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[SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE] Free Webinar Thursday, June 11: Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '20

08 Jun '20

===== UofM Email Security Notice - SUSPICIOUS MESSAGE ===== The message below may be a potential threat. It may trick victims into clicking a link and downloading malware. Do not open suspicious links. If you do not know the sender or cannot verify the integrity of the message, please do not respond or click on links in the message. Depending on the security settings, clickable URLs may have been modified to provide additional security. Please contact the Service Desk if you have any questions. (204) 474-8600 ==== Original Email Body Follows ==== ------------ Suspicious threat disclaimer ends here ------------ You don't want to miss this. FREE WEBINAR THURSDAY <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EDT Participants of the live webinar are eligible for 1.5 AICP CM credits. The connection between walkable communities and public health was already at the center of planning discussion in many communities before the Covid-19 pandemic prompted many cities to close public streets for pedestrian use. This webinar features Dan Burden and Mark Fenton of Blue Zones, two of the nation’s leading walkability experts. Find out more and register for this free webinar via the link below. Register For Walkability and Health: Building Strong, Vibrant and Resilient Communities – Part 1: Tools and Techniques <http://secure-web.cisco.com/1jZnXdTVTsnfywk6FHpAozKVOrV03SGtyyZHHY3WFuluNHK…> Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse | 410-767-4943 | SmartGrowth.org The Smart Growth Information Clearinghouse is a project of the Smart Growth Network and is partially funded by the U.S. EPA, Office of Community Revitalization and managed by the Maryland Department of Planning. Maryland Department of Planning | 301 W. Preston Street, 11th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 Sent by michael.bayer1(a)maryland.gov in collaboration with [image: Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.] <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…> Try email marketing for free today! <http://secure-web.cisco.com/18-saP7zcmFYyAh26auVaPbxyV3dULxMR-U9QnyI8aqxtz0…>

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CDC revise awful COVID-19 commuting recommendations, but they’re still not great
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

CDC Revise Awful COVID-19 Commuting Recommendations, But They’re Still Not Great https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/06/04/cdc-revise-awful-covid-19-commuting-… The Centers for Disease Control is no longer recommending that employers incentivize their workers to commute by car alone as businesses reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the agency’s revised guidelines still don’t do enough to protect workers from the novel coronavirus — *or *the myriad public health threats posed by our unsafe transportation network. The original version of the agency’s workplace safety recommendations encouraged employers to offer workers who use public transportation “incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others, such as offering reimbursement for parking for commuting to work alone or single-occupancy rides.” The CDC have now amended the recommendation as follows <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesse…> : For employees who commute to work using public transportation or ride sharing, consider offering the following support: - If feasible, offer employees incentives to use forms of transportation that minimize close contact with others (e.g., biking, walking, driving or riding by car either alone or with household members). - Ask employees to follow the CDC guidance on how to protect yourself when using transportation <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/using-transport…> . - Allow employees to shift their hours so they can commute during less busy times. - Ask employees to wash their hands <https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html> as soon as possible after their trip. The minor tweak came after major backlash from media outlets like Streetsblog <https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/05/29/feds-seek-incentives-to-encourage-dr…> and leading transportation organizations like the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the American Public Transportation Association, and Smart Growth America. ... But even the new-and-improved guidelines still don’t adequately address the safety needs of vulnerable road users — or the inequities disproportionately faced by people who are black, brown, and/or poor. For one, the CDC still encourage employers to provide financial incentives *for every mode except transit use* — despite emerging evidence from East Asian countries like Korea <https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/05/08/subways-trains-buses-are-si…> and Japan <https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/japan-ends-its-covid-19-state-emerg…> that transit might still be safe during the pandemic, especially if networks undertake proper protocols, like frequent vehicle cleanings and supplying passengers with masks. The advisement threatens to starve transit networks further when fare collections are already at historic lows, rendering transit agencies unable to provide adequate service to the riders who have no choice but to remain. Low-income workers with long commutes, who generally cannot afford cars *or *get to work via active transportation modes, disproportionately rely on transit. <https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/06/long-commutes-are-awfu…> Providing employer-based financial incentives to bike or walk is great, but it won’t do much good if the many safety barriers to active transportation that walkers and bikers still face are not addressed. Of course, workplace leaders alone can’t fix those, but they can do their part, by leveraging their influence as a business community with government officials to support policies to end police harassment, brutality and killing — a significant barrier to the mobility of BIPOC <https://chi.streetsblog.org/2020/06/03/police-have-always-limited-black-peo…> — and implement Vision Zero <http://visionzero.org/> policies, programs and infrastructure.

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City of Nelson BC offers low interest financing for residents to purchase commuting bikes
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jun '20

05 Jun '20

*City of Nelson rolls out E-bike Program to residents* http://thenelsondaily.com/news/city-nelson-rolls-out-e-bike-program-residen… In a media release Wednesday, the City of Nelson said on June 1, 2020, Council approved the roll out of a city-wide E-bike Program for residents with the goal of promoting active transportation, community wellbeing and reducing GHG emissions. *The City of Nelson said the program will provide low interest financing for Nelson homeowners who would like to purchase a commuter bike including electric bikes, do-it-yourself conversion kits and non-electric bikes with the loan applied monthly on the homeowner’s Nelson Hydro electric bill and repaid over the term of the loan.* *The City said the maximum loan amount will be $8,000 per household, which can support the purchase of more than one bike. Participants will be able to choose an amortization period of two or five years, with an interest rate of 3.5% (subject to change each year).* “Council is pleased with the development of this new e-bike program and we hope it provides the incentive and tools folks need to be able to purchase a commuter bike,” said Nelson Mayor Dooley in the media release. “By increasing the use of bikes in Nelson, we can reduce carbon emissions and pollution in our community. There is also increased benefits to having fewer vehicles on the road and more parking capacity downtown for visitors and retail customers.” The City said the program will be available to City of Nelson residents who own their own home. Program participants are encouraged to purchase locally and support the Nelson economy. The program provides an affordable option for making the transition to active transportation. Users may see added benefits of more time outdoors and increased fitness levels. The City said there are some administrative steps that must be done before the E-Bike Program is officially in place. It is anticipated that this will be completed by mid to late July. Once the bylaw is adopted, Nelson residents can go online and apply for financing. The application process will include a short survey to collect information on the program. In the interim we encourage you to go visit our local bike shops, do your research and be ready to participate in this exciting new initiative. Learn More: The E-Bike program aligns with the Province’s active transportation strategy titled “Move. Commute. Connect.”, that aims to build a cleaner greener future for all British Columbians by: - Doubling the percentage of trips taken with active transportation by 2030. - Providing incentives that encourage safe active transportation for all ages and abilities. - Helping communities build integrated and accessible active transportation systems. - Working with communities to create policies and plans that enable and support complete active transportation networks.

