- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: No to through-pass traffic (Apr.30'15)
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '15

01 May '15

City hall in brief Posted: 04/30/2015 http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-hall-in-brief-301789591.html No to through-pass traffic CITY council has unanimously voted to reject traffic entering Winnipeg via a planned through-pass in East St. Paul. North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty has been one of the project's biggest opponents because of the influx of traffic it would allow to flow into Winnipeg. "There is no support now or forever for the idea of having general traffic use the Raleigh corridor," he said Wednesday at council. "The streets were not designed to handle this kind of traffic." The new interchange was announced by the province in September, to be constructed at Highway 59 and the north Perimeter. Part of the project would see the Perimeter elevated to accommodate a grade-level extension of Raleigh Street, connecting both sides of the RM of East St. Paul. The city administration joined Browaty this month in voicing concern over the proposed traffic link's impact on road congestion. The motion adopted on Wednesday called for council not to support the accommodation of general traffic entering Winnipeg from East St. Paul via the through-pass. In the province's original plan, the through-pass was intended for pedestrians, active transportation and emergency-vehicle access. In November, however, the province raised the possibility of opening the through-pass to vehicle traffic, a proposal since endorsed by the RM. "What we are saying is that what is being built, we don't have any consideration for it being open to vehicular traffic," Browaty said after the meeting. "The RM can build what they see fit, but what we are saying is we are not supporting the idea of opening it up to vehicular traffic through this tunnel." Public works chairwoman Coun. Janice Lukes brought forth an add-on to the motion, which called for public transit to be accommodated via the through-pass. Browaty, a longtime opponent of bus rapid transit, called the motion offensive and later remarked "it feels like this council will vote for anything that has rapid transit in its title." Browaty and St. Charles Coun. Shawn Dobson were the only councillors who voted in opposition to the add-on to the motion.

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New study: People who walk, cycle or take transit a third less likely to be obese
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '15

30 Apr '15

*People who walk, cycle or take transit a third less likely to be obese: study* by ALISON BAILEY <http://www.news1130.com/author/alison-bailey> Posted Apr 29, 2015 9:34 am PDT http://www.news1130.com/2015/04/29/people-who-walk-cycle-or-take-transit-a-… VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – If you walk, cycle, or take transit, chances are, you’re healthier than your friends who drive every day. Those are the results of a new study <https://www.myhealthmycommunity.org/Portals/0/Documents/MHMC%20Transportati…> that comes just one month before ballots have to be in for the transportation plebiscite. People who choose to walk, cycle, or take transit are 33 per cent less likely to be obese than those who are dependent on their cars, says Dr. Jat Sandhu with Vancouver Coastal Health. He adds they also are likely to have more positive lifestyle habits. “And these lifestyle attributes [are] characterized by eating five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day, having 30 minutes of walking a day, meeting their 150 minutes of exercise a week, as well as not smoking.” There was a difference in level of connection to the community, as well. “Those car users with longer commute times had a much lower sense of community belonging, and that’s a proxy marker for your social connectedness to your community as well as your social connections around you. So, really, the message here is that there are clear positive health dividends for those that participate in active transportation, whereas for car users with long commutes, there’s a downside in relation to how well connected they are to their community,” says Sandhu. This study began in 2013 and the data was collected over a year. About 28,000 people took part in the study, which is part of a larger project called My Health, My Community. Sandhu is the principal investigator of that project. “This is part of our broader work around healthy communities. Across both VCH and Fraser Health, there are in excess of 30 municipalities that we work with and we’re working with local governments to develop official community plans to consider factors that may support creating health promoting environments, so this information is really going to inform that, and that was really the primary purpose of undertaking this project. Along the way, we realized we’ve collected a wealth of information that could inform other issues as well, and hence, the first report that we released was the transportation and health.” Sandhu adds community profiles for 30 Lower Mainland municipalities will be released in about a month; the municipalities are benchmarked across their regional comparators.

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Another Fine Day in the City
by Stacy Matwick 29 Apr '15

29 Apr '15

Just a shout out to all AT Folk (and a hello to Beth) I thought this would brighten your Wednesday.Having nothing whatsoever to do with active transport but everything to do with the song.Crusoe's Dog-Friendly Florida Vacation 2015 | | | | | | | | | | | Crusoe's Dog-Friendly Florida Vacation 2015 | | | | View on www.youtube.com | Preview by Yahoo | | | | | Cheers from Stacy Matwick (enjoying my retirement)

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The Guardian: End of the Car Age - How Cities Outgrew the Automobile
by Jackie Avent 29 Apr '15

29 Apr '15

http://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/28/end-of-the-car-age-how-cities…

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No Safe Routes to School in Nova Scotia
by Jackie Avent 28 Apr '15

28 Apr '15

Hey folks, If anyone can put out the word to Nova Scotia that they should not cancel their ASRTS program funding, that would be great. It's an important, successful and award winning program that makes a proven difference. http://metronews.ca/voices/your-ride-halifax/1352740/nova-scotias-budget-cu…

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Cinematheque: Marinoni - The Fire in the Frame
by Beth McKechnie 23 Apr '15

23 Apr '15

Marinoni: The Fire In The Frame For cycling fans, his name is nothing less than legendary. In 1964, when he was 25, Giuseppe Marinoni left his native Italy for a bike race. Not only did he get countless Canadians interested in the sport, he went on to become one of the most passionate and trusted bicycle builders in the world. Now 75, the man with “a character of iron and the soul of an angel” is as driven as ever, and plans to break the world record for distance cycled in one hour for his age group, a record held by Eddy Merckx. For 60 days leading up to the event, Tony Girardin documented this intriguing, complete man, who shared not only his own story but those of the people important to him. *Generously sponsored by Natural Cycle* *Now playing at Cinemathque. Check showtimes and buy tickets <https://www.winnipegfilmgroup.com/event/marinoni-the-fire-in-the-frame/2015…>.*

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From: David Wieser
by David Wieser 22 Apr '15

22 Apr '15

Hi at http://vashkot.ru/vacation.php?song=eqp6hfa9m9an7b davidwieser(a)gmail.com Sent from my iPhone

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Jane's Walks strolling into Winnipeg May 2 & 3
by Beth McKechnie 21 Apr '15

21 Apr '15

*** Please share widely – thanks! *** On Saturday May 2 and Sunday May 3, the ninth annual Jane’s Walk is strolling into town. On this weekend, Winnipeggers can choose from a number of guided walks taking place across the city, and presented in an innovative and uniquely neighbourly fashion. Find background on Jane’s Walks <http://greenactioncentre.ca/living-green-living-well/janes-walks-celebrate-…> or go straight to the 2015 Winnipeg listings <http://janeswalk.org/canada/winnipeg/> to plan which walks you’ll take in May 2nd & 3rd. Check back regularly as more walks are being added daily!

