- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

New research: Stroke & traffic-related air pollution
by Beth McKechnie 07 Nov '11

07 Nov '11

*Some new research (article pdf attached) forwarded by Cyndi Otfinowski...* Stroke. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22052517#> 2011 Nov 3. [Epub ahead of print] Stroke and Long-Term Exposure to Outdoor Air Pollution From Nitrogen Dioxide: A Cohort Study. Andersen ZJ<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Andersen%20ZJ%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Kristiansen LC<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Kristiansen%20LC%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Andersen KK<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Andersen%20KK%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Olsen TS<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Olsen%20TS%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Hvidberg M<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Hvidberg%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Jensen SS<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Jensen%20SS%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Ketzel M<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Ketzel%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Loft S <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Loft%20S%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Sørensen M<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22S%C3%B8rensen%20M%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Tjønneland A<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Tj%C3%B8nneland%20A%22%5BAuthor%…>, Overvad K<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Overvad%20K%22%5BAuthor%5D>, Raaschou-Nielsen O<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%22Raaschou-Nielsen%20O%22%5BAuthor…> . Source >From the Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Copenhagen, Denmark; Informatics and Mathematical Modelling, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark; The Stroke Unit, Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark; the Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark; the Section of Environmental Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; the School of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; and the Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. AbstractBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Years of exposure to tobacco smoke substantially increase the risk for stroke. Whether long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution can lead to stroke is not yet established. We examined the association between long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and incident and fatal stroke in a prospective cohort study. METHODS: We followed 57 053 participants of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort in the Hospital Discharge Register for the first-ever hospital admission for stroke (incident stroke) between baseline (1993-1997) and 2006 and defined fatal strokes as death within 30 days of admission. We associated the estimated mean levels of nitrogen dioxide at residential addresses since 1971 to incident and fatal stroke by Cox regression analyses and examined the effects by stroke subtypes: ischemic, hemorrhagic, and nonspecified stroke. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 9.8 years of 52 215 eligible subjects, there were 1984 (3.8%) first-ever (incident) hospital admissions for stroke of whom 142 (7.2%) died within 30 days. We detected borderline significant associations between mean nitrogen dioxide levels at residence since 1971 and incident stroke (hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.99-1.11, per interquartile range increase) and stroke hospitalization followed by death within 30 days (1.22; 1.00-1.50). The associations were strongest for nonspecified and ischemic strokes, whereas no association was detected with hemorrhagic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution may contribute to the development of ischemic but not hemorrhagic stroke, especially severe ischemic strokes leading to death within 30 days.

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Employment opportunity - Sustainability Coordinator RRC
by Beth McKechnie 07 Nov '11

07 Nov '11

While this employment opportunity goes beyond AT, I thought it might be of interest to subscribers of this listserv. Please share widely. cheers, Beth ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Sara MacArthur <smacarthur(a)rrc.mb.ca> Date: Mon, Nov 7, 2011 at 10:37 AM Subject: Employment opportunity **** Hi, **** Red River College’s Office of Sustainability is growing – we’re hiring a Sustainability Coordinator. Please pass this posting around to your contacts who might be interested. Thanks. ** *Sara MacArthur **MCP LEED® AP*** Manager of Sustainability [image: Description: Description: Sustainable leaf.jpg]**** Red River College**** C409-2055 Notre Dame Avenue R3H 0J9**** **** p: 204.632.2166 f: 204. 632.9661**** e: smacarthur(a)rrc.mb.ca**** ** ** Become a fan of Sustainability@RRC on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Winnipeg-MB/Sustainability-Red-River-College/…> **** ** **

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NYC encourages AT for students, launches program to encourage walking to school
by Beth McKechnie 05 Nov '11

05 Nov '11

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Release # 11-91 Wednesday, November 2, 2011 Seth Solomonow/Nicole Garcia (212) 839-4850 *NYC DOT Commissioner Sadik-Khan and Mayor Koch Encourage Active Transportation for New York City Students, Launch Program to Encourage Walking to School New initiative allows schools to opt-in for program to develop lesson plans to further promote walking as a safe, healthy way to get around Officials read Koch’s book, “Eddie Shapes Up,” to Manhattan’s P.S. 64 students, underscoring the importance of encouraging walking, biking and taking transit * New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Mayor Edward I. Koch today hosted a special reading of *Eddie Shapes Up*, a children’s book written by the mayor, and launched Walk Ways, a new program that helps schools establish the importance of active transportation and gives them the resources to encourage walking among students. Schools can visit nyc.gov/dot to register, download lesson plans and connect with DOT safety educators for guidance and to develop tailored walk-to-school route plans. The Commissioner and Mayor joined fourth and fifth graders from P.S. 64 in Manhattan’s East Village for the event. “With unprecedented safety redesigns and educational initiatives in all five boroughs, our streets are shaping up for New Yorkers of all ages to walk and bike more,” said DOT Commissioner Sadik-Khan. “By teaching students the benefits of active transportation, we’re helping them build healthy habits for life.” “The most marvelous sight in New York City is to see youngsters, adolescents and adults cycling on the many bicycle paths we now have which separate bikers from vehicular traffic,” said Mayor Koch. “It is glorious to watch, and I wish I were young again to participate.” Co-written with Mayor Koch’s sister, Pat Koch Thaler, and with illustrations by Jonathan Hoefer, *Eddie Shapes Up* describes an overweight student’s path to getting healthy by eating better and exercising more, and how fun being active can be. DOT works with New York City schools to encourage safe, active transportation and educates students about the benefits of walking and biking to school. In addition to launching the citywide contest, “We’re Walking Here NYC,” last month, DOT Safety Education hosted a special Walk to School Day event with P.S. 197 in Manhattan as part of International Walk to School Day. Similarly, the agency organizes annual Bike to School Day activities. This June, it worked with the Department of Health & Mental Hygiene and Bike New York to conduct rides with students from P.S. 89 and I.S. 302 in Cypress Hills, Queens. In the last decade, pedestrian traffic fatalities have dropped more than 25% and DOT is working to combine education and engineering to achieve its aggressive goal of reducing all traffic fatalities by 50% by 2030, focusing on tailoring streets so they are safer for the most vulnerable pedestrians: students and seniors. As part of its Safe Routes to School campaign, the DOT makes safety upgrades that can include improved signage and marking, among other additions, to make motorists more aware of the high volumes of student pedestrians, as well as make the streets easier for youths to cross safely. The agency also launched efforts to triple the number of 20 mph speed zones around schools from 25 to 75, among other initiatives. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dot <http://www.nyc.gov/dot>. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2011/pr11_91.shtml

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EcoMobility Gaining Ground, Step by Step
by Beth McKechnie 03 Nov '11

03 Nov '11

EcoMobility Gaining Ground, Step by Step By Stephen Leahy * http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105672 [image: Bike sharing system in Changwon, South Korea. / Credit:City of Changwon] Bike sharing system in Changwon, South Korea. Credit:City of Changwon <http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=105672> * *CHANGWON, South Korea, Nov 1, 2011 (Tierramérica) - Berlin is a big capital city of a country famed for making excellent automobiles, but it can no longer afford roads and is now moving people by transit, bike and especially through walking.Berlin is not alone. Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Bogotá, New York City and other major cities simply cannot afford the cost, the pollution, the noise and the congestion of more cars. They are embracing a new concept called EcoMobility - mobility without private cars. "EcoMobility is not only walking, cycling and public transportation. It is about these three systems clicking together: connectivity is the key," Gil Peñalosa, former director of parks and recreation in Bogotá, Colombia, told those attending the EcoMobility Changwon 2011<http://ecomobility2011.iclei.org/>congress. The congress on Mobility for the Future of Sustainable Cities was organised by the South Korean city of Changwon and ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability <http://www.iclei.org/index.php?id=about>, an association of local government members from more than 1,220 cities in 70 countries. "The famous Times Square in New York City is now a permanent pedestrian mall. Who would have believed that could happen just three years ago?" Peñalosa commented to Tierramérica. "Five years ago who would have thought Paris would have over 22,000 bikes as part of a tremendously successful bike sharing system?" added Peñalosa, who is now the executive director of 8-80 Cities<http://www.8-80cities.org/>, an NGO based in Toronto that promotes walking, cycling, parks and urban trails to improve the public life of cities. "We need to build cities around people and not around cars," he stressed. EcoMobility is defined as moving people and goods in urban areas using combinations of walking, cycling (including electric bikes) and wheeling (roller blades), public transport, and light electric vehicles. The concept is being widely embraced by cities looking for affordable and effective forms of sustainable transport. "Cities should focus more on moving people rather than moving vehicles," said Stephen Yarwood, mayor of Adelaide, Australia. The fact is, cars are not very good at moving people. A standard 3.5-meter-wide city street has a maximum capacity of 2,000 people in cars per hour. The same road can carry 14,000 cyclists or 19,000 pedestrians each hour. Light rail in the same space can move 22,000 people, and a double lane of bus rapid transit will move 43,000 people, said Manfred Breithaupt, director of the GIZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project<http://www.sutp.org/>, a German NGO. The transportation sector is one of biggest contributors of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, responsible for 25 to 30 percent of the emissions causing climate change. Cars and scooters are by far the biggest sources of carbon dioxide on a per-kilometre, per-person basis, said Breithaupt. Cycling or walking produces no greenhouse gases at all. Moving people out of cars is an enormous challenge. One major reason is the endless multi-billion-dollar advertising by automobile companies telling people that buying a car is the ticket to success, freedom, status and other nonsense, said Peñalosa. "Car companies attack transit with their commercials. Someone told me that in their country, one advertisement suggests people using subways have some kind of 'subway stink'," he said. In North America the cost of owning and operating a private automobile amounts to 8,000 to 12,000 dollars a year, according to automobile clubs. That can be 25 to 50 percent of the average family's after-tax income, illustrating the success of automobile advertising. "How else could we be spending 20 times more than we need to get around?" wondered Peñalosa. This is changing in Germany. "More than 80 percent of young people don't think they need private cars," said Bernhard Ensink, secretary general of the European Cyclists’ Federation, an NGO based in Brussels. Car ownership in Germany and other European countries is slowly declining, he said, because there are cheaper and easier ways to get around. Mobility is also a moral issue, Ensink said. "Who gets the negative impacts of car ownership? It is never the car owner, it is always the public and particularly the poor, especially those living in car-dependent cities." Among those impacts are accidents where cars kill and injure thousands of pedestrians and cyclists every day. In fact, car accidents are the primary cause of death for young people aged 15 to 29 years worldwide. But shifting to an EcoMobility focus is difficult, said Yeom Tae-Young, mayor of the city of Suwon outside of Seoul, Korea. "Citizens must know about EcoMobility and the government's commitment must be clear," he told the congress participants. Suwon, an ancient city with just over a million inhabitants, is competing with Changwon to become South Korea's greenest and lowest-carbon city. Not all people will agree, and there will be inconveniences, but the public will still support the changes if they understand it is for the greater good. "We cannot close our eyes to the challenge of climate change," he concluded. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Bike trails, house prices and property taxes
by Beth McKechnie 03 Nov '11

03 Nov '11

[Thanks to Ian Hall for sending this along...] ** Interesting short news item: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/10/how-much-bike-trail-worth/… "...according to research coming out of the University of Cincinnati<http://www.uc.edu/news/NR.aspx?id=14300>, proximity to trails in urban areas increases property values, which in turn boosts the amount of property taxes filling government coffers. The research, by planning professor Rainer vom Hofe and economics professor Olivier Parent, looked at houses along a 12-mile stretch of the Little Miami Scenic Trail <http://trailsfromrails.com/miami_scenic_trail.htm>, a former rail line that cuts across the northeastern portion of Cincinnati. The pair found that home buyers were willing to pay a premium of $9,000 to be within 1,000 feet of access to the trail." -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Reminder: Transportation Master Plan Open House - Wed, Nov 2nd
by Beth McKechnie 02 Nov '11

02 Nov '11

*Find out where our roads, buses, bike lanes and pathways are heading over the next 20 years!* Stop by the third and *final* Open House for the *Winnipeg Transportation Master Plan* <http://transportation.speakupwinnipeg.com/>. Date:* Wed, Nov. 2nd *Time:* 4:00-8:00 pm *Where:* Millennium Library* (Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd floor) ** ** ** This is an open invitation to anyone interested, so please share widely. (Poster attached.) -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Dana's Walk (Nov.2) - A Welcome to Winnipeg Event
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '11

01 Nov '11

please see invitation below... ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Margaret Boyechko <margaret(a)mrta.mb.ca> Date: Tue, Nov 1, 2011 at 12:01 PM Subject: Dana's Walk - A Welcome to Winnipeg Event Please see the attached invitation to a MRTA/TCT special event to be held tomorrow in Winnipeg. Please join us and bring out as many of your friends and family members as possible to join in the fun and adventure. Forward the attachment, Tweet or Facebook the news. All are welcome.**** ** ** See you there J**** Margaret**** Administration Assistant/Bookkeeper**** Manitoba Recreational Trails Association**** 1007 Century Street**** Winnipeg, MB R3H 0W4**** 204-633-9879**** 204-945-1365 (fax)**** www.mrta.mb.ca**** *"In every walk with nature one receives ***** *far more than he seeks."* - John Muir**** ** **

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[At-network] Car, public transport commutes show links to ill health
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '11

01 Nov '11

http://www.medicaldaily.com/news/20111030/7712/commuting-ill-health-negativ… Car, Public Transport Commutes Show Links to Ill Health By Medical Daily Reporter Commuting by car or public transportation is associated with ill health compared to walking or cycling also known as active commuting, as sleep quality, exhaustion and every day stress were evaluated in a new study. Lund University researchers looked 21,000 people aged between 18 and 65, who worked more than 30 hours a week, commuted by car, train or bus and also active commuters who commuted by walking or cycling. The study was published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Public Health. Americans on average commuted 25.3 minutes to work. The percentage that drove to work alone averaged 76.6 percent. Only 4.9 percent take public transportation, 2.8 percent commuted by walking or bicycling according to the U.S Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2010. "Generally car and public transport users suffered more everyday stress, poorer sleep quality, exhaustion and, on a seven point scale, felt that they struggled with their health compared to the active commuters,” said Erik Hanson, a Faculty of Medicine at Lund University. "Car drivers who commuted 30 – 60 minutes experienced worse health than those whose journey lasted more than one hour, he said” He said more research was needed to learn exactly how commuting is related to the ill health observed in order to readdress the balance between economic needs, health, and the costs of working days lost. Published by Medicaldaily.com

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New report (Florida) - passing distance btwn motorists and cyclists
by Beth McKechnie 29 Oct '11

29 Oct '11

*Operational and Safety Impacts of Restriping Inside Lanes of Urban Multilane Curbed Roadways to 11 Feet or Less to Create Wider Outside Curb Lanes for Bicyclists (September 2011, Florida Department of Transportation)* Thought folks might be interested in the general findings on the amount of passing clearance motorists provided cyclists when there was a wider outside lane (closest to curb) and a narrower inside lane(s). Note that the roads investigated were high speed and multi-lane, and data was collected during peak hours. The entire report can be downloaded here: http://www.dot.state.fl.us/research-center/Completed_Proj/Summary_RD/FDOT_B… * Background*: The operational analysis involved investigation of the influence of several site characteristics on the operational behavior of motorists when passing bicyclists on asymmetric curb-and-gutter roadways. The research team collected data on curb-and-gutter asymmetric four- to six-lane roadways with posted speeds ranging from 30 to 45 miles per hour. * Conclusion*: The results from descriptive statistics, 95% confidence intervals, and regression modeling, all point out that lateral separation between motor vehicles and bicyclists is highly influenced by the width of the outside through lane. * Lateral Clearance Findings * - The greatest lateral separation (averaging 5.5 ft) was obtained when bicyclists rode between three and four feet from the face of curb. - An increase in the width of the outside through lane resulted in greater lateral separation between motor vehicles and bicyclists. - As the volume of motor vehicles increased, lateral separation decreased. - Motorists provided less separation to bicyclists when other vehicles were present in the inside lane. - Motorists provided 0.5 ft additional lateral separation to female bicyclists and 0.35 ft additional separation to casually dressed compared to athletically dressed cyclists. *Lateral Shift Findings * - The amount of the motor vehicle body partially shifting into the inside lane was reduced with the increase in the width of the outside through lane. - Passenger cars were observed to have the lowest amount of lateral shift when passing a bicyclist. - Large trucks were observed to provide the greatest amount of lateral shift when passing, often slowing down and completely moving to the inside lane to allow sufficient lateral separation to bicyclists. - Less lateral shift was observed with increased vehicular traffic volume. - The tendency was for drivers to move left if they had the opportunity. *Motor Vehicle Lane Usage Findings * - Given acceptable gaps, there was a tendency of motorists to move from the outside through lane to the inside lane after recognizing that there was a bicyclist downstream. - In the absence of a bicyclist, more vehicles (56.2% for 4-lane segments, 30.6% for 6-lane segments)) were observed to use the outside through lane. - In the presence of a bicyclist, a considerable proportion of motor vehicles shifted to the inside lane before passing the bicyclist to avoid sharing the outside through lane with a bicyclist. - Only 40.2% of vehicles used the outside through lane when a bicyclist was present for 4-lane segments; 25.7% for 6-lane segments. *Motor vehicle Speed Finding * - On average, drivers reduced their speeds (from 34.13 to 32.76 mph) when passing bicyclists to ensure safe passing maneuver and accelerated (from 32.76 to 36.86) after passing bicyclists.

