- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Re: [At-network] FW: Human Environment Digest 10/29/20
by Mark Cohoe 29 Oct '20

29 Oct '20

Thanks Terry, I found this webinar quite interesting. *Webinar Discusses Relationship between Transportation Modeling and Decision Making * https://www.enotrans.org/event/webinar-what-counts-in-mobility-rethinking-t… Mark On Thu, Oct 29, 2020 at 11:06 AM Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> wrote: > > > > > *From:* FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) < > FHWA.HEP(a)info.dot.gov> > *Sent:* October-29-20 11:05 AM > *To:* Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> > *Subject:* Human Environment Digest 10/29/20 > > > > > > [image: header] > > > > Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…> > . > > > > *October 29, 2020* > Human Environment Digest > > > > Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Human > Environment biweekly email digest. This digest shares the latest > information from a range of Federal and non-Federal sources, addressing > transportation and its relationship to the human environment. Through this > information exchange, FHWA hopes to foster dialogue at all levels and > continue to further the state of the practice on these important topics in > support of safety; infrastructure, including accelerated project delivery, > access to jobs, and community revitalization; technology and design > innovation; and accountability, including, data-driven decisions and > performance-based planning. > > For more information on any of these topics, see the FHWA Related Links on > the sidebar. > > Click here > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> > to manage your subscriptions. > > *The information provided in this mailing does not necessarily reflect the > view of the Federal Highway Administration or the U.S. Department of > Transportation. > > > *EVENTS* > > *Please check with event organizers on if/how events are being adjusted to > accommodate remote participation. * > > October 29, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…>: > TRB’s Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation > Technology: New Mobility Services and Automated, Connected, and Digital > Technologies. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) *(In-person event postponed > to June 29-July 1, 2021)* > > November 5, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…>: TRB’s > Conference on Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Technology: > Decarbonization, Energy, and Emissions and Urban Planning and TDM. Virtual > Event. (There is a fee) *(In-person event postponed to June 29-July 1, > 2021)* > > December 2-10, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…>: > NACTO’s Designing Cities 2020. Virtual Event. > > December 8-10, 2020 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…>: > FHWA’s Every Day Counts-6. Virtual Summit. > > January 5-8 and 11-15, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…>: > TRB’s 100th Annual Meeting: Committee Meetings. Virtual Event. (There is > a fee for some) > > January 21-22 and 25-29, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…>: > TRB’s 100th Annual Meeting: Sessions and Exhibits. Virtual Event. (There > is a fee for some) > > January 28-29, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>: Micromobility > America Conference. Bay Area, CA. (There is a fee) > > March 17-19, 2021 > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…>: > National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program, Washington, > D.C. (There is a fee for some) > WEBINARS > > October 29, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVy…>: > American Trails’ Advancing Trails Series: Perceptions of Conflict > Surrounding Future E-Bike Use on the Arizona Trail. > > October 29, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Partnerships that Create a > Lasting Safety Culture. (There is a fee) > > November 2, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…>: > ITE’s A New Roadmap for Transportation and Health Equity. (There is a fee > for some) > > November 4, 11:00-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>: > FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation’s Just-in-Time Training: Virtual > Public Involvement. > > November 4, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVy…>: > ITE’s Considering E-Scooters Safety in Vision Zero and MaaS/MOD Programs, > Policies, and Practice. (There is a fee) > > November 5, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVy…>: > State Smart Transportation Initiative’s Community of Practice: How DOTs Can > Advance Antiracism and Equity. > > November 5, 3:00-4:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVy…>: > AARP’s What Does Safe Transportation for the 50+ Look Like Now? > > November 9, 1:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTcsInVy…>: > TRB’s Advancing Innovative Automated Vehicles and Shared Mobility Research. > (There is a fee) > > November 10, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTgsInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Bus Stops: Access and > Equity. > > November 12, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTksInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Safety Analysis Tools. > (There is a fee) > > November 16, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjAsInVy…>: > State Smart Transportation Initiative’s Community of Practice: DOTs’ Role > in Reining in VMT. > > November 16, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjEsInVy…>: > ITE and NaTMEC’s Getting at Pedestrian and Bicyclist Exposure from Three > Different Approaches. > > November 18, 3:00-4:00 PM ET: > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjIsInVy…> > Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals’ Night-time Street > Safety: Discussion on Women's Mobility at Night. (There is a fee) > > November 18, 4:00-5:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjMsInVy…>: > National Network for the Transportation Workforce’s Role of Partnerships in > Preparing K-12 Students for Transportation Careers. > > November 19, 11:00-12:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjQsInVy…>: > Road to Zero Coalition’s Transportation Safety for Youth from A to Z. > > November 19, 2:00-3:30 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjUsInVy…>: > ITE’s Road Safety Fundamentals Webinar Series: Basic Statistics and > Predictive Safety. (There is a fee) > > December 2, 2:00-3:15 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVy…>: > FHWA’s Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: > Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation. > > December 3, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVy…>: > National Network for the Transportation Workforce’s Providing Training & > Education During the Pandemic: Challenges & Solutions. > > December 8, 2:00-3:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVy…>: > Road to Zero Coalition’s > On the Road to Zero: Child Passenger Safety. > > December 11, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Land Use and Transportation > Policies for a Sustainable Future. > > December 16, 3:00-4:00 PM ET: > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVy…> > Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals’ Are We There Yet? Best > Practices in Speed Management. (There is a fee) > > January 19, 1:00-2:00 PM ET > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVy…>: > Transportation Research and Education Center’s Transportation Benefits of > Polycentric Urban Form. > FHWA RELATED LINKS > > Environment Homepage > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVy…> > Bicycle/Pedestrian > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVy…> Environmental > Justice > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVy…> Transportation > Alternatives > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVy…> Recreational > Trails Program > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVy…> > > *To submit comments or information for inclusion in the next HE Digest, > click here <livable.communities(a)dot.gov>. Submissions must be made > before 12 PM ET Wednesday.* > > [image: safety] > > *U.S. DOT Issues Contract Awards to Support Data-Driven Transportation > Safety Research * > > The * U.S. Department of Transportation* (U.S. DOT) issued > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVy…> > contract awards prioritizing the use of data and innovative technologies to > support transportation safety research. The contract awards follow a Broad > Agency Announcement from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation > seeking to leverage data to address surface transportation safety issues > related to precursors to crashes, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, > intersections, and non-fatal injury crashes. As part of the effort, U.S. > DOT will partner with a micromobility data management platform and three > other vendors to develop concept designs and digital solutions using new > data sources and/or data unavailable to the DOT. The forthcoming research > findings will support the U.S. DOT Safety Data Initiative > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVy…>, > which was launched in 2018 to enhance road safety efforts and decrease > traffic fatalities through data-driven decision making. > > *NHTSA Releases Pedestrian Safety Playbook and Active Transportation Data > Visualizations* > > The * National Highway Traffic Safety Administration* (NHTSA) released a > playbook > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVy…> > with social media strategies and resources to support Pedestrian Safety > Month > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVy…> > activities. It provides information on vehicle speed enforcement and Walk > to School Day activities; distracted drivers and impaired pedestrians; > illegal school bus passing; and conspicuity/Day Light Saving Time, and > older pedestrians. NHTSA also developed two interactive data visualization > dashboards displaying pedestrian > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVy…> > and bicyclist > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVy…> > fatality data between 2010 and 2018. Based on Fatality Analysis Reporting > System > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVy…> > data, the dashboard allows users to view key data by State, year, month, > time of day, age group, and land type. > > *Research Analyzes Pedestrian Safety and Roadside Activities in Urban > Areas* > > The * Safety Science Journal* published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVy…> > examining the influence of roadside activities on pedestrian safety in > urban environments. Researchers developed models to analyze interactions > between pedestrians and motorists, capturing both infrastructure and > traffic attributes. The findings indicate significant risk factors related > to pedestrian crash risk include: number of bus stops per unit of time, > parking, volume of pedestrian crossing and violations, traffic speed > variation, number of intersecting side roads, as well as through and > intersecting traffic volume. > ------------------------------ > > [image: infrastructure] > > *U.S. DOI Finalizes Rulemaking on Electric Bicycles on Public Lands* > > The * U.S. Department of Interior* finalized regulations > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVy…> > allowing electric bicycles (e-bikes) on public lands managed by the > National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and > Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. Through these regulations, > e-bikes are no longer defined as motor vehicles or off-road vehicles, but > are defined in three classes. The regulations enhance e-bike access to > facilities where traditional bicycles are allowed on public lands, > increasing recreational opportunities and public health. > > *Walk/Bike/Places 2021 Conference Announces Call for Proposals* > > *Project for Public Spaces* announced a call for proposals > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVy…> > for the Walk/Bike/Places 2021 Conference, which will take place as both a > remote and in-person event in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 14-18, 2021. > The conference theme will be on “The Route to Recovery,” featuring projects > and research discussing the social, economic, and environmental challenges > that communities faced in 2020 and will continue to address in the future. > The sessions and presentations will highlight the role active > transportation and public spaces play during these challenges. Proposals > are due on Wednesday, December 9 at 5:00 PM ET. > ------------------------------ > > [image: innovation] > > *Micromobility Policy Atlas Database Highlights Shared Bicycle and > E-scooter Policies in 25 Countries* > > The * Shared-Use Mobility Center*, *New Urban Mobility alliance*, and *World > Resources Institute Ross Center for Sustainable Cities *released > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVy…> > the Micromobility Policy Atlas > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVy…> which > describes local bicycle- and electric scooter (e-scooter)-sharing > regulations from 25 countries. The database classifies micromobility > policies by regulation type, providing information on guidelines, permits, > and laws from local and State/provincial levels since 2017. It includes > operating rules such as parking and use of bicycle lanes; fleet size > limits, fees, and fares; equity plans and requirements; and data and > communications guidelines, as well as links to the original policy > documents. Users can also search by year and country to understand the > different ways that global cities are managing bikeshare and shared > e-scooter services. > > *Research Examines E-scooter Impacts on Equity Improvements and Mode-Shift > on University Campus* > > The * Transportation Research and Education Center* published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVy…> > analyzing the impacts of electric scooters (e-scooters) on mode choice and > their performance in meeting equity goals. Researchers surveyed students at > Portland State University to identify how e-scooters, cars, bicycles, and > light rail transit support general and university-related travel needs. > Survey respondents largely represent younger and low-income populations. > The findings indicate several barriers to e-scooter use such as > inexperience, discomfort riding in traffic, unreliable time options, > affordability, and limited infrastructure. The study suggests communities > deploy targeted management interventions, such as parking cost increases, > to provide improved first/last-mile connections through micromobility. > > *Research Identifies Health Impacts of Automated Vehicles* > > The * Sustainable Cities and Society Journal *published a study > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVy…> > analyzing implications of automated vehicles (AVs) on public health. > Researchers developed a conceptual framework summarizing potential changes > in transportation after AV implementation into seven impact areas: (1) > transportation infrastructure, (2) land use and the built environment, (3) > traffic flow, (4) transportation mode choice, (5) transportation equity, > (6) jobs related to transportation, and (7) traffic safety. Based on the > impacts, the study identified 32 potential pathways between AVs and public > health, 17 of which negatively impact health. The findings note several > strategies to promote health related to electric motors, urban area > development, traffic demand management strategies, and ride-sharing > policies. > > *Webinar Discusses Relationship between Transportation Modeling and > Decision Making * > > The * Eno Center for Transportation* hosted a webinar discussing how > transportation modeling supports planning and decision making. It provides > a history of transportation modeling and related challenges, examining > technical aspects to help practitioners improve the relationship between > predictions and future planning goals. The webinar recording and > presentation materials are now available online > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVy…> > . > ------------------------------ > > [image: account] > > *Report Discusses Innovations in Transportation Equity for Latino > Communities* > > *Salud America!* published a report > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTIsInVy…> > outlining innovations in transportation equity for Latino communities. > Funded through Voices for Healthy Kids > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTMsInVy…>, > the grant summary report discusses policy and advocacy recommendations > identified by the Innovative Equity Exploration Special Project Workgroup. > The research highlights four transportation-related issues impacting Latino > health: lack of racial and gender diversity in policy and investment best > practices; community displacement because of planning and design practices; > policies or projects increasing auto-dependency; and siloed processes > between land use, transportation, and public health agencies. The > recommendations aim to support expansion and integration of active > transportation and complete streets through policies and investments in > Latino and low-income communities. > > *Fact Sheet Outlines Strategies and Resources to Enhance Active > Transportation through Regional Transportation Planning* > > The * Safe Routes Partnership* published a fact sheet > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTQsInVy…> > providing strategies and resources to increase bicycling and walking > through regional transportation planning. It outlines notable practices and > example case studies to support active transportation efforts by > influencing policy, plans, and funding at the regional level. It adds that > regional transportation plans and transportation improvement programs > provide opportunities to identify short- and long-term bicycle and > pedestrian improvements. > > *PBIC Health and Transportation Webinar Series Materials Available Online* > > The * Pedestrian Bicycle and Information Center* hosted a five-part > webinar series from October 13-28 discussing the integration and > advancement of health in various transportation planning practices. The > sessions highlighted opportunities to address health issues through equity > assessments, collaborative partnerships, data integration, project > prioritization, and policy change. The webinar recordings and presentation > materials are now available online > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTUsInVy…> > . > > > > [image: footer] > ------------------------------ > > Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop > subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTYsInVy…>. > You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or > problems with the subscription service, please contact > subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTcsInVy…> > . > > This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. DOT Federal Highway > Administration > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTgsInVy…> > . > ------------------------------ > > This email was sent to terry.zdan(a)gov.mb.ca using GovDelivery > Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration > · 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE · Washington, DC 20590 · 202-366-4000 > > [image: GovDelivery logo] > <https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTksInVy…> > >

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Maintaining Mobility for Older Manitobans
by Beth McKechnie 28 Oct '20

28 Oct '20

From: Samantha Rodeck <info(a)tonsmb.org> Good Afternoon, On behalf of the TONS (Transportation Options Network for Seniors) Board of Directors, I am pleased to share with you the informational resource that is attached in two formats for your viewing ease. In light of November being falls prevention month and with the wintery months rapidly approaching, we would like to highlight the importance of snow clearing for sidewalks and roads in Manitoba and especially with an increase in Snow Birds likely to be staying within your communities this winter. Now more than ever, Older Manitobans need to have options for staying active and independent within their communities so we can ensure the health and vitality of our aging population. Community mobility is an essential component of an age friendly community, its essential for ensuring a sense of freedom even during the winter months and especially as COVID has impacted the ability for individuals to remain active indoors. Please share this as widely as possible and especially to ensure this informational resource makes its way to businesses, municipalities, government departments and not for profit organizations. If you have any questions or would like the opportunity to discuss further, please feel free to contact me with the information listed below. Thank you, Samantha Rodeck Executive Director (204) 799-1788 [image: signature_1818782179]

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WFP Analysis: Transit hub could transform downtown (Oct26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '20