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What's our walk-ability? Community discussion April 30th
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '15

20 Apr '15

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Complete streets
by Patman, David 20 Apr '15

20 Apr '15

New (April 2015) report - information on evaluating projects. http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/guides/evaluating-complete-streets-projec… David Patman, P. Eng. Transit Planner Winnipeg Transit | Service Development Division 421 Osborne Street | Winnipeg, Manitoba R3L 2A2 P: 204-986-5737 | dpatman(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:dpatman@winnipeg.ca>

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Fwd: [transp-tdm] CUTR webcasts now on YouTube
by Beth McKechnie 17 Apr '15

17 Apr '15

Hello everyone, In case you have an hour to fill (cause we all have so much unallocated time), here's a whole list of webinar recordings now available on YouTube that maybe of interest from the Centre for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida. enjoy, Beth ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Winters, Phil <winters(a)cutr.usf.edu> Date: Fri, Apr 17, 2015 at 2:47 PM Subject: [transp-tdm] CUTR webcasts now on YouTube To: Transp-tdm <transp-tdm(a)lists.cutr.usf.edu> Okay – we may not rival Netflix but we have moved our 75+ CUTR Webcast recordings to the CUTR YouTube channel! We hope you will visit https://www.youtube.com/user/NCTRCUTR to view these approximately 1-hour webinar recordings. Sorry but popcorn is not included. The full video playlist can be found at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD9B44DA087CA569E or check the list below: 1. A Qualitative Analysis of Bus Simulator Training on Transit Incidents 2. A Tool for Assessing the Economic Impacts of Spending on Public Transit 3. Access Management - Best Practices for Local Governments 4. Airport Cooperative Research Program 5. Airport Leadership Development Program 6. Alternative Fuels and Public Transportation Evaluating the Economic Impacts of Transportation 7. An Assessment of Public Transportation Markets Using NHTS Data 8. Attracting and Securing Airline Service 9. Best Practices in Bus Dispatch 10. Bicycle Sharing Program Development 11. Carpooling Without the Car - Walking School Bus and Bicycle Train Program 12. Collaboration between Universities and Cities to Create Sustainable Communities 13. Cost-Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit 14. Developing an Application to Measure Public Involvement 15. Development of Pinellas County Roadway Jurisdiction Policy 16. Evaluating the Impacts of Real-Time Transit Information in Tampa and Atlanta 17. Evaluation of Camera-Based Systems to Reduce Transit Bus Side Collisions 18. Evaluation of Rear-end Collisions and Identification of Possible Solutions 19. Expanding Commuter Options and Reducing GHG Emissions with Workplace Plug-in Vehicle Charging 20. Five Ways to Mitigate Substance Abuse in the Transportation Workplace 21. Flooded Bus Barns and Buckled Rails - Public Transportation and Climate Change Adaptation 22. Freight - Challenging the Role of Public Sector Transportation Officials 23. How to Develop a Transit Development Plan (TDP) and Why? 24. Human Transit - Tools for Clarifying Transit Debates 25. Improving Bus Transit Safety through Rewards and Discipline 26. Internal Trip Capture for Mixed-use Developments 27. Introduction to Airport Economics 28. Investigation of the Feasibility of Toll and Transit Agency Equity Sharing 29. Location Aware Technology 30. Mapping the Structure of Work in Public Transportation 31. Mobility Planning Strategies and Concepts 32. Motorcycle Crash Hot Spot Analysis for Ten High Priority Florida Counties 33. Motorcycle Crash Trends in Florida 34. Motorcycle Violations Checklist 35. Motorcyclist Attitudes and Behaviors in Florida 36. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) from a Public Transportation Perspective 37. Moving the Bus Safely Back Into Traffic 38. National Transit Livability Performance Measures – Challenges and Opportunities 39. Observational Survey of Motorcyclist Behaviors 40. OneBusAway Multi-region – Rapidly Expanding Mobile Transit Apps to New Cities 41. Open Transit Data - A Developer's Perspective 42. Organizational Structure of MPOs 43. Pedestrian/Bicyclist Warning Devices and Signs at Highway-Rail and Pathway-Rail Grade Crossings 44. Planning for Changing Travel Behavior 45. Potential Impacts of Federal Health Care Reform on Public Transit 46. Practices to Protect Bus Operators from Passenger Assaults 47. Recent Developments in Cost-Effective Multimodal Trip Planners 48. Regional Transit GIS Architecture and Data Model Project 49. Shared Bicycle/Bus Lanes 50. Survive the Ride - Motorcycle Safety 51. Sustainability Metrics & Mapping Tool for Environmental Assessment of Rail Infrastructure in IL 52. TCRP Report: Maintaining Transit Effectiveness Under Tight Fiscal Constraints 53. The American Community Survey (ACS) Statistical Analyzer 54. The Impact of Implementing a Contactless Smart Card System on Miami Dade Transit and its Customers 55. The Implementation and Outcomes of Fare-Free Public Transit 56. The Who and What: Bus Rapid Transit Riders and Systems in the U.S. 57. Toward zero deaths: Who needs to do the heavy lifting? (Motorcycle Crash Trend in Florida) 58. Tracking Costs of Alternatively Fueled Buses in Florida 59. Tracking Costs of Alternatively Fueled Buses in Florida Phase II 60. Transit Boardings Estimation and Simulation Tool (TBEST) 61. Transit GIS Clearinghouse 62. Transit Improvements from the Urban Partnership Agreement Program - What Have We Seen So Far? 63. Transit, Technology, and Public Participation 64. Trends in Travel Behavior 65. Trends in Travel Behavior - Update 66. TriMet’s Customer Service Modules & OTP Analyst Extension using OpenTripPlanner 67. Trip Reduction Impacts for Mobility Management Strategies 68. University Campuses as Leaders in the Shift Away from Driving 69. Using Audience Response to Measure Pedestrian Education Efforts 70. Value Capture Coordination Best Practices and Case Studies for Transit Capital Projects 71. Vehicle Assist and Automation Technologies in Bus Revenue Service 72. Veteran Mobility in Small Urban and Rural Areas 73. Visionary Student Concepts for Florida’s Future Corridors 74. Volunteer Transportation - A Generosity-Based Solution to Our Mobility Challenges 75. Walk Wise - A Grassroots Pedestrian Safety Campaign 76. Web-based Trip Planner Options for Transit Agencies 77. What We Do and Don’t Know About Vehicle Miles of Travel Trends You can also subscribe to the channel. Phil Philip L. Winters Director, TDM Program Center for Urban Transportation Research University of South Florida 4202 E. Fowler Ave., CUT100 Tampa, FL 33620-5375 813.974.9811 813.974.5168 fax winters(a)cutr.usf.edu www.cutr.usf.edu Best Workplaces for Commuters – www.bestworkplaces.org ------------------------------ If you wish to reply to everyone, please add transp-tdm(a)lists.cutr.usf.edu in the "TO" field of your email. Otherwise, only the author of the original message will see your reply. To unsubscribe from a list, send an email message to leave-transp-tdm(a)lists.cutr.usf.edu. To subscribe, please go to www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse/connections.htm TRANSP-TDM listserv is provided as a service to the TDM community by the National TDM and Telework Clearinghouse (www.nctr.usf.edu/clearinghouse). The Clearinghouse is part of the National Center for Transit Research located at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Cycling to school data collection and visualization
by Patman, David 14 Apr '15