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Webinar Reminder: Wed, Nov. 2nd, Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way
by Jessie Klassen 27 Oct '11

27 Oct '11

Just a reminder of an upcoming webinar on November 2nd. Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future are hosting a local viewing of the APBP webinar, Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion: - *Wed, Nov. 2nd, 2:00-3:30 pm – Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way* (Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) Hope to see you there! ____________________________ Update on the Proposed Rule for Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way *November 2, 2011, 2:00-3:30 pm CST* Scott Windley, Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board, will deliver detailed information about the proposed rule regarding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, including pedestrian accessible routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, street crossings, on-street parking, and more. This is a 90-minute webinar. Scott Windley has been an Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board since March, 1997. He oversees staff work on the Board’s public rights-of-way rulemaking, and provides technical assistance and training on the ADA Guidelines and other standards. Mr. Windley previously worked for two years with The Center for Universal Design in Raleigh, NC, as a technical assistance specialist; before that, he worked as an Intern Architect for the Facilty Planning Department of the University of Idaho. Mr. Windley received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho. ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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A Bus Pass with Every Condo (& bike stuff, too!)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '11

26 Oct '11

A Bus Pass With Every Condo at Lansdowne Proposed *Josh Pringle* Thursday, October 20, 2011 Each residential unit at the redeveloped Lansdowne Park could come with a one-year transit pass for OC Transpo. The Transportation Demand Management Plan report by McCormick Rankin recommends the City require the developers to provide all purchasers of residential units with a transit pass to "create and establish a culture" of transit amongst the residents living at Lansdowne. The report notes the City of Toronto recently introduced a policy requiring all new condo developments with more than 20 units to include a one year TTC Metropass with the purchase of each unit. The Transportation Demand Management Plan outlines ideas to ensure the Lansdowne Park redevelopment achieves maximum benefits from a wider use of sustainable transportation modes, including public transportation and bicycling. The City is also encouraged to set up enhanced bicycle parking facilities, create preferential parking for registered carpools and build showers and locker room facilities for employees at a redeveloped Lansdowne Park who bicycle to work. http://www.cfra.com/?cat=1&nid=82258

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[At-network] Transportation Master Plan Open House - Nov 2nd, 4-8 pm, Millennium Library
by Beth McKechnie 20 Oct '11

20 Oct '11

*Find out where our roads, buses, bike lanes and pathways are heading over the next 20 years!* Stop by the third and *final* Open House for the *Winnipeg Transportation Master Plan* <http://transportation.speakupwinnipeg.com/>. Date:* Wed, Nov. 2nd *Time:* 4:00-8:00 pm *Where:* Millennium Library* (Carol Shields Auditorium, 2nd floor) ** ** *Please forward the attachments throughout your organizations and networks*. This is an open invitation to anyone interested, so please share widely. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Mark your calendar! November transportation webinars
by Beth McKechnie 20 Oct '11

20 Oct '11

Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following webinars at the EcoCentre (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) followed by group discussion: - *Wed, Nov. 2nd, 2:00-3:00 pm – Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way* (APBP) details below - *Wed, Nov. 9th, 12:30-1:30 pm – Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities *(Transport Canada) details below - *Wed, Nov. 16th, 2:00-3:00 pm– Parking: Buffers, Bikes and Cars *(APBP) (APBP = Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals) _____________________________ Update on the Proposed Rule for Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way *November 2, 2011, 2:00-3:00 pm CST* Scott Windley, Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board, will deliver detailed information about the proposed rule regarding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, including pedestrian accessible routes, curb ramps and blended transitions, street crossings, on-street parking, and more. This is a 90-minute webinar. Scott Windley has been an Accessibility Specialist with the U.S. Access Board since March, 1997. He oversees staff work on the Board’s public rights-of-way rulemaking, and provides technical assistance and training on the ADA Guidelines and other standards. Mr. Windley previously worked for two years with The Center for Universal Design in Raleigh, NC, as a technical assistance specialist; before that, he worked as an Intern Architect for the Facilty Planning Department of the University of Idaho. Mr. Windley received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Idaho. * * * * * *Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities* *November 9, 2011, 12:30-1:30 pm CST* Geoff Noxon, Noxon Associates This webinar is intended to help practitioners - engineers, planners, health professionals, economic development officials, and others - produce plans and implement appropriate travel options for residents of small and rural communities. This includes a range of actions that make personal transportation activities more sustainable, such as encouraging drivers to operate their cars more efficiently, or to leave their cars at home and walk, cycle, take transit, or carpool instead. This webinar will look at how to use three guides available for free from Transport Canada: - Improving Travel Options in Small and Rural Communities; - Transportation Demand Management for Canadian Communities: A Guide to Understanding, Planning and Delivering TDM Programs; and, - Changing Transportation Behaviours: A Social Marketing Planning Guide. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-guidelines-practitioners… http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-urban-menu-eng-2054.htm

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Reminder: Wed Oct.19 webinar - Multimodal Level of Service Analysis
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '11

18 Oct '11

*Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future *invite you to join us for this webinar being presented by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP): Multimodal Level of Service Analysis Wednesday, October 19 • 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central Time Location: EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * * * * The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) is one of the most widely referenced documents in transportation planning and engineering. The 2010 edition includes a comprehensive analysis method for all major users of an urban street, including bicyclists and pedestrians. This webinar will discuss the bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods that allow planners and engineers to analyze how urban streets meet the needs of nonmotorized users and to examine the effects of different improvement options. These analyses help us to efficiently distribute limited funds to the most effective improvements and to better communicate projects' benefits to the general public. Learning objectives for this session include: - How bicycle and pedestrian level of service analyses have evolved - The background behind the HCM 2010 multimodal level of service methods for bicycles and pedestrians - How to apply the HCM bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods and interpret results. The session will also include a brief update on the joint ITE / APBP project, "Evaluation Tools for Complete Streets". The report of this project is being drafted; it covers several analysis tools including MMLOS. Presenters: *Nick Foster*,* Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates*. Nick was involved in NCHRP Project 3-70 Multimodal Level-of-Service Analysis for Urban Streets during the field evaluation phase to test the multimodal level-of-service (MMLOS) methodology. The results of this project have been incorporated into the updated 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. In addition to his involvement in the research that developed the MMLOS methodology, Nick has applied it to a variety of projects to evaluate the performance of different urban street forms in meeting the needs of bicyclist and pedestrians. Nick has worked on a variety of projects related to planning and designing for bicyclists and pedestrians. *Jamie Parks, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates. *Jamie works on a wide variety of bicycle and pedestrian planning projects throughout the country including safety studies, master plans, and trails plans. His experience includes data collection, the development and application of analysis tools, and public outreach to integrate workshops, open houses, citizen committees, and web tools into the planning process. *Jeffrey R. Riegner (PE, AICP, PTOE), Vice President, Whitman, Requardt & Associates*. Jeff is a professional engineer and certified planner with over 20 years of transportation and land use consulting experience, mostly for public-sector clients. He serves as chair of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, workshop instructor for the National Complete Streets Coalition, and chair of the Newark, Delaware Bicycle Committee. He holds degrees from the University of Delaware and the University of California at Berkeley. -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Wed Oct. 19th webinar: Multimodal Level of Service Analysis
by Beth McKechnie 11 Oct '11

11 Oct '11

*Green Action Centre and Bike to the Future *invite you to join us for this webinar being presented by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP): Multimodal Level of Service Analysis Wednesday, October 19 • 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Central Time Location: EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * * * * The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) is one of the most widely referenced documents in transportation planning and engineering. The 2010 edition includes a comprehensive analysis method for all major users of an urban street, including bicyclists and pedestrians. This webinar will discuss the bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods that allow planners and engineers to analyze how urban streets meet the needs of nonmotorized users and to examine the effects of different improvement options. These analyses help us to efficiently distribute limited funds to the most effective improvements and to better communicate projects' benefits to the general public. Learning objectives for this session include: - How bicycle and pedestrian level of service analyses have evolved - The background behind the HCM 2010 multimodal level of service methods for bicycles and pedestrians - How to apply the HCM bicycle and pedestrian level of service methods and interpret results. The session will also include a brief update on the joint ITE / APBP project, "Evaluation Tools for Complete Streets". The report of this project is being drafted; it covers several analysis tools including MMLOS. Presenters: *Nick Foster*,* Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates*. Nick was involved in NCHRP Project 3-70 Multimodal Level-of-Service Analysis for Urban Streets during the field evaluation phase to test the multimodal level-of-service (MMLOS) methodology. The results of this project have been incorporated into the updated 2010 Highway Capacity Manual. In addition to his involvement in the research that developed the MMLOS methodology, Nick has applied it to a variety of projects to evaluate the performance of different urban street forms in meeting the needs of bicyclist and pedestrians. Nick has worked on a variety of projects related to planning and designing for bicyclists and pedestrians. *Jamie Parks, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner, Kittelson & Associates. *Jamie works on a wide variety of bicycle and pedestrian planning projects throughout the country including safety studies, master plans, and trails plans. His experience includes data collection, the development and application of analysis tools, and public outreach to integrate workshops, open houses, citizen committees, and web tools into the planning process. *Jeffrey R. Riegner (PE, AICP, PTOE), Vice President, Whitman, Requardt & Associates*. Jeff is a professional engineer and certified planner with over 20 years of transportation and land use consulting experience, mostly for public-sector clients. He serves as chair of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Pedestrian and Bicycle Council, workshop instructor for the National Complete Streets Coalition, and chair of the Newark, Delaware Bicycle Committee. He holds degrees from the University of Delaware and the University of California at Berkeley.

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Active Transportation in Canada: a Resource and Planning Guide
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Here's a new resource funded by Transport Canada: *Active Transportation in Canada: A Resource and Planning Guide* There are many excellent "Case in point" examples provided, mostly from ON, BC and NB. The ICBC case in point on page 14 is an excellent example of what MPI could be doing here. (Strangely, there are no examples from Winnipeg or Manitoba, boo!) Pasted below this message is a description blurb by the company that produced the publication. Thanks to Laura Donatelli at Public Health Agency of Canada for pointing out this new resource. cheers, Beth * * * * * EcoPlan developed a resource and planning guide for Transport Canada geared towards planners and related professionals to accommodate, promote, and support Active Transportation (AT) in current and long-range planning and development. The guide provides a review of active transportation in Canada, a summary of best practices and key principles, and a strategic planning approach for developing active transportation projects and incorporating active transportation into municipal policy. This guide’s planning framework is organized around EcoPlan’s ten step planning approach. The approach has four phases that correspond to the key planning questions each section asks – *What is happening? What matters most? What can we* *do about it? Are we doing it? *Answering these questions requires guide users to go through a corresponding set of individual planning steps that will help determine: - The current AT situation, opportunities and trends in the local area; - Priority areas for action; - Strategies and actions to respond to community priorities; and, - How to monitor and evaluate AT activities to support future project development.

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Happiness research ranks commuting low: 1 hr commute cuts social life by 10%
by Beth McKechnie 05 Oct '11

05 Oct '11

Happiness Research Ranks Commuting Low: One-Hour Commute Cuts Your Social Life By 10 Percent *Kirsten Dirksen, Co-founder, faircompanies.com* http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kirsten-dirksen/happiness-research-ranks-_b_8… When asked to name the worst part of our day by happiness researchers, we consistently name commuting as at least one of our least favorite activities. And yet, many of us choose long commutes (the average American commute is 50 minutes per day; nine out of 10 are by car). It's an inconsistency that has troubled academics. Swiss economists Bruno Frey and Alois Stutzer say too many of us make an unequal tradeoff: they call it the "commuting paradox." According to economics, people should be compensated -- either economically or emotionally -- for the burden of their commute, but Frey and Stutzer found that "people with longer commuting time report systematically lower subjective well-being." The rewards associated with longer commutes -- a bigger house, a higher salary or better schools -- don't fully compensate for the sacrifices we end up making by working so far from home (*e.g.*, less time with family, and health issues like back pain, higher cholesterol, weight gain and anxiety). Why do we make the mistake of choosing long commutes if they tend to make us less happy? It turns out that our focus and judgement are off. *Long Commutes Are Because Our Focus Is Off* One possible reason for our error in judgement is what psychologists call a weighting mistake, or a focusing illusion. By simply choosing to consider a higher salary or a bigger house in the suburbs (those things that contribute to a longer commute), we give them more weight than they deserve. So instead of focusing on what would really make us happier -- more leisure, more time with friends/family and more focus on health -- we become fixated on the bigger income or bigger backyard and choose the longer commute. Interestingly enough, it's not for lack of analysis that we often choose wrong. Researchers have found that the more time we spend thinking about that extra bedroom or extra income, the more we think we really need it and the more likely we are to choose the longer commute. To get it right, we need to adjust our focus. *"You Can't Adapt To Commuting"* Another reason we tend to choose badly when deciding the distance between work and home is simply that we aren't very good at assessing the true costs of a commute. Intuitively, we think that a higher salary will make us happier and that we will get used to spending time in the car. In reality, we quickly grow accustomed to material things like more income or a bigger house and, what most of us fail to realize, we have much more trouble getting used to the stresses of commuting. Strangely enough, it's not the bad traffic per se that adds to the commuting burden, but the uncertainty of our commutes that makes them so difficult. "You can't adapt to commuting, because it's entirely unpredictable," explains Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert. "Driving in traffic is a different kind of hell every day." *Before Agreeing To A Commute, Read This* There are, perhaps, reasons to choose a longer commute. Frey and Stutzer performed very exacting calculations and found that to be compensated for a one-hour commute -- as opposed to none at all -- you would need to make a 40-percent higher salary. The extra income might help with overall happiness, especially if it helps to pay for experiences (studies show that experiences, more than things, boost happiness), but a longer commute can also affect those things that rank high in happiness studies: your relationships. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam can even offer a calculation. "There's a simple rule of thumb: Every [10] minutes of commuting results in [10] percent fewer social connections. Commuting is connected to social isolation, which causes unhappiness." Of course, all commutes are not created equal. I know some people who genuinely seem to enjoy their time in the car -- or on their bike, scooter, etc. My commute is a five-minute walk<http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/happiness-research-ranks-commutes-lowe…>through Barcelona's Gothic Quarter to my daughter's school, and while there are bad days, most of the time, once out the door, it's one of the happiest moments of my day.

