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WFP: Fixing The Forks’ bike, pedestrian span could cost $10M: report (Oct25'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '24

26 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Bridge repair cost cuts like a knife Fixing The Forks’ bike, pedestrian span could cost $10M: report https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/10/24/forks-bridge-clos… IT could cost more than $10 million to repair the historic rail bridge at The Forks, a favourite with pedestrians and cyclists, which has been closed for 16 months. Preliminary repairs to remediate the counterweight that sits above the bridge … [View More]is expected to begin next week, said Zach Peters, communications manager of The Forks. The price tag and timeline were outlined in engineering reports, which took longer than expected to conduct because of mild temperatures last winter. Peters said upon reviewing the assessment, The Forks leadership is looking at short- and long-term solutions for the bridge, which closed without notice in June 2023. “The bridge is a vital access point to and through The Forks,” Peters said in an email. “It’s certainly a priority for us to get it reopened.” Peters declined to discuss the findings in the engineering reports. A timeline for the bridge’s repair and reopening was not provided, with The Forks only saying it is in the process of determining a permanent solution. Construction work on the 110-year-old bridge could be seen Thursday afternoon. Active transportation advocate Mark Cohoe said with a $10-million price tag, The Forks should consider asking the city and province to chip in to fast-track the repair work. “When it’s out of commission, it puts a fairly big hole in our (transportation) network,” said Cohoe, who serves as executive director of Bike Winnipeg. The former railway structure, which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Assiniboine River from South Point Park to The Forks, has been closed since a routine assessment revealed potential safety issues. The Forks has not released significant updates to the bridge’s future since December, to the frustration of some who use the crossing. Jas Patel once travelled the bridge regularly on his commute to work but now has to detour on sidewalks and streets. He now rides down St. Mary’s Road and through downtown side streets, a commute that is longer and less safe, the cyclist said. “The city already has few access points for bikes … it’s a pain to deal with,” Patel said while at The Forks Thursday. The city has not been approached about sharing in the cost of repairs and it isn’t currently being considered in the capital budget, spokesperson Kalen Qually said in an email. A provincial spokesperson declined to comment, saying the federal government holds jurisdiction over any funding for the bridge. Peters did not say whether The Forks would seek external funds to help pay for the bridge repairs. Patel said it could be worth tearing down the old bridge and building anew, but cyclists are anxious to have the access point reopened in any way. “We need something back,” he said. Meanwhile, another city bridge more than a century old remains closed to traffic. The Arlington Bridge, which links downtown to the North End, shuttered in November 2023 after an inspection revealed the structure was beyond the point of repair. Council is studying options to replace the 112-year-old bridge, including a $171-million bridge option that would involve closing Dufferin Avenue at Arlington Street. A second proposal would see a $180-million version travel over Dufferin, leaving it open for vehicle traffic. In 2019, a preliminary design estimated a new bridge could cost $319 million. nicole.buffie(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: Ontario plans to make cities seek bike lane approval (Oct16'24)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Oct '24

16 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Ontario plans to make cities seek bike lane approval Cites gridlock for new veto over changes that remove lanes of vehicle traffic https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/2024/10/15/ontario-to-make-cities-… TORONTO — Ontario cities would have to seek the province’s permission to install new bike lanes that remove lanes of vehicle traffic under upcoming legislation, the transportation minister announced Tuesday. Too … [View More]many drivers are stuck in gridlock as a result of bike lanes installed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the process is “frankly, out of control,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said at a press conference. “When strategically placed, bike lanes are a vital part of every city, offering residents a safe and reliable way to move around,” he said. “What cities should not be doing, however, is taking away lanes of traffic on our most congested roads.” The first government bill to be introduced when the legislature resumes sitting next week will focus on tackling gridlock, the province said. It is expected to contain a requirement that municipalities receive provincial approval for certain bike lanes and demonstrate the proposed bike lanes won’t negatively affect vehicle traffic. Premier Doug Ford, who lives in the west end of Toronto, has complained about bike lanes that were installed on Bloor Street West, saying the street is jammed and first responders are having a hard time getting through the congestion. “There’s a petition just in Etobicoke for 50,000 people signing to get rid of these bike lanes,” he said last month. “You might see four or five bikes as you see traffic lined up all the way down the road for kilometres and kilometres. … It’s an absolute disaster.” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she does not support limiting city powers. “It’s always better when we work together to get things right,” she wrote in a statement. “To tackle congestion and keep people safe on city roads we need all types of transportation. The province should focus on their job of finally getting the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch LRT open, which will have a huge impact on congestion in our city.” Sarkaria, who made his announcement Tuesday with the Bloor bike lanes as a backdrop, said the province is not ordering the removal of those lanes at the moment, but is asking for more data and pausing the installation of any new, similar bike lanes. A City of Toronto report on an earlier stretch of bike lanes on Bloor, which were added in 2016 as a pilot project, found that collisions and near misses with cyclists decreased, the number of cyclists increased by 56 per cent, customer spending at area businesses increased and vehicle volumes decreased, while drivers’ travel time increased. The city’s report said that travel time increased by up to 8 ½ minutes, depending on the section of Bloor, but after traffic signal adjustments were made, that went down to four minutes during afternoon rush hour. Sarkaria said data that cities have used to justify bike lane decisions don’t take into account low usage on rainy days, during periods of extreme heat, or in the winter months. One local bar owner’s security camera showed just nine cyclists in a 24-hour period in February, Sarkaria said. “I think all of that has to be taken into consideration,” he said. “But the data is in commute times. I hear it from every single person … those members on Bloor Street that use this road every single day, on University, on Yonge, travel times have gone up and we have to have a balanced approach.” The Green Party asked in a press release, “Is this government for real?” “The ‘evidence’ this government has based this decision off of is one man’s security camera outside his bar in Etobicoke,” deputy leader Aislinn Clancy wrote in the statement. “Is that how they make decisions for this province now?” The province is asking municipalities for data on any bike lane project launched in the last five years. Sarkaria also said the province is moving ahead with a plan to increase the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour on all 400-series highways, where it is safe to do so. The government said it is developing a design standard that could allow vehicles to travel safely at speeds higher than 120 km/h on new highways. — The Canadian Press [View Less]

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WFP: Property-tax spending drives city in wrong direction (Oct8'24)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Oct '24

08 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Property-tax spending drives city in wrong direction OPINION https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2024/10/07/property-tax-spending-dr… SOMETHING’S got to give. This year has been — in my humble, anecdote-based opinion — one of the most challenging for driving in and around Winnipeg. Rush hour is more intense, starts earlier and lasts longer. Construction seems to be everywhere, choking off entire parts of the city … [View More]during our overly short construction season. All the trend lines point to a near-term future where, despite our status as a medium- sized city, we will have traffic congestion worthy of much larger places. Once we accept that this is our future, we’ll have to accept the need to start doing things differently to avoid or at least mitigate the impending traffic apocalypse that’s headed our way. A good place to start would be to radically change the way we dedicate portions of annual property taxes to make a final, determined effort to de-emphasize roads and expand transit. Currently, Winnipeg property owners are facing a 3.5 per cent general rate increase this year. Of that total increase, two per cent will be dedicated to road repairs and only 0.33 per cent to public transit operations. None of the annual increase in property taxes is dedicated to expanding Winnipeg’s stunted rapid-transit system. The current approach to allotting property taxes is — literally and figuratively — a road to disaster. Ignoring transit to invest heavily in roads — whether it’s to repair, expand or lengthen — does nothing to encourage people to get out of their vehicles and use other modes of transport to get where they are going. This is particularly true when it comes to commuting to work. This creates a vicious cycle for the city: increasing investments are made in roads while transit is starved of needed money; transit continues to attract few new riders because of limited service; people continue driving, one person to a car in traffic that continues getting worse; as traffic volumes increase so, too, does the wear and tear on roads, which then require more frequent repair and reconstruction. Have you ever asked yourself why one of the major streets you use each day to drive back and forth to work is being repaired again, just a year or two after the last time it was torn up? It’s because traffic volumes have continued to escalate, causing more damage to road surfaces. It’s not hard to see how, eventually, we are going to have the worst of all worlds: crappy streets, crappy transit and worsening traffic jams. Think that’s an exaggeration? Consider that Winnipeg is already hitting way above its weight in traffic congestion. I recently wrote a newsletter on this topic, highlighting traffic data that showed we have the third-worst traffic of all Canadian cities. In short, the data showed that our average commuting times are going up and the distances we can travel in a 30-minute window are going down. And if you’re not depressed enough by that current snapshot, consider that increasing traffic volumes also translates into increasing carbon emissions that — in case you hadn’t noticed — are helping to warm the planet and trigger increasingly extreme weather events. There is a way to avoid this future, but many of us are not going to like it. We have to start now to make it increasingly unattractive to commute by car while, at the same time, making transit much more attractive. Next year’s reimagining of Winnipeg Transit — with new routes and schedules — may help in that regard. But we also need to dedicate more lanes of existing roadways to buses (both downtown and on major routes to and from the downtown) while expanding rapid-transit busways. In the short term, this will put a lot of pressure on traffic by compressing it into fewer lanes on feeder routes and making it harder for drivers to get into, out of and around downtown. And all this requires a new approach to property taxes. It can be done. Halifax, for example, dedicates roughly two-thirds of annual property tax increases to a “climate fund” that pays for improvements in things such as electric vehicle charging stations, the purchase of more electric buses and installation of solar panels on city buildings. Small gestures such as those can add up to significant changes, but it’s never going to be enough. Even if Winnipeg were to flip the way it divides up property tax increases, or push employers to subsidize transit passes, it would never generate enough money to build the transit system necessary to supplant vehicular traffic. The provincial and federal governments have largely focused their support on building or expanding rapid transit. However, just about every major city in this country is suffering from massive transit system operating deficits. Transit needs to be the No. 1 infrastructure funding priority for governments of all levels to ensure that we have sensible and climate-friendly alternatives to hopping in the car and driving to and from work. Even so, the city could send a strong message to citizens by starting with the way it divides up property tax increases. It won’t be enough to solve the problem, but it will represent one small step away from the traffic and climate apocalypse. dan.lett(a)winnipegfreepress.com<mailto:dan.lett@winnipegfreepress.com> [View Less]

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WFP Editorial: Blocking bike lanes — and writing tickets (Oct8'24)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Oct '24

08 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Blocking bike lanes — and writing tickets https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2024/10/08/blocking-bi… ANYONE who cycles regularly in Winnipeg has probably seen them: cars or trucks blocking bike lanes. It is illegal to park or stop a motor vehicle in a bike lane. Doing so is subject to a $70 fine. Trouble is, it is — at best — loosely enforced and overly reliant on public complaints. It is not a … [View More]priority for the city. It should be. If the city is serious about promoting active transportation as a viable way of travelling to work, school and other destinations, it has to make bike lanes a priority. It also has to make safety in bike lanes a priority. That includes ensuring they’re not used as parking lots or loading zones by cars and trucks. The city handed out 70 tickets between January and August to motorists who were blocking bike lanes, which works out to about two tickets per week on average. It doesn’t seem like much considering how common it is to see vehicles blocking bike lanes throughout the city. Even the fine amount, $70, does not seem that high. A larger fine might help hammer the point home that it’s not OK to park a vehicle in a bike lane. Not only does it obstruct the path of cyclists, it is unsafe because it often forces cyclists off bike lanes and onto roadways. City officials say they rely primarily on public reporting to respond to blocked bike lanes. The problem with that is enforcement officers often arrive too late after a call is placed and the offending motorist may no longer be there. The city should be doing more patrolling as a proactive way of discouraging this practice. A public information campaign would also be useful. Many motorists see bike lanes as optional pathways for bikes. They think the paths, even the protected ones, are fair game for parking their vehicles. That culture has to change. An information campaign launched by the city, perhaps in collaboration with bike groups, might help more motorists realize that blocking bike lanes is not only an inconvenience for cyclists, doing so is dangerous. In Toronto, bicycle patrol officers are often tasked specifically with monitoring bike lanes across the city. They also recently raised their fine amount from $60 to $200. Toronto has made the safety of bike lanes a priority. Winnipeg should consider doing the same. Winnipeg has made good progress on expanding protected bike lanes across the city, including downtown. However, much more needs to be done to make the city’s bike network more interconnected. There are still far too many gaps in the network when travelling between certain destinations. Public opinion polls and surveys have shown consistently that people are more willing to cycle as a mode of transportation if they have access to safe, unobstructed protected bike lanes. While there are far more bike lanes in Winnipeg today than there were a decade ago (especially protected ones), the city still has a long way to go to expand that network. But more bike lanes alone are not enough. They must be kept safe, clean and unobstructed. They should be given at least as high a priority as roads — if not special attention for a period of time — if the city truly wants to encourage people to get out of their vehicles and onto bikes. It’s a culture shift that needs to happen. If Winnipeg is serious about fighting climate change, promoting active transportation should be a priority. Ensuring bike lanes are safe and accessible is an important part of that goal. [View Less]

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Equitable Cities is next week!
by Mel Marginet 04 Oct '24

04 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Greetings, Green Action Centre and Peg City Car Co-op are excited to welcome Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg for Equitable Cities<https://3common.com/equitablecities> on October 9th! Don’t have your tickets yet? If you are a student or representing a community organization or nonprofit, use ECStudent or ECCommunity at checkout to save! Charles T. Brown is the founder and principal of Equitable Cities, a minority- … [View More]and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the host of Arrested Mobility<https://arrestedmobility.com/>, a podcast that asks: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of colour step out their door to exist in the world? In this keynote presentation, Charles addresses how our transportation system in Winnipeg, like communities across the country, underserves and disproportionately harms those who are most vulnerable. By understanding inequities in our transportation system, Charles identifies potential strategies for action. Following the keynote, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in two breakout sessions that bring the themes of Charles’ keynote into our local context. Breakout topics are: POINT DOUGLAS: A Neighbourhood of Opportunity Facilitated by: Sel Burrows Point Douglas is one of Winnipeg’s oldest neighbourhoods. Like similar communities across North America, Point Douglas has suffered decades of disinvestment. For those who call Point Douglas home, they see endless untapped potential. Not only is this neighbourhood beautiful, with its canopy of trees and historic architecture, but also it is home to resilient people and organizations who want to see it thrive once again. The City of Winnipeg has committed resources to creating a neighbourhood plan for Point Douglas. This breakout session will give participants the opportunity to learn more about Point Douglas, and how neighbourhoods can thrive when everyone has access to what they need for health, happiness and opportunity. FREEDOM TO MOVE: How do we build an accessible city for all? Facilitated by: Sarah Manteuffel Winnipeg’s urban footprint ballooned after the second world war, spreading people and places further apart. At the same time, the city invested less in transit and active transportation, and more in roads for personal vehicles. We now live in a car-oriented city and the disability community often finds themselves on the margins, forcing the choice to use personal vehicles, or being reliant on infrastructure and transit that can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. This session will focus on what we all lose when our city is inaccessible, while also asking: how can Winnipeg become more inclusive for everyone? ARRESTED MOBILITY: Moving While Indigenous Facilitated by: Adrian Alphonso Winnipeg is home to the largest Indigenous population in Canada. Indigenous people are overrepresented as victims of traffic violence, policing and poverty. In this session, we examine Winnipeg’s transportation system to discover and discuss its long history of inequity, as well as opportunities for change. In this session we’ll ask: what can we gain when all people feel safe moving about our cities and towns? We look forward to welcoming Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg for Equitable Cities<https://3common.com/equitablecities>, and we hope to see you at the Norwood Hotel on October 9th! Thank you to our sponsors Builder [45354-PC-PegCity-Logo-RGB-Release.png] Influencer [HTFC-CMYK.png] [Selkirk_logo_RGB.png] Advocate [image.png] [image.png] Supporter [Lankmark Logo - White on Green - JPG.jpg] [image001.png] Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: Cyclists call for enforcement as bike lane violations go largely unticketed (Oct3'24)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Oct '24

