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WFP: Path to car-free living challenging, rewarding (Oct17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '22

17 Oct '22

*Path to car-free living challenging, rewarding * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/17/road-to-car-free-… JUST a few years ago, Sharee Hochman wouldn’t have called herself an advocate for making car culture a thing of the past in Winnipeg. The 23-year-old lifelong Winnipegger used a vehicle to get around and only cycled recreationally for years, but found herself slowly drawn to use her bike more and more. Eventually, she realized even when she felt forced to drive, she didn’t enjoy it. She got rid of her car in January, and picked up a winter-use bicycle. “When I began to understand the different benefits cycling for transportation had on me, the environment, the community, even for businesses and my mental health, I began to prioritize it,” said Hochman. “And then I began to just really fall into it.” She’s part of a growing community of Winnipeggers who have foregone personal vehicles for bikes, buses and car co-ops. Some have adapted their lives around sustainable transport. Hochman moved to River Heights, a more central area with better access to bus routes and bike lanes, from Garden City, and found herself investing in warm clothing for winter bike travels. Hochman found the benefits so meaningful she ended up becoming the Green Action Centre’s sustainable transport program co-ordinator in August. She now works to shift mindsets away from car culture and toward other options. It hasn’t always been an easy sell. The hardest push-back, she said, hasn’t been winter winds while cycling home with groceries — it’s been from other people. “I think a lot of people don’t expect my answer to be that the most hard thing has just been the resistance from folks who can’t imagine a city without having to rely on a vehicle,” she said. “And with that comes hostility and even some harassment, sometimes.” Kyle Cavell, too, is taking the leap. Last week, he changed his vehicle insurance to leisure coverage, and has decided to give winter cycling a shot. “I spent over a decade living in the north suburbs of the city, and when I moved to West Broadway (in 2019), I realized that this was the lifestyle that I wanted,” he said. “I don’t want to spend hours a day in traffic and in a vehicle, I’d like to commute by bike or walk, just live in a more walkable, dense neighbourhood.” It even influenced his decision to purchase a condo in Osborne Village with no parking spot but three Peg City Car Co-Op vehicles available nearby. Peg City carsharing service began in 2011 with just three cars, but now has 90 vehicles and more than 2,500 members. In the 2 1/2 years Ian Walker has sat on its board, the co-op doubled its number of vehicles to meet a growing need after an explosion of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every month, I see our usage numbers are higher than we’ve expected, so it’s allowing us to keep thinking forward to how we’re going to grow,” Walker said. Walker and his wife accessed the service before he got involved with the board. They plan to sell their car in the spring to become full-time users. Walker said he’s heard of growing exhaustion among car owners, both in using and maintaining vehicles and what it would take to switch to more sustainable options. “Winnipeg tries really, really, really hard to be good at moving people around in cars, but what we end up with is a city where nobody can really get around with any mode,” he said. Meantime, Cavell is excited to get biking this winter but not sure how it’ll go. It’s a short ride, but his experience with the city’s piecemeal cycling infrastructure has left him concerned about snow clearing and accessibility. “I think that Winnipeg has got a lot of good cycling infrastructure, just the connections are missing,” he said. Hochman called it an issue of citywide inequity. “It’s really challenging and difficult to watch, because from my perspective, I know how an increase of infrastructure in certain areas of the city would help alleviate a lot of different other issues for many different identities,” she said. Bridging that gap through building more compact communities with easy access to public transit and resources is the challenge, urban planner Jason Syvixay said. City planners often have grand aspirations of walkable, connected cities that will inspire people to ditch their cars overnight, but on the flip side, the equity issue means car ownership and use is a must for many families, especially from lower-income neighbourhoods, to be able to maintain day-to-day operations. “We have these big aspirations, but how do you implement them in a way that doesn’t unintentionally create these impacts to these other marginalized groups who might use it?” Syvixay said. He pointed to the “15-minute city” initiative popularized in Paris during the pandemic as an example of how cities can use zoning and planning to create a more equitable transport solution. The residential urban concept reworks cities with the goal of having as many of its residents’ daily activities — groceries, recreation, gathering spaces — be within a 15-minute walk or bike ride away. In Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to implement this vision by converting main roads into communal spaces blocked off to cars, installing bike lanes on every street by 2024, and using schools as community gathering spots on holidays and weekends. “It seems like such a simple concept, right? This idea that you should be able to live in a neighbourhood that gives you the things that you need,” Syvixay said. “But we know that, historically, the way that we’ve planned our city with zoning and our policies, they’ve actually deterred those things.” Syvixay said getting Winnipeg on board would require sweeping changes to zoning rules and mindsets. “Things like the suburbs, for example, the zoning was built in a way that wouldn’t allow for mixing of a grocery store or for a school to be built in the residential neighbourhoods. So you start to see over time, because of zoning, these neighbourhoods only being allowed… to build single-family homes,” he said. Syvixay was born and raised in Winnipeg, and has worked with Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone and as an urban planner in the private sector. He moved to Edmonton in 2018, in part because there were more opportunities for city planning and development. Winnipeg is behind its Prairie peer in investing in progressive city development, he said. Along with changes such as abolishing single-family zoning in Edmonton, the Alberta capital has invested in walking people through these changes and making it apparent how they benefit everyone. “Change and community support takes a lot of time, and we need to be, I think, compassionate and empathetic that people have staked their lives and their future and their money in communities,” Syvixay said. “We need to work through the change with them so that they know what’s happening, what’s coming.” Syvixay remains optimistic. Interest is growing in Winnipeg, he said, and it’s a matter of when municipal leadership decides to get on board. “It might take some public infrastructure or investments or catalyst projects that can sort of show the development industry where the city wants to go, and the city can make statements in their investments, and what they put in the infrastructure, and the development industry might follow,” he said. “It could be symbolic gestures like that, or funding gestures like that, that can see some cascading impacts.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Majority willing to pay for faster, more reliable transit (Oct14'22)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Oct '22

