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Paper bike helmet wins design prize
by Beth McKechnie 21 Nov '16

21 Nov '16

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.3860483/ disposable-paper-bike-helmet-wins-design-prize-1.3860502 [Thanks to Terry Zdan for the share]

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WFP Analysis: Road safety by design (Nov.21'16)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Nov '16

21 Nov '16

Road safety by design By: Brent Bellamy <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/biographies/304929281.html> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/road-safet y-by-design-402202515.html If flying were as dangerous as crossing the street, steamships and passenger trains would still be a thing. On average, about 600 people die in plane crashes across the entire world each year, while in Canada alone, one pedestrian per day is killed in a vehicle collision. In Manitoba, a pedestrian is hit and injured by a car five times per week, resulting in death once per month. We have engineered our Canadian cities for speed. Our streets have got bigger; lanes have got wider and traffic flow has been given priority over the safety of other transportation modes, such as walking and cycling. Speed reduces reaction times, increases stopping distances and has a significant effect on accident severity. A pedestrian struck by a car travelling 50 kilometres per hour has an 80 per cent chance of being killed, compared with only five per cent at 30 km/h. Reducing vehicle speeds is key to road safety, but it’s not as easy as putting up signs and red-light cameras. Drivers respond to the physical design of streets and surrounding conditions. Most of us have experienced driving on a road designed for high speeds with a low posted limit. It’s instinctively difficult not to go faster. If we hope to make streets safer, physical design will be a necessary part of the solution. The residential areas of downtown are a significant point of interaction between high volumes of vehicles and pedestrians. A few simple design features could be implemented to make areas such as South Broadway, Central Park and the Exchange District safer, quieter and more comfortable urban neighbourhoods. A first design idea might be to reconfigure the lower-volume, one-way streets in these areas back to two-way circulation. One-way streets are built to funnel traffic quickly, encouraging drivers to increase their speed. Without oncoming vehicles, driver concentration can be reduced, with less awareness of surrounding movements. A study in Hamilton in 2000 found children are 2½ times more likely to be injured crossing a one-way street than a two-way. Another important strategy to increase safety is to begin narrowing roadways where appropriate. As a driver’s field of vision expands, speeds intuitively increase. As an example, regardless of speed limits, we instinctively drive faster on Pembina Highway than on Albert Street. A precedent for road narrowing is Donald Street, where in 2013 a lane was removed beside MTS Centre. The sidewalk was widened; trees were planted and benches and lighting were installed. This made the street feel more enclosed and intimate, a condition that could be replicated on many local downtown streets, having a great effect on pedestrian safety and urban quality without significant change to traffic congestion. Road narrowing also provides an opportunity to install curbed bike lanes, further buffering pedestrians from traffic and protecting cyclists. Where streets can’t be narrowed, curb extensions, or bump-outs, can be built to expand the sidewalk into the parking lane at intersections, where the majority of pedestrian accidents occur. This has the effect of increasing pedestrian visibility as well as reducing the distance and time it takes to cross. The Montreal Public Health Agency estimates that for every extra vehicle lane at an intersection, there are 75 per cent more injured pedestrians. A design tool to increase pedestrian safety used in many cities is the elevated plateau crosswalk. This raises the street crossing to the height of the sidewalk, making pedestrians more visible as they cross and providing a physical reminder to drivers that they are entering a pedestrian zone. The plateau is gently sloped on each side and much lower than a speed bump, making them easy to clear of snow in winter. They are generally the width of the sidewalk and are often marked with contrasting paint or constructed with paving stones to give the appearance that the sidewalk is continuous as it crosses the road. In Copenhagen, Denmark, the gold-standard city for pedestrian and bike safety, raised crosswalks are a common element at intersections. Renowned Danish urban designer Jan Gehl has remarked that because of these features, when his granddaughter walks to school, she feels like she never crosses a street. This anecdote demonstrates that raised crosswalks would not only be effective traffic-calming elements in downtown neighbourhoods, but they could also be implemented throughout suburban residential areas, particularly in school zones, where more than 4,000 Canadian children are hit by motor vehicles each year. A few Winnipeg schools have already begun building raised crosswalks as a model to study. In response to recent pedestrian accidents, Coun. Janice Lukes has been calling for Winnipeg to follow other Canadian cities and adopt Vision Zero, a global initiative that promotes a holistic approach to road safety. A fundamental pillar of the strategy is to use tools such as these to design physical environments that intuitively calm traffic downtown and in residential neighbourhoods. Slowing traffic is never a popular suggestion, but when designed carefully, these initiatives can be implemented without increasing congestion and may have valuable side benefits beyond pedestrian safety. Safe streets are inviting streets. Their slower pace creates a more comfortable physical environment that attracts people. This gravity supports commercial growth, increases property values and improves the quality of life in our communities. Great walking cities have suburban subdivisions with sidewalks on every street, school zones and residential intersections that are prioritized to foot traffic and complete urban streets that are designed equally for all users: transit riders, cyclists, drivers and pedestrians. *Brent Bellamy is chairman of CentreVenture’s board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Bikeyface TEDx talk
by Kevin Miller 15 Nov '16