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Complete Streets Webinar TODAY 12:30-1:30pm
by Jessie Klassen 04 Oct '11

04 Oct '11

Just a quick reminder of the free Complete Streets webinar happening TODAY at 12:30pm in the Eco Centre Boardroom, (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * * *Complete Streets* *October 4, 2011, 12:30-1:30 pm CENTRAL TIME* Rebecca O’Brien, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Alberta Association “Complete streets” is a relatively new term that has entered into the parlance of transportation planning. A complete street policy begins with one overriding principle: Design streets for the most vulnerable users. Complete street policies promote planning, engineering, and transportation policies that provide a safer road network for all users, be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, or transit users. This webinar will examine the main aspects of complete streets, including innovative policies, success stories, and benefits. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudy-cs72e-completes… Hope to see you on Tuesday! ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Death by suburban sprawl
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '11

30 Sep '11

Death by surburban sprawl http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1592647/Death-by-surburban-sprawl 30 September 2011 | 08:05:45 AM | Source: Billie Giles-Corti, Professor of Health Promotion & Director of the McCaughey VicHealth Centre at University of Melbourne *Published in collaboration with **The Conversation*<http://theconversation.edu.au/> *, a website that features commentary, research and analysis from Australian universities and the CSIRO.* *Non-communicable diseases*<http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/non-communicable-diseases>– Billie Giles-Corti looks at how the built environment impacts the development of NCDs. Never before in human history have so many people been able to be so sedentary in the course of daily life. Since World War II, technological advances have transformed the design and development of buildings and communities, the way populations are mobilized and fed, the nature of work, and methods of communication. Industrial and home labour-saving devices – from the remote control of garage doors to televisions and everything in between – maximise convenience and minimise effort. So compared with our parents and grandparents, feeding and clothing ourselves has never been so effortless. But while offering convenience, our use of motor vehicles – even for short trips to the local shop – or a blower to “sweep” garden leaves, appears to be having a profound impact on the health of human populations. SITTING TO DEATH Diseases previously associated with affluence – cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory illnesses and diabetes – are now prevalent in disadvantaged populations. The problem is so big that an emergency long-term response is required – not just by the health sector but by everyone. The United Nations declaration calling for action on the prevention and control of non-communicable disease highlighted the need for a “whole of society effort” to tackle this enormous global problem, which is crippling already overburdened health systems. This is a call for all hands on deck: no one sector – and certainly not the health sector – can solve this problem. Fixing up people when they are ill is not the solution. The number of people with non-communicable diseases are growing exponentially not because we have changed genetically, but because we have changed our lifestyles in response to a rapidly changing environment. We now sit too much, move too little and over consume energy dense food – just because we can. BUILT ENVIRONMENT The UN call for action specifically mentions the role of urban planning in the development of non-communicable diseases. Research consistently shows that people are more likely to walk if they live in compact, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods characterised by connected street networks, access to mixed-use planning, with presence of local destinations and higher density housing. And that time and distance influences walking and cycling as preferred modes of transport. Heavily trafficked roads are contributing to the decline of active modes of travel. Peter Blanchard Neighbourhood design has a powerful effect on active travel options of all residents, particularly young people. Children’s independent mobility is influenced by traffic exposure and parental concerns (real or perceived) about safety, as well as access to local destinations including schools. Locating schools in neighborhoods with disconnected street networks and heavily trafficked roads is contributing to the rapid decline in children and young people using active modes of travel. In fact, parents chauffering their children to school are themselves contributing to the traffic congestion that makes roads unsafe for children to walk or cycle. The power of planners In the course of their professional lives, urban planners, transport planners, urban designers, civil engineers, property developers and architects make decisions with long-term impacts on the health and well-being of generations of residents. They make design decisions that determine whether neighborhoods have connected street networks and footpaths so that residents – including children – can easily and safely walk to local destinations. They decide whether shops and services are part of communities and in places where people can walk to them. And whether communities have well-designed parks that meet the needs of a range of users from sporting groups, children, dog walkers through to our ageing population. These planners decide whether streets are wide enough to allow access by public transport. And underpinning all these decisions are land use and regional transport system planning policies made by state and local government and politicians. Networking for a healthier society So there’s an urgent need for policies that encompass social, economic, sustainability, and health policies to create more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly communities serviced by public transport. Multiple sectors now promote active transport because of concerns about the health, social, environmental, and economic impacts of a range of agendas. These include rising levels of obesity and inactivity, climate change, population growth, declining oil supplies and rising fuel prices. Active transport can achieve outcomes for all of them, from improved health and traffic management through to environmental protection and climate change mitigation. As Australian cities expand rapidly with continued growth on the urban fringe, the challenge is to adopt joined-up approaches involving creative ways of producing supportive land use and transportation planning that ensures compact pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. But a plan is one thing and a “populated plan” is another – new communities can take decades to build. To ensure people on the fringes of cities are not deprived for decades, we need to move from planning to populating the plan. New business development models that ensure access to local employment and alternative government service delivery models that provide access to local health and public transport are needed. Without joined-up approaches, we can stick on band aid after band aid but the true nature of what ails us will remain unheeded. This is the eighth part of The Conversation's *non-communicable diseases series. * <http://theconversation.edu.au/pages/non-communicable-diseases>

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Selinger - NDP Active Transportation Promise today - as good as it gets - at this stage in the 'election game'
by Janice Lukes 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

fyi Today, the Free Press News Café held a Town Hall with Premier Selinger at 11:30 am. I attended and was able to ask a question of Premier Selinger. I asked: "If elected, will your government commit to implementing a Provincial Active Transportation policy - enabling increased safe opportunities for people to walk and bike - and to put staff on active transportation." His reply was that his government would commit to an active transportation 'strategy' and will work to implement it would have people in the public service to support implementation. I encourage you to listen to the question / and the way he answered it. The question was asked 11:24 minutes into Dan Lett's interview found here: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/LIVE-Town-halls-with-Gerrard-a nd-Selinger-130663498.html When Premier Selinger speaks to 'the recommendations' - he is referring to the 25 active transportation recommendations made in the the recently released Greater Strides report to government http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pdf/atag_report6.pdf (which I was holding up when speaking of study after study after study) COMMENT: Sharp politicians! While there is a big difference between the definition of the words "policy and strategy" and I should have jumped on it at the time - at this point in the election, I think this is as good as its going to get in having a PROVINCIAL active transportation commitment from the New Democratic Party. Not as clear and concise as the Progressive Conservatives are offering by any means - but a broader commitment - and from the leader of NDP - than we had prior to today. Complete and updated overview of active transportation election promises can be seen here: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/09/23/election-promises/ This is it for emails from me on Provincial Election 2011 active transportation updates! All of this takes an extraordinary amount of time and I think for Election 2011 - this is as good as its going to be ! Now ensure you get out and vote on October 4th! thanks Janice Janice Lukes Manager, Special Projects - Winnipeg Trails Winnipeg Trails Association 235-614 Des Meurons Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2P9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) <tel:%28204%29%20237-4618> 237-4618 <mailto:jlukes@riverswest.ca> jlukes(a)riverswest.ca <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/> www.WinnipegTrails.ca Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group

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Complete Streets Webinar: Oct. 4, 12:30-1:30pm
by Jessie Klassen 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Green Action Centre invites you to join us for a Complete Streets webinar being presented by Transport Canada's Ecomobility Program: * *Location:* EcoCentre boardroom (303 Portage Ave, 3rd floor) * *Complete Streets* *October 4, 2011, 12:30-1:30 pm CENTRAL TIME* Rebecca O’Brien, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Alberta Association “Complete streets” is a relatively new term that has entered into the parlance of transportation planning. A complete street policy begins with one overriding principle: Design streets for the most vulnerable users. Complete street policies promote planning, engineering, and transportation policies that provide a safer road network for all users, be they drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, or transit users. This webinar will examine the main aspects of complete streets, including innovative policies, success stories, and benefits. For more information: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs/environment-utsp-casestudy-cs72e-completes… Hope to see you on Tuesday! ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Traffic Calming, The National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy
by Mike Tutthill 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

** If you are having trouble viewing this e-mail, click here<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> . . .......... subscribe to the e-bulletin<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> français<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> visit our website<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> ........................................................................................... The National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (NCCHPP) seeks to increase the expertise of public health actors across Canada in healthy public policy through the development, sharing and use of knowledge. Contact us<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> . *_______________________________________________* . *In the Spotlight this Month - Traffic Calming *. Despite its advantages, motorized traffic has worrisome effects on determinants of health such as collisions, injuries and deaths, air quality, environmental noise and physical activity related to active transportation. Traffic calming offers a way to intervene on the built environment that has significant potential to mitigate these adverse effects and improve the health of exposed populations. *www.flickr.com / Payton Chung* * * In the coming months, the NCCHPP will release different resources related to traffic calming. Click here to learn more<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> . If you wish to be informed of the release of NCCHPP's resources in traffic calming, click here to go to our subscriptions page<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…>, and then check the box for "Traffic Calming". . *Traffic Calming: An Equivocal Concept * The concept of traffic calming encompasses interventions associated with different goals, objectives, principles and way of thinking about the street network and its problems. This briefing note clarifies three meanings of the concept of traffic calming by recounting the historical evolution of the concept. This approach allows for a description of the diverse goals, objectives and means associated with traffic calming. Click here to read more<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> . Click here to download the document<http://netmail.ccnpps.ca/redirect.aspx?id=228366&idcampagne=2317&url=http%3…> . PDF 856 K [image: Image - cover page of the document - click to download] -- Mike Tutthill Planning & Community Engagement Consultant HEALTH in COMMON 100-6 Donald Street Winnipeg, MB R3L 0K6 tel: 204.949.2002 1.800.731.1792 fax: 204.284.2404 email: mtutthill(a)healthincommon.ca web: www.healthincommon.ca +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *Health in Common on Facebook*<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Health-in-Common/120069149875> ü Please consider the environment before printing this email. *Coming to Health in Common?* *By bicycle: *Bicycle parking is located behind the building. *By Winnipeg transit: *Routes 62, 65, 66, 68, 70* *** *By car: *Two visitor parking spaces are available at the back of the building.* Street parking (restrictions): *Bell Avenue (1hr 9h00 – 17h30), Clarke Street (none); Lewis (none); Cauchon (none); River (none west of Clarke).

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Mayor of Vancouver to Sign Walk21 Charter
by Beth McKechnie 28 Sep '11

28 Sep '11

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here <http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=7uj76meab&v=001HZh_ryKk0…> *MEDIA RELEASE* *Mayor Robertson to sign the International Charter for Walking * at 12th International Walk21 Conference in Vancouver, October 2, 2011 VANCOUVER, September 27, 2011 - On October 2, Mayor Gregor Robertson will sign the International Charter for Walking on behalf of the City of Vancouver, reinforcing Vancouver's commitment to innovative and leading-edge best practices in walking and health promotion. The Walk21 International Charter for Walking has been signed by thousands of city councils, walking advocates and individuals around the world. It recognizes the benefits of walking as a key indicator of healthy, efficient, socially inclusive and sustainable communities and acknowledges the universal rights of people to be able to walk safely and to enjoy high quality public spaces anywhere and at anytime. Built on extensive discussions with experts throughout the world, it identifies the needs of people on foot and provides a common framework to help authorities refocus their existing policies, activities and relationships to create a culture where people choose to walk. The signing will take place at the opening reception of the 12th International Walk21 Conference, Transforming the Automobile City: Walking Steps Up! Hosted by Mayor Robertson, the reception will take place at the Creekside Community Centre in Olympic Village. Mayor Robertson will welcome over 500 speakers and delegates to the conference, which begins Monday, October 3 and runs until Wednesday, October 5 at SFU's Goldcorp Centre for the Arts and Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue. More information about the conference, including our online registration site, is available at www.walk21.com/vancouver<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7uj76meab&et=1107859999087&s=1713&e=001NvR18K…>or download the Backgrounder<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=7uj76meab&et=1107859999087&s=1713&e=001NvR18K…> . - 30 - Media contact information: Patty Loveridge Conference Manager Walk21 Metro Vancouver vancouver2011(a)walk21.com 604-360-8063 www.walk21.com/vancouver Forward email<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?llr=7uj76meab&m=1104240584348&ea=…> <http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001YEZk4OF20b4oPmxP68MARYRd4…> <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=TEM_Basic_206> This email was sent to beth(a)resourceconservation.mb.ca by vancouver2011(a)walk21.com | Update Profile/Email Address<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&mse=001YEZk4OF20b4oPmxP68MARYRd4…> | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe<http://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&mse=001YEZk4OF20b4oPmxP68MARYRd4…>™ | Privacy Policy <http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>. Walk21 | City of Vancouver | 453 West 12th Avenue | Vancouver | BC | V5Y 1V4 | Canada [image: Web Bug from http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?llr=7uj76meab&t=1107859999087.0.1104240584348.171…] -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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WFP: Volunteers to sample tourism on eastern Trans-Canada Trail
by Beth McKechnie 25 Sep '11

25 Sep '11

Volunteers to sample tourism on eastern Trans-Canada Trail http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/volunteers-to-sample-tourism-on-east… A volunteer group is the first bunch of trekkers to try a new commercial tourism package for the eastern Manitoba portion of the Trans-Canada Trail. About seven volunteers from the Manitoba Recreational Trails Association teamed up with Jim Bishop, chairman of the national Trans-Canada Trail, on Thursday to begin a four-day, 225-kilometre tour from Pine Falls to Falcon Lake by bike and shuttle. "You build it, you want to use it," said Ruth Marr, a volunteer who was instrumental in getting the section of the trail in shape. "We're having an opportunity to test some of the economic spinoffs from the trail." There will be stops at resorts along the way and meet-and-greets with local business people. The trail association is a network of volunteers who raise money to maintain the Trans-Canada Trail. Now, for the first time in Manitoba, the network is sharpening up its commercial focus with an eye to building ecotourism. The brains behind the commercial venture is Roy Hildebrand, co-founder of WE Hike and Bike, an ecotourism venture based in Pinawa. "The Border to Beaches trail is a dynamic asset right in our backyard," he said. "What the MRTA has done is provide a link, a network, for everyone who associated with the trail and there are seven groups along Borders to Beaches, local business people. We want to engage them and promote their sections." Based at the Wilderness Edge Retreat and Conference Centre in Pinawa, WE is setting up weekend tour packages, ranging from $300 to $500, to launch next spring.

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Active Transportation Canada - New Posts September 24, 2011
by Beth McKechnie 24 Sep '11

24 Sep '11

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Michael Haynes <activetransportation(a)rogers.com> Date: Sat, Sep 24, 2011 at 8:38 AM Subject: Active Transportation Canada - New Posts September 24, 2011 Thirty-five (35) new items have been posted on the Active Transportation-Canada Website. A complete list of titles may be found in the "Blog Archive" box, located on the right margin of the Website. Some sample new items: 1. Latest Hornby, Dunsmuir bike stats show 40% increase in trips since 2010<http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2011/09/09/latest-hornby-dunsmuir-bike-stats-show-…> 2. Jack Layton saw the future and it was on a bicycle<http://www.wheels.ca/article/799545> 3. U.S. - A New List of Top Walking Cities Reveals Surprises<http://shareable.net/blog/a-new-list-of-top-walking-cities-reveals-surprise…> Active Transportation Canada URL: <http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com/> http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com A "Search" function is available on the site. You will find this at the bottom of the page. With more than 1,000 items posted on Active Transportation - Canada, there are links available to dozens of studies and hundreds of news items from communities across Canada and the world. If anyone has a problem reading this message, please let me know. I welcome suggestions for posts, so if you have news items featuring your community, please share them with the other subscribers from Canada, the US, and Australia on Active Transportation-Canada. Thank you. Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions

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ELECTION 2011 - Active Transportation PROMISES
by Janice Lukes 24 Sep '11

24 Sep '11

Hi AT folks - please feel free to circulate widely, I've summarized the various political parties active transportation PROMISES that we've heard / seen so far. I have not listened to last night's CTV debate - if any brilliant AT promises were made please tell me. See complete details of all parties promises: <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/09/23/election-promises/> http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/09/23/election-promises/ * The Progressive Conservatives put their "PROVINCIALLY" focused promise directly into their healthcare platform - in black and white - and on the web. This promise has a PROVINCIAL focus. * The New Democratic Party did a press release on an AREA infrastructure promise - in black and white and on the web. This promise is for one specific area. * All parties have given verbal "PROVINCIAL" verbal promises. 1. A promise in black and white / on the web is far more desirable than a verbal promise from a politician - in my opinion. 2. Area specific infrastructure promises are fantastic! BUT - these are 'one offs' and virtually always requiring extensive months / years of advocacy from volunteers. Currently the Province of Manitoba has NO active transportation plan, no policy, no point people, no developed expertise. SUGGESTION: IF you are speaking to any NDP candidates - tell them you want to see - in writing - a "PROVINCIALLY" focused promise. Tell them you would like to see a promise in WRITING for: - a provincial active transportation policy - a director of active transportation - an active transportation advisory board (see complete details http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/08/23/provincial-election-2011/ ) Perhaps hand them the black and white promise the Progressive Conservatives have made on Page 11, found here: http://www.pcmanitoba.com/assets/downloads/healthy%20communities.pdf Looking forward to October 4th! apologies if you have received this email more than once! Janice Janice Lukes Manager, Special Projects - Winnipeg Trails Winnipeg Trails Association 235-614 Des Meurons Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2P9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) <tel:%28204%29%20237-4618> 237-4618 <mailto:jlukes@riverswest.ca> jlukes(a)riverswest.ca <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/> www.WinnipegTrails.ca Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group

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350.org Moving Planet Manitoba - Moving to a fossil free future TOMORROW Sep 24
by Beth McKechnie 23 Sep '11

23 Sep '11

Please distribute widely: Bring your family, friends, and neighbours. Join us on bikes, on skates, on a board, or on foot to be part of a global rally to get moving on the climate crisis - *TOMORROW Sat Sep 24*. This will be a day of family fun, education, and solutions for the future of our planet. http://www.moving-planet.org/events/ca/winnipeg/559 The celebration will begin at *noon with a foot/bike parade from the Legislature building* down the Assiniboine bike path to The FORKS. Meet at the fountain south of the leg at noon. This parade event is open to all and will start at 12:30 SHARP. *At The Forks from 1:30 pm our main stage* will host speakers and performers including dance groups and two live bands. We will have inspiring speakers on climate change hopes and realities, First Nation's wisdom, art, and youth. Former Blue Bomber Troy Westwood will also share a few thoughts. *Eco-friendly businesses and organizations will exhibit **until 5:00 pm **at our Eco-Fair*, under The Forks canopy. They will highlight solutions for Manitobans to move toward a sustainable future. Come out to enjoy the sun and to *engage with the people who are working on a better future now*.