03 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Battle of the bike lanes Cyclists call for enforcement as bike lane violations go largely unticketed https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/10/03/battle-of-the-bik… WHETHER it’s moving vans, food delivery services or everyday drivers, vehicles stopping in bike lanes aren’t an uncommon sight in Winnipeg. While it is illegal — and subject to a $70 fine — city data shows it isn’t always being ticketed. … [View More]There were 70 tickets handed out between January and August. Most of those tickets (43) were given out in January and February while the other months saw fewer than 10 tickets handed out. There was a single ticket for parking in a bike lane given out in May. Similarly, in 2023, there were fewer than 10 tickets sent out monthly from April to October. Andrew Kohan, a father of two who describes himself as a “utility cyclist” who uses his bike to transport him and his family as much as possible, said those numbers don’t match the reality on Winnipeg roads. “I see people parked in unprotected bike lanes all the time, often with their hazards on, treating it like it’s just a place you can stop and in the protected bike lanes as well — if it’s a wide enough lane, people will fit their car in it, and will get upset with you if you mention to them that that’s not a place to park,” he said. “It’s incredibly frustrating to hear that the city isn’t prioritizing enforcement of parking bylaws in bike lanes, because it’s so dangerous when a car is blocking that space.” He’d like to see proactive bike infrastructure that would make it harder for drivers to circumvent the rules. “For me, it’s a family safety issue, it’s a life-and-death issue, potentially, and I don’t want to be in that position where I’m forced out of that small amount of safe infrastructure we have,” he said. This year, most tickets have been handed out on Bannatyne Avenue, Notre Dame Avenue and Arthur Street. While parking in a bike lane has been a bylaw offence since 2016, the city’s bike infrastructure was integrated into the Winnipeg Parking Authority’s enforcement mapping system to include them in regular officer patrols in late 2023, after a “peak in non-compliance” and a spike in complaints, said Lisa Vermette, the authority’s manager of regulation and compliance. The parking authority also moved away from issuing tickets through the mail and instead focused on handing out tickets — and tow orders, which she said were included with every ticket handed out in 2024 — on site. “Compliance rates are sometimes a very tricky thing to measure,” she said. “The ticket data tells one side of that story.” Vermette said she hopes compliance is increasing — data over the past few years shows more tickets were handed out in winter months (25 tickets were given out in January 2024, compared to seven in March), which may mean drivers are unknowingly stopping in bike lanes without curbs and avoiding them in other months. What has decreased, she said, are complaints to 311 about cars in bike lanes. In 2023, the city received around 60 complaints, and there have been less than 20 calls made this year so far. While there are 13 to 15 vehicles patrolling in Winnipeg at any given time, she said, the parking authority still relies heavily on public reporting. “If a cyclist says, for example, ‘Every morning I travel this path, there are vehicles parked almost every morning,’ we can also set up more routine patrols and a more concentrated effort in those areas, rather than try to cover the whole bike infrastructure throughout the city to try to really minimize the rate of non-compliance in one or several specific areas,” she said. The complaint system isn’t enough to hold drivers to account, argued Patty Wiens with advocacy group Bike Winnipeg, as the city’s standard 90-minute turnaround time for complaints isn’t always quick enough. “The way it works is we call 311, and maybe by the time that the parking authority gets there, they’re still there … they are not actively seeking this,” she said. She pointed to Toronto, where bicycle patrol officers are, at times, tasked specifically with monitoring bike lanes across the city and recently raised the fine for parking in a bike path from $60 to $200. “Here — one, we can’t even get bike lanes, and two, we can’t get the officers to come out,” she said. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP Analysis: Building a city to keep the next generation here (Oct1'24)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Oct '24

01 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Building a city to keep the next generation here https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/09/30/building-a-ci… WHEN the Jets play a road game in another Canadian city, the familiar “True North” chant can always be heard loud and clear as ex-pat Winnipeggers celebrate their former hometown. The chant is an expression of pride from those who have moved away, but its prevalence might also be an indication … [View More]that Winnipeg is losing a different competition against other Canadian cities — the battle to attract and retain its young people. Every year Winnipeg loses thousands of people to other cities, many of them young, educated adults looking to establish their roots elsewhere. The inability of Winnipeg to retain its young people has always been a problem, but in the face of changing demographics, it’s an issue that has today become even more pressing. Our country is aging quickly. Fifty years ago, the median age in Canada was 25 years old, today it’s 41. This demographic shift is making young people more important to cities than ever before, needed to backfill an aging workforce and drive social vitality and economic innovation in our communities. Young people have grown up in an interconnected, technology-driven world. Their digital fluency and focus on social and environmental priorities make them a key demographic in the knowledge-based economy that creates modern, prosperous cities. The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and Canada West Foundation recently released an important study called, Finding Their Place: Manitoba Youth Mobility. It takes an in-depth look at why young people leave Winnipeg and Manitoba. As expected, many of the conclusions focused on jobs and economic opportunity in bigger centres, but the study revealed a fascinating and often overlooked factor that deserves much more public attention. A large percentage of young people consider vibrancy and urban quality a key factor in their desire to move to other Canadian cities. The study showed that almost 80 per cent of young people in Winnipeg would consider moving to another Canadian city if it offered a higher quality of life. This was the same percentage as those who would consider economic factors. When the study looked deeper into what defined quality of life for young people, the answers were not larger backyards, more big box stores or less vehicle traffic, it was the ability to live a socially connected urban lifestyle. The most important factor that was identified by 53 per cent of all respondents was a desire to live in a walkable neighbourhood. Across North America, today’s young adults have consistently demonstrated a generational shift toward urban living with a greater preference for diverse, higher density communities, generally closer to the city centre, with shops, restaurants, services, entertainment, employment, and education within walkable access from their home. Many young people in Winnipeg are no different. The next most desirable factors that young people are looking for in the city they choose to call home, followed this urbanist trend. Easy access to urban parks ranked second and high-quality public transportation was third. Almost 20 per cent identified much-maligned bike lanes as a top quality-of-life factor when considering a move to another city. These findings are backed up by real world evidence in Winnipeg. Compared to the city average, almost twice as many young adults live in walkable, urban neighbourhoods such as Osborne Village, Corydon-Earl Grey and Broadway-Assiniboine. Residents in these areas use public transit almost twice as much as the city average and walk or bike to work three to four times more often than average — seven times more than those living in suburban neighbourhoods like North Kildonan or Linden Woods. The top destinations for Winnipeg’s young people are Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, together attracting more than all other cities combined. Despite housing costs being far higher in those cities, young people are attracted to the socially connected, urban lifestyle they offer, something that is largely unavailable to them in Winnipeg. If we want to slow the exodus of our young people to other Canadian cities, we must begin by asking ourselves, who are we building our city for? The answer to this question should define the lens through which we view our city-building decisions. We have largely been using the priorities of older generations to guide policy, which has created an overwhelmingly suburban and vehicle-dependent city, offering fewer urban lifestyle options that are attractive to many younger people. The study clearly describes what many young people are looking for, unfortunately, building that type of city often meets with resistance and opposition from older generations. When we prioritize our residential streets for vehicle traffic, oppose bike lanes, fight reduced speed limits and traffic calming measures that help create more connected, urban and walkable neighbourhoods, we are rejecting the type of city that many young people want. When homeowners protest higher density and mixed-use infill development in mature neighbourhoods, they are fighting against the ability for young people to access to the communities they want to live in and are pushing them to other cities where they can find those lifestyle opportunities. When we contemplate spending three-quarters of a billion dollars to expand Kenaston Boulevard for cars, we might consider that Winnipeg will soon be the only city of Canada’s ten largest without light rail rapid transit. Understanding that we compete against these cities for our young people, we might instead prioritize mobility investments that are more attractive to the next generations. If we want our children and grandchildren to choose Winnipeg as the place they call home, we must begin by building a city that responds to their priorities and dreams, not only to those of their parents and grandparents. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group. [View Less]

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WFP: Replacing Arlington Bridge could come cheaper (Sep26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Sep '24

26 Sep '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. New proposals tens of millions less than original $319-M estimate Replacing Arlington Bridge could come cheaper https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/09/25/replacing-arlingt… THE city has studied two proposals to replace the Arlington Bridge that could cost tens of millions of dollars less than previously expected, a city councillor says. A few months ago, city officials told councillors they were … [View More]considering two key options to replace the decaying bridge, after the vital transportation link to the North End suddenly closed 10 months ago. “They’re talking about replacing it, on the same trajectory as it sits today, with slight differences,” said Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie. The councillor said a $171-million bridge option would involve closing Dufferin Avenue at Arlington Street, while a $180-million version would travel over Dufferin, leaving it open for vehicle traffic. Winnipeggers will need to wait at least another month to read final options to address the structure that was shut down in November 2023. Eadie said he was told the options are much cheaper than previous estimates to replace the bridge because a past option accommodated three lanes of traffic, while these versions would only have two. Past designs also included more property expropriations, adjustments to rail lines below the bridge and separated spaces for bike and pedestrian paths, which also contributed to the higher cost, he said. Eadie said the new options would have one shared active transportation path. In 2019, a preliminary design estimated a new bridge could cost $319 million. Eadie stressed the bridge’s replacement is critical. He plans to buy ads that urge Winnipeggers to push all city council members to support funding for the project. “The first step is to fund the removal of the old bridge because it’s very dangerous right now,” said Eadie. In 2016, city engineers deemed the Arlington Bridge, which opened to traffic in 1912, to be near the end of its life. Eadie said the bridge is in urgent need of replacement, describing it as a critical link used by several communities and a common route used to reach Health Sciences Centre, prior to its closure. “It’s more than just my ward… the Arlington Bridge should be the No. 1 project for this city, in terms of major infrastructure. Yeah, the St. James Bridge needs work but it’s still open,” he said. Coun. Janice Lukes cautioned against banking on either of the options becoming final proposals, calling both “preliminary” and noting both prices and options could change before a final report is released. “We don’t have the final facts yet because the report’s not done. It may change. It’s just not finished yet,” said Lukes (Waverley West), the chairwoman of council’s public works committee. “It’s an option that was presented to us, yes. … Really, we’re looking at a wide range of designs and options and that brings a wide range of prices. They have not, to my knowledge, decided on anything yet. What Coun. Eadie is (talking about) is a concept but they’ve got multiple concepts,” she added. Lukes expects a final council-ordered report on rehabilitation options for the bridge, which was expected in October, will now be released publicly in November. She warned the actual replacement of the bridge, should council find a way to fund it, would take years. “Even if we come out with (the decision) we’re going to replace it, we’ve still got to take the old bridge apart. So, it’s still going to be at least another two or three years … bare minimum,” she said. Lukes said she’s “optimistic” the bridge will be replaced but that would likely require funding from other levels of government. The city announced the sudden closure of the bridge on Nov. 21, 2023, after a condition assessment found steel corrosion had accelerated, raising the risk involved with keeping it open. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he wants the final options to cope with the bridge as soon as possible. “The consultants and our staff do need to take the time to get the report finalized … but I am eagerly anticipating that report,” said Gillingham. This summer, the city budgeted $1 million to replace multiple bearings on the bridge to prevent it from falling on the rail yard below it, work that did not help reopen or demolish it. A spokeswoman said that work was “completed as planned.” As they wait to learn the bridge’s fate, some residents say its absence is creating frustrating traffic delays. “It’s very important (to fix) … (On) McPhillips, Salter and Main, the traffic is just crazy now,” said Darrell Warren, president of the William Whyte Neighbourhood Association. Warren said he’s frustrated that no decision on the bridge’s future has been made, years after the city acknowledged it was nearing the end of its useful life. “They’ve known for years that bridge is going to need replacement and they kept putting it off and putting it off,” he said. — with files from Gabrielle Piché joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: Work at Portage and Main starts Nov. 15 (Sep21'24)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '24

21 Sep '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Famous intersection closed to pedestrians in 1979 Work at Portage and Main starts Nov. 15 https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/09/20/work-to-reopen-po… CONSTRUCTION to reopen Portage Avenue and Main Street to pedestrian access appears set to begin in two months — 45 years after it was cut off. The City of Winnipeg is seeking a contractor to begin construction by Nov. 15 and reopen the intersection to … [View More]foot traffic by July 1, 2025, as per tendering documents released Friday. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he’s received mostly positive feedback on the idea since council voted to reopen it in March, despite 65 per cent of Winnipeggers voting “no” to opening the intersection to pedestrians in a 2018 plebiscite. “Not everyone is in agreement but there has been a lot of people who have said to me, ‘This is the right decision. It’s time to treat this intersection like every other intersection,” said Gillingham. Debate over letting people cross the intersection on foot has raged for years. Opponents feared the change would be costly and delay traffic, while supporters argued it could help rejuvenate and better connect downtown. Pedestrian access was cut off at the crossing in 1979. In a press release, the city notes construction is needed to support the safe movement of traffic when pedestrians return. The construction will include: demolishing barrier walls; installing new traffic signals and street lights; adding a curb extension on the southeast corner to allow for shorter pedestrian crossing distance across Portage Avenue and more pedestrian space at the corner; repairing and adjusting the medians; and installing new curbs and sidewalks to accommodate pedestrian crossings on all four corners. “Certainly, our staff are focused on improving the intersection, changing the intersections to make it safe for everybody… There will be a real focus on maximizing movement and traffic flow,” said Gillingham. However, a councillor who has long opposed the reopening remains concerned it will delay traffic. “I do think it will slow traffic down, particularly those p.m. rush-hour movements,” said Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan). “Winnipeg does not have freeways… so, in terms of getting through the city, we use major arterial roadways and… making sure that those work efficiently is important.” Originally, the mayor proposed closing the intersection’s underground concourse as part of the plan but council voted to study the idea further before acting on it, said Browaty. He said next year’s budget might include funding to study the cost and impact of that change. “I still think the underground concourse plays a very important part of… the way people move around and work and live downtown in the winter,” he said. The councillor said the city should explore whether property owners at the intersection would cover the difference between the price of closing the concourse and the cost of repairing it and keeping it open. In March, Gillingham said it would cost $73 million to repair the leaking membrane to protect the concourse, while closing the city’s portion of the site could cost roughly $20 to $50 million. Multiple business leaders noted the closure cost was vaguely defined and stressed that many people rely on the underground connections to travel between businesses, especially in winter. Loren Remillard, president of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said his organization looks forward to the street-level pedestrian access but the city must study any underground changes before acting on them. “We need to understand exactly how that functions, in terms of the connectivity into the walkway system, into servicing the various towers… The underground is a vital connection point for so many,” said Remillard. Gillingham said there’s no target timeline for the potential closure of the underground. “The underground won’t be closed this year nor next year,” he said. In March, council earmarked $13 million to pay for the initial reopening of the intersection to foot traffic. Additional design work for the intersection is expected to be part of a rapid transit design study, which is expected to begin in 2025. The pedestrian access is timed to resume shortly after a new primary transit network begins operating on June 29, 2025. While most of the construction period to prepare for that falls in the winter, Coun. Sherri Rollins said the timeline appears realistic. “The demo and removing of the barriers, the traffic signals, this is work that we do all year round,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). She noted she’s excited to see the pedestrian barriers come down. “They are an eyesore. It’s long overdue,” she said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: City carpooling program jump-started (Sep13'24)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Sep '24

13 Sep '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City carpooling program jump-started https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/09/12/carpooling-progra… A WINNIPEG non-profit is encouraging Manitobans to save money — and curb pollution — with what it calls “the Kijiji of carpooling.” Members of the Green Action Centre joined provincial Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt at the Seel transit hub in south Winnipeg on Thursday to announce the … [View More]reboot of GoManitoba. The online platform connects users looking to share a ride to work, school, appointments or special events. “In Manitoba, our leading cause of (greenhouse gas) emissions is transportation,” Mel Marginet, the Green Action Centre’s lead for workplace commuter options, said. “Manitobans often rely on single-occupancy vehicles to get them to their destinations … This has resulted in communities where it’s difficult to live your life without access to a personal vehicle.” The GoManitoba tool aims to help reduce single-passenger drives by helping users find carpool partners for frequent commutes or one-off trips. The service also encourages users to ride the bus, walk or cycle by providing route maps and connections with other active transportation travellers. Similar to Kijiji or Airbnb, the platform allows users to find and message other commuters who log similar trips. Once a connection is made, users can choose to swap contact information and build a network of commuting buddies. “We believe everyone should have the opportunity to choose transportation modes that don’t harm the environment, that are affordable and good for our health and, at the same time, modes that create connections and build communities,” action centre executive director Josep Seras-Gubert said. GoManitoba was first introduced in 2017 and amassed nearly 3,000 users before COVID-19 social distancing protocols came into effect. The pandemic lockdowns and work-from-home policies led to a drop-off in GoManitoba users, Marginet said, but also triggered a “bike boom” and prompted Manitobans to start thinking differently about how they travel. With more Manitobans back to their regular commutes, “We thought this was a really good time to do a relaunch with some more user- friendly tools,” she said. GoManitoba was upgraded this year to streamline the digital experience and — hopefully — reach more users. Marginet said she would like to see the user base grow to 5,000 Manitobans, including more rural and northern carpoolers. The action centre is also looking to work directly with businesses, schools and other organizations to create dedicated ride-sharing networks for staff members through the GoManitoba platform. The upgrades have come with a little help from the province, which provided $30,000 to cover technology costs. The NDP government announced in April it would restore nearly $400,000 in annual funding for environmental non-profits, including $230,000 for the action centre, which had been cut under the previous Tory government. “Finding greener transportation options is critical to reduce our (greenhouse gas) emissions, and we believe that Go Manitoba will not only help reduce our transportation emissions, but will also help folks have a bit more money in their pockets,” Schmidt said during the launch event. julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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Equitable Cities is less than one month away!
by Mel Marginet 12 Sep '24