15 Nov '16

Interesting/informative/entertaining 6:16 TEDx talk by the creator of the Bikeyface comic strip blog. I had to hit pause for most of her comic slides because there is so much to read/see in them and she's changing slides quite quickly. http://bikeyface.com/2015/10/08/moving-people-bikeyface-at-tedxsomerville/ Kevin Miller k.a.miller(a)mts.net

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AT Webinar invite: Transitions between bikeway facilities, Wed, Nov 16, 2-3pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

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. The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth * * * * * *Transitions Between Bikeway FacilitiesWednesday, November 16 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm CST * *Speaker:* Sarah Kraum, Multi-Modal Program Specialist, Space Coast TPO Sarah will discuss various bicycle and pedestrian features and connections that have been used and are planned along Brevard County’s regional trail system. These features have made it possible for the trails to transition through various environments, municipalities, and overcome “roadblocks.”

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Metro News: Wheels are in motion for fast-tracked bike grid in Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 10 Nov '16

10 Nov '16

Coun. Janice Lukes put rubber to the road on a fast-tracked downtown bike grid this week. After a well-attended forum <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/13/winnipeg-forum-planned-for…> proved there's interest in speeding up the cycling network, Lukes drummed up a pitch for a “downtown grid of adjustable bicycle lanes before the end of 2018.” She presented it to the Riel community committee on Monday. The motion has been forwarded to the infrastructure renewal and public works (IRPW) committee for further consideration at its Nov. 29 meeting. *Read full article*: http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/10/winnipeg-councillor-pushin…

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WFP: Pedestrian safety requires a new Vision - Swedes have the right idea (Nov.3'16)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Nov '16

03 Nov '16

Pedestrian safety requires a new VisionIn the bid to eliminate pedestrian fatalities, Swedes have the right idea http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/pedestrian-safety- requires-a-new-vision-399749531.html I hadn’t planned to take you back down the same old road by writing yet another column on traffic and saving little lives. But then I received another personal and passionate email from a reader: my big boss. It was a fresh take on the subject from *Free Press* publisher Bob Cox that pointed me beyond that well-travelled road to a model for safer streets that we should consider. I had already written about the Calgary model for keeping kids safer by combining reduced-speed school zones with playgrounds, creating child-safety zones that operate 365 days a year. Bob is advocating a plan called Vision Zero, which has a goal of eliminating fatal and serious traffic accidents. Hence, the "zero" in its name. It’s a strategy recently embraced by Edmonton — another Alberta city we might learn from – although that’s not where Bob pointed for the best example. Instead, Bob referenced Sweden — the birthplace of both Vision Zero and, not-so-coincidentally, his wife Lena. He noted Vision Zero has been in place in that famously progressive country for almost two decades and it’s working. "It is a full program that looks at all aspects of roads," Bob explained, "from the way they are constructed to who uses them to how fast you should drive. It has produced a lot of study of what are appropriate speed limits and the conclusion has been that the safe speed limit in built-up urban areas is 30 km per hour." That’s the same speed Winnipeg posts in reduced-speed school zones, but only during the school year. To put that speed in the context of safety, someone struck by a vehicle going 30 km/h has a 95 per cent chance of survival, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, although I suspect a small child’s survival rate might be less. At 50 km/h, the chances of survival mirror that rate of speed; 50-50. That’s why 30 km/h makes safety sense and, as Bob pointed out, in Sweden — where, for example, almost all the residential streets of a big city such as Gothenburg are posted at that reduced rate — the country has virtually no cases of children being killed while crossing the street. "Why does it work?" Bob asked, rhetorically. "One of the main reasons is consistency. You’re not constantly changing speed limits depending on whether you’re near a school or a playground or whatever. It just is the speed limit. All the time." But Vision Zero isn’t just about reducing road speeds. As Bob suggested, it’s also about designing and building safer roads that are more about keeping people safe than moving them in a huge hurry. It’s about a country with a different mindset. "Long before Vision Zero, my wife’s home town of Alingsas implemented a system that allowed cars and people to almost never meet — bike and pedestrian paths are separate from roadways," Bob explained. "They don’t even have level crossings, only underpasses or overpasses. On the residential street outside her parents’ home there is a sidewalk on only one side of the street — that way it can be twice as wide as a normal sidewalk, broad enough for both pedestrians and cyclists to use with no need for either to be on the street with cars. Signs that warn motorists of possible pedestrians depict a woman holding a child’s hand, a reminder of what’s at stake." So are we ready for 30 km/h zones on residential streets? Are we ready for safer and more progressive approaches to designing and building roads, sidewalks and bike paths? We’ve been down this go-slower road before with city administration — as recently has two years ago — and it has gone nowhere. The problem is our own mindset. It, like the roads we’ve designed and built in the past — and even those we’ve constructed in more recent years — seems to be set in concrete. It’s about what’s best for motor vehicles, not pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s more about reducing infrastructure costs than about reducing deaths and serious injuries. All of that, alas, comes from a far different kind of vision zero. gordon.sinclair(a)freepress.mb.ca Manitoba Fatalities Manitoba Public Insurance didn’t have readily available historic numbers for traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries in Winnipeg, only province-wide. But according to MPI, on average, 75 to 80 per cent of fatalities occur in rural areas. 2016 92 2015 78 2014 68 2013 85 2012 96 2011 110 2010 87 2009 86 2008 92 2007 109 Source: MPI Get the data Manitoba Serious Injuries 2015 415 2014 303 2013 307 2012 339 2011 337 2010 312 2009 384 2008 396 2007 426 WHAT’S THE HURRY? Here is a breakdown of school-zone speeding tickets issued last month compared with September of last year. *September 2016* Mobile enforcement in reduced speed 30 km/h school zones -- *8,704** ** Mobile enforcement in regular 50 km/h school zones – *3,129* Total – 11,833 *September 2015* Mobile enforcement in reduced-speed 30 km/h school zones -- *6,838* Mobile enforcement in regular 50 or 60 km/h school zones – *2,717* Total – *9,555=* **Highest speed recorded - 75 km/h* *** Average Speed - 47.8 km/h* *Source: Winnipeg Police Service* PAY UP Fine for going 10 km/h over 30 km/h — $181.50 Fine for going 15 km/h or more over 30 km/h — $246.25