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WFP: Riverbank erosion concerns drive Wellington Crescent rehab (Jun4'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jun '20

04 Jun '20

Riverbank erosion concerns drive Wellington Crescent rehab https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/riverbank-erosion-will-force-city-t… A portion of the Wellington Crescent parkway will be dug up and moved south in anticipation of the pavement eventually slipping into the river. Come winter, crews are scheduled to begin an estimated $9.6-million project to rebuild the roadway between Fulham Avenue and Grenfell Boulevard. The project will also include a kilometre-long riverbank stabilization effort to slow failures along the southern bank of the Assiniboine River. “We’ve had one failure and, thankfully, it was not a large, widespread failure,” said Cam Ward, a project manager in the city’s public works department. “If we didn’t do anything, eventually you would see relatively large riverbank failures progressing away from the riverbank and impacting City of Winnipeg assets.” Ward said city officials have been monitoring the portion of riverbank just before the entrance to Assiniboine Park since 2015. The year following, the paved pathway looping through trees along the river started to crack and in 2017 the riverbank failed, forcing a closure of the area. The city has released plans to rehabilitate the area and a preliminary design for the relocation of Wellington Crescent. The project will include placing riprap stone to reinforce the bank, shear keys to slow sliding, moving pathways and the removal and replanting of trees. Relocating Wellington Crescent south instead of shoring up the riverbank was a more economical decision and fit within the council-approved project budget, Ward said. The project cost would have increased to $15.5 million to build the retaining wall necessary to safely accommodate the 8,700 cars that use the existing road on a daily basis. Before relocating the street, which would reduce setbacks for homes on the crescent, area councillor Kevin Klein said the city ought to give more consideration to a proposal to close or limit the road to vehicles and turn it into an active transportation corridor. “Those trees are priceless and moving the road closer to the homes is not going to eliminate the problem forever,” Klein said. “The residents have all told me... they’d prefer the road be closed. “The residents are disappointed that the city is not listening to them and they’re very angry that the neighbourhood has not been included in any official engagement.” The city has consulted residents adjacent to the project area, however. “You have to stabilize the riverbank, we know that,” Klein said. “I believe it’s reasonable to close that and make it a path like they suggested.” Traffic studies conducted by the city ruled out closing the road after noting the diverted traffic would overwhelm adjacent streets. While a pathway requires less investment than a roadway to protect it from riverbank instability, overall cost savings would be negligible due to work required to relocate underground assets and add needed traffic infrastructure, Ward said. The city has launched an online portal to collect public feedback on the project and preferred roadway alignment. Two webinars will also be held on June 9. More information can be found at engage.winnipeg.ca. Construction is expected to be complete by October 2021. danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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AT planning for marginalized communities
by Orly Linovski 03 Jun '20

03 Jun '20

Good article on AT planning for marginalized communities https://theconversation.com/poor-and-black-invisible-cyclists-need-to-be-pa… -------------------------------- Orly Linovski, Ph.D. (RPP, MCIP) Assistant Professor, Department of City Planning University of Manitoba 204-474-6424 / orly.linovski(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:orly.linovski@umanitoba.ca> http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~linovsko/

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APTA urges CDC to reconsider guidance on commuting alone by car
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jun '20

02 Jun '20

*APTA urges CDC to reconsider guidance on commuting alone by car* https://transportationtodaynews.com/news/18349-apta-urges-cdc-to-reconsider… The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reconsider its recent guidance encouraging commuting alone by car. APTA said the stance is misguided, would hamper the nation’s economic recovery, and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how people of all incomes get around their communities. “For many individuals, the cost of owning and commuting by car is not financially viable and out of reach,” APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas said. “The guidance also doesn’t consider the congestion created by millions of cars stuck in traffic. Gridlock and polluted skies are not the mobility future we want emerging from this crisis.” Skoutelas said the position also ignores the role public transportation has played during the pandemic as a lifeline in getting essential workers to hospitals, pharmacies, and grocery stores and the measures public transit agencies have taken to safeguard riders and employees. “In addition, the guidance is confusing and runs counter to past guidance provided to public transit agencies and riders and what has been provided on air travel,” Skoutelas concluded. “We urge the CDC to work with APTA and the public transit industry to further develop appropriate safeguards. The current crisis has underscored that each entity involved in public transit – the transit agencies; the riders; business and elected officials – has a responsibility and role to play in ensuring the safety and vitality of our communities moving forward.”

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WFP Analysis: Keep roads closed for cyclists and pedestrians (Jun2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jun '20

02 Jun '20

Keep roads closed for cyclists and pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/embrace-active-transport… I run a communications and executive advisory firm; since mid-March, our clients have scrambled to navigate the grand mess caused by the COVID-19 crisis, racing to keep pace with the needs of employees and customers while trying to plan for whatever the pandemic brings next. Right now the biggest anxiety for many organizations — at least those in relatively stable sectors — isn’t about Zoom calls or work-from-home policies. It’s fear of missing the moment. As much as COVID-19 presents challenges, it also presents opportunity, and no leader wants their organization left behind once the dust finally clears. Smart companies are already scouring for opportunities, leveraging whatever data they can gather. Not to do so is to risk being outpaced by competitors who had better foresight and the courage to act. For businesses, COVID- 19 proves the old hockey aphorism: you need to skate to where the puck is going. Governments must have the same mindset. No one has a COVID-19 crystal ball, but in some instances the ground shift brought on by the coronavirus has revealed policy opportunities with such clarity that they now seem obvious. Take, as one important local example, the temporary extension of active-transportation routes along nine of Winnipeg’s most scenic streets. This extension should be made permanent, at least from spring through fall — not only because Winnipeg families are embracing these routes in enormous numbers, but because the health and economic rationale makes an indefinite expansion objectively compelling. Things that are easy, cheap and pay a big dividend are things we should be pursuing. Consider four reasons: 1. Current levels of physical activity are stubbornly low, which translates into enormous, avoidable health spending and reduced business productivity. Federal data show just two in 10 Canadian adults meets Canada’s physical activity guidelines. Among kids, it’s one in 10. Health-care spending in Canada is already wildly unsustainable. The Conference Board of Canada has noted provinces are now spending up to half of all revenues on health care, making clear that better disease prevention efforts and wellness promotion — such as helping people become and stay active — are the only sane and financially sustainable options. Right now we have throngs of people engaging in pro-health behaviours, walking and cycling on safe, scenic, accessible streets. Bike stores are sold out as people discover (or rediscover) the simple pleasure of gliding along a quiet street. As any change-management expert will tell you, when the wind is in your favour you don’t start rowing against it. Winnipeg should be looking to embrace and build on this natural momentum toward greater physical activity, not interrupt it. Policy change rarely becomes easier. 2. Macro trends tell us a significant portion of the workforce will be working from home for the foreseeable future, and perhaps forever. This raises an immediate need for accessible places for exercise and recreation close to where people live. Making local active-transportation routes permanent is a profoundly simple, low-cost means to help meet this need. The financial benefits to business are clear. Study after study demonstrates a link between exercise and increased productivity. 3. Mental-health needs are soaring in the wake of COVID-19. Major mental-health organizations are already warning of an “echo pandemic,” which will translate into enormous social and economic costs. Greater walking and cycling options are far from a panacea, but the correlation between physical activity, time spent outdoors among trees and mental health is well-documented. 4. We risk surrendering our competitive edge to other cities. Across Canada, cities are already moving to rapidly expand their post-COVID-19 walking and cycling networks, often for the reasons above. These quality-of-life factors are a key part of the formula for what makes a city competitive, and they’re part of the draw for the highly educated, high-earning-potential, entrepreneurial talent we desperately need to retain. Other cities are moving forward right now. Winnipeg will be leapfrogged if we let the opportunity pass us by. It’s been a joy over these past few weeks to see local streets full of families enjoying our amazing city together. But the policy decision to keep this important momentum going is about more than a pleasant bike ride. It’s about simple economics. *David Leibl is founder of OnCallComms.com, a Winnipeg-based communications and executive advisory firm.*