26 Oct '20

Transit hub could transform downtown https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/transit-hub-could-transf… AT the beginning of this year — back when we could shake hands and see each other’s faces – the city of Winnipeg announced it was no longer planning to build dedicated bus rapid-transit corridors. This came shortly before the opening of the Southwest Transitway, the city’s first completed line. The announcement felt like the end of Winnipeg’s rapid-transit dream. Two weeks ago, however, the city released a new vision for the future of rapid transit, as part of the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. The new concept shows a dramatic departure from the original plan of dedicated bus-only roadways, a system that would provide fast service between end points, but — as the Southwest Transitway demonstrates — one with important shortcomings. The costly and slow-to-implement system runs largely through open fields, with several stations built far from where large numbers of people live, and without access to many of the destinations potential users would want to go. The new plan focuses on integrating rapid transit onto existing major roadways, using priority signal lanes. Outside of downtown, the plan is to build dedicated transit lines on roads such as Main Street and Portage Avenue that run down the centre of the road, with stations located in the median, similar to Winnipeg’s old streetcar network. Once complete, the system can incorporate modern low-rider and connected buses that emulate the capacity and ride quality light rail. This type of system will likely better integrate transit into neighbourhoods, provide greater access to destinations and make it more usable for everyday trips. A key advantage is that it will use existing road space, with diamond lanes, queuejump lanes at intersections and priority traffic signals, meaning it will be far less costly and time-consuming to implement. Another important change is that priority will be given to developing the system in downtown first, bringing together the three main lines that will cross the city. Possibly the most alluring part of the plan is that beautiful Union Station, sitting prominently at the top of Broadway, will become the central hub of the rapid-transit network. In 1911, the Manitoba Free Press celebrated Union Station as “The Most Modern Railway Terminal in the World.” Designed by Warren and Wetmore, the architects of New York’s Grand Central Terminal, it was once the bustling centre of the city, welcoming people from across the world. To see it brought back to life with crowds of transit riders (when we are allowed to have crowds again) hurrying across the polished marble floors under the majestic dome, surrounded by bustling kiosks, shops and restaurants, is an exhilarating image to dream about. For inspiration, Winnipeg might look to Denver, Colorado. In 2014, after years of planning, the city’s underused historic Union Station, surrounded by empty buildings and surface parking lots, became part of a transformational urban redevelopment. Like in Winnipeg, a rapid-transit hub was established in the old station, but they didn’t stop there. A complete multi-modal transportation centre was created, bringing together light rail, intercity rail, taxis, ride sharing, downtown shuttles, regional and local bus routes. A cycling hub with bike storage, showers and locker rooms, connected to the area’s protected cycling network, was established and a major pedestrian promenade with markets, plazas and public space was developed to connect the station to the surrounding neighbourhoods. The project involved partnerships between private developers and public agencies including city, county, state, and federal entities. A complete master plan was developed that looked well beyond Union Station itself and established a vision for a 36-hectare section of Denver’s downtown, supported by tax increment financing and other government programs. The result of thinking big was that the project became the centrepiece of the most active development site in the United States. The connectivity provided by Union Station as a transit hub has created a centre of gravity that has attracted construction of more than 3,000 residential units, 750 hotel rooms, two million square feet of office space and a quarter million square feet of retail. The Union Station redevelopment has spawned a completely new urban neighbourhood, attracted US$3.5-billion in private investment and has transformed downtown Denver. The key to Denver’s success is that it looked at it holistically, bringing together transportation planners, urban planners, governments and private developers to create an overarching vision and detailed masterplan, complete with funding strategies and zoning regulations, not only to maximize Union Station’s potential as a multimodal transportation hub, but to leverage its opportunity to create renewal across downtown. The announcement that Winnipeg’s Union Station will become a rapid-transit hub could be the first piece in the puzzle toward creating a similar catalyst for development and growth. If we want to take full advantage of the opportunity, our public and private leadership must also come together to create a bigger, more impactful vision. If we think big, and then prioritize those aspirations in our public spending, this little announcement lost in the headlines of a global pandemic could change how we move around our city and fundamentally redefine our downtown forever. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP The Herald: Active transportation bridge a real blessing (Oct23'20)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Oct '20

24 Oct '20

Active transportation bridge a real blessing https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/correspondent/Acti… In 2013, the active transportation bridge linking Elmwood with Point Douglas was opened. Now in 2020, the bridge remains a useful connection between two neighbourhoods, giving cyclists and pedestrians options as they travel across the city. Before the bridge was constructed, getting from one side of the Red River to another on foot or by bicycle was somewhat complicated, often involving a long detour to the Louise or Redwood Bridges. Even for drivers, the trip over the bridge was somewhat risky, as evidenced by the number of times someone failed to navigate the entry onto Henderson Highway successfully and crashed into a house just beyond the curve. While the new Disraeli Bridge helped to correct some of the problems that caused accidents such as these, the active transportation bridge gave people another option for crossing the river. Access from the Elmwood side is on Midwinter Avenue, one block south of Talbot Avenue. On the Point Douglas side, the bridge connects with Rover Avenue, parallel to Higgins Avenue. As the City of Winnipeg website explains, the active transportation bridge incorporates several of the supporting piers from the old bridge. At five metres wide, the bridge is sufficiently large to allow for several cyclists and pedestrians to pass each other without crowding each other. The bridge is high enough to allow boats to pass by on the river without making the slope excessively steep for cyclists. Although some features that were originally planned for the bridge, such as benches, failed to materialize, many interesting features were included in the design. On one side of the pathway, patterns of holes punched into steel structures help to tell the stories of the neighbourhoods the bridge connects. Several lookout areas give people the chance to stop for a few minutes out of the way of traffic to admire the river or to watch birds flying or swimming by. While the current enthusiasm for walking and cycling might eventually diminish, structures like the active transportation bridge between Elmwood and Point Douglas are good for encouraging Winnipeggers to get out into the fresh air. With the additional opportunity to learn about the neighbourhood, the bridge serves a useful purpose in the city. *Susan Huebert is a community correspondent for Elmwood. *

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Net-zero by 2030: Lime becomes first micro-mobility firm to pledge to science-based targets
by Beth McKechnie 24 Oct '20

24 Oct '20

E-scooter and e-bike giant Lime has set a 2030 net-zero target and said it will develop science-based emissions reductions targets in the coming months. https://www.edie.net/news/6/Net-zero-by-2030--Lime-becomes-first-micro-mobi…

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Webinar: Doing more with bike data
by Beth McKechnie 22 Oct '20

22 Oct '20

Doing more with bike data *Join us for a free webinar! October 2020* View this email in your browser <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/alk-about-data-693449-e-UNIQID/4jfcq…]> *Next week, join us for a free webinar in collaboration with The League of American Bicyclists!* We are a proud partner of the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/community/4jfcs/171376801?h=tab5-dDg…>. As we've talked about before on our blog, in webinars, and during panel sessions at their annual conference, communities that collect bike data are more likely to achieve BFC certification. Next week, join us for a free panel webinar, co-hosted with the League of American Bicyclists! Click here to register for the webinar <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/register-2366490280962940687/4jfcv/1…> *About the webinar:* Bike data is an essential tool to develop, maintain and communicate the success of cycling projects. From automated counters to GPS traces, bikeshare data to crash statistics, data plays an increasingly pivotal role in cycling planning. Sometimes, however, collecting, managing and actually using that data can seem like a minefield. What are the best practices for collecting data? How can bike data collection contribute to Bicycle Friendly Community certification? How can data be applied for quick-wins in my community? During this webinar – co-hosted by the League of American Bicyclists and Eco-Counter – hear from leading industry experts, advocates and practitioners about ways in which bike data can be leveraged to make communities more bicycle friendly. We look forward to seeing you there! [image: Facebook] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/EcoCounter-/4jfcx/171376801?h=tab5-d…> [image: Twitter] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/Eco-Counter/4jfcz/171376801?h=tab5-d…> [image: Website] <https://info.eco-compteur.com/e/685233/2020-10-22/4jfd2/171376801?h=tab5-dD…> Copyright © 2019 Eco-Counter. 3981 Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 604 | Montreal, QC | H2W 1Y5 Office: 1-514-849-9779 | Toll Free: 1-866-518-4404 -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Comparing the Promise and Reality of E-Scooters: A Critical Assessment of Equity Improvements and Mode-Shift
by Beth McKechnie 22 Oct '20

22 Oct '20

From: Lacey Friedly <rlacey(a)pdx.edu> Date: Wed, Oct 21, 2020 at 6:48 PM Is shared micromobility the ideal first/last mile supplement to transit? Can electric scooters make it easier for historically disadvantaged populations to get around? In just three years, brand-new fleets of e-scooters have substantially disrupted and altered the urban mobility landscape. For proponents, it's tempting to view them as a new answer to old problems. But a new study concludes that cities should not depend on e-scooters as a de facto solution―to first/last mile or equity problems―without targeted management interventions. Read the research: https://trec.pdx.edu/news/comparing-promise-and-reality-e-scooters Lacey Friedly Communications Coordinator *Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) <http://trec.pdx.edu/> at Portland State University*

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9 Steps towards accessible public transportation: online community forum Nov 2, 2020
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

View this email in your browser <https://us15.campaign-archive.com/?e=__test_email__&u=a7592c507bcd803e8a19d…> [image: https://mcusercontent.com/a7592c507bcd803e8a19d6bde/images/46c032f4-e516-47…] Together we can improve access! The Independent Living Resource Centre (ILRC), in partnership with stakeholders from across the community, will be hosting *online community forums* (November 2, 2020), to discuss the accessibility of Winnipeg Transit services. Passengers can experience many unnecessary barriers to taking the bus, and it is time for the community to start talking about solutions! Forums will be held at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm on November 2 (2020), including a presentation of the *'9 Steps towards accessible public transportation'* document, and breakout discussion groups. Registration is required, *please follow this link* <http://www.ilrc.mb.ca/calendar/2020/9steps.htm>, or contact ILRC for more information: phone204-947-0194 email thecentre(a)ilrc.mb.ca <thecentre(a)ilrc.mb.ca?subject=9%20Steps%20Forum> web www.ilrc.mb.ca [image: Twitter] <https://twitter.com/ilrcwinnipeg?lang=en> [image: Facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/ILRCWinnipeg/> [image: Website] <http://www.ilrc.mb.ca> *copyright, ILRC 2020, All rights reserved.* *Our mailing address is:* 311A-393 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H6 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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WFP: Trails group ramps up accessibility in Winnipeg (Oct21'20)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

Trails group ramps up accessibility in Winnipeg THE Yellow Dog Tavern is the proud owner of a new set of wheelchair ramps, thanks to two customers who wanted to see the Exchange District business be more accessible. Anders Swanson, director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, and Allen Mankewich, an accessibility advocate and wheelchair user, decided they were going take it upon themselves to make it happen one evening while out for a beer. They had noted a lack of ramps connecting the Donald Street building’s entrances to the sidewalk a few centimetres below. Swanson and Mankewich had just left a meeting on accessibility policy, so the topic was top of mind. “I was like: ‘You know what? Forget it. I’m going to Home Depot on the way back and grabbing some stuff to make those ramps,’” Swanson told the Free Press with a laugh. The 7.5-cm ledge at the entryway might not warrant a second thought from an able-bodied person. However, Swanson said, for someone who uses a wheelchair, it could mean the difference between getting into the building independently and asking for assistance. “Allen and I went and measured it, and just figured out something that worked,” said Swanson. “That’s what Winnipeg Trails does every day. It tries to break down barriers for people moving under their own power.” Swanson installed the ramps on Saturday. The Yellow Dog Tavern had recently re-opened following closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so he figured now was the time to put them to use. Greg Ash, tavern owner, said he is pleased with the finished product. “There’s a lot of old business that don’t have that design to the street,” said Ash, adding the ramps fit in well with streetscape and he appreciates the hand-painted design that matches the Yellow Dog signage. A Winnipeg Trails Association social post about the project garnered significant positive feedback. Swanson said he’s excited about the reaction, because it will mean more people looking to set up such ramps outside their own businesses. “If there’s any businesses that need some advice on how to build these ramps or want to talk about freedom and mobility and universal access, they can always get a hold of us. We’re happy to talk to them,” said Swanson, adding he’ll personally help build ramps for any business that reaches out to the association.

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The Next Normal: Five COVID-19 aftershocks reshaping mobility’s future
by Beth McKechnie 21 Oct '20

21 Oct '20

For anyone who wants to nerd out on what the future of mobility may hold, here is an insightful but longer read. To save you also having to look up these acronyms, OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer and ACES stands for autonomous, connectivity, electrification, and ridesharing. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/fi… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Proof: Bike Paths are Good for the Local Economy
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '20

17 Oct '20

The bean counters have spoken: A safe network of protected bike lanes is good for the urban economy. Completion of the long-sought 35-mile Baltimore Greenway Trails Network would create jobs, improve property values, reduce vehicle miles traveled, create new business activity surrounding the trail and just be better for the air, according to a new report to be released today [Oct 15] by the accounting firm Ernst and Young. Full story: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2020/10/15/proof-bike-paths-are-good-for-the-lo… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Phase Three public engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan has begun
by Beth McKechnie 16 Oct '20