14 Apr '15

Neat: http://mobilitylab.org/2015/04/13/school-bicycling-safety-in-alexandria-vir… David Patman, P. Eng. Transit Planner Winnipeg Transit Service Development Division P: 204-986-5737<tel:204-986-5737> dpatman(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:dpatman@winnipeg.ca> Sent using iPhone

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Children's mobility and independence: North America vs the Netherlands
by Beth McKechnie 14 Apr '15

14 Apr '15

Compelling difference between NA and the Netherlands experience with children and mobility (no surprise, I know!) . While a family in the U.S. has their children apprehended because they were allowed to walk to a park less than 1km from their home, children in Utrecht are taught about cycling, walking and motorized vehicles in a 'traffic garden' (watch 3 min Streetfilms video <https://vimeo.com/31545084>.) A speaker in the Utrecht video notes that it is important because at age 10 or 11, children there will start biking across the city. That's the same age as the older child in the U.S. family that isn't allowed to let their children walk 1km to the park in their own neighbourhood. Sigh. * * * * * 'Free-range' parenting under the gunAgency seizes kids walking home alone By: Amanda Lee Myers http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/free-range-parenting-under-the-gun-2… SILVER SPRING, Md. -- Two suburban Washington, D.C., parents are under scrutiny again for letting their six- and 10-year-old children play in a park and walk home alone in a case that has stirred debate about "free-range" parenting and government powers. For the second time in four months, police on Sunday picked up the children of Danielle and Alexander Meitiv as they were walking home alone from a park that's just over a kilometre from their house. This time, instead of bringing the children home, police took them directly to Child Protective Services. "It's beyond ridiculous," Danielle Meitiv said Monday. "The world is safer today, and yet we imprison our children inside and wonder why they're obese and have no focus." The Meitivs, who live 9.6 kilometres from Washington in Silver Spring, Md., believe in "free-range" parenting, which includes allowing their children to play and walk alone in the neighbourhood to teach them self-reliance and responsibility. Child Protective Services first began investigating the couple in December after police stopped the children midway through a 1.6-km walk home from a different park after responding to a call from a concerned citizen. Police drove the children home but called Child Protective Services. The Meitivs were notified in a February letter they had been found responsible for "unsubstantiated neglect," a ruling that's made when there's some information supporting child neglect, seemingly credible reports disagree or there isn't enough information for a conclusion. The Meitivs continued allowing their children some independence until Sunday, when the couple dropped the kids off at a park so they could play after a six-hour drive back from upstate New York, telling them to be home by 6 p.m. Danielle Meitiv said she and her husband began worrying when the kids weren't home by 6:30. Child Protective Services didn't call them until 8 p.m. to say the children were in their custody. Police had picked them up on the walk home after another concerned citizen called. In a news release Monday, the Montgomery County Police Department said the officer who responded to the call saw a homeless man "eyeing" the children. Capt. Paul Starks, a department spokesman, couldn't immediately elaborate on whether the homeless man was considered a serious threat. Starks said the children were turned over to Child Protective Services at the agency's request. The Meitivs were able to get their children back from Child Protective Services around 10:30 p.m. Similar to December's incident, Danielle Meitiv said the couple had to sign a temporary safety plan saying their children would be supervised at all times until a followup visit. "This morning, my daughter wanted to go play in the yard and I couldn't let her out because I was making breakfast," Danielle Meitiv said. "Are they prisoners? She's six and she's not allowed to play in the yard?" The case has drawn international media coverage, and Danielle Meitiv said the couple have heard from people all over the world. The majority have been supportive, Meitiv said, but some have expressed outrage at the couple's parenting style. Starks said police and Child Protective Services were conducting a joint investigation of the Meitivs for possible child-neglect allegations. Once that is finished, a decision will be made about whether any charges will be filed against the couple, he said. Child Protective Services said the agency is prohibited from discussing specific cases. In the meantime, Danielle Meitiv said she won't leave her children unsupervised until she and her husband are cleared. "Child Protective Services has succeeded in making me terrified of letting my children out," she said. "Nothing that has happened so far has convinced me that children don't need independence and freedom, except that they'll be harassed by police and CPS." -- The Associated Press Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 14, 2015 A6

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[At-network] AT Webinar: Exploring Vision Zero, Wed, Apr.15th, 2-3pm, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 13 Apr '15