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Economist article on the bicycle as the "Little Queen of deconfinement"
by Charles Feaver 01 Jun '20

01 Jun '20

Attached Some snippets: Whereas the coronavirus has been disastrous for most forms of human endeavour, cyclists have never had it so good. Lockdowns have brought blissfully empty roads, which have been a boon to even the most reluctant pedaller. Residents of big cities have been feverishly reimagining their lives on a saddle, rather than behind the wheel. This is cycling’s moment, and it could have profound long-term implications for transport policy. … Early in the pandemic governments latched on to cycling as a healthy way for people to move around safely, exercise and keep reasonably sane. Thus in most American states, for instance, cycle-repair shops were allowed to stay open as essential businesses. Italy’s government offers 60% reimbursements, up to a maximum of €500 ($545), to any city-dweller buying a bicycle, or indeed any sort of motorised two-wheeler. City leaders, from Bogotá to Berlin, have helped by turning over their tarmac, or bits of it at least, exclusively to bikes. Milan converted 35km of its roads into cycle lanes and the Big Apple 100 miles (160km) for the use of both pedestrians and cyclists. Oakland, California, closed 119km of road to cars. Cycling has thus become easier, and safer. Now Western governments are seizing on cycling’s big moment to try to make such temporary measures permanent. Because social distancing is likely to endure for months, or even years, public transport won’t return to normal soon; it may never do so. So the bike will remain an essential tool in many countries’ strategies to taper their lockdowns. As the French environment minister, Elisabeth Borne, put it, “the bicycle is the little queen of deconfinement”; poetry in motion. Paris has been preparing 650km of cycleways to help the city gradually open up. Politicians hope to persuade people of the virtues of cycling beyond the end of this particular crisis. Cycling has well-advertised, longer-term gains: less pollution and a healthier population. The gains from having fewer cars and lorries on the road are already evident. Global carbon-dioxide emissions in early April fell by 17% compared with the mean 2019 levels, according to a study in Nature Climate Change, and “changes to surface transport” made the largest contribution to the reduction. National and city governments are fizzing with new, or revamped, schemes. Grant Shapps, Britain’s transport minister, in a speech on May 9th , promised to make “a ‘once in a generation’ change to the way people travel in Britain.” He announced a £2bn investment in more cycling infrastructure and better pavements. Manchester has plans for the country’s “most comprehensive” integrated walking and cycling network. France wants to spend €20m to subsidise cycle training and more parking spaces for bikes. Bologna is bringing forward its plan for a Bicipolitana, 493km of cycle lanes, from 2030 to later this year, when 60% of it should be finished. Seattle plans to shut 20 miles of streets to most cars permanently. But a two-wheel revolution cannot be taken for granted. Cycling novices in the northern hemisphere have been lucky to enjoy most of the lockdown in fine spring weather; just wait for winter. And some evidence indicates that many people are yearning to get back in their cars, also handy as lockdowns end but social-distancing rules remain. In China, for instance, one survey concluded that the proportion of people who want to use a car would surge from 34% to 66% after lockdown ends; the same survey showed that more Chinese were now keen on buying a car. Other surveys suggest huge drop-offs in enthusiasm for trains and buses. … A country’s legal framework can encourage cycling too. Most European countries, with the notable exceptions of Britain and Ireland, have presumed-liability laws, under which the burden of proof in any collision between a motorist and a cyclist is borne by the driver. Proponents, such as Road Share, a British lobby group, argue that countries with these laws, like Denmark and Germany, enjoy much more, and much safer, cycling than those without, because they encourage motorists to be more cautious. But turning cities like London or New York into so many Copenhagens will be less of a sprint, more several Tours de France. In the Danish capital over 60% of commuters cycle to work (or study). The figure is in the low single digits in most American cities. But at least for now cyclists around the world can demand more of their governments, knowing they have a tailwind of public goodwill. <https://s100.copyright.com/AppDispatchServlet?publisherName=economist&publi…> Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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Making Space: Biking out of a Pandemic and the Return to School (June 10th webinar)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Jun '20

01 Jun '20

Share the Road and The Centre for Active Transportation [in Ontario] have been co-hosting a series of webinars on rebalancing streets during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. *The next webinar is on **June 10th at [1pm CST]. * Jessica Roberts leads Alta's programming group out of Portland. Her presentation will focus on what we can be doing to support, encourage and incentivize sustainable mobility. Isooda Niroomand is a School Travel Planner with Green Communities Canada. She will speak specifically to the issue of returning to school. After brief presentations, Jamie Stuckless and Nancy Smith Lea will join the others to explore what we should be doing now, and what we should be planning for, related to walking and cycling, as we emerge from the pandemic. *Registration for "Making Space: Biking out of a Pandemic" *is available here: *sharetheroad.ca/webinars* <http://sharetheroad.ca/webinars>. ------------------------------ Kate Whitfield Alta Planning + Design Ottawa ON (613) 858-2122 ------------------------------