16 Oct '20

From: Winnipeg Transit Master Plan <transitmasterplan(a)argylepr.com> Date: Fri, Oct 16, 2020 at 11:42 AM Hello / Bonjour *Un message en français suivra.* We are excited to announce that the third phase of public engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan has begun. In the fall of 2019, we asked for public input on a proposed new transit system, which has been used to shape the draft Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. In this third and final phase of engagement for the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, we are sharing plans for the future of rapid transit, including the types of infrastructure that could be built and plans for downtown. We are also sharing details about how we can make transit more accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Winnipeggers made it clear that accessibility for all users is a top priority, and the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan proposes changes to better integrate Winnipeg Transit Plus with the rest of the transit network. Improving accessibility for all will be a key consideration in transit network planning and design. Learn more and share your thoughts on the future of rapid transit and accessible transit from October 9 to November 6 online at: winnipeg.ca/transitmasterplan <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan/> *Zoom Meetings * Join us live on Zoom for a presentation and Q&A about the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. Use the links below to register for one of the sessions. Topic: The Future of Rapid Transit Format: Zoom meeting Date: Saturday, October 24 (Register now <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_454Ch45GTYebyr_M2BjtZg>) Time: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Topic: The Future of Rapid Transit Format: Zoom meeting Date: Wednesday, October 28 (Register now <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yrsucwfmTUm26873-g1DpA>) Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. *Help us get Winnipeggers involved* We invite you to help get your fellow residents involved in this process by sharing information about the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan with your communities and encouraging them to share their input. You can follow us on Twitter <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> and Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg/>, and stay up to date on the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project by signing up for updates at transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Please visit winnipeg.ca/transitmasterplan <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan/> to learn more. For inquiries or for those who require alternate formats or interpretation to participate, please contact transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Sincerely, Winnipeg Transit Master Plan project team *[image: cw-v-dk_blue-rgb]* Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer que la phase trois de participation du public pour le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg a commencé. À l’automne 2019, nous avons demandé au public de nous donner son opinion sur un nouveau système proposé de transport en commun; cette opinion a servi à élaborer le projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Dans cette troisième et dernière phase de participation du public pour le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg, nous communiquons les plans pour l’avenir du transport en commun rapide, y compris les infrastructures qui pourraient être construites et les plans relatifs au centre-ville. Nous communiquons également de l’information sur la manière dont nous pouvons rendre le transport en commun plus accessible aux personnes de tous âges et de toutes capacités. Les Winnipégois ont clairement indiqué que l’accessibilité pour tous les usagers est une priorité absolue, et le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg propose des changements visant à mieux intégrer le service Winnipeg Transit Plus au reste du réseau de transport en commun. L’amélioration de l’accessibilité pour tous sera un facteur clé dans la planification et la conception du réseau de transport en commun. Pour en savoir plus et donner votre opinion sur l’avenir du transport en commun rapide et du transport accessible, consultez le site Web suivant entre le 8 octobre et le 6 novembre : winnipeg.ca/plantransportencommun <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan-francais> *Réunions sur Zoom * Joignez-nous en direct sur Zoom pour une présentation et une séance de questions sur le Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg. Utilisez les liens ci-dessous pour vous inscrire à l’une des séances. Sujet : L’avenir du transport en commun rapide Format : Réunion sur Zoom Date : Samedi 24 octobre (S’inscrire <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_454Ch45GTYebyr_M2BjtZg>) Heure : De 13 h à 14 h 30 Sujet : L’avenir du transport en commun rapide Format : Réunion sur Zoom Date : Mercredi 28 octobre (S’inscrire <https://winnipeg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yrsucwfmTUm26873-g1DpA>) Heure : De 19 h à 20 h 30 *Aidez-nous à faire participer les Winnipégois* Nous vous invitons à aider vos concitoyens à participer à ce processus en informant vos communautés au sujet du Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg et en les encourageant à donner leur opinion. Vous pouvez nous suivre sur Twitter <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> et Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg/>, et vous tenir au courant du projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg en vous inscrivant aux mises à jour à l’adresse transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Veuillez consulter le site winnipeg.ca/plantransportencommun <https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major-projects/transit-master-plan-francais> pour en savoir plus. Si vous avez des questions, ou si vous avez besoin de médias substituts ou de services d’interprétation pour participer, veuillez écrire à transitmasterplan(a)winnipeg.ca. Cordialement, L’équipe du projet de Plan directeur du transport en commun de Winnipeg *[image: cw-v-dk_blue-rgb]*

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Using AI to count pedestrians and bicyclists
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 13 Oct '20

13 Oct '20

Using AI to count pedestrians and bicyclists<http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/181329.aspx> <http://www.trb.org/main/blurbs/181329.aspx> Automatic Traffic Monitoring and Management for Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety Using Deep Learning and Artificial Intelligence<https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/1808-Pourhomayoun-Automatic-T…>, released by the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University HAPPY TRAILS Terry Zdan, BA MEDes 1520 215 Garry Street Policy, Programs and Regulation Manitoba Infrastructure Winnipeg MB R3C 3P3 C 204 227 3724 E Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca<mailto:Terry.Zdan@gov.mb.ca> [Google (Android 10)] "...Resilience is the ability to prepare and plan for, absorb, recover from, and more successfully adapt to adverse events..." þ Think green, read on screen | Soyez écolo, lisez à l'écran

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Province to spend $7M on trails
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

*PROVINCE TO SPEND $7 MILLION ON TRAILS* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/572630921.html THE province, in partnership with Trails Manitoba, is spending $7 million to create, maintain and enhance active transportation trails across the province, including in Winnipeg. There are more than 1,700 kilometres of active transportation trails in the province. The government has created three funds that will be managed by Trails Manitoba and held in trust by the Winnipeg Foundation. The $1-million Trails Manitoba Operating Endowment Fund will serve as ongoing operating funding for Trails Manitoba. The $4-million Manitoba Trails Improvement Endowment Fund will support grants to create trails or improve existing ones. The third fund, a $2-million Manitoba Trails Strategic Fund, supports capital projects that advance trail development in Winnipeg and will be distributed as matching grants. CBC coverage: 'Get outside' - Manitoba trail system gets $7M enhancement boost <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-active-transportation-trai…> *News release*: PROVINCE INVESTS $7 MILLION FOR CREATION, MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT OF MANITOBA TRAILS <https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=49376&posted=2020-10-09>

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New resource: Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Audit Guide and Prompt List (US)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

The Pedestrian and Bicyclist Road Safety Audit Guide and Prompt List <https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa20042.pdf> serves as an update to the *Pedestrian Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists *(2007) and *Bicycle Road Safety Audit Guidelines and Prompt Lists *(2012). However, as pedestrian- and bicycle-focused RSAs are oftentimes conducted simultaneously, this new guide provides the content in one concise document. The document provides information on how to conduct an RSA and effectively assess the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. These Guidelines provide an overview of the Road Safety Audit process, as well as an overview of basic safety principles and potential hazards affecting pedestrians and cyclists. Prompt lists are provided to assist RSA team members in considering general issues when performing a PBRSA. Tamara Redmon Pedestrian Safety Program Manager Federal Highway Administration Room E71-303 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590 Phone: 202-366-4077 Web page: safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike

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Walking and cycling fatalities | US vs UK, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands
by Beth McKechnie 10 Oct '20

10 Oct '20

Ralph Buehler and John Pucher. 2021. "The Growing Gap in Pedestrian and Cyclist Fatality Fates between the United States and the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands, 1990–2018," *Transport Reviews*, Vol. 41, Issue 1, January 2021. (Published online on Oct. 7, 2021) *https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2020.1823521 <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.tandfonline.com_do…>* Using official national data for each country, this article calculates trends in walking and cycling fatalities per capita and per km in the USA, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. From 1990 to 2018, pedestrian fatalities per capita fell by 23% in the USA vs. 66%–80% in the other countries; cyclist fatalities per capita fell by 22% in the USA vs. 55%–68% in the other countries. In 2018, pedestrian fatality rates per km in the USA were 5–10 times higher than in the other four countries; cyclist fatality rates per km in the USA were 4–7 times higher. *The gap in walking and cycling fatality rates between the USA and the other countries increased over the entire 28-year period, but especially from 2010 to 2018. Over that 8-year period, per-capita fatality rates in the USA rose by 19% for pedestrians and 11% for cyclists; per-km fatality rates rose by 17% for pedestrians and 33% for cyclists. By comparison, fatality rates either fell or remained stable in the four European countries.* We reviewed the relevant literature to identify factors that might help explain the much lower walking and cycling fatality rates in Europe compared to the USA. Possible explanatory factors include better walking and cycling infrastructure; lower urban speed limits; fewer vehicle km travelled; smaller and less powerful personal motor vehicles; and better traffic training, testing, and enforcement of traffic regulations. We recommend that the USA consider implementing an integrated package of mutually reinforcing safety measures such as those that have been successfully implemented in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany to reduce pedestrian and cyclist fatality rates.

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WFP: Snow-cleared streets lure winter bike riders (Oct9'20)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '20

09 Oct '20

Snow-cleared streets lure winter bike riders Report shows demand for cycling routes in winter cold https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/snow-cleared-streets-lure-winter-bi… THERE is demand for accessible, snow-cleared winter cycling routes in Winnipeg, according to a report to be presented to the public works committee next week at city hall. The city conducted cycling counts on 10 streets recently upgraded to Priority 1 snow-clearing (maintained to bare pavement) between Jan. 31 and Feb. 13. A total of 1,633 cyclists were logged across all sites, equivalent to approximately 115 daily. According to the data, the majority rode on weekdays, and during slightly warmer weather. This is the first time specific data of this nature has been tracked in Winnipeg, according to Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). In June 2018, the city approved some upgrades to active transportation pathway snow-clearing, and began designing a winter cycling network. According to the report, improved winter maintenance is intended to ensure key routes are cleared quickly after snowfall to provide “uninterrupted and effective connections” between neighbourhoods, Winnipeg Transit facilities, and downtown. “I want to stress that the lion’s share of the budget for this enhanced snow clearing is to clear the roads that lead to our active transportation facilities,” Allard explained in an interview Thursday. A November 2019 motion called for some monitoring of those cleared routes to determine how much demand there is for winter riding in the city. Across the 10 sites, the highest-trafficked route was Warsaw Avenue, which logged an average of 24 cyclists daily. One route, Clifton Street, recorded no cyclist activity. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, attributed the low traffic on Clifton Street to its lack of connectivity to main cycle paths, and noted all 10 of the city’s tested routes are located in generally low-traffic areas. As it stands now, much of Winnipeg’s active transportation network is made up of existing roadways, Allard said, meaning enhanced snow-clearing benefits cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike. “If you create a facility that people can use, people then start using it — and that’s exactly what we want when it comes to active transportation, when we’re building new facilities because every trip that someone takes on a bicycle or walking is another trip that they’re not taking using another mode,” Allard said. The city noted it was unable to provide figures for latent demand — which would indicate how many potential winter cyclists would ride if infrastructure and snow-clearing were improved — because the data collection processes are currently in early stages. More robust data sets are expected in the future. Cohoe indicated, in his experience, latent demand for winter cycling is substantial — so long as the paths and roads are cleared, and proper infrastructure is in place for accessibility. A 2018 poll conducted by Bike Winnipeg and CAA found a majority of respondents think the city’s snow-clearing on roads and pathways is neutral or poor. “The very basic one is: get that winter maintenance in place,” Cohoe said. “It’s also having protected facilities — it’s even more important through winter to have that type of facility to make those connections.” — with files from Joyanne Pursaga julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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Free webinar on Ottawa's recent e-scooter pilot
by Beth McKechnie 09 Oct '20

09 Oct '20

*Oct 15th, 12-1pm EST* *Register at **https:// <https://t.co/QVhp2TdGGC?amp=1>www.cite7.org/event/... <https://www.cite7.org/event/ite-ncs-october-webinar-e-scooter-pilot-in-otta…>* The webinar will cover the results and lessons learned of this summer's e-scooter pilot in Ottawa as well as highlight e-scooter operations elsewhere in Canada. A short Q/A will follow the presentations. *Presenter: Kathleen Wilker, City of Ottawa.* Kathleen Wilker leads the City of Ottawa's Transportation Demand Management Program. Her work centres on developing and implementing policies and programs enabling residents to enjoy using Ottawa's walking, cycling and transit networks more often. She has been instrumental in collaborating with colleagues, councillors, external stakeholders, e-scooter providers and residents to bring e-scooters to Ottawa this summer. *Presenter: Chris Schafer, Bird Canada.* Chris Schafer is Vice President, Government Affairs at Bird Canada. Prior to joining Bird Canada, Chris was a Senior Director at another micromobility start-up after almost five years at Uber Canada as their Senior Public Policy Manager in Canada. Previously, Chris did stints in media, at think tanks and as a regulatory lawyer with Gowlings in Ottawa.

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Vancouver City Council approves study on eliminating minimum parking standards
by Beth McKechnie 07 Oct '20

07 Oct '20

Vancouver City Council approves study on eliminating minimum parking standards https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-city-council-approves-study-on-el… Vancouver City Council has directed city staff to perform a deep dive into eliminating city-mandated parking minimums in future building development projects <https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-parking-minimum-requirements-open…> . Instead, the intention is to have an Open Parking Policy method where market forces — developers and businesses — would decide on the amount of parking supply needed, and be required to implement transportation demand management (TDM) measures that encourage public transit use and active transportation. If city council approves a future staff recommendation to abolish parking minimums, Vancouver would follow in the footsteps of Edmonton, which approved the elimination of parking minimums <https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/edmonton-remove-minimum-parking-requirements> this past June. -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Analysis: Collective response is the best strategy (Oct5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

Collective response is the best strategy https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/collective-response-is-t… REMEMBER when we thought schools taking an extra week off at spring break would give us time for the COVID-19 pandemic to pass? It seems laughable in hindsight, but it was not a unique reaction. For decades, we have been racing toward a climate crisis with a similar “It couldn’t happen here” naiveté. This pandemic could well be a dress rehearsal for the main show, climate change — a far more catastrophic global emergency, with no hope of a vaccine to save us. The coronavirus has demonstrated that our world is a fragile ecosystem, and when we push it too hard, it breaks. It has proven that a global problem is everyone’s problem. Old tropes, such as the suggestion the climate crisis is the sole responsibility of major polluters like India, China or the United States, no longer fly. Like tackling a pandemic, the solution to climate change can only be realized through collective response. Global warming has been created through the cumulative effect of billions of small actions, and the only response is an equal number of small solutions. Canadian cities and provinces will be on the front lines of this effort. To provide context, if Manitoba were a country, it would sit within the top 15 highest per-capita emitters in the world. Manitoba’s emissions have increased by more than eight per cent since 2005 — the third highest growth rate among provinces. What’s driving much of the increase in Manitoba’s emissions is driving. The number of cars on Manitoba’s roads has grown by almost 50 per cent since 2005, and despite higher fuel efficiency, emissions from vehicles in the province have almost doubled since 1990. The story is much the same for the city of Winnipeg, where vehicles are responsible for half of all emissions, by far the largest contributor. More than 10,000 vehicles are added to Winnipeg’s roads every year, and with the city’s low density and sprawling growth, we are also driving farther. Winnipeggers drive a combined 5 1/2 billion kilometres per year, equating to every person over the age of 16 driving alone in a car 26 kilometers every single day. Compounding this, Winnipeg is the only major city in Canada to have lower public-transit ridership today than it did 20 years ago (pre-pandemic). The City of Winnipeg has a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that targets a 20 per cent reduction in emissions by 2030 (relative to 2011 levels). It targets a 17 per cent reduction in transportation-related emissions, achieved in part by increasing public-transit use and tripling the number of people who walk and bike. So, how do we change 60 years of urban planning centred around traffic management, and begin to promote more sustainable transportation options? Coun. Matt Allard recently introduced two innovative ideas that could be part of a larger transformation. His first proposal introduces an ‘induced demand analysis’ for all new transportation projects. Induced demand is a concept that can best be described as “you get what you build for.” When cities build more roads, people drive more cars. A groundbreaking study from 2011 titled “The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion” demonstrated that there is a one-to-one correlation between a city’s road capacity and the number of kilometres residents drive. The phenomenon has many contributing factors. Increased road capacity initially reduces commute times, causing people to alter their driving patterns, either route, frequency, or time of travel, to take advantage of the higher capacity network. Greater convenience results in fewer people using public transportation and promotes more trips by car. It also inspires driving farther distances, which keeps cars on the road for longer times and stimulates urban sprawl, which further promotes an automobile-centred lifestyle as longer distances make alternate transportation options ineffective. These factors all work together to increase the number of cars on the road, which invariably grows to meet the road capacity, no matter how much was built. This leads to demand for even more roads, creating an unwinnable cycle. Allard’s proposal may allow us to understand how our road-building choices will be affected by induced demand, helping us to make smarter choices, reducing road construction spending, traffic congestion, the amount we collectively drive and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions. The second motion introduced by Allard is to make the “open streets,” which were so popular during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, a permanent fixture in the city. His proposal is to close 15 streets to vehicles for six months per year. This move would represent a transformational shift in our traditional priorities by taking vehicle space and creating places for people. Open streets such as Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue saw high levels of use, regularly accommodating up to two hundred cyclists and almost as many pedestrians every hour. It changed how we experience our city. If the motion passes, open streets could provide the backbone for a new, connected, active-transportation network that fundamentally transforms how we move around. It would be a progressive and bold move for Winnipeg, one that might inspire us to think differently about our city and encourage investment in more sustainable transportation options such as walking, biking and transit. We have learned from the pandemic that change takes a collective effort. As we emerge from the crisis, we have an opportunity to channel this unprecedented global collaboration to focus on the even greater challenge moving toward us. These types of local, progressive ideas, implemented in cities across the world, can create a powerful cumulative effect that moves us toward flattening the global-warming curve, so our children and grandchildren inherit a future from us. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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FYI: Designs for Main Street released in new Playbook
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