12 Sep '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Greetings, Green Action Centre and Peg City Car Co-op are excited to welcome Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg for Equitable Cities<https://3common.com/equitablecities> on October 9th! Don’t have your tickets yet? Don’t delay! From now until September 20th you can take advantage of our September Sale, saving yourself $25 per ticket. Just use ECSeptSale at checkout. Charles T. Brown is the founder and principal of … [View More]Equitable Cities, a minority- and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the host of Arrested Mobility<https://arrestedmobility.com/>, a podcast that asks: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of colour step out their door to exist in the world? In this keynote presentation, Charles addresses how our transportation system in Winnipeg, like communities across the country, underserves and disproportionately harms those who are most vulnerable. By understanding inequities in our transportation system, Charles identifies potential strategies for action. Following the keynote, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in breakout sessions that bring the themes of Charles’ keynote into our local context. Topics include: FREEDOM TO MOVE: How do we build an accessible city for all? Facilitated by: Sarah Manteuffel Winnipeg’s urban footprint ballooned after the second world war, spreading people and places further apart. At the same time, the city invested less in transit and active transportation, and more in roads for personal vehicles. We now live in a car-oriented city and the disability community often finds themselves on the margins, forcing the choice to use personal vehicles, or being reliant on infrastructure and transit that can be inconvenient and uncomfortable. This session will focus on what we all lose when our city is inaccessible, while also asking: how can Winnipeg become more inclusive for everyone? POINT DOUGLAS: A Neighbourhood of Opportunity Facilitated by: TBA Point Douglas is one of Winnipeg’s oldest neighbourhoods. Like similar communities across North America, Point Douglas has suffered decades of disinvestment. For those who call Point Douglas home, they see endless untapped potential. Not only is this neighbourhood beautiful, with its canopy of trees and historic architecture, but also it is home to dedicated people and organizations who want to see it thrive once again. The City of Winnipeg has committed resources to create a neighbourhood plan for Point Douglas. This breakout session will give participants the opportunity to learn more about Point Douglas, and how we can think about transportation as a way to bring freedom, opportunity and wellness to those who call it home. We look forward to welcoming Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg for Equitable Cities<https://3common.com/equitablecities>, and we hope to see you at the Norwood Hotel on October 9th! Thank you to our sponsors Builder [45354-PC-PegCity-Logo-RGB-Release.png] Influencer [HTFC-CMYK.png] [Selkirk_logo_RGB.png] Advocate [image.png] [image.png] Supporter [Lankmark Logo - White on Green - JPG.jpg] [image001.png] Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca> [View Less]

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FW: Design Guide for Bus Steps Adjacent to Cycling Infrastructure - Free Webinar for CARSP and ITE Members / nominal fee for non-members
by Michelle Porter 05 Sep '24

05 Sep '24

Hi all! Here is a webinar opportunity that you might be interested in. Please note there is a nominal fee for non-members. Michelle Michelle M. Porter, PhD, Professor | Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management | Director, Centre on Aging | 338 Isbister Building | University of Manitoba | Winnipeg, MB CANADA | R3T 2N2 | (204) 474-8795 michelle.porter(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:michelle.porter@umanitoba.ca> | www.umanitoba.ca/aging<http://www.umanitoba.ca/aging> | https://… [View More]

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WFP: Changes urged to make central intersections safer (Aug31'24)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '24

31 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Changes urged to make central intersections safer https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/31/changes-urged-to-… The City of Winnipeg is being urged to ramp up road safety in central neighbourhood intersections, where a report finds pedestrians have been more at risk of getting injured or killed in collisions. The planning consultant’s report on intersection collision data from 2012 to 2020 found 44.9 per … [View More]cent of 39 fatal pedestrian-vehicle crashes at intersections were located within or near the city centre or downtown. “Most fatalities happen in the same areas around downtown or in the neighbourhoods surrounding downtown, like Point Douglas or West Alexander … but also most prominently around (the Winnipeg) School Division. If we pay attention to those areas, in my opinion, it’s a good beginning for us to start (making streets safer),” Jairo Viafara, who wrote the report, said. His transportation equity analysis focused specifically on crashes that took place at intersections, for which the most specific geographic data is available. Viafara found 1,118 (61.3 per cent) of the 1,822 pedestrian-vehicle crashes that caused major and minor injuries took place within the catchment area of the school division. About one-third of the fatal pedestrian collisions he studied took place in the downtown east, downtown west, North Point Douglas and South Point Douglas areas, he said. “In certain neighbourhoods, residents continue experiencing a persistent lack of safe pedestrian facilities,” he wrote in the report. Viafara suggests a lack of progress to improve the most collision-prone intersections “may indicate to the public that pedestrian safety is not being considered a priority concern by local decision-makers.” The head of a local residents committee said she’s seen several road safety hazards in her neighbourhood. “I’ve wanted to go walk my dog around the Louise Bridge. It’s impossible to get across there safely … You just take your life in your hands and run,” Catherine Flynn, chairwoman of the Point Douglas Residents Committee, said. Flynn said there are also too few controlled crossings to help pedestrians cross key sections of Main Street and Higgins Avenue, where many folks jaywalk. “I’m not an urban planner, but I think when you’ve got a city that (can get) so cold, one of the things you’ve got to think of is what is the number of safe crossings … It could be -30, -40, windy … of course (pedestrians are) going to run across the street (wherever they are),” she said. Viafara said the affected neighbourhoods appear more likely to rely on walking to get around. Many of the residents have lower incomes than other Winnipeggers, he said. His transportation equity analysis focused specifically on crashes that took place at intersections, for which the most specific geographic data is available. Viafara found 1,118 (61.3 per cent) of the 1,822 pedestrian-vehicle crashes that caused major and minor injuries took place within the catchment area of the school division. About one-third of the fatal pedestrian collisions he studied took place in the downtown east, downtown west, North Point Douglas and South Point Douglas areas, he said. “In certain neighbourhoods, residents continue experiencing a persistent lack of safe pedestrian facilities,” he wrote in the report. Viafara suggests a lack of progress to improve the most collision-prone intersections “may indicate to the public that pedestrian safety is not being considered a priority concern by local decision-makers.” The head of a local residents committee said she’s seen several road safety hazards in her neighbourhood. “I’ve wanted to go walk my dog around the Louise Bridge. It’s impossible to get across there safely … You just take your life in your hands and run,” Catherine Flynn, chairwoman of the Point Douglas Residents Committee, said. Flynn said there are also too few controlled crossings to help pedestrians cross key sections of Main Street and Higgins Avenue, where many folks jaywalk. “I’m not an urban planner, but I think when you’ve got a city that (can get) so cold, one of the things you’ve got to think of is what is the number of safe crossings … It could be -30, -40, windy … of course (pedestrians are) going to run across the street (wherever they are),” she said. Viafara said the affected neighbourhoods appear more likely to rely on walking to get around. Many of the residents have lower incomes than other Winnipeggers, he said. “So, there is a connection between … fatalities and traffic accidents involving people of low income,” Viafara said, noting that appears to be common across Canada. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of council’s public works committee, is calling for city traffic experts to review the report. “The city does know that there are a lot of collisions in the downtown because anywhere where there’s more density, there’s more collisions … It’s (about) putting the spotlight on the vulnerable road user.” The Waverley West councillor said the city has four staff members devoted to implementing a road safety action plan, who prioritize new projects using an “equity lens.” “It’s a huge pillar in what we do,” Lukes said. The city expects to spend $30 million on road safety improvements over the next six years, she said. Viafara is urging the city to make several changes to make core-area intersections safer. The recommendations include prioritizing pedestrian safety countermeasures for downtown and adjacent neighbourhoods, conducting “walkability assessments” near frequent collision sites, improving collision data collection and preparing safe route to school plans. He said countermeasures could include adding lights, medians and other road treatments to help minimize the risk of crashes. “Transportation (needs) to be part of the revitalization effort,” Viafara said. [View Less]

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New machines have sights set on tracking City sidewalk conditions
by Beth McKechnie 23 Aug '24

23 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Released: August 23, 2024 at 10:01 a.m. Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeggers – don’t be alarmed if you see a futuristic-looking quad out on Winnipeg sidewalks this month. It’s not a real-life Transformers moment – it is a new-to-us data collection tool designed to help the City of Winnipeg better assess, maintain, and improve sidewalk and pathway conditions. Two sidewalk surface testers will collect data on nearly 3,200 km of … [View More]

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Green Action Centre seeks Bike Education Instructor
by Beth McKechnie 19 Aug '24

19 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Position: Bike Education Instructor Contract: During months of September-October and May-June Rate: $250-$300 per day based on experience, for total of 75 days Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba Application Deadline: August 26, 2024 Details: Bike Education Instructor<https://greenactioncentre.ca/jobs-bike-education-instructor/>

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WFP Traffic lights turned on near FortWhyte at McGillivray (Aug17'24)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Aug '24

17 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. TRAFFIC LIGHTS TURNED ON NEAR FORTWHYTE A NEW set of traffic lights is now working at McGillivray Boulevard and Brady Road, near FortWhyte Alive. A new entrance to the wildlife preserve and recreation area is expected to open next to the intersection this winter. “These four-way lights increase safety and connectivity in Winnipeg’s active transportation network and will provide much-needed crossing controls for … [View More]

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WFP: Canada’s public transit in crisis (Aug17'24)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Aug '24

17 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Operating costs sinking transit systems: report Canada’s public transit in crisis https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2024/08/16/broke-and-broken-repo… OTTAWA — A new analysis warns that Canada’s major cities — including Winnipeg — are struggling to keep their transit systems running and says public transit is heading for a “downward spiral” unless major new streams of operating revenue open up. In a report … [View More]published in late May, Leading Mobility Canada said the $120-billion in expansions planned for those transit systems won’t help cities that are struggling to keep the buses and trains running at current levels. David Cooper, the principal at Leading Mobility and the study’s co-author, said the majority of transit is funded through passenger fares and property taxes and cities have very limited options for other sources of revenue. The federal government is allocating billions to expand transit. “It’s great we’re getting these investments but you actually can’t materialize the benefits of these investments if the cities actually can’t afford to run it,” he said. The analysis looked at the budgets, revenue sources and long-term plans for eight transit systems in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. Most of them are already reporting budget shortfalls. Calgary’s shortfall was $33 million in 2023, the same year Toronto reported a $366-million gap. Montreal anticipates its budget shortfall will exceed $560 million in 2025 and grow to $700 million by 2028. Halifax expects it will be up to $22 million short in 2026 — more than 15 per cent of its total transit budget — while Vancouver warns of a structural deficit of $600 million by the same year. All of them say the planned expansions, such as new light rail lines in Ottawa, bus rapid transit in Halifax and subway expansions in Toronto, will incur operating costs well above what they can afford. Vancouver estimated bus and light rail expansions will cost $1.2 billion extra. Calgary said in 10 years its operating budget will be $127 million higher. Edmonton said by 2033 its budget deficit will grow to $174 million a year, while Winnipeg estimated its expansion plans will add $37 million in annual costs. The provinces and federal government are only offering limited operating funding to go with the growth and even that is temporary. For example, Ontario has agreed to provide $1.2 billion to help Toronto run two new LRT lines for a three-year period. In late July, Vancouver’s TransLink warned that it will have to make significant service cuts if its structural deficit isn’t solved, including cancelling 145 of its 245 bus routes and reducing service on the SkyTrain and SeaBus. The result would push more than half a million people out of walking distance from a transit stop or station. On Aug. 8, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe sounded the alarm about a “transit crisis” because of a $9-billion hole in OC Transpo’s long-range financial plan, including the opening of the nearly $5-billion second phase of light rail. “It’s nice to dream of building more light rail but we don’t even have the money we need to operate our existing system,” Sutcliffe said. “If we don’t get the help we need, it won’t even make financial sense to open Phase 2 of light rail. We’d be better off from a financial perspective not to open and run the system.” The report makes clear that COVID-19 hastened some of the structural funding problems plaguing transit systems when work-from-home policies took a massive bite out of ridership. Leading Mobility said before COVID-19, passenger fares covered an average of 59 per cent of the costs of transit in Canada, far higher than the 38 per cent in the United States. By 2023, fares covered as little as 23 per cent of costs in Ottawa and as much as 43 per cent in Toronto. Most cities have seen ridership return — though not quite to pre-pandemic levels — but people are using the system differently, with fewer people buying monthly passes, and in some places, more using subsidized transit passes or tickets. Property tax is most often the second-biggest source of revenue for public transit but inflation and affordability have put massive pressures on cities and there is limited ability for transit to get more money from property taxes. Vancouver’s TransLink gets a share of gas tax funding but with B.C. drivers adopting electric vehicles more rapidly than anywhere else, that funding source is shrinking fast. Gas tax revenues were down $34 million in 2023 from the year before. Halifax has a benefit area tax, a surtax on properties located within a certain distance of transit, which in 2023 accounted for almost half its total revenues, or $58.6 million. Montreal gets about five per cent of its operating revenue from a vehicle registration levy. Vehicle levies and benefit taxes are among the suggestions the Leading Mobility report makes for cities. It also suggests considering a tax on electric vehicle charging, or adding congestion pricing that taxes vehicles in the busiest parts of cities, similar to what’s in place in London and New York City. The report calculated what may work best in each jurisdiction but also notes that many cities need permission from their provincial governments for such changes. It recommends provinces make legislative changes to allow transit systems to raise new money. The report also calls for a national commission on transit operating funding, bringing together provinces and municipalities to determine the best way to save their systems. Cooper said cutting service is a death knell because people will only use transit if it is reliable and affordable. If ridership drops, revenues drop, and then more cuts follow. Marco D’Angelo, president of the Canadian Urban Transit Association, said he feels there is a will to solve this problem and it is not insurmountable. He noted that when ridership plummeted during the pandemic, federal and provincial governments stepped up to help. “We had leadership when it was needed to keep Canada’s transit systems running,” he said. “This is a different scenario but it was handled before by provinces and the federal government recognizing the national importance of public transit.” — The Canadian Press [View Less]

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WFP: Driver tried to flee after hitting boy (Aug14'24)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Aug '24

14 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. DRIVER TRIED TO FLEE AFTER HITTING BOY: POLICE A driver is facing charges after he allegedly struck a young boy riding a bicycle and tried to flee the scene. An officer with the Winkler Police Service was on patrol in the area of Pembina Avenue and Main Street when he saw the collision at about 1:06 p.m. Monday. A red Chevrolet Silverado turned east onto Pembina from southbound Main and struck a small child who was … [View More]

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WFP: One pedestrian killed, two injured in three accidents (Aug12'24)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Aug '24

12 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. One pedestrian killed, two injured in three accidents https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/10/one-pedestrian-ki… A 49-year-old woman is dead after she was struck by a vehicle while reportedly lying down on the Harry Lazarenko Bridge, while two other people are in hospital in critical condition after they were hit while crossing Winnipeg streets in just over six hours. Winnipeg Police Service officers … [View More]were called to the bridge, which connects Redwood Avenue with Main Street, about an injured woman at about 1:45 a.m. Saturday. Police found the woman with serious injuries, but she died before paramedics were able to arrive to try to revive her. Traffic investigators, in a preliminary probe, found the woman was lying on the road when she was hit by a driver headed west. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene and spoke with officers, police said. Investigators have identified the victim and informed her family of her death. Police are also still investigating another serious collision between a vehicle and pedestrian on Pembina Highway at Adamar Road, which also occurred overnight. Officers were called to the intersection at about 4 a.m., where they found a man with serious injuries. Paramedics took the man to hospital in critical condition. The driver of the vehicle stayed at the scene and spoke with police. Police have determined the man was walking eastbound across Pembina near the intersection when he was hit by a driver headed east. Earlier Friday, at about 9:45 p.m., police were called to Smithfield Avenue and Main Street, where a 57-year-old man was in critical condition on the road. He was rushed to hospital. Investigators believe the man was crossing Main Street against a red light when a vehicle, travelling south, hit him. The driver stayed at the scene. Police have asked anyone with further information, including video or dash camera footage from the areas near the collision scenes, to call the traffic division at 204-986-7085<tel:204-986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204786-8477<tel:204786-8477>. The death of the woman on the Harry Lazarenko Bridge is the second fatal collision between a pedestrian and a vehicle this week. A man was struck near Queen Elizabeth Way (Main Street) and Mayfair Avenue near The Forks at about 3:30 a.m. on Thursday by a driver that fled the scene. He was taken to hospital in critical condition, but later died. Police have said investigators were closing in on the kind of vehicle that hit the man on Thursday. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:fpcity@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: City seeks stronger analysis of traffic data (Aug9'24)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Aug '24