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School Board Walk/Bike Charter - Quebec
by Anders Swanson 01 Nov '16

01 Nov '16

School boards all over Quebec are being urged to sign an impressive active transportation charter and 2 have already signed up: http://www.velo.qc.ca/fr/salledepresse/20161031212215/Pour-clore-le-Mois-In…

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Street sense - Urban thinker Jane Jacobs' life, short works captured in pair of new books (Oct.29'16)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Oct '16

31 Oct '16

Street sense Urban thinker Jane Jacobs' life, short works captured in pair of new books http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/books/street- sense-399133141.html For those who like their Jane Jacobs served neat and short, here, for the first time, is a comprehensive tasting menu of smaller creations by the visionary American-born Canadian urbanist (journalist, historian, economist, activist, etc.), unfiltered and undiluted. Served chronologically and spanning Jacobs’ seven decades of evolving theory on how cities function and can function better, the offerings in *Vital Little Plans* include articles from *Vogue* in the 1930s, *Harper’s Bazaar* in the ’40s and *Architectural Forum* in the ’50s. There are interviews (see Jacobs bristle in a 1993 one-on-one with Canadian journalist David Warren); an early website commentary (1995); and speeches (including one she delivered at a 2001 conference of Canada’s large city mayors in Winnipeg). There is her "foreword" to a 1952 State Department Loyalty Security Board interrogatory inquiring into her affiliations (she was a target of Cold War campaigns to expose Communists but was, in fact, an independent thinker). There is also an excerpt of a book, unfinished when she died in 2006. Jacobs’ writing is clear — expressed simply, sometimes lyrically, down-to-earth and based on observation and research — but it is not simple. Some pieces, given their complexity (particularly her economic theories), take time to digest. The knowledgable editors masterfully provide context in a style as engaging as Jacobs’ own. Samuel Zipp is a historian and academic of American and urban studies at Rhode Island’s Brown University; Nathan Storring is a curator and designer based also in Providence and New York City, with Ontario roots. Their five "part introductions," prefacing different stages of Jacobs’ writings, describe her life and times concurrent with those works. The writings are balanced between her New York City and Toronto periods. Their annotations, readily accessible at the foot of the page, succinctly identify persons referenced by Jacobs (tombstone data, career background, their relationship to her) and explain diverse concepts such as New York City’s long-gone pneumatic mail tube system, "new towns" and the Canadian Senate. They cross-reference singular Jacobs ideas, pointing to other of her works, inside and out of *Vital Little Plans,* where those thoughts originated, are expanded upon, shift and connect. The collection includes Jacobs’ 1992 new foreword to her most famous book, *The Death and Life of Great American Cities*, republished 31 years after rocking city planners, architects and the public in 1961. That seminal work appears on the dust jacket of *Vital Little Plans* as part of an extended subtitle: *The Short Works of Jane Jacobs, Author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities*. This is doubly curious. Surely anyone interested in this meaty new volume will have already heard of Jacobs, so *Death and Life* is hardly a lure. Could a person possibly know that work but not Jane Jacobs? The editors suggest she may be fading from memory. A reason, they say, for now publishing *Little Vital Plans* is to "retrieve… her voice for readers who’ve forgotten it or never knew it in the first place." Jacobs is everywhere in 2016. In addition to Robert Kanigel’s *Eyes on the Street: The Life of Jane Jacobs*, another biography, *Becoming Jane Jacobs* by Peter L. Laurence is due, as well as another Jacobs collection, *Jane Jacobs: The Last Interview and Other Conversations*. This year, on the weekend closest to Jacobs’ May 4 birthday, tens of thousands of citizen-explorers across six continents plied local neighbourhoods to celebrate her and her ideas. It was the 10th annual edition of Jane’s Walks, the urban walking tours inspired by Jacobs’ ideas. *Vital Little Plans* encourages us to read Jacobs. Short samplings are easier to appreciate and, unlike a select work from her varied collection, provide the full palette of her thought. We can walk away satisfied with more than mere tropes, good as "sidewalk ballet" and "eyes on the street" will always be. *Gail Perry is a co-founder of the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation and co-creator of a local Jane’s Walk, Plane Jane: A Walk to the Airport.*