From: Canadian Urban Institute <communications(a)canurb.org> Sent: October-05-20 10:14 AM To: Zdan, Terry (MI) <Terry.Zdan(a)gov.mb.ca> Subject: Designs for Main Street released in new Playbook [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/657964b0-48cb-47…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/a695f5ca-36d5-4b…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> October 5, 2020 / canurb.org Main Street Design Challenge Playbook released to help Bring Back Main Street [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/9d56b8bd-e663-45…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Today, the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) are proud to release the Main Street Design Challenge Playbook<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, a collection of design solutions that can be implemented during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Main Street Design Challenge invited all Canadian residents interested in place-making and design to develop solutions that can help build the resiliency of Canada’s main streets. Over the past four months, 47 designs were submitted from a wide range of sources, ranging from well-known architects and urban designers to students, planners, community animators, and artists. The Playbook showcases a range of creative and practical interventions, from masterplans to art installations to modular street furniture. [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/6ff8a114-8ead-46…] [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/914ff868-90cc-4e…] The Main Street Design Challenge reflects the importance of design in revitalizing our streets, including kickstarting the economy, fostering vibrant, liveable, and healthy communities, increasing public safety, reducing social isolation, and restoring the public’s confidence to return to streets and public spaces. All designs are free to use, though contacting the creators is encouraged. The Playbook contains links to implementation details and other information on the CUI website. [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/3c582126-3820-4a…] [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/b0f4b3f4-8e2e-4e…] The Main Street Design Challenge is an initiative of Bring Back Main Street, a nationally coordinated research and action campaign by the CUI to ensure the people, businesses, and organizations that call Canada’s Main Streets home can recover and emerge from the crisis more resilient than ever. Read The Playbook<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> CUI and RAIC gratefully acknowledge the following Supporting Partners: Canadian Institute of Planners<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Council for Canadian Urbanism<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, ICOMOS Canada<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, National Trust for Canada<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, OCAD University<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Rues principales<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, STEPS Initiative<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>, Trinity Centres Foundation<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>. Don't Miss! [https://mcusercontent.com/f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182/images/5656e2fa-926b-44…]<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Register<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…> Thank You to Our Partners We are grateful to all of our partners for supporting us in building a stronger urban Canada. Donors and Program Funders Bring Back Main Street is supported by Business Improvement areas and Economic Development organizations across Canada, Vancity and Vancity Community Investment Bank Partners Black Business and Professionals Association, Bloor-Yorkville BIA, Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council, Canadian Business Resilience Network, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, Canadian Institute of Planners, CGLCC: Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce, City of Calgary, City of Edmonton, City of Toronto, City of Vancouver, Develop Nova Scotia, Downtown Halifax, Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Downtown Yonge BIA, Environics, Financial District BIA, National Preservation Council, National Trust for Canada, Ontario Business Improvement Area Association, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Regina Downtown BID, Retail Council of Canada, Royal Architecture Institute of Canada, Rues principales, Save Canadian Small Business, St. Lawrence BIA, Tamarack Institute, The Waterfront BIA, Toronto Entertainment District BIA, Trinity Centres Foundation, Vancouver Economic Commission Main Street Design Challenge Partners Canadian Institute of Planners, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, Council for Canadian Urbanism, ICOMOS Canada, National Trust for Canada, OCAD University, Rue principales, STEPS Initiative, Trinity Centres Foundation Research Team 360 Collective, Happy City, Simon Fraser University, Fathom Studio, JC Williams Group About CUI CUI is Canada's Urban Institute. We are the national platform that houses the best in Canadian city building – where policymakers, urban professionals, civic and business leaders, community activists and academics can learn, share and collaborate with one another from coast to coast to coast. Copyright © 2020 Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada Canadian Urban Institute | Institut urbain du Canada 30 St. Patrick Street, 5th Floor Toronto, ON M5T 3A3 Canada Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/profile?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&id=9…> or unsubscribe from this list<https://canurb.us3.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=f47fe5ecd01cfe0eeeec18182&…>. 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Free webinar: Organizing for equitable, walkable communities - Angie Schmitt
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

So many webinars to choose from! [image: Twitter] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Facebook] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: YouTube] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: Make a gift to Island Press today!] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/6aa1e9fbdcb1/free-summer-e-book-503709?e=c14836d4ab> ISLAND PRESS | ASU [image: ASU Sustainability Series] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> Equitable Energy and Affordable Housing *Oct. 29 • Nov. 19* ------------------------------ Arizona State University's (ASU) School of Sustainability and Island Press are partnering on a fall speaker series featuring Island Press authors and Urban Resilience Project contributors. All events are free, hosted by ASU, and promise to inspire. Our upcoming webinars include: - Shane Phillips: The Affordable City; Thursday 10/29 1pm MST <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> - Shalanda Baker: Revolutionary Power: An Activist’s Guide to the Energy Transition; Thursday 11/19 1pm MST <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> LEARN MORE <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> FREE WEBINAR | ioby & ISLAND PRESS [image: In Conversation with Angie Schmitt, Author of ‘Right of Way’ October 14, 2020 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> Organizing for equitable, walkable communities *Wed. October 7 • 1:00-2:00 PM EDT* ------------------------------ In this live webinar, hear about some of the causes of the disproportionate impacts of traffic violence, and learn about some of the programs and movements that are beginning to respond. You'll also hear from everyday neighbors who stepped up to address pedestrian safety in their communities, and see how you could do it too. *This webinar is in partnership with ioby <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> ASU EVENT | SHANE PHILLIPS [image: ASU Stardust Center Event -- The Affordable City] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> A conversation with Shane Phillips *Thurs. October 29 • 1:00-2:00 PM PDT* ------------------------------ Arizona State University’s (ASU) School of Sustainability and Island Press are partnering on a fall speaker series featuring Island Press authors and Urban Resilience Project contributors. All events are free, hosted by ASU, and promise to inspire. Join Shane Phillips, author of *The Affordable City* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, for a discussion moderated by ASU urban planner and sustainability scientist Deirdre Pfeiffer. *This event is in partnership with Arizona State University <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> ANGIE SCHMITT | RIGHT OF WAY [image: In Conversation with Angie Schmitt, Author of ‘Right of Way’ October 14, 2020 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> In conversation with Angie Schmitt *Wed. October 14 • 5:00-6:00 PM PDT* ------------------------------ Join SPUR and Walk San Francisco in diving into the research and realities behind why pedestrians are dying, and how we can imagine and demand safer, equitable cities in the Bay Area. Moderated by Marta Lindsey, Walk SF’s communications director. *This webinar is in partnership with Walk San Francisco <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> and SPUR <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>.* REGISTER <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> GET THE BOOKS Enter *WEBINAR* at checkout for 30% off [image: Right of Way by Angie Schmitt | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Expendable people?* ------------------------------ *Right of Way* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> exposes the crisis of traffic violence that is plaguing our cities, inspiring regular citizens to action. *$19.60* $28.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> [image: The Affordable City by Shane Phillips | An Island Press book] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *Brings opposing sides together* ------------------------------ *The Affordable City* <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> is an essential tool for professionals and advocates working to improve affordability and increase community resilience through local action. *$22.40* $32.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> *It's time for a revolution* ------------------------------ "[*Revolutionary Power*] <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…> is an inspiring guide that makes energy and energy justice easy to understand and radical ideas doable." —Denise Fairchild <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>, President/Chief Executive Officer, Emerald Cities Collaborative *$22.40* $32.00 <https://islandpress.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3bd33456aa62e826309ba…>

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Impact of e-cycling on travel behaviour
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '20

05 Oct '20

(Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share) In case you are interested: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32904492/ The impact of e-cycling on travel behaviour: A scoping review - PubMed <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32904492/> pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov This review suggests that the personal use of e-bikes is associated with a reduction in motorized vehicle use, which has potential positive impacts on the environment and health. The impacts of e-bike share schemes and workplace initiatives are less well understood. Evidence describing the purposes …

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Study: We Can’t Fix Transportation-Related Climate Emissions With EVs Alone
by Beth McKechnie 03 Oct '20

03 Oct '20

*Why EVs can’t get dirty to go ‘green’* *In order to maintain our [US] national car addiction and stay within a national transportation-related emissions “budget” that scientists agree is necessary to maintain the planet at temperatures our ecosystems can survive, the United States would need to replace a whopping 90 percent of gas-powered cars on the roads with zero-emissions electric vehicles by 2050, researchers at the University of Toronto <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-00921-7> found.Right now, just 1.5 percent <https://www.eei.org/issuesandpolicy/electrictransportation/Documents/FINAL_…> of new vehicle sales in the U.S. are electric cars, and roughly 99.7 percent <https://phys.org/news/2020-09-electric-vehicles-wont-climate.html> of cars on the road today are powered by fossil fuels.The study was careful to note that EVs are not a lost cause, and are, of course, “likely to reduce emissions in the United States when compared with conventional gasoline vehicles.” But the researchers cautioned of the dangers of policies that over-focus on electric cars, especially if they come at the expense of investments in proven strategies for which we have the technology in place today to significantly curb emissions.Those strategies include massive public transit adoption, mass construction of active transportation infrastructure, and fundamentally redesigning our cities to make car-free or car-light living possible for more people.*

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WFP: 'Open Streets' to be further explored (Oct2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Oct '20

02 Oct '20

‘OPEN STREETS’ TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED THE City of Winnipeg could soon prioritize seasonal pedestrian and cyclist access on parts of a dozen streets every year. Council unanimously approved a motion late Wednesday to have its public service study whether to continue 10 sections of “open streets” that the city tested out this year. A report is expected around November. Coun. Matt Allard, chair of the public works committee, hopes to make the active transportation routes permanent, seven days a week between the May long and Thanksgiving weekend. The streets would limit vehicle traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

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WFP: City makes changes to traffic lights at intersections to improve pedestrian safety (Oct2'20)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Oct '20

02 Oct '20

*City makes changes to traffic lights at intersections to improve pedestrian safety* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/in-a-flash-they-were-gone-572606212… THE city has put a stop to traffic light cycles that combine flashing amber and red lights at Winnipeg intersections. The change, which took effect Thursday, affects 185 intersections throughout the city, which used the flashing amber and red light signals at night, in the early morning and on weekends when traffic volumes are low. The majority of these intersections now has a standard light cycle: solid green, amber and red phases at all hours. Flashing yellow lights warn some directions of traffic to slow down before proceeding through an intersection, while blinking red lights direct drivers to treat the crossing like a stop sign. The city says the change is meant to make it safer for people crossing the street, since pedestrian visual walk signs and audible crossing sounds were inactive during flashing light periods. Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) called for the change a few months ago. Nason said he grew concerned about the practice after a visually impaired resident reported feeling unsafe while walking late at night through the intersection of Plessis Road and Kernaghan Avenue, when it was in a flashing light mode. “Hopefully, (this change) will result in the ability for pedestrians and/or active-transportation users to be able to safely cross the road at these intersections with minimal impact on the driving public,” said Nason. “I think it’s wonderful. I think it’s another step to ensure an inclusive city,” he added. Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) also welcomed the change, noting he expects it could also reduce safety risks for drivers. Mayes said he has personally driven through one set of flashing lights that suddenly switched to a solid red while his vehicle was still in the intersection of Worthington Avenue and St. Anne’s Road. “A third of the way through the intersection, you look up (and) it’s a hard red you’re facing now because the clock has shifted to 7 o’clock (in the morning)... I altered my route in the morning because I thought, I’m going to get a ticket here or, worse, I’m going to get in a collision,” said Mayes. “That dangerous situation has now been eliminated.” The flashing lights were previously meant to reduce driver delays during times when roads saw low traffic volumes. Coun. Matt Allard, council’s public works chairman, said he expects the safety benefits of the change will outweigh any inconvenience for drivers. “There certainly is a trade-off there. Motorists, who in the past may have been able to (enter) the intersection at their own discretion, will have to wait for the signal to change. I think on a balance, though, if you’re considering the vulnerable road users... I think it’s the right thing to do,” said Allard (St. Boniface). The city says eight intersections with especially low traffic volumes will still have a light cycle that flashes red lights in all directions during set hours, which drivers should treat as a four-way stop. City officials also plan to “fine-tune” overnight traffic signal patterns over the next few months, as new traffic data is collected. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Shared Use Mobility Data Primer
by Beth McKechnie 01 Oct '20

01 Oct '20

Helpful primer from Oregon on shared use mobility data (bikeshare, e-scooters, carsharing, ridehailing services). Lots to think about! ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: MILLAR Stephanie L <Stephanie.L.MILLAR(a)odot.state.or.us> Date: Thu, Oct 1, 2020 at 2:19 PM Hello Fellow TDM Professionals, I am sharing a recently completed project from my consultants at Trillium Solutions. Attached is the Shared Use Mobility Data Primer. This document was developed to provide small and medium sized communities with information on what shared use mobility data is, why it is important to manage, and the steps to take in managing it. I hope you find it useful. *The excerpt below is intended as a pull out piece for elected officials and managers to help them understand why the subject is important.* *Why This Matters* Public demand for shared mobility is growing, as is our understanding of how it fits into the broader picture of transportation solutions in Oregon communities. In the course of their operation, shared mobility companies collect a large amount of data about their users and travel patterns. Local jurisdictions can establish guidelines for how companies use this data, and also what data these companies need to share with the jurisdiction. In many jurisdictions, a condition of approval for shared mobility companies to operate within their boundaries is a data sharing and management agreement. For jurisdictions, having access to shared mobility data allows them to see travel patterns in their communities, make responsive transportation planning decisions, ensure oversight of shared mobility companies operating in the public right of way, and monitor equity impacts of these services. Stephanie Lawson Millar ODOT Transportation Options Program Manager Desk: 503-986-4224 Cell: 503-430-4152 *Email is the best way to reach me* <http://getthereoregon.org/> ------------------------------

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WFP Weeklies: Final pedestrian sound signal installed (Sep30'20)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '20

30 Sep '20

Final pedestrian sound signal installed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Final-pedestria… As a “coo-coo” sound rang out over the noise of traffic, the final pedestrian sound signal was installed last week at a street corner in River Heights, during an event hosted by the City of Winnipeg. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface), chairperson of the standing policy committee on infrastructure renewal and public works, and Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) were on hand on Sept. 24 at the corner of Stafford Street and Kingsway Avenue to announce the successful implementation of audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections throughout the city. “I wanted to say, I never thought I’d see the day. I thought the plan was going to be... and I’d be dead before it was completed,” Eadie said with a laugh. Audible pedestrian signals communicate traffic signal timing information to pedestrians using non-visual, audible tones. The City had originally anticipated completing the installation of the audible pedestrian signals at all signalized intersections by the end of 2021. “The installation of the 670 signalized intersections was made a priority and completed over a year ahead of schedule,” Allard said, adding it’s a huge achievement to improve accessibility for Winnipeggers at all intersections with traffic signals. “With the addition of audible pedestrian signals, everyone can now safely navigate these intersections with the help of auditory cues to provide guidance indicating when it’s safe to cross the street.” For those not familiar with the sounds made by the signals, the “coo-coo” typically indicates it’s safe to cross in a north-south direction. The signals also make chirping, ticking and tocking sounds. The first audible signal in Winnipeg was installed in 1953 at Portage and Sherburn by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. “I am pleased that this project is finally completed as it will improve accessibility and safety for all of our citizens,” Eadie said. “I want to thank all those who have been involved over the years championing this worthy effort for the benefit of all Winnipeggers regardless of what part of the city they live in. We prioritized this project because we understood and recognized the importance of safety and accessibility for all Winnipeggers.” The City began installing audible pedestrian signals at signalized intersections throughout the city in 1996 under then-mayor Glen Murray. “We who are blind fought for this in the mid-1990s, to convince the city to move ahead, to install audible signals so we knew when it was our turn to cross at all the intersections, no matter where you work, live, play or go to school,” Eadie said.