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WFP City looks at keeping cycling routes open longer (May30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 May '20

30 May '20

*City looks at keeping cycling routes open longer * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/coronavirus/councillor-wants-city… CITY council could soon extend temporary cycling and walking routes until September, and explore adding more routes year-round. A new motion calls for nine routes — in which vehicular access is restricted to allow more room for cyclists and pedestrians — to continue until Sept. 7 instead of shutting down on July 6. The routes were first promoted as an option for socially distanced exercise during the pandemic. Mayor Brian Bowman said they are popular. “There’s a desire to do what we can, especially during the pandemic, to make sure there’s additional safe spaces for people to engage in recreation,” said Bowman. “We want to at least look at a pilot that would go to Labour Day, so that we can see how it operates.” On Friday, council asked the public works committee to look into it. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), who raised the motion, noted it also calls on the public service to report back in four months on “the feasibility of establishing permanent year-round active transportation routes.” “For little kids that have learned to ride (bikes) on them, for the public health workers who really need us to keep going on prevention, for so many reasons, this is a good motion,” said Rollins. The routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), council’s public works chairman, had planned to raise a similar motion on Friday. However, Allard realized just before a council meeting that he attended by video feed that he’d need to be physically present to sign a new motion, which led Rollins to step in. Earlier this week, the city announced the current routes would close July 6, under the rationale that loosened pandemic restrictions allow more options for Winnipeggers to get outdoors without violating the public health directive to stay at least two metres apart. The plan to shut down the routes quickly triggered backlash. The Winnipeg Trails Association posted a petition to keep the routes open, enhance and expand them. More than 4,000 people have signed it. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said his organization will be counting the number of users on the temporary routes until May 31. Cohoe said that data will help determine where the city can best support active transportation. He said the option appears to have grown more popular as many Winnipeggers work from home, keeping them close to the neighbourhood pathways. “We need to be looking at expanding ways to get people to and from work, so that there are options other than choosing a vehicle,” said Cohoe. “We’re seeing an unprecedented number of people getting out walking and biking.” joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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More media coverage of recreational AT routes extension - Global News and CTV News
by Beth McKechnie 28 May '20

28 May '20

*Cycling advocate, some Winnipeg city councillors support active transportation extension* https://globalnews.ca/news/6994641/coronavirus-winnipeg-road-closures/ *Petition aims to keep Winnipeg’s enhanced active transportation routes open* https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/mobile/petition-aims-to-keep-winnipeg-s-enhance…

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CBC: Movement grows to extend temporary active transportation routes past closure date
by Beth McKechnie 28 May '20

28 May '20

Movement grows to extend temporary active transportation routes past closure date Councillor seeks approval to keep routes open until Labour Day https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/city-winnipeg-active-transportation… They were meant to allow cooped-up Winnipeggers some physically-distanced fresh air and exercise — and meant to be temporary. Now there is an effort afoot to have the city's nine active transportation routes remain open until the Labour Day weekend or perhaps longer if some get their way. The nine streets are closed to traffic (with a one block allowance for residents to get to their homes and deliveries to be made) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, until July 6. St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard says the feedback he's getting through his office has been very supportive of extending the restrictions through the summer. "I've never seen so many smiling faces in Winnipeg and people are really taking advantage of what is healthy activity that doesn't cost anything. It's accessible to everyone who lives within any proximity to these nine roads. I think it's tremendous," Allard said during an interview Wednesday on Lyndale Drive — one of the nine routes. Allard will table a motion at city council this Friday calling for the routes to remain restricted to vehicular traffic until the Labour Day weekend. Some residents who live along the routes are not so enthusiastic about the restrictions running all day, every day. "I just don't know about the sense of having it all day during the weekdays … as you can see right now, it is not that busy. Around 3:30 gets a little bit busy, [and] in the morning … but what is the sense of having it all day long, that I'm not too sure," said Norwood resident Chantal Wlock. Wlock, who lives along Lyndale Drive, acknowledges the routes are popular and uses the empty streets with her family sometimes, but says perhaps the restrictions could be eased to allow residents to drive more than a single block to get to their homes. "I appreciate that everybody needs space to walk and feel nice. It's by the river, it is a nice walk, there's no doubt. It's just for the residents to have just the one block to get out … it's not always handy," she said. Allard's motion to extend the program until the September long weekend isn't enough for some. A petition started by the Winnipeg Trails Association says, "Keep Winnipeg's open streets open and expand them until we have a safer and connected city." The petition had just shy of 2,000 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon.[[ *[Note: Find the petition here <https://www.change.org/p/keep-winnipeg-s-open-streets-open-expand-them-unti…>.]*

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WFP: Push begins to extend half-day street closures (May27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

