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WFP: Reduced-speed pilot expected to start in March (Jan5'23)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Jan '23

05 Jan '23

*Reduced-speed pilot expected to start in March* A pilot project that would reduce the speed limit on residential streets in four Winnipeg neighbourhoods is expected to begin in March. The standard 50 km/h maximum speed limit would drop to 40 km/h in the Worthington and Richmond West neighbourhoods, and 30 km/h in the Tyndall Park South and Bourkevale neighbourhoods. While a call to amend a bylaw to allow the one-year trial still requires council approval, the public works committee voted in favour of testing speed-limit reductions in these areas in April 2022. In an email, city spokeswoman Julie Horbal Dooley said the city expects to begin consulting residents about the trial by the end of this month. “We plan to launch targeted pre-pilot engagement with residents of affected streets at the end of January, and to implement the speed limit changes in early- to mid-March.” Individual Winnipeggers and advocacy groups have lobbied the city to reduce the speed on residential streets for years, arguing doing so would make walking and cycling safer. By contrast, others launched a petition against the speed reduction, arguing the current speed limit is appropriate.

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Slow bike lane development in Toronto
by Charles F 03 Jan '23

03 Jan '23

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-community-bikeways-coalition… from my phone.

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WFP: City urged to boost street safety (Jan2'23)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jan '23

02 Jan '23

Take steps to protect pedestrians, all road users: advocates *City urged to boost street safety* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/01/02/city-urged-to-boo… THE high number of pedestrians killed by vehicles in Winnipeg last year highlights the need for a greater commitment to safe streets, including better sidewalk and bike lane snow clearing, advocates say. Twelve pedestrians had been killed on city streets in 2022, compared to six in 2021, according to data from Winnipeg Police Service and Manitoba Public Insurance. The number of people who had been injured was not available, an MPI spokesperson said. Ian Walker, chairman of Safe Speeds Winnipeg, said while deaths are the worst outcome, injuries caused to pedestrians struck by vehicles can have life-altering consequences. “We don’t hear about (injuries)… they happen so frequently that a lot of people accept it as a cost of modern transportation,” Walker said. He recalls helping his then-80-year-old neighbour after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing the intersection at Tache Avenue and Marion Street. “It forever changed her life,” Walker said. “She broke her hip and she went from being this vibrant 80-year-old to someone who was housebound… She just never regained her mobility, which was terrible. It took away from her quality of life.” Walker added there are many steps the City of Winnipeg could take to bolster safety for pedestrians and cyclists. On his 2023 wish list, he’d like to see the city commit to the Vision Zero safer streets strategy that’s popular in Europe. The goal is to eliminate traffic fatalities and severe injuries. It involves redesigning roads to ensure driver’s mistakes do not cost lives or injuries, ensuring speed limits are at safe levels, and collecting and analyzing data to understand how different populations are disproportionately affected. Walker emphasized smaller steps can be taken immediately to improve safety, such as putting a priority on sidewalk and bike lane clearing. When that doesn’t happen, pedestrians are pushed onto roads that are not designed for them, he said. Walker referenced a recent Free Press column that detailed the plight of a man in a wheelchair forced to use the street because the sidewalk was covered in snow. “Those kinds of images are just heartbreaking,” Walker said. Winnipeg public works spokeswoman Julie Dooley said in an email pedestrian safety “is absolutely a priority” for the municipal government. She pointed to the council-approved road safety action plan “designed to set the direction and pace of Winnipeg’s road safety investments over the next five years and identifies actions that will help the city meet its road safety goal of achieving a 20 per cent reduction in fatal and serious injury collisions by 2026.” Dooley said the plan is based on the Vision Zero concept, which recognizes road safety is a shared responsibility and improvement requires a team effort by road designers, vehicle manufacturers, policy makers, enforcement agencies, families, workplaces and schools. Christian Sweryda, a Winnipeg researcher who independently analyzes city traffic data, says there’s a lack of data about traffic incidents in general. He’s critical of knee-jerk responses from safer streets advocates following a crash. For example, the call to lower the speed limit. Sweryda said while such steps can minimize the severity of a collision, other factors could prevent crashes altogether. He listed better designed roadways, improved eye-level lighting at crosswalks, speed limits appropriate for the area, longer yellow lights, and enforcement that targets dangerous drivers. Decisions should be backed up by data and evidence, he said. He questions if the pedestrian-cyclist-driver divisions prevent the public from seeing practical solutions. “The bigger problem we see is that interests of road users are not united,” Sweryda said. “It’s become an ideological bottomless pit really. “It is convenient to blame the driver because then you can defer responsibility away from actually making changes to the engineering.” His hope is evidence and data drive changes that boost safety, and all those who hold the relevant data — police, the city, and MPI among them — freely share what they know about how to improve safety for all road users. katrina.clarke(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Dad’s plea caps deadly year on city streets (Dec30'22)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Dec '22

30 Dec '22

Father appeals for help to solve son’s hit-and-run death *Dad’s plea caps deadly year on city streets* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/29/plea-for-informat… EVERY time Kevin Joss learns about another fatal collision in Winnipeg, the immense pain of losing his son in a still-unsolved hit-andrun comes back to the surface. The number of fatalities on city streets has tripled, with 28 people dying in collisions this year, compared with nine in both 2021 and 2020. Police figures show collisions killed 16 people in 2019 and 13 in 2018. “This year, the amount of vehicle and pedestrian accidents or hit-and-runs has just gone through the roof,” Joss said Thursday. “Every time someone else loses their life or is critically injured or leaves the scene, it sends such a ripple effect through to this family and to others that are going through the same things that we have.” Winnipeg Police Service central traffic division Const. Aaron Staples, the lead investigator in the 2014 collision that killed 21-year-old Cody Joss, said there is no specific trend behind the spike in fatalities this year. Still, a number of incidents involved dangerous behaviour such as impaired or distracted driving or speeding. “(This year) was, unfortunately, a terrible year for road fatalities in Winnipeg, and we’re looking to improve those statistics,” Staples said during a news conference at police headquarters. There were 41 collisions involving death or serious injury in Winnipeg, as of Dec. 16, said police. Of those, 19 involved pedestrians, with 12 of them dying. There have been eight hit-and-runs. In five collisions, the driver was impaired or suspected of being impaired, said police. Standing next to a framed photo of his smiling son on Thursday, tears welled in Joss’s eyes while he renewed his family’s appeal for information to help solve Cody’s death. “If you are the bearer of any clues or any knowledge of this accident, I want you to take a look at your loved ones and realize it can happen to you,” said Joss. “Everybody says it wouldn’t happen to me. I stand before you and tell you it happened to us. “If you are holding that info, whether you thought that it was minor, it can all lead to a resolution for this case, some knowledge for our family and for us to begin to heal. Please, folks, I beg of you.” Cody was walking north on McGregor Street when he was hit by a vehicle travelling west on Inkster Boulevard around 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2014. The vehicle fled before police arrived. Cody was taken to Health Sciences Centre, where he later died. All investigative avenues have been exhausted, but his family and police hope someone has information about the vehicle and its occupant or occupants that could help investigators and bring closure to his loved ones. Joss and Staples appealed to people who have a link to the person or people who were in the vehicle, and may know something. “Maybe your status, your social status changed, whereas you weren’t able to talk about what transpired and now you can,” said Joss. “It’s not too late. Any little bit of information that you have can really help us out. We need to know what went on, and we need to start healing.” Joss and police are holding on to hope someone who was driving in the area around the time of the collision may still have dashcam video footage that shows the vehicle. Staples said police do not know the type of vehicle that was involved, after receiving varying descriptions. The investigation remains open, with police committed to bringing closure to Cody’s family after an “incredibly difficult” eight years, said Staples. “Unfortunately, to this point, no one has come forward with any video of the event, and no one who has directly been a witness to the actual event,” he said. “It is very rare that a collision like Cody’s goes unsolved, and that’s why we are making such a continued ongoing effort and commitment to the family to push forward on this one.” Anyone with information is asked to call police at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477. Every year around Christmas, Joss attends an event such as a news conference or vigil to plead for information. He has become a road safety advocate. “I’ve spoken in the past about how everybody has to make the right choices when they leave and start their day, whether you’re a pedestrian and being distracted walking across streets, whether you’re a distracted driver or you’re just a little too fatigued,” he said. “Everything you do has a ripple effect on everybody else. “The thoughts of the next person that’s going to lose their life to an accident that could have been prevented by making the right choice, it’s enough to make us tear up.” Staples said the traffic division’s strategy for 2023 includes targeted enforcement of impaired and distracted driving, and speeding. “We want to remind the public that the choices to drive impaired, drive distracted speeding — they can all have lethal consequences, and those simple choices you can make can truly be the difference between life and death,” he said. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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WFP: Service honours 22-year-old cyclist killed by snowplow (Dec22'22)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Dec '22

22 Dec '22

Service honours 22-year-old cyclist killed by snowplow City’s Indian community mobilizes for funeral of foreign student https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/21/indian-muslim-community-… JAVED MUSHARRAF was warned to be careful when riding his bicycle in the winter, but the international student from India had two jobs and few options. The 22-year-old, who came to Winnipeg from the city of Hyderabad about two years ago, was struck and killed by a city-contracted front-end loader that was plowing snow in St. Boniface last Thursday. He was riding home to Balmoral Street and Cumberland Avenue on an electrically assisted bike. “He had to drive a bike to get to work,” said one of his three roommates, Mohsin Ahmed, 32. Ahmed said Musharraf told him riding the bus to work was difficult, and the devoutly Muslim young man did not have a Manitoba driver’s licence. Still, he got to his jobs at Canadian Tire and FedEx, where he worked shifts early in the day and late into the night. “He was a very good person… He was very hard-working, and very truthful,” said Ahmed. “We’re going through a tough time… he was like my younger brother… I personally feel very sad. It’s not acceptable (what happened.) He’s only 22.” Musharraf moved to Winnipeg to study automotive technology at Red River College Polytechnic, and had a bright future in his chosen field, having built the electric bike he was riding that night himself. Two off-duty Winnipeg police officers came upon the collision at about 10:20 p.m. on Dec. 15 near Mission and Plinguet streets. They gave Musharraf first aid while two Winnipeg Transit employees stopped to re-route traffic. Musharraf was pronounced dead shortly after emergency personnel arrived. The driver of the front-end loader stayed at the scene, police said. Musharraf’s roommates did not know, at first, why he hadn’t come home. “We didn’t hear (from him) for two days. He had passed a course, so we thought he might be celebrating with his friends,” said Shakir Shaikh, 22. “Normally he would go to work early and come back late at night, and we were so busy… On the second day, we called him.” Ahmed, who lived with Musharraf for about seven months, said he did not have many friends in Winnipeg, “because most of the time he worked hard and didn’t talk a lot.” But the young man had no issues with anyone, he said. The victim had no family in Winnipeg, and just an uncle and cousins in Calgary, while the rest of his loved ones are in India. The Community of Indian Muslims in Manitoba sprung into action after learning about the man’s death, said Irfanulla Rahamathulla, the organization’s vice-president. “We contacted the police and contacted the uncle (in Calgary), and we tried to arrange the funeral,” said Rahamathulla. “They were supposed to come, his family members, but flights got cancelled one after the other from Calgary, due to the snowstorm in Vancouver.” Rahamathulla said the community had arranged accommodations, food and transportation for the seven family members who planned to travel here to attend Musharraf’s funeral Wednesday, but because of the cancelled flights and unsafe winter driving conditions from Alberta, only Musharraf’s roommates and some members of the wider Winnipeg Muslim community were able to be at the service. Most of the mourners at the Winnipeg Grand Mosque on Waverley Street Wednesday afternoon did not know the young man whose funeral they were attending. “As a brother in Islam, we feel connected with everyone, to show compassion,” said Rahamathulla. Community members such as Atif Ijaz, 53, did not know the young student. “It’s very unfortunate, especially for the family, who are so far away and they cannot reach his funeral — it’s really heartbreaking,” said Ijaz, who is originally from Pakistan. “He was a student, and like so many other students, he was here to get educated, to get into the Canadian education system, and then enter professional life... It’s very unfortunate.” Bashshar Habibullah, 32, did not know Musharraf, either. “We have very few members of the Indian Muslim community — like 150 (people),” he said. “We are trying to help as much as we can… the worst part is none of his family can see him.” In the mosque, Imam Yacine Mamadou led about 100 people in prayer over Musharraf’s simple wooden casket, telling mourners to take life seriously and to do good deeds. As the mourners wheeled Musharraf’s casket from the mosque to a hearse that would take him to a Transcona cemetery, community members video-called his family so they could witness the procession. Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said Wednesday the investigation into the collision is ongoing. No criminal or Highway Traffic Act charges have been laid. “We have confirmed that an independent contractor for the (city) owns the front-end loader,” McKinnon said. Public works department spokeswoman Julie Dooley would not comment specifically on the incident, directing questions to police, but said in general, the city investigates all incidents on job sites, working closely with both police and provincial Workplace Safety and Health officials. “In terms of training, both city employees and hired equipment operators are required to undergo training that covers safety, policies and service standards and other topics,” she said. “City of Winnipeg operators receive extensive and ongoing safety training. Hired hourly operators are contractually obligated to provide workers who are trained and qualified for their respective equipment.” erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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CBC coverage of the Harte Trail - Grand Trunk Trail crossing
by Katheryn Loewen 20 Dec '22