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Montreal tops in North America: International survey of bike-friendly cities
by Beth McKechnie 21 Sep '11

21 Sep '11

Montreal tops in North America International survey cites Bixi and other infrastructure initiatives by 'visionary politicians' in ranking city eighth in the world By RENÉ BRUEMMER, The Gazette September 21, 2011 http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Montreal+tops+North+America/5433520/s… Montreal has placed among the top 10 in a survey of the world's most bike-friendly cities, earning the highest ranking of any metropolis in North America. The Bicycle-Friendly Cities 2011 index, compiled by urban-planning Danish consulting firm Copenhagenize that specializes in cycling issues, noted that even the survey producers were surprised cities like Montreal, Rio de Janeiro and New York were among the top 20. The firm looked at 80 major cities around the world. "Montreal is North America's premiere bicycle city and comes in at No. 8.," Copenhagenize writes. "The city has had a bicycle infrastructure since the mid-'80s, which should embarrass other cities on that continent, and the rebirth of bicycle culture is noticeable across the city. "A strong, successful bike-sharing program has been implemented and a strong advocacy NGO (Vélo Québec), together with some visionary politicians, make the bicycle's future in Montreal look rosy." Montreal has expanded its bicycle network in recent years, to a total of 535 kilometres, with the intention of increasing it to 800 kilometres by 2015. Bixi, the bicycle sharing network, has proven extremely popular. The cities that came before Montreal were Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Tokyo, Berlin, Munich and Paris. Among North American cities, only Portland (13), San Francisco (17) and New York (20) made it into the top 20. The ranking is one of many in recent years to acknowledge Montreal's ascendancy in the bicycling realm, noted Martine Painchaud, a spokesperson for the mayor's office. "We are very happy about this, but it is important to note that this did not come about by chance," Painchaud said. "It came from a political vision that Mayor (Gérald) Tremblay had to enact policies that would create a culture of cycling in Montreal, and that included cycling as part of its overall transportation plan. . The idea was for it to become not just a pastime, but a means of transportation." The investments have paid off, Painchaud said, with the number of Montrealers who say they sometimes use a bicycle as a means of public transit jumping from 25 per cent in 2000 to nearly 50 per cent in 2010. And Bixi is up to 40,000 members. There is still room for improvement, however, note the authors of the index. The infrastructure must be expanded, because "funnelling the many cyclists down single streets is not the best way to encourage more cycling." Similarly, the authors suggest Montreal graduate from bi-directional on-street bike lanes, and instead put lanes on both sides of the street, for safety reasons. It also suggests retailers must offer more European-style bicycles with high handlebars and high seats that can be used in regular clothes, as opposed to the racing-type bikes commonly sold. And offer Bixi year-round, it suggests. The Copenhagenize Index gave cities marks for their efforts toward re-establishing the bicycle as an accepted and feasible form of transport. Cities were scored on 13 criteria, including bicycle culture (are regular citizens using it?), bicycle infrastructure, presence of a bikesharing program and the level of social acceptance (how do drivers and the community at large regard urban cyclists?). Montreal's bike network has been experiencing growing pains of late, with the de Maisonneuve bike path considered one of the busiest in North America, and pedestrians, drivers and cyclists all jockeying for space in the changing vehicular landscape, often with their elbows up. Painchaud noted that with the growth, there is a need to adapt, and the city is in constant evolution. Copenhagenize CEO Mikael Colville-Anderson said the city must move away from the car-centred culture of the past. "Montreal is 'crowded' simply because the city still treats bicycle users as second-class citizens, funnelling them down chosen streets instead of providing separated infrastructure on the main arteries," he wrote in an email. "You must build infrastructure where people want to ride - instead of forcing them to ride where YOU want them to ride. 'You' means the city." Montreal commuters of all stripes can perhaps gain solace in Amsterdam, perennial front-runner in cycling friendly cities, which has established peace among its many different forms of transit. "The cycling atmosphere (in Amsterdam) is relaxed, enjoyable, and as mainstream as you can get. This is the one place on the planet where fearmongering about cycling is nonexistent and it shows." rbruemmer(a)montrealgazette.com © Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

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Very significant NDP 'promise' announced last night !
by Janice Lukes 21 Sep '11

21 Sep '11

This looks like a big email - and it is - but contains VERY significant active transportation - election - information - please circulate widely. Last night, at 5:00 pm - in Erna Braun's (MLA Rossmere) campaign office - Premier Selinger, flanked by NDP candidates from Concordia, Elmwood, Radisson, and River East announced to 20+ area residents - that if re-elected - they would build a safe pedestrian / cycle crossing (bridge) over the Perimeter Hwy from the Northeast Pioneers Greenway into the RM of St. Paul. See Sigrun Bailey's (Co-Chair of River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee) email below. Sigrun, a resident of NK, was in attendance at the event. Some may have a hard time understanding the significance of this safe pedestrian / cycle crossing over the Perimeter - There is a BIG PICTURE VISION to what seems to be a whole bunch of bits and pieces - I'll try to briefly summarize: CentrePort: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/08/22/centreports-impact-on-active-transpo rtation/ - as per the Manitoba's Director of Highway Planning & Design, and with the development of CentrePort - "over the next 20 years, traffic volume on the Perimeter Hwy is projected to go from 14,500 to 40,000 vehicles / day". Infrastructure changes on the Perimeter Hwy are occurring around the city to develop the Perimeter into expressway. In the north east quadrant, the interchange of the Perimeter and Hwy 59 is undergoing an $80 - $100 Million overhaul projected to be completed by 2017. RM of East St.Paul: - according to the latest census, East St. Paul is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Manitoba. Birds Hill Provincial Park: - the most heavily used Provincial Park in Manitoba - Conservation / Park officials identify need to reduce 'stress' on the park and support trail systems leading out of park onto floodway Northeast Pioneers Greenway: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/trails-maps/northeast-pioneers-greenwaynew/ - the most heavily used trail in Manitoba - primarily used by area residents Economic Benefits Provincial Cycle Tourism: - see story Margo Goodhand, Free Press editor wrote last Saturday on cycle tourism & economic benefits in Wisconsin: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/Wisconsins-cycling-secrets--13002077 3.html - see economic benefits in the Province of Quebec from the 'RouteVert' cycle tourism route: page 16 in Greater Strides report to Province of Manitoba: http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pdf/atag_report6.pdf - google economic benefits and you will see countless other examples. The Long and Winding Trail from Winnipeg to Birds Hill Provincial Park & Lockport: 2004 - Red River Floodway Expansion is announced: see Page 3 http://www.floodwayauthority.mb.ca/pdf/floodnewsletter_all.pdf 2004 - Rivers West enables formation of Red River Floodway Trails Coalition 2004 -2006 Multiple studies investigating recreational opportunities were conducted by the Manitoba Floodway Authority http://www.floodwayauthority.mb.ca/reports.html & Rivers West http://www.riverswest.ca/index.cfm?pageID=5 and see page 5 http://www.floodwayauthority.mb.ca/pdf/newsletter_08_11_05.pdf 2006 - John Buhler engage City of Winnipeg in purchase of Marconi rail line - to convert into multi use trail 2007 - at grand opening of the 'Northeast Pioneers Greenway' then Premier Doer states this trail will ultimately connect to Birds Hill Provincial Park. 2007 - The Forks /Paul Jordan (then co-chair of Winnipeg Trails Association), Bike to the Future, River West, River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee initiate discussions with RM St. Paul for 'The Forks National Historic Site to Birds Hill Provincial Park' trail connection 2008 - Phase one of Winnipeg's Rapid Transit is announced - and will include separate active transportation / cycling pathway 2009- construction of asphalt trails on floodway begin - note an asphalt trail from Birds Hill Park to Lockport is also being constructed (attached is a DRAFT - which will be finalized and on WTA website next week) 2010 - following strong advocacy, City of Winnipeg includes separated pedestrian /cycle bridge for Northeast Pioneers Greenway users to SAFELY cross over the $100M Chief Peguis Expansion (Chief Peguis Expansion another key link in CentrePort transportation route) construction of pedestrian / equestrian / cycle bridge over 59 Hwy connecting Birds Hill Park to Floodway begins summer 2011 - Manitoba Floodway Authority highlights overall recreational plan Page 3 http://www.floodwayauthority.mb.ca/pdf/floodway_nwsltr_eng_2011.pdf summer 2011 - Winnipeg Trails Association, River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee, Prairie Pathfinders Hiking Club, One Green City, & Bike to the Future launch Winnipeg to Birds Hill Awareness Campaign - citing the need to include SAFE active transportation in the PTH 101 / PTH 59 interchange $80-$100 M rehabilitation fall 2011 - NDP promise 'if re-elected' they will build a safe pedestrian / cycle crossing over the Perimeter Hwy. The Future: The dream is to go from University of Manitoba through the city of Winnipeg to Birds Hill Park and then to Lockport on a completely separate multi use pathway - and while there are still a few missing pieces that need to come together - I and many others are confident this will occur within the next 5 years. Yet to occur: In Winnipeg: - a separate pathway from Chalmers to The Forks (route has been identified) - safe / civilized pedestrian cycling crossing on Osborne under the rail line (in City of Winnipeg 5 year budget projection and will have to occur as rail line needs maintenance overhaul) - Phase Two of Rapid Transit to U of M (also to include an active transportation pathway) - perhaps in the next 4 years? the Stadium's location at U of M is helping move Phase Two up the ladder of priorities In RM Birds Hill: - asphalting / upgrading of Raleigh / Gateway route which is currently on roadway Floodway: - Dunning Road crossing is currently seasonal and related to floodway levels - a separated year around route is being investigated by Manitoba Floodway Authority Lockport: - the trail is being constructed and refinements into Lockport will occur in the next few years. In Summary: Many many folks & organizations have been working towards this vision. HUGE HUGE thank yous to all who have helped the vision get this far. BUT The development of CentrePort - positioning Manitoba as a 'global transportation hub' - will impact countless pedestrian and cycling crossings in the year to come- in Winnipeg and in Manitoba. There are opportunities to enable SAFE pedestrian and cycling crossings in the development of this trucking network - as we've are seeing in the Forks / Birds Hill / Lockport / Floodway trail BUT STRONG / NON STOP / HARD CORE ADVOCACY was required - I know I've been involved since 2004 and it hasn't been an easy ride at all to get to last night's announcement! IF the Province had a Provincial Active Transportation policy - gov't would consider active transportation when they are investing billions of tax payers dollars into roadways. Pedestrians and cyclists would have far higher odds of having SAFE transportation routes and crossings. We have yet to hear a FORMAL commitment from any party stating they would implement an Provincial Active Transportation Policy. When candidates come knocking - please stress the need for a Provincial Active Transportation policy. Provincial Election Active Transportation details can be found here: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/08/23/provincial-election-2011/ Janice Lukes Manager, Special Projects - Winnipeg Trails Winnipeg Trails Association 235-614 Des Meurons Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2P9 Cell (204) 952-4222 Fax (204) <tel:%28204%29%20237-4618> 237-4618 <mailto:jlukes@riverswest.ca> jlukes(a)riverswest.ca <http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/> www.WinnipegTrails.ca Member of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory Committee Chair, Province of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group -----Original Message----- From: Sigrun Bailey [mailto:sigrun.bailey@gmail.com] Sent: September 20, 2011 6:58 PM To: undisclosed-recipients: Subject: Important AT Announcement Today Premier Selinger along with all of the NDP candidates in the NE quadrant of the City promised to build a safe crossing (flyover) of the Northeast Pioneers Greenway at the Perimeter Hwy. If they get elected it will be one of the first things they do! It will be a joyous day for AT. Our vision of connecting The Forks National Historic Site to Birds Hill Provincial Park is one step closer to reality. Sigrun RENN-TC, Co-Chair

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MRTA Job Posting
by Beth McKechnie 19 Sep '11

19 Sep '11

Manitoba Recreational Trails Association EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Manitoba Recreational Trails Association (MRTA) is seeking an Executive Director to join our team. The MRTA is a volunteer based, non-profit organization, whose primary purpose is the management of the Trans Canada Trail in Manitoba. The MRTA represents 18 regional trail associations who are tasked with the construction and maintenance of the Trans Canada Trail. The successful candidate should have experience working independently while managing multiple demands. They should have in-depth experience with volunteer boards and a demonstrated background in liaising effectively with government agencies. Effective communication to maintain close partnerships with our regional trails groups is vital. The successful applicant should possess a thorough understanding of volunteer sector issues, marketing and fundraising. Training and/or experience in project management would be considered an asset, including budget plan development and execution. The Executive Director also must possess strong oral and written communication skills and excel at organizing, time management, prioritizing and problem solving. A valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is essential. Must be available to work evenings and weekends as required and travel extensively throughout Manitoba. A more detailed job description, including salary range, is available at the MRTA website: www.mrta.mb.ca Send resume and cover letter in confidence by September 30th 2011 to: margaret {at} mrta.mb.ca Only candidates to be interviewed will be contacted. No phone calls please. Regards, Margaret Boyechko Administration Assistant/Bookkeeper Manitoba Recreational Trails Association 1007 Century Street Winnipeg, MB R3H 0W4 204-633-9879 204-945-1365 (fax) www.mrta.mb.ca *"In every walk with nature one receives * *far more than he seeks."* - John Muir

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WFP: Snow-shovelling relief on way for some
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '11

14 Sep '11

[See highlighted paragraphs at end of article regarding snow removal on pathways and AT routes...] Snow-shovelling relief on way for some City to improve lane plowing where front access lacking By: Jen Skerritt Posted: 09/14/2011 THE bad news is Winnipeggers with back lanes will still have to dig out of windrows this winter. The good news is relief may be on the way for some neighbourhoods in 2012. On Tuesday, city council's public works committee approved a plan to spend an additional $50,000 to remove windrows and enhance snow-clearing in back lanes with no front-street access in 2012 and beyond. That means residents in neighbourhoods such as Wildwood Park will no longer have to shovel their way through piles of snow to back out of their lanes. Public works director Brad Sacher said some residents in neighbourhoods such as Wildwood Park and parts of Transcona don't have a front street to park on because they are bordered by sidewalks or parks. In these areas, Sacher said wider back lanes essentially function as front streets. "They literally would have to shovel their way out to get to these paths that we had created," Sacher said. "It wasn't working very well with those residents." If the plan is approved by executive policy committee and then council, Sacher said snowplows will clear those back lanes and remove any windrows left behind by plows. In neighbourhoods where residents with back lanes also have front streets, Sacher said there will not be any changes to how plows clear snow from the back lanes. At the same time, the city will consider a plan to spend an additional $250,000 in 2012 to clear more snow from active transportation routes. Sacher said the idea is to encourage more people to use the trails for recreation and to commute during the winter. Last year, the city spent about $125,000 to plow active transportation trails, and Sacher said the new routes that could be targeted would be determined with input from commuter cyclists and recreational users. The city does not track how many people cycle during the winter, but Sacher said the department suspects it is on the rise. "It's a significant increase in the number of trails we're going to be able to address," he said. Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasi said more people are using active transportation corridors than ever before and the move is a positive step for the city. "There are more hardy winter riders," Gerbasi said. jen.skerritt(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Bicyclists top million commuting miles - Pedalling to, from work shows value
by Beth McKechnie 14 Sep '11