14 Oct '22

*Majority willing to pay for faster, more reliable transit* / CTV Winnipeg PROBE RESEARCH https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/13/majority-willing-… IMAGINE a city where the buses run on time and efficiently get you where you need to go. Or imagine a city where you can safely commute on a bicycle each day. You can probably imagine that city isn’t Winnipeg — at least not yet — but not only are most mayoral candidates talking about transit and active transportation, a new poll suggests a majority of residents are willing to pay for them. In the Free Press- CTV News poll conducted by Probe Research, 52 per cent of respondents said the city should spend more money on new public-transit infrastructure, including creating dedicated lanes for buses. Another 33 per cent are satisfied with the money currently being spent, and 15 per cent think there should be less funding. As well, when Winnipeggers were asked how they would feel if the city spent money to build a light-rail transit line, more than half, at 52 per cent, said it would make them more likely to support spending on transit, while 28 per cent said it makes no difference to them, nine per cent said it would make them less likely to support spending on public transit and 11 per cent said they were unsure. Curtis Brown, a principal at Probe Research, said the results are a clear indication there is an appetite to buy improvements. “People are starting to see the need for it,” Brown said. “Issues of climate change, gridlock… people want to see more investment.” Brown said residents are more inclined to support light-rail than rapid-transit buses but, “We haven’t really heard any of the candidates talk about it or promise it.” Idris Adelakun is the only mayoral candidate among the 11 on the ballot talking about a transit system using something other than buses and, according to a Free Press- CTV News poll released last month, he likely won’t get many votes. Adelakun is proposing a solar-powered, 20-passenger overhead rail-car system. “It will attract visitors to our city,” Adelakun says in his platform. “Also, it will reduce traffic congestion and pollution.” The top five candidates have more conventional ideas in their platforms. Glen Murray wants to see a citywide system that provides frequent service using electric buses within eight years. Scott Gillingham would add 11 new buses to the city’s busiest routes over three years. Shaun Loney would implement the city’s transit master plan in 10 years instead of 25. Kevin Klein would push for all new buses to be electric. Robert-Falcon Ouellette would set adult fares at $1; youths 17 and under would ride free. Kyle Owens, president and chairman of Functional Transit Winnipeg, said he is pleased to see the poll numbers in favour of injecting more money into Winnipeg Transit’s infrastructure. “I think these numbers reflect that most Winnipeggers see the benefits of investing public transit,” Owens said. “Winnipeggers who use the system regularly know how slow and unreliable it is. Because of the lack of funding, people can’t use it to get to work on time.” Owens said his group advocates that even people who never take the bus will get a bang for their bucks that go into public transit infrastructure. “It benefits the city,” he said. It gets more people out of their cars. And, with the master transit plan passed last year, we were very glad to see it passed and we want to accelerate that funding because 25 years is too long.” As well, he said when the plan is in place, the number of households within 500 metres of frequent transit service will go to 58 per cent from 21 per cent. Owens said Winnipeg has fallen behind other cities in the country. “Winnipeg is the largest city of its land size in Canada without light-rail,” he said. “The others have all realized the benefits to get people where they are going.” The poll was taken while Winnipeg Transit continues to experience lower ridership numbers, in part due to the pandemic. In 2012, annual ridership hovered above 48 million. It plunged to 24.8 million in 2020 and 21.5 million in 2021, during the pandemic. A transit spokeswoman said weekday boardings are now up to approximately 80 per cent, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020. Winnipeg Transit continues work on the multi-year master transit plan city councillors approved last year. Bjorn Radstrom, Winnipeg Transit’s manager of service development, said the plan was moved forward because, “We really heard that transit wasn’t working.” “The transit system we had then, and still mostly have now, reflects Winnipeg as it was with people coming downtown in the morning and then going back in the afternoon. It doesn’t offer that many cross-city trips. We’ve tried to redraw the map to make it a grid system and not spokes going downtown.” Radstrom said transit users will soon see the changes, with a series of fast bus routes taking passengers to transfer locations where they can board other buses to take them to where they want to go. He said the system is already in place in southwest Winnipeg, with feeder routes not going downtown, but instead only taking passengers from subdivisions directly to and from the Blue Line, much of which is the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor. “Buses will be so frequent on major routes you don’t have to check the schedule — you just show up,” he said. “Just missed the bus? Who cares? Another one will come in five minutes… that type of change is really what would get more people to be on the bus. “Downtown will always be the biggest destination, but it is not like it was in the 1940s and 1950s.” As to the demographics of Winnipeggers who support — or don’t — spending more on public transit, the poll shows a lot depends on a resident’s political ideology, age, education level and neighbourhood. Sixty-four per cent of the people who identify as NDP supporters and 60 per cent of Liberal voters indicated they favour spending more, while only 28 per cent of people who back the Progressive Conservatives did the same. A larger percentage of Tories — 42 per cent — suggested they support funding for light-rail, behind Liberal supporters at 59 per cent and NDP at 56 per cent. There was a stark age breakdown in the results; 71 per cent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 support spending more, while only 39 per cent of people 55 and older feel the same way. About 57 per cent of university graduates agree more should be spent on public transit, compared to 41 per cent with high school or less education. And, while residents who live in the core area give 62 per cent support to spending more, other areas of the city range from 47 to 53 per cent. Meanwhile, when it comes to putting more dollars into active transportation and building more bike lanes, 45 per cent of Winnipeggers are in favour of spending more, but a majority of respondents believe the city is spending enough (31 per cent) or should spend less (24 per cent). The executive director of Bike Winnipeg, an advocacy organization, said support for active transportation has continuously grown through the years; 45 per cent of Winnipeggers now want the city to spend more on bike lanes. “This is very positive,” Mark Cohoe said. “I think it is a pretty clear indication people are ready to spend more. They are linking walking, cycling and transit to climate. There is value with active transportation. “Getting people out of their vehicles is critical to meeting our climate- change goals.” Cohoe said many changed their driving habits during the pandemic, so the time is right to enhance the active transportation network. “People are travelling less (and) we’ve found we can reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Numerous studies show people are driving more than they want to. But if we just blindly plan for the same number of cars on the road, that’s what we’ll get. “If you plan for fewer vehicles and have more options for biking, walking and buses, you’ll get there.” Among the five leading mayoral candidates, Murray said he wants to see aligned and integrated city and transportation planning to encourage cycling and walking. Gillingham would increase active transportation funding by $13 million and use a $1.50-per-foot frontage levy hike to partially pay for bike-route investment. Loney would inject an additional $20 million into funding, Klein would ensure active transportation is reviewed before roads are built and Ouellette wants to include safe family cycling in active-transportation plans. The poll of 600 Winnipeg adults was conducted Sept. 8-18. The results are — with 95 per cent certainty — within plus or minus four per cent if the city’s adult population had been surveyed because of the size of the polling sample. kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Audi demonstrates C-V2X technology in California that could help reduce cyclist injuries and fatalities - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 12 Oct '22

12 Oct '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/10/20221012-audicv2x.html

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TRB releases new report identifying deficiencies impacting e-scooter rider safety - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 09 Oct '22

09 Oct '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/10/20221007-trb.html

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WFP Analysis: We’re living beyond our infrastructure means (Sep30'22)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '22

