- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Waverley Underpass: Construction Update - Ped/Bike Detours
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '17

12 Sep '17

*** Please share widely with your networks *** *From:* Dillon Consulting Limited [mailto:lhastie=dillon.ca@cmail19.com] *On Behalf Of *Dillon Consulting Limited *Sent:* Tuesday, September 12, 2017 10:23 AM *Subject:* Waverley Underpass - Construction Update <http://newsletters.cubiclefugitive.com/t/y-l-hhkdad-treuuhulr-r/> *Waverley Underpass * *Construction Update #3* Fall is here and the next phase in the construction of the Waverley Underpass will begin shortly. [image: Rounded Rectangle: Click here to learn more about this exciting project.] *Construction Work to Date* Preliminary works on the road and rail detour, intersection improvements, and reconstruction of Waverley between Taylor and Grant are nearing completion. *Temporary Weekend Closure* To complete final detour construction work there will be a temporary weekend closure of the project area. · Closure starts Friday, September 29, 2017 at 5:30pm · Closure ends Monday, October 2, 2017 at 6:00am · The project area will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists, refer to map at right for details · Property owners will have access via other routes and access points · Additional communications will occur if closure dates change or the closure dates need to be extended *Detour Restrictions* On Monday, October 2, 2017 immediately following the weekend closure, traffic will begin operating on the Waverley Detour roadway. A multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists will be provided along the west side of the detour. The detour will cross the CN Mainline at a temporary at grade crossing. While traffic is operating on the detour, a number of turning movement restrictions will be in place. Refer to the Detour Map at right for details. Detour turn restrictions include: • Eastbound Taylor at Waverley (detour) must turn right • Northbound Waverley (detour) at Taylor, no left turn • Southbound Waverley at Taylor, no left turn *Future Construction Work* With traffic on the detour, construction of the Underpass Bridge and roadway will proceed over the following two years. Traffic is expected to transition back under the new underpass in the Fall of 2019. *For additional information please contact Lea Hastie, Dillon Consulting Limited, lhastie(a)dillon.ca <lhastie(a)dillon.ca>, 204-453-2301 <(204)%20453-2301>* <http://newsletters.cubiclefugitive.com/t/y-l-hhkdad-treuuhulr-t/> <http://newsletters.cubiclefugitive.com/t/y-l-hhkdad-treuuhulr-i/> Dillon Consulting Limited 1558 Willson Place Winnipeg, MB, R3T 0Y4 204.453.2301 <(204)%20453-2301> www.dillon.ca

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Ciclovia looking for sign hangers on Friday and Saturday
by Beth McKechnie 06 Sep '17

06 Sep '17

Hi everyone, Please help spread the word that volunteers are still needed to hang route signs on Friday and Saturday for Ciclovia this Sunday. If you're free for a few hours, you can connect with Jennie at fetejockey(a)gmail.com thanks! Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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: Imagination could give Arlington Bridge new life (Sept.5'17)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '17

05 Sep '17

*Imagination could give Arlington Bridge new life * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/imagination-could-give- arlington-bridge-new-life-442716493.html THE three graceful arches of the old Arlington Bridge have cast their curving shadows on Winnipeg’s central rail yards for 105 years. It’s become a quintessentially Winnipeg experience to ascend the bridge’s steep ramp and cross its narrow deck as the rhythm of steel girders ticks by. The sweeping panorama — a rarity in a flat city — lays out below, with rows of trains vanishing into the horizon, the downtown skyline rising over an elm tree canopy beyond. Few bridges provide an experience as unique as Arlington, and even fewer provide a better story. The prevailing legend explains that the ramps are so steep because the bridge, built in England, was actually designed to span the Nile River. When a contract fell through, the structure was offered to Winnipeg on the cheap and shoehorned into the site. Built specifically to run streetcars to the North End, the steep ramps prevented a single trolley from ever crossing. With all its quirks, calls for the bridge’s replacement go back more than 70 years. This month, the City of Winnipeg will begin public consultation for the design of a new $300-million bridge, with more lanes, better emergency vehicle and transit access and less-steep ramps for pedestrians and cyclists. Public art will attempt to make themodern roadway more visually appealing. The starting point for public consultation assumes the old bridge will be demolished, specifically identifying that it cannot be repurposed to another use. The steep ramps and aging structure are provided as anecdotal reasons for this decision, but no formal study identifying the criteria used in this assessment has been made public. It is undoubtedly easiest to simply demolish the Arlington Bridge and build a new concrete roadway, but without thoroughly investigating its reuse, are we missing an important opportunity to create something special for our city? Cities across North America have demonstrated that with a little imagination, bridges at the end of their service lives can be reborn as important community spaces and even tourist attractions that breathe new life into inner-city neighbourhoods. New York’s High Line established the model in 2009, transforming an abandoned elevated rail corridor into a 2.5-kilometre-long urban park. Other cities have successfully followed suit. Chicago, Minneapolis and even Chattanooga, Tenn., have all transformed old bridges into dynamic public spaces. Most closely related to the Arlington Bridge is 11th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C., where a modern span was constructed next to a decommissioned older bridge that was slated to be demolished. Community groups rallied together to propose an ambitious project; using the old structure to create a 300-metre-long, multi-functional community space, connecting two neighbourhoods and new public parks on either side. A goal was set to create a place of pride that will stitch together two long-divided neighbourhoods, establishing a community node and regional destination that acts as an economic catalyst by providing employment within the park and drawing visitors to the community and its surrounding commercial streets. An international design competition was held and won by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, with a dramatic scheme of terraced lawns, parks and playgrounds, as well as a café, amphitheatre, education centre and space for community agriculture gardens and neighbourhood vendors. Through a public fundraising campaign and support from the civic government, much of the US$50-million construction cost has been raised and the park is slated to open in 2019. When complete, a simple roadway will be reborn as a cultural and social amenity for the entire city, bringing new opportunity to a struggling neighbourhood. Ambitious community-led projects such as the 11th Street Bridge should inspire us in Winnipeg to dream and to be creative when it comes to our infrastructure investments. We should ask ourselves, is the old Arlington Bridge an opportunity to create something that is a similar source of pride, recreation and economic growth? The reuse of the old Disraeli Bridge piers to support a new active-transportation corridor is an excellent precedent for this type of creative thinking. The Arlington Bridge and its importance to the surrounding communities deserve a unique effort to investigate its reuse within the current public consultation exercise. There are many creative ideas to be explored that might use the old bridge in new ways without the structural requirements of vehicular traffic. With the new span slated to be built beside the old, is there an opportunity to connect the two in the middle? Maybe we demolish all but the centre arched spans, transforming them into a dramatic public space for the new bridge. Could the money earmarked for public art be redirected to develop the old bridge into a public space accessed from the new, with its lower slope ramps and bike lanes? Could the old bridge become the active transportation component of the new, with new ramps built only for cyclists and pedestrians? Could the ramps become landscaped terraces? Should we hold a design competition to invite the world to dream about the possibilities? Imagine public gardens, vendors, gathering and performance spaces on the old bridge, connecting parkland and recreational pathways that reach into the surrounding communities. Imagine watching the sunset between those steel arches, surrounded by trees and grasses, an injection of nature uniquely floating over an industrial site. Imagine a children’s playground and interpretive centre, teaching future generations about our city’s history on a piece of its history. Imagine a public place that improves quality of life in the inner city and is powerful enough to draw together residents from every neighbourhood. Just imagine, Winnipeg. * Brent Bellamy is chairman of Centre Venture ’s board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Fwd: Volunteers needed!
by Dave Elmore 02 Sep '17