14 Sep '11

Bicyclists top million commuting miles Pedaling to, from work shows value 7:01 AM, Sep. 8, 2011 http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110908/APC0101/109080473/Bicyclists-t… For Neenah resident Gregg Warning, getting serious about bicycling this year has paid short- and long-term benefits. Since last spring, Warning, 50, has logged about 2,500 miles commuting to work by leaving his van parked at his home and biking nine miles to the UPS Center on the north side of Oshkosh. Two weeks after starting his bike commute, Warning lost 10 pounds and found himself more alert and full of energy at work. He also noticed a difference in his wallet. "It's (saving) like the price of a gallon of gas per day — at least $20 a week in fuel," Warning said. He is among the nearly 4,600 bicyclists statewide who have logged more than 1 million miles going to and from work since May 16 as part of the Scott Get Up and Ride Wisconsin Bike Challenge. The challenge, which ends Sept. 30, surpassed the 1 million mile mark last week. All challenge participants and bicycling enthusiasts are invited to help celebrate the milestone and other biking-related successes in the Fox Valley at Fed Fest on Saturday at Appleton's City Park. It is one of several events scheduled across the state by the Bike Federation of Wisconsin to promote bicycling, recognize the bike challenge success and spread the word about Share & Be Aware, a statewide safety program sponsored by the state Department of Transportation. Scott Reilly, of Appleton, a BFW Share & Be Aware ambassador, has been attending public events such as farmer's markets, festivals and concerts while also teaching bike safety and skills classes to spread the word about the safety program launched earlier this year. There have been 32 bike and pedestrian fatalities in Wisconsin so far this year. The safety program's basic messages are: bicyclists and motorists must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk; bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as a motorist, including stopping at red lights and stop signs; and motorists by law need to leave at least three feet of space when passing someone on a bicycle. "Our goal is to educate drivers, bicyclists and the general public on our shared responsibilities on the roads here in the state by attending public events and offering classes on bike safety with the hope of reducing the number of accidents involving bikes and automobiles," Reilly said. *— Michael King: 920-729-6622, ext. 33, or mking(a)postcrescent.com* Wisconsin Bike Challenge at a glance Official name: Scott Get Up and Ride Wisconsin<http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110908/APC0101/109080473/Bicyclists-t…>Bike Challenge Teams registered: 1,188 Riders: 4,546 Distance: 1,094,653 miles (as of Wednesday) Calories burned: 36.6 billion CO2 saved: 556,578 pounds Dollars saved: $275,553 On the Web: www.challenge.bfw.org Source: www.endomondo.com

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The Promise x THREE
by Janice Lukes 14 Sep '11

14 Sep '11

Hi AT folks I must share this news with you - can barely type it out! Pass this on to your members / friends / anyone interested in AT. Tonight I attended the CAA election forum on infrastructure, consumer and safety issues at the Free Press News Cafe. (photo attached) http://www.caamanitoba.com/eblasts/elections2011/2011.09.02-PGA-0018_Electio nEblast.html - Dan Lett Free Press columnist moderated. - A lot of heavy weights were there asking questions - CAA President, MPI Insurance, AMM President, and others. - Jeremy Hull from Bike to the Future also attended and asked a question on education / road safety. As a CAA member and WTA representative - I was able to ask a question of the three candidates - Goertzen, Mackintosh and Stewart. Fortunately Mackintosh - through previous questions from the audience - spoke multiple times of how the NDP were 4 years into an unprecedented $4B roadways investment and how CentrePort investment was going to be the 'jewel' of Canada from a transportation perspective - thus setting the stage for my question/s. I spoke as a 'vulnerable road user' (explaining the MPI term), articulating that we too pay taxes to use roads - spoke of current situation: - as these billions of roadways money were being spend - the complete lack of an AT policy meant there was no lens of active transportation being use to consider AT opportunities - not one single person in gov't solely dedicated to AT - simply no mechanism to gather public input on AT issues Then highlighted the Greater Strides report with 25 recommendations - a PLAN - which was released in a ditch in Southdale this June - and 500 printed copies were sitting in a closet in gov't offices and were not being distributed for purely political reasons (and gave them each a copy) - and asked the QUESTION: Within one year of becoming elected - would your government commit to: 1. developing a Provincial active transportation policy 2. dedicate full time resources to oversee implementation of policy, education and AT planning 3. ensure formation of an avenue to gather public input / advice? I did not highlight these are the three actions that are resulting in the City being so successful in moving AT forward - there is always a friction between the two levels of gov't. Each one of them, said yes - and as the first one started to ramble an answer ( I believe it was Mackintosh) I interrupted - articulating the question to get a black and white answer vs jargon - Dan Lett jumped in, drilled them a bit more on it - and YES - they all clearly said these were significant points in light of the increase in public's engagement of active transportation AND they would commit to these actions. POST FORUM I went up to each one of them to AGAIN confirm - and yes - Goertsen said it was in the PC health announcement from today - and exact details would be forthcoming soon Mackintosh said yes - for sure - but wasn't sure how the public input aspect would look exactly I thanked Stewart for being involved in tonight's event. VALUE OF AN ELECTION PROMISE: In last Provincial election - NDP promised WTA $1.8 M They delivered on every single penny (albeit with some heavy handed hounding) - WTA used the promise to leverage an additional $5M in trail funding from Feds / City and private for trails and trailheads. VALUE OF AN ELECTION PROMISE . . . x THREE: can it get any better ? the odds seem very good. Am now hoping we have a more 'official' AT announcement from each party - I expect it will occur. If I can get recording in an an MPwhatever format - I will pass it on also. this is almost surreal. Janice Lukes

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Workshop: Filling the Gaps in St Boniface’s Cycling Network
by Mark Cohoe 13 Sep '11

13 Sep '11

Join Bike to the Future on Tuesday September 27th at the Norwood Community Centre for a community workshop to help refine the cycling network in St. Boniface. * learn more about the city’s cycling routes in your neighbourhood * discuss barriers to cycling in St. Boniface * discuss the best opportunities to overcome those barriers * help us fill in the gaps where existing routes don’t quite connect * free bike valet service <http://www.bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca/> *When*: Tuesday September 27th, 2011 6:00-6:15 pm—Registration (Bike Ride & Sessions) 6:15-7:30 pm—Neighbourhood Bike Ride (optional) 7:30-7:45 pm—Snacks/Late Registration (Sessions Only) 7:45-9:45 pm—Short Presentation & Breakout Sessions *Where*: Norwood Community Centre, 87 Walmer Street (see map <http://maps.google.com/maps?q=norwood+community+centre&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&h…>) We want to know where you cycle to and from, which routes you like best, which routes you avoid, and where you encounter barriers. Most importantly, we want to hear how you think barriers can be removed from the cycling network, and where the best opportunities exist to improve cycling connections in and around St. Boniface. We’ll start the evening with a short neighbourhood ride (see map <http://biketothefuture.org/attachments/0000/1687/st-b-neighbourhood-ride-ma…>) highlighting existing infrastructure, barriers and opportunities (see map). Registration for the ride will run from 6:00 – 6:15pm in front of the Community Centre. We’ll head out at 6:15 sharp, traveling approximately 13km at a moderate pace. All ride participants must have a roadworthy bike, and should have the skills necessary to be confident riding in traffic. If you can’t fit the neighbourhood ride into your schedule, feel free to take advantage of the late registration from 7:30 until 7:45 and join us for the remainder of the workshop. After a snack and quick overview of cycling facilities being used in Winnipeg and other cities, we’ll break into groups and get down to the business of making St. Boniface a better place to bike. Each group will be asked to focus in on 2-3 three specific areas or issues, and will summarize their discussion and ideas at the end of the evening. Following the workshop, we’ll compile your ideas and discussion into a public report that we will bring forward to the city’s active transportation committee, where we will push for improvements to the cycling network in St. Boniface. If you can't make it to the workshop, please send you ideas to markc(a)biketothefuture.org Event Poster <http://biketothefuture.org/attachments/0000/1686/st-boniface-at-network-wor…> Map of Neighbourhood Ride <http://biketothefuture.org/attachments/0000/1687/st-b-neighbourhood-ride-ma…>

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Provincial candidate forum on the environment - September 14, 7pm
by Jessie Klassen 13 Sep '11

13 Sep '11

Apologies if you've already seen this! *Provincial candidate forum on the environment * This Wednesday, candidates from the NDP, Progressive Conservatives, Liberals and Greens square off for a provincial environment forum. The event is organized by the Manitoba Eco-Network, Green Action Centre, the Provincial Council of Women and the Green Action Committee of the First Unitarian Church. Candidates from all parties intending to run candidates across the province were invited to participate. The forum will be moderated by CBC Radio’s Terry MacLeod. “Many of Manitobans' key concerns this election such as water quality in Lake Winnipeg, greenhouse gas emissions or hydro-electric development are environmental issues. This forum will give the public a chance to hear all the party positions, to ask important questions and to decide for themselves which platform will best promote sustainability in Manitoba” said event coordinator, Josh Brandon. Who: Jennifer Howard, NDP candidate, Fort Rouge, Heather Stefanson, PC candidate, Tuxedo Paul Hesse, Liberal candidate, Fort Rouge James Beddome, Green candidate Wolseley Where: First Unitarian Church 603 Wellington Crescent. When: Wednesday, September 14, 7:00 pm Event website: http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/provincial-election-forum/ Contact: Josh Brandon. Manitoba Eco-Network, (204) 898-6460 ------------------------------

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How young is too young to bike with your kid?
by Beth McKechnie 10 Sep '11

10 Sep '11

How young is too young to bike with your kid? madeleine white From Friday's Globe and Mail Published Thursday, Jul. 28, 2011 4:54PM EDT http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/young-children/children-trend… Biking has always been a big part of Todd Beernink’s life. The Vancouver resident has worked as a bike courier, competed in cycling races and uses a bicycle as his main mode of transportation. Then his son Tayo was born. Mr. Beemink wanted to start riding with his baby as soon as possible. “I would get so excited thinking about my son enjoying something I enjoy too,” he says. But his in-laws weren’t so excited. In fact, they were terrified. To allay their concerns – and his own – Mr. Beernink reconfigured an old bike trailer to hold his son’s car seat. He knew that most cycling safety sites warn against infants under one wearing helmets, since a baby’s neck is too weak to support the weight. So he improvised and put toques and blankets around Tayo so that his head was cushioned and didn’t have much room to move. It was his imperfect solution: All cyclists and passengers are required to wear a helmet under B.C. law. By the age of three months, Tayo was hooked into his five-point harness in the car seat and fastened into the trailer. His father still vividly remembers their first ride together, in January. “I rode so slow that my fingers froze because my heart rate was so low,” he said. “There were dogs passing us.It took us an hour and a half to go five kilometres.” The ride was a success, and he’s been cycling with Tayo since. But having been in a few accidents before he had a child, he’s well aware that biking comes with risks. And given that, beyond city safety by-laws, there are no federal guidelines for cycling with kids, he and other parents are left to answer for themselves a critical question: How young is too young to bike with a baby on board? One vocal opponent to parents riding with their babies is Pat Hines, founder and executive director of Safe Moves, a safety organization in the United States. In an online video, Ms. Hines flatly states: “There is no age when a child should go on a bicycle with a parent … Who would want to take a chance of the child falling? Even if you weren’t in danger of being hit by a car, just a slip, the baby goes down and the baby would go down very hard.” Jennifer Gruden, a Toronto mother of two boys, shares Ms. Hines’s fear of falling, especially since she was in a serious crash when she was 25. It took two years of physiotherapy to fully recover from the accident, caused by a dog rushing up and clipping her wheel . A doctor told her that if she hadn’t been wearing a helmet, she would have cracked her skull. So when she became a mother, Ms. Gruden decided against biking with her son Noah, now 5, until he was old enough to wear a helmet. Ms. Gruden is now looking forward to biking with her second baby, who’s six months old. This time around, though, she expects to try a bike trailer – generally considered the safest way to transport kids, since it’s low to the ground in the case of a fall – rather than the front-facing bike seat that Noah rode in. “It is a sliding scale for me,” she says. “From zero to 12 months, it’s not worth it to me to put him on a bike. From one to three, I think it’s about picking the time and place and using a trailer. But after that, I feel that the risks turn around – if you’re not as a family doing [physical] activities, then there are long-term health risk that are too easy to ignore.” But the health benefits of cycling are limited to safe roads, she says. Without bike lanes, Ms. Gruden said she would be too nervous to commute on busy roads with her sons. She admits that she probably wouldn’t ride daily with her older son if they lived downtown. Cycling advocate Todd Litman, Executive Director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, says many people overestimate the risk of riding with children. “There is no greater risk to biking with children than there is taking them in a car,” says Mr. Litman, who rode a bike with his sons (now university-aged) when they were three weeks old. Statistics Canada does not collect data on how many parents bike with their kids. But it does monitor cycling fatalities involving young children. According to StatsCan, no children aged zero to four died from being on a bike with their parents from 2001 to 2007. That reassures Edmonton mom Sarah Chan, who rigged a platform on her Madsen cargo bike for her son Dexter’s car seat when he was four months old.“There is a whole culture of fear around parenting, and it doesn’t begin or end with a bike,” says Ms. Chan. “If parents are careful on their bikes, it isn’t that dangerous. It’s actually fun.” Especially for Dexter who, now age two, sits up in her cargo bucket, pointing and waving to passers-by. And much to his mom’s delight, he copies her hand signals when they’re out in traffic.

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Ciclovia: Coming September 11!
by Jessie Klassen 08 Sep '11