20 Dec '22

There's only one thing keeping people from biking uninterrupted from the Assiniboine Forest to Beaudry Provincial Park - the perimeter highway. But two trail organizations are looking to change that by building a pedestrian crossing. Guest host Marjorie Dowhos spoke with Phil Jenkinson and Liz Loewen about the plan: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-111-up-to-speed/clip/15955894-winnip…

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WFP Analysis: A chance to reimagine road safety (Dec19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Dec '22

19 Dec '22

*A chance to reimagine road safety * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2022/12/19/a-chance-to-r… DRIVERS have killed 11 pedestrians on Winnipeg streets in 2022. The language of that sentence might sound jarring, because we rarely humanize a driver’s role in vehicle collisions. We more commonly use object-based language that describes a vehicle doing something rather than a driver: a car jumped the curb and hit a pedestrian. This ambiguity is uniquely reserved for those operating motor vehicles, as we would never say a bike injured a pedestrian. We would say a cyclist did. This forgiving language reveals a deeply ingrained bias in how we perceive road users, and is a natural extension of the cultural dominance vehicles have in our urban mobility. City streets are viewed primarily as conduits for vehicles, with pedestrians and cyclists considered guests on streets made for cars. This public bias pushes planners, engineers and politicians to prioritize vehicle speed over pedestrian safety in street design. There’s a sense of inevitability to this year’s record number of pedestrian fatalities that mutes public reaction, almost as if it’s a price that must be paid. On average in Winnipeg, every second day a pedestrian or cyclist is injured in a vehicle collision seriously enough to file a police report. Every third day a pedestrian or cyclist is sent to hospital. Public response to these staggering statistics often seeks blame, asking if the pedestrian was on their phone, or if the cyclist rolled through a stop sign, believing that if we can identify personal fault, we will not be forced to re-evaluate our car-first priorities. To the family of a person killed in a vehicle collision, it doesn’t matter who is to blame. The question we should be asking is how do we ensure that when a mistake is made, no matter who makes it, someone doesn’t pay for it with their life? Pedestrian and cyclist fatalities are not inevitable, but the solution requires a cultural shift in the way planners, policy-makers and the public think about streets and how we use them. If we are going to blame anyone for collision deaths, our collective fingers should point directly at the streets we have designed to encourage them. This is where we must start looking for solutions. Cyclists and pedestrians are not protected by air bags and 1,000 kilograms of steel. The only way to provide protection to vulnerable road users is to build it into the streets themselves. To do this, many cities have adopted Vision Zero, a global urban-road safety initiative that promotes physical changes to street design, reduced speed limits, data tracking, enforcement and education. The Vision Zero strategy has allowed Helsinki, Finland, and Oslo, Norway, to bring pedestrian and cyclist fatalities down from more than 20 annually in the 1990s to zero in 2019. Edmonton became the first Canadian city to adopt Vision Zero in 2015 and has seen all vehicle fatalities decrease by 50 per cent, and pedestrian fatalities by nearly 30 per cent. Last summer, city council adopted the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan, an inspired document, based on Vision Zero principles, that outlines comprehensive strategies to change the culture of road safety in our city. The plan includes two striking maps that identify locations of pedestrian and cycling injury-collisions across the city, painting a clear picture of Winnipeg’s road safety. Not surprisingly, they reveal that collisions occur most where higher volumes of pedestrians are on streets designed to prioritize vehicle speeds. Downtown Winnipeg, with its wide, one-way streets and narrow sidewalks designed to funnel commuters out of the city centre as quickly as possible, is the most glaring example. High numbers of collisions are also found across the city on what were once commercial neighbourhood streets but have over time been transformed into pseudo commuter highways such McPhillips, Main and Marion streets. When Kelvin Street became Henderson Highway in 1963, it received the name “highway” to clearly indicate where its new priority lay. Osborne Street is another stark example of this condition. Perceived as a pedestrian shopping street, its primary design function is to funnel vehicles through Osborne Village to the suburbs. To increase traffic flow, trees were removed, sidewalks were narrowed and car lanes widened. All of this makes pedestrian safety a decided afterthought. We often refer to collisions as “accidents,” but it’s not an accident that so many pedestrians are hit on streets such as Osborne. The way we’ve designed them makes it inevitable. The Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan identifies 67 actions to change this. These include installing traffic-calming elements such as speed humps, raised crosswalks and street narrowing; policy reviews of speed limits, oneway streets and right turns on red lights; and construction of protective elements including bike lanes, improved signals and curb extensions at intersections. The action plan is thorough and transformational, but to be successful it must be funded and supported by government. Edmonton successfully reduced traffic fatalities by directing more than $20 million per year of red-light camera revenue toward its strategic plan. It also recently committed $100 million to building protected bike lanes that will transform the city’s mobility. If Winnipeg wants to be just as serious about saving lives and building a culture of road safety, the evidence will not be found in another policy paper. It will be found in the budgets that support it. *Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number TEN Architectural Group.*

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WFP: Transit trouble frustrates bus riders (Dec19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 19 Dec '22

19 Dec '22

Transit trouble frustrates bus riders https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/19/transit-turmoil-frustrat… ERIN Riediger’s Winnipeg Transit tracking app told her the bus she was waiting for Dec. 9 was four minutes away. When the countdown reached zero, the estimated wait time jumped back up to four minutes. She kept checking, and waiting in the cold. About 20 minutes past the original arrival time, the bus scheduled for the Wellington Avenue stop vanished from the list entirely. “It didn’t say, ‘cancelled,’ it didn’t say, ‘unavailable,’ it just disappeared from the schedule,” Riediger said. “And then when I was walking to try to catch another bus, I ran into other people along the route, basically, that were waiting for the same bus, and I even said to a few of them: ‘Just so you know, it’s not coming.’” It’s a frustrating occurrence Winnipeggers know all too well. When Riediger shared her experience via social media, her replies were filled with people who, too, had waited for a scheduled bus that never showed up. Riediger uses the Winnipeg Bus Live app, which she said is usually accurate. She noted while she had the ability to walk to another bus stop, not everyone has that privilege. “For transit to be effective, you have to be able to trip plan, and you have to be able to have the reliability of transit so that you can show up to work on time,” she said. “So if you’re going to work in bad weather, you don’t have to wait. If you have mobility issues, you’re not trying to get yourself to another bus stop.” Schedules misaligned to actual vehicles on the road can be caused if a bus has a mechanical issue and is taken out of service — there can be a lag in between the bus being removed and it showing up on the Transit schedules — or as a result of staff shortages, a City of Winnipeg spokesperson said. Those staff shortages result in some buses never making it onto assigned routes, causing cancellations. As with a mechanical issue, sometimes there is a lag between the bus being cancelled and it showing up on riders’ schedules. “We, like many public transportation providers across North America, are experiencing staff shortages that, combined with an increase in operator absenteeism, have resulted in us designating a small number of buses as DNOs (did not operate),” the spokesperson said in an email. “While we never want to see DNOs, what we are experiencing currently is intermittent and is limited to the peak periods (rush hours).” Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 president Romeo Ignacio said the reduction in transit service over the COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in temporary layoffs, less frequent service and fewer buses on the road) made an impact that remains today. “The schedules that the city has provided were actually based on the last two years. And you know what the last two years was, right? There was no traffic, there were no people taking the buses,” said the leader of the union representing Transit bus operators. “And they cut the service, they cut the schedules. Not only that, they actually cut the service by six per cent, they actually cut the times. And that has an impact on whether the bus will show up on time or even show up at all.” The issue snowballs, Ignacio said, when you consider buses often take routes known as “interlining” — when a bus does one route for its first trip, then a different route for its second trip. This means if a bus is running late after completing a route, it can often get its next route cancelled entirely to keep it on schedule. “There’s actually a joke out there that ‘not in service’ is the most common bus (route) that the city has… It cascades.” Before the current shortage, the city would have drivers on standby to fill in for emergencies. Now, Ignacio said around 50 driver positions out of 1,100 remain unfilled. To have a fully-operational bus service, he said Transit would need 100 more operators. It’s a cyclical struggle — while 200 drivers have been trained in the last three years, 330 have resigned or retired, Ignacio said. “It takes time for an operator to develop that experience, where they can come in on time all the time, but with the cuts in the service, with the cuts in the schedules, with more traffic out there than the schedules will permit, and the lack of support… Because of all that missing, we’re having a tough time retaining even the (drivers) that we have right now.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Cyclist dies after collision with front-end loader (Dec17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Dec '22

17 Dec '22

Cyclist dies after collision with front-end loader https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/16/cyclist-dies-afte… A CYCLIST was killed after colliding with a front-end loader in an industrial area near St. Boniface Thursday night. The man was riding his bike near the intersection of Mission and Plinguet streets when the incident happened around 10:20 p.m. Off-duty officers who were in the area tried to save him by giving him emergency care. The man was pronounced dead when emergency services arrived. Police said the driver of the front-end loader remained on the scene. The identity of the cyclist hasn’t been confirmed, and no charges have been laid against the driver of the front-end loader, Const. Jay Murray said Friday. “Typically, these types of investigations are very extensive, and require a lot of work before we ultimately determine the circumstances that led up to the collision,” he said. Murray said it’s rare for a front-end loader to be involved in such an incident. “Anecdotally speaking, it doesn’t seem to be a common thing,” he said. “The reality is that there’s quite a bit of front-end loader work that occurs across the city in the winter months, we live in a city where there’s often quite a bit of snow. It doesn’t seem to be something that happens commonly.” Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said the tragedy underscores the need to address cycling infrastructure. “These deaths, and these serious injuries, I think we really have to recognize that these are preventable circumstances, they are preventable events,” he said. It’s time, Cohoe said, for the city to consider a “vision zero” policy — a strategy adopted in cities across the world that looks at city planning and road safety with the goal of reaching zero traffic-related deaths and severe injuries, rather than viewing collisions as inevitable. “When we have these serious collisions, especially fatalities, are we doing an audit to look at what were the circumstances that led to this and asking ourselves, are there sort of links in that chain of events and circumstances that we can alter so that this doesn’t happen again?” he said. There is no bike path or sidewalk on the section of road where Thursday’s tragedy occurred. City planning should ensure people who cycle outside high-traffic areas are safe in winter, Cohoe said. While he hopes this tragedy will inspire those conversations at the municipal level, Cohoe said he isn’t confident. “Obviously, the police will investigate. I would hope that that will be shared. MPI will look at this. But to what level does it come back to that system of looking at our roads, our programming, our public education, our maintenance and looking at how we’re training the staff that clean the streets?” he said. “Am I confident that it will be filtered back up through that change? No.” At the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, the organizers who create community bike programs are well-prepared for winter cycling. While the group could make safety recommendations, executive director Lucas Stewart said nothing can replace safer infrastructure. “We recommend a studded front tire to help with steering and having a bike that you don’t mind getting a little rusty, because salt is applied to the streets,” he said. “The limiting factor really is having a safe place to ride either with or without cars, and the quality of the snow clearing.” Along with infrastructure changes, Stewart said he’d like to see urban cycling implemented into elementary school education. “My daughter’s four. I have a dream that when she’s 13, she can get herself to soccer practice by bike,” he said. “That’s not the case at the moment.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Citizen shovellers want clear paths, better city response (Dec12'22)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Dec '22

12 Dec '22

Citizen shovellers want clear paths, better city response https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/12/citizen-shovelers… FOR some who recently watched the city threaten to fine Winnipeggers who took clearing snow from bike lanes into their own hands, it feels like history repeating itself. When the water rose and froze over the Omand’s Creek footbridge in 2019, Chris Beauvilain and others felt they were forced to clear the snow- and ice-covered bridge themselves. The city had blocked off the pedestrian link and said it wouldn’t be clearing it until spring, despite repeated requests for service from Wolseley community members. “The city had made a choice at that time… which we thought was unacceptable, given that’s our toboggan park, my kids used that trail to get to their grandparents’ house,” Beauvilain said Thursday. “And so we went and did it.” At the time, the public works department said the job was too dangerous to complete, due to thick ice blocking off machine access. After Beauvilain and Brad Hignell spent hours chipping the ice off the bridge with hand tools on a December Saturday, the city eventually plowed the entire trail leading up to the bridge on either side. It didn’t come with a thank you, however — rather, the city said through a spokesperson the pair’s efforts “did not mitigate the public safety risk” and the unsanctioned cleaning, luckily, hadn’t affected the bridge’s structure. The idea of fining the shovellers was brought up but eventually discarded; internal emails obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation through a freedom of information request and shared with the Free Press described their work as “reckless.” “It was a pretty frustrating experience to do that, and then be threatened with fines,” Beauvilain said, adding people were fed up with slow-moving response to snow-clearing. “And I just felt like the city was being kind of a bully and aggressive, and I didn’t really understand it.” Beauvilain said he feels “inspired” by residents who have been clearing icy paths across the city in recent weeks after complaints to the city’s 311 service reportedly went unanswered. Last month, a group took matters into their own hands and dug ice and snow from a bike lane on Westminster Avenue. They were given a warning of possible bylaw fines. Undeterred, they later cleared a lane in the Exchange District. A City of Winnipeg spokesperson clarified it had no plans to fine anyone. Beauvilain said he was a little surprised the city was quick once again to jump to threatening fines before backing down. “It seems so ridiculous, but it is not uncommon for me to see these kinds of situations happen and the response is typically quite defensive and aggressive,” he said. “I’ll give credit to the city this time, the spokesperson was very clear… but then also kind of surprised that we’re still dealing with the same issues as a winter city.” Hillary Rosentreter, who has been organizing groups to clear ice and snow from lanes, didn’t live in Winnipeg in 2019, and hadn’t heard about the Omand’s Creek incident until recently. “I’m not surprised… I’m certain that this has been a longer-standing problem than any of us could imagine,” she said. Like Beauvilain, she acknowledges the city has been making efforts to streamline its snow-clearing processes, but said until it moves faster, people will continue to be inclined to take the work upon themselves. “I’m not necessarily concerned about them learning from their mistakes. More so I’m more concerned about… the amount of time it takes before policies are changed, the amount of time it takes before 311 gets to a trouble spot, that kind of thing,” Rosentreter said. A motion from Coun. Matt Allard to update bylaws to remove the possibility of receiving a fine for clearing snow off of public sidewalks and bike paths was met with interest at city hall last week. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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CBC: Edmonton set to build $100M in bike lanes as city council votes to amend capital budget (Dec9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Dec '22