02 Sep '17

Sorry if you may have already seen this request. Ciclovia organizers need volunteers. Please help if you can. *Ciclovia Volunteer Position 1* Would you be willing to help us for 4 hours on September 10th, ensuring folks using the car free streets are safe as they make their way to Manyfest? We are looking for Ciclovia marshals for shifts from 10:30am-2:30pm and 2:00pm-6pm. We will supply safety vests, stop signs and instructions. You will meet us at Broadway & Memorial and will need a bike in order to locate yourself at an intersection along the Ciclovia route, which runs from the north to the west end of the city. As a volunteer, we will provide you with a Manyfest t-shirt, food truck voucher and snacks. Please contact Jennie at fetejockey(a)gmail.com if interested. *Ciclovia Volunteer Position 2*We are looking for volunteers to help us administer a 60 sec intercept survey at Ciclovia (September 10th). Shifts are from 10:30am-2:30pm and 2:00pm-6pm. You would be asked to approach the public randomly (on Broadway between Osborne St and Edmonton St) to undertake the Ciclovia Point of Origin and Opinion Intercept Survey. Instructions and link to survey will be provided by the Downtown BIZ (please meet us at Broadway & Memorial). Fill in the surveys for folks on Survey Monkey with your smart phone (or fill in paper copies). Provide a sticker to those who have taken the survey. As avolunteer, we will provide you with a Manyfest t-shirt, food truck voucher and snacks. Please contact Jennie at fetejockey(a)gmail.com if interested -- *Fête Jockey *is Winnipeg's production company for kick ass events. Founded in 2016 by visual artist Jennie O (O'Keefe) and theatre entrepreneur Andraea Sartison, Fête Jockey specializes in uniquely crafted cultural events that expertly intertwine the best of Winnipeg artists, with high profile public occasions. Together, Sartison & O'Keefe boast years of experience as event planners, theatre producers, art curators/consultants/teachers, producers and promoters- working with a multitude of organizations including University of Winnipeg, The Forks, Bike Week Winnipeg, One Trunk Theatre, Martha Street Studio, Art City, MAWA and Theatre Projects Manitoba. Fête Jockey uses events to highlight local products, organizations and initiatives while directly engaging the diverse artistic community of Winnipeg. The company is dedicated to hiring artists and investing 3% of their annual profit back into grassroots arts initiatives in our one great city.

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Job Opening | RRC Sustainability Office
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '17

29 Aug '17

Red River College's Sustainability Office is growing! This fall, Whitney Crooks, RRC’s current Sustainability Coordinator, will assume a two-year role at the College as a Resource Reduction Specialist (find out more here) <http://blogs.rrc.ca/redgreen/news/>. As a result, they will be backfilling her current position on a two-year term, with the possibility of extension. Resumes are due September 10th. http://blogs.rrc.ca/hr/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2017-108- Revised-Job-posting.pdf

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WFP: Rolling ahead with bike lanes near HSC (Aug.26'17)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '17

26 Aug '17

*Critical link between Wolseley and Exchange District applauded* * Rolling ahead with bike lanes near HSC * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/bike-lane-network- grows-with-hsc-area-project-441759423.html A$1. 3-MILLION upgrade to rebuild the road surface, curbs and sidewalks on a five-block stretch of Mc Dermot Avenue through the Health Sciences Centre campus begins next week. The project includes construction of what an official said will become a pivotal piece of the city’s permanent protected bike-lane network: a threemetre- wide, two-way, permanent bike lane on the south side of Mc Dermot, from Arlington Street to Furby Street. The permanent bike lane will eventually be the connecting link between permanent protected lanes that lead into the Exchange District and from Wolseley, said Scott Suderman, the city’s transportation facilities planning engineer. “In the greater context of the network, it’s considered a critical piece,” Suderman said of the 880 metres of protected bike lane being constructed within the Mc Dermot project. To provide adequate space for the bike lane, Mc Dermot between Arlington and Sherbrook streets will be converted into a one-way, eastbound street. The portion of Mc Dermot from Sherbrook to Fort Street has long been a one-way eastbound street. Suderman said the HSC bike lane will be built using the city’s traditional method of permanent, poured-in-place concrete curbs separating cyclists from vehicles. Work on the project is expected to be completed in two months. Complete details on the project can be found on the City of Winnipeg’s website, wfp.to/alexander. A spokesman for the city’s cycling community said he’s excited by the latest addition to Winnipeg’s protected bike network but is concerned about the city’s piecemeal approach. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said he understands city hall’s long-term vision for the protected bike network and how the HSC/ Mc Dermot portion fits in, but he remains hopeful the city will follow the example of other communities and move faster. The gaps between the protected sections of the bike network dissuade riders from taking advantage of it, he said. “Painted lanes just don’t do it. We know there is a huge pent-up demand for this. When we put in protected bike lanes on Assiniboine, we saw a 225 per cent increase (in ridership),” Cohoe said. The HSC/Mc Dermot permanent bike lane will connect to the existing painted bike lanes on Mc Dermot and Bannatyne avenues east of Furby that go all the way to Waterfront Drive. The city is currently conducting a public engagement and engineering study to upgrade those sections to a permanent status. “We’ve been studying that for quite a few months now. We’ve been meeting with the public, the businesses and owners along the route to work out a plan,” Suderman said. It’s possible portable, adjustable curbs— which were installed this week as part of a nine-month pilot project on short stretches of Sherbrook and on Bannatyne in the Exchange — could be chosen as the building material for the Furby-Waterfront upgrade, making that project more affordable and getting the work done quicker, he said. Other portions of the network that will eventually link to the HSC stretch include: ● A permanent protected bike lane along Arlington, from Selkirk Avenue to Mc Dermot, as part of the Arlington Bridge replacement project. ● A construction of a greenway along Ruby and Banning streets connecting to Wellington Avenue to Arlington and on to Mc Dermot. Included in the HSC/Mc Dermot project are plans to connect Sherbrook from Cumberland Avenue to Mc-Dermot. But Suderman said it’s not certain that work will be completed before winter. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP: City looks ready to roll with concrete bike-lane curbs (Aug.23'17)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Aug '17

