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WFP Analysis: The cost of road expansion — permanent tax increases (Mar15'25)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Mar '25

15 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. The cost of road expansion — permanent tax increases MICHEL DURAND-WOOD https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2025/03/15/the-cost-of-r… THE city recently released an economic impact analysis on the extension of Chief Peguis Trail, a project slated to cost over $900 million including interest. We’re told it’s needed in order to unlock land for new development, to accommodate the city’s growth and to generate new revenue for the city. But here’s the thing: the analysis calculates that for this project, and all the development it will enable, to just break even on its infrastructure investment, the city needs to levy above-inflation tax increases every year going forward. In other words, the rest of the city will be subsidizing this development forever. It’s often hard to grasp the significance of the city spending dollar amounts in the millions, or even billions, to our own lives. So let me spell it out for you: extending Chief Peguis Trail will force your taxes to go up by more than inflation every year for the rest of eternity. Why would we ever agree to that? If we decide not to increase our taxes by that rate, then it’ll just show up as a sewer rate increase, or a garbage fee increase, or some other fee increase down the line. Sound familiar? And if we choose not to increase our taxes or our fees, then there won’t be enough money to fund the services we currently enjoy, or maintain the infrastructure we already own. So we’ll have to make cuts to library hours, close pools and rec centres, abandon bridges and leave potholes unfilled. This isn’t theoretical, the money is real. And we’re the ones who pay. And yet, this is how we’ve grown our city for nearly 80 years. Extend a road, build out a whole new development to a finished state with no possibility of change, then start again. That it costs more than it returns is the grand bargain we’ve accepted in exchange for the ability to keep our own neighbourhoods from changing. But as we’re seeing, that grand bargain has a compounding financial cost. At the end of 2023, the city’s net financial position was negative $1.2 billion. That’s how much we’ve already spent subsidizing current developments that we’ll need to make up in future budget years, either with above-inflation tax increases, fee increases, service cuts or neglecting existing infrastructure. Our 2024 and 2025 budgets project that to worsen to $1.8 billion by the end of this year. Assuming the province or the feds will help us is forgetting that there’s only one taxpayer. The money is coming from us no matter what. It’s also forgetting that Winnipeg isn’t the only city that has grown this way. There isn’t enough money to go around, and it’s not even close. But there’s a big messy gap between being against an insolvent development pattern that costs more to service than it returns in economic benefits, and being for the things that will help improve our collective fate. From a financial perspective, given that 88 per cent of our infrastructure is just the roads and pipes, our biggest gains will come from making more efficient use of those that are already built. But making better use of those pipes means every neighbourhood in the city will have to accept the possibility of having two, three or four homes where there used to only be one. After all, Canadians use half as much water per person as they did in the 1970s, and many of our older neighbourhoods have half the population today as in the 1970s, meaning some of those pipes are carrying as little as 25 per cent of their capacity compared to 50 years ago. Making better use of our existing road capacity means having more trips taken on foot, on bike and on transit, moving more people in the same amount of space, while leaving more room for commercial traffic. That will only happen by reallocating some of the space to those other modes with wider sidewalks, bike or transit-only lanes and reducing vehicle speeds in some areas. After all, we won’t get more people opting for walking, biking and transit if those choices aren’t safe, convenient and reliable. After eight decades of having our neighbourhoods not change, it is certainly reasonable to expect that to continue. But that has a cost. Choosing to continue with the same approach means we have to accept more above-inflation tax increases, fee increases, service cuts and neglect of our infrastructure. Forever. Ultimately, what we “want” and what we’re willing and able to pay for may not be the same thing. Yes, transitioning to a city that allows a fourplex next door, reduces vehicle speeds and prioritizes active transportation over more road infrastructure is going to be an uncomfortable, awkward and messy process. But looking at the city’s finances, the alternative is certainly much, much worse. Tell your councillor. Michel Durand-Wood writes about municipal issues at DearWinnipeg. com, and is the author of the upcoming book, You’ll Pay for This.