*Push begins to extend half-day street closures* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/public-works-chair-allard-wa… A political move to extend temporary active transportation routes has begun, just one day after the City of Winnipeg announced all nine of them would close July 6. The routes limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists. Its aim is to help Winnipeggers stay active while keeping at least two metres apart, per coronavirus pandemic restrictions. While announcing the planned closure Tuesday, a city official said the loosening of such rules is allowing Winnipeggers more alternatives to get outdoors. "We see the need for this temporary measure decreasing as people are allowed to move outside of their own neighbourhoods and as traffic volumes start to increase," said Jason Shaw, assistant chief of emergency management. <https://media.winnipegfreepress.com/images/NEP8138119.jpg> On Wednesday, Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he’ll push for the routes to last until at least the Labour Day weekend. "You can see how well-used and loved they are by Winnipeggers… Active transportation is a perfectly safe way to get out there and get some exercise, and it’s accessible to everybody," said Allard. The chairman of the public works committee said he’ll introduce a motion for the extension at Friday’s council meeting, which will likely be referred back to the committee. The nine temporary routes had been expected to close May 29. They include stretches of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue, Assiniboine Avenue, Churchill Drive, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive and Kilkenny Drive. Shortly after the announcement, the Winnipeg Trails Association posted an online petition <https://www.change.org/p/keep-winnipeg-s-open-streets-open-expand-them-unti…> calling for the routes to remain open and be expanded. "We want this to grow by kilometres every week until we have a complete (active transportation) network," said executive director Anders Swanson By 3 p.m. Wednesday, the petition had more than 1,800 signatures. Swanson urged the city to also extend vehicle restriction timelines, to ensure those who commute before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. can use the routes to get to work. He’d like the city to commit to keep the routes open well into the future. "We’re refusing to give people the certainty they need while they’re making some very serious, life-altering transportation choices… If we’re only extending (the routes) by a month here or there, people aren’t able to make their decisions properly," said Swanson. Erin Riediger regularly rides her bike to get to and from work, to shop, and for fun. Living between the Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue active transportation routes — and spending weekends exploring the other seven paths — Riediger said she’s never seen so many people make use of the wide, winding roads for cycling, walking and other physical activity. "It's important because people need safe spaces that are separated from other people to get out and to exercise, to be with their family, to have recreation," she said of the repurposed streets. "(The city) will never get more support for active transportation than they will right now." Ideally, Riediger would like to see the active transportation routes stay open until Thanksgiving, noting many Winnipeggers will still be working from home and avoiding cramped spaces (such as public transit), despite the province’s reopening business sector. "Now's the opportunity to provide something better; to redesign our streets, reallocate some of that space. Not ban cars, not take away cars, but just... provide people with safe, comfortable options to go to work, go to the grocery store, and then also for leisure," she said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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Study shows bikesharing increases cycling by 20%
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200514143511.htm In the past couple of years, if you lived in a major, or even mid-sized city, you were likely familiar with bike-share bikes. Whether propped against a tree, strewn along the sidewalk or standing "docked" at a station, the often brightly colored bikes with whimsical company names promised a ready means to get from Point A to Point B. But one person's spontaneous ride is another person's commute to work. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in cities where bike-share systems have been introduced, bike commuting increased by 20%, said Dafeng Xu, an assistant professor in the University of Washington's Evans School of Public Policy & Governance. Xu studied U.S. cities with and without bike-share systems, using Census and company data to analyze how commuting patterns change when bike shares become available. "This study shows that bike-share systems can drive a population to commute by bike," said Xu, whose study was published May 11 in the *Journal of Policy Analysis and Management*. Bike-share systems, common in cities in Europe and Asia, were launched in four U.S. cities in 2010 and as of 2016 had grown to more than 50. Not all systems have been successful: Convenience -- how easy it is to find and rent a bike -- is the key. In Seattle, for example, a city-owned bike-share program failed in 2017 due largely to a limited number of bikes and a lack of infrastructure, but private companies in the same market thrived prior to the pandemic. [Around the world, cities have enacted mobility restrictions during the coronavirus outbreak. The responses of bike-share companies, and bike-share usage, have varied by community.] Among other interests in transportation and immigration policy, Xu researches the effects of bicycling on the environment and human health, and on the ways bike-share systems can play a role by expanding access to cycling. "In general, biking is good and healthy, and it means less pollution and traffic, but it can be expensive, and people worry about their bikes being stolen, things like that," Xu said. "Bike share solves some of these problems, because people don't need to worry about the cost and theft." For this study, Xu sorted through nine years of demographic and commute statistics from the American Community Survey, a detailed, annual report by the Census Bureau. He then examined bike-share company data (through the National Association of City Transportation Officials) from 38 cities with systems, focusing on trips logged during morning and afternoon rush hours. By comparing the number, location and time of work-related bike commutes from Census data against bike-share company records of trips logged, both before and after the launch of bike shares, Xu was able to estimate the use of bike shares for commute trips. Xu found that in both bike-share and non-bike-share cities, the rate of bike commuting increased, while car commuting decreased, from 2008-2016. However, the rate of bike commuting -- and the use of public transportation -- was significantly greater in bike-share cities. For example, in bike-share cities in 2008, roughly 66% of commuters drove to work, about 1% biked, and 22% took transit. That compared to non-bike-share cities, where about 88% of commuters drove, fewer than 1% biked, and 4% took transit. By 2016 -- after many bike-share systems had launched -- car commuting had fallen to 59% in bike-share cities, while bike commuting had climbed to 1.7% and transit to 26%. Commuting by car in non-bike-share cities had slipped to 83% in 2016, while bike commuting had grown to 1%, and transit to 6%. Nationwide, 0.6% of commuters bike to work, according to an American Community Survey report in 2017. In general, cities with larger bike-share systems also experienced sharper increases in bicycle commuting, Xu said. "This is not surprising: A large bike-share system means a higher density of public bicycles and is thus more accessible by commuters," he said. "In contrast, sadly, Seattle's Pronto struggled to attract commuters and was finally doomed only after three years of operation partially due to its relatively small size." In his paper, Xu points to Chicago, which operates a municipally owned bike-share system called Divvy. Prior to Divvy's launch in 2013, 1.5% of commuters biked to work, Xu said, but afterward, that rate grew to 2%. The trends held, he said, even when controlling for a city's expansion of protected bike lanes -- another significant factor in whether people choose to bike to work, according to other research. Overall, the numbers before COVID-19 were promising, Xu said. The numbers could grow, he said, if communities and bike-share companies make changes that can boost the appeal of bike commuting: adding bike lanes to city streets, expanding programs to outlying communities, or increasing the allowable rental time. Many bike shares, for instance, last only up to a half-hour before a user has to pay for a new trip. Xu is also the author of a previous paper analyzed the impact of bike-share systems on obesity rates. ------------------------------ *Story Source:* Materials <https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/05/14/bike-commuting-accelerated-when-…> provided by *University of Washington* <https://www.washington.edu/>. Original written by Kim Eckart. *Note: Content may be edited for style and length.* ------------------------------ *Journal References*: 1. Dafeng Xu. *Free Wheel, Free Will! The Effects of Bikeshare Systems on Urban Commuting Patterns in the U.S. *. *Journal of Policy Analysis and Management*, 2020; DOI: 10.1002/pam.22216 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pam.22216> 2. Dafeng Xu. *Burn Calories, Not Fuel! The effects of bikeshare programs on obesity rates*. *Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment*, 2019; 67: 89 DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2018.11.002 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2018.11.002>

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The Lance: Active transportation routes are a big hit (May26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 May '20