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Webinar series on the intersection between transportation and health
by Beth McKechnie 29 Sep '20

29 Sep '20

The focus on the intersection between transportation and public health is increasingly important as communities plan for recovery and response amid COVID-19 and tackle more persistent health and safety issues. Emerging research to better align the two fields offers not only an expanded perspective of their connections, but also opportunities to address health issues through the lens of transportation. *The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), in partnership with many organizations, is delivering a* five-part webinar series <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y_uZFci0Y6LLgGHRFkC-VyI4g4UutomkCFyvWH88Ztvh…> t*o explore the integration and advancement of health in various transportation planning practices, including the confrontation of power and privilege in communities, collaborative partnerships, data integration, project prioritization, and policy change*. The series will be held from October 13-28 and participants are encouraged to register for any or all of the sessions. For details and to register: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/webinars/webseries_healthtransp.cfm -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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Wpg Sun: Breathing Space - School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play (Sep26'20)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Sep '20

27 Sep '20

BREATHING SPACE: School Street pilot project allows students more room to walk, bike, play https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/0925-school-streets A collaboration between the City of Winnipeg and the Green Action Centre, a non-profit promoting greener living, is getting a lot of positive feedback stemming from a pilot program aimed at giving students a little more room to breathe outside of one Winnipeg school. The School Street Project, which has become commonplace throughout the United Kingdom, is being piloted at Issac Brock School in Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood. The initiative sees street closures in front of schools to vehicles, allowing students more space to walk, bike, play and physical distance. The result? Cleaner air, less noise, calmer streets and less traffic. “These projects have started to be adopted across North America and other parts of the world because they are so beneficial, particularly for young students,” said Denae Penner, Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinator at Green Action Centre. “It’s really important that students have the ability to walk a little bit and the start and end of each day, and the majority of traffic you see around schools in the morning — and the majority of rush-hour traffic in general — is people driving their kids to school.” Since students returned to the classroom on Sept. 8, Barratt Avenue, which runs adjacent to the front doors of Isaac Brock, has been closed to allow for students to better move around what’s normally a busy area during school hours. It’s part of a 60-day pilot project in partnership with the city, including backing from Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) and school trustee Jennifer Chen. The hope, according to the GAC, is School Streets will support families in choosing to walk or bike to school, reduce traffic congestion in the area, and alleviate some of the stresses on school buses, while creating safer streets for children to play around. “The Isaac Brock Parent Council has always been concerned with making sure the students and community members have safe ways to get to school,” said Elizabeth Jackimec, president of the Isaac Brock Parent Council. “We also encourage active transportation, so this initiative is great.” The Safer Streets program has been highlighted further since the beginning of the school year as a strike by Winnipeg School Division bus drivers, which Isaac Brock falls under, has meant more parents having to drive their kids to and from school. “Anecdotally, and what some of the school administrators have said, is the streets feel much calmer,” Penner said. How that changes when the strike ends is unknown, but so far, feedback has been great. “Response from residents I have interacted with so far has been really positive, and already, without any nudging or any kind of push from us, the families who are waiting to get their kids from school are spreading out on the street to give their kids more space to ensure physical distancing is being met,” Penner said. It’s too early to say whether or not the Safe Schools program will be implemented at other schools at this point, Penner said. “But I do know that the traffic engineers at the City of Winnipeg, who have been supporting us, are looking into more innovative approaches to address road safety concerns around schools,” she said. sbilleck(a)postmedia.com Twitter: @scottbilleck

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The Conference Board of Canada report: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System
by Beth McKechnie 25 Sep '20

25 Sep '20

Trekking Our Trails: The Benefits and Significance of Canada’s Trail System https://www.conferenceboard.ca/focus-areas/canadian-economics/2020/trekking…

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CBC: New cycling maps pop up around Winnipeg schools to help kids find safer ways to bike to class
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '20

21 Sep '20

Winnipeg Trails Association's School Loops maps show active transportation routes around schools https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/school-trails-maps-winnipeg-1.57288…

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WFP: Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets (Sept 18'20)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '20

17 Sep '20

*Public works chair wants 15 permanent seasonal traffic-restricting open streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/public-works-chair-wants-15-… Winnipeg city council’s public works chairman wants to prioritize pedestrian access on sections of more than a dozen streets. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) is lobbying colleagues to permanently add seasonal active transportation routes on 15 streets, which would run seven days a week between the May long and Thanksgiving weekends each year. The routes would include 10 sections of "open streets" the city tested out this year, continuing to limit vehicle traffic on them to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The routes were created to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists to stay active, while offering room for them to also keep least two metres apart from others during the COVID-19 pandemic. "In my opinion, and I think the opinion of many across the city, (the routes) were a tremendous success. They were very low cost and opened up very large recreational opportunities for Winnipeggers… I don’t think COVID-19 is necessarily going away, so Winnipeggers will potentially need those recreational opportunities again next year," said Allard. The councillor raised a successful motion to support the change at a public works committee meeting Wednesday. If council approves it, the motion will have Winnipeg’s public service study the 10 routes and consider adding others on five additional streets. A report on implementing those changes would return for a second round of council votes, perhaps in November. Allard hopes a final decision will be made in time for the routes to reopen by May 2021. Some of the 10 temporary trial routes closed for the season Sept. 7. Others will be offered until Oct. 12, but only on Sundays and holidays. The closures triggered plenty of public pressure to extend the active transportation access, especially through online petitions and social media. However, not all Winnipeggers support the seven-day-per-week routes. "Why would you close a road seven days a week when there’s nobody using it for walking and cycling during the daylight hours because they’re at work or school? That’s nonsense," said Riverview resident Tom Pearson. Pearson said he’s concerned the Churchill Drive route in his neighbourhood also diverts drivers to streets that actually have more pedestrians than it does, creating a new safety risk while also interrupting commutes along Churchill. The city must consult the broader public before considering permanent changes, Pearson said. He fears politicians may otherwise base decisions solely on input from those who support the change, which he argues could be a "vocal minority." Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said he’s convinced there is ample demand to warrant the number of open streets the motion recommends. "Looking at the numbers we saw biking down those roads this year, there’s a huge amount of demand to have that kind of access," said Cohoe. "I think it’s (also) something that moves the city forward towards its goals on climate change, towards its goals on sustainability." He expects the city’s approval process will offer time and flexibility to assess feedback on each individual route and make adjustments to address some residents’ concerns. For example, Cohoe said he agrees the Churchill Drive route warrants extra consideration, suggesting it may be better suited to offer a protected bike lane than an open street section. Allard said public feedback will be incorporated in the November report. If the changes are implemented, seasonal open streets would resume every year on sections of Wellington Crescent, Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue, Vialoux Drive, Wolseley Avenue and Churchill Drive. New routes would also be added for parts of Glenwood Crescent, Youville Street, Rosseau Avenue and Ellen Street, as well as two sections of Alexander Avenue. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Transport Findings Journal published a study analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities
by Zdan, Terry (MI) 17 Sep '20

17 Sep '20

fyi From: FHWA Office of Planning, Environment, and Realty (HEP) <FHWA.HEP(a)info.dot.gov> Sent: September-17-20 11:02 AM Subject: Human Environment Digest 9/17/20 [header] Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVy…>. September 17, 2020 Human Environment Digest Welcome to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Human Environment biweekly email digest. This digest shares the latest information from a range of Federal and non-Federal sources, addressing transportation and its relationship to the human environment. Through this information exchange, FHWA hopes to foster dialogue at all levels and continue to further the state of the practice on these important topics in support of safety; infrastructure, including accelerated project delivery, access to jobs, and community revitalization; technology and design innovation; and accountability, including, data-driven decisions and performance-based planning. For more information on any of these topics, see the FHWA Related Links on the sidebar. Click here<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVy…> to manage your subscriptions. *The information provided in this mailing does not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration or the U.S. Department of Transportation. EVENTS Please check with event organizers on if/how events are being adjusted to accommodate remote participation. September 21-27, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVy…>: National Bike to Work Week. September 23-24, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVy…>: American Planning Association's Policy and Advocacy Conference. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 28-October 2, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVy…>: AASHTO 2020 Joint Policy Conference: Connecting the DOTs. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to 2021) September 29-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVy…>: 3rd National Summit on Rural Road Safety: Rural Road to Zero. Virtual Event. (There is a fee) September 30-October 1, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDYsInVy…>: North American Bikeshare Association's Together, We Keep Moving Virtual Conference. (There is a fee) October 7, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVy…>: National Walk to School Day. October 20 and 21, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDgsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program. Virtual Event. (In-person event postponed to March 17-19, 2021) October 26, 28, 30, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDksInVy…>: MOBILIZE Virtual 2020 Summit. (There is a fee) October 27-29, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTAsInVy…>: AMPO's Virtual Annual Conference. (There is a fee) December 2-10, 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTEsInVy…>: NACTO's Designing Cities 2020. Virtual Event. January 28-29, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTIsInVy…>: Micromobility America Conference. Bay Area, CA. (There is a fee) March 17-19, 2021<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTMsInVy…>: National Environmental Justice Conference and Training Program, Washington, D.C. (There is a fee for some) WEBINARS September 17, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTQsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Road to Zero and Transportation Equity: An Opportunity to Learn, Engage, and Act. September 20, 6:30-9:30 AM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTUsInVy…>: The 23rd IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transport Systems, Virtual Workshop: Smart Initiatives to Improve Last-mile and 50 Feet Logistics to Improve Freight Fluidity. (There is a fee) September 22, 12:00-1:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTYsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, Connecting Prioritizing Safety with Transportation Equity. September 23, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTcsInVy…>: National Scenic Byway Foundation's A Byway with a View: Managing Vegetation to Restore Iconic Views. (There is a fee) September 24, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTgsInVy…>: Vision Zero Network's How MPOs Can Lead on Vision Zero & Equitable Mobility. (There is a fee for some) September 24, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMTksInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Tax Incremental Finance Districts and Transportation Reinvestment Zones. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjAsInVy…>) September 29, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjEsInVy…>: National Center for Sustainable Transportation's Spatial Equity Analysis of Dock-Based and Dockless Bike Share in San Francisco. September 29, 4:00-6:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjIsInVy…>: Transportation & Climate Initiative's Ensuring Environmental Justice and Equity in a Regional Low-Carbon Transportation Program. September 30, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjMsInVy…>: Road to Zero Coalition's Equity in Transportation Series, The Safety Premium: Designing Equity in Vehicles and Beyond. September 30, 2:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjQsInVy…>: Safe Routes Partnership Safe Routes for Older Adults: Walking, Cycling, and Transit. September 30, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjUsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Incorporating the Transition Plan in the STIP Process. September 30, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjYsInVy…>: America Walks' Youth Leading the Way: Inspiring Stories of Youth Creating Safe, Accessible Neighborhoods. October 1, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjcsInVy…>: American Trails' Managing High-Use Trails Why Trail Stewards are a Necessity in Creating Safe, Sustainable Trails. October 1, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjgsInVy…>: TRB's Governing Data to Improve Transportation Asset Management. (There is a fee) October 6, 1:00-2:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMjksInVy…>: National Institute for Transportation and Communities' Economic and Business Outcomes of Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements. October 13, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzAsInVy…>: TRB's Advancing Transportation Equity. (There is a fee) October 15, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzEsInVy…>: American Trails' Using Volunteers to Maintain Trails in Parks. October 21, 3:00-4:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzIsInVy…>: Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals' Thinking About Cycling Experience: Cycle Highways and Methods for Human-Centered Bikeways. (There is a fee) October 22, 1:00-2:30 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzMsInVy…>: American Trails' Make it Count: Collecting and Applying Trail Count Data. October 22, 1:00-3:00 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzQsInVy…>: FHWA's Value Capture Virtual Peer Exchange Series: Joint Development & Use Right-Of-Way Agreements. (Virtual Peer Exchange Series Information<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzUsInVy…>) October 28, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzYsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Dedicated ADA Funding. December 2, 2:00-3:15 PM ET<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzcsInVy…>: FHWA's Americans with Disabilities Act 30th Anniversary Webinar Series: Innovations and Technology for Transition Plan Implementation. FHWA RELATED LINKS Environment Homepage<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzgsInVy…> Bicycle/Pedestrian<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMzksInVy…> Environmental Justice<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDAsInVy…> Transportation Alternatives<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDEsInVy…> Recreational Trails Program<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDIsInVy…> To submit comments or information for inclusion in the next HE Digest, click here<mailto:livable.communities@dot.gov>. Submissions must be made before 12 PM ET Wednesday. [safety] National Walk to School Day is October 7 On October 7, National Walk to School Day will be observed in a variety of formats across communities this year due to COVID-19. Events will take place virtually, within neighborhoods, or at schools, depending on the local context, and registration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDMsInVy…> is now open. The National Center for Safe Routes to School released 20 Ideas for Walk to School Day in 2020<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDQsInVy…> including virtual participation activities. Study Analyzes Vehicle Safety Criteria Between Younger and Older Drivers The Traffic Injury Prevention Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDUsInVy…> examining risks associated with vulnerable driver groups in New Jersey by focusing on young, newly licensed drivers, older drivers, and drivers in low-income areas. The study suggests younger and older drivers experience higher rates of crash risk and fatalities, and those living in low-income areas are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal crashes. Researchers analyzed Statewide crash and licensing data over a seven-year period, cross referencing with information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Product Information Catalog and Vehicle Listing platform<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDYsInVy…> to determine safety characteristics of the vehicle fleet among a range of drivers. The findings indicate the youngest and oldest drivers, as well as drivers of all age groups living in low-income areas, are more likely to drive older, less safe vehicles that lack safety features such as side airbags. Study Examines Impacts of Docked Bikeshare Programs on Bicycle Crashes The Transport Findings Journal published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDcsInVy…> analyzing the effects of implementing docked bikeshare programs in eight Canadian and American cities. Using survey data of self-reported crashes, researchers aimed to better understand whether the introduction of this new mode impacts the rate of reported bicycle crashes in communities. The findings suggest that reported bicycle crashes overall did not increase after implementing bikeshare programs, and decreased in areas such as Boston, Montreal, and Toronto which had existing bikeshare programs in place. ________________________________ [infrastructure] U.S. DOT Announces Availability of $70 Million for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Grants The U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) announced the availability of $70 million in grant funding<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDgsInVy…> for Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP). The funding opportunity will support cities, States, Tribal governments, and Federal lands management agencies with the construction and repair of roads and bridges serving Tribal or Federal lands. To help address rural needs and enhance key rural routes, the NSFLTP grant program will consider projects located in rural areas with goals and actions that are consistent with U.S. DOT's Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNDksInVy…> initiative. The NSFLTP Notice of Funding Opportunity<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTAsInVy…> application period will remain open through November 2, 2020. BUILD Grant Project Addresses Downtown Connectivity and Pedestrian Safety in Pembroke, North Carolina The Town of Pembroke, North Carolina received a $5.2 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTEsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTIsInVy…> program to improve pedestrian safety and connectivity in the downtown district. The project improves access to Tribal lands and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus through various multimodal infrastructure improvements. Once completed, the project will enhance safety for community members and visitors, improving quality of life and economic development in a rural area. BUILD Grant Project Supports Development of Downtown Riverfront in Toledo, Ohio The Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments received a $23.6 million grant<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTMsInVy…> through the U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTQsInVy…> program to develop the Glass City Riverwalk in the city of Toledo, Ohio. The project encourages multimodal transportation around a regional riverfront through the creation of a shared-used path network. The project will improve connectivity between nearby neighborhoods and businesses, provide additional recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, and promote public health and economic growth in the area. Study Discusses Role of Green Infrastructure in Supporting Mobility in Environmental Justice Communities The National Institute for Transportation and Communities at Portland State University published a study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTUsInVy…> discussing the role of green infrastructure in mitigating flood impacts in environmental justice communities in Arizona. The study demonstrates how flooding and extreme storm events present major challenges to the transportation system in communities across the country, and particularly the mobility impacts on low-income and minority populations. Researchers conducted a flood vulnerability assessment to identify priority locations for improvements to mitigate transportation system flooding. The findings highlight comprehensive neighborhood-scale green infrastructure in the public right-of-way as an effective approach in areas with moderate flooding conditions. ________________________________ [innovation] NACTO Releases Report on Shared Micromobility The National Association of City Transportation Officials published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTYsInVy…> on shared micromobility in 2019. The report discusses the growth and use of shared micromobility across the country, including shared bicycles and electric scooters (e-scooters) and electric bicycles. The report found that there was a 45 percent increase in dockless e-scooter programs between 2018 and 2019 in communities. The report also notes that shared bicycle and e-scooter trips are replacing trips by motor vehicle, walking, and transit. It provides a snapshot of trends, challenges, and opportunities to support policy development and decision making. GHSA Report on Micromobility Highlights Role of State and Local Partners The Governors Highway Safety Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTcsInVy…> discussing challenges associated with shared micromobility systems, as well as opportunities for States and local partners to help address issues. The research analyzes micromobility challenges across six categories: oversight, funding, data collection, enforcement, infrastructure, and education, including growth trends and COVID-19 impacts. It captures research findings led in coordination with a panel of Federal, State, and local roadway safety officials, as well as bicycle and rideshare advocates, micromobility providers, and public health practitioners. It also highlights solutions related to community engagement, education programs, funding, and training opportunities. NABSA Releases State of the Industry Report on Shared Micromobility The North American Bikeshare Association published a report<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTgsInVy…> discussing the trends and growth of the shared micromobility industry in 2019. The report examines successes and challenges in shared micromobility including traditional bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric scooters. It analyzes data points for 292 cities across several topics such as rider demographics, trends by vehicle type, system statistics by city size, operating costs and revenues, operating characteristics, equity, and community benefits. The findings indicate riders in North America took 157 million micromobility trips across 194,000 vehicle types in 2019, in which 36 percent of the rides replaced a car trip. ________________________________ [account] Approaches with Underserved Populations in Regional Active Transportation Plan The Federal Highway Administration published a case study<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNTksInVy…> discussing noteworthy community engagement approaches with traditionally underserved populations, including Hispanic and Tribal communities, in the Lake Tahoe region during the development of a regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan facilitates increased active transportation and transit through the planning process to shift more trips to these modes, and to address the seasonal increases in traffic. The outreach process highlighted how many residents rely on the regional bicycle and pedestrian network for mobility needs, and identifies areas for improvement where people felt unsafe. It also identified Tribal priorities including safety along major roadways, connectivity of existing active transportation infrastructure, and the importance of protecting Tribal sacred sites during construction. FHWA Releases Updated Livability Fact Sheets The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released updates to a series of fact sheets discussing how livability considerations during the transportation decision-making process can benefit communities. Through the Transportation and Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjAsInVy…> resources, FHWA provides support to State departments of transportation, regional planning agencies, Tribes, and other partners in both rural and urban settings. The most recent updates focus on the topics of Economic Development<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjEsInVy…>, Safety<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjIsInVy…>, and Rural Livability<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjMsInVy…>. The Economic Development fact sheet discusses how targeted transportation investments can improve access to jobs, education, shopping, and goods movement through compact development, relocation decisions, and increased connectivity. Safety promotes safer roads for all users, including strategies to combine safety and redevelopment, repurpose spaces, and create bike-friendly cities. Since rural communities vary widely, Rural Livability focuses on providing transportation choices and connections to a broad audience through projects enhancing quality of life, improving safety for students, and creating active transportation networks. Fact Sheet Describes Best Practices for Complete Streets Regional Policy Development The Safe Routes Partnership released a fact sheet<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjQsInVy…> discussing notable practices and resources in regional complete streets policy development, including ideas for collaboration between regional and local jurisdictions. The fact sheet also outlines policy considerations and case studies to assist metropolitan planning organizations and regional agencies with complete streets planning, funding, and construction. [footer] ________________________________ Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjUsInVy…>. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjYsInVy…>. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjcsInVy…>. ________________________________ using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration * 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE * Washington, DC 20590 * 202-366-4000 [GovDelivery logo]<https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxNjgsInVy…>