23 Aug '17

*City looks ready to roll with concrete bike-lane curbs * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-flip-flops-on- use-of-concrete-curbs-for-bike-lanes-441458283.html CITY hall appears to be reconsidering its opposition to the use of low-profile concrete curbs for laying out protected bike lanes in Winnipeg. The city announced a nine-month pilot project Tuesday that would result in the placement of the concrete curbs on a short block in the Exchange District and on a 100-metre stretch of Sherbrook Street, south of Cumberland Avenue. The move is surprising. Coun. Janice Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) has been proposing a similar approach for months, but each time, her efforts were rejected by the administration and the public works committee on the grounds the curbs were contrary to the city’s “award-winning” cycling strategy, which uses time-consuming and more expensive poured concrete. “It just goes to show the dysfunction we operate under at city hall,” Lukes said. “Of course, I’m happy, but what a lot of needless nonsense, time and effort was spent when they were going to do it all along.” Stephanie Whitehouse, city hall’s active transportation (AT) co-ordinator, said the nine-month pilot is a “materials test” to determine the suitability of the low-profile, portable concrete curbs, but added she was excited about the move. Whitehouse said the city’s awardwinning AT strategy places the highest priority on building protected bike lanes leading into and throughout the downtown network, but it doesn’t stipulate which materials to be used. She said the experience of other municipalities has shown concrete curbs to be an easy, efficient and less expensive way to build a bike network. The pilot will determine if they emerge as a preferred material to the city’s traditional method of using poured concrete. “I’m excited about this one. I think it’s a win,” Whitehouse said. “They’re great, they’re adjustable and movable.” Whitehouse said it took crews only three hours to lay down the 100 metres of concrete curbs on Sherbrook Street, adding she believes crews can beat that time on a similar stretch Wednesday along Bannatyne Avenue, between King and Albert streets. Whitehouse said the pilot program will determine if the concrete curbs are compatible with winter snow-clearing and ensure they are durable. “We don’t want to find efficiencies in installation and then discover we’ve created a whole host of deficiencies in our ability to deliver a street and cycling maintenance programs,” she said. The City of Winnipeg has been slow to adopt and resistant to using adjustable materials to construct protected bike lanes. While Winnipeg’s current approved plan is to build 10 kilometres of protected bike lanes downtown over a three-year period, Calgary built a 6.6km network in four months in 2015 and Edmonton built a seven-km network in a three-month span earlier this year. Both cities used the low-profile concrete curbs, along with paint and flexible bollards. Other municipalities, including Vancouver and Ottawa, have also incorporated the concrete curbs, along with other portable/adjustable materials, including planters, in constructing protected bike lanes. Whitehouse said regardless of the outcome of the pilot program, the city is committed to constructing the Garry Street portion of the downtown network using poured concrete methods, as part of a major roadway reconstruction. “We recognize this as an important material and a potential mechanism for delivering protected facilities,” she said. “They’re a great way to get (bike lanes) in and a more efficient way and generally more cost-effective.” Whitehouse said staff decided to do the $15,000 pilot as part of a $100,000 initiative for the enhancement of delineated bike lanes. The overall funding had been approved by council, part of its $4.7 million for active transportation for 2017. Whitehouse said the city will be looking for feedback from motorists and cyclists for the pilot areas. While the concrete curbs are fixed into the roadway, they are portable and can be moved and the routes adjusted in response to public concerns. (Details on the pilot program can be found on the city’s website: wfp.to/walkbike.) “Once people get a taste of it, they’ll want more,” Lukes said. “I’m glad we made the big effort and put the spotlight on the need for it.” aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca * * * * * Also coverage on CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ manitoba/winnipeg-adjustable-bike-lanes-1.4258288

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New White Paper on Advisory Bike Lanes
by Mark Cohoe 18 Aug '17

18 Aug '17

Alta Planning + Design has put together an excellent white paper on Advisory Bike Lanes <http://altaplanning.com/resources/advisory-bike-lanes-north-america/> that is well worth reading. Of note, there is a Canadian example (Somerset Street East in Ottawa). For those wondering what an advisory bike lane is, it's essentially a bike lane with a dashed lane marking between the bike lane and the travel lane. The big difference from a normal bike lane is that vehicles share a two-way center travel lane sandwiched between the two advisory bike lanes. When two vehicles approach, they yield to bicycle traffic and encroach into their respective advisory bike lanes to pass each other. A parking lane may or may not be present. It's used in situations where there is limited road right of way, and limited traffic volume. Think lower volume collectors like Des Meurons south of Vivian, maybe Sinclair where you generally have a 10m right of way. [image: Inline image 1] Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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Considerate Constructors
by Charles Feaver 18 Aug '17

18 Aug '17

There is a program in the UK to encourage builders to be neighbourhood-friendly and ecologically careful in their building activities. The sites which meet the guidelines display the attached poster on their hoardings. The organization is going international; maybe we could invite them to Winnipeg... https://www.ccscheme.org.uk/ The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a non-profit-making, independent organisation founded in 1997 by the construction industry to improve its image. Construction sites, companies and suppliers voluntarily register with the Scheme and agree to abide by the Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements. For more information on the Code, please click here. The Scheme is concerned about any area of construction activity that may have a direct or indirect impact on the image of the industry as a whole. The main areas of concern fall into three categories: the general public, the workforce and the environment. Our aim: To improve the image of construction Why? The construction industry has a huge impact on all our lives, with most construction work taking place in sensitive locations. If all construction sites and companies presented an image of competent management, efficiency, awareness of environmental issues and above all neighbourliness, then they would become a positive advertisement, not just for themselves but for the industry as a whole. What? The Code of Considerate Practice commits those sites, companies and suppliers registered with the Scheme to care about appearance, respect the community, protect the environment, secure everyone's safety and value their workforce. Who? The Scheme is open to construction sites, companies and suppliers of all types and size and for every type of construction activity, with many construction companies and clients automatically registering all their work as company policy. ....