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WFP Analysis: Designing the perfect winter city (Oct.31'16)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Oct '16

31 Oct '16

Designing the perfect winter city http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/ designing-the-perfect-winter-city-399272171.html Winter is Winnipeg’s thing. It’s what we’re known for. It unifies us like a legion heading into battle. As we prepare to collectively stare down another winter, however, the city of Edmonton is quietly threatening to invade our turf. They not only showed up last week to beat us at our favourite winter sport, they are now trying to beat us at winter itself. In a few weeks, Edmonton’s urban planning committee and city council will be presented with an official winter design policy, a planning document that outlines an innovative set of winter-specific urban design guidelines, with the goal of transforming the Alberta capital into an international model for winter city design. Once adopted, its recommendations will influence zoning bylaws, design standards and approval processes by viewing them through the unique lens of winter living. With these new guidelines, Edmonton is hoping to turn a traditional winter hibernation into an outdoor urban celebration. Winnipeg has led the way with several grassroots festivals, activities and community initiatives that have begun to change our attitudes about winter living, but embedding winter-specific design principles into official civic policy is a visionary idea that could have a transformational effect on the character of Edmonton’s architectural and urban form. The guidelines will implement several design strategies to help make outdoor spaces comfortable and inviting in all seasons, by focusing on the creation of comfortable urban microclimates. Wind and sunlight are the two key elements that impact thermal comfort in urban areas. Environment Canada has indicated by controlling these factors through design, we can make outdoor public spaces feel warmer by as much as 10 C on cold days. Edmonton’s new guidelines hope to encourage outdoor winter activity by considering the impact of design elements at every scale. On an urban design level, dense development is promoted, with short city blocks that reduce walking distances. The use of urban alleyways is encouraged as an opportunity to provide smaller, sheltered spaces with shops, restaurants and pedestrian connections to adjoining streets. In strategic areas, the guidelines recommend buildings include small setbacks or pocket parks along the sidewalk to create sun traps and wind shelters that incorporate dense materials such as stone and brick to naturally absorb and reflect heat. The document also advocates for development of more low-rise buildings to help break up the wind and provide access to sunlight on the sidewalks. Zoning changes are suggested to create streets that have buildings with varied heights, to reduce the wind tunnel effect, while taller structures are to be located on the north sides of streets and should be designed with massing that steps back from the sidewalks as they rise, to reduce shadows at the ground. At an architectural scale, designers are encouraged to establish strong indoor-outdoor relationships, by creating buildings with many public entrances and small storefronts aligned directly to the sidewalk, so pedestrians can find regular locations to warm up. Requirements for buildings to include awnings, arcades and overhangs are promoted as a way of providing outdoor shelter from wind, snow and rain. The use of colour on building facades is encouraged, along with permanent and seasonal lighting to provide a visual warmth to the outdoor environment, particularly during the long, dark winter months. Recommendations for landscape design include development of urban spaces with public art and street furnishings that incorporate windscreens, gas firepits and other heating sources. Trees, plants and landscape elements are also seen as an important design opportunity to create outdoor rooms that control wind, sun and drifting snow in public places. By carefully implementing these strategies, designers can affect human comfort in our urban environments in very significant ways. Commitment to these principles could result in the development of a unique northern city that supports a vibrant and active urban lifestyle in every season. We have generally used technology to fight our battles against climate and have in many ways built cities that turn their backs on winter, with skywalks that replace sidewalks and climate-controlled malls instead of urban shopping streets. This has not only made a lasting impact on quality of life in many northern cities during the colder months but often affects public priorities and investment in the warmer seasons as well. There is often opposition to new ideas in cities such as Winnipeg if they are viewed as having limited seasonal use. Year-round urban amenities such as protected bike lanes, pedestrian-oriented downtown streets or walkable residential neighbourhoods are often dismissed with the sentiment that we can’t do that here because it’s too cold. With good design, however, outdoor winter participation can be increased, optimizing public investment. As an example, when bike-lane systems in Montreal and Minneapolis were designed and maintained with winter use as a priority, cycling rates more than doubled overall, and winter participation has been growing three times faster than summer use. Edmonton’s winter design policy is an inspiring first step toward making a long-term cultural shift in our perception of winter living. Their leadership is an opportunity for Winnipeg to set its own priorities for winter city design. By promoting innovative, homegrown approaches to architectural, urban and landscape design that naturally encourages more outdoor winter living, we can improve our quality of life and capitalize on the unique opportunities of our northern climate. *Brent Bellamy is chairman of CentreVenture’s board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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Funding announced for Headingley path connection
by Beth McKechnie 29 Oct '16

29 Oct '16

*HEADINGLEY, MANITOBA–(Marketwired - Oct. 28, 2016) * The Government of Canada and the Province of Manitoba today announced support for a new pathway at the intersection of Provincial Road 334 (Bridge Road) and the Provincial Trunk Highway No. 1. This connection between the north and the south areas of Headingley across the Highway will provide pedestrians and cyclists with a new, direct link to key amenities in the area. The pathway will create increased opportunities for outdoor recreation for families and give them a safer travel option in the community. http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/investment-in-local-infrastructure…