30 Sep '22

*We’re living beyond our infrastructure means* MICHEL DURAND-WOOD https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2022/09/30/were-living-b… WITH next month’s election spurring big-picture discussions about the City of Winnipeg’s finances, roads are as hot an issue as ever. This has led to many roads-related campaign promises that leave Winnipeggers hopeful for a future with fewer potholes. But the uncomfortable reality we need to face is that we can’t afford to maintain all the roads we already have, much less add any more. And we never will. As we’ve already heard many times, the city spent $152.2 million on road repair and replacement last year. This is a record amount, after many consecutive years of record amounts. And according to some measures, this debt-fuelled spending spree looks like it may have made a dent — for instance, city reports show our infrastructure deficit went down to $6.9 billion in 2018, from $9.9 billion in 2009 (in 2018 dollars). But looks can be deceiving. And that’s because of the way the infrastructure deficit is calculated. This deficit is just a snapshot in time, taken in 2018, projecting our annual infrastructure spending needs to 2027. But because every road eventually needs to be replaced, and since their life cycle extends beyond that 10-year snapshot, it means that, by definition, we’re leaving stuff out of the calculation. And that can lead to shocking surprises down the road. What’s waiting for us outside of the current infrastructure deficit projection, in 2028? Or 2029? Beyond? Take Waverley West, for example. That entire area is new enough that none of the roads has needed reconstruction yet. But they will eventually. The entire road network for a “city the size of Brandon,” as Coun. Janice Lukes is fond of saying, will soon be added to the maintenance queue. Turns out all those free roads weren’t free after all. And just so you don’t think I’m picking on Waverley West, it gets even worse. Assuming that a road needs to be completely replaced every 50 years or so means any road built after 1977 does not have its reconstruction cost factored into the current infrastructure deficit, since its reconstruction would be scheduled for after 2027. If we assume a 60-year lifespan, then it excludes every road in every development built after 1967. And since the majority of our roads were built after 1971 — by some estimates nearly 57 per cent — that’s a lot of roads left out of the calculation. And a lot of money. What’s it all going to cost? According to city reports, we own about 8,300 lane-kilometres of roads in total, all of which need periodic maintenance and, eventually, complete replacement. The money spent last year allowed us to maintain 113.8 lane-km of roads, and to replace 32.8 lane-km of them. At that rate, every road will get maintenance once every 73 years, and a full replacement once every 253 years. To bring that into alignment with the actual lifespan of pavement, maintenance every 10 years and replacement every 50 to 60 would require spending about $600 million more per year than we did in 2021. Some people think we have a spending problem. But trimming that much from the budget would require the complete elimination of the police department and the entire fire and paramedic department, plus shutting down the community services department (that’s the one in charge of libraries, pools and rec centres). Others think instead that we have a revenue problem. But funding an extra $600 million per year would require roughly a 100 per cent property tax increase. Double our taxes. Just for the roads. What about the province, or the feds? At the provincial level, we’d need a PST increase of approximately 3.5 per cent for our per-capita share of it to equal $600 million. The cold, hard reality is that no matter which order of government pays for it, that money is ultimately coming from us. Getting real about this means facing that this is not a spending problem, nor is it a revenue problem. It’s an insolvency problem: we own way more pavement than we can afford. So then, how do we get on top of this road repair issue? First, when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. If we can’t afford the roads we already have, we shouldn’t add more. Second, we must do everything we can to get more people using fewer roads, in order to maximize the lifespan of our existing investments. Getting there will mean shifting more people into active transportation and transit, planting street trees, slowing traffic wherever people are walking and putting more people and destinations closer together with mixed-use infill. Where we find ourselves in the coming years will depend on whether we double down on the same path we’ve been on, or whether we choose a more productive way forward. The choice is ours this October. *Michel Durand-Wood lives in Elmwood and has been writing about municipal issues since 2018. He blogs at DearWinnipeg.com, and is a contributor to AnatomyOfAPothole.ca, a local campaign to raise awareness about the city’s infrastructure and finance issues leading up to the election.*

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CBC: Oklahoma City's downtown made a major comeback after a long slump. What Winnipeg can learn from it
by Beth McKechnie 27 Sep '22

27 Sep '22

Focus city on pedestrians, not cars Cornett says one of the key lessons he learned as mayor was shaping the city around active transportation. "We went through a period where we recognized that the health of the community was suffering, and from a wellness standpoint, we weren't set up to succeed," he said. City leadership redesigned the entire downtown grid to be more walkable and more pedestrian-friendly, and then started building sidewalks and jogging and biking paths out into the suburban areas. "Over time, we started to realize that the health of the community is really based on the social infrastructure and the physical infrastructure combined," Cornett said. "If you build a city around cars, you're not going to have as healthy a community as you would [otherwise]." Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/oklahoma-city-winnipeg-state-of-the…

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WFP: City police use decoy bikes to nab four thieves (Sep23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Sep '22

23 Sep '22

City police use decoy bikes to nab four thieves https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/09/22/city-police-use-d… AS sure as the sun will rise, if you leave a bicycle unlocked and untended in Winnipeg long enough, someone will try to steal it. And sometimes police will be watching, four men learned the hard way last week. “The lesson to be learned here is you never know if the bike you are jumping on is a decoy bike,” said Winnipeg Police Service Const. Dani McKinnon. Police arrested the men Sept. 14 as part of a “bait bike” project prompted by reports of hundreds of bikes stolen this past summer in the Garden City/West Kildonan shopping areas. One area gym, Planet Fitness on Leila Avenue, reported roughly 100 bikes had been stolen from outside the property since June. Dozens of theft reports were submitted to police, while dozens more went unreported but were captured on surveillance video. Police placed a bait bike in various locations near businesses that had reported multiple bike thefts, and soon caught two men trying to steal the bike. Two other men — one of whom is a suspect in the Planet Fitness thefts — were arrested after they were seen “casing” other bikes as they carried bolt cutters. Police have used bait bikes in other parts of the city where thefts have been particularly high, McKinnon said. She urged everyone who has had a bike stolen to report it to police, saying it helps police pinpoint high crime areas and focus resources. “When there is video evidence or a statement provided, that is valuable information,” she said. A Planet Fitness manager declined to speak to a reporter. The four accused face charges including theft and possession of break-in instruments. dean.pritchard(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Study: Some Roundabout Designs Slash Injury Crashes Up to 85% – Streetsblog USA
by Beth McKechnie 23 Sep '22

23 Sep '22

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/09/19/opinion-america-should-think-round-f… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 *Green Action Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Analysis: Cyclists and pedestrians are on the same side (Sep16'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Sep '22