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Developing methodologies for improving customer levels of service for walking
by Beth McKechnie 15 Sep '20

15 Sep '20

Interesting study from NZ. Thanks to Michelle Porter for the share. https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/research/reports/667/667-Developi… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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How to make the most of a COVID winter
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Don’t write off the darkest season just yet. Even with colder weather and shorter days, it’s still possible to plan for pandemic-safe outdoor fun. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-11/how-to-prepare-for-a-cor… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her/hers) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Editorial: Closing roads to cars showed promise (Sep14'20)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '20

14 Sep '20

Closing roads to cars showed promise https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/closing-roads-to-cars-… AMONG the many assumptions the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to confront is: why are we driving everywhere? An initiative that let people physically distance while getting fresh air and exercise was the restriction of motorized traffic on certain city streets. It was instituted in the spring and city council voted to extend the restrictions through the summer. The limitations were lifted on Tuesday. In a city where many events were cancelled, fitness and entertainment venues were shuttered, and many people worked and studied from home, the street closures allowed many thousands of Winnipeggers to get out and enjoy themselves. Wide, paved surfaces are good for pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users, skateboarders and many more to travel safely while maintaining physical distance. The move on the city’s part coincided with a boom in bicycles, as sales of new bikes increased and many Winnipeggers hauled out their dusty bikes and tuned them up. To paraphrase Field of Dreams: if you build it, they will ride. Of course, the streets in question didn’t necessarily form a connected network, so they weren’t a permanent solution to provide space for active transportation. And many residents in the affected areas weren’t happy about the effects the restricted streets had on traffic in the area — often, motorists trying to get through the neighbourhood merely shifted to a nearby street, which concentrated more vehicles on fewer routes. Clearly, what is needed is a long-term approach. Blocking off certain streets from motorized traffic, as has been done for many years on Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — but only on weekends, for a designated period of summer months — is a piecemeal approach that treats active transportation as a diversion. Instead, as the city upgrades road infrastructure, many streets and neighbourhoods are getting an active transportation component. This is often done in consultation with the affected residents, and the various stages each project is in can be found on the city’s website. If the city keeps building its active transportation network, will more people use it? Maybe. It will largely depend on whether the network is a reliable way for Winnipeggers to ditch their cars and power their way to work, school, errands or entertainment. But if they do, then motorists and area residents win as well, even if they never use those protected lanes or bike paths. More people using bikes, rollerblades, skateboards or scooters means fewer vehicles on the road, making the traffic less clogged. And that also means residents tired of blocks-long lines of cars and trucks will see fewer of those. The city has been slowly improving the active transportation infrastructure over the years and, despite the recent cash crunch owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, continued investment in such improvements should be part of every street renewal project. It will pay dividends in people’s quality of life and better health for decades. There’s also the fact that merely increasing road capacity doesn’t solve traffic jams, it merely results in more vehicles using the streets. What if we apply the same logic to active transportation — increase capacity, and see how many more people take advantage of it. The temporary, improvised open streets transformed neighbourhoods by showing Winnipggers what they can do with their streets when they’re not behind the wheel. Long-term, continued active transportation investment could transform the entire city. We’d all be better off for it.

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WFP: Pedal pushers - Freedom fighter (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*FREEDOM FIGHTER * *Leigh Anne Parry is on a two-wheeled mission to empower and improve the lives of women by giving them the skills to safely, independently and confidently join Winnipeg’s male-dominated bicycle-riding community* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… I’M coasting down the bike lane on Sherbrook Street on a plain, black Dutch bike, carrying Plain Bicycle Project co-manager Leigh Anne Parry on my rear panier rack. She guides me through traffic and along the sidewalks as we make our way to Gordon Bell High School for a bike lesson, the same kind she gives to dozens of women in their 20s and older who are interested in learning to ride. Normally the lessons, currently on pause thanks to COVID-19, would take place in the schoolyard at Ecole Victoria-Albert. On this fall morning, however, we coast languidly along the path looping Gordon Bell’s soccer field. “These bicycle lessons have been in the back of my head for a while now,” Parry explains. Inspired by a woman in the Netherlands for whom bike lessons and Dutch bikes are a lifetime project, Parry — whose work with the Plain Bicycle project stretches 3 ½ years — decided earlier this summer to begin running sessions to make cycling more accessible to the Dutch bike’s key customers: adult women. “It’s something that can be freeing for the whole family,” she says. “Empowering women empowers the whole family’s ability to take different modes of transportation.” First things first: balance. We start sitting on the bike seats, feet flat on the ground, and begin to walk. The trick is to get comfortable balancing by gaining momentum and lifting the feet, practising little coasts down the path. For me, most confident on a hard-tailed mountain bike, the gentle ride and upright stance is a comfortable change of pace. It’s part of the reason why, Parry says, the bikes appeal to new riders. Parry, 33, got invested in biking in university, she says. She grew up outside the city, but moved into Winnipeg for school and was gifted a bike to ride around. After using it as her main mode of transportation for some time she got a fast-paced job as a bike courier. “I started to ride with a particular kind of work purpose, I got to explore the city a lot, I got more comfortable and confident riding a bicycle, especially in traffic,” she says. “Then I was working as an urban farmer and had a big trike that I would deliver vegetables on; I’ve always integrated bicycles into my work life because I find it very useful and I think it’s a good idea.” Using the bike as a tool for her everyday activities, Parry became familiar with the city’s strengths and weaknesses in bike infrastructure, and began to notice the biking community was dominated by men who felt comfortable enough to weave with traffic on the city’s busy streets. “Women are sort of an indicator species for how good your infrastructure is in a city,” Parry says. “Women statistically take less risks because they’re usually depended on a lot more and their stakes are higher, and they feel less confident being an aggressive rider in among the traffic.” In the Netherlands, she explains, 60 per cent of bike-riders (she prefers to avoid “cyclist” as a term) are women. In Winnipeg, by contrast, women make up closer to 30 per cent of the cycling crowd. That number is something Parry is slowly setting out to change. Biking is more convenient for women, she says. It’s a quick way to “trip-chain,” or make multiple stops close together: dropping the kids off at school, visiting the grocery store and getting to work, for example. “It’s also something that can be really empowering and freeing for women to have that sense of independence and to be able to do all of those errands and runs on their own, on their own transportation, quickly and easily,” Parry says. Lately she’s seen an “inspiring” uptick in older women — those over 50 — learning to ride, especially with the comfort and ease of the “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” “Our intention is to integrate this kind of bike into the market,” Parry says. “That message, I think, landed with older women who had been thinking and considering their abilities and maybe a shift in their life a little bit... it creates this other sense of independence.” After we practise our balance, including getting our feet on the bottom and top pedals while we coast and pedalling backwards to brake, Parry explains the mounting and taking- off process. With one foot on the top pedal, we slip up onto the seats and press down, pushing us through another curve in the path. Parry explains that in her class sessions, usually attended by 15 to 20 people each, the women she teaches often begin to help each other; once they’ve mastered a stage they support one another, building confidence and camaraderie among the avid learners. Most learn to ride in one or two sessions, she says. “It’s very beautiful — people are helping each other out, they’re teaching one another how to ride. They were coming in there saying they weren’t feeling confident and they were scared, and then they leave feeling really excited that they were successful at the stage where they’re at,” Parry says with a smile. “People are very courageous and ready to go.” >From there, riders move on to Phase 2, which consists of turning, lifting hands off the handlebars to signal and shoulder checks. Normally Parry would teach this on an obstacle course until riders can confidently do all three at once. They’re key steps for city riding, where bikers need to navigate traffic, bike lanes and more to stay safe on the roads. Parry wants to instil confidence, so the women she teaches can start integrating cycling into their day-today lives. “The next steps are going to be really exciting because when they start to be able to use it for their transportation, when I see them riding around downtown with their kids on their back, that’s not only going to be great for them but also for Winnipeg,” she says. “If you see more people on a bicycle — and not just white men in Speedos and helmets — you can start to see yourself riding a bike, so it changes other people’s lives, too.” The more people, and particularly adult women, who become empowered to ride, the safer the streets will become, Parry explains. “I think when you’re learning to ride a bike, especially in a place that is not bike-friendly, you might end up thinking that you can’t do it and you’re the issue,” she says. “But you should be allowed to get to your grocery store easily and safely, even if you’re not a confident rider; you should be able to do it beside somebody that you’re teaching how to ride a bike, or your kids or your partners, these are sort of normal and common practices in a place where you see most people riding a bike. So keep your imagination open, and your ability to see the possibility of change within your city and ask for it and demand it.” Part of Parry’s cycling classes have involved working with central Winnipeg groups such as the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, teaching cycling skills to moms, newcomers, youths and those typically not visible in the cycling world. Abiba Salamu attended three of Parry’s sessions through IRCOM this summer. Never having biked before, she can now ride around a little on her own, and is able to help others start pedaling, too. She’s still a beginner, but one day she’d like to be able to go for rides to the store or around her neighbourhood for fresh air. For Salamu, the community was the best part of the classes. Even as she waits anxiously for the classes to start again, she’s staying in touch with friends she made in the field. “I was so happy…through that I found my friend that I’m still talking to now, on the phone, greeting each other, all that.” At the end of the day, for Parry, the classes are about instilling hope — something she possesses in spades. The future of the project is wide open; she crosses her fingers excitedly describing a major grant that could be on the way, bringing hundreds of new bikes into the shop. “It could get really big and I want it to get really big,” Parry says with a smile. “I had the opportunity to prove to myself that I could do it, so now I think anything is possible.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers