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Job posting - Peg City Car Co-op
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '16

26 Oct '16

*** Please share widely – thanks! *** *Peg City Car Co-op seeks Member Services Coordinator* We’re looking for someone who is passionate about sustainable transportation and is keen to help make carsharing a practical, convenient and cost-effective solution for more Winnipeggers. If you are someone who likes a variety of responsibilities and working with a small, tight-knit team, this is for you. Check out the full posting here <https://pegcitycarcoop.ca/v1_5/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Member-Services-C…> . Apply by November 14, 2016. *Bike. Walk. Bus. And Sometimes, Drive.*

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WFP: Lukes wants downtown bike lanes fast-tracked (Oct.21'16)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Trip west convinces councillor protected bike lanes in downtown should be fast-tracked http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/trip-west-convinces-councillor-prote… A recent West Coast trip to an urban cycling and pedestrian conference has re-ignited a suburban city councillor’s enthusiasm to spur Winnipeg’s own protected downtown bike lane network. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of the city council’s public works committee, wants city hall to fast-track the establishment of a downtown network of protected bike lanes using temporary structures like concrete Jersey highway barriers and concrete curbs and plastic bollards. "Why not investigate to see if we can do it?" Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert) said. "There seems to be broad public interest in it. We want people living in our downtown and we want the downtown to be vibrant and exciting and more cycling and pedestrian does that." Lukes held a public forum earlier this week, bringing with her the team of engineers responsible for designing and implementing the temporary downtown networks in Calgary and Edmonton. The event drew about 130 people, she said, and it stoked everyone’s interest that the model could be duplicated in Winnipeg. "Winnipeg needs something like this," said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Cohoe attended Luke’s forum and said the team of engineers generated local excitement at what could be accomplished here. Council approved a cycling and pedestrian strategy last year that outlines proposed bike and pedestrian paths across the city but it’s a 30-year plan and Lukes said she thinks the timeline can be speeded up considerably. The city has a protected bike route along a stretch of Sherbrook Street and is constructing routes along Assiniboine Avenue and Pembina Highway. The most ambitious plan appears to be the make-over of Garry Street, with a 1.5-long-kilometre protected bike route that runs from Assiniboine Avenue into the Exchange District. But it won’t be completed until the end of 2018. Winnipeg’s current policy is to construct protected bike lanes as part of a co-ordinated effort involving street and underground infrastructure street renewals. Lukes said the conference showed her there’s another approach — Calgary was able to quickly set up a protected bike network using temporary structures, which can be moved if the routes need to be adjusted. Lukes said building protected bike routes encourages ridership and rider safety; using temporary structures generates cycling interest quickly and helps civic officials determine which routes should become permanent. "Because you’re using temporary structures, it doesn’t take years to build it," Lukes said. "They created this temporary network in downtown Calgary and, the design resulted in an increase in the number of on-street parking spaces and led to a significant increase in the number of downtown cyclists." Lukes said she’ll ask city staff at the Nov. 1 meeting of the public works committee to see what would have to happen to enable a fast-track a downtown cycling network, which will likely involve more study and a plan with a budget to be brought to council. "We have the (proposed) routes already. Now, we need to look at our budget and decide what can we put on hold and how we can get it done." She said it’s possible the federal Liberal government will provide funding. Lukes said that while in Vancouver she explored that city’s network of protected bike routes. "There were hundreds and thousands of people riding their bikes everywhere. "I biked around downtown Vancouver all over. I felt safe. It was amazing, it was like, oh my gosh, it was fantastic. Again, it was protected cycling – I felt safe. It was great. It’s a cycling network that eight-year-olds and 80-year-olds can go on it — It’s not made just for guys in spandex. People feel safer so people use it." So, why is a suburban councillor promoting a proposal to fast-track a downtown cycling network? Lukes said before winning election to council, she spent 15 years as an advocate for increased pedestrian and cycling activities. "If we can get more people on bikes, we reduce traffic congestion — take that car lovers — and it’s a proven boost to businesses along the street. It creates vitality, vibrancy and gets more people healthy. It’s a win-win. It’s the right thing to do." Lukes points to the popularity of the Northeast Pioneers’ Greenway — a long strip of pavement that runs between two streets from North Kildonan to East Kildonan. "It doesn’t even go anywhere or connect to any other bike routes and it’s become the most heavily used piece of active transportation we have in Manitoba. Never in my life would I have dreamed the impact that walking and cycling does for people. I see how it transforms communities, neighbourhoods and lifestyles." Cohoe said the city’s proposed downtown network lacks connectivity with other neighbourhoods and needs to be revised but Lukes said city hall has to start somewhere and creating a downtown network is probably the best option. Creating a safe, protected downtown network will generate interest, she said, and will lead to the establishment of cycling networks in other neighbourhoods and routes that link the various networks. "Really, it’s the chicken-or-egg dilemma," Lukes said. "We have a huge density of people downtown, we want more people living downtown. We have a lot we can build on from our own experience and there’s lots to build on from other cities. We’ve got actual pieces of infrastructure, like on Sherbrook, which other businesses can see." aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Job Posting - Green Action Centre: Sustainable Transportation Program
by Shoni Madden 21 Oct '16

21 Oct '16

Please share with your networks! Green Action Centre is looking for someone to join our sustainable transportation team. This full-time position will be a dual role with 3 days per week at the Active and Safe Routes to School Program, and 2 days with our Workplace Commuter Options program. If you have experience in this area, please check out the attached posting or the link for more detail on what the position entails. The deadline to apply is November 7, 2016. http://greenactioncentre.ca/featured/job-posting-join-our-sustainable-trans… Thanks! -- *Shoni Madden* | Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3773 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/> * Please note that my regular office hours are Monday/Friday. I will respond to your communication at this time.