09 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Proposal request aims to improve road safety City seeks stronger analysis of traffic data https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/08/city-hopes-enhanc… A new system to collect traffic counts and collision data is on the way to Winnipeg in an effort to improve road safety. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said the addition is great news. “If we have better data and better ability to sift, … [View More]sort and analyze the data, then it becomes clear to us where we need to make changes and investments to improve the system. At a punch of a few buttons, we can see sooner where the collisions are, we can analyze when they happen,” said Lukes (Waverley West). A request for proposals seeks a company to implement the new system for Winnipeg’s traffic monitoring program. “The City of Winnipeg has greatly expanded their traffic-monitoring program in the last five years and needs a solution that will support the acquisition, validation, analysis and dissemination of all its data sources,” the document notes. It states the city’s current tracking program has “major limitations,” since it lacks a central database and information is difficult for the public to access. “Short-duration studies are currently managed through a series of disconnected excel files that result in poor scheduling, duplication of efforts, and data entry error,” the RFP notes. The new system is expected to let the city make better use of Manitoba Public Insurance collision data that municipal officials already receive. “(With this system) if we see a particular intersection is always either getting bogged down or there are collisions on a regular basis and then we can analyze it in a more rapid manner, then we can fix it sooner,” said Lukes. A request to speak with a city traffic official was not granted on Thursday. In an email, a city spokeswoman said the system will make better use of vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian counts, which are gathered through radar, intersection video cameras, pneumatic road tubes (tubes laid across the road to gather data) and other devices. “More than 40 permanent count stations have been installed across Winnipeg in the past five years and hundreds of other traffic studies have been collected with portable equipment as part of the traffic-monitoring program,” wrote spokeswoman Pam McKenzie. “The (new system) will help the city consume all of the data from these devices and present it in an easy-to-digest format that will help… derive more meaningful insights.” Lukes said ensuring all of the data can be quickly assessed to support safety decisions will help the city more efficiently select the changes most likely to reduce collisions. She said she hopes Winnipeggers will eventually see fewer collisions as a result. “If we can have a better technology to capture and monitor and analyze this data, it really helps us make better decisions,” she said. The RFP notes council approved a road safety strategic action plan in 2022, which this system would support. “Several of the 67 actions identified in the (plan) relate to the need to improve and better integrate safety data into divisional practices,” the document notes. For example, city officials expect the new system will help track performance toward a municipal goal to reduce fatal and serious injury collisions by 20 per cent between 2022 and 2026 and conduct road safety reviews with detailed collision analyses. In an email, Mayor Scott Gillingham’s communications director said the system is part of a renewed focus on road safety. “It started with council adopting the road safety strategic action plan in 2022, then we created a new unit to oversee the plan last year, and now we’re looking to improve our systems to make better use of traffic count and collision data,” wrote Colin Fast. The winning bidder is expected to implement the data system for four years, with a possible three year extension. The city expects to spend $200,000 on the contract. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: Police using video to zero in on suspect involved in fatal pedestrian collision (Aug9'24)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Aug '24

09 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Driver can hit, run but can’t hide Police using video to zero in on suspect involved in fatal pedestrian collision https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/08/police-zero-in-on… POLICE said they are closing in on a suspect in a hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian near The Forks early Thursday as officers canvassed the area for witnesses and additional surveillance footage. Although police haven’t … [View More]identified the person responsible, investigators have “a good idea on the general type of vehicle that was involved, based on surveillance video and some roadway evidence,” Patrol Sgt. Brian Neumann said. “Ultimately, there will be evidence on that vehicle of this collision, so when we obtain that vehicle, we should be able to gather the evidence necessary to complete our investigation.” Officers responded to Queen Elizabeth Way (Main Street) and Mayfair Avenue at about 3:30 a.m. A seriously injured man was found and taken to hospital in critical condition but later died. The preliminary investigation indicated the man was walking across Queen Elizabeth Way when he fell and was struck by a southbound vehicle as he struggled to get up. The driver took off, police said. Neumann, who co-ordinates collision investigations, said officers rerouted traffic to gather evidence from the scene. Investigators have yet to release information about the vehicle involved in the collision but will provide an update to the public when they are ready, the patrol sergeant said. “What we are having to do is just expand our knowledge of what we have so far, so that when we want to be able to take that action, we have sufficient (evidence) to effect an arrest or bring a person in for an interview,” he said. “I’ve got investigators out who are viewing video and compiling their opinion on what they are finding… Especially in an urban environment, we tend to be able to follow them throughout their movement in the city until we get (the suspect) identified.” Speaking generally, Neumann said suspects identified in hit-and-run investigations can range from motorists with a clean driving record to people with criminal records. In some cases, drivers panic after a collision and flee the scene. Later, they turn themselves in to the police. Other times, motorists try to cover their tracks by destroying evidence or getting their vehicles washed, he said. Impairment can be a contributing factor that leads to a collision or influences a person’s decision to flee, he said. He urged anybody involved in a hit-and-run collision to do the right thing and come forward to police. “You may be wrong and you may be (held) accountable but you have to step up and take that. Just like you would expect someone else to do that if it happened to you or someone in your family,” he said. “In the case of something like today’s incident… you’re just compounding the problem. It’s not going to get easier.” Investigators ask anybody who was travelling near Mayfair Avenue and Queen Elizabeth Way around the time to call investigators, particularly if they have video footage, Neumann said. Investigators can be reached at 204986-7085<tel:204986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477<tel:204-786-8477> (TIPS). Manitoba Public Insurance recorded 384 reports of hit-and-run collisions that resulted in injuries in Winnipeg since 2022, including 92 incidents as of July 31. Nine people were killed in hit-and-runs during the same period, including three this year. The numbers do not include Thursday’s fatality, MPI said. One hit-and-run investigation in which a person was injured remains unsolved from 2023, Neumann said. A cyclist was crossing Notre Dame Avenue and Isabel Street on the evening of June 30. The vehicle fled the scene before the police arrived. An empty but heavily damaged grey 2007 Pontiac G6 was later found in the 100 block of Juno Street. It was subsequently learned that four men were observed fleeing the vehicle, police reported. tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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City News: Calls for bike safety in Winnipeg continue after girl hit by vehicle in Wolseley neighbourhood (Aug7'24)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Aug '24

08 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://winnipeg.citynews.ca/2024/08/07/calls-bike-safety-winnipeg-latest-i…

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WFP: Cyclist dies after crashing into parked semi (Aug7'24)
by Beth McKechnie 07 Aug '24

07 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Man riding at high speed when collision occurred Cyclist dies after crashing into parked semi https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/06/cyclist-dies-afte… A 67-YEAR-OLD male cyclist died after crashing into the back of a parked tractor-trailer on the side of Kenaston Boulevard, near Waverley Street, on Friday. The cyclist was riding at high speed when he collided with the rear of the trailer, which had … [View More]its hazard lights activated on the northbound shoulder, shortly before 2:30 p.m., the Winnipeg Police Service said. “It’s always tragic. You feel for the family,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, which advocates for increased cycling awareness and safety in the city. “The bottom line is it’s just tragic,” said local Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West). The WPS provided limited information in a news release Tuesday. Police would not provide more details about the cause of the crash, which is being investigated by the traffic division. The cyclist’s name was not released. His family has been notified, police said. He is at least the second cyclist to be killed on Winnipeg’s roads in as many months. Police wouldn’t say if the man was wearing a helmet. The crash happened on a stretch of Kenaston that has one separated cycling route (on the west side) north of Waverley, and none to the south between Waverley and the Perimeter Highway. While details are limited, the incident points to a gap in Winnipeg’s active transportation network, and the importance of separated lanes for cyclists, said Cohoe. “You don’t have a pathway in that section,” he said. “It just showcases that we want to have a separation on those roadways.” There are plans to build a separated lane on the east side of Kenaston north of Waverley, said Lukes, chair of city hall’s public works committee. She said there are currently no plans for bike routes on Kenaston between Waverley and the Perimeter, given the province’s previously announced plans to build a bypass in the area. “When the St. Norbert bypass comes into play, then stuff like (bike lanes) will happen,” said Lukes. In 2015, the former NDP government said construction of a new $400-million route bypassing St. Norbert — by linking Kenaston and Highway 75 — would begin in five years and be completed within 10 years. The proposal included a cloverleaf interchange at Kenaston and the Perimeter. Almost 10 years later, no construction has taken place. The NDP lost the 2016 provincial election to the Progressive Conservatives, who ordered studies and held public information sessions while in government. The Tories lost last year’s election to the NDP. A provincial spokesperson said a 2020 design study proposed an interchange at Kenaston and the Perimeter as part of the long-term Winnipeg One Million Perimeter Freeway Initiative. Active transportation routes were considered in the study, the spokesperson said. Cyclists rallied in Winnipeg last month to call on the city to make streets safer for them, following a fatal collision in June and a separate crash that injured a teenage girl. Both collisions occurred on Wellington Crescent. Cohoe wants Winnipeg’s road-safety strategic action plan, passed by council in 2022, to be fully funded and implemented to help reduce fatal and serious injury collisions involving all road users. “The goal of the city really needs to be that we don’t see people dying in collisions,” he said. The plan comprises 67 actions for improved safety for all road users, and a goal of reducing fatal and serious collisions by 20 per cent over five years. Each year, Winnipeg averages 13 fatal collisions and 145 crashes resulting in serious injuries, according to city data. Across the province, an average of four cyclists are killed and 78 are injured in collisions per year, Manitoba Public Insurance’s website stated. A helmet was not worn in almost 90 per cent of cases in which a cyclist was killed in a collision with a vehicle, according to MPI. The WPS, meanwhile, is asking anyone with information about Friday’s crash or video from vehicle dashboard or home surveillance cameras to call investigators at 204-986-7085<tel:204-986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477<tel:204-786-8477>. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: Festival brings together active transportation and environmental performance art (Aug6'24)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Aug '24

06 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. ROLLING CIRCUS Festival brings together active transportation and environmental performance art https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/2024/08/06/rolling-circus IT’S an outdoor adventure that combines the thrill of live performance with the charm of nature. Bike and Circuses, returning for its second year from Aug. 7 to 11, promises a blend of theatre, music and dance set against the backdrop of Whittier Park.… [View More] “Bike and Circuses is about combining physical adventure with being a participant in a theatrical event,” explains Daina Leitold, executive director of Green Kids Inc. and co-producer of Bike and Circuses. “We wanted to experiment with the way we tend to take in the arts — quietly and passively. We are talking about taking action for the health of this planet. This is no time to be passive.” “And also, just breaking down this kind of theatre convention where everyone’s inside and they’re watching a play,” adds co-producer Brenda Mc-Lean. “We want more engagement and more of a feeling of the audience being participants in the theatre spectacle.” The inspiration for Bike and Circuses came when McLean visited Quebec City and saw an outdoor circus event by Cirque du Soleil. “The energy was incredible, with so many people from the city and surrounding areas coming out to watch. I thought, ‘Why not bring that kind of vibrant outdoor circus festival to Winnipeg?’ We needed more of that festival atmosphere in Winnipeg and to bring these great events to our city,” she says. The event is carbon neutral, prioritizing eco-friendly materials and transportation. Costumes, sets and props will be made from mostly salvaged or second-hand items and travel will be by foot, bike or transit as much as possible. The show takes audiences on a tour of the park, stopping to take in various performances along the way. Green Kids has partnered with community organizations, environmental NGOs and local businesses to create an interactive outdoor lobby where audiences can learn about environmental advocacy and active transportation, says McLean. Circus performer Lil Borger is excited about the show. “I specialize in something called cyr wheel. It’s like a big metal hula hoop that I spin in, kind of like when a coin spins on the ground,” says Borger, who has been performing since the age of seven. “I’m working with an amazing accordionist from Winnipeg named Anne-Marie (Williot), who’s going to be doing live accompaniment. My act also involves some spoken word.” Borger and Williot have been co-ordinating via Zoom as Borger currently lives in Montreal, attending McGill University. The performance tackles the theme of economic growth and its impact on the environment. “It goes into themes of overconsumption tied to overproduction and overuse of our planet and natural resources,” says Borger. “It shows the tension between nature, which I play, and our human economic system of production, which is represented by the wheel and the accordionist.” ANOTHER performer featured is Charlene Van Buekenhout, a Métis/Belgian/Canadian theatre artist, who will use a crankie machine — a moving panorama — to create an immersive storytelling experience. “I’m doing something that I have not done before. My whole piece is based around the concept of an ultrasound, connecting people to what’s inside themselves and the world around them,” Buekenhout says. Luekenhout was inspired by an exercise she learned from an elder at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. “You sit in the environment, notice the things around you and connect those things to yourself. It’s all about personalizing our world and recognizing that we are made up of the world around us,” she says, adding she will invite audience participation in a gentle and engaging manner. “I will be the ultrasound wand, and you can place your hand on my head while I turn the crankie machine. You’ll see what’s inside yourself. It’ll be very pain-free and non-invasive, just a fun and sweet way to engage with the audience.” Other performances include butoh dancer Tanja Faylene Woloshen, theatre artist Loc Lu and musical theatre performers Brittany and Mario Lagassé. THIS year’s event aims to be more inclusive than the first, with different routes and accessibility options. The event offers three versions to accommodate various audience needs: one for those on bicycles, one for those walking or slow rolling and a more physically-accessible route. “Knowing right away we wanted to do a show that was on bikes, our first thought was ‘That’s awesome, but is that for everybody?’” Leitold says. “We’ve been working with accessibility consultants. We offer the show for people walking as well as for people on bikes, and we have a physical show with an accessible path for folks who prefer not to walk too much but still want to experience being in the park.” Despite some challenges, the team is committed to making Bike and Circuses a recurring event, she says. “There was no Bike and Circuses in 2023 due to funding issues but we hope to make it a yearly event with enough community support. We want to show that being out in your city and taking time away from your cell phone, computer and car to go to a park and walk or ride a bike is a good way to get in touch with nature. The closer you are to nature, the more you might care about being environmentally responsible.” Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-choose pricing model: $10, $20 or $30 plus fees, with children four and under free. thandi.vera(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:thandi.vera@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP Analysis: More bike lanes make for a better city (Aug6'24)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Aug '24