08 Sep '11

*Ciclovia* is back for the third year *Sunday, September 11th from 11am to 8pm*! Ciclovia is a huge street festival and active transportation celebration! There are street closures from Assiniboine Park to The Forks, with many activities, kiosks, and displays on Broadway Avenue. Ciclovia info <http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/>(including a route map and a list of activities/kiosks/displays) Ciclovia needs over 200 volunteers to make the day a success. If you are able to give some time, sign up to volunteer<http://manyfest.volunteerhub.com/SignIn.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Default.aspx>and receive a free T-shirt, meal voucher, and more. *Also, we are in huge need of marshals for the Ciclovia route. This position was not posted on the Ciclovia hub, given the need for a specific type of volunteer. Please call Stephanie at 958-4621 if you can help with marshalling!* *If you know anyone that would like to take part in our free block-long garage sale on Sunday between 11am-8pm, please have them call Rose at 958-4636.* Also, if you would like to like us on Facebook and share with your contacts, that would be awesome - plus there's a chance to win! *Like us on Facebook…and win!* Like ManyFestWinnipeg on Facebook and enter to win a Downtown Star Treatment. *Like CicloviaWinnipeg on Facebook and enter to win a* *$500-value prize package at Mountain Equipment Co-op.* *http://www.facebook.com/manyfestwinnipeg* *http://www.facebook.com/CicloviaWinnipeg* Thanks for your help and I hope to see you there! ** ** ** ** **** * * *SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11* * * *part of * *MANYFEST: ALL TOGETHER DOWNTOWN!* *SEPTEMBER 9 TO 11 ON BROADWAY!* Join downtown’s biggest street party! Enjoy many events over one weekend this September, with music, light, art, dance, wine, food and fun on Broadway in the heart of downtown ****Winnipeg****! Bring a tin for the bin for Winnipeg Harvest. Cash donations gratefully accepted in support of Change for the Better, providing jobs to the less fortunate. *Last year it was* *Lights on Broadway: Five Events, One Weekend, *this year it's Many Events - ManyFest! The north side of Broadway will be closed to traffic. www.manyfest.ca**** ** ** ** ** *Ciclovia * *Sunday, Sept. 11, 11am-8pm* Walk, jog or cycle all the way from ****Assiniboine** **Park**** to The Forks during this eco-friendly festival. Stop at Broadway to enjoy a farmers’ market, music, fitness demos, kids zone, bike show, garage sale and more!**** ** ** *Featured Ciclovia Actvities* - A Soap Box ****Derby**** by Ace Art **** - RBC Blue Water Zone, with 1,500 collapsible water bottles to give away in their zone **** - 2nd annual Tweed Ride - Wear your newsboy or slouch hat, bring your parasol, knickers, pipe, vest, pantaloons and anything tweed circa early 1900s for a bike ride in Winnipeg! (Departure at 2pm) **** - Bike Show: bring out your old bikes, fancy bikes, pretty bikes! **** - Community groups still wanted for displays! Call Rose at 958-4636. **** - Bike Valet: Leave your bike or stroller for free! (Memorial Park, Broadway at Osborne). Hours: Friday and Saturday: 11:30am – 11:30pm; Sunday: 7:30am – 8:30pm. Location: In Memorial Park on Broadway at ****Osborne Street****. **** ** ** (Music in orange; fitness in black.)**** *Memorial Stage* 11:00am Enjoy Your Pumas**** 11:45 Prenatal/Postnatal Fitness **** 12:30 Fire & Smoke**** 1:15 Belly Dancing**** 2:00 Tom Foolery**** 2:45 Zumba**** 3:30 Craig & Ash**** 4:15 Zumbatonic**** 5:00 Retro Rhythm Review**** 5:45 Body Combat**** 6:30 Mike & The Eastwood Gang**** 7:15 Cha Cha**** ** ** *****Carlton****** Stage* 11:00am Zumba**** 11:45 Flying Fox & Hunter Gatherers **** 12:30 Spin Class**** 1:15 Melissa Plett & These Guys**** 2:00 Spin Class**** 2:45 Drum Cafe**** 3:30 Zumba**** 4:15 Les Jupes**** 5:00 Spin Class**** 5:45 The Kathy Kennedy Blues Band**** 6:30 Zumba**** 7:15 Tree**** *After party at the Pony Corral Downtown!* ** ** **** *SCHEDULE OF MANYFEST EVENTS * ** ** *Giant Movie in the Park – **NEW THIS YEAR!*** *Friday, Sept. 9, starting at sun down, approx 8pm* Roll out your blanket in Memorial Park and watch a movie on a giant outdoor screen under the stars! The movie is Toy Story 3. Sponsored by S&J Construction. **** ** ** *Lights on Broadway * *Saturday, Sept. 10, starting at sun down, approx 8pm* Stroll beneath Broadway’s lit elm trees, and add your own touch of warmth with a complimentary candle – while supplies last! Get a glimpse of what the final permanent, year round tree lighting design could look like, courtesy of Epic Production Technologies, winner of last year’s lighting design competition. Sponsored by ****Manitoba**** Hydro.**** ** ** *Big Dance on Broadway * *Saturday, Sept. 10, 4pm-11pm* It's a dance party like no other with two stages playing various genres of music. Jive, swing, bop and groove beneath a canopy of light. Sponsored by * ***Winnipeg**** Arts Council.**** ** ** *Music on Memorial* 4:00pmTed ****Kernoski Square**** Dancers**** 5:15 Sol James featuring Heitha Forsythe**** 6:45 Tune Raiders**** 7:45 Paradize Band**** 9:15 Big J **Harrison** Big Band **** *Dance on Carlton* 4:00pmTwo Dollar Pistol**** 5:15 Hip Hop lessons with Loa Olafson**** 6:15 Tye Dye Adam**** 7:45 Viva Brasil Capoiera**** 9:00 DJ Penny Lane**** ** ** *After party at the Pony Corral Downtown!* ** ** *****Winnipeg****** 10 & 10 & 5 Race* *Sunday, Sept. 11, 8am-11am* Lace on those runners and enjoy the scenic route of a 5 km, 10 km or 10 mile **** run that starts and ends in Memorial Park. Group discounts of 10% for groups of 6 or more. *NEW THIS YEAR: 5 km run or walk, perfect for families! *Presented by Investors Group.** ** ** *Cost:* 5 km: $25 (to Sept 8), $35 (on Sept 9 & 10); 10 km: $30 (to Sept 8), $40 (on Sept 9 & 10); 10 miler: $35 (until Sept 8), $45 (on Sept 9 & 10)**** *Register: www.events.runningroom.com* *Sept 11, Race Day:* 8:30am - 10 Miler; 9:00am - 10 Km; 9:15am - 5 Km**** ** ** *Broadway Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market * *Saturday, 4pm-11pm & Sunday, 11am-8pm* Stroll among dozens of vendors, browse handmade jewellery, and pick up some fresh home-grown veggies. Sponsored by ****Portage Place****.**** ** ** *Kids’ Zone * *Saturday, 4pm-11pm; Sunday, 11am-8pm* Bring out the whole family to enjoy bouncers, clowns, giant sand boxes, inflatable slides, crafts, buskers, pony rides, bike rodeo by MPI, activities, and much more on Memorial Blvd! Sponsored by Fido.**** ** ** *Taste of Downtown Winnipeg Wine & Cheese Festival **- ALL WEEKEND LONG!* *Friday, Noon-11pm; Saturday, Noon-11pm; Sunday, Noon-8pm* Sip cabernets and chardonnays during this wine and cheese event held in Memorial Park. Free admission. Tasting tickets sold at the event in support of Winnipeg Harvest. Hosted by the Downtown ****Winnipeg**** BIZ. Presented by the Independent Specialty Wine Stores of Manitoba in collaboration with the Manitoba Chefs Association. Also sponsored in part by the Bay Downtown.* *** ** ** *Wine Merchants Include:* • Kenaston Wine Market **** • Fenton’s Wine Merchants**** • De Luca Fine Wines**** • La ****Boutique** **Del**** Vino**** • Banville & Jones Wine Co.**** *Gourmet Foods and Cheese Sponsors:* • Bothwell Cheese • City Bread**** • De Luca’s Specialty Foods**** • Piazza di Nardi**** • Fenton’s Gourmet Foods**** ** ** *For more information, visit www.ManyFest.ca. * ** ** The Downtown BIZ, City of Winnipeg, the Running Room and the Independent Specialty Wine Stores of Manitoba are hosting the festival along with many other partners and sponsors: Investors Group, S&J Construction, Portage Place, Winnipeg Arts Council, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Fido, Manitoba Hydro, Travel Manitoba, Fusion Group, Dental Designs, RBC Blue Water Project, Best Western Charterhouse Hotel, Audioworks, The Bay Downtown, East India Company, the Pony Corral, MPI, MTS Centre, Johnson Waste Management, Bee Clean, Assiniboine Credit Union, Lawton Partners, Neptune Properties, Brad’s Window Cleaning, Winnipeg Parking Authority and the Prolific Group. Media sponsors include the ****Winnipeg**** Sun, CTV, 92 CITI, 102 Clear FM and CBC Radio One 990.**** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *Stephanie Voyce* Project Manager,* *Image & Transportation *Downtown **Winnipeg BIZ *204.958.4621 office 204.958.4630 fax Visit our website at www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com! This email is intended for the person(s) to whom it is addressed and the contents may contain private and confidential information to which rights are claimed. If you receive this email in error, the review, copy, distribution, or otherwise use of the contents is prohibited and we ask that you notify the sender immediately to advise of the error. Thank you.**** ** ** -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ciclovia Winnipeg" group. To post to this group, send email to ciclovia-winnipeg(a)googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to ciclovia-winnipeg+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/ciclovia-winnipeg?hl=en.

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The Economist on Cycle Safety in North America
by Charles Feaver 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

A blunt assessment of our safety v. European cyclists, from The Economist: Calm down With a very few exceptions, America is no place for cyclists Sep 3rd 2011 | SEATTLE | from the print edition * DYING while cycling is three to five times more likely in America than in Denmark, Germany or the Netherlands. To understand why, consider the death of Michael Wang. He was pedalling home from work in Seattle on a sunny weekday afternoon in late July when, witnesses say, a brown SUV made a left turn, crunched into Wang and sped away. The road where the 44-year-old father of two was hit is the busiest cycling corridor in Seattle, and it has clearly marked bicycle lanes. But the lanes are protected from motor vehicles by a line of white paint-a largely metaphorical barrier that many drivers ignore and police do not vigorously enforce. A few feet from the cycling lane traffic moves at speeds of between 30 miles per hour, the speed limit for arterials in Seattle, and 40 miles per hour, the speed at which many cars actually travel. This kind of speed kills. A pedestrian hit by a car moving at 30mph has a 45% chance of dying; at 40mph, the chance of death is 85%, according to Britain's Department of Transport. Had Mr Wang been commuting on a busy bike route in Amsterdam, Copenhagen or Berlin, his unprotected exposure to instruments of death-namely, any vehicle moving at 20mph or more-would be nearly nil. These cities have knitted together networks for everyday travel by bike. To start with, motor vehicles allowed near cyclists are subject to "traffic calming". They must slow down to about 19mph, a speed that, in case of collision, kills less than 5%. Police strictly enforce these speed limits with hefty fines. Repeat offenders lose their licences. Calmer traffic is just the beginning. In much of northern Europe, cyclists commute on lanes that are protected from cars by concrete buffers, rows of trees or parked cars. At busy crossroads, bicycle-activated traffic lights let cyclists cross first. Traffic laws discriminate in favour of people on bikes. A few American cities have taken European-style steps to make streets safer for cycling, most notably Portland, Oregon, which has used most of the above ideas. The result: more bikes and fewer deaths. Nearly 6% of commuters bike to work in Portland, the highest proportion in America. But in five out of the past ten years there have been no cycling deaths there. In the nearby Seattle area, where cycling is popular but traffic calming is not, three cyclists, have been killed in the past few weeks.

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WFP: Walking the walk - Winnipeg's trail system thriving thanks to volunteers
by Beth McKechnie 07 Sep '11

07 Sep '11

Walking the walk Winnipeg's trail system is thriving thanks to volunteers who have jumped in feet first By: Shamona Harnett http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/walking----the-walk-129285178… They are hidden worlds in your own city. >From the giant snapping turtles that you might encounter in St. Vital's enchanted Bois-des-Esprit trail; or the colourful wild flowers that will fill your senses on Charleswood's Harte Trail; or even the thrilling roar of landing planes on St. James' Yellow Ribbon Greenway Trail, Winnipeg's system of recreational pathways is thriving. Follow Shamona on Twitter. Have an interesting story you'd like Shamona to write about? Contact her at shamona.harnett(a)freepress.mb.ca Blazing the trails *What's the purpose of Winnipeg's trails?* Trail advocates want Winnipeggers walking, running, cycling, in-line skating, skipping and wandering down city trails. Ideally, the trails will help Winnipeggers become more active and, therefore, fitter. (According to a Active Transportation Advisory Group report, 55 per cent of Manitoba's people are overweight and 45 per cent considered inactive.) Trail proponents hope the trails' increasing connectivity make them a viable, safe way for people to get from one neighbourhood to the other without their cars. *How much money is the government putting into trails?* In the last five years, more than $40 million has been spent on trails and cycling infrastructure around Winnipeg -- $20 million just last year alone. *How many trails are in Winnipeg?* It depends on what you define as a trail. There are many bits and pieces that are too small to have an official name. The Winnipeg Trails Association has mapped out nearly 40 city trails. *How is the trail system organized?* In 1993, the city came up with the idea to divide the city into six parkways -- essentially consisting of land along both sides of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. The goal is to hook up the parkways to form a continuous trail system. This web of parkways joins one park to another. Trails mainly curve around the riverbanks and, when necessary, wind onto residential streets. *What is the Trans Canada Trail?* A project the federal government touts as the world's longest network of trails. Today, more than 15,500 kilometres' worth of Trans Canada trail has been developed nationwide, 1,400 kilometres of which is in Manitoba. *Is there a way for the city to profit from its trails?* Advocates say Winnipeg's trails will attract tourists and lead to growth in the city's economy. *How do I find out more about Winnipeg's trails?* Log onto the Winnipeg Trails Association Website at www.winnipegtrails.ca *How do I help bring a trail to my community?* Contact local trail associations, your city councillor and your MLA. What makes these magical places what they are? One reason is the legion of tireless volunteers. There are hundreds of trail volunteers in Winnipeg -- some who, for 20 years, have worked to create the interconnected network of paths you see today. Here are four inspirational volunteers who help make it happen: LEONE BANKS *Claim to fame:* Co-founder of the Prairie Pathfinders, a trail-exploring walking group that now boasts around 500 members. Twice a week, Banks and her colleagues take Winnipeggers on treks that help them get to know the most beautiful trails, pathways and green spaces in their own city. Banks, 76, is also co-author of Winnipeg Walks, a book she wrote 12 years ago with Kathleen Leathers, Sheila Spence and Wendy Wilson. The book has since sold more than 10,000 copies. *How she fell in love with Winnipeg's trails:* It happened when she would walk from her home in Wolseley to her job at St. Boniface Hospital and back again. "I started thinking about walking in Winnipeg," says Banks, who now lives in Fort Garry. *On identifying her favourite Winnipeg trail:* "There are just so many of them," says Banks, who loves forest trails such as Bois-des-Esprit. "It's pretty nice. It is so truly wild. You can walk along the Seine River or you can go through the forest." *On her recent Friday-night group walk:* She took more than 70 people out to the Bridgwater Forest Trails, a new development in Waverley West. "The purple gentian -- there were about 12 of them just along the trail (as well as high bush cranberry). (The developers) just left wonderful pieces of the forests," says Banks. "When there's a new development and you have any influence on it, tell people you want it to look like Bridgwater Forest." *On seeing someone purchase her book:* "If I'm at a bookstore, I've hardly seen anybody ever buy one," says the retired grandmother. "It gives me a big thrill the few times I have." *On her pet peeve:* "I don't like the world trails. I hate it. It's a word that's being used for so many different types of places people might go," says Banks, who prefers the term "pathways." *On what makes her work so worthwhile:* Many people in her group "believe it or not, have been to more places in the world than most people," explains Banks. "They have learned to value their own city and appreciate it more. I think our books have done that for people." PAUL JORDAN *Claim to fame:* Chief executive officer of the Forks Renewal Corporation. For a decade, headed the Winnipeg Trails Association (WTA). Now, advises every trail group in the city. Many consider him a trail "visionary." *On when he first discovered Winnipeg had a trail system:* It was 2000 when he was asked to chair the WTA. "Lo and behold, I met all of these people -- these volunteers -- who had been working away on their trails for years. I thought there were no trails in Winnipeg until I met these folks," says Jordan. *How often does he use the trails?* For the past decade, Jordan has walked to work and back everyday. In the winter, the Corydon Village resident, and father to four grown sons, often skates to work and back down the frozen river walk trail. *What it's like to skate down the frozen Assiniboine River:* "It's cool because in the dead of winter, it's darker in the mornings than in the afternoons. Once you get moving you're not cold," says Jordan, who relishes the serenity of the route. "As you go under the car bridges -- they're all backed up with rush-hour traffic and people fearing the elements -- you realize just how pleasant winter can really be, how peaceful it is down at the river level." *On the fact that the river walk at the Forks has been underwater for the whole year:* "It's just beyond frustrating," says Jordan, who is used to it being flooded out in the spring, but never for this long. *On how trail volunteers give him the zeal to fight for the cause:* "They are a very dedicated lot. I remember two years ago we called a meeting and it turned out there was a massive blizzard on that night so I expected no one to show up. More than 100 people showed up in this blizzard," says Jordan. *Why trails are here to stay:* "I think recreational trails and bike commuting will become more and more important. Never mind the economics -- just for health reasons. It's a way of building that exercise into your daily routine so you don't have to go to the gym." JANICE LUKES *Claim to fame:* An outspoken trails activist who is a co-ordinator with the Winnipeg Trails Association and advisor to many other trail committees in the province. *How often does she use Winnipeg's trails?* Every day in the summer. "Trust me. When you have nine-year-old triplets, you do everything you can to get out and get moving. It's cheap and it burns the energy off," says Lukes, 50, who likes to trail-hop from neighbourhood to neighbourhood with her kids and husband. *How she got started advocating for trails:* It happened a decade ago when the St. Norbert resident was pregnant with her sons. "We didn't have a trail close by. That's when I started knocking on the neighbours' doors. I said, 'Look, people are walking on the road. And it's dangerous to walk on the road. There's no lights,'" recalls Lukes, who ended up raising $200,000 to build the Sentier Cloutier Trail. *On the obstacles of trail advocacy:* "At the time, there were days when I was bawling, 'Why does the government move so slow? Why does everything take 52 phone calls?' I didn't get it." *What are her favourite trails?* "I don't know. It depends on the season. It depends on the temperature of the day. My favourite trails are the ones that don't make me feel like I'm in the city," says Lukes, who grew up on a farm in rural Manitoba. On the most satisfying part of trail building: "No one knows the blood, sweat and effort that goes into building a trail. But when you see other people enjoying it and using it and pushing their kids and jogging 24/7 around the clock... that's a very rewarding feeling." SIGRUN BAILEY *Claim to fame:* A North Kildonan mother, wife and retired government worker who, since 2005, has helped build the Northeast Pioneers Greenway, a 5.5-kilometre trail built over the Marconi Spur rail line. The long stretch of smooth asphalt in the middle of the Gateway Road is now one of Winnipeg's most used trails. *What prompted her to care about trails?* For 30 years, Bailey cycled to work from her home in North Kildonan to her downtown office. She also took her kids for bike rides down Wellington Crescent when they were young and before Winnipeg had official trails. A few years ago, she donated money to helped build part of the Trans Canada Trail near the Chief Peguis Bridge. When she discovered it hadn't been completed, she decided to find out why. Later, she joined a group dedicated to building the Northeast Pioneers Greenway. *What drives her?* Her mother's lack of fitness. "My mom had a hard time making it across the street. She was breathing heavy and she was in her 60s. And I thought, 'Oh my God. That's ridiculous," says Bailey, who moved to Canada with her parents from Germany when she was just a baby. "If people are active and they are doing things, then they will stay healthier into their older age." *Her pet peeve:* "The bottom line is when I see these people driving around, one person in a car, it just drives me nuts," says Bailey, who limits her driving time in favour of walking, cycling or taking the bus. "We have to get out of that mindset. People complain about parking. Well, why are you taking your car and parking in the first place?" *A source of pride:* As soon as the asphalt went down on the Northeast Pioneers Trail four years ago, people started using it. "There was still steam coming off it and there was people out there. It was just amazing. People are using it. They feel safe and it's convenient," says Bailey, who raised $150,000 to help build the canopies and benches located at every kilometre of trail. She's also proud that her grown sons and husband use the trail often.