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WFP: Pedal pushers - riding in style, plain and simple (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*A trip to Europe opened Dutch bike enthusiast Erin Riediger’s eyes to the simple pleasures of a civilized, active and healthy daily commute to her Exchange District workplace* *RIDING IN STYLE, PLAIN AND SIMPLE* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/cover-pedal-pushers-in… IT’S a warm and windy day in early September and urban cycling advocate, Erin Riediger, has agreed to spend her lunch hour touring me through a section of her daily commute. We meet on the sidewalk in front of her east Exchange District office and chat about the route while she unlocks her bike — a simple black cruiser with a touch of superficial rust (or “character,” as she likes to call it). Riediger, 32, is wearing chic ankle boots and a dusty pink jacket that matches the hue of her bike bag and front tire. She doesn’t look like a cyclist. And that’s the point. “The Dutch mentality is that you should dress for the destination, not the journey,” she says. Wearing the trendy office attire of an architect while riding her bike to and from work at Number Ten Architectural Group is a form of everyday advocacy for Riediger, who believes wider representation is necessary for cycling to become a mainstream mode of transportation, rather than a subculture. >From her vantage, the majority of regular cyclists in Winnipeg fall into two main camps: enthusiasts who ride because they like bikes and recreational cyclists who ride for exercise and entertainment. Like most people, Riediger learned to ride a bike as a kid, but drifted away from cycling as an adult because she didn’t identify with the local scene. “Some of my friends had faster road bikes and rode with traffic,” she says. “I felt like that was a little risky for me, and it just wasn’t really my personality.” A post-university trip to Europe in her 20s gave her a new perspective. “As I travelled around, I saw people in everyday clothes biking, and I thought, ‘That’s kind of cool, I could get into that.’” She returned home and bought her first “grown-up” bike with the intention of reducing her car dependency. Riediger became a full-time bike commuter and accidental cycling advocate when her 1997 Honda CR-V bit the dust four years ago. “I decided to just not get it fixed,” she says. “Owning a car didn’t really improve my lifestyle at all, whereas I’ve found that cycling has.” The decision to spend 30 minutes a day biking to and from work boosted her mood, cut her transportation costs and allowed her to explore the city from a different vantage point. The decision also garnered local media attention and framed Riediger as an outlier in a city with a deeply ingrained car culture — something she looks back on with a laugh. “It’s just kind of hilarious because it’s almost like the price to participate in society is owning a car,” she says. “And it doesn’t have to be that way.” The route Riediger has plotted for our afternoon bike ride takes us from the Exchange District to The Forks by way of some of the city’s newest protected bike lanes. In 2019, the city completed construction of a two-way protected lane down Garry Street, connecting the grid of bike lanes in the Exchange with the well-established cycling thoroughfare on Assiniboine Avenue. The Garry corridor feels like something that’s been air-lifted from a larger city. It’s a modern, well-planned route that provides safe separation from cars and pedestrians; but it’s fleeting. Our journey from Point A to Point B takes about 15 minutes to complete. It’s a short trip that offers a glimpse of Winnipeg’s potential as a cycling city and a stark reminder of the infrastructure and political will needed to get there. “A lot of times for people in those decision-making seats it’s easy to take that path of least resistance,” Riediger says. While cycling infrastructure is still lacking in most parts of Winnipeg, she’s seen a gradual shift in the right direction from city hall. “Now, people are realizing that if you really want to see more people using (bikes) as a tool of transportation you need that protected bike lane and you need the proper infrastructure… and it needs to go places people want to go.” Beyond protected lanes, Riediger believes Winnipeg’s cycling culture would benefit from a wider variety of bikes on the road. “If you can’t get a bike that’s really easy to ride that you can wear any clothes on and that can carry the stuff you need to carry, then you can’t really replace your car,” she says. It’s an epiphany Riediger experienced for herself last year when she purchased a Dutch-style commuter bike from the Plain Bicycle Project — a local organization that has been bringing shipping containers full of used bikes from the Netherlands to Winnipeg since 2017. “When I got my Dutch bike, I started using it even more and just biking for everything,” she says. “I was an idiot for not getting one in the first place… this is the type of bike I’ve always wanted and I’ve been trying to modify other bikes to be more like it.” Riding side-by-side, there’s a noticeable difference between our bikes. I’m hunched over the handlebars of my road bike, while Riediger is sitting in a comfortable upright position atop her “omafiet” or “grandma bike.” The simple cyclers are designed to be used by anyone (including grandmas) and come equipped with everything from fenders and a rear rack to a headlight and a drink holder. “There’s another plain bicycle,” Riediger says excitedly, referring to a woman pedalling past on her own omafiet as we cross Main Street. There are nearly 700 of the Dutch bikes on the road in Winnipeg, but spotting a fellow rider in the wild is still something of a novelty — one that’s usually celebrated with a wave and a ding of her bell. Riediger has turned her newfound omafiet fandom into a podcast called Plain Bicycle. The six-part series dives into the motivations behind the grassroots project of the same name and features interviews with Dutch cycling experts. WHILE recording a podcast with no prior experience has been challenging, the project has served as a creative outlet amid the coronavirus pandemic, while most of her usual hobbies — hot yoga, shopping for new records and competing in Harry Potter trivia events — have fallen by the wayside. It’s also become a way to share her passion for transportation and people-first city building with a wider audience. “Transportation culture has a lot to do with the way that architecture and cities are formed,” she says. “When you build around the car, you’ve got these wide roads, the storefronts aren’t as important because people aren’t going slowly. “We just have to stop prioritizing cars, we have to start thinking about multi-modal (transportation)... cars have a place but they’re not everything.” Like many born-and-raised Winnipeggers, Riediger had dreams of leaving home and moving to a big city. Instead, she’s decided to focus on making Winnipeg a better place to live, one bike ride at a time. “I think there’s just... there’s a lot of room for growth, which makes it interesting as someone who wants to advocate for better things.” eva.wasney(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney

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WFP: Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights (Sep12'20)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Sep '20

12 Sep '20

*Report advises city to accept gift of school-zone lights * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/report-advises-councillors-to-accep… THE City of Winnipeg could soon accept a gift of flashing amber lights that better alert drivers to the reduced speed in school zones — but it could take decades to get the lights in place. The deal could eventually lead the city to add more lights at its own cost, according to a new report by the public service. The report recommends the city accept as many as 480 solar-powered beacons through a donation from Expert Electric, which would provide two of the devices per school. The company’s owner, Chuck Lewis, has been offering to donate the lights to the city since at least 2017. He says he’s willing to continue that effort for as long as it takes, since he believes it will make school zones safer. “If… it saves one life, then that was worth that fight,” said Lewis. He has described the beacons as more eye-catching than traditional signs, which should help ensure more drivers slow down to 30 km/h in school zones. That speed limit is in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, from Sept. 1 to June 30. Expert Electric would also handle repair and warranty issues for at least five years. An outline of the agreement noted most of the installations would depend on the success of the first set of lights over a three-month trial period, noting the rest could be cancelled if problems emerged. But the city later clarified that it expects testing done prior to this agreement will be sufficient for Winnipeg officials to commit to the full project, if council approves it. “Given that testing of the beacons has already occurred, if approved, the city will likely work with the donor to move directly into implementation,” wrote city spokesman Ken Allen in an emailed statement. Meanwhile, the city says some schools will need more than the two donated beacons to cover adjacent school-zone roads. The city report predicts Winnipeg would eventually spend about $1.4 million to add 391 units for those areas, if the deal is approved. “In order to ensure consistency, (it) is anticipated that the city would make up any shortfall of beacons,” wrote Allen. For at least the first five years of installation, however, the city says only the donated lights would be installed. The proposed agreement calls for the donor to install the lights “as soon as is practicably possible,” with a minimum rate of two per month. That minimum rate would mean the entire installation would take 20 years. Lewis said that a lengthy timeline may be needed for him to keep the project affordable, since each set of two lights will cost him about $7,000. He said the process could be sped up if others also donated to the effort. Allen noted the long timeline does mean that “in the future, there may be reasons for either party to revisit the agreement.” The property and development committee is set to cast the first vote on the deal on Sept. 17. Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), the committee chairwoman, said she expects to support the proposal. “We should be looking at how we deal with some of the congestion around our schools,” said Gilroy. The councillor said she believes the future cost to the city is worth consideration. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Longer times for amber lights disappoint (Sep11'20)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Sep '20

11 Sep '20

Warning period still seen as too short *Longer times for amber lights disappoint * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/winnipeg-extends-amber-light-times-… AMBER light times are now longer at some Winnipeg intersections — but the move still falls short, says an advocate who has fought for the change. Winnipeg’s amber lights previously lasted a uniform four seconds on all roadways before a traffic signal turned to red, according to a new city report. An update completed Sept. 4 changed the duration to 4.3 seconds on 70 km/h routes and 4.7 seconds on 80 km/h routes for about 110 intersections on flat-grade roads. Todd Dube, founder of WiseUp Winnipeg, a driver’s advocacy group that has for years lobbied the City of Winnipeg for more time in the name of safety and red-light ticket reductions, called the change a first step “in the right direction.” “This is a bare minimum, but it still will be enough time to expose that all of these years (the city was) unfairly ticketing people that simply didn’t have enough time to stop at four seconds,” he said Thursday. Dube argues the new warning period is still too short, since his research found 80-km/h intersections, such as Bishop Grandin Boulevard and River Road, should have an amber light time of at least 5.4 seconds. “(The new measure) is still an unnecessarily… and dangerously short amber time,” Dube said, adding, however, he expects the number of photo enforcement tickets doled out at such intersections to drop dramatically. According to the city report, the new signal timings are based on a roadway’s speed and slope, as well as driver perception and reaction time. No change was made to the amber lights on roads with speed limits set at 60 km/h or lower — which will ensure a minimum four-second warning remains in place at intersections on those routes, the report notes. Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of council’s public works committee, said he believes those calculations show the city is evolving its practices to improve safety. “I think (the times) were set up with the understanding that they made the roads safer and taking a closer second look we found that, yes, there was some room for improvement,” said Allard (St. Boniface). He also refuted the argument photo radar use at high-speed intersections was unfair in the past, noting he believes the program remains necessary. “The motivation is public safety, and the (photo radar) fine happens to be the one enforcement tool we have as a city.” *The city report states the new extended amber light times should help increase the separation between vehicles and pedestrians, which some research indicates will help prevent collisions. Uniform amber light times were initially meant to provide a predictable warning time for drivers, while the new system is based on more recent research,** the city says. The city says it is still reviewing an option to further extend amber light times for left-turning vehicles.* joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close (Sep6'20)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Sep '20

06 Sep '20

City’s Open Streets initiative coming to a close https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/citys-open-streets-initiative-comin… RUNNERS and cyclists, young and old, sped down Vialoux Drive Saturday morning with little disturbance from motor vehicles. They will soon have increased traffic to navigate through. The City of Winnipeg’s Open Streets initiative ends Monday at 8 p.m. The program, which was announced in April, blocks vehicles from stretches of residential roads so people can walk, cycle and physically distance. Ten routes through the city were limited to active transport users and vehicles of people living on the routes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. seven days a week. The measures came to promote social distancing during the pandemic. Now, a motion at city hall proposes that Winnipeg keep some of its “Open Streets” open — but unless council votes for the changes, the city will return to its usual four routes that are exclusive to cyclists, runners and walkers on Sundays and holidays. Robbie Scott, 57, biked down Vialoux Drive for the first time in years on Saturday. But, Scott is no newbie — he’s been cycling for four decades, and he bikes a 40 to 45 km route daily in the summer. He said it’s been amazing seeing more people take up biking. “It’s families, it’s kids, old folks, all kinds of ages,” Scott said. “In terms of what (Open Streets) has done for the community, you just, you haven’t seen that.” Scott doesn’t spend all his time on blocked off residential streets, but some — portions of Wellington Crescent and Wolseley Avenue — are part of his loop. He said he feels safer, and he’s seen others feel it too. “For cyclists, it’s always, ‘OK, what seems like the least risky (path) at this time,’” Scott said. He said he was shocked and disappointed to hear the active transportation routes were ending, especially in the midst of a pandemic, when many people use them to get exercise while staying safe. “People have learned, ‘Hey, I could actually bike to work or bike to school,’” Scott said. Anders Swanson, the executive director of Winnipeg Trails Association, said keeping the streets open would allow kids to bike safely to school instead of being driven by a parent or taking a bus. “You have the government telling people to drive their kids... We’re closing these open streets; it’s sending the message that there’s sort of a dark and unsustainable future ahead of us,” Swanson said. The city has a survey online where people can give feedback about Open Streets, including picking the best time of year to have the program, if at all. The survey ends Monday. The motion before city council aims to keep active transport routes until Nov. 1 at the Wolseley Avenue route and at Churchill Drive, from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. Council may vote on the matter at its Sept. 30 meeting. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) said he’ll make his decision after receiving the survey’s results. “We have time,” Orlikow said, adding if council votes for extended active transport routes, the changes will probably last from October to November. Some people felt a bit relieved over the ending of Open Streets, including Amy Bruno, who lives on Vialoux Drive. She’s been yelled at for driving down the road in her car, which she needs to do when she leaves her house. “It’s like, well, how are people supposed to go to work if people read the signs (on the street) and assume, ‘Oh, you’re not supposed to drive down here,’” Bruno said. Most people are understanding once they realize people who live on the road can still drive on it, Bruno said. She added she likes the initiative because people have more access to walking around and social distancing. Others, like Matt Ullenboom, feel indifferent about the program’s end. Ullenboom, 33, went for a bike ride with his five-year-old son through Assiniboine Park and Vialoux Drive Saturday. “It’s definitely a good thing in the warmer months, when people can be out,” Ullenboom said. “In the winter and fall, it wouldn’t bother me if they changed it back to car traffic.” Beginning Sept. 13, Lyndale Drive, from Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street; Scotia Street, from Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue; Wellington Crescent, from the west end of Academy Road to Guelph Street; and Wolseley Avenue, from Raglan Road to Maryland Street, will have limited motor vehicle traffic on Sundays and holidays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restrictions end Oct. 12. gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought (Sep5'20)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Sep '20