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Our City, Our Podcast - Chris from Active Transportation
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '25

14 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://podcast.winnipeg.ca/12

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CBC: Pedestrians now have 5-second head start at nearly 100 downtown Winnipeg intersections
by Beth McKechnie 12 Mar '25

12 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City found drop in 'near miss events' after it started testing out system at some intersections https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pedestrians-head-start-downtown-win…

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WFP: Pedestrians get head start downtown (Mar11'25)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Mar '25

11 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. PEDESTRIANS will soon get a five-second head start at many downtown intersections. Workers have begun installing leading pedestrian intervals at nearly 100 downtown intersections, the city said in a news release Monday. The change will give pedestrians a five-second head start to cross a street before drivers travelling the same way get a green light. Council’s public works committee instructed staff last month to make the change citywide at all eligible signalized intersections within the year.

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Community Toolkit for the Primary Transit Network and its feeder routes
by Beth McKechnie 07 Mar '25

07 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Primary Transit Network [City of Winnipeg | Ville de Winnipeg]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Winnipeg Transit Master Plan<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> En français Community Toolkit for the Primary Transit Network and its feeder routes Help us spread the word! We are reaching out with an important update about the next step in the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. Our new transit network the Primary Transit Network and its feeder routes launches June 29, 2025. Schedules for the new network will go online in late April. New signs will soon appear at a bus stop near you. In the meantime, we have created a community toolkit of resources<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> to help get the word out. It includes a poster, fact sheet, text for newsletters and social media resources. If you are involved in a group or school community of transit users, we encourage you to share these resources as you are able. We will add to this toolkit as more information and resources become available. We have also updated our Primary Transit Network page<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>. It will be the main source for information in the leadup to this launch. Thank you again to everyone who contributed to the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. And thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts as we finalized the new network in 2024. We look forward to bringing you bus service that is more frequent, direct, connected, and easy to use. Regards, The Primary Transit Network project team ________________________________ Share on X<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> | Share on Facebook<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Boîte à outils communautaire pour le réseau de transport en commun principal et ses lignes secondaires Aidez-nous à répandre l’information! Nous souhaitons vous donner une mise à jour importante sur la prochaine étape du Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Notre nouveau réseau de transport en commun, le réseau de transport en commun principal et ses lignes secondaires, sera lancé le 29 juin 2025. Les horaires associés au nouveau réseau seront publiés en ligne fin avril. De nouveaux panneaux seront bientôt installés à un arrêt d’autobus près de chez vous. Entre-temps, nous avons créé une boîte à outils communautaire<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> contenant des ressources qui vous aideront à faire passer le mot. Elle contient une affiche, une fiche d’information, du contenu pour les bulletins et des ressources associées aux médias sociaux. Si vous faites partie d’un groupe ou d’une communauté scolaire d’usagers du transport en commun, nous vous encourageons à faire votre possible pour diffuser ces ressources. Nous ajouterons d’autres renseignements et ressources à cette boîte à outils dès qu’ils seront disponibles. Nous avons aussi mis à jour notre page sur le réseau de transport en commun principal<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>. Il s’agira de la source de renseignements principale pendant la période précédant le lancement. Merci encore une fois à toutes les personnes qui ont contribué au Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Et merci à toutes les personnes qui se sont exprimées pendant que nous finalisions le nouveau réseau en 2024. Nous avons hâte de vous proposer un service d’autobus plus fréquent, direct, relié et convivial. Merci, L’équipe de projet du réseau de transport en commun principal Partager sur X<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> | Partager sur Facebook<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Connect with us: Suivez-nous : [Twitter]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>[Facebook]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>[YouTube]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>[LinkedIn]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>[Instagram]<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Related Winnipeg Transit Master Plan<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Winnipeg Transit<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> winnipeg.ca<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Information reliée Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> Winnipeg Transit<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…> winnipeg.ca<https://communications.winnipeg.ca/ext/click/go/ca8b374c639b6c0f66363fd2c16…>

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WFP: Driver gets jail time for killing cyclist in hit-and-run (Mar6'25)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Mar '25