11 Dec '22

After hours of debate Friday, council approved a plan to fund $100 million to implement the city-wide bike lane network, many of which are multi-mode paths. Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-city-council-1.6681387

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WFP: ‘Not one easy solution’ amid deadly year on Winnipeg roads (Dec7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Dec '22

08 Dec '22

‘Not one easy solution’ amid deadly year on Winnipeg roads https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/12/07/not-one-easy-solu… The heightened death toll on Winnipeg roads this year is “bleak” and “awful,” an active transportation advocate says. Katheryn Loewen, senior sustainable transportation co-ordinator at the Green Action Centre and a Bike Winnipeg board member, said most pedestrian deaths are preventable, despite often being written off as accidents. “Where the blame lies, it depends on the situation, but where the responsibility lays, it’s usually pretty clear it’s either in road design of the city and the manufacturers of cars,” Loewen said Wednesday. “One person involved is wielding a heavy machine that is capable of instantly killing someone if they’re not careful, and the other person, the pedestrian, is not… The responsibility is imbalanced.” Manufacturers are building autos larger than in previous generations, worsening injuries when collisions happen, Loewen said. Cities could increase the number of crosswalks and improve pedestrian infrastructure — with sidewalks farther and protected from roads — to reduce risks, she added. “It’s a big issue and there’s not one easy solution, but road design is definitely a big factor,” Loewen said. “People should be able to get around on foot and on bike and on scooter and wheelchairs and not be worried about (collisions) like this happening to them constantly.” Eleven pedestrians had been killed in Winnipeg so far this year, compared to six in all of 2021, police data show. An additional six pedestrians have been seriously injured after bring struck by vehicles. Most recently, a pedestrian was killed Dec. 3 on the southbound Century Street entrance to the St. James Bridge in a two-vehicle collision. In total, at least 21 people, including vehicle occupants, have been killed in road collisions this year, compared to nine in 2021. Three pedestrians were killed in hit-and-runs in less than a week in October, while another hit-and-run claimed the life of an 81-year-old vehicle occupant in the same time frame. In 2021, two people were charged for failing to remain at the scene of a collision in which a pedestrian was killed. Three face such charges so far this year, according to the latest police data available. The Winnipeg Police Service would not provide any updates Wednesday on the four fatal October hit-and-run investigations. A request first made Tuesday to speak with the head of the police traffic division in general terms about collision investigations was denied Wednesday, with a spokeswoman saying the inspector was not available “at this time.” A former city police officer — who retired in 1991 and now runs a firm focused on helping drivers fight traffic tickets — said collision investigations can be difficult. “Hit-and-run or leaving the scene of an accident — that’s always a tricky investigation,” said Len Eastoe of Traffic Ticket Experts. Eyewitness accounts, licence plate numbers and dash, business and home surveillance video footage are among the crucial evidence that needs to be collected, he said. Police have made public pleas for such footage to be brought forward to investigators in the spate of October hit-and-runs. Pieces of vehicles left at the scene too are key, Eastoe said, because the wreckage can be sometimes tracked to a specific type of vehicle. “Sometimes, they then have the colour or make and model even of the vehicle they’re looking for.” Police have past said traffic investigators use, among other tools, a scanner to create 3D images of collision scenes in reconstructions. Eastoe said recovering vehicles involved in collisions is “huge” for police. “It gives you all sorts of other possibilities. Who’s the registered owner? It gives you a person to talk to in that regard. Sometimes, the vehicles are stolen and just haven’t been reported that way yet, and that may be legitimate. It may also be bogus that it’s been reported stolen,” said the former cop who worked in uniformed patrol and plainclothes. “If they can’t say it was stolen or you can prove it wasn’t, then the owner can be held responsible.” erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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WFP: Councillor seeks to dump threat of shovelling fines (Dec8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Dec '22

08 Dec '22

Eliminate risk of penalties for citizens clearing snow: Allard Councillor seeks to dump threat of shovelling fines https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/07/councillor-seeks-to-dump… CALLS to eliminate potential fines for citizens who opt to shovel snow off Winnipeg public sidewalks and bike paths are gaining traction at city hall. Coun. Matt Allard wants council to update bylaws to permanently eliminate the risk of a financial penalty for such volunteers. “I’m saying residents should not have to fear a fine (for) being good citizens by doing the snow-clearing work that the city should be doing, according to our snow-clearing bylaw, which the public service has acknowledged they don’t have the resources to do,” Allard said Wednesday. The city didn’t meet its own standards last winter, according to a recent civic staff report. That policy requires sidewalks adjacent to major routes and collector streets to be cleared within 36 hours after an “average” storm ends, with residential street sidewalks cleared within five working days after plowing starts. While last winter’s especially harsh, stormy conditions certainly hampered snow and ice control, many residents have complained winter sidewalks have been impassable far too often for several years. Allard said he believes residents can manage any risk in clearing such routes for themselves. “For people trying to get around on their bicycles (who are) being caught in the snow, I think that’s more of a safety issue than people taking out some shovels and clearing that active transportation path.” While city officials have assured the public they don’t intend to levy such fines, Allard said a bylaw update is needed to completely rule out the risk of that happening in the future. Hillary Rosentreter, who has organized multiple do-it-yourself snow-clearing efforts on bike lanes and sidewalks over the past few weeks, said the risk of a fine should be clearly eliminated. “Those who go out and put the effort in to clear sidewalks near their homes or in their communities should not be threatened with a fine or have to face any kind of repercussions for doing so — especially from the city, when the city is obviously not keeping up with that responsibility,” said Rosentreter. The city must do more, however, than simply ruling out punishment for folks who volunteer to clear paths for bikes and pedestrians, she added. “The reason why we’ve been out there and why we continue to be out there (clearing snow) is because the clearing is inadequate… Ultimately, we want the policy of snow-clearing to change. We want more money to go into clearing of sidewalks and bike lanes because (snow-clearing) disproportionately focuses on vehicles.” Allard’s motion appears to be gaining some traction with his city council colleagues. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he believes there’s a “common sense” need to ensure no one is fined for shovelling a sidewalk. However, he said council needs further debate to determine how to proceed on bike paths. “Some areas for bike lanes are a shared lane on a road (with vehicles). There (are) different safety concerns… related to bike lanes, as opposed to a sidewalk,” said Gillingham. Council’s public works chairwoman said she was surprised to confirm fines were possible for clearing a sidewalk. “Common sense needs to prevail, because I think it’s ridiculous… I’m going to be working with the department on this one,” said Coun. Janice Lukes. However, Lukes said she fears making it easier for residents to clear bike lanes on their own could pose a significant safety risk. “It isn’t safe to really have people (shovelling) on the road in the winter with moving vehicles.” Overall, the councillor said the key focus must be to improve the city efforts to clear ice and snow from sidewalks and bike paths. “The bottom line is I think we need to be looking at doing much better,” said Lukes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Researchers net $3M to create sustainable transportation interventions in Canadian cities
by Beth McKechnie 07 Dec '22

07 Dec '22

A national research team is taking aim at creating more sustainable transportation options in cities across the country. Simon Fraser University (SFU) health sciences professor Meghan Winters leads the interdisciplinary group with $3 million in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The team will focus on improving bicycling networks for all ages and strategies to reduce speed. Full article: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/973429

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WFP: Urban outcasts: Leaving our most vulnerable to struggle for themselves in the cold shames this city (Dec1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Dec '22

03 Dec '22

Urban outcasts: Leaving our most vulnerable to struggle for themselves in the cold shames this city https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/2022/12/01/urban-outca… An open letter to the man I saw on Selkirk Avenue on a recent Thursday afternoon just before 2 p.m. It’s good that you were wearing a red sweater. It stood out against the snow, a blotch of crimson on a dirty white tableau, which made you very easy to see. I spotted you from a block away, at least, inching slowly down the street. The wheels of your wheelchair sank into the soft snow, so you were mostly dragging the chair forward by your slippered feet. There was nowhere else you could be at that moment. I don’t know where you were going, but you had to go somewhere and the sidewalk was rutted and clogged by snow. Behind you, prowling cars slowed and veered into the oncoming lane, my lane, making a cautious arc to avoid where you laboured, one inch at a time, down the road. I was embarrassed. Not by you. As we drove past, my passenger, a newcomer from Ukraine, pursed her lips and watched you with curious eyes. We did not speak enough of each other’s languages for complex conversation, so it’s hard to say what went through her mind, but she made a sympathetic murmur. Matching the sentiment, so did I. So yes, I was embarrassed that a newcomer should see this Winnipeg, the one that pushes citizens with the greatest need of safe passage out into the street. It can’t be hidden though. It’s the truth. But I’m speaking to myself, here; the failures of our city’s responsibility to people with disabilities will be very well-known to you. And you aren’t the only one who has to get around like this, which I’m also sure you know already. It’s an epidemic. A few days after I saw you, I was stuck in rush hour traffic where Broadway branches off from Portage Avenue, when the knot of SUVs ahead parted to show a woman in a power wheelchair, slowly rolling forward, while drivers gave her a berth. She looked so small amidst the wall of vehicles around her. So vulnerable. A street built for cars is no place for people. But with winter sidewalks so often impassable to wheelchairs, where else could she go? Having no answer to that, how about a more uncomfortable question: what would we say to her family, or to yours, should an accident occur? We’ve raised this as an issue in the *Free Press* before. Sometimes, it’s poignant. Last December a reader wrote to us, hoping to thank a stranger. She’d taken a friend to get his flu shot, she wrote, but when she took him home, his wheelchair got stuck in the sidewalk snow. All her strength could not move it forward, until a person driving by stopped to help. In October, the snow-clearing budget was briefly an issue <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/17/winter-of-our-dis…> in the mayoral election, and my colleague Joyanne Pursaga spoke to Peter Tonge, a wheelchair-user, about how the winter steals a good chunk of his independence. Sometimes, he explained, his power chair will get stuck on the sidewalk for long minutes until a pedestrian comes by to push him out. And this winter, after bike lanes got covered with snow, residents in one neighbourhood took matters into their own hands <https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/11/23/tired-of-waiting-…> to dig them out. A city spokesman said residents shouldn’t do that, due to road safety issues. I had to laugh a little, reading that, thinking of the road safety issues that come when non-vehicular thoroughfares remain impassable. In all three of these stories, I see the duality of Winnipeg. The one I love and the one that breaks my heart. The one where Winnipeggers band together to help each other through the winter — I write this with appreciation for every stranger who has ever pushed my car out of a snowdrift — and the one where the city falls short of what those people deserve. The most important work of a city, any city, is to facilitate the movement of its people. Winnipeg has never been a star on this end: not in our groaning, threadbare public transit. Not in our slow and piecemeal approach to improving options for active transportation. And certainly not in accessibility, for seniors and others who need it most. Some things can’t be changed, of course. The climate comes with the city’s location. The winter will always be a burden on Winnipeg’s human and financial resources, and we all understand that living here requires a certain level of perseverance. But Winnipeg is not uniquely disadvantaged. Other cities in the world get more snow, but still manage to be more accessible. In Sapporo, Japan — the third-snowiest city in the world, with an average annual snowfall of 485 centimetres, compared to Winnipeg’s 118 — geothermal conduits heat the sidewalks to keep them bare year-round. Other cities, including Oslo and Helsinki, have made similar investments. Experts there have found the cost of keeping snow melted on key pedestrian routes is cheaper than the cost of mechanically clearing them. Of course, the value to safety, dignity and accessibility, especially for seniors, people who use wheelchairs and others, should be considered as priceless. I don’t know what the solution is, for Winnipeg. What I do know is that if, every winter, a city becomes partially impassable and outright dangerous for so many of its residents, then that city is not doing the work it most needs to do. And I also know that no challenge of this nature is insurmountable, that there is always a creative solution yet to be tried. And to you, the man I saw on Selkirk Avenue on that Thursday afternoon, forced onto the road, trying only to get where you needed to go, I’m sorry you had to be there. I’m sorry you had to drag yourself through a city that isn’t designed for you. I’m sorry that you had no choice but to inch down the street while cars growled behind you. melissa.martin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Editorial: Clearing a path for active transportation (Dec3'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Dec '22