06 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. More bike lanes make for a better city https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/04/more-bike-lanes-m… A FEW weeks ago in Winnipeg, Rob Jenner was killed by a driver while riding his bike to work. On July 29, a few blocks away, a young girl out for a bike ride with her dad was hospitalized after a driver crashed into her. Every year, an average of 70 people riding a bike are hit by drivers so severely that … [View More]an injury report is filed with the police. In a six-month cycling season, that’s every third day. Yet, when the city began public consultation for three new protected bike lanes, two downtown and one in the West-Alexander area, the usual public opposition was heard. The talking points are always predictable and can be addressed one-by-one. ● Winnipeg is a winter city. We don’t need bike lanes for six months a year. This is like saying, “I don’t need to wear a life jacket because I only go boating in the summertime.” Far fewer people cycle in winter but this shouldn’t diminish the need for safe streets in the seasons when people are riding bikes and fighting for road space with thousand-kilogram machines. We publicly invest in many things not used to their full capacity year-round. Would this same argument not apply to parks, sidewalks, arenas, pools and splash pads? ● We can’t afford bike lanes. Bike lanes are cheap. We spend $5 million per year on all active transportation projects. Most of this funding is used to build and maintain sidewalks, with a small percentage used for on-street bike lanes that are often rolled into larger road renewal projects. Spending on dedicated cycling infrastructure is a rounding error in our overall roads budget. We spend $170 million every year fixing existing roads and the Transportation Master Plan projects spending almost that amount building new roads. If we can’t afford bike infrastructure, we really can’t afford car infrastructure like the Kenaston Boulevard widening, pegged to cost the equivalent of the entire active transportation budget for 150 years. ● Winnipeg is a car city. It sure is but with 8,300 kilometers of public roads and less than 30 kilometres of on-street protected bike lanes, there’s lots of room for cars. ● Nobody rides a bike in Winnipeg anyway. The federal census shows between 5,000 and 7,000 people ride a bike to work daily between May and October. While this represents less than two per cent of commuters citywide, it varies significantly by neighbourhood. About two-thirds of bike commuters live less than five kilometres from Portage and Main. In suburban neighbourhoods like Bridgwater, Seven Oaks, Island Lakes, Linden Woods, Sage Creek, and North Kildonan, this percentage is close to zero. It’s understandable, if you live in this type of neighbourhood, you might believe nobody rides a bike. In mature neighbourhoods like River Heights, West Broadway, Osborne, and Earl Grey, cycling mode share is closer to six per cent of all commuters. Wolseley is ranked as a top 10 cycling neighbourhood in Canada with 12 per cent of commuters riding a bike. Many more people, including children, cycle for other reasons, such as recreation, exercise, or riding to school. The bike counter near The Forks regularly shows more than a thousand people biking past on a summer weekend day. A 2022 CAA survey found that 15 per cent of Winnipeggers ride a bike at least a few times per week, with a further 30 per cent riding occasionally. Forty per cent of respondents said they would bike more if they had safe, protected lanes to ride in. ● If cyclists want bike lanes, they should pay for it themselves. City streets, sidewalks and bike lanes are paidfor overwhelmingly through property taxes. Like drivers, people who ride bikes pay property taxes. Cyclists don’t pay fuel taxes that go into the government’s general revenues but the money they save is spent on other things that are similarly taxed. Most cyclists also drive a car. ● Bike lanes take parking away from downtown businesses. Planners are careful to design bike lanes to be as minimally disruptive as possible. When the Exchange District bike lanes were built, diagonal parking was implemented to increase the total number of stalls in the immediate area. The downtown lanes currently being proposed will remove 97 on street stalls, representing 0.3 percent of downtown’s 26,000 public parking stalls. Diversifying mobility options is a key step in the long-term process of creating a downtown residential neighbourhood to support local shops and businesses, so they don’t have to rely on the ever-dwindling number of people driving downtown to shop. ● Bike lanes make driving worse. Separating cyclists, drivers and pedestrians into their own lanes is better for everyone. If you get frustrated as a driver having to pass slow-moving cyclists on the street, you should support bike lanes that keep them separate from car traffic. Bike lanes often get blamed for narrowing car lanes but most often, as in the case of Goulet Street, this is done intentionally to slow vehicle speeds and calm traffic having nothing to do with bike lanes. Many people will read this angrily and think cyclists deserve their fate because they don’t follow the rules of the road. Undoubtedly, some percentage of the population is selfish and irresponsible but just as many of those people are drivers, or pedestrians. Cyclists aren’t protected by a thousand kilograms of steel with crumple zones, air bags and seat belts. Improving their safety comes from the built environment. When we create safe streets by narrowing lanes and intersections, slowing vehicle speeds, improving sight lines, widening sidewalks and building bike lanes, we build in a safety factor that allows for mistakes, distractions, careless behaviour and unexpected conditions to happen — without having someone pay for it with their life. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group. [View Less]

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WFP: Gaping hole on city pathway remains ‘disgusting, a danger’ (Aug3'24)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Aug '24

03 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Gaping hole on city pathway remains ‘disgusting, a danger’ https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/08/02/gaping-hole-on-ci… A MASSIVE hole on a city pathway that has triggered safety complaints for more than a year has grown even larger, amid hope a permanent fix is on the way. Early Friday afternoon, the gaping depression surrounded by bright orange fencing appeared to stretch at least seven metres long, … [View More]three metres wide and up to one metre deep. It previously triggered complaints when it was about six metres long in June 2023. “It’s ridiculous. I walk these trails at least twice a day… and this has been (very large for) a few years,” said Karen Stokes. “It’s an eyesore, I think it’s disgusting … Some of these (guard) rails are in that water. It attracts mosquitoes, there’s lots of reasons that it’s gross.” At least one barricade was spotted submerged in water, with weeds and algae in the hole on Friday. Most of the damage is located on the path that connects an Amarynth Crescent playground to the busy Sturgeon Creek active transportation route. Stokes noted the area is so well used by pedestrians and cyclists that their traffic has worn away grass on both sides of the path. During repeated downpours this June, those stretches became a wet, sticky “mud pit,” she said. “I’ve had to push a senior in a scooter out of the mud… She was literally stuck,” said Stokes. Even with the fencing and some metal barricades in place, she fears the massive gap still poses a risk to seniors and kids, noting it’s close to a playground. “For kids, it’s probably a bit of a danger,” Stokes said. “It’s disappointing because these trails are used a lot. Hundreds of people every day are out here and it’s disappointing that (it hasn’t been fixed).” Spring flooding and rain water appear to wash out the current section of the path in the low lying area at times, while storms fill it with water, residents said. Susan Cava-Salie said the gap looks “awful” but she believes the fencing is effective at reducing the risk of someone falling into it. St. James Coun. Shawn Dobson said the city has proposed a design to repair the path and expects to receive a cost estimate for it soon. The proposed fix would realign part of the path to the west and cover part of the area near the sinkhole with woven concrete to help prevent erosion, while a bank around the creek would also be cut back to reduce the velocity of the water, said Dobson. He said the hole has persisted for at least two years and poses safety risks, which led him to personally reinstall some barricades around the large depression this spring. “It is a hazard because there is a hole… This is unexpected because it’s on the pathway,” said Dobson. The councillor said the problem took time to study, but he supports the current proposal for a more permanent repair. “It was not the money (delaying repairs). It was figuring out (how to) fix it once versus fixing it every year,” he said. Dobson said he will push for the path to be fixed this year and would use ward funding to help pay for it, if needed. However, that work isn’t guaranteed at this stage, he noted. The Free Press reported on the hole in June 2023, when only a small barricade blocked off one of its sides. Fencing was added to surround the entire gap a day after the story was published. A request to interview a representative from the city’s public works department was not granted Friday. Dobson said the city previously filled the hole with limestone, followed by wood chips, both of which washed away. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: Pedal Pub wheels out spirited new offering (Aug1'24)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Aug '24

01 Aug '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Coolers stocked with beer, vodka sodas to be available on Exchange District cycle tours Pedal Pub wheels out spirited new offering https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2024/08/01/pedal-pub-wheels-out-… BIKERS with beers will soon traverse Exchange District streets. Pedal Pub, a popular attraction where users cycle to local bars, is preparing to offer brews on its quadricycles. “The first question we get from … [View More]people is whether they can consume alcohol on the bike,” said Miguel Gauthier, co-owner of Pedal Pub’s Winnipeg branch. “Now we’re very proud and happy to say that we can answer… with a big, firm ‘Yes.’” Starting Monday, employees will load coolers full of beer and vodka sodas onto the quadricycles, which are four-wheeled vehicles that riders pedal. It’s been a long time coming for Gauthier and his partners. They brought Pedal Pub to Winnipeg in 2022. In other Canadian cities, customers of the franchise could sip alcohol while pedalling to various bars. They’d get off, drink more and hop back on. It was the case for operations in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Winnipeg’s Pedal Pub couldn’t get a liquor licence from the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba. The LGCA would only issue a liquor service licence if other government agency licences and permits regulated the entity in question, spokeswoman Lisa Hansen explained earlier this summer. And in 2022, Pedal Pub’s quadricycles — where 15 customers can pedal at a time — didn’t fit any vehicle registration class. It didn’t need a City of Winnipeg licence, either. Pedal Pub contacted the provincial government to create laws targeted at quadricycles, co-owner Brandon Guenther said. As of this Wednesday, Manitoba has launched a pilot project regulation for large quadricycles. It’s set to be revoked Jan. 31, 2029. Part of the legislation called for municipal approval. So in July, the Pedal Pub owners waited to see what the City of Winnipeg would say — and on July 3, councillors gave the green light. “The province is the one that’s regulating it, so I wish them the best,” Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona) said while moving the motion. Now, Pedal Pub is preparing for an even boozier ride. “We’re really, really excited,” Gauthier said. The tour will continue the same: the two-hour Exchange District trek will have two bar stops and pre-paid drinks. However, customers can order a cooler stocked with cans to accompany them on the quadricycles. Packs range from 15 to 36 drinks, at $6 per Torque Brewing beer and Smirnoff vodka soda. People must place their orders online before the voyage, according to Gauthier. Pedal Pub isn’t required to change its safety features, such as adding seatbelts. Instead, it’s adding a second staff member to its rides, Gauthier detailed: one employee will drive and another will act as bartender, ensuring riders behave. “Nobody who is on the bike can just reach in and grab their own drink,” Gauthier emphasized. “If there’s instances of full intoxication, we’re in full control of that vehicle. We’re able to remove the person from the tour… if it’s becoming unsafe.” Each quadricycle has an electric motor, a backup if legs fail. Pedal Pub has 10 bar, restaurant and distillery partners in the Exchange District. Each tour elicits an average $1,200 in spending at local businesses, Guenther said earlier this summer. The company is currently restricted to operations downtown and in the Exchange District. It must get city approval before touring elsewhere, Gauthier said. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com<mailto:gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com> [View Less]

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CBC: 'Whose kid is next?' Winnipeg cyclists call for safer infrastructure after another collision (Jul31'24)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '24

31 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Cyclists demand safer riding conditions near the scene of two recent collisions https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-bike-rally-cyclist-vehicle…

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WFP: Cyclists demand safety improvements (Jul31'24)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '24

31 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Teen on bike struck by vehicle at intersection of Wellington Crescent and Academy Road Cyclists demand safety improvements https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/30/teen-cyclist-inju… A TEENAGE cyclist was injured Monday after she was struck by a vehicle near the intersection of Wellington Crescent and Academy Road, renewing calls for better active- transportation infrastructure. Winnipeg police said … [View More]the crash happened at about 8:45 p.m. The teen, who was cycling with her father, was hospitalized but has since been released, Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson Const. Dani McKinnon said Tuesday. Her father was not injured. McKinnon said the driver, who remained at the scene, may have been experiencing a medical event at the time, and the investigation is continuing. Passerby Mark Hildahl blocked traffic with his vehicle immediately after the collision. He used his paramedic training to keep the teen’s spine stable. “My heart sunk,” he said Tuesday. “She wasn’t moving; at first I thought she might be dead.” He said he didn’t notice that the vehicle’s driver was in medical distress, but observed that she was “very distraught.” He was told the driver was later taken away by an ambulance. Hildahl described what happened Monday as “everybody’s worst nightmare” at a notoriously unsafe intersection. “I travel through this intersection multiple times a week and it’s just horrible,” he said. “The entire design of the intersection at Wellington and Academy is designed for cars, there’s nothing that’s designed for pedestrians or cyclists, so it’s extremely dangerous for everybody.” The crash happened a short distance from where Rob Jenner, 61, was killed June 6 in a hit-and-run on Wellington Crescent near Cockburn Street. Jenner had been cycling to his job at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Beckham Keneth Severight, 19, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene. Last week, more than 100 cyclists calling for improved infrastructure gathered outside the museum to honour Jenner’s memory. Among them was Patty Wiens, a director of Bike Winnipeg, who blamed poor infrastructure for the crashes. “Do you think this kid will ever get on a bike again? This is not OK. Our roads need better design,” she said. “That’s what it’s going to actually take. It’s not about enforcement, it’s about design.” About 180 cyclists blocked cars at the intersection of Academy and Wellington as a protest on Tuesday evening. Wiens said she wonders how many pedestrians and cyclists need to be hurt or killed before bike infrastructure becomes a priority. “We are tired of protesting. I don’t want to be shutting down intersections once a week. It’s going to take some serious political will,” she said. Following Jenner’s death last month, Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Sherri Rollins called the stretch of Wellington Crescent a “known gap in the cycling plan for the city” and suggested her calls to install 30 km/h zones around the ward hadn’t been heard due to a lack of political will. Brent Bellamy, a Free Press columnist who writes on urban planning, was hit by a driver while cycling at the same intersection in 2019. He witnessed the aftermath of Monday’s collision. Both Wellington Crescent and Academy Road are designed for commuters but are in the middle of a pedestrian- dense residential area, and cars “fly by” the slip lanes on Wellington Crescent, he said. He noted that just across from where the crash happened, a piece of the fencing at St. Mary’s Academy is missing after being hit by a driver. “It doesn’t even have a stop sign for five kilometres, from Academy all the way to Assiniboine Park. It’s actually designed to be unsafe. It’s designed to prioritize speed and traffic volumes,” he said. Streets should be designed to account for medical emergencies, mistakes and freak accidents, Bellamy said, adding slower traffic, more narrow intersections and fewer lanes all reduce the amount of time cyclists and pedestrians are interacting with cars and give them more time to escape dangerous situations. “We have to design our streets to allow things that aren’t normal to happen, and provide as much safety as we can, as much room for error as possible on our streets,” he said. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca> [https://us5-bcdn.newsmemory.com/eebrowser/ipad/html5.check.24030714/ajax-re…] Members of the cycling community blocked cars at the intersection of Academy Road and Wellington Crescent Tuesday in a protest to call for safer road infrastructure. [View Less]

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WFP: Cycling community pays tribute to man killed in hit-and-run (Jul26'
by Beth McKechnie 26 Jul '24

26 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. ‘We will not let Rob’s death be in vain’ Cycling community pays tribute to man killed in hit-and-run https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/25/we-will-not-let-r… MORE than 100 cyclists, who wore red to celebrate the life of Rob Jenner, gathered outside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Thursday evening to honour the man killed in a hit-and-run collision. Jenner, who regularly biked to his job as a … [View More]shipper and receiver at the museum, liked to wear red on Fridays to end the work week. He was travelling eastbound on Wellington Crescent near Cockburn Street when he was hit by a vehicle going in the same direction on the morning of June 6, a day after his 61st birthday. “Since my retirement, I waited for him with the garage door open, knowing I’d see that big smile rolling toward me — full of pride and feeling on top of the world. He was so proud to be a bike commuter,” said widow Wendy Van Loon, her speech punctuated by applause and the chiming of bicycle bells. “He must have known deep inside that he was part of something bigger, but I don’t think he knew the reach and depth of this beautiful community.” Van Loon said Jenner knew riding a bike in the city could be dangerous and he always wore highly visible clothing, including a helmet with blinking lights. He left home early to avoid rush-hour traffic. He was looking forward to retiring. He was an artist and writer and loved cooking. He was “friendly, blunt and also very kind,” said a statement released by the family a week after his death. Travis Jenner, one of his sons, asked the crowd to fight for change. He said he wishes his dad could be there to help take the training wheels off his son’s bike one day. “One small gap in safety was enough to change my life forever, so I ask you not to stop and don’t take no for an answer,” he said. “Show up and don’t back down until you’re safe, or until we’re all safe.” Members of the bike community have chosen to honour Jenner by installing a “ghost bike” at the location of the crash. Van Loon wanted her old bike to be used. It’s been painted white. In addition to memorializing a life lost, ghost bikes serve as a reminder to drivers to slow down and be cautious of cyclists on the road, said Patty Wiens, the “bicycle mayor” of Winnipeg. Wiens said she hopes to normalize cycling for transportation in the city and wants to see the bike network completed. Another cyclist was injured Wednesday night at the same intersection where Jenner was hit, she said. “This moment right here is a direct consequence of a bike network that’s missing some very crucial connections. I know I speak for every person here when I say it could have been any of us or someone close to us,” Wiens said. “The moment he used his bike for transportation in this city, he became an activist. We will not let Rob’s death be in vain.” Rachael Alguire lives a block away from the intersection. She started riding her bike to work a year ago but said she’s never felt quite safe. She began taking her bike to work because it’s more convenient than taking the bus and for the positive impact on her mental health. Her partner is an avid cyclist so she felt more comfortable getting into biking with her partner’s guidance. “I experience aggression from drivers and very unsafe roads all the time,” Alquire said, just as the group was leaving to go to the site of the crash. “There’s not a day where it doesn’t happen, so it’s very close to my heart.” Alguire hopes to see the city add protected bike lanes and for the route at Wellington Crescent to be completed. The group of cyclists rode from the museum to the intersection where the ghost bike will remain. Jenner’s family is working with Gordon Bell High School to set up a fund in his memory that aims to teach kids how to fix their bikes and ride them safely. Van Loon wants others to grow up with the same joy her husband got from riding his bike. “My best friend and favourite chef is gone,” Van Loon said. “He may have been just one person, but he was my world. There’s nothing we can do to bring him back, but let’s make sure his death wasn’t in vain.” Beckham Keneth Severight, 19, is charged with dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop at the scene. jura.mcilraith(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:jura.mcilraith@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP Briefs: Snow clearing, Louise Bridge & quadricycles (Jul20'24)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Jul '24