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Metro News: Forum on fast tracking bike well attended, but now what? (Oct.20'16)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Oct '16

20 Oct '16

Forum on fast tracking bike network well attended, but now what?Winnipeggers have expressed an appetite for a fast-tracked minimum grid installation in downtown, but there's still work to do before it can happen. http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/19/winnipeg-hungry-for-bike-n… A group of Winnipeg cyclists, politicians and students are keen to see the wheels in motion for a bike grid in Winnipeg. But following a public forum on “fast tracking <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/13/winnipeg-forum-planned-for…>” a complete bike lane network in Winnipeg on Tuesday, the question remains: Now what? Spoiler alert: there could be more consultations. More than 150 people at the forum heard from a panel well acquainted with the successful application of that style project in Calgary, and another underway in Edmonton, and liked what they heard. “There wasn’t a moment that made me think it wasn’t applicable (in Winnipeg),” said urban design student Zach Fleischer. “To see the other cities stepping up to the plate, it’s really inspiring, and it gives me hope we can start to move forward.” The Green Action Centre’s safe routes to school program coordinator Jamie Hilland, who admits he’s biased in terms of wanting protected bike lanes, said he found the number of attendees “eye opening.” “(Attendance) was impressive, it was literally standing room only. You can really tell there is a pent-up demand for this kind of thing,” he said. The demand hasn’t gone unnoticed with municipal leaders. Councillor Cindy Gilroy, who attended the forum, said she appreciated the panel and learning “how (other cities) moved forward with a grid,” adding she’s, “open to having a conversation now about what (Winnipeg) can do.” She thinks it’s the right time to have that conversation, as “more and more people become engaged.” “A few years back that room (Tuesday) wouldn’t have been as packed, but people are starting to cycle more,” she said. “I think we need to talk to that community… if they feel we could start a project while having some temporary infrastructure put in that could become permanent, I’m all for that.” Her colleague, Coun. Marty Morantz, is similarly interested in pacing the bike network expansion to allow for more consultation—whereas the forum’s organizer and lead bike-booster Coun. Janice Lukes is steering the fast-track wagon. Morantz wasn’t at the public forum, but during a debate on impact fees at City Hall on Wednesday he highlighted the contradiction in Lukes wanting to take more time to study the fees while trying to hurry in another “major policy area.” “A downtown cycling grid is very important. I just really hope that it doesn’t get rushed through,” Morantz said. Lukes, for her part, doesn’t disagree, and her next steps are in line with what Morantz and Gilroy are thinking. “What’s next? We go to the next phase,” Lukes said. “I’ll make a motion to ask the department what amount of consultation it would take to understand this better… get some cost estimates, some scheduling estimates, that’s my intent.” Depending how long it takes for city staff to answer those and other questions in a full report, Lukes said consultation could probably happen within the next year, something she’s excited about. “I absolutely want to keep moving forward on this,” she said. “Ultimately council will decide.”

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Cyclist says his pool noodle makes Toronto streets safer for him
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

Not sure if this should make us laugh at this fellow's ingenuity or shake our heads that our streets push someone to this measure. Shows what lengths people will go to in order to be a little safer on their bikes. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/10/18/cyclist-says-his-pool-noodle-ma… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your 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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Webinar reminder: Intersections that Work for Peds and Cyclists - Wed, Oct 19, 2-3pm
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

*** Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar *** 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. The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth * * * * * *Intersections that Work for Pedestrians and CyclistsWednesday, October 19 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm CST * Intersections present the greatest safety risk for vulnerable road users and are the point of greatest potential conflict. The Dutch approach to intersection design of separating modes and increasing sociability through eye contact presents an opportunity for significant safety improvements to transportation networks while meeting operational demands. This webinar will evaluate the safety issues for pedestrians and cyclists that lie in traditional intersection designs, as well as identify the principal elements involved in protected intersection design and explore their role in increasing safety. In addition, case studies of safety improvements from both Dutch and North American contexts where protected intersection designs have been implemented will be discussed. *Speakers:* - Dick Van Veen, Senior Consultant / Lead Designer Public Space, Mobycon - Brian Gould, Bike Planning Engineer, City of Vancouver -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your 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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Bike lanes are a sound health investment
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '16