06 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Driver gets jail time for killing cyclist in hit-and-run https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/03/05/driver-gets-jail-… A 19-year-old Winnipeg man who was driving more than three times the speed limit when he struck and killed a cyclist on Wellington Crescent has been sentenced to three years in custody and prohibited from driving for five years. Beckham Severight previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and leaving the scene of a collision for the June 6 crash that killed 61-year-old Rob Jenner. “The sentence must be denunciatory,” provincial court Judge Cynthia Devine said Wednesday. “Causing the loss of a life is the ultimate crime.” Jenner’s death sent shock waves through the city’s cycling community, many members of whom were in court Wednesday for Severight’s sentencing. “Every cyclist in Winnipeg has felt endangered, frightened, distrustful and terrorized at some point over the past eight months,” Devine said Severight asked his roommate, Lyle Barker-Young, on the morning of the collision whether he could take his leased 2013 BMW sedan for a drive. Severight had only a learner’s permit. Barker-Young, 18, had a valid licence and accompanied Severight but did not qualify as a supervising driver. According to an agreed statement of facts previously provided to court, Severight was driving eastbound on Wellington in the curb lane shortly before 7 a.m. when he “rapidly accelerated his speed” as he rounded a curve near the intersection with Hugo Street. Jenner was ahead, cycling in the same lane. Severight saw Jenner and tried to avoid hitting him but lost control of the car and went into a skid before crashing into the back of Jenner’s bike, sending him crashing onto the car’s hood. Witnesses said Jenner was thrown at least 10 feet into the air before he came to rest just off the roadway. A collision reconstructionist determined Severight had been driving at least 159 km/h immediately before the crash. The posted speed limit at the location is 50 km/h. Barker-Young told Severight not to stop and he drove away before stopping a short time later so Barker-Young could drive. “(Severight’s) buddy kept telling him to flee; his conscience kept telling him to stop,” Devine said. “The bad advice from his 18-year-old friend won the day and he drove away.” Jenner was taken to hospital and was pronounced dead 30 minutes later. Witnesses called police with a description of Severight’s vehicle and the two men were arrested later that morning in a common area of their apartment building. Prosecutors had recommended Severight be sentenced to four years in prison, while defence lawyer Mike Cook urged Devine to sentence Severight to 18 months in jail followed by 18 months of supervised probation, arguing he was a caring young man who had overcome personal challenges in his youth and was deeply remorseful for his actions. Devine said she was satisfied Severight’s experience as an Indigenous man — including a family history of residential school involvement, years spent in foster care and personal tragedy — served to reduce his moral blameworthiness for the crash. More than 30 people provided support letters to court describing Severight as a humble, generous and hard-working man driven to help others. “People who know him were universally shocked to learn of the fatal accident because it was totally out of character for him,” Devine said. Devine credited Severight for time already served, reducing his remaining sentence to just over 22 months, meaning he will serve the remainder of his sentence in a provincial jail, not federal prison. Devine ordered that Severight serve an additional 12 months of supervised probation upon his release from custody. Severight said at a sentencing hearing last month that he was “ashamed” of himself. “I will never forgive myself,” he said. “I have spent countless hours and sleepless nights thinking about the harm I have caused.” Outside court, Wendy Van Loon, Jenner’s partner, said she had hoped Severight would have received a longer sentence as a message to other young drivers tempted to engage in reckless behaviour. “I wouldn’t say I’m pleased, but I understand (the judge’s decision),” she said. Cook said Severight was relieved to have sentencing behind him. “He told me before court he would accept the court’s decision, whatever it was,” Cook said outside court. Barker-Young is charged with leaving the scene of a collision and remains before the court. dean.pritchard(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Portage and Main reopening on track, on budget: staff (Mar5'25)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Mar '25