13 Apr '15

Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the APBP webinar: *Exploring Vision Zero: Legal Rights and Issues for Pedestrians and Cyclists**. * 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 ** * * * ** Exploring Vision Zero: Legal Rights and Issues for Pedestrians and Cyclists *Wednesday, Apr. 15th, 2-3pm, EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Boardroom* *Key learning objectives*: 1. Understand the background and focus of the Vision Zero concept, and how laws relating to vulnerable road users relate to this concept 2. Identify strategies for implementing a Vision Zero plan 3. Recognize ways to improve laws that protect pedestrians and cyclists *Description:* Traffic laws that ensure the safety and fair treatment of pedestrians and cyclists vary widely from state to state, and within states. Is there a better alternative? Vision Zero uses one simple idea to reframe the issue of legal rights for vulnerable users: all citizens have the right to safe mobility—on a par with the right to clean air or safe drinking water. The Vision Zero approach to mobility prioritizes safety and presumes that traffic fatalities are preventable; the focus is on changing transportation culture. APBP’s next two webinars (April 15 and May 20) explore Vision Zero and how communities have begun to rethink engineering, education and enforcement to promote behavioral change. Presenters will discuss the origins of Vision Zero, the implications of Vision Zero for equity, key factors in implementation, and the roles of advocacy groups and law enforcement. The City of Seattle’s Vision Zero plan provides an example of a plan that integrates policy, regulations, street design and law enforcement to achieve a visionary goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The webinar concludes with a discussion of ways to clarify and improve laws and regulations that protect vulnerable road users. *Presenters*: - Dongho Chang, PE, PTOE, City Traffic Engineer, City of Seattle - Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator, City of Madison - Heather Strassberger, AICP, Project Manager, WalkBoston

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WFP: The sneaky parking-lot plot - Hydro proposal for Notre Dame Avenue ill-conceived (Apr.13'15)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Apr '15

13 Apr '15

The sneaky parking-lot plotHydro proposal for Notre Dame Avenue ill-conceived ON ARCHITECTUREBy: Brent Bellamy http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/the-sneaky-parking-lot-plot-29952… IN the past decade, downtown has experienced development and renewal. To keep up with increasing electrical demand and serve this growth, Manitoba Hydro will soon begin construction on a new $62-million substation downtown. It will be located on a large parking lot at the corner of Adelaide Street and Notre Dame Avenue, previously owned by nearby Calvary Temple. As part of the transaction to secure the property, Hydro agreed to replace the church parking by co-ordinating the purchase of an adjacent 40-stall lot with the intent of demolishing four commercial buildings along Notre Dame to make room for another 35 cars. An application to the city for a demolition permit has not yet been submitted, but intentions to do so have been made public. An important obstacle facing this scheme is that demolition to create surface parking as a primary use on a downtown property is no longer permitted. Building demolition is only allowed with proof that an appropriate redevelopment plan is forthcoming. The negative effect surface parking lots have on urban areas is well recognized across North America, and these restrictions in Winnipeg have been put in place to begin the long process of reversing their blight on our city. It is staggering to consider that almost one-quarter of Winnipeg's downtown is devoted to surface parking. The most significant reason they are so detrimental to urban areas is that they degrade the pedestrian experience, which has a cascading effect on the economic and physical health of the city. Unlike suburban businesses that cater to the automobile, commerce downtown relies on a volume of foot traffic for its success. Large swaths of asphalt parking reduce the density of a neighbourhood and in turn the intensity of that pedestrian traffic, hurting the economic vitality of the area. Buildings constructed to the sidewalk improve the pedestrian experience by creating a continuous edge that provides shelter, increased retail density and activity, greater visual interest and connection to interior spaces. This edge encloses the peripheral expanse of a street, which intuitively slows vehicular traffic, heightening pedestrian comfort and security. Surface parking also increases the perception of crime in a downtown. Building density and increased sidewalk traffic is a self-policing deterrent to criminal activity. Crime is attracted to secluded open spaces such as parking lots, and without feeling connected to adjacent buildings as a pedestrian, the perception of safety decreases as one's feeling of isolation increases. Every Winnipeg mayor since Glen Murray has recognized the negative effect of surface parking on downtown and each has campaigned on promises to reduce their numbers. Former mayor Sam Katz referred to them as "magnets for crime" and Mayor Brian Bowman along with Premier Selinger, who himself made anti-parking-lot pledges, recently announced an important new residential grant program that targets development on open lots. For initiatives such as this to be successful long-term, it's crucial we maintain consistent values and uphold these goals and ideals in all instances. The demolition application for the Notre Dame properties will likely make the argument the overall amount of surface parking will not increase because the substation will rise on a lot across the street. This may be technically true, but if impact on the neighbourhood is the measure of a project's value, the parking-lot trade is not an even one. A building is not merely the inverse of a parking lot. The opportunity it provides and its interaction with the street are what create relative value for the neighbourhood. Many people will look at these four buildings and decide they are small, old and of no real worth, but these types of buildings are vital for establishing healthy and economically prosperous urban neighbourhoods. The high rents required to make new construction viable in Winnipeg generally prevent local or small business from affording space in new buildings. Redevelopment of older structures such as these can provide lower-cost opportunities for small-scale commerce, promoting a diversity and entrepreneurship that is the backbone of a neighbourhood's economy. The West End has seen a renaissance, transforming itself into one of the most vibrant and diverse neighbourhoods in the city, fuelled by a proliferation of small, unique, family-owned businesses that have found success in the low-cost model offered by the older buildings in the area. Located on a busy thoroughfare between Central Park and the West End, the Notre Dame buildings are perfectly situated to provide opportunity for the area's population, many of whom are new immigrants or migrants from rural areas searching for an independent livelihood. The restaurants, corner stores, retail shops and services that build a strong, vibrant community can only find a home in these types of small, older structures. With three unique storefronts, low commercial rents and small flexible spaces, the Notre Dame buildings can be a catalyst in furthering the neighbourhood's transformation by enabling this fine-grain commercial growth. Startup companies, arts groups and non-profit incubator organizations have also found success in these types of buildings. Winnipeg's new Innovation Alley, directly adjacent to the Notre Dame properties is a celebrated collection of creative industries that could only have happened in the low-rent spaces of older buildings. Manitoba Hydro is making a significant contribution to downtown Winnipeg by constructing its new substation. Calvary Temple has been an important and positive presence in the city centre for several decades. There is a strong will from both partners to be good neighbours and to do what is best for the community. The Central Park and West End neighbourhoods deserve more than a parking-lot trade and the status quo. They deserve a project that improves the safety, economic opportunity and sense of pride for everyone who lives in those communities. If a provincial Crown corporation is allowed to co-ordinate the creation of a new surface parking lot on one of downtown's main commercial streets, the precedent will be difficult to defend when private building owners hope to follow suit and cash in on the reduced property taxes, low maintenance costs and easy profits surface parking can provide. Reducing the four unassuming buildings on Notre Dame to rubble would represent a lost opportunity to make positive change in a sensitive inner-city neighbourhood. It is not too late to reconsider the need for those 35 parking stalls and find a solution that is a win for Manitoba Hydro, for Calvary Temple and for everyone in the community. Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group. bbellamy(a)numberten.com Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 13, 2015 B3 -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Wpg Sun: Portage and Main study moves forward (Apr.10'15)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Apr '15