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Million dollar neighbourhoods
by Jeremy Hull 13 Aug '17

13 Aug '17

Walkable mixed-use neighborhoods help families build wealth—enough to help fund big-ticket items like college and retirement. https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2017/08/07/million-dollar-neighborhood <https://www.cnu.org/node/538> ROBERT STEUTEVILLE <https://www.cnu.org/node/538> AUG. 7, 2017 Houses appreciate. Cars depreciate. That simple contrast is a key to building wealth over a lifetime, writes Todd Litman, a researcher with the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. Even though housing is more expensive in walkable, transit-rich neighborhoods, vehicle costs are substantially lower. Households in such neighborhoods shift their spending from transportation to housing. Over 40 years, this shift will add a million dollars of net worth to a typical household, Litman calculates. That's enough to put children through college and/or to retire on—all from careful choice in housing location. There are plenty of other reasons to live in a walkable neighborhood—among them better health because exercise is built into the daily routine, less damage to the environment by cutting carbon emissions, and less time spent driving which frees up leisure. But the "million dollars" should really get people's attention. "Urban fringe homes generally offer more space per dollar, and so appear to be better investments, but there are other economic factors to consider. By shifting household spending from transport to real estate, Smart Growth tends to increase household wealth, and by providing more affordable transport options it increases economic resilience," says Litman, in a report called *Selling Smart Growth* <http://www.vtpi.org/ssg.pdf>. In the last generation, urban housing in North America has appreciated faster than suburban or rural housing. This price appreciation has added to the wealth of those who have invested in multimodal places. The appreciation is due to the rising demand for walkable urban places due to changing demographics, reduced crime, and the return of jobs to urban centers. Housing appreciation in Urban, Suburban, and Rural locations over the last 20 years. Source: Todd Litman, *Selling Smart Growth*. Litman discusses his own experience living in a walkable neighborhood in Victoria, British Columbia. • He purchased a house in 1995 for $236,000 • That house is currently worth about $750,000 • In 2025, when the mortgage is paid and Litman can retire, it "should be worth more than a million dollars," he says. That's a thirty year time period in Canada, but he has run the numbers for the US over 40 years for three scenarios: the TOD (transit-oriented development) location—a house in a walkable neighborhood with transit access; the inner-ring suburb; and the urban fringe. The fairly typical $60,000/year US household can afford $27,000 in combined housing and transportation expenses (that's 45 percent of income for the two expenses together). "After ten years the TOD home builds $63,789 more equity, and after 25 years $448,217 more equity, than an urban fringe home. If, starting at age 25, a household always chooses TOD homes and invests the transport savings in real estate, they can retire at age 65 with approximately $1.8 million in equity, $1,016,561 more than if they purchased urban fringe houses with high transportation costs," Litman calculates. Living in a walkable neighborhood benefits those who buy homes, but how about renters? The math works for non-homeowners as well. Households can save substantial money by reducing the number of cars the family owns, eliminating them entirely, and/or reducing the mileage on the cars they do own. For this, they have to live in a walkable neighborhood. Here are typical numbers for household living options: The potential savings are demonstrated in the Housing & Transportation Affordability Index <http://htaindex.cnt.org/> (H&T Index), created by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago. The Index makes the case that households should not spend more than 45 percent of their income for housing and transportation combined. This goal is best achieved in walkable neighborhoods, even though the cost per square foot of housing may be higher in those neighborhoods. H&T Index of the Pittsburgh area shows affordability based on housing, left, and housing and transportation, right, in the Pittsburgh region. Distant areas are relatively less affordable. CNT founder Scott Bernstein notes that poor and working-class families are routinely given financial advice on how to get a car loan, but they are not educated on the financial advantages of reducing transportation expenses. Less affluent households in distant suburbs are often caught in a bind, Bernstein notes. Such households may use strategies to reduce car costs—especially owning older cars—but higher maintenance costs kick in when the car is driven a lot of miles. "It is difficult to spend less than about $6,000 annually to legally own and operate a high-annual-mileage vehicle," says Litman. The following are the characteristics of multi-modal neighborhoods where households can best cut their transportation costs: - An urban center is nearby. - Walking and cycling conditions are excellent. - Density is sufficient and housing is diverse. - Homes are within an easy 10-minute walk of commonly needed services (public transit, shops, schools, parks, etc.). - Streets are complete (designed for multiple users) and well connected. - Public transit and taxi/ride-hailing services are adequate. - Car-sharing (vehicle rental services) is available. - Delivery services are available. "Realtors should be paying attention to this," says Peter Katz, who co-presented this research in a session with Litman at CNU 25 in Seattle in May. Realtors have been selling "drive 'til you qualify," advising clients to buy the cheaper house further out regardless of transportation costs. "This doesn't serve Realtors for two reasons. It lowers the dollar value of their fee and it may eliminate the fee altogether, because the customer is looking at an entirely different location with perhaps a different Realtor." Robert Steuteville is editor of Public Square: A CNU Journal and senior communications adviser for the Congress for the New Urbanism. <https://www.cnu.org/publicsquare/author/robert-steuteville-1>

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New E-Petition to support federal legislation on sideguards on trucks
by Anders Swanson 10 Aug '17

10 Aug '17

[I know Jeannette, the sponsor of this bill. Her daughter was killed in Montreal. She has been successful in having this implemented in numerous jurisdictions, but is now aiming to see it happen at the federal level. See below if you wish to review and consider signing and/or spreading among your networks. - Anders] https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1208

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AT Webinar Invite: Incorporating Public Art into Transportation Corridors, Wed, Aug 16, 2-3pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 10 Aug '17

10 Aug '17

Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of this month's APBP <http://www.apbp.org/> webinar: *Incorporating Public Art into Transportation CorridorsWednesday, August 16 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm CDT * The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications for those who wish to stay. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 <(204)%20925-3777> | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/> -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 <(204)%20925-3777> | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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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Forget the rest: The real reason to support active commuting
by Beth McKechnie 10 Aug '17