05 Mar '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Portage and Main reopening on track, on budget: staff https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/03/04/portage-and-main-… THE reopening of Portage and Main to pedestrians remains on schedule and within the current budget, city staff told Winnipeg’s public works committee Tuesday. The city expects to reopen the intersection to foot traffic by July 1 to coincide with the launch of an overhauled Winnipeg Transit network. Boarding has gone up at all four corners of Portage Avenue and Main Street while work continues on street, curb and sidewalk construction, and utilities. A staircase at the southeast corner, leading to an underground concourse, is being closed off. Lane closures remain in effect. The intersection has been closed to foot traffic since 1979. Council approved the reopening in an 11-3 vote in March 2024, after a staff report found it would cost $73 million and cause up to five years of construction-related traffic disruption to replace a waterproof membrane that protects a pedestrian concourse beneath the intersection. The project’s cost increased to $21 million in November, a month before construction officially began. Crews finished removing the intersection’s concrete barricades in mid-February. The city is looking at options to close the concourse, but has not yet set a date to do so. Meanwhile, at Tuesday’s meeting, the public works committee approved a proposal to conduct an independent “value for money” assessment of extending Chief Peguis Trail in north Winnipeg. The assessment requires council approval before the city can issue a request for proposals. A staff report said the extension from Main Street to Brookside Boulevard would cost $755 million, plus $147 million in interest, if the city funds it solely through debt. The city could explore traditional construction, a public- private partnership and other options to extend Chief Peguis, the report said. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:fpcity@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Pedestrian scramble pilot project proposed (Feb27'25)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Feb '25

27 Feb '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Pedestrian scramble pilot project proposed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/02/26/pedestrian-scramb… CBC coverage: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-king-bannatyne-pedestrian-… THE city’s public service is seeking approval to test a pedestrian scramble in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. If approved by council’s public works committee in early March, the pilot project would introduce Winnipeg’s first pedestrian scramble, simultaneously allowing foot traffic at King Street and Bannatyne Avenue in all four directions. Two options were developed for the pilot, including the recommended $1,000 low-cost option that wouldn’t allow for diagonal crossing at the intersection. The high-cost option, which would permit diagonal crossings, is estimated to cost $360,000 as it would require infrastructure changes. A report to the committee said the recommendation for the low-cost option will allow the public works department time to better understand the benefits and trade-offs before making a decision on the high-cost option. “This is a relatively small investment to do a small trial pilot in one intersection,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “So I’m certainly open to proceeding with that and let’s see how that goes to test it out.” Pedestrian scrambles are said to improve safety by eliminating conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles trying to turn. There are two main types of pedestrian scrambles. Type 1 only allows pedestrians to cross during the scramble phase. Type 2 allows pedestrians to cross during the scramble phases and while motorists travel in the same direction. Type 2 is similar to most signalized intersections, with an added third phase that would halt all vehicle traffic to allow for pedestrian crossings in all directions. The report states a Type 1 scramble was not “considered feasible” at any intersection because of the extensive delays it would cause for people on foot, which would be “expected to negatively impact compliance and safety.” “I think we should do it,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works. “It’s a pilot project … it’s $1,000 worth of signage. The scramble will not be a diagonal scramble for a thousand dollars. It will be intersection to intersection. The timing will allow pedestrians to go from one intersection through the other intersection … King to Bannatyne and across.” Lukes said the more costly option may not be worth the price. “If we are going to look at the diagonal scramble, then we need to do major infrastructure upgrades to that intersection because we have to have accessibility, we have to have lights … and that would require the report to be sent back to the department to find out what it would cost and then where it would fit in our level of priorities. I don’t think, personally, it would fit high in the level of priorities. But we’ll find out from the department.” King and Bannatyne was one of four intersections found most promising after screenings. The others included Albert Street and McDermot Avenue, Arthur Street and McDermot and Princess Street and Bannatyne. Osborne Street and River Avenue was considered in 2024 but was not recommended then, and when reviewed again recently was left off the short list. Considerations for each intersection included high-pedestrian and low vehicle volumes, smaller intersections and active land use. Other factors included construction feasibility and cost, collision history and road user delays for pedestrians, cyclists, transit, trucks and other motorists. “This intersection is adjacent to Old Market Square and considered a relatively high pedestrian activity area in the Exchange District with placemaking opportunities,” the report said regarding King and Bannatyne. “It was the only intersection assessed that showed a Type 2 scramble would reduce pedestrian delay while creating acceptable increases in motorist delay. “The other locations assessed shows pedestrian delay would worsen or stay about the same, which indicates a pedestrian scramble would not have much benefit over existing conditions.” The Type 2 pilot project would shorten pedestrian delays by nine seconds east and west and one second north and south while increasing motorist delays for westbound traffic by seven seconds and northbound traffic by 17 seconds. A Type 1 scramble would see an added 30-second delay for pedestrian traffic going east and west, and 28 seconds going north and south. Motorist delays would be the same as Type 2. If public works signs off on the project, city staff will report back to the committee in April 2026. — with files from Joyanne Pursaga scott.billeck(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Peguis extension pricey but worth it: mayor (Feb27'25)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Feb '25