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Active & Green Fall: Relationship killer, commuting with kids, and more
by Jessie Klassen 06 Sep '11

06 Sep '11

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.<http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=d604aef282…> *Looking to improve commuter options at your workplace?* Request resources<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/request-information-presentation-or-mee…>on cycling, carpooling, commuting surveys and tracking progress, among others. Book a presentation<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/request-information-presentation-or-mee…>on the various commuting options, as well as fuel-efficient driving, creating a commuter friendly workplace, and greening the workplace. Talk to us about implementing a Smart Trips<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/smart-trips/>program at your workplace. ------------------------------ Upcoming Events *Ciclovia <http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/> September 11 <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>International Car Free Day September 22* *Moving Planet <http://www.moving-planet.org/events/ca/winnipeg/559> September 24* *iWALK Month <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/iwalk/> October 1-31* * Campus Commuter Challenge October 17-21 Waste Reduction Week<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/waste-reduction-week-2010/> October 17-23 Green Lifestyle & Natural Living Show <http://www.winnipeggreenshow.com/> October 22-23 * ------------------------------ With beach season almost over... ...stay tuned for our winter issue! Like what you read? Become a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/> of Green Action Centre (membership is free!), visit our website at greenactioncentre.ca, or make a donation<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/make-a-donation/>. All Charities Campaign It’s back to school and back to work for many Manitobans. The roads swell with traffic. Idling cars wrap around schools. Leaves fall and large plastic bags appear on curbs destined for the landfill. Green Action Centre works to change these scenarios every day. Donate<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/make-a-donation/>to Green Action Centre this fall through your workplace All Charities Campaign <http://www.allcharitiescampaign.ca/>, or online through Canada Helps <https://www.canadahelps.org/DonationDetails.aspx?cookieCheck=true>. Your donation supports: - School<http://greenactioncentre.ca/program/asrts/school-travel-planning/>travel planning in your neighbourhood; - Employee<http://greenactioncentre.ca/program/workplace-commuter-options/>commuting surveys at your workplace; - Master Composter<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/master-composter-program/>training in your community; - And so much more <http://greenactioncentre.ca>! Living Car(e)Free Is it possible to live car-free in Winnipeg? It might be a reach for the majority of folks but many are trying to live with a little less car (car-light?) and a little more bus, walking and biking. When we posed the question <http://greenactioncentre.ca/2011/you-cant-live-car-free-in-winnipeg/>on the Green Action Centre website, we learned that some Winnipeggers are already living without personally owning a car. Find out how they manage here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/2011/myth-busted-you-can-live-car-free-in-winni…>. As one person noted, car-free sounds like "care-free" – from car loan payments, insurance payments, rising fuel costs, parking costs, and so on. Something to think about on* September 22 – International Car Free Day*. Commute with kids Do you face the challenge of dropping your kids off at school or daycare, heading to work, picking your kids up, and also picking up groceries on the way home? You can do all this, and still take the bus or your bike to work. Read our tips<http://greenactioncentre.ca/2011/have-kids-will-green-commute/>, and share your own. Relationship-killer Long-distance commuters might want to rethink their commitment to the road. More money might be up for grabs but so is an increased likelihood of divorce. A Swedish study that looked at data from over two million households over 10 years found commuters travelling 45 minutes or longer by car were 40% more likely to split with their partner than those who lived closer to work. Read more here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/2011/long-commute-relationship-killer/> . Top 10 Safer Cycling Tips [image: Bike on bike lane]One of the most common reasons for not getting around by bike is concern about or discomfort with riding in traffic. Check out our Top 10 handy tips<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/top-10-safer-cycling-tips-2/>to help you ride safer. *Want to increase your city cycling skills and confidence?* Sign up for a half-day course through the Winnipeg Leisure Guide! Choose from a beginner's workshop<http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/city-cycling-for-beginners-workshop/>or commuter's workshop<http://greenactioncentre.ca/event/city-cycling-for-commuters-workshop/> . New bus seats nice fit Keep an eye out for the snazzy new seats on some Winnipeg Transit buses. Replacing the bench style, these "individual" seats provide a little better fit and a little more sense of personal space. See what you think! You are receiving this email because you are an Active & Green subscriber. Unsubscribe<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage2.com/unsubscribe?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a…> jessie_klassen(a)hotmail.com from this list. Our mailing address is: Green Action Centre 3-303 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B4 Add us to your address book<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage1.com/vcard?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f…> Copyright (C) 2011 Green Action Centre All rights reserved. Forward<http://us2.forward-to-friend1.com/forward?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&id=d6…>this email to a friend Update your profile<http://greenactioncentre.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by MailChimp]<http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?aid=af15a2f9f91ef9a183a3f55cc&afl=1>

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City Cycling courses - poster & handbill
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '11

31 Aug '11

** Please help promote these City Cycling courses if you are able (poster and handbill attached). Thanks! ** ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dave Elmore <dave(a)greenactioncentre.ca> Date: Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 2:53 PM Subject: RE: City Cycling courses ** Cara from The WRENCH was kind enough to produce a poster and handbills thatcan be used to promote the courses. If you feel you can use them, please feel free to print as you see fit. Thanks Dave o _ ( \ _ (X)\ /(X)

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CanStar Metro: Groups push for AT - Centreport hub should include trails, pathways (Aug.30'11)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '11

31 Aug '11

Groups push for active transportation Centreport hub should include trails, pathways By: Matt Preprost http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/metro/Groups-push-for-acti… A group of west Winnipeg businesses and organizations are joining forces to pressure officials to make active transportation a part of the development of CentrePort Canada. Current plans for the project don’t include the community’s active transportation needs and that is threatening to cut off pedestrian connectivity between several communities, according to Janice Lukes of the Winnipeg Trails Association. "If the province, feds and the city are moving us towards this global multi-modal transportation hub, we need to consider active transportation," Lukes said. "But they’re not looking at it in the big picture." The Red River Exhibition, Assiniboia Downs and the MTS Iceplex in St. James, as well as Friends of the Harte Trail in Charleswood and Adrenaline Adventures and the Headingley Grand Trunk Trail in Headingley have partnered with the Winnipeg Trails Association to lobby for some form of active transportation strategy in the area. They contend the redevelopment of portions of the Perimeter Highway will threaten existing trail developments from connecting to each other, like the Harte Trail and the Headingley Grand Trunk Trail. They would like to see studies and analysis conducted to see how to incorporate a trail system and pedestrian crossings to keep the neighbourhoods connected. "It’s frustrating. You work for years to build these trail systems and hope the government sees the big picture, and when they don’t it’s disheartening," Lukes said. "We don’t want to be riding on cloverleafs with semis but give us something." Lukes pointed to the construction of the Red River Floodway in which there were four studies done on recreation. Officials with CentrePort Canada said creating an active transportation network isn’t mandated in their legislation, which focuses on business development. "We understand the desire to have more bike paths, to have more trails," said Riva Harrison, executive director of communications for CentrePort, adding that recreational areas like the Little Mountain Sportsplex and Prairie Dog Central won’t be displaced. Harrison said CentrePort is supportive of building recreational areas around CentrePort, but that CentrePort won’t lead the development. "Our mandate is to increase trade via transportation. I think there’s no question that we’re supportive of the idea that some trails or recreation can be incorporated into the land use plan, but obviously it has to be carefully done because it’s a truck-oriented expressway." The province said in a statement it’s too early in CentrePort’s development to define specific AT plans. "Active transportation routes will be explored as the more detailed development plans associated with CentrePort Canada evolve," a spokesperson said in a statement. Garth Rogerson, CEO of the Red River Ex, said plans are in the works to develop trails on the Ex grounds and that he would like them to connect into a bigger network, especially along Portage Avenue. Rogerson said he’s noticed school children walking alongside the road and under the Perimeter Highway overpass to get to the park. "There’s a lot of development going on in Headingley and west of the Perimeter," he said. "It’s conceivable that the city will just continue to expand beyond Headingley and we need to start thinking now before we build too many things. "Let’s at least plan for it now so we don’t get caught 20 years from now saying we should have put paths in. Don’t just plan for cars — plan for bicycles and people as well. That’s what we’re pushing for."

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Minneapolis? More like Bike-opolis
by Beth McKechnie 30 Aug '11

30 Aug '11

Minneapolis? More like Bike-opolis <http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-08-25-minneapolis-a-rising-bike-metropolis…> by Tim De Chant 25 Aug 2011 http://www.grist.org/biking/2011-08-25-minneapolis-a-rising-bike-metropolis If you've never been to Minneapolis, you're missing out: It's populated by unrelentingly friendly folk, oodles of lakes surrounded by city parks, and a bike network on its way to becoming second-to-none. Just last month, * Bicycling* magazine named it the top city for bicycling<http://www.bicycling.com/news/featured-stories/1-bike-city-minneapolis>, and a few months before, the League of American Bicyclists gave it a gold medal<http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/08/22/from-minneapolis-ten-street-design-sol…>. These days, bikes are a big deal in the bigger of the Twin Cities. These accolades aren't exactly unexpected: Minneapolis has put a lot of effort into bolstering its bike-friendliness<http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/>. Money from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program has given Minneapolis -- along with Columbia, Mo., Marin County, Calif., and Sheboygan County, Wis. -- a total of $25 million to improve biking and walking infrastructure. But the city deserves much credit for its laser-like focus on improving biking conditions. We can trace much of the city's bike renaissance to the Midtown Greenway<http://www.midtowngreenway.org/>, a 5.5-mile former railroad opened in 2000 that has since has become a non-automotive superhighway. Cyclists and pedestrians can hop on and off at various points with ease, and the striking Martin Olav Sabo Bridge sends cyclists over busy Hiawatha Avenue. The path even has its own dedicated bike shop complete with bike parking, water, bathrooms, and showers for commuters. Basically, it's a cyclist's dream. Beyond the Greenway, Minneapolis has followed a 10-step program of sorts to guide its bike-friendly improvements. Many steps -- like dedicated bike lanes, lanes buffered from traffic, and plenty of bike parking -- are obvious choices, but others draw on ideas culled from around the country. One of my favorites is their adoption of bicycle boulevards (which I remember fondly from my time in Berkeley). Bike boulevards route bicycle traffic down nearly deserted side streets, where car traffic is kept low by including speed humps and "diverters" that block cars but allow bikes to pass through. At busy intersections, bikes even get special sensors beneath the pavement to change traffic signals. They're a great way to get across town in a hurry. On busier roads where there's no space for dedicated bike lanes, Minneapolis has painted "advisory" bike lanes. These lanes are demarcated by dashed lines and run on both sides of the street. Since this takes away space from existing car lanes, the city simply removed the old center line. This gives bikes visual priority on the street, and the narrowed center lane slows car traffic. Where possible, the city has reduced the number of regular lanes on some roads to widen bike lanes. With all these pieces in place, Minneapolis' seems well-poised to overtake Portland as the country's top bike city. Though Portland can still boast that 5.8 percent of its commuting trips happen on a bike, Minneapolis is catching up with an impressive 3.8-percent bike commuter rate. The improvements also encourage more errands by bike, and to lure the uncertain, bike lanes and paths also tie into the city's extensive park system. It's taken a lot of effort to get to this point (including lots of political support from the mayor's office), but Minneapolis is getting ever closer to becoming a two-wheeled paradise. Tim De Chant is the creator of Per Square Mile <http://persquaremile.com/>and an environmental journalist <http://www.de-chant.com/tim/journalism>. You can also find him on Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/tdechant>.

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WFP: Valets ease cyclists' worries - Group seeking bike-minders
by Beth McKechnie 29 Aug '11

29 Aug '11

Valets ease cyclists' worries Group seeking bike-minders By: Erin Madden http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/valets-ease-cyclists-worries-1285773… As an avid cyclist, David Wieser knew he wanted to get involved in making Winnipeg a more bicycle-friendly community. So, while away on a tour of duty in Afghanistan as a member of the Canadian Forces, he spent his free time establishing Bicycle Valet Winnipeg. The program operates like a coat check at large community events such as Winnipeg Blue Bomber games, street festivals and the Red River Exhibition. Cyclists can "check" their bicycles with Valet volunteers who watch over them, free of charge, until they return to retrieve them. Wieser launched the initiative upon his return home from Afghanistan last summer, and the program has served cyclists at nearly 40 events in and around Winnipeg since then. Wieser, a master corporal with the military, said he's been pleased with the initial success of Bicycle Valet Winnipeg but he's convinced there is still room for growth. But any future success will have to come through the hard work of new volunteers, however, as Wieser was transferred from Winnipeg to Petawawa, Ont., earlier this month. Marissa Steindel, 25, is one of the volunteers who are looking to grow the program. She started volunteering about three months ago after learning about it online. She initially signed up to volunteer at one event, but quickly committed to lend a hand at more. "I was so excited when I saw it -- it just made so much sense," said Steindel, a draftsperson at MacDon Industries. "One of the biggest deterrents to cycling in the city is knowing if there is a safe place to leave your bike and if it will still be there when you come back to it. Also, if you're carrying a bunch of gear with you and you're going to events, it's a pain to have to bring it around with you. When I saw Bicycle Valet, I decided I had to support it." Fellow volunteer Sandeep Dhariwal shares that sentiment. She moved to Winnipeg last winter and took up cycling for the first time in her life. Within weeks, she was hooked. A volunteer with Bicycle Valet for the past three months, she said she quickly saw the importance of the program in the community. "I volunteered (at my first event) and it was amazing. It was at Kids' Fest and seeing all these families come out -- families transporting their kids on these carriages -- it was just so inspiring," said Dhariwal, a 29-year-old facilitator with an inner-city youth mentoring program. "For me, volunteering with Bicycle Valet is about the culture and the people you meet and their mindset and how they see the world." She said it's a great opportunity for people looking to meet new people -- both the clients and the fellow volunteers -- and for those who want to explore the city. "A big thing is exposure to these events. We chill out on our breaks -- we get to go and see the events and often partake. "It's a really good way for volunteers, especially those who are new to the city like I was, to see the city highlights." Wieser said he hopes to see the number of events and volunteers continue to grow. He said cyclists have embraced the initiative, as have the approximately 20 volunteers who have donated their time over the first year. He adds that before leaving the city, through the support of sponsors, he was able to hire a part-time staff member to ensure the program's ongoing success, co-ordinating volunteers and events. "I'm very happy that it will continue on in my absence and when I come back to Winnipeg, I look forward to seeing it bigger and better." If you would like more information, or would like to become a Bicycle Valet volunteer, please email volunteer(a)bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca. You can also learn more online at www.bicyclevaletwinnipeg.ca. -- If you know a special volunteer who strives to make his or her community a better place to live, please contact Erin Madden at erinmadden(a)shaw.ca