27 May '20

Active transportation routes are a big hit https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/correspondent/Activ… On May 4, the City of Winnipeg opened St. Vital’s Egerton Road as a Sunday/holiday style active transportation route, seven days a week for the duration of the month. In this arrangement, non-emergency vehicle traffic is restricted to one block, and encouraged to enter and exit the street at the nearest available intersection. It is one of nine such routes opened up in Winnipeg during the pandemic shutdown — the city’s four permanent summer active transportation routes (Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, Wolseley Avenue) plus five new (Egerton, Kildonan Drive, Assiniboine Avenue, Kilkenny/King’s Drive, Churchill Drive). The concept was first pitched by Egerton resident Christian Robin, whom I interviewed for an article published in September 2017. Robin has been pleased with the result so far. "Health professionals are constantly reminding us to find ways to keep ourselves active and safe," he said. "Active transportation routes like Egerton Road tick all the boxes for walkers, joggers, cyclists, pet owners, couples, seniors, and families with young children and it’s great to see all of them take advantage." Circumstances aside, 2020 has been an exciting year in St. Vital for pedestrians and cyclists, with several new amenities opening or being used to their full potential for the first time. Egerton is complimentary to some wonderful new active transportation infrastructure. The new AT tunnel beneath Fermor Avenue connecting the Glenwood neighbourhood and the Niakwa Trail to the Niakwa Road and Alpine Place neighbourhoods has been a hit. Its addition has created an unanticipated walking circuit between itself & Archibald Street, utilizing the two Seine River foot bridges on either side of Fermor. That same project also added a new, secondary active transport trail up at road level along the Fermor bridge, providing a helpful alternative to the nature trail below during seasonal flooding. New bike pathways and signals at Fermor and St. Anne’s Road, linked to the existing pathways, have been a dramatic improvement for cyclists in the area, providing safe, segregated and efficient access into the picturesque low-traffic residential streets of St. George, south of Fermor. Perhaps best of all is the realization that all of these projects were part one of the largest road rehabilitation the area has seen in years. The success here goes to show that car, pedestrian, and bicycle infrastructure need not be at odds. All wheeled vehicles from semi-trucks to baby strollers and everything in between were the big winners of the Fermor rehabilitation. A reminder that our communities prosper when collaboration, rather than competition for our scarce resources rules the day. *Ryan Palmquist is a community correspondent for St. Vital.*

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NACTO COVID-19, Guidance to improve intersections, e-bike users dismayed and more
by Beth McKechnie 26 May '20

26 May '20

*Thanks to Terry Zdan for the many shares:* COVID-19: Transportation Response Center | National Association of City Transportation Officials https://nacto.org/2020/05/21/streets-for-pandemic-response-and-recovery/ https://nacto.org/program/covid19/ Pandemic fuels big increase in biking and walking in Minnesota | Star Tribune https://www.startribune.com/covid-19-fuels-big-increase-in-biking-and-walki… Guidance to Improve Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety at Intersections http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180624.aspx TRANSED 2018 (TRANSED is the International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Older Adults and People with Disabilities) http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/180616.aspx E-bike users, sellers dismayed by B.C. Supreme Court decision https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/e-bike-users-sellers-dismay…

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WFP: Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 (May25'20)
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Vancouver looks to slow streets and space for patios, pedestrians amid COVID-19 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/health/vancouver-looks… Vancouver is considering plans to repurpose 50 kilometres of roadway in an effort to create more space for restaurant patios and lines outside of businesses, as well as walking and cycling, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The so-called "slow streets" would have signs and barriers telling people to drive slowly and use the streets for local access only, the city said in a news release Monday. Its plans also include expediting the permitting process for outdoor patios that allow room to serve people while maintaining physical distancing requirements. The city said 12 kilometres of slow streets have already been installed and council will consider a motion asking staff to rush the repurposing of road space in more neighbourhoods across the city. Lon LaClaire, the general manager of city engineering services, said physical distancing will be in place for some time and more space is needed for people to safely go about daily activities, such as exercise or travel to work. "We also want to help people return to some of the things they really enjoy doing, like eating at a favourite restaurant, picking up items from local businesses or connecting with friends outdoors." The city will work with businesses and community partners to assess the needs for space while making sure streets and public spaces are safe and accessible, LaClaire said in the city's release. In Victoria, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 and four more deaths on Monday for a total of 161 fatalities among 2,530 cases in B.C. Gatherings will be limited to 50 people for now even as some COVID-19 restrictions are being loosened, said Henry, because any new outbreaks could affect vulnerable residents in long-term care homes. She said bigger gatherings would undo the gains B.C. has made to "flatten the curve" of the epidemic, while creating more work for public health employees doing time-consuming contact tracing. The public health officer's order establishing a maximum of 50 vehicles at drive-in events also stands, said Henry, adding that increasing that number would bring together more people who would likely not stay inside their vehicles. Henry said it's also dangerous to reopen long-term care facilities to visitors but health authorities are considering how that could be done when the time is right. Another wave of the pandemic may strike in the fall as respiratory illnesses such as flu make their seasonal appearance, so keeping the number of COVID-19 cases low through the summer is key, she said. Health Minister Adrian Dix said he understands and regularly hears about the consequences for families who can't visit their loved ones in care homes. "For the moment it is not possible to change those policies around visiting," he said. Dix said emergency-room visits around the province are going up, indicating people are starting to use them as they should. *This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2020. *

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#KeepTransitMoving - May 28th Day of Action
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '20

25 May '20

Transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts. Join the national day of action for emergency transit funding! Thursday May 28. View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/052aaa232595/keeptransitmoving-may-28th-day-of-action?e=…> Day of Action: Emergency Transit Funding Essential workers -- like nurses, doctors and sanitation staff -- rely on transit to get to work. But public transit systems across Canada are facing service cuts and driver layoffs, because they depend mostly on fares for funding. Right now we need more service, not less, for safe physical distancing on transit! Join Functional Transit Winnipeg and organizations across Canada for the national day of action and share why public transit is important to you! Here's how you can join in: * 1) Sign the petition*: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 2) Save the date for May 28th* (click “going” on the Facebook event <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> ) * 3) Spread the word!* - Get your local community and organization on board! - Download promotional graphics here: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> * 4) On May 28th, share why public transit matters to you* - Download graphics from our toolkit and share on social media: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/may-28-day-of-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Take a selfie and explain why transit is important for you. Use the hashtag #keeptransitmoving <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> and tag your elected representatives on social media - Make phone calls to PM Trudeau and your local MP and provincial representatives - Find your MP here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/search?province=MB <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Find your MLA here: https://www.electionsmanitoba.ca/en/Voting/MyVotingInfo <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> - Sign the petition: www.keeptransitmoving.ca/take-action <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> Questions? Want to get more involved? Contact us at contact(a)functionaltransit.com <contact(a)functionaltransit.com?subject=Get%20Involved%20with%20%23KeepTransitMoving> [image: Twitter] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Facebook] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> [image: Website] <https://functionaltransit.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ac0ca3a791bd6ef…> *Copyright © 2020 Functional Transit Winnipeg, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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The pandemic is suburban – and it wants us back in our cars
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A less encouraging view; looking at the suburban situation:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-pandemic-is-s… the truth is that the big priority for cities as their citizens return to work in the next weeks and months is not going to be bicycles or pedestrians. Rather, it’s going to be a large-scale shift from public transit to private automobiles.And that’s because the people whose lives will change the most are not the fortunate downtown minority who can afford to live within a half-hour’s cycling distance of work and shopping and child care. We may dominate the conversation, but the biggest challenge involves the far larger number of employed citizens who live farther out and are too vulnerable or frightened to get back on their crowded buses or commuter trains.This is a pandemic of the suburbs. The places with the highest infection and death rates aren’t the big cities but the residential areas far outside them. Paris and Stockholm have seen relatively little infection, while their apartment suburbs have been badly hit. Even in New York City, the virus has largely spared Manhattan, but Queens and Long Island and especially bedroom communities such as New Rochelle and Rockland County have been devastated. It is the low-density places where death and fear have generally been the highest.That’s why automakers, despite a near-total collapse in sales in March and April, are surprisingly optimistic, their shares recovering. “We definitely do see a return to what I’ll call personal transportation and trust,” Volkswagen’s U.S. chief executive Scott Keogh told Bloomberg. Cars, he said, are being pitched as sources of public safety....Sent from my phone.