10 Aug '17

A new study offers perhaps the most definitive reason yet why society should be doing more to encourage cycling, and serves as another reminder that the health benefits of cycling far outweigh the risks. This British study <http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j1456> took a comprehensive look at the health benefits of bicycle commuting, and the results are staggering. Over the course of the study, the 263,450 subjects who were under review had a 41 per cent lower chance of death than those who didn’t. “Cycle commuters had a 52 per cent lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 40 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer. They also had 46 per cent lower risk of developing heart disease and a 45 per cent lower risk of developing cancer at all,” the study’s authors wrote <http://theconversation.com/cycling-to-work-major-new-study-suggests-health-…> . Just let those numbers soak in a bit. They truly are significant. If a pharmaceutical company created a pill that could reduce your chance of dying by almost half, with particular success against those stubborn scourges of humanity of cancer and heart disease, it would be heralded as a wonder drug. Luckily, this pill is already hanging from the rafters of your garage. Two things struck me particularly from the study. In their analysis, the researchers accounted for the risk associated with road accidents, which offers further evidence that even the supposed risks of riding a bike are vastly outweighed by the benefits of riding. Put another way: Our irrational fear of the relatively small risk of a blow to the head is overriding the guaranteed health benefits of bicycle commuting. Our assessment of risk in this context is, to be blunt, pretty messed up. This mirrors the message of this new Australian documentary <https://youtu.be/nGsM-XIuGwo>This mirrors the message of this new Australian documentary arguing against the country’s mandatory helmet law. In it, public health doctors and advocates express the same message: the health benefits of cycling far outweigh the risk of injury, so we should be doing more to make it easier to ride bikes daily for transportation. Which leads me to the second aspect of the study that really caught my attention. Of most benefit here wasn’t just riding a bike, but bicycle commuting. This is a pretty significant distinction. That distinction is the difference between encouraging people to get out and exercise and making it easier for people to simply use a bike in their everyday lives. The medical community has been encouraging us for nearly a century to do the former, and despite the mainstreaming of things like running and going to the gym, we keep getting more sedentary, more obese and more unhealthy. That approach to health isn’t exactly a ringing success. But this study seems to be mirroring what many cycling advocates have long said, and what bike commuters preach about all the time: But this study seems to be mirroring what many cycling advocates have long said, and what bike commuters preach about all the time:* Active living works when it’s part of our day, not an add-on.* The study found most of the benefits from cycling come in those situations in which cycling has already been built into the daily lives of people. In the world’s great bike cities, for example, people don’t bike because it’s good for them any more than they bike because it improves the street life of the city or because, God forbid, it reduces their carbon footprint. If you ask them, they will tell you that they ride a bike because it’s quick and easy. “Policies designed to affect a population level modal shift to more active modes of commuting, particularly cycle commuting (eg, cycle lanes, city bike hire, subsidised cycle purchase schemes, and increasing provision for cycles on public transport), present major opportunities for the improvement of public health,” according to the study’s conclusion. Therein lies the solution. If we want society to realize that 41 per cent improvement in our health that comes with bicycle commuting, we need to make it fast and easy to get places on a bike. That means continuing to accommodate bikes on our streets and building cities around the idea of active transportation. We’ve already started in most cities. We just need to hurry up. http://shifter.info/forget-all-the-other-reasons-you-should-be-riding-a-bik…

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Downtown Columbus will buy bus rides for 43, 000 workers
by Beth McKechnie 09 Aug '17

09 Aug '17

Property owners in the Ohio capital's core are rethinking the relationship between cars and jobs. https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/08/downtown-columbus-will-buy-b… Despite a surge of redevelopment in downtown Columbus, office rents are tumbling and vacancy rates are on the up. The problem, business leaders say: Lack of parking. A structured parking space in the Ohio capital’s space-crunched core runs nearly $25,000 a year, which typically isn’t covered by revenues. So developers feel hamstrung from building new garages, and the city is wary of subsidizing them; building to meet parking demand, after all, is an exercise in futility <https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2016/01/the-strongest-case-yet-that-…>. Meanwhile, employers fear they’re losing ground to suburban competitors. Now Columbus has found an out-of-the-box solution, following a vote by downtown property owners last week. Starting next summer, they’ll buy transit passes for thousands of workers <http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170802/program-approved-to-give-free-bus-pas…> . Some 43,000 employees inside a special improvement district will be eligible for annual bus passes, free to them and paid for primarily by the 550 building owners in the area. “Capital Crossroads” property holders will pay 3 cents per square foot of space per year, which will generate about half of the $5 million subsidy. Grants and fundraising by Capital Crossroads board leaders will raise the rest. The Central Ohio Transit Authority has said it will offer the passes at a deep discount <https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/columbus-ohio-free-bus-passes>. The decision follows a successful pilot that ran from June 2015 through January 2017, which doubled the share of bus commuters among 844 employees at four companies in the district from 6.4 percent to 12.2 percent. If those results can be replicated across the entire downtown district, “Capital Crossroads estimates that it would free up 2,400 parking spaces—about four parking garages—and allow for 2,900 more people to work in the district,” according to the *Columbus Dispatch* <http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170312/building-owners-might-subsidize-free-…> . “Between 4,000 and 5,000 people would trade their cars for COTA on their commute, the district estimates.” In some ways, Columbus’ solution is a textbook “transportation demand management” strategy to nudge drivers out of single-occupancy cars, and reduce congestion, pollution, and road wear. San Francisco, Boulder, Cambridge, and others have TDM ordinances requiring developers to include transit-oriented amenities in new properties. Cities all over the country require developers to pay infrastructure impact fees, which often feed transit budgets <http://sf-planning.org/impact-fees>. And employers often help cover the cost of their employees’ transit passes. But this program will be the first in the country where bus passes are directly funded by property owners, according to Cleve Ricksecker, executive director of Capital Crossroads, and many cities are keeping a watchful eye on its deployment. “The more people who think about this, the more sense it makes,” Ricksecker told the *Columbus Dispatch* <http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170802/program-approved-to-give-free-bus-pas…> . There is deep and rather remarkable logic coming to the surface here. As the famed transportation scholar Donald Shoup has put it, the true costs of parking are largely hidden from drivers. Developers, property owners, employers, and cities subsidize the costs of parking infrastructure because of the seemingly un-severable connection they make between car access and economic viability. Columbus’s new program adds capacity to the number of commuters downtown can handle, and it also shows an optimism among property owners—who have everything to lose—that cars aren’t everything when it comes to a thriving downtown economy. Transportation demand management isn’t a silver bullet; many programs that pay commuters to take transit rather than drive have not yielded enduring behavioral changes. Some critics say that courting transit commuters with free passes takes the pressure off transportation authorities to build the higher-capacity, higher-frequency service that would organically attract more riders.

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New, authoritative reference on protected bikeways (ITE)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Aug '17

08 Aug '17

*From People for Bikes:* If the new *Protected Bikeways Practitioners Guide *from the Institute for Transportation Engineers were a record, it'd be a Jay-Z album: sampling the famous and the obscure to create something new. The 36-page document published this week (and available <http://ecommerce.ite.org/IMIS/ItemDetail?iProductCode=IR-144&Category=PUB&W…> to ITE members for $25, nonmembers for $31.50) remixes some of the most useful data, recommendations and perspectives from the latest bikeway design guides, from the 2016 Dutch CROW manual <http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/the-worlds-best-bikeway-manual-jus…> to the 2015 Separated Bike Lane Planning & Design Guide <http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/massachusetts-is-about-to-release-…> from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. In addition to including a helpful list and healthy sampling from other guides, it also adds original work in several areas: how to integrate protected bike lanes on suburban-style curving roads, how to clear snow from protected lanes and how to evaluate their performance after installation. Read on for more highlights <http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/heres-a-new-authoritative-quick-re…> -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/>