12 Apr '15

Portage and Main study moves forward By Joyanne Pursaga <http://www.winnipegsun.com/joyannepursaga>, Winnipeg Sun First posted: Friday, April 10, 2015 03:17 PM CDT http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/04/10/portage-and-main-study-moves-forward A city committee has taken a step to ensure pedestrian access at Portage Avenue and Main Street continues well beyond the occasional hockey celebration. Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said the fact fans flocked to the iconic intersection Thursday night to celebrate the Winnipeg Jets' playoff berth highlights its significance. "People went down to Portage and Main to celebrate, which, I think, shows you that even when you close something for 35 years, people will not forget that's a place for people," said Gerbasi. Winnipeg's most famous intersection is closed to foot traffic due to a 40-year agreement with property owners of an underground shopping mall at the site. But that contract expires in 2019 and Mayor Brian Bowman has pledged to re-open the intersection to pedestrians. The downtown development motion would direct city staff to lay out guidelines for a full traffic study and determine any other steps needed to allow the change. It still requires full council approval. The committee also received confidential legal advice on the matter, which didn't appear to impede further work toward the alteration. "We didn't hear anything that would cause us to stop a study," said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital), the committee's chair. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) cast the sole opposing vote to the motion, fearing it would cause traffic woes. "Certain parts of our traffic network, key arterial routes, go through our downtown and I think opening it up to pedestrians would be a detriment to that flow," said Browaty. joyanne.pursaga(a)sunmedia.ca

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Paris wants to become world capital of cycling
by Beth McKechnie 09 Apr '15

09 Apr '15

A little something to drool over – €150 million investment for everything from dedicated bike highways to bike parking and 30km speed limits throughout the city (and only 50km on major roads). While Copenhagen and Amsterdam probably don't have to worry about losing the title of world cycling capital, it should certainly help with the smog problems in Paris. Lots more details on the bike plan provided in this link for French speakers. - cheers, Beth https://wehicles.com/news/un-nouveau-plan-velo-ambitieux-pour-paris-1504034… * * * * * Now Paris Wants to Become the 'World Capital of Cycling' Lower speed limits, subsidies and loads more bike lanes are all forthcoming. Will it be enough? - FEARGUS O'SULLIVAN <http://www.citylab.com/authors/feargus-osullivan/> - @FeargusOSull <https://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=FeargusOSull> - Apr 6, 2015 http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/04/now-paris-wants-to-become-the-world-… Paris is destined to become the “world capital of cycling,” or at least, that's the grand ambition declared recently <http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2015/04/03/01016-20150403ARTFIG0027…> by Paris City Hall. While Amsterdam and Copenhagen may not be sweating it just yet, the French capital is indeed taking bicycle transportation more seriously than ever before. To underscore that effort, the city has just announced a €150 million ($164.5 million) program over the next five years that aims to make Paris far easier, safer and more attractive for cyclists. At the heart of the project are plans to double the city's bike lanes. Between now and 2020, Paris will add 80 kilometers (roughly 50 miles) of new, improved routes. The crown jewels of this new network will be a grid of five bike highways <http://s3.lprs1.fr/images/2015/04/01/4657497_f1a04caa-d8a3-11e4-be07-001517…> that will be bi-directional and almost entirely protected from automobile traffic by barriers. Three of the new lanes will be axial—two bisecting the city north to south and one east to west—while a further two will follow the banks of the River Seine as closely as possible. Quite apart from their value for commuters, the tourist potential for these alone is huge. Visitors on rental bikes will soon be able to amble down the Champs-Élysées and along the Seine Quays without braving traffic. The overhaul isn’t just sticking to tourist spots, however. Paris will also focus on overcoming obstacles that hamper cyclists from crossing the *Boulevard Périphérique* beltway. Separating the city core from its suburbs, routes across this barrier will be smoothed, easing the transition through Paris’s traffic-filled, potentially dangerous “city gates <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_gates_of_Paris>.” And off the express network, things should get easier too. Junctions with traffic lights will be equipped with 7,000 new alternative corner crossings that allow cyclists to turn without waiting for lights to turn green. Where these are not in place, cyclists will benefit from priority at all lights. People who ride bicycles in Paris should also stand to benefit from an ongoing plan to cut the citywide speed limit to 30 kilometers (18 miles) per hour, with only major roads rising to 50 kilometers (30 miles). And finally, when they arrive at their destination, cyclists will have more places to put their bikes, as Paris will fund 10,000 new parking spots for bicycles. Improved infrastructure is great, but it won’t mean much without lots more cyclists to use it. Paris is clearly aware of this. In a bid to coax bike riders onto the road who don’t necessarily want to arrive at their destination sweaty, the city is also providing financial help for electric bike purchases. Parisians can now get reimbursed <http://www.paris.fr/pratique/deplacements-voirie/dossier/velo-a-assistance-…> for 33 percent of the cost of an electric bike, with the upper cap set at €400. These are radical, healthy changes indeed, but they won’t make Paris a cyclist’s paradise overnight. The new plan’s ambitions to get 15 percent of Parisians commuting on bikes by 2020 still sets it target far below matching the 43 percent of Amsterdammers who already do <http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/02/amsterdam-has-officially-run-out-of-…>. Paris transit and public space secretary Christophe Najdovski acknowledges Paris still has a long climb ahead of it. “It’s a long-haul job,” he says. “The Netherlands has been working on it since the ‘70s. We’ve got a lot of work to do to reach their stage, but we’re optimistic.”