27 Feb '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Benefits for trade, investment outweigh $755-M cost, city says Peguis extension pricey but worth it: mayor https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/02/26/mayor-says-skyroc… THE cost to extend Chief Peguis Trail in north Winnipeg has risen by hundreds of millions of dollars but city officials predict its benefits would still outweigh its price. Extending the trail from Main Street to Brookside Boulevard would cost $755 million, plus $147 million in interest, if the city funds it solely through debt, a new city report notes. In 2019, the project was expected to cost $449 million, plus $38 million in interest (if funded by debt). Mayor Scott Gillingham said the project is worth its hefty tab, since it would better connect trade routes. “Right now, we as a community are facing the threat of tariffs … We need to be investor-ready so that we can pivot and open up the City of Winnipeg’s economy and the provincial economy to new markets,” said Gillingham. Chief Peguis Trail currently runs from Lagimodiere Boulevard to Main Street. The mayor said the city would need help from the provincial and federal governments to pay for the extension to Brookside Boulevard. He said he’s confident that funding will be provided. “This is an important project for all three levels of government … federal and provincial governments have keen interest in this,” said Gillingham. The mayor credited much of the price hike to construction inflation, while he stressed completing the project would result in a substantial boost to the economy over time. A financial analysis predicts the project would allow the city to develop 1,200 net acres of residential land and 600 net acres of employment land. Over 75 years, the project should create thousands of jobs and trigger a $1.83-billion revenue boost, after expenses are accounted for, according to the report. “It will unlock much-needed residential development, up to 15,000 homes, and needed employment lands,” said Gillingham. The report notes that the financial forecast assumes property tax rates will continue to grow by 3.5 per cent each year, while lower tax hikes would produce far less revenue. “Between 1991 and 2024, the compound annual growth rate in property taxes for the average homeowner has been 1.9 per cent — at this rate, the development would run a significant deficit for the entire analysis period,” writes Brad Neirinck, the city’s manager of engineering. The project is expected to start paying off much sooner if provincial and federal governments help fund it. City staff describe the trail extension as a “major transportation project” that is key to enabling development and supporting Winnipeg’s population growth. “(Chief Peguis Trail) is intended to provide a continuous east-west link between the east and west section of the Perimeter Highway via CentrePort Canada Way, thereby improving access to industrial parks in the vicinity of the airport and further (developing) the strategic road network,” writes Neirinck. He suggests Winnipeggers would also benefit from reduced vehicle travel times, new active transportation facilities and decreased greenhouse gas emissions (due to reduced fuel consumption), if the project is built. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said the city’s top infrastructure priority is completing a multibillion- dollar upgrade of the north end sewage treatment plant. However, Lukes echoed the mayor’s view that Chief Peguis Trail remains a key priority. “It’s a lot of money. And it’ll probably be more money by the time it gets around to being built. … But now with what’s going on in the world, with potential tariffs … Canada needs to think (about) how we move goods internally,” said Lukes. If threatened tariffs become a reality and deliver a substantial blow to the economy, Lukes said that could trigger stimulus spending that helps pay for the project. However, some councillors aren’t convinced the extension is worth its price. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said a new road project that could cost more than $900 million is tough to justify while the city struggles with a multibillion- dollar infrastructure deficit. Allard said tax-increment financing grants that trigger the construction of new city buildings would likely create a much bigger return on investment than major road projects. “I do acknowledge there is some economic benefit (to the trail extension) but it also comes with a liability of having to maintain the road,” said Allard. If city council approves, staff will complete an independent “value for money” assessment of the project. The city could explore traditional construction, a public-private partnership and other options to build the extension, the report notes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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Bike-bus
by feaver＠mts.net 24 Feb '25

24 Feb '25

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/20/cycling-to-school-almos…

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