03 Dec '22

EDITORIAL: Clearing a path for active transportation https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2022/12/02/clearing-a-… THE white stuff has barely settled in, and Winnipeggers are already displaying dissatisfaction with the city’s snow-clearing efforts. Over the last week, a brigade of local cyclists has taken it upon themselves to dig out and chip away at the icy ruts left along bike lanes across the city following a recent freeze-thaw cycle. By taking up shovels, these concerned citizens have effectively captured the attention of politicians and public works officials. After their complaints to 311 went unresolved, the group of 10 or so cyclists cleared a path in West Broadway, and then later turned their attention to a protected lane in the Exchange District. The latter action resulted in threats of fines for contravening the city’s streets bylaw, which prohibits residents from occupying or working on public roadways. Though the city is well within its rights to dole out penalties — people mingling in roadways and conducting unpermitted work on public property can create a safety hazard and a potential liability nightmare — officials walked back the position on Wednesday, saying there are no plans to issue fines to those involved. This isn’t the first time Winnipeggers have taken snow-clearing matters into their own hands. In 2019, a pair of neighbours chipped and shovelled ice from the Omand’s Creek pedestrian bridge — a well-trod connection between Wolseley and River Heights — after the city closed the route for the season, citing safety concerns. Without citizen intervention, the corridor would have remained cordoned off for months. Had this happened on a main road, more than a few drivers would have been up in arms. The fact taxpayers are, yet again, taking to the streets is a sign snow-clearing services in some areas need improvement. For the sake of user safety, enjoyment and accessibility, let’s hope the city takes heed. By virtue of urban sprawl and a spotty public transportation system, Winnipeg has grown into a staunchly car-centric city. Year-round, there are numerous barriers — such as unconnected bike routes — for those who get around by cycling, walking, rolling and scooting. In the winter, active transportation ceases to be an option for many people unwilling to deal with dodgy road conditions in addition to dodging vehicles. Seventy-six per cent of respondents to a Bike Winnipeg survey reported riding less last winter because of inadequately plowed routes. The latest group of self-appointed snow clearers expressed frustration with city policy, which sees cycling and walking paths left with a compacted layer of snow instead of being cleared to bare pavement. Roads are also given priority after a snowfall, leaving sidewalks and bike lanes to languish, often for days. Last week, the city’s manager of street maintenance said it’s not feasible to plow these routes to the pavement, owing to equipment capabilities and infrastructure concerns. Perhaps, then, we should look to other jurisdictions for workable solutions. A white paper out of Chicago on best practices for winter bike-lane maintenance recommends prioritizing busy cycling routes after a snowfall and being proactive about de-icing. An example from North Dakota suggests applying salt or sugar-beet juice — options the city is already employing — before a snow event can actually reduce costs because less de-icing material is needed in the long run. Winnipeg is a winter city, and treating cycling and walking as if they’re three-season activities is a disservice to those who can’t afford or don’t want to use a personal motor vehicle. If shovel disobedience is ruffling feathers at city hall, perhaps it’s a sign officials need to roll up their sleeves and scrape their way toward a solution.

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Fwd: We are Hiring!
by Anders Swanson 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

[Anders note: It may not be a transportation position, per se, but I am forwarding this opportunity along to the AT network because in my experience, this wonderful organization is just as mindful of accessibility outside of the gyms/pools/fields too as they are in.on one. It would be a great place to get some experience in mobility/recreatiomn/urbanism and program development! They look at sport in a very inclusive way, but if there is someone in your life that identifies as a person with a disability who is into planning - whether its cities or events - please especially take a moment to pass this on to them as its especially good opportunity for someone itching to make a difference. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: ASC Manitoba <mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com> Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 4:41 PM Subject: We are Hiring! To: <ed(a)winnipegtrails.ca> Apply to be our Program Coordinator! We are looking for someone who is passionate about creating strong communities through accessible and inclusive sport and recreation. *Position Title: Program Coordinator (Part-time Casual Term Employment) * *Your Role * *The ASC Manitoba Program Coordinator is the primary face of the organization to the public. You will lead the implementation and delivery of planned programs and act as the primary liaison between the Community and the Board of Directors. * *Start Date:* To be negotiated with the successful candidate *End Date:* March 31, 2022 (with the possibility of extension) *Hours of Work: *20 hours per week (flexible). Evening and weekend work may be required *Wage: *$19.00 per hour *Work Location: *Must have the ability to work remotely. Occasional workspace may be available at Sport Manitoba (145 Pacific) *Closing Date: Open until filled* Descriptive Text: A moment in the gym at the 2022 Manitoba Accessible Sport Expo! A participant tries a motorized trike with the support of retired Paralympic athlete Jared Funk. In the foreground is the Maker Making Change booth. * WE ARE* Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba is a peer-led collective of local Accessible Sport stakeholders. Through collaboration, innovation, and leadership, we envision a unified space where Manitobans of all abilities have equal access to sport and recreation. We aspire to be the HEART and Hub of the Accessible Sport & Recreation community in Manitoba. *YOU ARE* Our Program Coordinator! An individual who embodies community and the spirit of inclusion. You bring forth a passion for sport and recreation with a welcoming nature and a creative eye. You contribute thoughtfully, communicate kindly, and aspire to forge new paths while building strong bridges within our community. *Your Responsibilities * *● Lead and collaborate in the planning and delivering of ASC Manitoba-led and partnered events (ex, HEART awards, Discovery Accessible Sport Expo & Para Sport Have-A-GO initiatives) ● Identify funding sources (ex, grant writing) and sponsorship opportunities ● Promote ASC Manitoba initiatives to the community at large ● Monitor and respond to all communications (email, mail, phone) ● Respond to questions from members and the public about ASC Manitoba programming ● Ensure ASC Manitoba's social media channels and website are current ● Work with the Board to develop and maintain policies appropriate for a Provincial Sport Organization in Manitoba * *● Prepare meeting Agendas and Minutes for the Board of Directors ● Provide post-program reports to the President of ASC Manitoba ● Basic bookkeeping and reporting ● Other duties as assigned/required * *What You know * *● High School Graduate, Post-Secondary or equivalent experience ● Experience of at least one year in Sport and Recreation for People with a Disability. Similar experiences will also be considered ● Basic understanding of Microsoft Office products and/or similar software ● Basic understanding of leading social media platforms * *● Basic understanding of website editing or the capacity to learn * *● Ability to work with minimal direction and supervision * *● Provide a satisfactory criminal record check and clean child abuse registry check Valid Driver’s license and access to a vehicle considered an asset * *Please forward CV / Resume to: mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com <mbaccessiblesport(a)gmail.com> * *We appreciate your interest in this position, but due to the expected volume of applications, we apologize in advance if we do not contact all applicants.* Find Out More About Us! <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> [image: Facebook] <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> [image: Link] <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…> *Copyright © 2022 Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. *Our mailing address is:* Accessible Sport Connection Manitoba 401-145 Pacific Ave Winnipeg, Mb R3B 2Z6 Canada Add us to your address book <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/vcard?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79a874&i…> Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/profile?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79a874…> or unsubscribe from this list <https://ascmanitoba.us4.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=9d4c405ffca9df06eef79…>. [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Peg City Car Co-op is hiring a Fleet Assistant, and we'd love for you to share!
by Beth McKechnie 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca <info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca> Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2022 at 10:49 AM Subject: We're hiring a Fleet Assistant, and we'd love for you to share! Dear community, We're reaching out to let you know that Peg City Car Co-op is hiring a full-time Fleet Assistant to join our growing team! If you can share the posting with your network or know of someone who might be a good fit, we'd be glad for you to pass the posting along! Fleet Assistants are the eyes and ears of our fleet, travelling among the vehicles to track, report, and manage maintenance, damage, and cleanliness issues as they arise. The role includes troubleshooting and performing minor car maintenance, as well as on-call duties. To see the full job description and posting, click here <https://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Fleet-Assistant-Jo…> . Either way, thank you for your time and attention! Best regards, -- Michelle Panting *Marketing + Communications Specialist, Peg City Car Co-op* 204.793.3912 | michelle(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca 402-460 Main St, Winnipeg MB R3B1B6 *www.pegcitycarcoop.ca <http://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/>* Sharing the road (and cars) for more than 10 years. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsDCxr4tR4Q>

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WFP: City won’t issue fines after snow-clearing cyclists warned (Dec1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

City won’t issue fines after snow-clearing cyclists warned https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/11/30/city-wont-issue-fines-af… CITY hall isn’t considering fines against Winnipeg cyclists who clear snow and ice from bike lanes themselves, after a group received a warning for taking matters into its own hands last month. The possibility of bylaw fines was raised after the group shovelled and scraped a lane on Westminster Avenue between Maryland and Sherbrook streets on Nov. 22. Undeterred by a warning from 311, the cyclists cleared a lane on Arthur Street in the Exchange District Monday in an effort to improve safety. And the city has no intention of going beyond that warning, spokesman David Driedger told the Free Press in an email Wednesday. “We want to be absolutely clear: the city is not considering issuing fines for clearing snow on roadways, sidewalks, and pathways,” he wrote. “Rather, we want to hear from pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists so that we can better identify trouble spots and address them accordingly.” Residents should call 311 or file a report via the city’s website. Followup actions are tracked, and data is used to determine what the city can do better in areas with frequent service requests, he wrote. The cyclists started clearing bike lanes because they’re dissatisfied with the handling of their complaints to 311 and the city’s snow-clearing policy for active transportation. A tweet from 311 Sunday informed group member Hillary Rosentreter the cyclists should review certain sections of the streets bylaw. “In general, residents shouldn’t work on, obstruct, or place items in the right-of-way without a permit,” an employee wrote in a second tweet. Rosentreter, who has organized the do-it-yourself snow-clearing efforts, vowed to fight any fine she receives. “I believe the attention the original message from 311 received has put a spotlight on another poor policy from the city which actually prevents residents from clearing public infrastructure, including the sidewalk in front of their homes, so they are not considering fines because it would be absurd to issue fines when all we want is to be safe,” she told the Free Press Wednesday. The cyclists have complained to 311 about a bike lane in Point Douglas that they say is unsafe because of snow ruts. They plan to clear it Friday afternoon unless the city gets to it first. “We will continue to clear lanes until the city takes our concerns seriously and changes their policy on snow-clearing from hard, compact surface to something more acceptable, such as bare pavement,” said Rosentreter, who cycles year-round. “I would also like to see the city shift their priorities to sidewalks and bike lanes, to centre (on) people in the way we move in this city, rather than cars.” According to Winnipeg’s snow-clearing policy, active transportation paths on Priority 1 and 2 streets are to be cleared to a compacted snow surface instead of bare pavement. Rosentreter said compacted snow surfaces become soft, icy and rutted in fluctuating temperatures. Coun. Matt Allard said the city shouldn’t fine people for clearing snow from streets or paths. He said he isn’t surprised residents are taking matters into their own hands. “I don’t think the city should be fining people for doing that, especially when it’s not getting done,” said Allard (St. Boniface), who raised the issue as a delegate at Tuesday’s public works committee. The situation involving the cyclists shows the city isn’t clearing active-transportation corridors despite the desire for a higher level of service, he said. Some Canadian cities require residents to clear sidewalks in front of their homes. Allard doesn’t believe there’s an appetite for that in Winnipeg. “I think Winnipeggers want the city to do it, but in a more timely fashion,” he said, adding bike lanes and sidewalks that are kept clear will encourage people to get around by means other than a car. As he does after every snowfall, Fort Garry resident Luke Filipowicz shovelled the public sidewalk in front of his house Wednesday afternoon. For him, it’s a neighbourly duty instilled by his parents. He doesn’t think fines are necessary if someone clearing public infrastructure isn’t harming anyone or dumping snow in a way that it becomes a hazard. “I don’t understand why (the city) would take issue with community members taking care of their community,” said Filipowicz. “It’s, like, backwards thinking.” He was happy to hear the city isn’t fining the cyclists. Some Winnipeggers may feel the need to clear snow themselves, he said, because complaints to 311 aren’t always dealt with in a timely manner. Driedger noted it can take a couple of days to clear every public sidewalk and bike path during a major clearing operation. “We appreciate residents’ understanding because it’s an absolutely huge undertaking,” he wrote. “We also appreciate seeing neighbours helping neighbours and keeping sidewalks in front of their homes and businesses clear for everyone.” chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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WFP: Resident sees holes in summer bike route survey (Dec2'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