20 Sep '22

In case you missed this in the Free Press: Cyclists and pedestrians are on the same side https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2022/09/16/cyclists-and-… MY granddad had a saying: “It’s better to negotiate from a place of strength than a place of weakness.” I’ve been reflecting on this maxim as the clock ticks steadily toward 2030 — the year by which Winnipeg’s unanimously-approved-by-council Climate Action Plan says we must have significantly reduced the number of trips taken in motor vehicles. With each year, it seems more unlikely — maybe downright impossible — that we’ll meet the target of reducing personal-vehicle use from 81 per cent to 50 per cent of all trips. Private vehicle traffic makes up the lion’s share of Winnipeg’s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce those GHGs, the plan relies almost entirely on people switching to active transportation modes. Despite that ambitious goal, little is being done to make walking and biking safer or more pleasant. For many Winnipeggers, active transportation is not seen as a viable alternative to driving, even for short trips that could easily be done on foot or by bike, at least sometimes. Many of us don’t live within easy walking or biking distance of our daily needs, but for those who do, why aren’t we leaving our cars at home more often? The answer lies in what we’ve done — or haven’t done – to make that choice more viable. There’s a long-standing, ongoing back-and-forth in this newspaper’s letters to the editor, with concerns focused on cyclists riding on the sidewalk or at top speed on shared paths, or pedestrians blithely walking three abreast, oblivious to bells and other users because they’re on their phone or wearing earbuds. Some writers plead for mutual respect and common sense, while others insist a full regime of bicycle licensing, registration, insurance and enforcement is necessary. It’s tempting to think we simply need to correct specific, individual behaviours. But in reality, these conflicts are a direct result of insufficient space for people travelling outside of vehicles. (And if we think shared paths are bad now, just wait until e-scooters and e-bikes really take off — and that day is coming, sooner than we think.) That’s the actual problem, not “aggressive cyclists” or “oblivious pedestrians.” It’s a transportation system in which motor vehicle traffic takes up so much space that all other users are left fighting for scraps. It’s a system that pits folks who are walking and biking (and costing the city and the planet the least) against each other. And it’s the same system in which drivers insist our arterials – major roads, usually with four or more lanes – need more lanes and the inner ring road must be completed, despite decades of evidence that adding more capacity to roads just means more people will use them. The rule of induced demand means we can’t build our way out of congestion. Evidence also shows when cities build safe, quality infrastructure for biking and walking, people choose those modes more often. Lucky for us, many parts of the city have excellent potential to evolve into “15-minute neighbourhoods.” But that won’t happen if we aren’t willing to reconfigure our arterials. In Winnipeg, nothing is more sacrosanct than traffic flow on an arterial. To date, any changes that might impact traffic flow or parking have been off the table. That’s why you won’t find protected bike lanes on Osborne Street, on Henderson Highway, on St. Mary’s Road or any other arterials; instead, you’ll find a mishmash of side street “bike routes” — if you’re lucky. A complete bike network that allows folks to move between all parts of the city is essential. But if we want people to start using active transportation for their everyday needs, it’s also essential to provide safe infrastructure on arterials, because that’s where most destinations — stores, services, restaurants, libraries, pools, etc. — are. There is more than enough road space in the city to provide abundant routes for public transit, active transportation, commercial and private vehicular traffic. Every time we repair or reconstruct a roadway, we need to incorporate protected bike lanes and better sidewalks as a matter of course (even if it means taking that space from cars) — especially on those destination-rich arterials. If we want to convert trips from car to foot or bike, the space allocated to each mode must reflect that goal. The longer we wait to adapt to the new reality our planet demands, the longer we allow car-oriented spending to decimate our city coffers, the longer we wait to give people safe and pleasant infrastructure to do at least some of their trips without driving, the harder and more abrupt the transition will be. There’s another saying: the best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago; the next best time is today. With each passing month and year, we have less time to forge a better transportation system that makes Winnipeg a more livable city while meeting our climate action goals. We will never have more time to start adapting than we do right now. It’s time to negotiate from a place of strength. *Emma Durand-Wood is a parent of three young children living in Elmwood.*

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Ford exploring use of smartphone technology to alert drivers to pedestrians, bicyclists; BLE and 5G - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 20 Sep '22

20 Sep '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/09/20220920-ford.html

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Ya gotta love Japanese bikes
by Terry Zdan 19 Sep '22

19 Sep '22

What i want Santa to bring me this xmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX5Sm7ttt-k

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WFP: Pushing for winter of clean-scraped sidewalks (Sep1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Sep '22

02 Sep '22

Pushing for winter of clean-scraped sidewalks <goog_1457759345> https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/09/01/pushing-for-winte… SOME Winnipeg sidewalks could be cleared right down to the pavement this winter, if a new motion winding its way through city hall succeeds. The motion calls for city crews to clear all sidewalks that have been rated in good condition to “bare pavement” during a pilot project next winter. “When you compare it to icy, slushy or irregular services that we get at times, especially in the spring, I believe bare pavement… would be a much better level of service,” said Coun. Matt Allard, who raised the motion. Winnipeg’s snow clearing policy calls for sidewalks along major routes, non-regional bus routes and collector streets to be cleared to a compacted snow surface following five centimetres of snow. Such sidewalks in the downtown are cleared to a paved surface “whenever conditions allow.” Allard has publicly complained about his own treacherous winter walks in the past, including slips and falls that occurred while he was wearing winter boots. “If you’re a pedestrian in this city, you know that there’s a time in the spring where things can become quite treacherous, with uneven sidewalks and uneven ice… That is not a level of service that allows a person to get to their bus stop, for example, without having a certain level of risk,” he said. If the pilot project is approved, it would apply to sidewalks repaired in 2021, the only ones the city has recently assessed to be in good condition. The city says about 33 kilometres of sidewalk and cycling paths fall into that category, while there are about 3,400 km of sidewalks throughout Winnipeg. City spokesman Ken Allen said only the walkways known to be in good condition are suited for clearing ice and snow to the bare pavement. “In order for a plow to clear a sidewalk down to the pavement, it requires the operator to put down-pressure on the plow blade in order to scrape off the snow and ice from the surface of the sidewalk, and a sidewalk in poor condition would likely be more difficult to clear due to a potentially uneven surface, and be harder mechanically on the snow-clearing equipment. As well, it is expected that clearing sidewalks down to the pavement would take longer to achieve as sidewalk plows would likely have to make multiple passes to get it done,” Allen said in a written statement. He noted temperature, snow amount and snow storage capacity could also affect the city’s ability to meet a bare pavement standard. Allen said the condition of sidewalks that weren’t recently repaired isn’t clear because the city doesn’t regularly rate them. He said the public service plans to assess other sidewalks soon, with the first round of city-wide ratings expected by December 2024. With that work still underway, Allard stressed the city should test snow-clearing improvements on every sidewalk that can handle it next winter. “The best study… is to send the plows and to plow to pavement. Then we’ll know how much it costs, how much staff time it takes,” he said. A seniors’ transportation advocate hopes bare pavement clearing can ultimately become the city-wide standard. “Sidewalk clearing, for us, is really important because we know many seniors, especially in downtown and core areas, need those sidewalks to get access to daily resources… Actually having fully cleared sidewalks is truly (offering) independence,” said Samantha Rodeck, executive director of the Transportation Options Network for Seniors. Rodeck said current clearing standards can leave folks unsure if all sidewalks they require to complete a trip will be clear enough to make it possible. “When that ice builds up it just continues to build ruts. Imagine trying to push a wheelchair or a walker … on (a walkway) that isn’t (cleared) down to the pavement. It’s very challenging,” she said. Rodeck said the change could also prevent slips and falls, preventing injuries and making it less scary for those with reduced mobility to leave home. “With us changing this one little (thing), we’re enhancing a person’s quality of life and potentially decreasing health-care costs,” she said. Allen said it’s not clear how much more it would cost the city to clear “good condition” sidewalks to a bare pavement level. He said the pilot project likely won’t require council approval, unless the effort is deemed to change the snow-clearing policy. Council’s public works committee is expected to debate Allard’s motion on Sept. 7. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Disappointment after West End summer cycling route shelved (Sep1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Sep '22