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Canada’s new normal begins in our cities
by Charles F 23 May '20

23 May '20

A positive story on how cities can adapt:https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canadas-new-normal-be… why we, alongside business and real estate leaders, urban planners, not-for-profit sector leaders, academics, and current and former politicians, have signed onto the 20 measures outlined in the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities. That manifesto provides a road map for how Canadian cities can immediately chart a future that is more affordable, sustainable and equitable, building on the thought leadership that has been produced around envisioning the world we’ll have when lockdowns are lifted and economic activity returns, and putting forward a specific,detailed course for immediate action in our cities. Among the proposed measures: permitting appropriately scaled multitenant housing, co-housing, laneway housing and other gentle density to flourish; accelerating the decarbonization of our transportation systems by transforming existing roadways for safe, active transportation such as walking and biking; and embracing sustainability in our built and natural environments, by enacting funded, detailed plans to achieve a 40-per-cent urban tree canopy in Canadian cities.....The full manifesto is at 2020declaration.caSent from my phone.

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Commuting Post-Pandemic: How to Nudge for Sustainable Commutes
by Mel Marginet 21 May '20

21 May '20

Greetings everyone, We're hosting a free webinar on May 27th about the impact of Covid-19 on commuting. Please help spread the word, and we hope you can join us! Registration here. <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/commuting-post-pandemic-how-to-nudge-for-sustai…> *COMMUTING POST-PANDEMIC: HOW TO NUDGE FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUTESMobility is changing, let's make sure it is for the better.About this EventThe workplace commute has changed dramatically over the past two months. From the rise in telework, the fall of transit use and the explosion in bike sales, many opportunities and threats are on the horizon. The sustainable transportation team at Green Action Centre has collected some of the latest research on what is happening now, and how to encourage sustainable commuting as we re-open.This webinar is ideal for Commuter Challenge workplace coordinators, GoManitoba Subsite partners, and Human Resources professionals.Following the presentation, we will invite attendees to join in a discussion. Presented by the Sustainable Transportation team at Green Action Centre.* *Mel Marginet* | 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) 925-3777 x112 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> **Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few * *days to respond to you. * 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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CTV News: Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes (May21'20)
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '20

21 May '20

*Why the city installed video cameras along active transportation routes * https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/why-the-city-installed-video-cameras-along-acti… Winnipeggers may have noticed video cameras set up along active transportation routes in different areas of the city. A spokesperson for the City of Winnipeg told CTV News that nine streets in the city have been designated as temporary active transportation routes to allow for recreational activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They said this allows pedestrians and cyclists to follow social distancing requirements. According to the City of Winnipeg website, these routes limit motor vehicle traffic to one block throughout the area between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The video cameras are counting to see how often these routes are getting used. The spokesperson said the city is collecting data at all nine sites. The video will be turned into numerical data to record the level of usage. These routes are in place until Friday, May 29. "The City will re-evaluate at the end of May to determine if the designations will be extended," the spokesperson said in a written statement. According to the city, video is often used instead of pneumatic traffic tubes when counting cyclists and pedestrians. Here is a list of the temporary bicycle and active transportation routes in Winnipeg: - Lyndale Drive - Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street - Scotia Street - Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue - Wellington Crescent - Academy Road (at Wellington Crescent) to Guelph Street - Wolseley Avenue - Raglan Road to Maryland Street - Assiniboine Avenue - Bedson Street to Westwood Drive - Churchill Drive - Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue - Egerton Road - Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue - Kildonan Drive - Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent & Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place - Kilkenny Drive - Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive

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Parking Flip Traffic Calming Animation release
by Anders Swanson 20 May '20

20 May '20

The AT-network might appreciate this. I made a little animation last night based on a conversation with traffic engineer Pekka Takhola. I added a challenge for people to name a street it would work on, the people who could make it happen and why: https://twitter.com/SwansonAnders/status/1263153980000964608 Reason for sharing: I believe it could work for most neighbourhoods build in Winnipeg prior to 1970 and be popular to boot (it gets bonus points for creating a couple community gardens just when we the world needs it) Its not a new idea, but I think it is a timely and simple one. Consider sharing. Thanks. -a

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WFP: Bicycle business booming (May20'20)
by Beth McKechnie 20 May '20