Resident sees holes in summer bike route survey https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/12/02/resident-sees-holes-in-s… THE City of Winnipeg is being accused of steering responses to an enhanced summer bike route survey to those that favour making the routes permanent. Ray Hignell, who opposes the Wolseley Avenue route near his home, said he recently filled out a city survey about the routes, which were originally known as “open streets.” Hignell noted residents could note they were satisfied or dissatisfied. However, one question asked the person being surveyed to choose a statement “that best reflects your feelings about the future of this particular route” did not offer an option to outright reject it. “They are intentionally skewing the information to get the results that they want… It’s terrible. Then they can honestly say, ‘Oh, nobody was against it,’” said Hignell. The possible responses listed for that question for the Wolseley Avenue route included: I think the program should continue on this route as it did in 2022; I don’t think the program should continue on this route until it is possible to conduct a more in-depth study at this location; and unsure/I have no preference for this street. Hignell deemed it unfair folks have no option to say they don’t want the route at all, at any point. “They are trying to make it look like the whole neighbourhood, or at least the vast majority of it, wants this.” Hignell said he opposes the route over concerns it slows down drivers. In their 2022 version, the enhanced summer bike routes aimed to make travel easier for cyclists by reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h from May to October. Additional traffic calming measures varied by route, including signs, barricades directing drivers off route at key locations and/or turning restrictions. Since council has directed each route in the 2022 program be added to the city’s pedestrian and cycling strategies, this means each will offer some type of bike infrastructure in the future, the city survey notes. A city spokeswoman said the survey wasn’t meant to gauge whether the public wanted the routes or not. “(It) was not designed to determine support for or against the routes. Its intent is to determine whether the routes served their purpose and what we could do to improve them in the future… We deliberately are not seeking input on the potential of outright discontinuing a route, as this is not an option at this time,” Julie Horbal Dooley said in an emailed statement. However, council’s public works chairwoman said she’d like to ensure all direct answers are possible in such surveys, such as allowing folks to declare if they don’t want the routes at all, even after council has made a decision. “On any survey we do, we really should try to be all-encompassing to people’s perspectives… Active transportation can be very polarizing so we need to recognize that and give people the (full) opportunity to be heard,” said Coun. Janice Lukes. Meanwhile, a Winnipegger who supports the enhanced summer bike routes said she’s anxious for the rounds of public consultation to give way to permanently implementing the bike routes. “For me, it shouldn’t really be up for debate. Of course, we have to do these things to make it easier to walk and bike in the city. Our climate action plan… (says) we need to have a more walkable, bikeable city,” said Emma Durand-Wood. Durand-Wood said she considered the enhanced bike routes so far as a “baby step” toward a more thoroughly integrated active transportation network. The city’s online survey on the 15 routes will accept responses until Dec. 8. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Globe & Mail: After pandemic dip, commuters are back on the road
by Beth McKechnie 02 Dec '22

02 Dec '22

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-after-pandemic-dip-commuters…

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Real time snow plowing status map in Minneapolis
by Beth McKechnie 01 Dec '22

01 Dec '22

*[Thanks to Katheryn Loewen for the share!]* The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board just launched a real time trail snow clearing status map of trails and sidewalks in the city, updated every 3 minutes: https://minneapolisparks.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/media/index.html?appi…

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WFP: Cyclists ignore city’s threat of fines, clear icy bike paths (Nov29'22)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

Cyclists ignore city’s threat of fines, clear icy bike paths https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/11/28/city-to-cyclists-clear-b… CYCLISTS have again taken matters into their owns hands, clearing ice from a bike lane in the Exchange District during Monday afternoon’s commute, despite a warning from the city that they may be fined. It’s the second time in a week cyclists have cleared a lane themselves out of safety concerns, after being dissatisfied with the city’s snow-clearing policy and the handling of their complaints to 311. This time, the group chipped ice which formed on a protected cycling lane on Arthur Street, between McDermot and Notre Dame avenues. “(The) spot is incredibly iced up and rutted,” said Hillary Rosentreter, who organized the effort. After she complained to the city’s 311 service on Twitter Sunday, a city employee wrote back to inform her public works had been notified the lane needed clearing. The employee also advised her to review certain sections of Winnipeg’s streets bylaw. “In general, residents shouldn’t work on, obstruct, or place items in the right-of-way without a permit,” the employee wrote. Rosentreter, who is among the Winnipeggers who cycle throughout winter, said she will fight any bylaw fine in court. “We’re going to keep notifying them when problems come up,” she said. “If they take their sweet time getting to it, if we get to it before them, it is what it is.” The city has cleared other trouble spots for cyclists, including one on St. Matthews Avenue, following complaints, Rosentreter noted. Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance, said Winnipeggers shouldn’t clear a public street, sidewalk or bike lane themselves. They should report and discuss any concerns with 311, he said. “I hope we wouldn’t get to that point, having to fine anyone,” said Cantor. On Nov. 22, Rosentreter and about 10 others cleared snow and ice from a lane on Westminster Avenue, between Maryland and Sherbrook streets, after complaining to 311. The city said an inspection found the lane had been cleared according to policy, but the group wasn’t happy with the job that was done. According to Winnipeg’s snow-clearing policy, active transportation paths on Priority 1 and 2 streets are to be cleared to a compacted snow surface instead of bare pavement. Rosentreter said bike lanes should be cleared down to the pavement because compacted snow surfaces become mushy and icy when temperatures fluctuate like they have recently. She wants the city to review and change the policy. Cantor said smaller clearing equipment doesn’t have the power to plow ice like a grader does. It’s not feasible to clear all sidewalks down to bare pavement, he said, because their concrete panels can shift in summer and make the surface uneven, risking damage to infrastructure and equipment when snow is plowed. Crews completed a two-and-a-half day residential street clearing operation Saturday at 7 p.m., using about 300 pieces of equipment per 12-hour shift. “All the residential streets were cleared,” said Cantor. “All of them were cleared on time.” The operation will end up costing about $2 million, which is on the “lower side” of the scale, he said. The city expects to exceed this year’s $35-million snow clearing budget by $40.9 million. It launched the operation following complaints from the public about some streets and sidewalks becoming clogged with mushy snow amid mild weather in the aftermath of the first major snowfall Nov. 10-11. Melissa Graham, a project co-ordinator with the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities, said her electric wheelchair got stuck on a slush-covered sidewalk while returning home from a grocery store on a recent evening. She had to repeatedly reverse and move the wheelchair forward to become unstuck while it was dark outside. Otherwise, she said, “you’re stuck until you can find somebody to come help you out.” “I’m fortunate to have a pretty solid chair with good tires,” said Graham. “I was lucky it wasn’t too cold.” Graham recently moved to Winnipeg from Toronto. While using her wheelchair in Winnipeg, she has noticed some streets where one sidewalk has been plowed but the other one hasn’t. She expressed frustration over piles of snow preventing access to pedestrian push buttons at intersections. “They’re very good clearing the downtown streets, but very much not the streets people live on,” said Graham. “Even when they do clear the snow, a lot of times they leave the ice. “For a city that sees a lot of winter and a lot of snow, you should have a better budget for that. There are other cities that do better.” Graham said a large number of people is affected when sidewalks are in poor condition due to snow or ice. After completing the residential street clearing operation, public works crews are following up on any related concerns, such as windrows, reported to 311. With minimal snowfall expected this week, they’re focusing on normal trouble spots and controlling ice by salting and sanding higher priority streets as required, said Cantor. Salt isn’t used on sidewalks due to environmental concerns, he noted. Environment Canada is predicting flurries, strong wind gusts and an afternoon wind chill of -9 C today, with local blowing snow and a wind chill of -23 overnight. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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Re: Dear Urban Diplomat: I'm sick of cyclists making up their own traffic rules
by Charles F 29 Nov '22

29 Nov '22

Not "honk if you think you are right "?Sent from my phone. -------- Original message --------From: Terry Zdan <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Date: 2022-11-28 23:39 (GMT-06:00) To: AT network <AT-Network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca>, Beth McKechnie <beth(a)greenactioncentre.ca>, Charles F <c_feaver(a)mts.net>, Anders Swanson <andersswanson(a)gmail.com>, Brian Pincott <brianpincott(a)gmail.com> Subject: Dear Urban Diplomat: I'm sick of cyclists making up their own traffic rules https://torontolife.com/city/dear-urban-diplomat-im-sick-of-cyclists-making… Think about something happy and carry on

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Media coverage of snow clearing on bike lanes (CBC, WFP)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/snowpiles-winnipeg-bike-lanes-clear… <goog_1321843628> https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2122319939525 Tired of waiting for city, cyclists grab shovels, clear bike lane https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/11/23/tired-of-waiting-for-cit… DISSATISFIED with the city’s efforts to clear snow and ice from bike lanes, some Winnipeg cyclists have taken matters into their own hands. Hillary Rosentreter was among a group of about 10 people, including a child, who shovelled and scraped a bike lane on Westminster Avenue, between Maryland and Sherbrook streets, down to the pavement Tuesday. “It was a safety thing, and just being fed up with the city not taking concerns into account and not taking appropriate action,” said Rosentreter. “It had been neglected. We wanted to do whatever we could to make sure it wasn’t neglected.” Rosentreter and others complained to the city and some councillors, after noticing vehicles had been parked in the cycling lane. “The snow had not been cleared off the road or the bike lane. There was no way of telling there was a bike lane or where parking stopped,” she said. While the group was there, a city employee showed up and took photos of the lane, said Rosentreter, who cycles throughout winter. About a dozen cyclists passed by while the group shovelled snow and chipped ice. “They were all saying thank you that we were there,” said Rosentreter. “I think we will make this a regular thing now. We do plan to go out and tackle spots that are being neglected.” The lane in West Broadway is part of a key route to and from downtown. Rosentreter said it is a “precarious” spot when it hasn’t been cleared. City of Winnipeg spokesman Ken Allen said sidewalks and active transportation paths on Priority 1 and 2 streets are to be cleared to a compacted snow surface instead of bare pavement. “We inspected the location on Monday and found it to be cleared as per the policy,” Allen wrote in an email. “Residents are asked to not clear snow from the roadways due to safety concerns, and to report any trouble spots instead.” Winnipeggers can make reports or snow removal requests to 311 or on the city’s website. Frustrated by the “prioritization” of vehicles over active transportation, Rosentreter said bike lanes should be cleared down to the pavement. A compacted snow surface becomes soft and icy when temperatures fluctuate, she said. Winnipeggers have raised concerns about a lack of snow-clearing or the state of some streets or active transportation paths after the first major snowfall Nov. 10-11 and lighter dustings since then. Plowing of residential streets is due to begin Thursday following an onslaught of complaints made to the city. Snow-clearing on streets, sidewalks and bike paths is based on three priority levels and depends on factors such as the amount of accumulation. The bike lane on Westminster Avenue, which is Priority 2, is supposed be cleared when the street is plowed, said Sherri Rollins, the local city councillor (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). Rollins, who received complaints from the group, said residents shouldn’t have to resort to clearing a bike lane themselves. “I share their frustration,” she said. She is concerned the city isn’t meeting its standards for snow removal. “Snow-clearing has not kept up, and that’s our first snow clear,” said Rollins, referring to the Nov. 10-11 storm. Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel Mclntyre) wants the city to review and update its priority system. She is “very concerned” when Winnipeggers feel they have no choice but to clear active transportation paths themselves. “We have to make sure we get to those routes first,” she said in a voice message. New public works chair Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) described the situation on Westminster Avenue as “terribly unfortunate.” The fact “no action” was taken when the group reported its concerns to 311 is a problem, Lukes said. “We’re a winter city. People need to be mobile,” she said. “We really want to provide a good level of service. I think the public wants to see a better level than is currently provided, and so do I.” The councillor noticed some bike lanes hadn’t been cleared, including a newer corridor on Pembina Highway, as of Saturday. Some accountability issues need to be addressed, she said, as city hall explores options to speed up snow-clearing. The public works committee will discuss snow removal on Nov. 29, including whether to give more work to private contractors in an effort to clear sidewalks and paths faster. In July, council approved a roughly $3.7-million purchase of 15 machines which will clear snow from sidewalks and paths when they enter service. The order has been subject to supply-chain issues, said Lukes, who hopes the machines will arrive next year. With a new budget cycle starting next year, council will have to look at changing the city’s policy or spending more on snow clearing, said Lukes. Thanks to a series of heavy snowfalls last winter and spring, the city expects to finish the year $40 million over its $35-million snow-clearing budget. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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Survey: Enhanced Summer Bike Route Program
by Beth McKechnie 18 Nov '22

18 Nov '22

***Please share widely** survey closes Dec 8th* https://engage.winnipeg.ca/enhanced-active-transportation-routes-open-stree…

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WFP: Bus, parking on Esplanade Riel a bridge too far, protesters say (Nov15'22)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Nov '22