02 Sep '22

Disappointment after West End summer cycling route shelved https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/31/aborted-plan-for-… PLANS to install a temporary poly-post protected bike lane on a two-kilometre stretch of Wellington Avenue under the city’s open streets program for 2022 had to be shelved. There was not enough time and no money budgeted to overcome the complications that stopped the project from moving forward in the spring, according to a report by City of Winnipeg staff. The proposed route between Maryland and Strathcona streets in the West End would have filled a need for cyclists, said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “When you look at that area of the city, what are your east-west opportunities? There’s not a lot,” he said. At its Sept. 7 meeting, the city’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee will vote on whether to send the proposed route to the 2023 budget process. Cohoe hopes there is enough political will to fund and follow through with a bike route on Wellington, but he worries it won’t be a priority. Committee chair Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he supports a cycling route on Wellington. He hopes city council will go a step further and approve permanent lanes. At its April 28 meeting, council approved plans for a temporary route with poly posts as part of this year’s enhanced summer bike route program. But city staff determined the protected route is beyond the scope of the program, which reduces speed limits to 30 km/h and places weekend traffic-calming measures on 15 designated routes, not including Wellington, between May and November. Further study is required and dedicated funding would be needed to design and construct the route, according to the report, which cited a number of challenges. Among them, Wellington has varying widths, with some stretches too narrow for a protected cycling route. The intersections with Erin and Wall streets, which are controlled by traffic lights, would have to be reconfigured to establish the right-of-way. To complete the temporary route, all parking would have to be removed from Wellington until it was completed, risking the ire of residents and drivers. Also at its Sept. 7 meeting, the four-member committee will also consider removing barricades set up on most of Scotia Street on weekends and holidays between May and November. When the program was approved, a one-block vehicle travel restriction was to be imposed on Scotia — one of the 15 designated routes — at those times. If approved, the change would not affect the temporary reduced speed limit of 30 km/h. Cohoe believes keeping the reduced speed limit is the right move. Road users fear large volumes of traffic on Scotia — a gateway to Kildonan Park — but a speed limit of 30 km/h helps to reduce that concern, he said. “Certainly, having the reduced traffic on there is a benefit,” he said, noting he hopes the city keeps track of traffic on the street. Scotia is part of the North Winnipeg Parkway Study that is underway. Cohoe is among those who believe the city needs to step up efforts to include new active-transportation routes, where appropriate, when roads are reconstructed or rehabilitated. Cyclist Ian McCausland said it is disappointing when road-construction projects do not include bike routes when the opportunity is there. “The city has to look at all these infrastructure projects through the lens of the climate crisis,” he said. Allard said he also finds it disappointing, given a 2008 city policy which requires reconstruction or rehabilitation of any street on the active-transportation network to include upgrades for cycling. The enhanced summer bike route program, initially known as “open streets,” began in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to prioritize active transportation. Now in its third year, the program has been hailed by Allard and fellow committee members Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River). “I think a lot of the kinks have been ironed out,” said Allard. “I’m satisfied it has been a success, and that it’s now going to be a feature of Winnipeg.” chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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Canadian eh E-Bike About Us – Mokwheel Bikes
by Terry Zdan 29 Aug '22

29 Aug '22

https://www.mokwheel.com/pages/about-us

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WFP: Cycle of gloom (Aug27'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Aug '22

28 Aug '22

Fewer bike-theft reports belies despairing reality that most victims don’t report to police Cycle of gloom https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/26/cycle-of-gloom SCOTT Atkinson’s heart sank when he stepped outside his home in Old St. Vital to find his garage door open. “I instantly knew: it’s gone,” Atkinson said, describing the moment he realized his $1,300 Kona Splice bicycle was now in the hands of a thief. On Tuesday, the 36-year-old joined countless other Winnipeg residents who have become victims of bike thieves in recent years. Bikes are a common target because they are valuable, easy to transport and can be stripped down for parts or parts can be converted into weapons, police say. In 2018, the Winnipeg Police Service received more than 2,000 stolen-bike reports. The number dropped to 1,555 last year, but a frustrated cycling advocate says the data is inaccurate and misleading. “They only have reported stats, so I would take that with a pinch of salt,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “There’s a feeling of hopelessness out there that might be giving the police the false impression (that bike crime is declining).” While Atkinson, who has lived in the neighbourhood for most of his life, is among those who reported his bike stolen, he knows he’ll probably never see it again. At one time, Old St. Vital was relatively free of property crime, but now, anything that isn’t bolted down is likely to be stolen, he said. “It’s so much more depressing than I thought it was going to be,” he said. “I don’t really have a way of doing anything or going anywhere, so that is kind of earth-shattering.… People that don’t really use a bike every day, they don’t really understand.” Atkinson’s story is typical. Some people go through the motions of filing a police report hoping to see their property returned, but many don’t bother. The result is rampant, but largely unreported, theft, Cohoe said. “There’s evidence that what we’re doing isn’t enough,” he said. “People have to feel like reporting it is going to have a result.” In an effort to gather more data, Bike Winnipeg produced a public bike-theft survey this April. About 300 cyclists responded. More than 90 per cent of participants had bikes stolen in the last five years, and the majority said the thefts happened at their homes. The data disputes the notion that bike theft is a crime of opportunity that only happens to unsecured bikes in public spaces. If the city wants to reduce bike crime, it needs to commit to policy and infrastructure changes, Cohoe said. A good first step would be updating Winnipeg’s bylaws to make it mandatory for new residential and commercial developments to include secure bike-storage areas. This would make it safer for cyclists to visit businesses, workplaces and residential buildings without fear of theft, he said. The city could also expand its bike registry program by sharing its data with other municipalities, he added. Since 1995, the city has collected bike serial numbers through its voluntary registry. When a bike is lost or stolen, WPS officers can reference the registry to track down its owner. In 2018, the city introduced an online version of the registry. Currently, there are 17,000 registrations, said Adam Campbell, a city spokesperson. Despite the fact that nearly half of the respondents in the Bike Winnipeg survey used the registry, only three per cent felt that it was helpful in solving theft. Stolen bikes sometimes make their way to other municipalities, provinces or countries. Cohoe believes if the city were to join an international registry, it could make the data more useful. Over the last three years, public interest in cycling in Winnipeg has surged, Cohoe said, adding the pandemic is partly responsible; many residents looked for new and healthy hobbies when various activities were restricted or shut down. Other factors, such as rising gas prices and climate awareness, have made people more aware of the benefits of active transportation, he said. That interest has led Winnipeg to the beginning stages of a cycling network. “(The city is) certainly becoming more bike-friendly. We are building out infrastructure — I’m not going to say we’re doing it at a rate I appreciate, and I would certainly like to see us accelerate that — but we are seeing more,” he said. In the early days, Winnipeg’s cycling infrastructure consisted of routes that travelled from “Point A to Point B.” The routes typically connected segments of individual neighbourhoods. Now, the city needs to fill gaps and connect the established routes, Cohoe said. “When you create those connections, the gaps that you’re filling in have multiple destinations and multiple connections across that you’re completing,” he said. A staff member at Bikes and Beyond in West Elmwood said she is pleased more people are becoming interested in cycling, but without secure storage, bike theft is inevitable. “There’s this assumption that people who are stealing things are kind of dumb, and they are not,” said Emily, who asked that her last name not be published because she believes thieves use social media to target potential victims. She advises cyclists to avoid storing their bikes outside in sheds or garages. She said the only way to ensure a bike’s safety is to keep it inside a home. If someone has no choice but to leave their bike unattended, she recommends using two locks: a steel U-lock around the frame and a cable lock restricting the wheels. She added that many thieves now use industrial tools including angle grinders, so even a double-locked bike is not entirely secure. Anybody who has become a victim of bike theft should report it to police, she said. “There is definitely a bit of discouragement in the public about the effectiveness of reporting,” she said. “(But) it is really important, regardless of whether people think it’s going to make a difference because, as we all know, decisions are made based on stats.” tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Public works chairman beets drum for winter road juice (Aug26'22)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '22