20 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. SNOW CLEARING FROM SIDEWALKS TO SPEED UP RESIDENTIAL sidewalks should be cleared of snow days sooner next winter. On Thursday, city council voted to require that crews “normally” complete plowing on residential sidewalks within 36 hours after the work begins, instead of the current target of five working days. The work will be funded through money approved during the 2024 to 2027 multi-year budget. LOUISE BRIDGE … [View More]

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Winnipeg Sun: Political will, capital and public buy-in will be crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan
by Patman, David 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Political will, capital and public buy-in will be crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan Winnipeg Sun Author of the article: Cameron Eason Published Jul 16, 2024 * Last updated 2 days ago * 3 minute read Political will, capital crucial for Winnipeg's Transportation 2050 plan | Winnipeg Sun<https://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/political-will-capital-and-public-b…> On Monday, Councillor Janice Lukes, … [View More]Winnipeg's public works committee chair, presented Transportation 2050, quite literally a roadmap to how the city could reach its transportation goals within the next 26 years as Winnipeg approaches a population of one million. Many residents would probably agree that what we have now isn't working as well as it should, and as Winnipeg continues to grow, it needs the infrastructure to match. According to the plan, Transportation 2050 outlines its goals by prioritizing and maintaining existing infrastructure instead of building new; investing in our existing roads; developing communities where people can access their needs in a short distance; and empowering people to travel in their preferred mode of transportation. But what could this look like? As it stands today, our current roads are overused in many areas, less than seven per cent of Winnipeggers walk or cycle as a transport method, and public transit usage has declined by 14 per cent since the 1960s. The city laid out an ambitious goal of reaching a "50 per cent mode shift by 2050." Broken down, this would mean 21 per cent ridesharing, 15 percent using public transit, and the remaining 14 per cent cycling or walking. The issues with Winnipeg Transit are well documented, so improvements here come as no surprise. Ensuring that it becomes safer, more reliable and more convenient will be key to increasing ridership. The strategy mentions the need for more rapid transit, and acknowledges that Winnipeg may need to analyze the need for Light Rail Transit in the future. Interestingly, Transportation 2050 also focuses a lot on active and bicycle transport. Talk of more bike lanes can seem to either make people rejoice or roll their eyes, but the solutions may not be as complicated as they seem. If the city wants to encourage more people to use bicycles, they need to find solutions that don't impact the businesses and commuters already using existing roadways. Walking and cycling are grouped together in much of this master plan, and hopefully that is a sign of things to come. If you look around, many of Winnipeg's sidewalks are surrounded by boulevards: wasted space typically covered by grass, brick, concrete or asphalt. Widening the sidewalks, or paving the boulevards beside them for bicycle usage (this already exists in certain parts of the city) could be an affordable and practical way to get more bike lanes built without bottlenecking traffic and parking. Transportation 2050 also mentions changing zoning requirements for developments near key transit routes. Mayor Scott Gillingham pledged to get rid of parking minimum requirements for certain developments (a minimum parking spot per unit ratio) during the 2022 mayoral election, and this appears to be a move towards that. It would not only ensure that more developments are built with transit in mind, but it also lowers building costs, helping keep housing affordable. Other key points in the document are fixing the infrastructure we have before building more, changing the way goods are transported through the city, and focusing on safety and accessibility of our existing infrastructure. It also acknowledges the need for more transport options for low-income Winnipeggers who don't have access to private vehicles. If the city can deliver, these measures will surely be well-received. In the news release, Lukes said "This plan won't completely satisfy anyone, but absolutely has something for everyone." It's a safe bet that she's correct. The best way to encourage transportation mode shifts is to make different modes more convenient and accessible and attract people to make a switch on their own accord. If the city wants this to work, they need the public's buy-in over the long-term. With a large focus on improving existing roadways over building new ones, this hopefully means that it won't impact those who commute in a car in the meantime. After all, with four out of five trips in Winnipeg being taken in a private vehicle, current trends won't change overnight. Transportation 2050 will be presented to the city council for consideration in the fall of this year. Lukes encourages residents to learn more, with six pop-up events around the city between now and July 26. The entire document can be found on the City of Winnipeg's website. Ultimately, the city needs a master plan to pave the way for the future, and this is a step in that direction. But a master plan is, after all, just a plan. Transportation 2050 is a good start, but it will require political will - and, most importantly, capital - to turn plans into action. [View Less]

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Winnipeg Sun: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment
by Patman, David 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Winnipeg Sun KLEIN: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment Published Jul 18, 2024 * Last updated 19 hours ago * 3 minute read KLEIN: Show us evidence before making major bike-lane investment | Winnipeg Sun<https://winnipegsun.com/opinion/columnists/klein-show-us-evidence-before-ma…> On Monday, Councillor Janice Lukes, Winnipeg's public works committee chair, unveiled Transportation 2050, a … [View More]comprehensive roadmap detailing the city's transportation objectives for the next 26 years. This ambitious plan aims to transform how we move around Winnipeg, advocating for a future where 50% of us walk, bike, or take public transit to work. To achieve this, the city plans to invest millions of tax dollars. But is this truly what the residents of Winnipeg want? Winnipeg is not a European metropolis. It's a sprawling winter city with a unique urban landscape. Many of our light industrial jobs are dispersed across the city rather than concentrated downtown. While Lukes insists on the need for change as Winnipeg's population nears one million, it's essential to recognize that Winnipeg's suburban communities are among the fastest-growing in Canada, indicating a preference for living outside the city core. As a city councillor, I twice requested an accurate count of how many people use the bike paths, which have already cost millions of dollars. Unfortunately, my council colleagues, including Councillor Lukes and Mayor Gillingham, denied voting against my data collection requests. This resistance raises questions about the transparency and accountability of these investments. Business owners have voiced concerns about the negative impact of bike lanes on their operations. Residents frequently question the rationale behind substantial spending on bike lanes, especially when these lanes remain underutilized, particularly during the winter when they are plowed before many secondary roads. My goal was to evaluate the return on our investment in these bike lanes, yet the council, influenced by bike lobbyists, has continually dismissed the necessity for such data. The city's decision-making process lacks a foundation in proper data or evidence. Instead, it relies on former Mayor Brian Bowman's "Public Engagement" strategy, which tends to support the city's predetermined objectives due to the participation of advocates and lobby groups. Many residents refrain from participating in these engagements, trusting their elected representatives to advocate for them-a trust that is often misplaced. As a result, numerous complaints arise after decisions have been made, but by then, it is too late to effect change. Public opinion is crucial, but so is data. The City of Winnipeg could conduct a phone survey to gauge residents' priorities regarding bike lane spending. Additionally, a thorough count of bike lane usage could be conducted to determine their usage rates and cost per biker. This data-driven approach is essential for making informed, evidence-based decisions about major investments. A comprehensive business plan should outline the long-term costs associated with maintaining, clearing snow, and repainting lines for these bike lanes annually. Residents have an opportunity to voice their support or opposition to the City of Winnipeg's proposed bike lanes during upcoming public engagement events. As part of its CentrePlan 2050, the city is designing bike routes intended to enhance connectivity to, from, and within Downtown. These events represent the final stage of planning, making it imperative for concerned citizens to participate and express their views on the allocation of resources to bike lanes. The city's recommendations can be reviewed online at the City of Winnipeg website or by using a simple Google search. The upcoming meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. via Zoom. The presentation will be followed by a question-and-answer period. Additionally, city representatives will be available at True North Square Plaza on Thursday, July 18, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at the Central Park Market on Saturday, July 20, 2024, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you strongly feel about the city's investment in bike lanes, now is the time to make your voice heard. Complaining to others is ineffective; real change occurs when we demand better from our elected officials. These officials are not there to impose the will of a few on the many but to represent the majority of the people they serve. It is crucial that decisions about major investments like bike lanes be based on solid evidence and data. The city must prioritize the needs and preferences of its residents through transparent, accountable, and data-driven decision-making processes, not lobby groups. The city's transportation infrastructure must serve the needs of all Winnipeggers commuters. - Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, a former city councillor and is the President & CEO of Klein Group Ltd. [View Less]

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WFP Analysis: City on right track to expand downtown cycling (Jul19'24)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Jul '24

19 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City on right track to expand downtown cycling https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2024/07/18/city-on-right-track-to-e… BUILD it and they will come. That’s the mantra behind the expansion of protected bike lanes in downtown Winnipeg. For the most part, it appears to be working. A new proposed plan by the City of Winnipeg to expand the network further will not only keep that momentum going, it could change the face … [View More]of the core area. Downtown’s first protected bike lane along Assiniboine Avenue is a good example of how demand for protected bike lanes grows over time. According to Bike Winnipeg, bike traffic increased by more than 200 per cent within four years after the protected lane was built in 2010. Today, scores of cyclists use the route to get to work, school, or other destinations. That’s partly because the bike lane network has been extended north into the heart of downtown. It allows cyclists to reach a multitude of places in the core area — including the Exchange District — on safe, reliable routes separated from motor vehicle traffic. That’s the key to convincing more people to get out of their cars and onto bikes. Surveys have shown that people are far more willing to commute by bike if there are protected lanes for them to use. The city unveiled proposed plans this week to add more protected bike lanes downtown. Options include protected routes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, which are key east-west corridors that would make downtown cycling even more accommodating. Protected bike routes on Notre Dame Avenue, Cumberland Avenue, and William Stephenson Way — which would vastly improve bike access into downtown — are also on the table. Not surprisingly, the plan has its detractors. In order to make room for the protected lanes, downtown would lose 148 parking stalls. In a car-centric city such as Winnipeg, that’s going to ruffle some feathers. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said the loss of those parking stalls could hurt small retail businesses and restaurants that rely on short customer visits. Perhaps, but only in the short term. The whole point of this exercise is to convince more people to walk, bike or take transit downtown and to leave their vehicles at home. To do that, the city needs to improve transit and significantly expand the network of protected bike routes. You can’t tell people to take a bus downtown when buses run as infrequently as they do in Winnipeg (if they show up at all). Similarly, most people won’t bike downtown if they have to compete with cars on busy roads. Painted bike lanes on streets are nice, but they don’t cut it. They don’t give cyclists the protection and comfort level they need. Downtown retail businesses and restaurants won’t suffer with fewer parking spots if more people frequent those establishments by bike. In fact, greater bike access could lead to an increase in business over time. It’s often easier to bike downtown than it is to drive and find parking, especially during busy periods. The more downtown becomes known as a bike-friendly zone, the more people will think of that as a viable option. These are the kinds of things the city needs to do to alleviate motor vehicle traffic. The fewer vehicles on the road, the less money the city has to spend on street maintenance. More active transportation also means fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which is the most important objective if the city is serious about fighting climate change. The reliance on single occupancy motor vehicles in Winnipeg is ridiculously high. The only way to change that is to give people more active transportation options. This is about creating a different vision for downtown, one teeming with bikes, pedestrians and people moving around on transit. When that happens, cars will be crowded out, especially when it comes to parking. That’s the whole point. This kind of change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a slow process. But each step, including adding more protected bike routes, is an important one. If you want to see how the demand for protected bike lanes builds over time, spend a half hour anywhere along the Assiniboine Avenue bike route during morning rush hour. What you’ll see is a steady stream of bikes, e-bikes and scooters. It’s what the rest of downtown should look like. And it will, in due course, as long as the city keeps moving in the right direction. tom.brodbeck(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: Proposed downtown bike lanes would slash on-street parking: report (July18'24)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Jul '24

18 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Proposed downtown bike lanes would slash on-street parking: report Cycling advocate says changes would make streets safer https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/17/proposed-downtown… NEW bike routes proposed for downtown Winnipeg could result in the removal of nearly 150 parking stalls. The City of Winnipeg is sharing options for routes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, Notre Dame Avenue and … [View More]Cumberland Avenue and William Stephenson Way, as part of the Centre-Plan 2050 vision to transform the city centre. A cycling advocate said the proposed changes appear positive. “These are pretty important east-west routes to get in, both the Notre Dame and Cumberland and the York/ St. Mary. So, it’s really critical that we do get those… it adds a fair bit of connectivity,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. City staff recommend one-way protected bike lanes on both St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue, which a report predicts would be easier for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely and have less impact on traffic flow than a two-way route. The design would keep three vehicle lanes on each street. The city also recommends a two-way protected bike lane for each of the north side of Cumberland Avenue and Notre Dame Avenue, which would lose one vehicle lane. “One of the things I’m definitely happy to see in it is we’ve got enough width in there for people to be able to pass each other safely and that’s really critical, especially as we see more and more electric bikes… (add) more variation in speed,” said Cohoe. Combined, the changes would remove 148 parking stalls from St. Mary, York, Notre Dame and Cumberland avenues. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) said he is concerned small retail businesses and restaurants could lose customers due to the proposed parking stall reduction, as some folks seek closer parking elsewhere. “For those businesses that really depend on short visits… like retail businesses, I really do think this would impact them,” said Browaty. While he acknowledged the city wants Winnipeggers to rely more on active transportation and less on trips in their personal vehicles, the councillor said he’d prefer the city add more temporary, seasonal bike lanes from May to September and remove the barriers for the rest of the year. “I really don’t believe a lot of the population are going to become winter cyclists… I don’t believe (enough) people are using these pieces of infrastructure in the fall or winter. So put the parking back (then),” he said. However, council’s public works chairwoman welcomed the changes, noting the city’s Transportation Master Plan calls for more bike lanes and sidewalks. “We’ve got a lot of missing gaps (in active transportation routes) downtown, so I think this is great,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West). Lukes said reduced downtown parking could help attract new residents to the area as the city tries to make it more accessible by foot and by bike. “Downtown needs to be a neighbourhood… It needs things like other neighbourhoods have, like bike lanes and connectivity and parks,” she said. A city spokesman said Winnipeg’s active transportation planner was not available for an interview on Wednesday. In an email, spokesman Kalen Qually noted 150 parking stalls would remain on St. Mary and York avenues after the proposed changes, along with “numerous off-street surface parking lots and parkades.” Qually said there’s less demand for parking than in the past. “Our analysis shows there are still less people driving (and parking) downtown for work and meetings now compared to five years ago due to remote-work options, and that has, in part, created opportunities to reallocate space within the right of way,” he wrote. Since road reconstruction projects are planned for both St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue between 2025 and 2027, finalized bike lanes are expected to be included in that work. There is no timeline or funding approved for bike lanes on Notre Dame or Cumberland at this point. The city has also completed designs to widen several sidewalks along William Stephenson Way and Waterfront Drive to become multi-use pathways, though the proposal also lacks dedicated funding and a target timeline. Further study is needed to address traffic concerns at the intersection of William Stephenson Way and Waterfront Drive, the city report notes. The city is seeking public feedback on the changes before a final plan is approved. Winnipeggers can attend pop-up events to weigh in, including one at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at True North Square’s outdoor plaza (223 Carlton St.) A second event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 20 at Central Park (367 Ellice Ave.), while residents can also register online to attend a Zoom event from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 30. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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Equitable Cities | Early Bird Deadline Approaches
by Mel Marginet 17 Jul '24

17 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Greetings, A reminder about the early bird tickets pricing on until July 31st for Equitable Cities! We hope to see you at this event on October 9th. Use ECEARLYBIRD to receive your discount. Are you a student, or do you work for a non-profit? We also have discount codes for you! ECCommunity ECSTUDENTS [Ticket banner.png]<https://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/equitable-cities/> GET YOUR TICKETS!<https:… [View More]//3common.com/equitablecities> On Wednesday, October 9th Green Action Centre and Peg City Car Co-op will welcome Arrested Mobility’s Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg. Tickets are now on sale for Equitable Cities: How to liberate those caged by our transportation system. Charles T. Brown is the founder and principal of Equitable Cities, a minority- and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the host of Arrested Mobility<https://arrestedmobility.com/>, a podcast that asks: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of colour step out their door to exist in the world? In this keynote presentation, Charles addresses how our transportation system underserves and disproportionately harms those who are most vulnerable. By understanding inequities in our transportation system, Charles identifies potential strategies for action. The audience for this presentation will leave the event with a greater understanding of the history of our transportation system across North America, and be inspired to correct past injustices to bring better health, equity and freedom to all. Following the keynote, attendees will be invited to participate in discussions to bring the themes of the keynote into our local context. Equitable Cities' Builder and Influencer sponsors: [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdo9Z7GoDB3X58oWKn6RV_nOoKz…] Thank you to our Advocate and Supporter sponsors: The Johnston Group, the City of Winnipeg & Councillor Janice Lukes Would you like to support Equitable Cities? We are still in need of sponsorship and would love your support. We have various levels available. Please reach out to gohappy(a)greenactioncentre.ca<mailto:gohappy@greenactioncentre.ca> for details. Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: City unveils vision to cut residents’ car trips by half (Jul16'24)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jul '24