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Invitation: Winnipeg Trails Strategic Planning
by Anders Swanson 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

*Where Do We Go From Here?* *Trailblazing Summit 2015* *Saturday April 18th* *Norquay Community Centre* *(Just North of the Disraeli Ped/Bike Bridge on the North Winnipeg Parkway)* *65 Granville Street <https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Norquay+Community+Centre/@49.909947,-97.12…>* *Meeting: 11am to 2 pm* *Site visits: 2-3pm* *We want to hear from you! * Come share your perspective on the past, present and future of Winnipeg Trails. Our last coordinator is now Chair of Public Works; and boy does the new guy have some big boots to fill. Join us as we review our mandate and vision, review the impact of the City of Winnipeg's walking and cycling strategies, and talk about about our shared priorities for the next year. When we are done chatting, those interested will be heading out to check out some emerging projects and priorities right nearby. So don't forget your shoes or bikes or skateboards . . .we're going on a little trailblazing adventure! Lunch & refreshments will be served Introductory remarks by former WTA Coordinator Janice Lukes. Facilitated by new WTA Coordinator, Anders Swanson. *Everyone Welcome.* Kindly RSVP today by contacting Sylvie at info(a)riverswest.ca.

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Better Streets: Whatchu whatchu whatchu want?
by Dave Elmore 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

http://www.placemakers.com/2015/04/06/better-streets/ Better Streets: Whatchu whatchu whatchu want? "What a bunch of idiots. Don't they know this will create a traffic nightmare?" Sound familiar? It's the most commonly voiced complaint any time the community conversation turns to traffic calming. Taken at face value, it's not an outrageous sentiment. After all, when you're out and about, anything that stands between you and where you want to be looks like a problem. So why on earth would anyone choose to further complicate your commute on purpose? I don't blame them. Most people alive today have been told for their entire lives that infrastructure upgrades occur to ease congestion and, by that measure, the reduction of lanes does seem sort of, well, stupid, right? But here's the thing: Traffic calming isn't done to ease congestion. That's not the problem it's trying to solve. If that's surprising news to the community, one of two things has likely taken place: Either leadership has done a poor job of articulated and validating a particular vision; or infrastructure investments are being made outside the participation of the community. Hell, sometimes it's even both. Let's start at the beginning The right-of-way, as it exists from property line to property line, is public space, which means that we, the public, can divvy it up any way we want. Long before money gets released and design schematics surface, that's the conversation we need to have. What kind of space do we want this to be? (From time to time I'll come across great illustrative graphics on social media, then get annoyed that they're small or of insufficient resolution to print or use in presentations. This week, I took some time to rebuild a number for this post and am including them all at a large, useful size. Feel free to use, link or otherwise circulate.) Complete Mobility <https://twitter.com/dewanmkarim> suggests looking at our built environment in terms of either Links, in which movement is prioritized, or Places, in which destination space takes precedence. Each has design best practices to serve its larger respective goal. In a Link environment, the design objective is to save time. In a Place, it's to spend time. Neither is a value judgment. It's just a decision that needs to be made one way or another. This graphic explains: <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Prioritized-Space1.jp g> Concept from Complete Mobility (Twitter user @dewanmkarim). Click for larger view. Once you've narrowed down the context that defines your objectives, then you can get down to the decisions that flow from there. In a Links environment, you'll face questions like: Are we seeking maximized automotive throughput (your classic car sewer scenario), or do we want a more humane and equitable environment in which facilities exist to serve all users, from cars to bikes to those on foot or with assisted mobility? What are the advantages and negative impacts associated with each? That's even a conversation that most DOTs are now equipped to participate in. But sometimes communities have a different realization. Such as: Why do we care if people can pass through our community faster on their way to somewhere else? First and foremost, our streets should be engineered to serve us, the surrounding community. When that's the case, you're talking about the public realm as a Place rather than a Link. Which means a totally different set of criteria takes over. In a Place, automobiles might be accommodated but they are not prioritized. Human scale and comfort are what rule, and all subsequent design decisions reflect that. First and foremost in that consideration is speed. Simply put, people places don't function with high speeds. If you constrict capacity but do nothing to reduce speeds, you're investing a whole lot of money in a lose-lose scenario. Why is speed so important? Because if people don't feel safe, they don't hang out. If they don't hang out, it's not really a people place now, is it? So why don't they feel safe in the presence of higher speeds? These two graphics do a great job of explaining: <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Injury-Severity1.jpg> Original image from Complete Mobility (Twitter user @dewanmkarim). Adapted for US measurements. Click for larger view. Now available in metric <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Injury-Severity-METRI C.jpg> as well. <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Speed-Mortality-Graph ic1.jpg> Adapted from a graphic at www.gjel.com. Click for larger view. Now available in metric <http://www.placemakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Speed-Mortality-Graph ic-METRIC.jpg> as well. There you go. When people drive fast, pedestrians are injured more severely and die in greater numbers. Which is not a particularly enticing prospect when you're trying to get people to treat the street as a shared public resource. Why we get confused Generally speaking, traffic engineers only see Links, so when they talk about safety, they're looking at ways to reduce accidents without compromising throughput. That's car-first safety. It has its place in certain contexts, but people places are not one of them. People places require safety measures that put pedestrian safety and comfort first. Failing to begin any change in infrastructure with a community conversation of Link vs. Place will result in all the public confusion and outrage we've come to expect. And why not? We all know such discontent stems from unmet expectations and our expectation as a culture, which has been reinforced for more than a half century, is that we spend money to ease congestion to help us get where we're going faster. Sometimes that's still the case, but sometimes it's not. That's why the conversation is so important. Without it, you end up like Gainesville, Florida (where they installed and are now removing bike lanes <http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/01/why-one-florida-city-reversed-its-ro ad-diet/384307/> ) or Denver's new urban community of Stapleton (where a failure to adhere to the distinctions of Link and Place has left them transportationally confused <http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/04/a-case-study-in-flawed-street-desi gn/389291/> ). You can't be all things to all people. No one expects that. But you can minimize conflict when you define what kind of street you want up front, then commit to the path that'll get you there. Further resources It's worth noting that transportation decisions don't just impact mobility. Or lifestyle. So those shouldn't be the only factors in the discussion. Transportation policy also plays a huge role in associated development models and our friends at Strong Towns <http://www.strongtowns.org> have done tremendous work quantifying the economic returns associated with different development patterns. Spoiler alert: A lot of the conventional wisdom peddled by politicians is wrong. Flat out wrong. Finally, once you get the big question of context answered, you eventually work your way down to the very granular details of design. To that end, the book to read is Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns <http://www.amazon.com/Street-Design-Secret-Great-Cities/dp/1118066707> by John Massengale and Victor Dover. -Scott Doyon <http://www.placemakers.com/meet-and-contact-us/#Atlanta>