26 Aug '22

Public works chairman beets drum for winter road juice https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/25/public-works-chai… IT’S time to determine if using more beet juice can help Winnipeggers get a better grip on roads, lanes and sidewalks, one city councillor says. Beet juice is already used as part of the City of Winnipeg’s street de-icing arsenal. The city sprays a beet juice salt brine mixture directly on ring roads and bridges at times and may also use it to wet salt and sand being spread on streets. Coun. Matt Allard, the city’s public works chairman, thinks the product’s use could be greatly expanded. In a new motion, he’s calling on municipal staff to study the impact of applying beet juice de-icing mixtures throughout the city next winter. “I’m wondering… what it would look like to mandate it citywide. We would have substantially less salt on our roadways,” said Allard. The councillor is also pushing for a report on the environmental and cost benefits of switching to greater use of beet-juice-based mixtures to reduce the city’s reliance on road salt, which can damage trees, snow-clearing machines and concrete. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a holistic look at… the total cost benefit of salt versus other products in the life of our machines,” said Allard. City spokesman Ken Allen said it would be “premature” to comment on Allard’s motion, or how feasible it would be to rely more on beet juice next winter. At least some amount of beet juice de-icing mixture has been used since 2020, after proving successful in trial projects that began in 2015, Allen said. In an email, he said beet juice has been found to have several benefits. “Beet juice improves the adhesion of the sand and salt to the roadway surface at colder temperatures. Beet juice can make up to 60 per cent of the solution we are applying to the roads and is combined with a traditional sodium chloride-based brine. This lessens our chloride loading on infrastructure and the environment while producing a good quality melting solution effective to temperatures below -30 C,” he wrote. Allard’s motion also calls for the public service to report on the amount of beet juice versus sand and salt applied to city rights-of-way over the past five years and options to reduce the use of sodium chloride and other salts on city streets. The motion will be debated by the Riel Community Committee on Tuesday. Joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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NEXT Tue Sep. 6th FREE Webinar: Getting more People riding bicycles. More Often. Everywhere.
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '22

25 Aug '22

*From:* A Walk in the Park with Gil <paulao(a)gpenalosa.ca> *Sent:* Thursday, August 25, 2022 10:00 AM View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/9be31aeb0564/a-walk-in-the-park-with-gil-the-75-city-906…> *NEXT Tuesday Sep. 6th* FREE WEBINAR Getting more People riding bicycles. More often. Everywhere. *REGISTER NOW:* *https://bit.ly/3bpa2Jq <https://bit.ly/3bpa2Jq>* *Images courtesy of People for Bikes Register here for the free Webinar. Share & invite colleagues. <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> UPCOMING SESSIONS Always FREE. Please share, invite all you know who care about people and cities. Next: Sep. 20th. Videos: Making ‘mobility changes' understandable. Doable. Guest: Clarence Eckerson, producer of over 1000 videos! https://bit.ly/3OG4zfH PAST WEBTALKS: Watch again, share with colleagues, friends & students on Gil's YouTube Channel. Click here. <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> FOLLOW GIL [image: Twitter] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: Website] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: YouTube] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: Instagram] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> *Copyright © 2022. A Walk in the Park with Gil. All rights reserved.* *For questions about A Walk in the Park with Gil, contact us at* paulao(a)gpenalosa.ca

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Local artists have started painting temporary traffic calming measures on four summer bike routes
by Beth McKechnie 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

Painted traffic calming measures are coming to various locations on Lyndale Drive, Wellington Crescent, Kilkenny Drive, and Churchill Drive this month! Local artists will be painting curb bump-outs, median islands, and channelization of intersections to help further reduce speeds at a few locations where traffic counts showed us vehicles are still travelling too quickly. Watch for artists at work alongside some additional two-day traffic restrictions in place to keep them safe while working. Follow #paintthepavementwpg for updates and artist photos. https://winnipeg.ca/PublicWorks/pedestriansCycling/sundayHolidayBicycleRout…

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WFP Editorial: Improved bike infrastructure lacks connections (Aug17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Improved bike infrastructure lacks connections THE main problem with Winnipeg’s active transportation network isn’t so much a shortage of bicycle routes throughout the city — it’s the lack of connectivity between them. Winnipeg has many shortcomings when it comes to cycling: a woeful lack of protected bike lanes, poorly cleared and maintained routes, and a car-centric culture that is often at odds with the development of a safe and reliable network of bike corridors. One of the most glaring weaknesses, however, is the patchwork of bike routes in the city that are largely disconnected from each other. Many designated routes end abruptly, leaving cyclists with no option but to switch to regular roads in busy traffic, or ride illegally on sidewalks. Public surveys have shown that a lack of well-connected, protected bike routes is one of the top reasons more people don’t commute by bike. The city has taken some steps to improve that connectivity. The most recent announcement will see River and Stradbrook avenues in Osborne Village fitted with one-way protected bike lanes in 2023. A two-way protected bike lane will also be added on River from Bryce Street to Fort Rouge Park. It’s good news, and it will expand the bike network in that area. But it’s not enough. Similar bike routes have been constructed in other neighbourhoods and, like Osborne Village, they are not connected to a city-wide grid of cycling corridors. While they enhance active transportation in those communities, they’re often disconnected from other parts of the city. Winnipeg has made significant progress over the past two decades in an effort to become a more cycling-friendly city. There are many examples where cyclists can travel long distances around Winnipeg on safe, reliable routes, away from snarling traffic (although many are not well advertised). But it’s hit and miss. Some areas of the city have good access to dedicated bike routes, others have virtually none. It’s particularly treacherous downtown, where cycling usually involves riding on regular roads alongside less-than-accommodating drivers. It’s hazardous, and few are willing to take the risk. The lack of protected lanes in and around the core area discourages many from commuting downtown by bike. Cycling from Osborne Village to downtown, for example, typically means crossing the Osborne Bridge alongside regular traffic, an adventure many deem too dangerous (even in diamond lanes, which are shared with transit buses). There is a proposal to build a cycling/pedestrian bridge across the Assiniboine River, from Fort Rouge Park to McFadyen Park. The proposed bridge would connect to a protected bike path along Assiniboine Avenue, which extends east to The Forks and west to the neighbourhoods of West Broadway and Wolseley. It would connect several parts of the city and significantly expand the bike network. Unfortunately, the proposal is on the “unfunded” list of infrastructure projects and its future is unknown. Active transportation gets a lot of lip service from politicians, but at budget time, projects such as protected bike paths and cycling/ pedestrian bridges tend to take a back seat to car-oriented infrastructure. Many Winnipeggers are willing to ditch their motor vehicles in favour of active transportation. One only has to look at the hundreds of bikes parked outside of Winnipeg Blue Bombers games at IG Field, or the many well-used, caged-in bike storage facilities around the city, to see the public’s desire to adopt a healthier and more environmentally friendly form of transportation. When the city builds safe and reliable bike routes, people use them. It’s time for city hall to make that a priority.