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Undercover bike police seek out dangerous drivers
by Beth McKechnie 02 Aug '17

02 Aug '17

*Undercover bike police seek out dangerous drivers* https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/undercover-bike-police-seek-out-dan… Undercover police officers wearing plain clothes and video cameras have been sent out on bicycles to catch motorists who endanger cyclists by driving too close or cutting them up. The initiative was launched by the Metropolitan Police yesterday to increase safety for cycling commuters in London, where more than half a million daily journeys are made by bicycle. Analysis from City of Westminster council in 2013 showed that more than two thirds of collisions between bicycles and motor vehicles in central London were the motorist’s fault. Police have launched the programme to focus on motorists who drive dangerously, but officers will also pull up cyclists who misbehave, with one senior officer warning: “We can’t be everywhere, but we could be anywhere.” Motoring groups have welcomed efforts to increase safety for cyclists, but expressed concerns that resources could be better deployed by having more visible traffic officers, whose numbers have been cut by more than a quarter over five years. The Met said: “Officers . . . will go to any location, at any time, in any borough, based on intelligence and complaints, to ensure drivers properly obey the rules of the road.” The officers, riding unmarked bicycles donated by BMW, will prioritise three common driving offences, including the tailgating of cyclists, unsafe overtaking, and turning across a cyclist’s path. “If officers encounter a driver committing any of these offences, they will identify them to a nearby, marked police motorcycle rider, who will stop and engage with them,” police said. The motorist will be given a presentation on Highway Code rules governing safe driving around cyclists and will have to provide insurance and licence details and pass an eyesight test, while their vehicle is checked. Professional drivers will be reported and may have to appear in court, as will all motorists who are guilty of “particularly bad” driving. A similar initiative in Edinburgh this year resulted in almost 70 drivers pulled over in the first week. Sergeant Andy Osborne said: “We want all road users to obey the Highway Code. This tactic is about education and encouraging motorists who do not comply with the rules of the road to start doing so, for everyone’s safety and protection, theirs included.” Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “We know that safety concerns are one of the biggest barriers to cycling in London. That’s why we’re working hard to build high-quality safe routes to encourage even more people to cycle, and why I’m so pleased to see the Met tackling some of the dangers that we see on our roads.” Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said he wanted to see improved safety for cyclists, particularly through segregated cycle routes, but added: “Our members want to see more traffic police out there. If you have enough manpower to have [undercover officers] out there, then have them in uniform.” Mr Greig said that motorists had become used to cameras mounted on bike helmets and dashboards and would not be unduly concerned by the police’s use of cameras. Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “I think drivers are generally quite considerate, but there are some who pass far too close and I don’t think they understand the consequences of their actions, which could be fatal.”

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*Exciting event alert!* BIKE!BIKE! Aug 24-27
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '17

31 Jul '17

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Wrench Volunteers <wrenchvolunteer(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 1:37 PM Subject: *Exciting event alert!* BIKE!BIKE! Aug 24-27 Okay everyone, *we've got something very very exciting on the horizon!* *Next month (August 24-27th) our lil' prairie city is hosting Bike!Bike! ; an international Community Bike Shop conference!* Bike!Bike! is a gathering of folks from all around North America (even Mexico!) who are committed to using bicycles as a vehicle for social change. We'll be hosting 200-300 bike nerds & geeks from all over the continent and we're gonna need a lil help from y'all; 1.*Hosting conference attendees*; Got a floor? Couch? Spare bed? Even a patch of grass would be great! *Conference attendees get billeted out with local hosts and we need hosts to sign up online.* There's a short survey that's part of the Bike!Bike! registration <https://en.bikebike.org/conferences/Winnipeg2017/register/> about how much space you have, location, pets, loaner bikes, etc. If you're able and willing to host even one person please sign up asap! Just register for the conference as a host rather than a participant. It only takes 3 minutes! 2.*Participate*!: Bike!Bike! isn't just about bike nerdery but more-so about social justice and how we're trying to make the world a more equitable, sustainable, radical place using bikes and bike-based education. If you think you have any sort of knowledge or skills that would be useful to share with a bunch of other rad, eager-to-learn peoples then please register to attend and put together a workshop. Registration fees are pay-what-you-can (suggested $50-$100) with 2 meals a day and free entry to a bunch of great parties. Please inquire with me if you're not sure whether your workshop would be a good fit or not. Register or submit a workshop here <https://en.bikebike.org/conferences/Winnipeg2017/register/>. 3.*Volunteer/Loaner bikes* - We're looking for volunteers to help out of course. Most volunteers will be needed in the week or two leading up to the conference and tasks are many and varied. We also may need some loaner bikes for attendees to borrow. If you're able to volunteer or loan a bike there's a quick volunteer survey here that you can fill out; https://goo.gl/forms/ gt0MPFASygvRXoFg1 *4. Please share the Facebook event page / Pass this info on to other folks who might be interested in attending!* Bike!Bike! Facebook event page HERE <https://www.facebook.com/events/344539605974805/?context=create&previousact…> Thanks! Greatly appreciate your help on this! Cheers, Sarah Thiessen *Volunteer Coordinator* The *W*innipeg *R*epair* E*ducation '*N*' *C*ycling *H*ub 1057 Logan Ave, Winnipeg 204.296.3389 <(204)%20296-3389> www.thewrench.ca

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The Criminalization of Walking
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jul '17

27 Jul '17

The simple act of walking is sometimes criminalized in the United States. Anti-jaywalking statutes and ordinances—originally motivated by auto-industry lobbyists in the 1920s—call for fines and, sometimes, imprisonment for crossing the street. Additionally, some localities have interpreted statutes against “child neglect” to encompass a parent’s decision to let their kid walk outside alone. The result of this criminalization? Such policies have reduced pedestrian liberty, increased automobile traffic and pollution, and created a disincentive for physical activity in the midst of an obesity and diabetes epidemic. In addition to discussing these effects, this Article argues that the purported safety benefits of criminalizing walking pale in comparison to those of decriminalization. In the context of currently vague child neglect laws, this Article suggests a bright-line rule that would empower parents’ decision to allow their children to do the unthinkable: walk themselves to school. Download full article <https://illinoislawreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lewyn.pdf> [pdf] from *University of* *Illinois Law Review* A few highlights are provided in another article <http://www.placemakers.com/2017/05/16/the-irrational-criminalization-of-wal…>(which also includes an interesting personal anecdote): Lewyn examines all this through the lens of jaywalking laws and child endangerment statutes, pointing out the irrationality inherent in the justifications used to defend both. A few tidbits: - Where jaywalking is not an offense or in areas where it’s not enforced or enforced with inconsequential penalties, rates of pedestrian deaths are greatly reduced. - Statistically speaking, were a parent intentionally seeking to have their child abducted they would need to leave them outside, unattended, for 500,000 years before it would be likely to happen. - An American child is fifty times more likely to die from a car crash than from an abduction by a stranger. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/>