18 Oct '16

Every $1,300 New York City invested in building bike lanes in 2015 provided benefits equivalent to one additional year of life at full health over the lifetime of all city residents, according to a new economic assessment. That's a better return on investment than some direct health treatments, like dialysis, which costs $129,000 for one quality-adjusted life year, or QALY, said coauthor Dr. Babak Mohit of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in New York. Our greatest public health intervention, vaccines, take about $100 investment to yield one QALY, Mohit told Reuters Health by phone. Read full article: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/09/29/bike-lanes-are-sound-public-health…

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Edmonton's quick build protected bike lane grid a new model
by Beth McKechnie 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

In preparation for Tuesday night's forum <http://janicelukes.ca/blog/forum-fast-tracking-a-downtown-cycling-grid-calg…> at the Millennium Library on a protected bike lane grid in downtown Winnipeg, here's a succinct description of Edmonton's planned approach. (Note that it received unanimous approval from council.) http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/edmontons-quick-build-protected-bi… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your 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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Good Canadian article as to the safety of cycling for kids
by Jamie Hilland 14 Oct '16

14 Oct '16

http://shifter.info/why-are-we-so-afraid-of-letting-kids-ride-bikes-when-st… Jamie Hilland | Program Manager Active and Safe Routes to School Green Action Centre 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue | (204) 925-3773 | Find us here *Please note I am away from the office Thursdays and Fridays* Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member. Donate at CanadaHelps.org

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Fast-tracking a Downtown Cycling Grid Forum - Oct 18, Millennium Library
by Beth McKechnie 12 Oct '16

12 Oct '16

*Public INVITATION: Fast tracking a Downtown Cycling Grid* What's up in Winnipeg? Find out on Oct 18! *Tuesday, October 18, 2016* *6:30 pm Registration* *7:00 pm SHARP – Forum begins* *Millennium Library, 215 Donald Street – Carol Shields Auditorium* More details at: http://janicelukes.ca/blog/forum-fast-tracking-a-downtown-cycling-grid-calg…

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Webinar invite: Intersections that Work for Peds and Cyclists - Wed, Oct 19, 2-3pm
by Beth McKechnie 12 Oct '16

12 Oct '16

Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of this month's APBP webinar. The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth * * * * * *Intersections that Work for Pedestrians and CyclistsWednesday, October 19 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm CST * Intersections present the greatest safety risk for vulnerable road users and are the point of greatest potential conflict. The Dutch approach to intersection design of separating modes and increasing sociability through eye contact presents an opportunity for significant safety improvements to transportation networks while meeting operational demands. This webinar will evaluate the safety issues for pedestrians and cyclists that lie in traditional intersection designs, as well as identify the principal elements involved in protected intersection design and explore their role in increasing safety. In addition, case studies of safety improvements from both Dutch and North American contexts where protected intersection designs have been implemented will be discussed. *Speakers:* - Dick Van Veen, Senior Consultant / Lead Designer Public Space, Mobycon - Brian Gould, Bike Planning Engineer, City of Vancouver -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your 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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WFP Analysis: Pilot projects going permanent (Oct.11'16
by Beth McKechnie 12 Oct '16

12 Oct '16

Pilot projects going permanent By: Brent Bellamy http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/pilot-projects-going-perm… Resistance to change is a natural human condition. We feel security in what is familiar and see risk in what is unknown. As cities grow and progress, this inertia can be a difficult obstacle for planners, developers and political leaders trying to implement new ideas. When change threatens to alter familiar, established patterns in a community, opposition galvanizes, and decision-makers face the uphill challenge of articulating the goals and benefits of new proposals in an effort to alleviate neighbourhood concerns. Cities across North America are looking for new ways to engage in this dialogue and inspire a greater feeling of public inclusion in the decision-making process. In some cases, cities are implementing short-term pilot projects as a method of testing ideas and building community support. Pilot projects allow residents to observe the real-world effects of an idea, fundamentally changing the nature of public outreach. Traditional open house-type consultation offers case studies from other cities, academic theory and glossy renderings that often do little to change attitudes and preconceptions. By implementing smaller-scale pilot projects, the starting point for public engagement is shifted from a hypothetical description to a discussion about an observed experience. The lower cost and flexibility of pilot projects often means designers can very quickly implement substantial change in a city, evaluate performance, react to public feedback and easily modify or remove components before a permanent solution is implemented. These temporary projects often face less public resistance because the impact of failure is perceived to be lower. A successful example of this will soon come to an end in Calgary. In April 2014, the city decided to create a temporary 6.5-kilometre-long protected bike-lane network throughout the downtown. The argument was made that a minimum grid needed to be established to realize an impact on cycling participation. Constructed using moveable planters, precast parking curbs and plastic bollards, the system opened in June of that same year. To evaluate the effects, a record of 82 different metrics has been kept, including participation rates, percentage of female riders and impact on traffic congestion. Fourteen months later, a celebration was held for the one millionth rider to pass one of the counting stops and surveys have shown the number of bike commuters into the downtown has doubled since the network was built. Public acceptance of the lanes has substantially increased, and the city is now preparing to make the system permanent and is even looking for ways to expand. Last week, the City of Edmonton decided to follow Calgary’s lead and build its own seven-kilometre-long downtown cycling network next spring. Compare this to Winnipeg’s piecemeal approach, where a 1.5-kilometre-long permanent protected bike lane on a single downtown road began public consultation in 2015 and will not experience its first full summer season until 2019. At that pace, it will be far more than a decade until we achieve the minimum effective network Edmonton will establish in two months. Having seen the effects of the pilot project, initial fears in Calgary have largely been overcome, meaning further expansion of cycling infrastructure will likely meet with less resistance moving forward. In Winnipeg, each new lane will continue to face opposition because their effect cannot be fully evaluated until the network is complete. There are many other pilot projects Winnipeg could borrow from other cities to test designs and gauge public reaction. During the last election, Mayor Bowman mused about creating a pedestrian promenade in the Exchange District. Last year, Montreal created five different temporary pedestrian mall pilot projects across the city to observe how they would work and evaluate their impacts. The City of Montrose, Col., recently implemented temporary diagonal parking stalls, much like those Coun. Pagtakhan is currently proposing for downtown Winnipeg. One of the city’s most contentious urban planning issues, the opening of Portage and Main to pedestrians, might also achieve greater public acceptance through a pilot-project strategy. This approach could allow Winnipeggers the opportunity to experience the benefits of a vibrant public space at the heart of their city, while planners and engineers could observe the real-world consequences of their designs, responding to public fears of congestion and safety before a final scheme is implemented. A relevant precedent study for this would be from New York City where, in 2009, five blocks of Broadway, including three of the seven vehicle lanes running through Times Square, were closed and transformed into a series of public plazas for a one-year test period. The asphalt was painted red, seating areas were delineated by planters and the spaces were filled with lawn chairs, moveable tables, umbrellas and public art. Concerts and events were held, allowing people to imagine the possibilities of what a new public space could become. After the year, predictions of stifling traffic congestion and fears for public safety were alleviated, and community support for the project went from 40 per cent to 75 per cent. Today, the public plazas are becoming a permanent centrepiece of the Manhattan cityscape. As we move forward in our community, we might learn from the experience of other cities and consider implementing pilot projects such as these, as a strategy to ensure effective investment in key urban design initiatives and encourage a more informed public dialogue. *Brent Bellamy is chairman of CentreVenture’s board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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International Walk to School Month
by Jamie Hilland 05 Oct '16