16 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City unveils vision to cut residents’ car trips by half https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/15/city-unveils-visi… THE city is reimagining how Winnipeggers will move in the next 26 years and has set a goal for people to walk, cycle, take transit or rideshare for half of their trips by 2050. Details of the ambitious target were shared in a new transportation master plan released Monday. The city … [View More]expects Winnipeg’s population to increase by 200,000 residents, to about one million, as of 2050 and says transportation priorities need to shift in response. New sidewalks, a bike network, road and bridge improvements, expanded road capacity, multimodal corridor improvements, and changing how and where trucks move throughout the city are proposed in the plan. Though walking, cycling and transit are more sustainable options for getting around, the plan acknowledges daily trips will continue to be made via personal vehicles. As per the city’s recent pedestrian and cycling strategy, most trips in Winnipeg in 2021 (83 per cent) were made via a personal vehicle, with less than 10 per cent made by transit, and cycling or walking accounted for under seven per cent. By 2050, the city wants to see the share of all trips in personal vehicles reduced to 50 per cent, with the remaining half split between ridesharing (21 per cent), transit (15 per cent) and walking/cycling (14 per cent). “That’s a big bite. The only way we’re going to do that is (by) making it desirable,” public works committee chair Janice Lukes said. “It’s not forcing people, it’s making it more desirable to take the bus, to walk, to bike and to do ridesharing.,” Environmental concern is partly responsible for the shift in priorities since the 2011 master plan, but Lukes said money is the main motivator. “It’s very expensive to design a city and operate a city all around personal vehicles,” she said, adding tax dollars from senior governments will be needed to realize the new plan, especially when it comes to transit. The city is also updating truck routes and aims to reduce by 20 per cent the number of fatal or serious injury collisions come 2026. It also seeks to provide accessible and affordable transportation options for all. “Many streets and intersections are at capacity today,” the plan’s overview states. The infrastructure can’t support movement or serve modes of transit and active transportation unless it receives “major investments,” the overview says. Meanwhile, the city is contending with a “lean financial position” and would opt to maintain current infrastructure rather than building new, the overview states. Everything in the plan is guided by priorities surrounding land use, moving people and goods, and emergency service access. What could all this look like practically? Housing along transit routes, more roads shared by vehicles and cyclists, truck-only lanes, better winter sidewalk maintenance, transit service to city outskirts, maximized road capacity, and bridge repairs were just some of the suggestions in the plan. “It is a visionary plan, but it is a guiding document for making a lot of decisions,” Lukes said. Feeding into the plan are a goods movement study, a road safety action plan — both presented in 2022 — and a 2024 pedestrian/cycling strategy. Success, according to the plan overview, would mean solving “Winnipeg’s biggest transportation problems” and making “transportation safe and efficient for all.” The city wants to get the word out about the proposed plan before a final version and a report go to council in the fall. Six info sessions are scheduled July 17 to 25 for residents. A telephone town hall, requiring registration in advance, is also planned for July 24. jordan.snobelen(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:jordan.snobelen@freepress.mb.ca> Review the plan The city is inviting residents to attend a pop-up event to review the Transportation 2050 plan, talk to members of the project team and share feedback. ● Tuesday St. Vital Centre, near kids’ play park, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● Wednesday Outlet Collection, near Old Navy, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● Thursday Garden City Shopping Centre, centre court, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 22 Kildonan Place, near H& M, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 23 Polo Park, centre court, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ● July 25 The Forks, first floor food hall, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. [View Less]

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TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagining Mobility
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jul '24

15 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. After nearly five years of researching, talking to Winnipeggers, and drafting strategies, we are now ready for you to view the final draft plan as part of TMP2050. Both what we heard during Phases 1& 2 public engagement and further technical analysis helped us refine our strategy into TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagined Mobility. TRANSPORTATION 2050: Reimagining Mobility is the product of our nearly five-year TMP2050 … [View More]project. It is our master plan for moving Winnipeg’s transportation system forward. The plan is a comprehensive strategic document that outlines the methods and means to move our city and people into the future. TRANSPORTATION 2050 provides a roadmap that will allow us to: * Prioritize maintaining existing infrastructure over building new infrastructure * Make strategic investments to move more people and goods using the roads we have * Support development of complete communities where people can access their daily needs within a short distance * And empower people to travel by their preferred mode We have developed a plan that could solve Winnipeg's biggest transportation problems and make transportation safe and efficient for all of us, regardless of how we move or where we are going. We have balanced priorities and needs to build a plan that will benefit pedestrians, cyclists, goods movement, emergency vehicles, and cars together. Now, we want to: * Help you understand what the plan could mean for you * Answer your questions * And get a temperature check on whether reimagining mobility will deliver what Winnipeg needs from our transportation system We’re inviting people to learn more by: * Reviewing our bite-sized Guide to TRANSPORTATION 2050<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> * Downloading the larger TRANSPORTATION 2050 policy document<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> * Taking a deep-dive into one of the two draft subsidiary plans moving forward to Council with TRANSPORTATION 2050 (Goods Movement Study<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> and the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies Framework<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…>) * Joining us at one of six public pop-up events<https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> between now and July 26 to talk to the project team, ask your questions, and tell us whether you think the plan will move transportation in Winnipeg into the future * Signing up for a July 24 telephone town hall <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=u001.T-2FP2-2BORqk2KtRtthp-2B-…> where thousands of Winnipeggers will be on the line to hear about the plan, ask questions, and learn what others think [Winnipeg 150 logo]<https://winnipeg.ca/150years> Julie Horbal Dooley (she/her) Communications Coordinator Director's Office Public Works City of Winnipeg Telephone: 204-391-5498 Email: juliedooley(a)winnipeg.ca<mailto:juliedooley@winnipeg.ca> Website: winnipeg.ca<https://winnipeg.ca/> Address: 1155 Pacific Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P1 Vacation alert: June 28-July 2; July 26-August 6 Connect with us: [Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/cityofwinnipeg> [X (Twitter)] <https://twitter.com/cityofwinnipeg> [YouTube] <https://youtube.com/thecityofwinnipeg> [LinkedIn] <https://linkedin.com/company/city-of-winnipeg> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/thecityofwinnipeg/> [View Less]

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WFP: A Jane Jacobs moment for the post-pandemic world (Jul15'24)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jul '24

15 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. A Jane Jacobs moment for the post-pandemic world https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/2024/07/15/a-jane-jaco… JANE Jacobs is the most famous name in the history of urban planning, but she wasn’t an urban planner, and was often critical of the profession. She didn’t draw maps or write zoning policy. Her unique skill was observation. She watched how people interacted with their cities, neighbourhoods, and … [View More]streets, extracting her theories from the complexity of human movements and interconnected relationships that she would call the sidewalk ballet. Her home on Hudson Street in New York’s Greenwich Village would be her classroom, the people living their lives on the sidewalks in front of her would be her study. She went on to become a writer, releasing her most influential book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, in 1961. The book was a reaction to the explosion of car ownership and suburban growth happening across North America that hollowed out many urban centres. She despised the grand megaproject schemes that promised urban renewal solutions by wiping away older neighbourhoods and replacing them with overscale new buildings, parking lots, and bigger roads for suburban commuters. She challenged the ideas of top-down planning and celebrated the value of unplanned organic growth, and the social connectivity, local economic diversity and architectural complexity of the traditional city. She observed that community fabric was woven most tightly in walkable, mixed-use neighbourhoods with diverse streets, where apartments, houses, parks, schools, corner stores, and shops were all mixed together. This contrasted with the ideals of modern planning that segregated uses into different areas of the city, requiring a private vehicle to access them. She believed that by rejecting what had made cities successful in the past, planners were dooming them for the future. In this post-pandemic world, we arrive once again at a Jane Jacobs moment as cities across North America search for solutions to redefine their downtowns in a work-from-home era. Winnipeg city council votes this week on CentrePlan 2050, a downtown plan that will form an important part of our city’s response to the challenge. Previous renewal schemes have always looked at downtown as a destination whose success hinges on an ability to draw visitors from other areas of the city, often relying on megaproject attractions and promising silver bullet solutions. CentrePlan 2050 differs from this ideal, finally heeding Jane Jacobs’ 60-year-old advice, saying “You can’t rely on bringing people downtown, you have to put them there.” With office work patterns evolving, the traditional drivers of downtown are changing, and we can no longer rely on it being primarily a transient destination. The path to future prosperity will support these destination attractions but within a downtown that is primarily an urban, mixed-use residential community that many people, from all walks of life, call their home. Achieving this goal will be about more than simply building housing. We must more importantly build the type of urban neighbourhood that people want to live in, and in turn developers want to invest in. While Jacobs’ landmark book is most wellknown, her first published work — a 1958 article in Fortune Magazine called, Downtown is for people — has important lessons for cities like Winnipeg as they implement these plans. Although Jacobs was critical of the planning profession, it has an important role to play in creating a framework that allows the kind of places she loved to organically grow over time — the goal of CentrePlan 2050. Jacobs’ article delivers a strong message that successful downtown neighbourhoods should be designed from the viewpoint of the pedestrian eye, lamenting designers’ fascination with scale models and bird’s-eye views. She expressed the importance of diversity and texture in a streetscape that pulls pedestrians along by continually offering new visual experiences, saying, “a sense of place is built from many little things, some so small people take them for granted, and yet the lack of them takes the flavour out of the city.” Jacobs went on to celebrate the value of old buildings, not only for their architectural character, but their ability to offer lower rent opportunities for new and local business that create walkable streets and provide amenities that support an urban lifestyle. She also lamented the often placelessness of modern architecture, designed without individuality, whim or surprise, believing that cities should take advantage of what makes them unique, capitalizing on and enhancing their own particular history, climate, and built traditions. She believed that to attract pedestrians, streets should be narrow and human scale. Cars can be present in a successful downtown, but they can no longer be the dominant force whose priorities overwhelmingly inform the design and experience of the city. Dense and diverse neighbourhoods, with streets that prioritize human experience will naturally bring people to the sidewalks, creating “eyes on the street” that helps improve safety and security in the neighbourhood. Winnipeg’s CentrePlan 2050 is not a megaproject solution. It’s instead a visionary document that creates a planning framework that nurtures and guides private and public development of all sizes and types towards the common goal of creating a vibrant, safe, and prosperous mixed use downtown neighbourhood. A place that Jane Jacobs would have been proud of, and one that all Winnipeggers fall in love with. It will be important as we move forward that we continuously uphold the values and goals of CentrePlan 2050, through supporting policies, project approvals, budgets and design review processes. Expediting new housing is important, but we must have the self-confidence to say no to low quality and incongruent development, demanding all new projects be a quality worthy of our downtown, responding to the plan with beauty, durability, elegance and a seamless connection to the pedestrian experience. As Jane Jacobs said, “designing a dream city is easy; rebuilding a living one takes imagination.” Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group. [View Less]

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CBC: Bike sharing is growing fast in Canada's cities
by Beth McKechnie 11 Jul '24

11 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-bike-sharing-1.7260301

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WFP: City bylaw change first stop on Pedal Pub route to on-board liquor licence (Jul3'24)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Jul '24

03 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City bylaw change first stop on Pedal Pub route to on-board liquor licence https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2024/07/02/city-bylaw-change-fir… A POPULAR boozy Winnipeg trek is seeking to take alcohol on the road — and is the force behind new legislation. Pedal Pub cycled into Winnipeg in 2022. Its quadricycles — four-wheeled vehicles that users pedal — has since been traversing down Exchange District streets. … [View More]Co-owner Brandon Guenther estimates Pedal Pub has pushed more than 500 tours in the last two years. A quadricycle holds 15 people, though the average group books 13 to 14 seats. People travel from bar to bar, drinking at each destination before hopping back on the bike. Pedal Pub hopes the sipping will soon be able to continue on the road — after all, the quadricycle has cup holders. Guenther and his partners applied for a liquor licence through the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba in early 2023, he said. The LGCA wouldn’t comment on whether it had received an application on the matter; it only says if a licence is approved, spokeswoman Lisa Hansen wrote in an email. However, other government agency licences and permits must be in place before the LGCA will issue a liquor service licence, she highlighted. Pedal Pub didn’t fit any vehicle registration class, nor did it need a City of Winnipeg licence in 2022. So in early 2023, Pedal Pub reached out to the provincial government to create laws targeted at quadricycles, Guenther said. A provincial spokesperson did not confirm the relationship, but said Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure “consulted with stakeholders throughout its development” of the regulation. Fast forward to July 31: Manitoba will launch pilot project regulation for large quadricycles. “We’re fairly excited about it,” Guenther stated, adding he doesn’t expect anything to change with Pedal Pub; it’s just a more legitimate way to operate to get a liquor licence. There’s one catch — the City of Winnipeg must adopt the regulations or Pedal Pub will have to close. The city’s public works committee is set to discuss the bylaw change today. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairperson of the committee, figures the change will be approved. “They’re great. They’re a lot of fun,” she said of Pedal Pub, adding it’s good for government to look into quadricycle regulation. Guenther plans on speaking at the meeting. He doesn’t foresee issues, given past clearance from the city. “If it doesn’t pass, that’ll be a huge deterrent to other unique small businesses trying to start in Winnipeg,” Guenther said. “It will also be a huge detriment to downtown Winnipeg tourism.” Pedal Pub employs around 20 part time staff. Each tour elicits an average $1,200 in spending at local businesses, Guenther highlighted. The company has 10 bar, restaurant and distillery partners in the Exchange District. Brock Coutts, Patent 5 Distillery’s cofounder, called Pedal Pub “amazing.” The Alexander Avenue hub is in its third year working with Pedal Pub; it saw 368 cyclists in 2023, Coutts recalled. Most riders are new customers. “Lots of people who … don’t go downtown are quite happy to go downtown in a group, like the Pedal Pub,” Coutts said. “I think … they find a whole area of Winnipeg that they probably don’t frequent very often and are usually shockingly surprised how nice it is. “It’s a great boost for all businesses on the route.” Pedal Pub is a franchise with at least 45 locations. Many of those, including in Alberta and Saskatchewan, allow drinking on their quadricycles. There’s no risk to safety, Guenther maintained — a sober staff member has control of the bike’s steering and they’re trained to ensure customers don’t get out of hand. Patrons can be removed if they’re too rowdy, Guenther added. The quadricycle is equipped with an electric motor, a backup if legs fail. It’s a “great idea,” Paul Larson, a University of Manitoba supply chain management professor, wrote in an email. “I’m not a fan of excessive regulations, but perhaps there should be rules regarding routes and hours of operations — and seat belts.” Pedal Pub will follow any rules necessary to operate responsibly, Guenther told the Free Press. He didn’t answer whether Pedal Pub has seat belts; the quadricycles seemingly don’t. Winnipeg’s Pedal Pub moves slowly and travels through areas often trafficked by pedestrians. The partiers slowing other vehicles is a benefit to the streets, Guenther asserted. He called the past two years in business “very good.” It’s been privy to hundreds of gatherings, including bachelorettes and corporate team building sessions. Pedal Pub offered an Osborne Village route in 2022, but cancelled it because of difficulties transporting the bike, which is stationed in the Exchange District. The Manitoba government isn’t aware of any large quadricycles being used outside of Winnipeg, a spokesperson wrote in an email. The province’s quadricycle pilot project regulation is set to be revoked Jan. 31, 2029. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com<mailto:gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com> [View Less]

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WFP: City lengthens crosswalk times for pedestrians (Jul2'24)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jul '24