15 Nov '22

Bus, parking on Esplanade Riel a bridge too far, protesters say https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/11/14/bus-parking-on-esplanade… THE Esplanade Riel’s newest tenant has promised there will be no more parking on the footbridge after pedestrians and cyclists complained about vehicles, including a bus, driving onto the span. Hillary Rosentreter was “absolutely floored” as she watched the bus drive up to the 4,000-squarefoot building in the middle of the bridge and drop off guests at a Manitoba Technology Accelerator event last Thursday. “We all finally realized this really is becoming a problem,” said Rosentreter, who helped organize a protest on the bridge during Monday afternoon’s commute. “There were pedestrians being pushed out of the way by the bus.” She said normal-sized passenger vehicles, including an SUV and Mercedes-Benz car, were parked on Esplanade Riel — next to the city-owned space occupied by MTA — almost every day last week, despite parking being illegal there. Pedestrians “had to walk at the very edges of the bridge” to let the bus through, said Rosentreter, noting the bus left “immediately” after dropping people off. Rosentreter, a downtown resident who cycles often, said the situation is “unacceptable” and it raises safety concerns. “So much of our city is taken over by cars,” she said. “The bridge should be car-free.” About 20 people attended the protest, with others stopping momentarily while walking or cycling by. Bed sheets attached to a railing across from the MTA’s doors had messages reading “This is a footbridge, you are a car,” and “It’s OK to not want cars here.” In an email to the Free Press, Marshall Ring, the CEO of MTA, a non-profit that helps startups and technology companies grow, promised no parking on the bridge going forward. He also said MTA will stop using buses on the Esplanade Riel. “We do still expect service vehicles and delivery vehicles to drive on the bridge,” Ring wrote. “However, if they have to do so, we are telling them to stop on the bridge, put the hazards on, load/unload quickly and get off the bridge.” Thursday’s event was MTA’s grand opening and first “beta run” of how to use the space. Extra service vehicles, staff and contractors were going in and out of the building. “We also offered a park-and-ride service as the city approved a permit to bring a bus onto the bridge,” he wrote. Parking is not permitted on the nearly 200-metre-long bridge, a major walking and cycling path that crosses the Red River and links downtown Winnipeg and St. Boniface. “The Winnipeg Parking Authority is aware of this parking violation concern,” city spokesman Adam Campbell wrote in an email. “It has attended this location on multiple occasions this week and will continue to as part of regular patrols in the area. “We encourage anyone who notices a parking violation to use the online submission form so the Winnipeg Parking Authority can investigate.” No tickets had been issued as of Monday. When he followed up on residents’ complaints, Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) was informed vehicles require a permit from the city to go on the bridge for purposes such as deliveries or guest transport. Ring said MTA doesn’t have a permit, given it doesn’t own any vehicles. “Employees, contractors, etc. all make their own applications for a permit for their own vehicle. So the vehicle owner applies for a permit,” Ring wrote. Allard has asked the city’s public service to consider minimizing the impact on bridge users when permits are issued in the future. “This is a main active-transportation facility, and we need to ensure we’re doing everything we can to make it as pedestrian- and bike-friendly as possible,” he said. Ian Walker, the advocacy chair for Bike Winnipeg, discussed bridge users’ concerns with Ring on Friday. Walker said Ring told him he would ask staff to stop parking on the path, and the MTA would no longer use buses on the bridge. Walker and Rosentreter were informed an SUV parked on the Esplanade Riel on Sunday. “Apparently, the cleaners hadn’t got the memo about not parking on the bridge,” Walker wrote in a text message. Ring and Walker said MTA and Bike Winnipeg will work together to ensure the path is a safe space for pedestrians and cyclists. Coun. Sherri Rollins, whose ward of Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry is on the west side of the bridge, also discussed the concerns with Ring after receiving complaints from residents. “There is no doubt his priority is also the safety concerns of all involved,” she said. “I’m really satisfied he understands the concerns of the community and has made some future friends in the active-transportation community.” Monday’s protest was held to raise awareness about the situation and the “abuse” of public infrastructure intended for active transportation. “We do expect (MTA) to respect the space they have chosen is on a major pedestrian and bike route, and they should act accordingly,” said Rosentreter. “I sincerely hope they will come to us with some concrete solutions. “If we don’t protect the bridge, of all places, where does it end? Cars dominate a lot of the infrastructure that we have already.” She contacted MTA via Twitter last week to raise her concerns. Parking has been a concern for past tenants of the Esplanade Riel building, which was previously leased by restaurants, starting with Salisbury House in 2005. Rosentreter said plenty of parking is available on either side of the bridge. In September 2021, the city’s property and development committee unanimously voted to lease the site to MTA for five years with an annual rent of $20,000. In its winning bid, MTA said it would explore e-scooters as a way to transport visitors from nearby parking lots to and from the building. At the time, Ring said the site would be more than just office space, with plans for events and a tech commercialization hall of fame. MTA has set up its International Centre for Innovation on the bridge, which opened in 2003. In September, Ring told the Free Press about $200,000 worth of technology being installed in the space. He also said MTA was on target to exceed the $250,000 worth of renovations it promised when the lease was awarded. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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WFP: Gillingham rides bus to work, wants to make transit safe (Nov10'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Nov '22

10 Nov '22

Gillingham rides bus to work, wants to make transit safe https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/11/09/gillingham-takes-… AMID serious concerns about violence on city buses, Mayor Scott Gillingham took a Winnipeg Transit ride to city hall Wednesday and vowed to keep doing so “from time to time” to help guide his efforts to make the service safer. “I want to see Winnipeggers confident in the transit system... It was very intentional (that) I got on a bus this morning and came to city hall on a transit bus. I’m making decisions on transit, so I think it’s important that I ride from time to time,” said Gillingham. “We want transit to be a safe option for people and (for) people to have confidence when they get on a bus.” The mayor’s decision to take the bus, and his commitment to do so in the future, came a day after the union representing Winnipeg Transit workers pleaded with the city and province to tackle what it called a “safety crisis.” On Tuesday, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 president Romeo Ignacio made note of multiple dangerous incidents on buses and at transit stops earlier this month, including sexual assault at knifepoint and two violent robberies. In another incident, a driver climbed out of his vehicle’s window to escape a threatening passenger. In all, ATU has recorded 107 assaults against bus drivers this year so far, including verbal threats, spitting, punching and attacks with a weapon. Gillingham said he supports the union’s longtime request for a transit security force to make buses safer, which he expects would be staffed by some form of peace officer — not police — pending provincial approval of the change. He said discussions with the province have yet to determine the exact requirements for such a security force, how much it would cost or how many employees it would require. “Ultimately, the goal is to make the transit system a safer system and make sure that the people of Winnipeg who choose transit… have the confidence to get on our transit system,” he said. Coun. Janice Lukes, the head of council’s public works committee, said she rides the Southwest Transitway from her ward to city hall often and believes there’s a need to expand that “dream” level of service to other parts of the city. “(The) southwest rapid transit corridor is amazing, and this is why I’m hoping we can advance the transit plan… because other parts of the city need this,” Lukes said. Lukes (Waverley West) said the city should pinpoint routes with the highest number of safety issues as a first step to address the concerns. Meanwhile, council voted Wednesday to approve Gillingham’s membership on the Winnipeg Police Board. That included passing a bylaw amendment to let the mayor sit as a member of the board, while not serving as chair. As a result, Gillingham will replace Coun. Ross Eadie on the board. Coun. Markus Chambers continues to serve as chairman. Eadie said he was initially ready to fight the change but opted to support it after Gillingham told him the board will include an inner-city voice among its members. “I am assured that there will be an inner-city representation, perspective, experience, advice and voting,” he said. Gillingham told media he will ensure citizen members that the mayor appoints to the board reflect that promise. “I believe one of the board members needs to be someone who understands and represents the inner city and the North End, so that will be important to me as I make a decision as mayor (on whom) to appoint,” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Job posting: Sustainability Projects Coordinator, UofM
by Beth McKechnie 08 Nov '22

08 Nov '22

Great opportunity at the University of Manitoba's Office of Sustainability: Sustainability Projects Coordinator <https://viprecprod.ad.umanitoba.ca/default.aspx?REQ_ID=24121&Language=1> Please share widely! cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 *Green Action Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP: St. Boniface pedestrian’s death latest on dangerous city streets
by Beth McKechnie 08 Nov '22

08 Nov '22

Where is the front page coverage? Where is the outrage? St. Boniface pedestrian’s death latest on dangerous city streets https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/11/07/pedestrian-stuck-… A man in his 50s has died after being hit by a vehicle Sunday in St. Boniface — the latest in a recent string of fatalities on Winnipeg streets. Police and fire paramedics were called to the 100 block of Dumoulin Street at about 7:30 p.m. for a reported pedestrian collision, Winnipeg Police Service said Monday. The man was taken to hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead. The driver, a man in his 20s, remained at the scene and spoke with police. Little sign of a police investigation remained on the mostly residential block of Dumoulin Street mid-day Monday, apart from a piece of yellow crime scene tape in the road’s gutter near the St. Boniface Hotel. Traffic investigators have asked anyone with information or who witnessed the collision to call the division at 204986-7085. On Monday, police had no updates to provide on the investigations into the spate of hit-and-runs in late October. Investigators have not made any arrests, police confirmed. Five people died on city roads in little more than a week, three of whom were pedestrians. The drivers in four of the fatal collisions fled the scenes. A 56-year-old man was struck at Notre Dame Avenue and Keewatin Street by a white or light-coloured SUV at about 2:45 a.m. Oct. 24. He later died in hospital. After a tip from the public, police investigators found the suspect vehicle abandoned in Charleswood. On Oct. 21, a woman in her 40s was struck and injured near Marion Avenue and Archibald Street. On Oct. 18, David Bunguke, 17, was killed after the vehicle he was a passenger in struck a hydro poleon St. Mary’s Road. The driver, an 18-year-old male, was also seriously injured. On Oct. 16, Shannon Joan Marie Romaniuk, 24, was killed near the intersection of Portage Avenue and Berry Street. The driver fled in a silver or grey late-model SUV. Just 18 hours prior, 81-year-old Corazon Manguerra was critically injured when the vehicle she was in was struck in a hit-and-run near Sargent Avenue and Empress Street. She died in hospital. The driver and occupants of the suspect vehicle ran away before police arrived, leaving the wrecked Dodge Caravan on the bank of Omand’s Creek. On Oct. 9, Jim Aitkenhead, 78, died in hospital after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing Osborne Street. The driver, a woman in her 80s, remained at the scene and spoke with police. No charges have been announced. — Erik Pindera

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Bike Winnipeg Fundraising Concert - Saturday, October 29th
by Mark Cohoe 27 Oct '22

27 Oct '22

Hi folks, hope you don't mind the shameless plug :) Come out and support Bike Winnipeg on Saturday, October 29th <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bike-winnipeg-fall-fundraiser-featuring-burnst…>as we host a trio of Winnipeg’s finest artists for a fundraising concert at the West End Cultural Centre <https://www.facebook.com/WestEndCulturalCentre?__cft__[0]=AZVSQVsRw-h_TCFTD…> . Featuring performances from Burnstick <https://www.facebook.com/burnstickmusic?__cft__[0]=AZVSQVsRw-h_TCFTDHol8Es3…> , Paper Machetes <https://www.facebook.com/PaperMachetes?__cft__[0]=AZVSQVsRw-h_TCFTDHol8Es3X…> , and Veneer <https://www.facebook.com/veneertheband?__cft__[0]=AZVSQVsRw-h_TCFTDHol8Es3X…> , concert goers will be treated to some of Winnipeg’s finest artists as we wind down from a summer and fall full of activity, and reflect on some of the gains we’ve been able to achieve over the past year. Funds raised from this event will help ensure that we are ready to engage a new city council and mayor as they finalize the 2023 budget and get ready to prepare the city’s next 4 year budget, one that will determine whether or not Winnipeg meets its climate goals. We need your support to keep up our efforts to build out the city’s bike network and to continue building on the work we have been undertaking: - Providing recommendations on the city’s Transit & Transportation Master Plans; - Continuing efforts to accelerate development of a Protected Bike Lanes Network; - Continuing efforts to provide neighbourhood traffic calming and reduced residential speed limits; - Successfully advocating for development of the Northwest Hydro Corridor pathway, being built now to help provide connections into Tyndall Park and the Maples. See you on the 29th, click here <https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bike-winnipeg-fall-fundraiser-featuring-burnst…>for tickets! Mark Cohoe Executive Director Bike Winnipeg t: 204-894-6540 e: mark(a)bikewinnipeg.ca

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WFP: Vehicle in recent fatal hit, run found abandoned: police (Oct27'22)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '22

27 Oct '22

Vehicle in recent fatal hit, run found https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/26/vehicle-in-recent… WINNIPEG police have located the vehicle involved in the city’s latest fatal hit-and-run, but have not yet made any arrests in the spate of collisions that killed five people in little more than a week. Three of the five who have lost their lives on city streets since Oct. 18 were pedestrians, and the drivers in four of the fatal collisions fled the scenes. Most recently, a 56-year-old man was struck at Notre Dame Avenue and Keewatin Street by a white or light-coloured SUV at about 2:45 a.m. Monday. He later died in hospital. On Tuesday, traffic investigators were called to the first 100 block of Scotwoods Drive about a damaged, abandoned 2019 Hyundai Tucson. The Hyundai also hit a parked vehicle on the Charleswood street before it was abandoned, police said Wednesday. Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Claude Chancy said police are concerned about the uptick in deaths and traffic division investigators are working diligently on each case. “It’s something that is not common in our city, it’s definitely elevated, so we have put our resources in effect regarding the investigations,” he said. “There’s multiple units that form the traffic division, and collision reconstruction as well, that are involved in trying to piece out details and information that are provided to us in order to find the people responsible — especially in the cases where it involves hit-and-run fatalities.” Winnipeg police have investigated eight hit-and-runs so far in 2022, six of which have been fatal, police statistics show. That’s a jump over last year, when police laid a total of five charges related to leaving a collision scene, including two of failure to stop after an accident resulting in death. In 2020, police laid a total of nine related charges, including one of failing to stop after an accident resulting in death. On Oct. 21, a woman in her 40s was struck and injured near Marion Avenue and Archibald Street. On Oct. 18, David Bunguke, 17, was killed after a vehicle driven by a friend struck a hydro pole on St Mary’s Road. The driver, an 18-year-old male, was also seriously injured. On Oct. 16, Shannon Joan Marie Romaniuk, 24, was killed near the intersection of Portage Avenue and Berry Street. The driver fled in a silver or grey late-model SUV. Just 18 hours prior, Corazon Manguerra, 81, was critically injured when the vehicle she was in was struck in a hit-and-run near Sargent Avenue and Empress Street. She died in hospital. The driver and occupants of the other vehicle ran away before police arrived, leaving the wrecked Dodge Caravan on the bank of Omand’s Creek. Chancy said traffic investigators use, among other tools, a scanner to create 3D images of collision scenes. Information from the public — and surveillance footage — are also “instrumental” in collision investigations. “It can establish a timeline… of the involvement of people or vehicles, and it can also establish the manner of driving prior to and post incident as well,” Chancy said of video footage of vehicles. He added police received a tip from a member of the public about the Hyundai reportedly involved in the Notre Dame Avenue hit-and-run just hours after putting out a request for help. Police have asked for anyone who witnessed the collisions or might have seen the vehicles involved or have dash camera or home surveillance footage to call investigators at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477. erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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Cdn Bikeway comfort and safety metrics (Can-BICS)
by Kristine Hayward 25 Oct '22

25 Oct '22

The Canadian Bikeway Comfort and Safety metrics (Can-BICS): National measures of the bicycling environment for use in research and policy https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2022010/article/00001-eng.htm?… Kristine Hayward (she/her) Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Population Public Health Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metered street parking and pay lots in the area – please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion<https://twitter.com/search?q=wpginmotion&src=typd> Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Scent Free Facility - visitors are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes/colognes/heavy-scented lotions/oils We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. Disclaimer : This email (including any attachments or enclosed documents) is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately, return the original (if applicable) and delete the email. Avis : Le présent courriel (y compris toute pièce jointe) est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé, et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels, privés ou protégés par un privilège juridique. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous avez reçu le présent courriel par erreur, veuillez en informer immédiatement l’expéditeur, retourner l’original (le cas échéant) et supprimer ce courriel.