20 May '20

BICYCLE BUSINESS BOOMING Pandemic fuels surge in bike sales with some shops running out of stock https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/bicycle-business-booming-5706085… UNLIKE some retailers who are worrying about how to convince people to come back to the stores, bike shops are facing a whole other problem — running out of stock. Demand is not the problem. Bike shops that have been around for decades are experiencing something they have never seen before — people queuing up to get in. But some are worried about what they’ll have left to sell as the summer months kick in. The lineups are partly a result of the social-distancing regulations once customers are in the store, but demand for all things biking is spiking. Riding a bicycle sits in one of the few sweet spots in the world of COVID-19-enforced social distancing, but shop owners are having to deal with the extra pressures of keeping their workplace up to the new safety and health standards in addition to dealing with a surge in cycling enthusiasm. “I don’t think you can find many ladies bikes in the whole city,” said Brian Burke, longtime owner of Olympia Cycle & Ski on St. Mary’s Road. “I have sold out and reordered and then sold them out even before they arrived.” Like many other popular consumer goods, bicycle manufacturing has succumbed to the global supply chain that is now almost exclusively based in Asia. Tim Woodcock, owner of Woodcock Cycle Works, said: “It doesn’t matter if the bike is made in Taiwan or Bangladesh or Vietnam, most of the parts come from China.” Shipments of all things from China was disrupted months ago by the coronavirus lockdown that happened there first, and shipments have still not caught up. Coupled with the fact prime biking weather is now upon us, more people have more time to ride. That means shop owners are scrambling to deal with an unusual confluence of high demand, limited supply and a scenario where they can only have so many people in the stores at once. “I’m a little stressed,” Woodcock said. He said he prides himself and his store on being focused on customer service and now he’s forced to make people wait outside. Then there’s the added pressure of discouraging excessive window shopping, what with the lineups outside. Claude Brunel, owner of Lifesport on Henderson Highway, could barely stop to take a call from a reporter. “I can’t get bikes, that’s the problem,” he said. “All the bikes are made in China.” Woodcock, who acts as an adviser to a Chinese bicycle manufacturer, had a good perspective on market development early on and made the decision to stock up on supply, ordering more earlier in the year than he typically might. “There’s normally three major shipping windows,” he said. “We realized by the time the second and third shipping window came along vendors probably would not be able to supply us. So we took as many as we could to have them later if there was a shortage. Now we are starting to see those shortages.” But even with that kind of planning, Woodcock said they are still scrambling to keep bikes on the shop floor. Most shops are operating on reduced hours, and it may be just as well, because it gives them the chance to have mechanics in at night assembling bikes and also dealing with the overwhelming demand for repairs. “We’re getting bikes (to repair) that don’t look like they have been on the road for 20 years,” Woodcock said. At Olympia, Burke said he’s been hiring repair people who are working every night from 5 to 10 p.m. “We have adapted,” he said. “You have to adapt.” Walter Jozwiak, owner of Lifesport on Pembina Highway, said the supply crunch is unprecedented. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” he said. “I was saying to one of my staff, ‘what am I going to do two weeks from now?’” In addition to running out of women’s bikes, popular-priced models — between $500 and $800 — are what people are looking to buy. Many say the “exotic” bikes that can cost as much as $4,000 are not what people are looking to buy. “It is a problem for everybody in the industry,” Jozwiak said. “We didn’t realize the general population would need something to do and this is one of the few activities that they can do in a safe mode. That’s what’s happening.” martin.cash(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Pandemic presents obligation to change our world (May19'20)
by Beth McKechnie 19 May '20

19 May '20

Pandemic presents obligation to change our world https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/pandemic-presents-obliga… CRISIS creates opportunity and leverage for change. As governments prepare to make once-in-a-generation stimulus investments to fight a global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are faced with an opportunity, if not an obligation, to use it to change our world. We are faced with a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds, but we are not powerless against it. The choices we make today will create the tomorrow we live in. Our decisions must be guided by a vision for the future, holding every public dollar we spend up to the light and asking ourselves, what will this do today, and what will it do tomorrow? Changing our world doesn’t mean we need to start building wind turbines, autonomous vehicles and solar panel factories. The future can learn from the past. It can be simple, low-tech, but effective. There is an old, not-very-sexy machine that could be the key to making our cities more sustainable, more liveable, and more just — the humble bus. Public transit use has cratered during the pandemic, and it will likely be a lasting casualty. The only way to change that will be with high levels of investment to improve service and reduce crowding. The number of cars on Manitoba’s roads has already grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005. Congestion has increased, commutes are longer and today, half of Winnipeg’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicles. Imagine the social, environmental and economic impact if the 170,000 trips taken on transit every day were replaced with 170,000 more cars on our roads. We have an opportunity to use this crisis to redefine the perception of public transit in our city, not only to regain lost ridership but to increase it, by making transit more convenient, more comfortable and more frequent. Public transit may be an old idea, but it can modernize how we move around our city, reduce emissions, and even incentivize growth and investment through transit-oriented development. Until transit levels are restored, investing in a comprehensive active-transportation network that can be implemented quickly could be vital in providing access to employment, education and recreation. Because they use high amounts of labour and local materials, constructing bike-lane and sidewalk infrastructure has proven to create almost 50 per cent more jobs for every dollar invested, compared to car-only road projects. Active transportation could be an important short-term response to the pandemic crisis, and a legacy that transforms our urban mobility. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently proclaimed that the pandemic should result in a new golden age for cycling. It can do that here, too — if we build for it. Many are predicting that even after the pandemic is over, working from home might be a trend that continues, reducing the need for commercial office space. This could have a significant effect on the downtowns of Canadian cities, affecting housing demand, local restaurants and shops, and arts and entertainment venues already hit hard by the pandemic. Stimulus dollars targeted at downtown development could redefine the city centre and usher in a new era of residential urban growth. Investing in downtown development is another old idea. For many years, government programs have successfully encouraged downtown residential growth to drive urban renewal. These programs could be replicated quickly. A shining example of this success came in 2004, when the City of Winnipeg spent $9 million building Waterfront Drive. That investment is still leveraging private spending today; with two new projects soon beginning construction, it will have attracted more than $200 million in private development, creating almost 1,000 new homes. Tax increment financing (TIF) has also been used as a successful development driver in downtown Winnipeg. Using deferred taxes as the incentive instead of up-front spending, it could be an attractive strategy to promote economic growth for today’s cash-strapped governments. TIF programs have leveraged more than a billion dollars in private downtown development in Winnipeg, creating more than 2,700 new homes over 15 years. New TIF programs could be targeted to respond to important needs, such as affordable housing, helping to create neighbourhood diversity and addressing the fact that 21 per cent of Winnipeg households live in unaffordable housing, as reported by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. A prosperous downtown is a catalyst for foreign investment, tourism and immigration. It is also a source of civic pride, all of which might be particularly important as we negotiate the difficult economic times ahead. One important project that could capture the city’s imagination and redefine Winnipeg’s downtown is the Market Lands development on the site of the Public Safety Building, currently being demolished in the Exchange District. The first phase of the development will include a sparkling glass public market building and mixed-use affordable housing tower, targeting net-zero energy use, with several arts organizations establishing an urban creative campus on the bottom floors. As Waterfront Drive did 16 years ago, the dynamic first phase will create a new focal point downtown and be a catalyst to attract private development on the remainder of the site and beyond. It is estimated the development will leverage more than $100 million in private investment, create almost 1,500 person-years of employment, and return almost $26 million in provincial and federal taxes from construction alone. Accelerating visionary projects such as this and others with stimulus funding would create a lasting effect on the future of downtown and the city. Changing our world doesn’t mean reinventing it, and it doesn’t necessarily require futuristic ideas. Sometimes old ideas, such as investing in public transit, affordable housing and downtown development, or simply building a few sidewalks and bike lanes, can be all that’s needed to make the most effective change. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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