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Toronto Star: Munich’s biking culture offers ideas on integrating cars and bikes safely (Aug16'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Studies show that cyclists break rules with similar <https://trid.trb.org/view/1491424> or less <https://www.vejdirektoratet.dk/udgivelse/cyklisters-adfaerd-i-signalreguler…> frequency than drivers. But there is no equivalence in risk. According to Toronto Police Service <https://data.torontopolice.on.ca/pages/ksi> data, since 2006 there have only been nine incidences where a cyclist was at fault and seriously injured someone (none were in High Park). And not a single death. In that same time, 507 pedestrians and cyclists were killed on Toronto streets. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/08/16/munichs-biking-cult…

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Peg City Car Coop - We're hiring a Member Services Coordinator!
by Beth McKechnie 16 Aug '22

16 Aug '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca <info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca> Date: Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 12:01 PM Subject: We're hiring a Member Services Coordinator! Dear community, Peg City Car Co-op is hiring a full-time Member Services Coordinator to join our small but growing team! Member Services is the first line of contact with our members and community. The person who fills this dynamic position will maintain member satisfaction, retention, and growth through consistent brand messaging and quality member care. The role includes answering email and phone calls and assisting with evening and weekend on-call duties, as well as administrative tasks and record keeping. To see the full job description and posting, click here <https://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Member-Services-Co…> . If you, or someone you know, are interested in being part of a growing consumer co-op, please email a cover letter and resume to hiring(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca and write *Member Services Hire* in the subject line. The deadline to apply is *September 18, 2022, at 11:59 pm*. Only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Thanks for sharing this in your network! -- *Member Services, Peg City Car Co-op* 204.793.3912 | info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca 402-460 Main St, Winnipeg MB R3B1B6 *www.pegcitycarcoop.ca <http://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/>* Sharing the road (and cars) for more than 10 years. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsDCxr4tR4Q>

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WFP: Province to fund projects to improve, develop trails (Aug15'22)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Aug '22

15 Aug '22

*Province to fund projects to improve, develop trails * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/15/province-to-fund-… THE provincial government will fund 30 projects to improve and develop trails across Manitoba. The province announced Friday it will spend nearly $970,000 on projects approved through the Trails Manitoba grant program. The annual grant program supports the development of new recreational trails, and maintenance, enhancements and amenities for existing trails. “This investment is being made in communities across the province, benefitting all Manitobans as well as visitors here,” Trails Manitoba president Erik Dickson said. “We’re very happy for this project.” More than 70 non-profit groups and municipalities applied for trail funding during the 2022 intake, Dickson said. Assiniboine Forest will be among the first recipients, with a $50,000 investment in trail navigation enhancements and increased signage. Other funded projects include the Wally Chryplywy Nature Park trail enhancement in Beausejour, Squirrel Hills Trail Park in the Minnedosa area, and the Victoria Park trail extension and stairs project in Souris. Approved projects are expected to be completed within two years. The funds, which come from a $10-million provincial investment, are intended to support trails that facilitate both motorized and non-motorized recreational activities. By 2025, half of the $10 million will finance development projects, while the other half will remain in a longterm fund to generate annual revenue and pay for ongoing maintenance and enhancements. Trails Manitoba conducted a pair of province-wide surveys to decide which projects would qualify for funding. It released its findings in a report Friday. More than 2,000 people participated in the survey, with more than half indicating they lived in Winnipeg. Respondents identified inadequate signage as the most significant issue on Manitoba’s trails. Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced the funding alongside Dickson and other stakeholders during a press event at Assiniboine Forest. “Our government is committed to continued building, maintaining and expanding the trails network,” Wharton said. “This report will help guide the developments… across Manitoba for the years ahead.” A full list of the 2022 grant recipients is available on the Trails Manitoba website. tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Osborne Village bike-lane plans a start, not solution: advocate (Aug13'22)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Aug '22