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WFP Editorial: Winnipeggers on board with transit improvements (Oct22'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Oct '22

23 Oct '22

*Winnipeggers on board with transit improvements* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/2022/10/21/winnipegger… THE wheels on the bus aren’t going round and round as efficiently as Winnipeggers would like. And, according to a recent poll, more than half of residents want to see more investment in transit infrastructure. Results from a recent Probe Research poll, jointly commissioned by the Free Press and CTV News, showed 52 per cent of respondents supported increased spending on things such as bus lanes, while 33 per cent were satisfied with the current budgetary allotment and 15 per cent wished for less spending. It’s a slim majority, but in this car-centric city, any endorsement of public transportation is notable — especially since the majority of residents don’t ride the bus regularly. Transit ridership declined during the pandemic and remains well below normal operating levels, creating a $15 million shortfall for the department this year. Financially, the city needs more people on buses. Practically, services need to improve in order to boost ridership. It’s a chicken-and-egg conundrum Winnipeg’s incoming mayor and council will need to unscramble. Currently, taking the bus in this city is an exercise in frustration. Stops are few and far between, routes are indirect, transfers are often required, the fare structure is confusing and busing can take considerably longer than driving to the same destination. Assuming, that is, the bus even arrives. These are a few of the sticking points identified in the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan, a 25-year planning document adopted by city council last spring that aims to make public transportation more accessible and attractive. Twenty-five years might seem like a lengthy timeline, but transit improvements here tend not to take the express route. One example is the rapid transit system, which has been a political talking point for decades and has been growing at a snail’s pace since the first phase came online in 2012. The second phase of the southwest transitway opened in 2020, and there are two more corridors proposed. While some expansion can make use of existing roadways, special lanes and stations are needed to complete the network. Based on the aforementioned poll, there’s an appetite for this kind of major infrastructure investment. Based on the aforementioned shortfall, there’s little in the coffers to support said investment. Federal and provincial funding is required to make the transit master plan a reality. Large-scale improvements, including expanded rapid transit lines, are necessary to bring Winnipeg on par with other major Canadian cities, but they’re only one piece of the people-moving puzzle. Less costly revisions to the user experience are also needed to build ridership. Earlier this year, the city released a Winnipeg Transit app that allows riders to plan trips and check route schedules. But as yet, it’s not a one-stop shop. Real-time updates are lacking, and users still need to navigate a City of Winnipeg webpage to manage their Peggo account — a frustratingly flawed online fare system that would make even the most tech-savvy commuters opt for a different mode of transportation. Just as the Peggo system is in desperate need of an overhaul, much of the city’s existing bus network requires re-imagining. The hub-and-spoke model that sees most routes converging downtown no longer makes sense. Commuters need better crosstown connections and reliable service. These are things that shouldn’t take 25 years to implement. There will undoubtedly be more bumps on the road to adequate transit service, but in order to make this city a more livable and connected place, and also one that does its part in addressing climate change, Winnipeg’s next mayor and council need to make public transportation a priority.

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WFP: Flawed to the core - City's record of urban 'planning' (Oct22'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Oct '22

23 Oct '22

*FLAWED TO THE CORE * City’s record of urban ‘planning’ has long been an exercise in after-the-fact rationalization, not foresight https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/10/21/flawed-to-the-core EARL Levin had big plans for downtown Winnipeg. The year was 1969, and Levin, the head of the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg’s planning division, laid out a bold vision for the future of the city’s historic core in a document entitled the Downtown Development Plan. The economy was booming and Winnipeg — flush with cash — hoped to improve its reputation on the national stage by transforming its decaying downtown into one befitting a cosmopolitan city in the second half of the 20th Century. It was an era of wrecking balls and construction cranes, as cities across North America were engaged in a grand, continent-wide experimentation in new development practices, with unprecedented suburbanization and car-centric transportation routes. The issues plaguing downtown Winnipeg in those years were many, if not unique. In 1941, more than 15,000 people called the downtown core home, but by 1966, that number had fallen to 8,706 — a decrease of 44 per cent in just 25 years. A third of downtown buildings were assessed as being in poor condition; 30 per cent of the area was comprised of surface parking lots; and 20 per cent of the commercial structures sat vacant. Enter Levin, with his 20-year, $161-million revitalization plan, which would have seen the construction of high-rise residential towers, new public parking facilities and recreation centres, a skywalk system, and wide swaths of open green space. The proposal was ambitious, with the far-fetched goal of attracting 75,000 new residents downtown in just two decades. But Levin’s dream was not to be, finding a vocal critic in then-mayor Stephen Juba, and was ultimately scrapped by the city within two years. Winnipeg has been trying to “renew” and “revitalize” downtown ever since. Fast-forward to 52 years later. It’s the fall of 2022 and Winnipeg is in the midst of a municipal election campaign that will set the policies and priorities of our local government for the next four years. Downtown is still plagued by many of the same issues Levin’s 1969 plan sought to address. It is still seen by many, if not most, residents as decaying and blighted. Its population sits at 16,800, according to the 2021 census — an increase of just seven per cent over 1941. Twenty per cent of downtown is comprised of surface parking lots; 50 storefronts closed permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic; and 1.5 million square-feet of office space sits vacant. The more things change, the more they stay the same. ●●● THE seeds of our current crisis were planted in the aftermath of Second World War. Across North America, residents were fleeing downtowns in favour of shiny new suburban developments. Winnipeg was no exception, exploding out in every direction, as new neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city were built one after the other. According to The Divided Prairie City, a 2015 collection of academic essays published by the University of Winnipeg’s Institute of Urban Studies program, the city’s suburban footprint grew by 133 per cent from the early 1950s to the early 1970s. It is a phenomenon often referred to as “urban sprawl,” which is characterized by the widespread adoption of low-density, single-use (often residential) development. Then came the 1972 Unicity Amalgamation, as 12 surrounding communities were folded into the City of Winnipeg, which only deepened the trend. “With suburban resources came suburban influence over the direction of the downtown and central city,” wrote Robert Galston in One Great Suburb: Municipal Amalgamation and the Suburbanization of Winnipeg. “Suburban dominance on council led to complex urban issues being ineffectively addressed.” The development of new neighbourhoods required the construction and maintenance of an expanded network of infrastructure, resulting in further civic resources being funnelled away from the struggling downtown towards the more prosperous, middle-class suburbs. While upfront costs of development — roads, sewers and water lines — were charged to developers, the maintenance of that infrastructure was the responsibility of taxpayers. The public was also on the hook for the construction of new civic facilities in these communities, such as swimming pools, parks and libraries, as well as the provision of emergency services, street cleaning and snow removal. The fiscal consequences of such rapid growth, and the adoption of unprecedented patterns of development, would not be seen for many decades. In some cases, empty land adjacent to existing neighbourhoods and infrastructure was skipped over in favour of parcels further away from the downtown core — in large part because it was deemed more profitable by developers. In a scathing 2013 essay — Winnipeg: Aspirational Planning, Chaotic Development — Christopher Leo, a professor emeritus at the U of W, suggested the approval of such developments by municipal decision-makers was tantamount to a dereliction of civic duty. “Planning is, in reality, a clean-up operation designed to legitimize decisions that are primarily driven by developers, and that prioritize the interests of those developers, and of the residents of their new neighbourhoods, over the interests of the city as a whole,” Leo wrote. “The appearance of planning is constructed retrospectively, to conceal a reality that looks orderly, but lacks the coherence needed to permit the development of a viable and affordable network of services and system of public transportation.” In the decades after those seeds were planted, Winnipeg dutifully watered them. ●●● ELMWOOD is a historically working-class area of Winnipeg, the city’s lone pre-amalgamation neighbourhood east of the Red River. Many years ago, one of its residents, Michel Durand-Wood, had a question. He couldn’t shake the feeling he was watching his neighbourhood deteriorate, and he wanted to know why. “It’s hard not to notice the decline. Things don’t get fixed, stuff falls apart… The city is still growing, we’re still getting new residents, so why is it that… we seem to get poorer and poorer?” Durand-Wood said during a recent interview. “Every budget it’s always: What do we cut this year? It didn’t make sense to me. At a neighbourhood level, I wanted to know: how do we get more services? How do we get the city to fix stuff?” That initial question — a simple why — set Durand-Wood off on a quest to learn more about how local governments, in particular Winnipeg’s, operate. He also became increasingly active in his neighbourhood, hoping to improve things from the street-level up. Eventually, his brother-in-law told him about an organization called Strong Towns, a non-profit advocacy group founded in the United States. Given his new interest in local governance, he thought Durand-Wood might find the organization’s perspective interesting. Strong Towns grew out of a blog started in 2008 by an engineer and planner named Charles Marohn, who became convinced the development practices adopted across North America in the post-Second World War era were contributing to a growing financial disaster for municipal governments. When he read Marohn’s work, Durand-Wood had a lightbulb moment: what he was seeing in Elmwood and across Winnipeg made sense. “If you take a step back and ask yourself, can we afford what we’ve built? The inevitable conclusion is we can’t, so you have to have a completely different conversation from that point on,” Durand-Wood said. “It’s not a revenue problem, it’s not a waste problem, it’s an insolvency problem.” Durand-Wood took the Strong Town principles he’d learned, and Marohn’s call to “do the math,” and began applying them to Winnipeg. He pored over municipal financial statements and crunched the numbers. Ultimately, he determined Winnipeg was in financial crisis. The bottom line: the City of Winnipeg lacks the tax base to maintain its existing stock of infrastructure — let alone expand it. “Build, abandon, build again on the edge, abandon, build again further on the edge. That’s the paradigm of development we’ve known since we were born. That’s how the city grows, it just keeps growing to the outside, as our downtown dies, as our older neighbourhoods die,” he said. “That’s just what we’ve come to accept. We almost don’t see it, even though it’s right in front of us… We cannot afford what we have built. We shouldn’t build more, because when you’re in a hole, you don’t keep digging.” During the 2018 municipal election, the potential opening of the Portage and Main intersection to foot traffic was put to the ballot box as a plebiscite. As far as Durand-Wood was concerned, the question was a “no-brainer.” But when the vote to open the intersection failed by a significant margin, he realized just how many citizens of Winnipeg lacked an understanding of the issues — and potential solutions — we faced as a community. That’s when he decided to launch a blog — Dear Winnipeg — aimed at facilitating a better, more informed, more productive conversation about municipal governance. The blog went live in December 2018, roughly two months after the last municipal vote. The project gained wider attention during Winnipeg’s 2019 budget deliberation, when he wrote a post criticizing the city for pushing forward on the construction of a new recreation centre in Waverley West, while it was considering closing existing pools and libraries in older neighbourhoods. To Durand-Wood, it was a matter of common sense: Why build a new facility on the edge of the city when we can’t even afford to maintain our existing ones? He grew more concerned when the director of public works, Jim Berezowsky, publicly suggested the city might have to phase out more than 18,000 street lights over a three-year period due to a cap on the department’s funding. “Once again, it was all about the cuts. Everything was on the table… I was like, literally, we are not keeping the lights on!” Durand-Wood said. A decade earlier, a 2008 audit into Winnipeg’s management of capital assets came to the same conclusion Durand-Wood did many years later. “The city may be constructing capital assets that it cannot afford to maintain into the future. This can lead to a reduction in the overall level of service provided to citizens as the required maintenance is deferred to meet budget targets,” the audit report reads. In Durand-Wood’s eyes, that is exactly right. “The first people you default on are not the bond holders. The first people you default on are the citizens of Winnipeg. And we’re already doing that. There are already implicit promises that have been made to us that aren’t being held up,” Durand-Wood said. “Implicit promises like: when there’s a road, we’re going to maintain it; when there’s a community centre, it’s going to continue to operate; when there are libraries, they’re going to be open. An implicit promise that when the city builds something, it will maintain and operate it, not for five years, but forever.” In this, Winnipeg is not alone. In an interview, Daniel Herriges, the editor- in-chief of Strong Towns, said it’s hard to underestimate just how revolutionary the changes to development patterns across North America were in the aftermath of the Second World War. For nearly all of human history, communities were centred around walking as the main method of transportation, and they were built incrementally, by many hands, with whatever resources were available at the time. They were not built to remain static, as if frozen in aspic, but to evolve. But by the early 1950s, the personal automobile was king, and it became commonplace to have large corporate developers build entire suburban neighbourhoods in one fell swoop, or to remake whole inner-city blocks as part of a single project. In Winnipeg, these trends manifested in the Lord Selkirk Park Renewal Project, which transformed the heart of the city’s Jewish community. Other examples include the construction of a large row housing project near Burrows Avenue and Keewatin Street. According to an academic article from Marc Vachon and Joshua Warkentin — The Rise and Fall of Winnipeg’s Modern Project (1958-1972) — these developments are now regarded as some of the “worst planning mistakes in the city’s history.” They were also the sorts of developments that were taking place across North America. “It was an unprecedented experiment, and part of what makes it unprecedented is we did it everywhere at once, very rapidly… It was a controlled experiment without a control group… We transformed an entire continent,” Herriges said. “It has resulted in an almost unfathomable number of places that are functionally insolvent. We have systematically not done the math for the ability of this development pattern to generate enough concentrated wealth to sustain itself.” Herriges said that for decades cities have been misallocating resources on a grand scale, building infrastructure they lack the ability to maintain long-term. The result: deferred maintenance and cutbacks to essential services. It amounts to a Ponzi scheme, according to Herriges — not in the sense that it’s a criminal conspiracy, or the brainchild of a malicious actor, but in that the development pattern needs perpetual growth to sustain itself. “There’s no Bernie Madoff in this story. But it resembles a Ponzi scheme in that the early entrants into the scheme get bailed out by the later entrants, until the whole thing collapses. And by entrants into the scheme, what I mean is development,” Herriges said. “You add new infrastructure, you’ve got growth, and you’re cash-flow positive until you reach the second life cycle and things need major repair. And the only way you can cover (those costs) is with continued growth… and when you cease to grow the whole thing falls apart. “We are on the verge of an epidemic of failing places, that are hitting that third life cycle of the growth Ponzi scheme… and it worries me.” Durand-Wood said that once you understand the central insight of Strong Towns — that we lack the tax base to support our existing infrastructure, let alone expand it — then suddenly the current state of the city of Winnipeg makes a lot more sense. “I can understand why no one thinks about it this way, because it’s been like this since before we were born. It was a paradigm shift that happened in the ’40s, so of course none of us sees these things. None of us looks at the city and think it’s abnormal or financially unproductive,” he said. “We just look at it and think: yeah, that’s the way things are, because that’s all we’ve ever known. But once you see it, you kind of see it everywhere, and it really gnaws at you.” ●●● BRENT Toderian is the former chief planner for the City of Vancouver, and an internationally recognized urbanist who now owns a private consulting firm, Toderian Urban Works. In an interview, he said that when it comes to city planning, Winnipeg’s reputation on the national and international stage is far from positive. “(Winnipeg) is a city that can’t see past its own car-addiction. It plays out in your budget, it plays out in your political decisions, it plays out in your detailed arguments about things like Main and Portage, it plays out in the conversations surrounding your elections,” Toderian said. “It’s just constant examples of Winnipeg ignoring the successes of other cities and continuing to double-down on failure, continuing to support its own addiction, its dependency on cars. And that’s the least healthy, most expensive, least sustainable way of planning your city.” Toderian characterized continued investment in car infrastructure as a “race to the bottom.” While it’s a counterintuitive insight, he said that if you want to make Winnipeg a more pleasant place to drive, the solution isn’t more investment in roads, but to invest in alternative modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling and public transit. “If you’re serious about addressing vehicle congestion, we know for certain the only two things that do that is a combination of better infrastructure for alternatives — walking, biking, transit — combined with pricing mechanisms that affect the choice to drive,” Toderian said. “Those are the only proven ways to actually reduce vehicle congestion. Everything else is just more money spent to induce more driving with the same — or worse — congestion. All of that is absolutely certain. There is no doubt at all to it.” Toderian said it’s not a question of “urbanist ideology,” but evidence-based decision making. “I’m not one of those urbanists who says: everyone should not want to drive. I’m actually much more pragmatic than that. If you want to be able to drive easier, the best thing you can hope for is that other people choose to walk, bike or take public transit,” Toderian said. “Every decision is based on a business case, and the business case is there for investing in walking, biking and transit. The business case is rock solid… As a matter of fact, it’s ideological to ignore that evidence, and this plays out all the time in Winnipeg.” The past two mayoral administrations — Sam Katz (2004-14) and Brian Bowman (2014-22) — have been primarily characterized by holding the line on property taxes (Katz) and record investment in roads (Bowman). This has resulted in a public transit system with subpar service and low ridership, and an active transportation network with significant gaps. And despite our record investment in roads, Manitoba Public Insurance says that damage claims due to potholes in Winnipeg are through the roof: in the first six months of 2022, there were more than 2,000 such claims — more than six times higher than the entirety of 2021. When it comes to repairing our existing roads, let alone constructing new ones, Winnipeg is bailing water out of a sinking ship. At our current levels of record spending, it would take approximately 48 years to repave or reconstruct all of our streets and alleys. The problem is they deteriorate at a faster rate than we can fix them. We simply can’t keep up. Toderian said that conversations about city planning often turn into “ideological debates,” and somehow the “car-based voices end up sounding practical,” while those who advocate for alternative transportation “end up sounding impractical.” “The opposite is true. When you understand the economics of city building, the most practical course of action is to invest in walking, biking and transit infrastructure, to emphasize infill development, more activity in your downtown, inner-city and early suburbs,” Toderian said. “If you want to have a conversation about avoiding future municipal tax increases, that’s the only way you can do it… Suburban sprawl is an incredible drain on municipal finances, and thank goodness you’ve got the inner-city and infill development to subsidize it.” The American-Canadian journalist Jane Jacobs, whose work had a profound impact on urban studies, suggested big cities thrive when they are composed of healthy, inter-connected micro-villages. In order to achieve that, neighbourhoods need a good mixture of frequent streets; buildings of different ages; a high concentration of people; and a combination of primary uses. She argued that unless neighbourhoods are able to attract foot traffic from surrounding areas, they will fail. “Dull, inert cities… contain the seeds of their own destruction and little else. But lively, diverse cities contain the seeds of their own regeneration, with energy enough to carry over for problems and needs outside themselves,” Jacobs wrote. According to Herriges, what’s needed now is another paradigm shift, one as revolutionary as the development pattern that was ushered in across North America in the years following the Second World War. Instead of thinking big, we need to think small. “You look for: Where are the people in this community struggling right now? What needs are they struggling to meet in a way local government can address? And then you ask: What is the next smallest thing we can do to address that struggle?” Herriges said. “You address the urgent struggles of people in the community… You launch a thousand small experiments, you take the ones that are successful and you scale them up… And that’s a really fundamental transformation from the way things are done now.” But the fact is we need a rupture from the status quo, because what we have been doing for decades isn’t working. It is insanity to keep doing the same things over and over again while hoping for different results. Poverty and homelessness are more visible and acute in downtown than ever. The tree canopy is dying. The city routinely dumps raw sewage into our rivers. Winnipeg’s infrastructure deficit is $7 billion, and there’s a $60-million shortfall in the municipal operating budget. The city is in crisis, and no one is coming to save it. It falls to the citizens of Winnipeg, and those they elect to city hall on Oct. 26, to act. Two roads lie ahead — and the one Winnipeg is currently on is rapidly approaching the point of no return. ryan.thorpe(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe