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Hamilton's AT Benchmarking Program
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jul '17

27 Jul '17

Interesting to see what the City of Hamilton is doing with their AT benchmarking program, given they're similar to Winnipeg in terms of size and density. https://www.hamilton.ca/mapping-business-reporting/activity-reports/active-… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/>

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The WRENCH is hiring, please share!
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jul '17

19 Jul '17

Hi everyone, In case you know someone who would be a good fit, the WRENCH is looking for a new Co-Executive Director. It's a rewarding time for the right person to get involved as the WRENCH is apparently looking at some exciting major new projects in the next couple of years. *Application deadline: Fri, August 11th * cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 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/>

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8 Best Cycling Innovations from Velo-City 2017
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jul '17

12 Jul '17

1. Dockless bike sharing 2. Paying people to cycle 3. Smart traffic lights 4. Cobbled roads 5. New intersections 6. Harnessing user data 7. Bike paths for high rises 8. Solid tires Full article: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/jun/17/10-best-cycling-innovations-…

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The Lance: New outdoor bike repair station on greenway (Jul3'17)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jul '17

04 Jul '17

*New outdoor bike repair station on greenway* http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/lance/New-outdoor-bike-rep… Cyclists in Winnipeg who enjoy life in the saddle now have even more reason to get their fix. Two new outdoor bike repair stations were opened recently, one donated by Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) and one donated by Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). The station donated by Mayes was officially opened on June 20 in St. Vital on the Bishop Grandin Greenway and the Dakota/Dunkirk Pathway at the northeast corner of Bishop Grandin Boulevard and Dakota Street, while the station donated by Gerbasi officially opened on June 22 in West Broadway at the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre at 187 Young St. Mayes said he became motivated to support the creation of the station after Coun. Janice Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) supported one in her ward last year. He said the station will serve the hundreds of cyclists that use the greenway on a daily basis. The stations are made in Manitoba by Rackworks, and they provide cyclists with free access to a variety of tools necessary to perform basic bike repair and maintenance. The stations consist of an air pump, and a repair stand that includes a selection of tools such as screwdrivers, levers, and wrenches that are attached to the stand by wires. "The whole idea is that there’s help if you have an issue with your bike," said key organizer Currie Gillespie of Rackworks, an avid cyclist and St. Vital resident, at the opening ceremony. "You might need air in your tires, or your seat might be slipping, or your handlebars need tightening up. There are more than 15 commonly-used tools here, and the stand is designed for all bikes." Gillespie is not only encouraging community members to enjoy the station, but also to help ensure it remains in good working order. "It’s a community repair stand, and it’s here for the community, so if somebody vandalizes it, it takes away the ability of the community to use it. If someone sees any vandalism, they can contact us at Rackworks," Gillespie said. He said the greenway and the many interconnecting bike paths and active transportation trails in the south end of the city are a massive boon. "The south end of the city is the best part of the city for cycling," he said. "For example, I can ride from my house in St. Vital to The Forks without playing with traffic." Mayes added the location of the repair station is a perfect one in light of the volume of bicycle traffic. "It fits in with the greenway, and it’s at the intersection of two main bike routes, so it’s a great place to do it. Currie has been great with this," he said. simon.fuller(a)canstarnews.com

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WFP: City seeks bids for Route 90 redesign (Jun29'17)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Jul '17

01 Jul '17

City seeks bids for Route 90 redesign http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-wants-consultants-route-90-rede… CITY hall is taking steps to prepare for the long-awaited widening of Kenaston Boulevard and the rebuilding of the St. James bridges. A formal request for proposals (RFP) was issued recently, asking potential consultants to develop preliminary designs for the Route 90 project Winnipeg city council approved in principle in January 2012. Senior councillors denied the RFP has been issued in anticipation of a resolution to the dispute between Ottawa and First Nations over the Kapyong barracks property. Ward Coun. John Orlikow, chairman of the property and development committee, said concern over the structural viability of the St. James bridges prompted city hall to have designs in place. “The St. James bridges take so much traffic, it’s a crucial transportation link,” said Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), adding it’s not necessary for the Kapyong barracks situation to be resolved before work begins on the bridges but it would be preferable. “We can work on that one project if we have to, but we’d like to see the whole thing done at once.” City hall has budgeted $2.5 million for the consulting contract. While the 2009 estimated cost of the project had been $129 million, the city acknowledged it was a rough estimate. The consultant’s final report will be expected to include revised cost estimates that would be accurate within a range of minus-20 per cent to plus-30per cent, known as a Class 3 estimate. The designs will be based on “Option 4,” one of five widening designs presented to the public during a series of open houses. It will widen the west side of Kenaston Boulevard between Taylor Avenue and Tuxedo Boulevard and the east side between Tuxedo and the bridges. According to the RFP document, the city will have to acquire 136 properties along Kenaston: 94 single homes and 21 duplex units; 52 of them are privately owned and 81 belong to the Department of National Defence. The plan to widen Kenaston provides for sidewalks on both sides, plus a three-metre-wide cycling and pedestrian pathway on the west side from Taylor to Wellington Crescent. The RFP advises potential consultants widening Kenaston will require closing several side streets. Option 4 also envisions a pedestrian bridge across Kenaston at Lockston Avenue. For the bridge project, the RFP states both northbound and southbound spans will be widened to four lanes and accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, and will tie into future cycling networks. The city wants a realignment of the eastward off-ramp to Portage Avenue, which cuts through the Viscount Gort Hotel property. For the southbound span, Orlikow said the city is going to require the roadway to be realigned and straightened. The RFP is requiring the consultant team to include at least one “industry recognized bicycle facilities design expert with extensive knowledge and experience in the design of complex bicycle facilities in North America.” The RFP closes at noon on July 21. The city expects to award a contract by the end of August and the winning consultant will be required to produce a draft preliminary design by Aug. 31, 2018. The tentative date for a public open house to review the preliminary designs is set for Nov. 1, 2018. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Metro News & WFP: Council puts brakes on fast-tracking bike network (Jun28'17)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jun '17

