cousins, the off-road bike paths<http://www.grist.org/article/2010-11-07-we-need-real-bike-paths-for-real-bi…>, cycle tracks are for bikes only and are not intended to be shared with people walking or running and more than with cars. Montreal, the focus of the recent study, has an unusually large number of cycle tracks for a North American city. Still, unlike their European cousins, these are mainly two-directional and have what the study calls a "less than ideal design," particularly at intersections. Even so, the researchers found, these lanes enjoy 2.5 times more bicycle traffic than alternate bicycle routes without cycle tracks. On Montreal's cycle tracks, the risk of injury is 28 percent lower -- or to be exact, 10.5 crashes, but only 8.5 injuries -- per million kilometers bicycled. Despite strong evidence from now two continents, the Montreal researchers point out, United States federal guidelines actively discourage cities from building cycle tracks. Everywhere cycle tracks are proposed and built there is some amount of local pushback<http://www.citycaucus.com/2010/10/why-are-separated-bike-lanes-so-controver…>. We're seeing an extreme degree of this in New York City, where a powerful group that includes the city's former transportation commissioner (who just happens to be married to Sen. Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.]) have filed a lawsuit to remove a successful two-way cycle track recently built along Brooklyn's Prospect Park. The media has embraced the campaign<http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/02/14/have-you-seen-the-latest-marcia-krame…>, with a local politician contributing the most venomous and spirited rhetoric<http://www.streetsblog.org/2011/01/24/markowitz-on-ppw-data-its-a-vast-biki…> . There is also a vociferous cadre of bicyclists who organize against bicycle infrastructure of all kinds<http://bicyclealliance.blogspot.com/2011/02/gravity-bike-lanes-and-limits-o…>, with the slogan: "bicyclists fare best when they act, and are treated in return, as drivers of vehicles." One such Vehicular Cycling organization in Ottawa, Ontario is rallying against<http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Even+some+cyclists+oppose+cycling+lane/…>a high-profile cycle track planned in Canada's capital city. But as the research keeps rolling in, I suspect we'll continue to find that real bicycle infrastructure is going to be an amazing boon to bicycle transportation. For instance, we already knew that the air quality is better<http://bikeportland.org/2010/10/28/study-cycle-tracks-mean-better-air-quali…>, whether you're riding on a cycle track or walking on the sidewalk next to one. We know that, despite shopkeepers' fears, increased bicycling is good<http://therecord.blogs.com/take_the_lane/2010/06/cyclists-are-good-for-busi…>for business<http://www.vancouverobserver.com/blogs/transit/2011/02/10/businesses-see-bi…> . We know that people will ride in greater numbers<http://communities.canada.com/montrealgazette/blogs/greenlife/archive/2010/…>on dedicated, separated bicycle infrastructure, and that with numbers comes safety<http://www.grist.org/article/2010-10-11-theres-safety-in-numbers-for-cyclis…> . As long as we continue to allow our streets to be dominated by cars, we need to go the extra mile -- or thousand miles -- to ensure that everyone who isn't in a motor vehicle at any given time is still able to move freely around the city. Separated infrastructure, like sidewalks and cycle tracks, are necessary if a car-oriented city is to be navigable by unarmored humans. Some day, I hope we don't need them. Until then, I hope we build them as well as possible. Elly Blue is a writer and bicycle activist living in Portland, Oregon.

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Active Transportation Canada - March 18, 2001
by Beth McKechnie 21 Mar '11

21 Mar '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Fri, Mar 18, 2011 at 1:02 PM Subject: Active Transportation Canada - March 18, 2001 Twenty (20) new items have been posted on the Active Transportation-Canada Website today. A complete list of titles may be found in the "Blog Archive" box, located on the right margin of the Website. Some sample items: 1. Cyclists shouldn’t ‘share the road,’ they should have their own 2. Video - Cycling Options for various disabilities: UK 3. Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure Active Transportation Canada URL: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com A "Search" function is available on the site. You will find this at the bottom of the page. With more than 1,000 items posted on Active Transportation - Canada, there are links available to dozens of studies and hundreds of news items from communities across Canada and the world. If anyone has a problem reading this message, please let me know. I welcome suggestions for posts, so if you have news items featuring your community, please share them with the other subscribers from Canada, the US, and Australia on Active Transportation-Canada. Thank you. Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions

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Post on NYC bike lane backlash
by Hall, Ian 17 Mar '11

17 Mar '11

Great blog post... Street Fight: What's Behind New York City's Bike Lane Backlash? http://citiwire.net/post/2562/

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