05 Sep '20

Extension of two ‘open streets’ sought Wolseley Avenue, Churchill Drive named https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/motion-seeks-extra-time-for-pair-of… A new motion proposes city hall extend some of Winnipeg’s temporary active transportation routes, also known as “open streets,” which are set to close Monday. The current 10 routes, which include four traditional Sunday/holiday bicycle routes, limit vehicular traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily to provide extra space for pedestrians and cyclists. The new routes and extended hours were a COVID-19 pandemic response measure, intended to help Winnipeggers stay active while keeping at least two metres apart. The six routes added this year are slated to close Monday at 8 p.m., while the traditional bike routes will reduce the vehicle travel restriction to Sundays and holidays only, between Sept. 13 and Oct. 12. The city centre community committee passed a motion Friday that aims to instead keep the enhanced AT access until Nov. 1 at both the Wolseley Avenue traditional Sunday/Holiday route and the temporary AT route on Churchill Drive. The changes require council’s approval. While a final vote on the matter could have to wait until the Sept. 30 council meeting, Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she’s hopeful the motion could instead inspire a quicker policy change by the public service. Rollins said she supports extending the other routes as well. “I would like more routes added… I think we need a lot more tools in our toolbelts to get children to and from schools in a safe manner,” Rollins said Friday. Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), however, said he won’t push for the Wellington Crescent active transportation route in his ward to be extended, stressing public feedback on that decision should come first. A survey on the routes is slated to end Monday. Orlikow said the city must consider the views of those who support and oppose the routes, noting he’s heard complaints the one-block vehicle travel restriction has made it inconvenient for some drivers to reach their homes. “We have to be careful about councillors deciding how to use streets arbitrarily. We’re not traffic engineers, there’s impact city-wide, so we have to be making sure that we listen to our administration and the public,” said Orlikow. Open streets were also placed on sections of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Egerton Road, Kildonan Drive, Kilkenny Drive, Rover Avenue and Vialoux Drive. The Lyndale, Scotia and Wellington sites are also slated to revert back to Sunday/holiday bicycle routes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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CBC: City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend (Sep3'20)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '20

04 Sep '20

City of Winnipeg to close 6 active transportation routes after Labour Day weekend 4 remaining pedestrian, bike routes will be closed to vehicle traffic only on Sundays, holidays after Sept. 8 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-open-streets-closed-labour… More than half of the active transportation routes throughout Winnipeg will be closing after the long weekend, the city announced in a news release Thursday. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the city designated 10 roadways as "open streets," limiting vehicle traffic to one block from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. The city usually limits vehicle traffic to one block on four of those streets on Sundays and holidays, from the Victoria Day long weekend until Thanksgiving, but expanded the closures in an effort to create bike- and pedestrian-friendly routes during the pandemic. As of Sept. 8, the program will end for six of the current routes. Vehicle traffic will be limited on the remaining four only on Sundays and holidays after the Labour Day weekend, the city said in its release. Motor vehicle traffic will continue to be limited on these routes from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sundays and holidays until Oct. 12: - Lyndale Drive – Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street. - Scotia Street – Anderson Avenue (at St. Cross Street) to Armstrong Avenue. - Wellington Crescent – Academy Road (at Wellington Crescent) to Guelph Street. - Wolseley Avenue – Raglan Road to Maryland Street. Signs informing people they are entering or leaving an active transportation route will be posted at each end of the route. Barricades marking the ends of the routes will also be in place during operational hours, the city said. Violating the motor vehicle restrictions can result in a fine under Winnipeg's traffic bylaw, the city added. The vehicle restrictions will end after Sept. 8 on these routes: - Churchill Drive — Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue. - Egerton Road — Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue. - Kildonan Drive — Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent, and Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place. - Kilkenny Drive — Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive. - Rover Avenue — Hallet Street to Stephens Street. - Vialoux Drive — Alcrest Drive to Wexford Street. The city launched an online survey <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/enhanced-active-transportation-routes-open-stree…> last month to gauge reaction to the program. Residents can still provide feedback for future consideration via that survey until Monday, the city's news release said.

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WFP: Bicycle Garden - Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels (Sep1'20)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Sep '20

01 Sep '20

Bike shop pop-up hopes to get city rolling on two wheels A Bicycle Garden grows on Sherbrook https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/a-bicycle-garden-grows-on-sherbr… THIS spring, with some freedoms put on hold, many people in Winnipeg found — or rediscovered — the freedom of riding a bicycle. Vendors, manufacturers and mechanics could hardly keep up with the reinvigorated interest as the global supply chain was interrupted and demand outpaced supply. “It’s like selling Coca Cola and you’ve run out of Coke,” Lifesport owner Walter Jozwiak told the Free Press in May. Under those circumstances, Leigh Anne Parry and Anders Swanson got their wheels turning on a new idea, a pop-up bike shop called the Bicycle Garden, where they could peddle Dutch-built pedals to riders young and old. The shop opened last week on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats building (267 Sherbrook St.). “We’d heard during the pandemic there was a shortage of bikes (particularly women’s bikes),” said Parry, who along with Swanson is co-founder of the Plain Bicycle Project. “And we had a source to get them in.” The project is a social enterprise that brings bicycles from the Netherlands, where they’re more popular than the Toyota Camry, to Winnipeg. The bikes are Dutch-style, featuring mudguards, skirt guards, and upright seating, which makes them practical for daily use regardless of athletic ability or the clothes you’re wearing. “It’s like you’re sitting in an armchair, floating in the clouds,” said Swanson, the director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, whose summer office is now in the shop. While the pop-up is selling leftover stock from previous shipments, it also features six pallets worth of bicycles and accessories — child seats, bells, lights, bags, baskets — that arrived from the Netherlands earlier this summer; another order is already being planned for later this week. The bikes range in cost from $350 (used) to over $1,000. Cycling had been rising in popularity in Winnipeg long before the pandemic: a 2018 poll conducted by Probe Research found over one fifth of respondents cycled weekly. While data related to the COVID-19 era is not yet available, Swanson said anecdotal evidence shows the mode of transportation has become an increasingly attractive option for many as habits changed during the pandemic. In April, when the city designated certain stretches for active transportation and restricted vehicle use, roadways were filled with cyclists, rollerbladers, or pedestrians. Elsewhere, vehicular traffic fell, leading to a minor reclamation of pavement by cyclists. “When the roads were empty, people were falling in love with (cycling),” Swanson said. Adding to the demand have been changes to the ways residents exercise. While gyms are open, many are struggling to regain members, and recreational sports, though ongoing, are dealing with similar reluctance. As well, bike ownership and maintenance is considerably cheaper than car ownership — a key consideration during a time of economic instability. As the school year nears, parents are also looking for active options for their kids to get to and from class, Swanson said. So far, the response from the community has been strong: the Bicycle Garden’s most recent harvest is nearly half-picked. AT other shops around the city, demand remains high, however supply continues to be an issue. “The biggest thing for us is that when a customer walks in the door, we’ll likely have a bike for them, but options are still limited,” said Mac Wood, the assistant sales manager at Woodcock Cycle. “In a typical spring or summer, that doesn’t happen.” “It’s certainly more difficult to forecast availability to our customers,” he said. “We, as an industry, are as much at the mercy of restrictions as any other.” The pop-up shop — which could go until October or beyond — is the commercial tenant on the main floor of the Sherbrook Flats. “When (the pop-up) came to us with a proposal, I was very excited,” said Sotirios Kotoulas, the building’s designer and part-owner. “For us, the most important thing is to activate the street,” he added. “It takes time to transform a streetscape or find the right fit, but obviously a bicycle shop is an amazing fit.” Outside the shop, there are a few tables and chairs, meant to evoke the bikes’ Dutch vibe. Repairs are also being offered on the boulevard, which borders an unprotected bike lane on Sherbrook. Since opening, Parry said the interest from the public has been obvious. “Day one, we had a lineup outside mostly of older people looking to get around independently,” she said. “There are a lot of people walking and biking by, which is really good for us.” ben.waldman(a)freepress.mb.ca

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TONS Seeks Urban Transportation Consultant
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '20

31 Aug '20

From: Samantha Rodeck <info(a)tonsmb.org> Date: Mon, Aug 31, 2020 at 10:09 AM Transportation Options Network for Seniors (TONS) is looking to hire an Urban Transportation Consultant to help fulfill its mandate of informing and educating Manitobans on transportation options that enhance quality of life and promote age-friendly communities. Attached is the job description to be shared within your networks and to those who you know would be interested in applying. The *application deadline is 3:00pm on September 11*, 2020. If you have any questions, please email Samantha at info(a)tonsbmb.org Thank you, Samantha Rodeck Executive Director (204) 799-1788 [image: signature_349093641]

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WFP: Bike Dump - Volunteers pedal passion at bike shop (Aug31'20)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '20

31 Aug '20

*Volunteers pedal passion at bike shop* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/finding-life-with-wheel-meaning-572… FOR someone who spent the first 33 years of life in California, it seems odd that Edward Cloud would enjoy riding a bicycle in frigid winter temperatures. “I remember the first time I rode in -45 weather for 10 or 15 kilometres. I just felt so vibrantly alive — more alive than I ever felt,” said Cloud. “I’ve never found anything to be enjoyable in that way.” Cloud’s love of cycling turned into a volunteer role at the Bike Dump, a volunteer-run, community bicycle shop. Started in 2005, the Bike Dump strives to make cycling accessible to all by offering access to tools and a space where people can fix their bikes for free. People can also use recycled bike frames and parts to build their own bike. Volunteers are available at the shop, which is located at the back of Red Road Lodge at Main Street and Logan Avenue, to help guide people through repairs and bike-building projects. Cloud, who lives in the North End, is committed to making the community a better place. “I’ve made it my personal mission to try to spend most of my life making things better for people. Volunteering at the Bike Dump is one of the ways I do that.” Darcee Lytwyn began attending the Bike Dump’s women, queer and trans night on Mondays in 2017 so she could learn how to repair her bike. She started volunteering last winter and says it’s “the grit and the passion” that she loves about being involved. “Everyone’s enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge with you,” Lytwyn said. “It’s a great space for discovery and for learning all together.” Riley McMurray has volunteered at the Bike Dump for almost 10 years and enjoys it because he can immediately see the effect of his efforts. “You’re actually working with someone and you see them ride out with the bike they just built with you that day. You can really tell how much it means to them,” he said. “Sometimes they’ll tell you they need that bike to get to work tomorrow. It can really be a lifeline.” The Bike Dump is currently closed to the public as a result of the COVID- 19 pandemic. It’s disappointing to all of the volunteers. The shop is hoping to offer limited hours soon. In the meantime, volunteers are helping folks by appointment on a limited basis. The Bike Dump is always looking for volunteers, Cloud says. They are expecting to hold some shop clean-up nights in the coming weeks, which is a great way for new volunteers to learn about the Bike Dump’s methods. Anyone interested in volunteering can email winnipegbikedump@gmail. com. No experience is necessary. Although the pandemic has weighed heavily on Bike Dump volunteers at times, Lytwyn says that interacting with the group online has reminded her what a special place the bike shop is. “As we’ve been organizing in our Zoom calls and our emails, it’s just been evident how our volunteers have the biggest hearts,” she said. “They care for the community and they care so much for each other.”

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CTV: A new active transportation route could link St. Boniface and Downtown (Aug27'20)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/a-new-active-transportation-route-could-link-st… WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg is seeking the public’s feedback on an active transportation route linking the St. Boniface and Downtown neighbourhoods. Through this initiative, called the St. Boniface to Downtown Walk Bike Project, the city would aim to improve travel options, accessibility, and connectivity between the Esplanade Riel footbridge/Provencher Bridge and the multi-use path on Archibald Street, south of Nairn Avenue. The city’s pedestrian and cycling strategies, which city council has approved, identify a connection between these two areas as a priority. As part of the first phase of the preliminary design study, the team working on the project is looking for Winnipeggers to provide information on how they travel through this area, and what type and routing of infrastructure would best meet their needs. To provide feedback online, <https://engage.winnipeg.ca/stboniface-walk-bike> Winnipeggers can conduct an online survey or use an online mapping tool on the project’s website. These tools will be available until Sept. 23. The city is also providing walking tours of the area, where residents can identify barriers and opportunities. These tours leave from the St. Boniface City Hall at 219 Provencher Boulevard and take place on two dates in September. The walking tours are on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the north tours taking place from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the south tours taking place from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. During these events, project team members will be at St. Boniface City Hall to talk to anyone who wants to give input, but doesn’t want to or can’t participate in the walking tour. If the weather doesn’t allow for the walking tours, they will be cancelled. Instead, the project staff will stay inside St. Boniface City Hall to answer questions and discuss the initiative. Participants must register for the walking tours by contacting them at stbtodowntown(a)winnipeg.ca.

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WFP: Study urges traffic changes in school zones (Aug29'20)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

*Study urges traffic changes in school zones * * Calls for reducing speeds all day on more streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/study-urges-traffic-changes-in-scho… A REPORT on school zone speeding in the East Kildonan-Transcona area has prompted the city’s public works department to make recommendations to get more drivers to obey school-zone speed limits. Tasked with investigating speed violations in the neighbourhood, the city department delivered a report to the East Kildonan-Transcona Community Committee, which found 11,195 tickets were issued in the neighbourhood’s reduced-speed school zones in 2018. The majority of tickets were issued through photo enforcement while 237 were issued through traditional police enforcement. Of the photo enforcement tickets, more than 90 per cent involved reduced speed zones at three schools: River Elm with 6,390 tickets, The King’s School with 2,276 tickets and École Riviere Rouge, where 1,367 tickets were issued. The report recommends expanding school zones beyond streets immediately bordering schools to ensure all parents and children within the 1.6 km walking zone of the school have access to safe streets, increasing the 30 km/h rules to a 24-hour, seven days a week schedule to reduce confusion about holidays and evenings, and expanding school zones to middle and high schools. It recommended removing the requirement that school zones be implemented on non-regional streets in favour of a policy based on road classification, fencing, pedestrian and cycling infrastructure and other factors. Also, it recommended following the City of Calgary in implementing reduced- speed zones near playgrounds. There are 240 reduced speed school zones throughout Winnipeg. These zones have a maximum speed of 30 km/h which are in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday from September to June. In an email statement Friday, Winnipeg Police Service said “reduced speed school zones throughout the city see fluctuations and variances in detected offences.” Though the study was only conducted for East Kildonan-Transcona, the city confirmed a wider study on road safety is underway, and will review reduced speed school zones efficacy in other areas of the city. Despite high levels of infractions in some school zones, police data found motorists generally reduce speeds to comply with school zones, and typically drive below the 50 km/h limit in effect during non-school hours. Feedback from six school districts in the city overwhelmingly indicated that the reduced-speed school zones improve student safety, according to the report. Further evidence from a study conducted in Edmonton found that reducing speed from 50 km/h to 30 km/h resulted in a 45 per cent reduction in fatal and non-fatal injury collisions and a 55 per cent reduction in injuries to vulnerable road users. The report comes in the midst of other municipal investigations into street safety measures, including a possible 30 km/h speed limit on all residential streets. If this limit were to come into play, reduced-speed school zones may not be necessary, the report said. julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Job Posting - Managing Director position @ The WRENCH
by Anders Swanson 29 Aug '20

29 Aug '20

Morning. Please pass on this exciting opportunity <https://thewrench.ca/tag/job-posting/> to anyone you think might be a great fit for a great organization! Anders

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