05 Oct '16

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/international-walk-to-school-month-b… Hopefully the city and province start making efforts to make the streets safer for kids to walk or bike to school! *Jamie Hilland* | *Program Manager* *Active and Safe Routes to School* Active kids are Healthy kids <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-377 <%28204%29%20925-3770>3 | 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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Councillor Lukes to hold public seminar on completing Winnipeg's bike network
by Beth McKechnie 04 Oct '16

04 Oct '16

Could a cycling grid be right for Winnipeg?Coun. Janice Lukes will hold a public seminar next month to see what it'll take to complete Winnipeg's bike network. http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/03/lukes-interested-in-cyclin… A Winnipeg councillor who saw the lights and lanes of a complete bike network out West on a recent visit thinks one could be rolled out here if only there were the “political will.” Councillor Janice Lukes (St. Norbert) recently attended the Pro Walk/ Pro Bike conference in Vancouver. She said she was “blown away” by how easily navigable the city was by bike. “You can do all the reading in the world, follow all of the blogs, listen to all of the people but there’s nothing like experiencing it,” she said of the city’s bike infrastructure. “I was biking in downtown, day and night, up and down very busy streets and felt completely safe.” At home, she admits openly she’s a part of a reasonably intimidated demographic of people who wish cycling felt safer, aware that disconnected lanes siphon cyclists into traffic often feels anything but safe. “It makes me nervous without protected bike lanes, you can only go up and down Assiniboine Avenue so many times,” she said. “Biking all over Vancouver with protected bike lanes was spectacular.” While at the conference, she also attended an information session on Calgary’s successful implementation of a minimum cycling grid—a network of protected lanes installed quickly to gauge potential usage. Edmonton city council is making moves to follow Calgary’s example, and Lukes said Winnipeg could be next. “Now is the time we should be looking at doing it, looking at temporary pieces of infrastructure to try it out,” she said. “We can learn from these other cities and apply it in a timely manner.” Lukes plans to host a seminar on the bike network question near the end of October. “We are going to talk about what Calgary did, what Edmonton is doing, and where we are at with what Winnipeg can do,” she said, noting the date and place are to be determined. Depending on how that session goes, and what kind of support she has from others councillors, Lukes said there’s a chance increased interest in closing the gaps in our bike network could be reflected in this year’s budget deliberations. Bike Winnipeg Executive Director Mark Cohoe said he hopes that’s the case. “We are falling behind, we’re in a position in this city where we can lead if we want to—we are flat, sunny, perfect for biking—but we have to have that political will and it has to be backed up with funding,” Cohoe said.

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Edmonton fast tracks protected bike lanes and rolling stops for cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '16

30 Sep '16

Great to see Edmonton not only following Calgary's lead in quick implementation of a basic grid of downtown protected bike lanes but also potentially becoming the first in Canada to allow cyclists to do a rolling yield at stop signs on residential streets. http://www.edmontonsun.com/2016/09/28/edmonton-council-committee-votes-to-f… -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your 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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