02 Jul '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City lengthens crosswalk times for pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/07/01/city-lengthens-cr… PEDESTRIANS now have more time to safely cross the entire street at a few signalled crosswalks, while more crossing time limits could be lengthened in future. The City of Winnipeg has upgraded three signalled pedestrian crossings to make them safer and will assess whether additional upgrades are … [View More]needed during routine maintenance checks at other sites. So far, improvements have been made to the crosswalks at: Jarvis Avenue and Main Street; Dearborn Avenue and Henderson Highway; and Carriere Avenue and St. Mary’s Road. “I really think anything we can do to improve safety for the vulnerable road user, being a pedestrian or cyclist, is really important… We can always do more,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works. The changes include extending the crossing time by one second to 29 seconds, adding lower flashing amber lights and removing buttons on the median at Dearborn and Henderson. Lower lights were also added, with median buttons also removed at Jarvis and Main. At Carriere and St. Mary’s, the changes included adding lower flashing amber lights, removing median buttons and increasing the crossing time from 22 to 26 seconds. Lukes (Waverley West) said she’d like to see broader work on the issue but that effort is limited by budget constraints. “We should (continue to do) this where we can and where the budget allows. So, they’ve picked priority crosswalks and that’s a good thing,” she said. City traffic specialists say removing crossing buttons at crosswalks with narrow medians is meant to deter people from stopping in the middle of a crossing, while added crossing time helps them cross the whole road. Pedestrians using the Carriere and St. Mary’s crossing generally welcomed the added time given to pedestrians to cross on foot as well as the lower lights. “We need more of them. I like that the lights are more in your line of vision, so you’re not looking up (for drivers.) That’s a real plus,” said Vicki Harris-Clarkson. Jay Nault said he also found the improved lighting easier to spot but didn’t like the removal of the median light activation buttons. “It doesn’t seem safer at all to me. …My grandma (who is 77), there’s no way she’d make it fully across in 26 seconds, it would never happen… You’ve now lost the control of hitting that light (in the middle),” said Nault. Requests to speak with city traffic experts were not granted. In an email, city spokeswoman Julie Horbal Doole said making pedestrians less likely to stop at narrow medians would address multiple safety issues. “Some medians are quite narrow, so the risk of a vehicle-pedestrian collision increases. Others are wide enough for a single pedestrian to stop, but simply are not large enough for groups of people, wheelchair users, people with strollers, etc. Additionally, someone stopping on a median in winter has a greater risk of slipping into traffic. To keep everyone safe, we want people to change their habits and avoid stopping on the median,” wrote Horbal Dooley. At locations with wider medians, the city could replace some dual-button poles (one pole with a button for each direction of travel) with two poles that clearly show the direction each controls. It’s not clear how many crosswalks will be updated or when that will take place. “At this time, there is no timeline or budget for the change to be implemented as we are still determining where these changes are appropriate as we examine each intersection as part of our routine reviews,” wrote Horbal Dooley. She said the changes aren’t a response to crashes or road safety incidents but are based on “an observation of human behaviour and evolving knowledge of how we can make things easier, safer and more efficient.” An advocate, who is lobbying the city to reduce speed limits on all residential streets to 30 km/h and add pedestrian safety measures, welcomed the changes, though he’d prefer a commitment for all crosswalks to be assessed and improved. “Some people are slower than other people, especially with an aging population… They’ll need a little bit more time to cross the street,” so I think (that change is) great,” said Ian Walker, chairman of Safe Speeds Winnipeg. Walker said he expects motorist safety to improve as well, since pedestrians who are less rushed would be more likely to double-check if vehicles have come to a stop before proceeding into an intersection. “Just allowing time for traffic to stop (helps),” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: Feds give $1M for active transportation, transit upgrades in rural Manitoba (Jun29'24)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jun '24

29 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Feds give $1M for active transportation, transit upgrades in rural Manitoba https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/06/27/feds-give-1m-for-… THE federal government is injecting more than $1 million to fund transportation upgrades for rural Manitobans. The money will be used to build active transportation infrastructure and improve accessible transit service in rural communities throughout the province, the … [View More]

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WFP: City could plow ahead on clearing sidewalks sooner (Jun27'24)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jun '24

27 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City could plow ahead on clearing sidewalks sooner https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/06/26/city-could-plow-a… RESIDENTIAL sidewalks could be cleared of snow days sooner this winter in an effort to improve accessibility. A proposed policy change would require the city to “normally” complete plowing on its “Priority 3” (residential) sidewalks within 36 hours after the work begins. The current completion … [View More]target is set at five working days after clearing starts. “That’s huge … We’re hearing what the people want. They want more accessibility on walking with (enhanced) snow clearing and we’re delivering on that,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of council’s public works committee. The Waverley West councillor said the changes will make it easier to walk around during the winter, following repeated requests from residents to ramp up plowing efforts. The work will be funded through money approved during the 2024 to 2027 multi-year budget process, which added $551,803 in 2024 and similar amounts in each of the following three years, according to a city staff report. The city’s total snow-clearing budget is set at $40.45 million for 2024. The new report reveals exactly how much more quickly sidewalk clearing can be completed as a result of that funding, estimates that were not previously available. Some residents say they would love to see the city clear snow off residential sidewalks that much faster but fear the target won’t actually be achieved. “I think if it (proves) true, that would be great. I find it hard to believe that it’s true that they’ll do it in 36 hours,” said Lori Ross, who uses a wheelchair. Delayed sidewalk clearing has triggered complaints in the past, with snow sometimes staying put for several days after a snowfall ends. Ross said the wait can strand people with mobility challenges at home on the worst winter days, especially those who rely on wheelchairs, walkers and other devices. “For a lot of people, that means they don’t get out to get to work, they can’t get out to the doctor’s, they can’t do anything because it’s not like we can levitate over the snow,” she said. City staff tracked sidewalk clearing operations last winter to help determine the new target. Since last winter saw lower-than-average snowfall, the report cautions snowier weather could yield different results. “I will be the first one to cheer if it actually works,” said Ross. The report also highlights the city’s struggles to cope with repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which climate change has made more common in Winnipeg winters. “The mild winter season of 20232024 introduced challenges in keeping sidewalks passable during prolonged melting periods. The melting and lack of proper drainage traps water on the sidewalk, which then freezes again when temperatures drop and causes slippery conditions,” writes Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance. Lukes said she’ll call for a report on how to cope with that problem, which would include gathering feedback on how other winter cities address it. Meanwhile, the city is also set to enhance its online snow-clearing map, which would offer live updates on parking bans and track snow-clearing progress on streets and paths. Lukes said the information for sidewalks and pathways will be updated every 10 to 15 minutes, while road status will be updated at least twice a day, starting sometime this winter. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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WFP: The Forks rolls out bike-check service (Jun26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Jun '24

26 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. FORKS ROLLS OUT BIKE-CHECK SERVICE A NEW bike-check pilot project is in place at The Forks this summer. The Forks has partnered with the Winnipeg Trails Association to create the secure area, which is being operated out of the atrium space on the south side of The Forks Market. “We’ve heard through our annual public surveys that more and more people are coming to The Forks via active transportation, and many of these … [View More]

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WFP: Students pumped by new bike trail (Jun26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Jun '24

26 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Students pumped by new bike trail https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/06/25/students-pumped-a… A GUIDANCE councillor’s vision of a bicycle trail near his school was almost too much to handle. Luke Barr of École Stanley Knowles School set the wheels in motion for a trail to be built after an open field caught his eye on the way to work one morning. But he quickly started to feel defeated when looking … [View More]into funding and realizing the logistics needed to maintain the trail. Then, his students got involved. “They really pushed and said, ‘No, keep doing this. We really want this,’” Barr said. The students got their wish Tuesday as plans for the new Fairgrove Park Community Trail at the Tyndall Park-area school were unveiled at a news conference. The trail will run along the perimeter of Fairgrove Park with construction expected to start next summer. The trail is set to open next fall. “We need to have a trail here. We need to have a reason for students to bring their bikes to school and have something for the community to use in the evening,” Barr said. The trail will be funded with $55,000 from the Trails Manitoba grant program, and $100,000 from the city’s land dedication reserve fund. The project is one of 33 recipients for the Trails Manitoba grant this year. Others include a pathway development at the Leaf in Assiniboine Park and enhancing the community trail at Steep Rock. Max Bundoc, a Grade 8 student at Stanley Knowles, believes the new trail will mean a lot to his school and the community. He credits biking and school programs with becoming more confident in himself. “I really found out who I am. And because of Mr. Barr, I’ve been able to learn a lot about biking and now I really have something I’m doing in my life,” Bundoc said. The school offers multiple bike programs for students, including cycling trips to Birds Hill Provincial Park, a bike mechanic program at lunchtime and a bike bus. Bundoc said he’ll be first in line to use the trail when it opens and will probably spend three hours there on the first day. “This new bike trail is not just a physical addition to our park, but it’s a symbol of progress, community spirit and a commitment to our children’s future,” said Point Douglas Coun. Vivian Santos. The Trail Manitoba grant program dedicates $697,365 annually for trails outside of Winnipeg and $190,000 for trails within the city, a government release stated. With the funding, 36 kilometres of new trails will be built and 600 km will be maintained around the province. matthew.frank(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:matthew.frank@freepress.mb.ca> [View Less]

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City of Wpg: Pedestrian crosswalks have a new look
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jun '24

21 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://www.winnipeg.ca/people-culture/our-city-our-stories/pedestrian-cros…

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WFP: Winnipeg celebrates successful 11th Annual Bike Week Amid calls for Safer Cycling Infrastructure (Jun16'24)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Jun '24

16 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Winnipeg celebrates successful 11th Annual Bike Week Amid calls for Safer Cycling Infrastructure https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/06/15/winnipeg-celebrat… Bike advocates and Sunday cyclers alike gathered at the legislative grounds Saturday to wrap up Winnipeg’s 11th annual Bike Week. Thousands of wheels were spun by thousands of cyclists throughout the week of activities, which ranged from a bike to … [View More]work day to a scavenger hunt to a kid-centric ride to kick off Saturday’s get-together. This year’s events brought cyclists back in pre-pandemic numbers, Bike Week Winnipeg chair Dave Elmore said Saturday. “It was really, really good this year,” Elmore said. “I think we had great weather. I only know of one ride that got rained on, and it didn’t seem to bother them at all, because we’re not made of sugar.” Whether you bike for sport, bike to work or bike for fun, Elmore said the goal of Bike Week is to create programming for everyone. His dream for the future of Bike Week is to bring in more people from suburban areas and people who may not have considered becoming a regular bike-rider. “In the bigger picture, we’re trying to reach those people who are interested, but concerned,” he said. “What we want to do is get them to make the cross-over to being more interested, and less concerned.” Patty Wiens with Bike Winnipeg has helped set up local bike groups that hold small-scale neighbourhood-based rides that help teach new cyclists how to get around safely. “We show people what exists in their neighbourhood, and we take them safely and say, ‘Hey, it’s kind of tricky crossing here, but we’re working with the city on providing a safer way for you to cross’ … it’s a very educational ride,” she said. This year’s festivities were preceded by tragedy, after 61-year-old cyclist Rob Jenner was struck and killed by a driver in a hit-and-run on Wellington Crescent June 6. Over 100 cyclists shut down the intersection where the collision occurred the next day in protest and mourning. Jenner’s family released a statement calling on the city to invest in safer cycling infrastructure and called cycling “something he loved to do.” Beckham Keneth Severight, 19, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and leaving the scene of a collision. Jenner’s memory was front of mind for Meghan Gallant, who had taken part in a child-friendly group ride organized by Bike Winnipeg that morning with her six-year-old twins. Gallant’s husband was Jenner’s co-worker. A regular cyclist herself, she said coming out in celebration and support of cycling in Winnipeg Saturday while remembering Jenner was a meaningful, “conscious decision.” [View Less]

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Equitable Cities | You're Invited!
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jun '24

13 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. [Ticket banner.png]<https://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/equitable-cities/> GET YOUR TICKETS!<https://3common.com/equitablecities> On Wednesday, October 9th Green Action Centre and Peg City Car Co-op will welcome Arrested Mobility’s Charles T. Brown to Winnipeg. Tickets are now on sale for Equitable Cities: How to liberate those caged by our transportation system. Charles T. Brown is the founder … [View More]and principal of Equitable Cities, a minority- and veteran-owned urban planning, public policy and research firm focused at the intersection of transportation, health and equity. He is also an adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. He is the host of Arrested Mobility<https://arrestedmobility.com/>, a podcast that asks: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of colour step out their door to exist in the world? In this keynote presentation, Charles addresses how our transportation system underserves and disproportionately harms those who are most vulnerable. By understanding inequities in our transportation system, Charles identifies potential strategies for action. The audience for this presentation will leave the event with a greater understanding of the history of our transportation system across North America, and be inspired to correct past injustices to bring better health, equity and freedom to all. Following the keynote, attendees will be invited to participate in discussions to bring the themes of the keynote into our local context. Get your Early Bird tickets, available while stock lasts or until July 31st. Use the promo code: ECEARLYBIRD to save! Equitable Cities' Builder and Influencer sponsors: [https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcf4SN9GcXcyTOCxAWs23-U3cRQ…] Thank you to our Advocate and Supporter sponsors: The Johnston Group & Councillor Janice Lukes Would you like to support Equitable Cities? We are still in need of sponsorship and would love your support. We have various levels available. Please reach out to gohappy(a)greenactioncentre.ca<mailto:gohappy@greenactioncentre.ca> for details. Mel Marginet | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few days to respond to you. We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. [https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif] 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/> [https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4xnHIzg-oNAxItLMxFnB1HS5HGb…]<http://gomb.ca> [View Less]

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WFP: Wolseley residents pan Transit plan (Jun12'24)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jun '24

12 Jun '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Fear overhaul will trade cars for buses on greenway Wolseley residents pan Transit plan https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/06/11/wolseley-resident… WOLSELEY residents are asking Winnipeg Transit to pause their neighbourhood’s portion of a citywide bus network overhaul, arguing the changes could undermine a reduced-speed route designed to safely serve cyclists and pedestrians. A network transformation … [View More]of bus routes is set to alter almost every city route, bring buses closer to many residents and increase bus frequency, starting on June 29, 2025, with council slated to vote on the exact changes this month. Some residents fear part of a newly proposed No. 28 route that’s set to travel over the Wolseley Avenue neighbourhood greenway and interfere with its objective to welcome active transportation. The greenway recently saw its permanent speed limit drop to 30 km/h and got new speed humps to help slow traffic. “There’s huge support for the new greenway on Wolseley Avenue. Residents want transit to co-exist with Wolseley, not overwhelm it, not undermine its livability, not change it from a walkable and family friendly community into a major bus thoroughfare,” said Rachel Morgan. Morgan said the residents don’t oppose the Transit investment but the proposed path would include old, narrow roads that are well used by pedestrians and cyclists and weren’t designed to handle so many buses, raising the risk of crashes and injuries. “Running 130 buses a day through a residential bottleneck will be neither efficient nor reliable. That’s why residents urge council to pause the plan for Wolseley. Please give us time to properly consult with Transit,” she said. The group’s estimate is based on one bus passing through every 7.5 minutes between 6 a.m. and 1 a.m. the following day. City staff said later the actual frequency would be much lower, often about one bus every 15 minutes. The residents said 467 people signed a petition to support pausing the Wolseley area changes. Daniel McIntyre Coun. Cindy Gilroy suggested relocating the No. 28 route around Wolseley to address the concerns. The currently proposed route would travel south down Arlington Street, then head east down the Wolseley greenway toward Academy Road. Instead, she asked that the route stay off Wolseley entirely by having buses travel south on Arlington, then go east on Broadway before heading south on Academy. The councillor also stressed the greenway isn’t suited to heavy bus traffic. “If you go down there around 8:30 to 8:45 (a.m.) you are going to see a mass of kids, children riding their bikes … And then you see a mass of adults riding their bikes … I think that Wolseley residents would rather walk a little ways to a (high) frequency (transit) line (than have this route),” she said. Another Wolseley resident expressed concerns that the plan’s removal of the current No. 10 bus route would force her to walk 20 minutes further to catch a ride. “I don’t know how that is even a conceivable idea in winter,” said Kathryn Martin Winnipeg Transit officials expect the overall network overhaul to roughly double the number of people who are in walking distance of frequent transit service, with a bus arriving at least every 10 minutes on the most frequent routes during rush hour. A Transit advocate said those changes are desperately needed. “(This) is essentially taking the system we have right now and blowing it up and starting over again, (which) is exactly what needs to be done. It is focused on getting people from where they are to where they want to go more efficiently,” said Brian Pincott, a spokesman for Functional Transit Winnipeg. Pincott urged councillors not to alter specific changes, which he said could result in a less efficient system. “This is an integrated, linked network and the moment you start whittling away at any one of those links, the whole thing could fall apart or not function very well,” he said. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, told media she does have concerns about increased traffic on greenways, which aim to slow vehicles down. “Do we want buses travelling regularly on a greenway route? Personally, I wouldn’t. But (we also) want to deliver bus service to Wolseley,” she said. Lukes (Waverley West) noted any changes council approves will be reviewed in 2026, about a year after the new routes are expected to take effect. She said there was extensive planning and consultation on the new transit network, though many public meetings were forced online during the pandemic. “This is all because we want to deliver better transit service. We want to have higher frequency. We want to have dependable service,” she said. On Tuesday evening, the public works committee voted to move the new route plan forward, while requiring additional consultation. Any route changes would be subject to a final council vote. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga [View Less]

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