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Fwd: Info: Walking Visionaries Awards launched
by Anders Swanson 08 Apr '15

08 Apr '15

Wanna go to Vienna? Enter a project in the Walking Visionaries Awards. See details from Florian below. The formal submission process is over, but a new award has been announced. If you have an innovative project that aims to advance pedestrian design, policy or planning, throw your name in the ring. You'll be in good company. Hundreds of organizations and ideas apply. Most are interesting and worthwhile. If your project win, you get free registration (which is not cheap), an excuse to visit Vienna and a chance to present/discuss your work to the leaders in the field (priceless). Take it from me: in 2013 at Velocity Vienna, CounterPoint <http://counterpointapp.org> was one of two winning entries from Winnipeg (The U of W's Bike Lab was the other) to make the cut for a similar award for cycling. It was an incredible chance to engage and partner with leaders in this field from around the world. It led to countless opportunities such as being invited to Australia. Walk21 Sydney in 2014 was an excellent conference packed with information critical to understanding pedestrian issues. The depth of things to learn is incredible. So.. Go for it. You might win. Even if you don't, but you work in this field and your boss will let you, try to attend this conference. You won't regret it. Anders ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Florian Lorenz <florian.lorenz(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 12:39 PM Subject: Info: Walking Visionaries Awards launched To: awards(a)walk21vienna.com Dear friends peers and people interested in active transport, This is an email to notify you about the Walking Visionaries Awards <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/>, an initiative that I am working on as member of the Walk21 Vienna Management Team. This year Vienna, Austria will be hosting Walk21, the foremost conference about walking as a strategy to foster liveable communities and vibrant public spaces. Within the conference we launched the Walking Visionaries Awards <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/> to 1. invite people to share creative, visionary and bold ideas for how to foster more walkable spaces and thereby build a reference collection to inspire people to work together towards more walkable and liveable cities, and 2. award a minimum of 30 "Walking Visionaries" who will receive free tickets to participate in the Walk21 Vienna conference <http://walk21vienna.com/visionaries/>. I am writing to you to ask you to help us spread the word about the Awards, participate yourself in them and/or visit the awards page to see the growing collection of submissions. Follow the hashtag #WalkVision on Twitter <https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23WalkVision&src=hash> (and Facebook) to keep updated. Attached I am also sending you some info material that you can use upon your wish. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thank you very much and hope to see you soon! All the best Florian Florian Lorenz 弗洛里安

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Bicycle crash study could guide design of bicyclist detection systems
by Beth McKechnie 07 Apr '15

07 Apr '15

Interesting article and study on common crash situations, and the idea of adding bicycle detection to cars: *http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/50/3/3 <http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/50/3/3>* ...So far most efforts to improve bicyclist safety have focused on infrastructure. Cities have added bike lanes and cycle tracks and have delineated bike boxes at intersections to give bicyclists their own space to wait for a light to change. In many cases, safety was found to improve after such changes (see "Sharing the road: Communities try new ways to improve bicyclist safety <http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/48/1/1>," Jan. 24, 2013). But even with improved infrastructure, it would be impossible to eliminate all conflicts between vehicles and bicycles. That's why it's important to incorporate bicyclist detection into front crash prevention systems. ... A handful of automakers are already adding bicyclist detection to their crash avoidance systems. Volvo and Subaru say their optional forward collision warning and automatic braking systems recognize bicyclists as well as pedestrians. BMW's Night Vision is designed to detect bicyclists, pedestrians and large animals in the dark and highlight them on a display, issuing an audible warning if necessary. All these systems have certain limitations, and it's not clear what percentage of bike crashes they actually prevent or mitigate. cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Peer to peer bike share
by tjzdan50＠gmail.com 06 Apr '15

06 Apr '15

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More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation experts
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '15

01 Apr '15

More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation expertsKingston Heritage By Bill Hutchins <http://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/5535536-more-traffic-congestion-in…> http://www.kingstonregion.com/news-story/5535536-more-traffic-congestion-in… News – If you think some Kingston roads are congested now, you’d better get used to it. The city is in the process of updating its Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and one of the strategies is to allow traffic congestion to get worse. “It’s not nice to drive if the capacity of that road is virtually reached,” explained Valerie McGirr with AECOM, the consulting firm hired to help the city map out its long-term transportation needs. Experts told council that extending local road capacity to its maximum design is more likely to persuade automobile users to consider alternate transportation means such as car-pooling, public transit and cycling. “This is how we further help people make that choice,” McGirr told council March 24. The TMP’s first update since 2009 sets new long-term goals to promote active transportation while reducing reliance on car travel. In 2004, automobile use was the dominant form of transportation, representing an 82 per cent share of all commuters in Kingston. By 2009, the automobile mode share was down to 76 per cent. Experts believe Kingston can further reduce that figure to 69 per cent by the year 2034. At the same time, they’re forecasting an increase in active transportation users (walking and cycling) from a 12 per cent share in 2004 to 17 per cent by 2034. Public transit is projected to rise from just a three per cent share in 2004 to 9 per cent in 2034. Getting people out of their cars and into more sustainable forms of transportation is a cornerstone policy of the proposed 2015 TMP update, which council is expected to approve later this year. A city-funded telephone and online survey of 846 residents conducted last year identified the top reasons that influence travel choices. The majority of respondents, 38 per cent, said they were swayed by convenience, 25 per cent said travel time and 14 per cent said it was the cost. Regardless of the mode of travel, the survey also looked at what residents consider as “very important” improvements that need to be made; 48 per cent want more multi-use trails for pedestrians and cyclists, 42 per cent want transit improvements along with designated carpool and park-and-ride facilities, 41 per cent identified building and widening roads, and 39 per cent favoured more cycling lanes. The city has already invested millions of dollars to install new sidewalks and bicycle lanes, and officials promise that more will be done down the road. At the same time, experts want to increase the threshold by which traffic engineers determine whether roads need to be widened. The former standard to determine whether a particular road was a candidate for expansion was when traffic counts reached 90 per cent capacity during peak periods. The new standard is 100 per cent. It’s a standard that’s already been adopted by communities such as Ottawa, London, Waterloo Region and Burlington. “This LOS (level of service) threshold will allow the City to defer capital costs until roads reach capacity,” said a report by director of engineering Mark Van Buren. He added: “Given that the population forecasts for the City of Kingston are forecast to peak in 2034 and then gradually decline, it is reasonable to adopt a higher level of congestion.” For example, two-lane Bayridge Drive is already a busy commuter route for suburban motorists. Yet city officials confirmed they have no plans to widen Bayridge to four lanes to ease the weekday morning and afternoon congestion. What they have done, however, is launch a west end-to-downtown 15-minute peak express transit service, and more express busses will be added this May to the central and east end areas of Kingston. “We are emphasising the active modes,” explained McGirr during a presentation to council. Coun. Rob Hutchison says increased bus service frequency is what the city should be striving for. “Ten minute service is one of the thresholds where you see people being willing to leave their cars and that’s why I think it’s something we should seriously look at.” While many councillors appear enthusiastic with the active transportation vision, they are not about to abandon the needs of motorists completely. In fact, the TMP has identified some key road projects that should be built over the next 20 years, subject to final council approval. The list includes the third bridge crossing over the Cataraqui River, completing the controversial Wellington Street extension, finishing the widening of John Counter Blvd. with a bridge over the CN tracks, extending two-lane Bayridge Drive (Sierra Avenue to Creekford Road), extending Cataraqui Woods Drive east (Centennial Drive to Sydenham Road), extending four-lane Centennial Drive (Cataraqui Woods to Gardiners Road), widening Highway 15 to four lanes (Highway 2 to Gore Road) and connecting Leroy Grant Drive (Concession Street and Elliott Avenue.) The expensive road projects, coupled with improvements to transit, intersections and pavement widening for cycling lanes, adds up to $293 million over the next two decades.