13 Aug '22

‘Not a great place for riding a bike’ *Osborne Village bike-lane plans a start, not solution: advocate* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/12/osborne-village-b… MEL Marginet is the definition of an avid cyclist: she travels around Winnipeg almost entirely by bike and spends her days working as a sustainable transportation advocate. Despite living in South Osborne, Marginet rarely visits Osborne Village — the streets are too chaotic for her to feel safe on two wheels. “There is no infrastructure, and there are so many vehicles, and they’re just going so fast,” she said. “It’s not a great place for riding a bike.” That’s likely to change next year; the city is beginning consultations on protected bike lanes in the Village. Stakeholder meetings with Osborne Village BIZ, Bike Winnipeg and small business owners in the area are scheduled next week. Chris Baker, a senior active transportation planner for the city, told the Free Press two bike infrastructure projects are planned: a one-way protected lane on River and Stradbrook avenues and two-way protected lanes on River from Bryce Street to Fort Rouge Park. A walking and cycling bridge connecting Fort Rouge and McFayden Parks is also being tabled. The city plans to have the work done by next summer. “It’s a pretty big step forward for the bike network,” said Mark Cohoe, the executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “With protected bike lanes, we get an opportunity to develop a network so you’re not in mixed traffic.” Sherri Rollins, the city councillor for Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry, said she’s among many in the area for whom bike safety is a top concern; she suffered a significant knee injury while cycling on a busy road. “The calls are twofold: slow down traffic for pedestrians, and make sure things are safer for cyclists,” Rollins said. She believes the protected lanes will enhance plans to revitalize the Village and make it more pedestrian-friendly. “Osborne Village BIZ welcomes the opportunity to develop a healthier neighbourhood,” executive director Lindsay Somers said in a statement to the Free Press, adding she looks forward to the consultation sessions with local businesses next week to “develop a plan and path forward that is satisfactory to all our needs.” Marginet said the protected lanes in the east and west corridors of the Village are a welcome addition but they won’t solve what she believes is the main issue: Osborne Street itself. Osborne Street is what Marginet describes as a “stroad”— somewhere between a street and a road that has heavy traffic and is hostile to cyclists and pedestrians. “Everything that’s really fun and interesting to go to is along Osborne,” she said. “For me, living in South Osborne, new bike lanes won’t be beneficial in any way because I would want to go straight up Osborne.” Corydon resident Mia Duchamp recently got rid of her car to cycle full time. To avoid busy routes in Osborne Village, she’ll often take side streets to avoid narrow traffic lanes. “If I’m going through the village, that Osborne underpass is not the best. I try to go around it as much as I can, but it’s really frustrating and there’s a lot of detours,” Duchamp said. Through her work with the Green Action Centre, Marginet hears from many Winnipeggers who want to commute actively, but feel the city lacks the infrastructure to do so. “If you look at how people say they want to get around, most people say they have no choice but to drive,” she said. “We have to start prioritizing the comfort and safety of those who are getting around in sustainable and healthy ways if we want to see any kind of improvement.” Rollins believes investing in bike infrastructure is connected to a greater shift in consciousness in city planning. “The project that’s going on in Osborne Village is a game-changer,” she said. “It is that step forward to build a culture of, not only the connectivity we need, but also the culture of a healthier, more sustainable city.” cierra.bettens(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Police Officer Ticketing Cyclists in Park Hits Cyclist in Bike Lane with His SUV
by Terry Zdan 12 Aug '22

12 Aug '22

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a40837493/toronto-cyclists-injured-by-police/

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WFP: Virtuous cycles (Aug11'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Aug '22

11 Aug '22

It’s been a long and winding road for these married cycling enthusiasts who are peddling adaptive, electric and traditional bikes at their Wolseley shop *VIRTUOUS CYCLES* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2022/08/10/virtuous-cycles WHEN the flowers are out, the doors are open. Open to the Wolseley resident bringing their bike for repair. Open to the Treherne family buying their first electric bikes. Open to the person in a wheelchair wanting to test an adaptive bike. “It’s all about getting people to ride, from whatever health and body situation they have,” said Suzanne Druwé, co-owner of Prairie Velo. She and Brian Szklarczuk, her husband, have planted their business at 967 Wolseley Ave., formerly known to locals as the Kit Kat building. Gone are the freezers, linoleum floors and shelves of candy. Now, rows of adaptive, electric and traditional bikes line the 1,800 square-foot space. Outside, cyclists traverse a bike path. “Cycling is such a simple, core thing that everyone should be allowed to do,” Szklarczuk said. The pandemic, the rising cost of fuel and a shift towards environmentally friendly practices have put cycling in the spotlight, Prairie Velo’s owners noted. However, the activity isn’t a recent passion for the couple. Szklarczuk raced in Europe in the early ’90s as a young adult. He did so with a hearing impairment. Even when Szklarczuk returned to Winnipeg — pursuing grad school and a career as an economist — cycling was top of mind, he said. He and Druwé met on a blind date. Their trips abroad required a “cycling component” for Szklarczuk, where he’d go on hours-long rides and then shorter ones with his partner. The couple visited friends in Sweden around six years ago and were intrigued at how cycling was incorporated in Scandinavian daily life, Druwé said. “We felt that it was something permanent,” she said. “People were rethinking the way they go about their business.” The two imagined they could enter the corporate side of cycling back home. Then, Druwé’s employer at the time — a francophone tourism company — asked Szklarczuk to create Manitoba bike tours. He did. And, he published an article called Prairie Velo Tour 2019 on bikepacking.com. Readers and tour-goers would ask where to purchase bikes, Szklarczuk said. “I was sending people to buy bikes everywhere else,” he said. “We realized, ‘Why are we sending people to go shop there when we can do something?’” Their e-commerce site launched in 2019. Szklarczuk said he used European connections to secure foreign bike companies’ stock, including adaptive models. “Every year it was kind of a slow growth,” Szklarczuk said. The company transitioned from delivering via a mobile van, to solely online during the pandemic’s early phases, to a storefront venture that began in December of 2020. Renovations and permitting paused the shop’s opening until last fall, where a nearly non-existent soft launch happened, Szklarczuk said. Meantime, the couple has distributed electric and adaptive bikes across Canada. “You put e-assist on bikes and suddenly it changes everything,” Druwé said. “Someone can actually take someone on a wheelchair out and cycle and not kill themselves.” THE bikes are not cheating, she noted — people use them to battle strong winds in Manitoba’s rolling hills, to exercise despite joint pain, to keep up with a spouse and to replace car use. “We really wanted (Prairie Velo) to be appealing to a segment of society who doesn’t naturally go into bike shops,” Druwé said. Adaptive bikes cost thousands of dollars — north of $10,000, depending on the model. “These are huge purchases for people,” Druwé said. The rides largely come from overseas, driving up the price, she said. The motor for electric assist adds to the cost. Some families get funding for adaptive bikes through Jordan’s Principle or the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation. Charities including the Knights of Columbus and Make-A-Wish also buy bikes, Druwé said. “We wish they didn’t cost so much, but they do,” she said, adding the products are built to last. “Many people with disabilities live on limited income… Buying a bike is not often affordable,” said Kaye Grant, operations manager for the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. There needs to be more affordable ways for folks with disabilities to obtain bikes, like government subsidies, Grant said. “Handi-Transit isn’t the answer to everything,” she said. Prairie Velo also sells hand bikes, where users pedal with their arms instead of their legs. The company is beginning to make its own. “I realized there was a gap in the market for affordable hand bikes and variety,” Szklarczuk said. “That’s where we really started thinking about manufacturing.” Some parts, including bike frames, will come from South American partners. Much of the constructing will happen in Manitoba, Szklarczuk said. “This is going to be a huge thing for us this winter,” said Druwé, looking at a hand bike in the works at her Wolseley shop. “We’re really going to be doing the whole nine yards on these this winter because… there’s a real demand for them.” The bikes will likely come to market in the spring, Druwé said. They’ll be more affordable than imports, said the entrepreneurs, who hadn’t finalized prices. There’s an increased need for hand cycles, according to Jaylene Irwin, Manitoba Possible’s supervisor of recreation and leisure. Adaptive bikes in general have gained more popularity in recent years; they were introduced to Manitoba Possible around four years ago, Irwin said. “There is such a high need (for them),” she said. Such bikes increase independence, mobility, strength and social connections, Irwin said. Getting people on bikes for the first time is among the best parts of the job, Szklarczuk and Druwé agreed. “It’s gratifying knowing that we’re… making a little difference in the world, one set of wheels at a time,” Szklarczuk said. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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