28 Jun '17

Council puts brakes on fast-tracking bike network http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/council-puts-brakes- on-fast-tracking-bike-network-431231623.html COUN. Janice Lukes failed for a third time to convince a civic committee to consider fast-tracking the construction of a protected bike network in downtown Winnipeg. Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) appeared before the public works committee Tuesday with a proposal to have department staff prepare two plans that could be considered for implementation in 2019 — one following the approved piecemeal approach, the other following the fast-track method. “Councillors would have two plans and they could decide, do they want to support increasing safety in downtown cycling or do they want to continue,” with the current plan, Lukes told the committee. Lukes, who used to chair the public works committee until she was removed fromthe post by Mayor Brian Bowman in early November, had pitched a variation of the same concept twice before: in late November and again in May. Each time, it was rejected. Lukes had no better luck Tuesday, but it was close. Committee members voted twice — once to reject the plan and a second time to approve it — and each vote ended in a tie. Winnipeg adopted a pedestrian and cycling strategy in 2015 that includes the construction of 10 kilometres of bike trails throughout the downtown area. City hall has only approved the construction of two kilometres of the network but the plan is already behind schedule and that portion won’t be completed until 2019. It’s projected it could take five to seven years to construct the entire downtown bike network. Lukes said Winnipeg should follow the examples set by Calgary and Edmonton, which constructed entire downtown bike networks of similar distances using temporary structures — low-profile concrete curbs, plastic bollards, paint and decorative planters — in a matter of weeks. Lukes told the committee the public works department has previously said constructing protected routes using temporary materials was a practical and cost-effective method. Couns. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) and Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) thought Lukes’ proposal was worth considering, while Couns. Marty Morantz (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Whyte Ridge) and Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said the city should stick with its current plan of incremental path construction. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca * * * * * Proposed downtown bike grid for Winnipeg gridlocked at city hall Coun. Janice Lukes’ motion for a gapless network of bike lanes downtown denied for third time http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2017/06/27/downtown-bi ke-grid-gridlocked-at-city-hall.html *By:* Keila DePape For Metro Published on Tue Jun 27 2017 A motion to install a bike lane network downtown died (again) at city hall Tuesday. “It’s frustrating,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, who wanted the Infrastrucutre and Public Works Committee to direct city staff to cost out a rapid install of adjustable protected bike lanes. “We know we can do something cheaper, better, faster—why aren’t we?” Coun. Marty Morantz criticized the bike grid concept as a “dramatic” departure from the “award winning” Pedestrian and Cycling Strategy (PCS) council approved in 2015, which details active transportation infrastructure plans across the city. “If we decided to drop it (the PCS) and just do a downtown grid, projects all over the city would be in jeopardy for a temporary structure that would have to be made permanent at some point,” Morantz said, adding “adjustable elements” are already included in the current strategy. But that’s not enough for councillors who say a bike grid is key for the city’s connectivity. “We’ve already built some significant suburban routes that connect to downtown,” said North Kildonan Coun. Jefff Browaty, who spoke in favour of Lukes’ plan and the “final mile” connectivity it would offer. “That final stretch to get to people’s offices where people work and play, that’s what’s really missing right now.” Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) sided with Browaty, saying she’d “like administration to work on this,” and study it at least. But the fourth committee member, Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) sided with Morantz, questioning the merit in going for a temporary grid with a permanent plan already on the horizon. The committee’s 2-2 split on Lukes’ motion means a study to find out how much the downtown bike network would cost won’t happen anytime soon in Winnipeg. That's despite other Canadian cities offering a point of reference and successful examples. Edmonton introduced a $7.5 million bike grid plan in October and installed seven kilometres of lanes within the same three-month period it took Winnipeg’s public service to report on whether elements of that approach fit the PCS. Likewise, Calgary finished a 6.6-kilometre bike lane network within four months for $5.45 million. Lukes wanted the study to be included in the 2018 budget when she first advanced the motion in October, but she adjusted her expectations when it failed again in May. Now, blocked in her third attempt Tuesday, the forecast for 2019 isn’t looking good either. Lukes said she will continue to fight for the bike grid, but doesn’t yet know how to go about it at this point after being stymied at the committee level. “With this public works committee, I will not be able to make progress,” she said.

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INVITATION: Plain Bicycle Pickup Party
by Anders Swanson 23 Jun '17

23 Jun '17

Happy Bike to Work Day! Next week, please join us as this party is going to go be spectacular. All welcome, but please RSVP with link below. Winnipeg meets Amsterdam for an evening. You don't have to be a customer to try one or compete in the Dutch Slow Biking Dinking (Doubling) Race or enjoy the music or have a beer and be merry. Kindly, Anders Plain Bicycle Party + Pick UpYou're invited to attend. Dear new plain bicycle owner and friends, The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here! The shipment has arrived from the Netherlands. We are finally going to see them on the streets of Winnipeg! The bikes survived their Atlantic journey, are being reassembled for you right now and are eager to meet their owners. Join us for a party to celebrate the achievement and pick up your bike. There will be live DJs, storytelling, a dinking* race, and more. Invitation and details on the next page. A huge thank you to the bike owners for your support, enthusiasm and endurance. For some, it has been almost a year and a half since you signed up. This project was only possible because of your patience and imagination. In buying a Dutch bike you are helping Winnipeggers (and North America) catch a glimpse of what the future of transportation looks like. Also a huge thank you to Torrin, Jan, Jamie, Mendert, Danny, Mikael, Fritz, Bas, Erwin, Charlton, Jon, Dan, Herbert, Michel, Ian, Keilewerf, Local Motion, Dave and The Forks crew, Give-A-Bike, Havensteder, Den Haag Fietspunt, Winnipeg Trails and everyone else in Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam, Den Haag and Winnipeg who helped make this possible. Sincerely, Leigh Anne and Anders The Plain Bicycle Project *PLAIN BICYCLE PICKUP PARTY* Wednesday June 28th, 2017 pop-up patio at The Forks (near the Atrium) All Welcome *Party:* 4pm-10pm; Bike Pickup: 7pm *Suggested dress code:* Semi-Formal or Business attire *Detailed Schedule:* 4:00pm: Registration begins (get your code) 4:30pm: Pre-event Media 5:30pm: The Plain Bicycle Story A presentation about how the bicycles were collected, where they came from, how to take care of them, how they can be used to help create an everyday cycling culture, Q&A, etc. 7:00pm - Get the Keys to Your Bike! (time at which you now officially own the closest thing to a magic carpet) 8:00pm - Group Photo 8:30pm - Slow Biking Race (Individual and Dinking*) Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd courtesy Natural Cycle Live DJs Music continue until 10 then the party moves inside to the Common. Please go here to RSVP <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba8…> (required). Note: If you cannot attend on Wednesday, please use the RSVP form <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba…> to let us know so we can make arrangements. If you already talked to an organizer about it, do it anyway. Please. *not sure about this? Don’t worry. You’ll find out what this means when you get here. :) June 2017 28 RSVP required <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba8…> <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba8…> FRIEND ON FACEBOOK <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba…> <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba8…> FOLLOW ON TWITTER <http://plainbicycle.us16.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=7da28f97a6eaedd38ba…>

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