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Which types of people choose a walkable lifestyle?
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '11

26 Aug '11

Which Types of People Choose A Walkable Lifestyle?Posted August 26, 2011 by *Walkonomics Blog <http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/user/77163>* There’s been plenty of research<http://walkonomics.com/w/index.php/research/19-supporting-research>into how walkable streets and neighbourhoods get more people walking. However what we’re less sure about is: Who are the people that choose to walk more? In an attempt to answer this question, Transport for London have released new research<http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/businessandpartners/walking-segement…>with some interesting findings. By combining a large travel survey with Londoners demographic data, the study attempted to identify which types of people walk more as part of their everyday lifestyle.Women walk more They found that, on average, women make more journey stages on foot than men (females walked 4.1 journey stages while males only walked 3.8). However one consolation for any overly-competitive male is that the study also found that women walk a shorter distance per stage than men. It seems that men walk even less once they are in a relationship and have children, while for women it’s the exact opposite, they walk more once they have children. Perhaps this is partly explained by the fact that, on average, women are still more likely than men to stay-at-home to look after children, including journeys like walking to school. Younger people (aged 20 – 44) walk more stages per day than older people, with young women (aged 20 – 44) walking the most. This rings true with recent reports<http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2011/01/13/no-mcmansions-for-millennials/>that have found that Generation Y (born between 1979 and 2000) are looking to live in walkable urban locations and are embracing the walkable lifestyle. *Is being single good for you?* The study also found that single adults walked more than people in a relationship (regardless of whether they had children or not). So we can now add ‘getting more exercise’ to the list of benefits of being single! Urban location was also found to be key, with ‘Central’ Londoners walking more than ‘Inner’ Londoners and a lot more than those in the ‘Outer’ suburbs. As the built environment becomes more dense, public transport more frequent and driving is more hassle, it seems that people walk more. Unsurprisingly car ownership reduces walking (people without a car made 4.5 journey stages on foot, while those with 2 or more cars only walked 3.2 journey stages). In contrast to this, is the fact that the richer people are, the more likely they are to walk, despite having the option of driving. The research team put this down to ‘narrower travel horizons amongst those on lower incomes’.Marketing walking But why are Transport for London so interested in peoples walking behaviours? It seems that one reason is to better target marketing in order to get people to change their behaviour and walk more. The study even utilises similar approaches that big business use for customer marketing, creating target groups for future behaviour change programmes. This approach found that demographic groups with names like ‘Active Urbanites’ and ‘Cosmopolitan Lives’ (32% of Londons population) were walking more than the average Londoner. It seems that factors such as your stage in life (young and single) and lifestyle (living in a very urban area) influence how much you walk.But peoples attitudes to walking also seem to change as they progress through life, with people classed as ‘Active Urbanites’ and ‘Cosmopolitan Lives’ much more likely to make positive statements about walking such as: “Walking is a method of transport that I would want to be seen using.” While people with families and on lower incomes were more likely to agree with negative opinions on walking, including: “Walking is only for people who can’t afford other ways of getting there.” This highlights an opportunity for Transport for London to try to change attitudes and behaviours in these groups. It would also be interesting to see how this geo-demographic data compares to the walkability of local streets using a dataset such as the Walkonomics London map<http://walkonomics.com/w/index.php/london-map> . While this study has drilled down a bit deeper into the factors behind walking behaviour, the real test will be to see how governments in London and other big cities use this information to get more people walking.

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Ciclovia looking for community displays and volunteers!
by Jessie Klassen 25 Aug '11

25 Aug '11

Hi All, Ciclovia <http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/>, the huge annual street festival and active transportation event happening Sunday, September 11th, is looking for community and environmental organizations to display in their enviro-block. Last year's festival attracted 10,000 people! The cost is free and a table and chairs are provided. All you need to do is bring your awesome display or activity and staff your booth from 11am - 8pm the day of. Register your community display<https://spreadsheets.google.com/a/greenactioncentre.ca/viewform?formkey=dHF…>. Get more information<http://www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/home/events/ciclovia/>. Also, Ciclovia needs over 200 volunteers to make the day a success! If you are able to give some time, sign up to volunteer<http://manyfest.volunteerhub.com/SignIn.aspx?ReturnUrl=/Default.aspx>and receive a free t-shirt, meal voucher, and more. It's sure to be a great time! Hope to see you on September 11th! ** *Jessie Klassen* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre<http://www.greenactioncentre.ca>| Find us here<http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Avenue* | *(204) 925-3772 Green Action Centre is your non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member<http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/memberships/>

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Vancouver traffic-enforcement blitz seeks to curb pedestrian deaths & Vancouver slashes speed limits
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '11

25 Aug '11

Vancouver traffic-enforcement blitz seeks to curb pedestrian deaths VIVIAN LUK VANCOUVER— Globe and Mail Update Published Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 Vancouver Police, with $30,000 from the province, are launching a three-week traffic enforcement blitz aimed at halting a spike in pedestrian deaths. The new enforcement drive will see the VPD target 10 intersections deemed to be most dangerous, though half of the pedestrian deaths were clustered near Hastings and Main streets. And although the nine pedestrian deaths so far this year are nearly double the count for all of 2010, overall traffic injuries are actually down – particularly in the policing district that includes the Downtown Eastside. Drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists will all be targeted during the blitz. But drivers going through the Downtown Eastside now face an additional hurdle: a 30-kilometre-an-hour speed limit between Jackson and Abbott Streets that was implemented by the city over the weekend. “When you look at the fact that we are barely just 50 per cent of the way through the calendar year, and already we are seeing fatalities of pedestrians that exceed what we’ve seen in recent years … that is something to be concerned about,” said MLA Colin Hansen, who spoke on behalf of Solicitor-General Shirley Bond on Monday. Mr. Hansen said the perception that the intersection between East Hastings and Main Street is much more dangerous than other corridors such as Burrard Street, between Dunsmuir and Davie streets, and Broadway, is inaccurate. Yet four of the nine deaths this year occurred around East Hastings Street. Most of the fatalities occurred in the middle of the night. In July, a pedestrian was struck on East Cordova Street just after midnight. A month before that, a 52-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were killed within a day of each other while they were crossing East Hastings Street between 3 and 4 a.m. And in January, a 79-year-old man was struck by a car at Main Street and Keefer Street. Marion Allaart, executive director of the Vancouver Area of Drug Users, said speed is one of the biggest contributing factors to pedestrian deaths in the Downtown Eastside. “My experience today is that it’s usually pedestrians that [the police] are [ticketing] the most, which really needs to shift, especially in our neighbourhood,” she said. “There’s less onus on motorists and we’d just like that to be more equal.” According to Inspector Ted Schinbein of the VPD traffic unit, both distracted drivers and pedestrians who were jaywalking or leaving the curb when it is not safe to do so, have been the predominant cause of pedestrian deaths. “For that reason, we will be targeting all road users,” he said, adding that officers will also focus on areas where they’ve seen a trend or increase in traffic injuries or fatalities. Motorists will be targeted for cellphone use, traffic-light infractions, failing to yield to pedestrians and stop-sign offences. Officers will also be watching for pedestrians who are stepping off the curb when it is not safe and jaywalking, as well as cyclists who are riding on the sidewalk or failing to stop at stop signs or traffic lights. * * * * * Vancouver slashes speed limits after nine pedestrian deaths FRANCES BULA VANCOUVER— >From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published Tuesday, Jul. 26, 2011 With nine pedestrians killed already in Vancouver only halfway through the year, it wasn’t surprising that people started calling for the city to take action. And take action it did on Tuesday. One of the city’s major commuter routes, Hastings Street, will have its speed limit reduced to a school-zone number of 30 kilometres an hour for six blocks through the Downtown Eastside, where three of those deaths occurred. That move prompted applause from Downtown Eastside advocates who came out to council to ask specifically for that change, which they hope will help reduce the number and severity of the accidents near Main and Hastings. “The Vancouver Coastal Health trauma team has identified that intersection as having the highest rate of injuries in the city,” said Medical Health Officer Patricia Daly, in an appearance at council to support the speed-reduction zone. As well, the city, which has made it a priority to promote non-car ways of moving around the city, will spend $150,000 on an education program aimed at making both drivers and pedestrians more aware of being safe. A new advisory committee for pedestrians will be created. New signals with countdown clocks are being put in and other measures will be considered. “We have to make sure that the city's a great city to walk in,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson, as he voted for the measures. The high number of deaths this year – double what the statistic was for the entire year last year – has attracted a lot of attention in a city that takes pride in the way it has transformed its downtown into a livable residential zone where thousands of people walk to work. But that issue is just one that the city is moving on quickly, in what has become the traditional month for getting an extraordinary amount of city business done. This year, however, is different, with an election fast approaching. For Vancouver council, already one of the most activist in recent memory, this July has become the month to drive through many of the big, ambitious policy documents that will set the stage for the fall election. Besides the pedestrian safety report, July has also brought council’s comprehensive plan for becoming the world’s greenest city, a plan for tackling not just homelessness but also affordable housing, a plan for removing downtown viaducts that constitute a major commuter route in the city, and an analysis of the economic impact of downtown bike lanes and how to reduce it. Mr. Robertson acknowledges frankly that the July reports are setting the stage for Vision Vancouver's election platform. “These do set the direction for the next term and beyond,” said the mayor, in a brief break Tuesday between three sets of meetings that extended from 9:30 a.m. to near midnight. “This is an overall framework for the action steps ahead.” But the mayor's biggest critic, the woman running against him for his job, said the problem is that too much of what's being driven through is so vague and lacking in detail as to be meaningless. The housing and homelessness report, says Non-Partisan Association Councillor Suzanne Anton, is muddled and, at points, incomprehensible. “It's a demonstration of how things have been rushed through,” she said, eating a quick soup-and-sandwich lunch at her desk before starting the next meeting. The Greenest City 2020 Action Plan, she said, is meaningless. “They spent two years on that document and I don't know where it takes us. It's a whole bunch of complete unknowables.” But Mr. Robertson said the plans, which range from creating a hub to showcase local green-tech companies to charging lower permit fees for those reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, have plenty of details. It will be enough for voters to get a sense of the direction that the city wants to move in, he believes. In spite of the political fighting, however, one initiative on which the mayor and Ms. Anton agree is the one on pedestrian safety. Ms. Anton said she doesn't see that report as having been rushed through too quickly. She voted against the idea of the 30-kilometre-an-hour trial in the Downtown Eastside until others who use the road heavily – trucks, taxis, limousines and commuters – can be consulted about the impacts. But she supported everything else. Special to The Globe and Mail

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Economic impact of cycling & Increasing participation
by Charles Feaver 24 Aug '11

24 Aug '11

An interesting article on the BBC web site; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14610857 about a study which measures the economic impact of cycling The bottom of that page includes a link to an article that shows how some efforts to get people cycling can have rather low impact rates. Getting participation up takes effective promotional activity once the facilities are in place...

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CanStar Weekly online: Group's cycling survey reveals some interesting results
by Beth McKechnie 24 Aug '11

24 Aug '11

Group’s cycling survey reveals some interesting results By: Marlo Campbell Posted: 08/24/2011 "If you build it, they will come," seems to be the theory underlying recent investments in local active-transportation infrastructure. Last year saw an unprecedented $20.4 million was spent on upgrades to Winnipeg’s AT network — everything from improved signage and painted bike lanes to new multi-use pathways and those oh-so-controversial traffic-calming circles. One assumes the goal of such investments is to encourage more citizens to cycle by making it safer and more convenient to do so — which begs the question: how do we know whether the improvements are having the desired effect? The answer: count the number of Winnipeggers riding bikes. Bike to the Future, a volunteer-run organization working to promote cycling as a means of transportation, has been doing exactly this for the past five years. Each spring, it stations people at various locations around the city during morning and afternoon rush hours to document the level of bicycle traffic. Because its focus is on commuter cycling, counts are limited to weekdays with special attention paid to routes in and out of downtown, particularly "choke points" (such as bridges) that cyclists can’t avoid. Since 2007, volunteers have completed 312 counts at 86 locations. This year, they completed 96 counts at 45 locations — 21 of which formed a circle downtown, although counts were also done in Fort Garry near the University of Manitoba, in St. Vital at Dakota Street and Bishop Grandin Boulevard, in St. James at Overdale Street and Bruce Avenue, and in West Kildonan at Main Street and the Chief Peguis Trail. The 2011 final report was released Aug. 12 and is available at biketothefuture.org. It estimates 5,600 Winnipeggers commute into downtown by bike on a typical spring weekday — but volunteers recorded other things, too. For example, 61% of cyclists were observed to be wearing helmets (more women than men), while, on average, 53% of cyclists rode illegally on sidewalks. Jeremy Hull, the volunteer co-ordinator/manager of the annual count, says sidewalk riding depends a lot on location. Take the underpass on Pembina Highway near Jubilee Avenue, for example. "People are very afraid of going through the underpass," Hull says. "They’ll cross Pembina and take the sidewalk and then come back — at quite a bit of extra inconvenience to them, in some cases." This year’s most surprising finding is an apparent 20% decline in commuter cycling traffic from 2010 (although it should be noted that overall bike traffic has increased by an estimated 20% since 2007). Hull suggests this could be explained by geography and Bike to the Future’s limited capacity. "Maybe cycling is increasing in general, but maybe, because we’re counting at these places that haven’t been improved, like the bridges, we’re not capturing it. So maybe people are cycling more on those trails within Fort Rouge or within St. James or within other area of the city, but they’re not crossing the bridges; they’re taking short trips and doing things within their neighbourhoods, or going on some of the new trails that we just aren’t capturing." Hull’s hypothesis begs another question: why is the city relying on volunteers to collect such important data? If it’s truly committed to developing Winnipeg’s AT network, shouldn’t it also be committed to documenting cycling trends in order to know where future investments are needed? If you build it, they will come — but only if you build it right. *Marlo Campbell drives a car to work but cycles for fun. There’s no way in hell she’d ride her bike through the Pembina underpass.* http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/column/

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APBP 2011 Professional Development Seminars
by Mark Cohoe 24 Aug '11

24 Aug '11

*APBP 2011 Professional Development Seminar *October 24-27 | Charlotte, N.C. Details and registration: www.apbppds.org <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=444708&ymlink=…> *Early registration rates in effect through September 14* Plan to attend the best sustainable transportation conference in 2011! Join a wide cohort of bicycle and pedestrian staff, consultants, engineers, planners, landscape architects, policymakers, advocates, and many others at APBP's Professional Development Seminar in Charlotte, N.C., October 24-27. Complete Streets is the focus of this year's seminar, and Charlotte is a living laboratory where participants can explore textbook policy and exemplary implementation. Three conference tracks will focus on Complete Streets Design and Implementation, Livability and Economic Development, and New Guidelines, Research and Standards. PDS participants may choose from 26 in-depth, three-hour classroom and mobile sessions beginning Tuesday, October 25. Special all-day intensive seminars on Monday, October 24, offer deep classroom learning opportunities about Smart Trips, Healthy Living In Place, and Toward Zero Deaths as well as mobile sessions to Greenville and Spartanburg, S.C. and Davidson, N.C. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from a dream team of bike/ped experts, including Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists; Barbara McCann, National Complete Streets Coalition; Dan Burden, Walkable and Livable Communities Institute; exceptional professionals from Charlotte's Department of Transportation; and many other recognized masters. Find the conference agenda and session details at www.apbppds.org <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=444708&ymlink=…>. A student poster contest offers five winners the chance to attend the conference through a student scholarship award and travel stipend. Conference Location and Hotel: The Blake Hotel 555 South McDowell Street Charlotte, NC28204 (704) 372-4100 Website: http://www.blakehotelnc.com/ <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=444708&ymlink=…> Click here <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=444708&ymlink=…> to learn how to make your reservation at the group rate of $95 (king) or $129 (two doubles) per night. The room block is open until 9/23/11 or until full, whichever occurs first. The GSA per diem hotel rate for Charlotte is $95. For exhibit and sponsorship opportunities, contact sponsorship(a)apbp.org <mailto:sponsorship@apbp.org>. Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals PO Box 93 . Cedarburg, WI . 53012 262.228.7025 . info(a)apbp.org <mailto:info@apbp.org> www.apbp.org <http://www.apbp.org/link.asp?e=markc@biketothefuture.org&job=444708&ymlink=…>

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