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WFP Analysis: Don't destroy Arlington Bridge (Apr.1'15)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '15

01 Apr '15

Don't destroy Arlington BridgeHistoric structure can be converted to pedestrian/cycling corridor By: Catherine Mitchell <catherine.mitchell(a)freepress.mb.ca> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/dont-destroy-arlington-br… It was a good start to another season, even with the double wipeout, on the same day. Getting on the bike March 9 was a personal victory -- I'm not one of the ninja cyclists grinding the gears through the dead of winter. (Thick skin; stout heart. Not me.) Construction season has also started early on Route 90 this year. They're working on sewer drains north of Silver Avenue, and there's more work to come this summer. I'm already hating the drive, hating the person behind my wheel. Cycling's good for the heart. Which brings me to the Arlington Bridge: It's not on my work route, but it's on my mind. It's 103 years old, and they want to tear it down. The city posted a public list of options, but it's clear the administration sees it coming down. It's crumbling, and a do-over is cheaper. The deck is corroded. The trusses may be salvageable (they still have to be assessed) but if the bridge is to be widened, that's not possible. A wider bridge would require rebuilding the piers that are supported on timber piles more than a century old. "If you're going to invest in another bridge for vehicles, you would have to rebuild the piers," says project manager Brad Neirinck. All prohibitively expensive. So, what they are mulling over (even amid talk of moving the CP rail yards; a generational project if ever it materializes) is whether to raise a new bridge over the CP rail yards at Arlington or move the crossing to another location, reviving the option of a bridge at McGregor. I agree designing a vehicle bridge would see the existing span pulled down. But we should wait to see how the numbers line up before condemning Arlington outright. The city is expected to produce a report in the fall. Neirinck was skeptical the superstructure -- the lattice-like work of riveted steel beams that gives the span its profile -- could be saved. But it should stay. We've got to stop putting cars before people, and Arlington Street is a good place to do that. This busy bus route is technically too narrow for the two lanes of traffic either way that happens every rush hour. A better option is to turn the curb lanes and sidewalks into pedestrian/cycling corridors. The Arlington crossing can be part of the corridor, although its approach is steep. The bridge, closed to trucks and buses since 1972 because of deck deterioration, sees about 15,000 vehicles per day. That can be shunted, partially to a rebuilt McPhillips underpass, facing a re-do of its own because its clearance is too low. A bridge at McGregor/Sherbrook would be the more natural conduit to residential expansion in Winnipeg's northwest because McGregor doesn't narrow to a glorified goat path the way Arlington does. Turn Arlington Bridge into a pedestrian/cycling bridge. Illuminate the girding, tear off the sidewalk cages that imprison walkers, and turn the bridge into a venue for public events, as other cities in North America have done with decommissioned rail/vehicle crossings. The cities of Newport, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio, did exactly that to preserve a gorgeous, trussed rail bridge opened in 1872 across the Ohio River. Closed to cars in 2001, it was painted purple, and for a short time people could walk up and over the five truss humps (purplepeoplebridge.com). At 2,670 feet, the crossing can be rented for wedding receptions, fundraisers and dinners. New York's Walkway over the Hudson (walkway.org) was opened in 2009 after a mammoth rebuild to save a 127-year-old rail crossing abandoned after a fire in 1974. At more than two kilometres, it is the world's longest, elevated pedestrian bridge and has given life to a state historic park. These are laudable conservation efforts that make the case saving Arlington is possible. In other cities, new pedestrian/cycling bridges are becoming architectural installations. Austin's Pfluger Bridge, on the Colorado River, is more a park than an overpass and has been credited with some of the best views of the cityscape and its sunsets. Have you seen how a retiring sun can set rail yards and its cars shimmering? It's Winnipeg's time to step into the 21st century, to defer to its growing cycling community. This is an opportunity to stitch together a historic divide. City council's Build Canada wish list is an aggressive vote to move more steel on the roads faster. But there's got to be room in a city to slow it down. Divert it. Give residents a space on Arlington to connect by pulling together the North End, inner city and the south. The gritty, storied stretches of Logan and Dufferin there are loaded with potential for rebirth as a hub of human activity. Let's start talking about that. Catherine Mitchell is a Free Press editorial board member. catherine.mitchell(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @wfpcmitchell Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 1, 2015 A9

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Light up your bike
by Zdan, Terry (MIT) 28 Mar '15

28 Mar '15

‎http://mashable.com/2015/03/28/volvo-lights-up-nighttime-cyclists/ Happy trails Terry Zdan MIT 2042273724 Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca

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