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WFP: Pedestrian injured in latest hit-and-run (Oct23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Oct '22

23 Oct '22

*Pedestrian injured in latest hit-and-run* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/22/pedestrian-injure… A woman in her 40s was rushed to hospital after she was found lying in a busy St. Boniface intersection Friday afternoon — the third hit-and-run on city streets in a week. The victim was found in the intersection of Marion Avenue and Archibald Street at approximately 3 p.m. Friday, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Saturday morning. She was rushed to hospital and is now in stable condition. Police said the woman was the victim of a hit-and-run. No arrests have been made, police said Saturday. Friday’s crash is the third hit-and-run on city streets in a week — and the third involving a pedestrian this month. On Oct. 16, Shannon Joan Marie Romaniuk, 24, was killed after she was struck at the intersection of Portage Avenue and Berry Street around 11:30 p.m. Emergency crews found Romaniuk lying in the road, but the vehicle that struck her had fled, police said. No arrests have been made in the case, police confirmed Saturday. “Rest easy Shannon, you were such a good friend to those around you…,” read a comment posted to Facebook last week. On the same day, just 18 hours earlier, a hitand- run at Sargent Avenue and Empress Street claimed the life of an 81-year-old woman. Corazon Manguerra and a 45-year-old man were found trapped in their SUV after their vehicle was hit by an older model Dodge Caravan, which fled the scene, police said. Manguerra was rushed to hospital, where she died. The man was taken to hospital and treated for his injuries. Police said no arrests have been made. “Along with the incident that occurred (Friday), we continue to actively investigate other recent hit-and-runs,” police said in an email statement Saturday. “There are no updates to provide regarding those investigations.” Jim Aitkenhead, 78, also died after he was hit on Osborne Street outside of his retirement home, Fred Tipping Place, just before 10 p.m. on Oct. 9. Officers met with the vehicle’s driver, a woman in her 80s, who remained at the scene, police said. No charges have been announced in the case. So far this year, 10 pedestrians have been killed in collisions, compared with a total of six in 2021, according to police data. Anyone with information about the hit-and-runs is asked to call police at 204-986-7085. Information can also be provided anonymously to Winnipeg Crime Stoppers at 204-786-8477 or winnipegcrimestoppers.org. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Nearly double amount of pedestrians have died this year compared to last (Oct18'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Oct '22

18 Oct '22

*Nearly double amount of pedestrians have died this year compared to last * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/17/police-hunting-fo… The number of pedestrians killed on Winnipeg streets has nearly doubled this year over last, as police ask for help in investigating the latest incident that claimed the life of a 24-year-old woman. Police and fire paramedic crews raced to the intersection of Portage Avenue and Berry Street at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday, where they found the seriously injured woman lying in the road, the Winnipeg Police Service said Monday. Police identified the victim as Shannon Joan Marie Romaniuk of Winnipeg. Just 18 hours earlier, an 81-year-old woman was killed after the vehicle she was in was struck in a hit-and-run at Sargent Avenue and Empress Street. In 2022 to date, 10 pedestrians have been killed in collisions, compared with a total of six in 2021, WPS data provided to the Free Press show. The total number of vehicle-collision deaths, including both pedestrians and vehicle occupants — is also up; 20 people have died thus far in 2022, compared to nine last year. In 2021, two people were charged for failing to remain at the scene of a collision in which a pedestrian was killed. Three have been charged so far this year. “It’s extremely sad and unfortunate, and it’s happening all hours of the day,” police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said. Investigators have determined Romaniuk was crossing Portage Avenue when she was struck. The driver and occupants, if any, fled in the vehicle, which was a silver or grey late-model SUV. Police have not yet located the SUV or its driver. Officers completed their investigation and left the scene Monday morning, but spatters of what appeared to be blood remained on the road at the intersection just west of Route 90. On the south side of Portage Avenue, apartment buildings overlook the eightlane thoroughfare with a 60 kilometre- an-hour speed limit, which has controlled pedestrian crossings on the east and west sides of Berry Street. The collision was the second fatal hit-and-run in less than 24 hours. Investigators have identified the 81-year-old woman who died in hospital after a two-vehicle collision at Sargent Avenue and Empress Street as Corazon Manguerra. Officers rushed to the intersection at 4:30 a.m. after receiving multiple 911 calls. They found the woman and a 45-year-old man trapped in their SUV, police said Sunday. Manguerra was in unstable condition and had to be extricated from the wreck. She was rushed to hospital, where she died. The man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The occupants of the other vehicle, a late-model, dark-coloured Dodge Caravan, ran away from the scene before police arrived. On Sunday, the wrecked Dodge van sat abandoned along Omand’s Creek on the east side of Empress. A traffic-light was on the ground nearby. The other vehicle, a Toyota RAV4, was on Empress Street’s west sidewalk, north of the intersection. Investigators said witnesses reported the Dodge Caravan driving at a high speed before the collision. They are asking anyone with information about the two collisions, including dash-camera footage, to call the traffic division at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477. “So many people have their own personal dash-cams now,” McKinnon said. “They can record make, model and licence plate number… the hope really is anyone in this area, from the public, may have seen the collisions or perhaps the manner in which the suspect vehicle was driving — before or after.” McKinnon confirmed police have not yet made any arrests in either incident. The two deaths occurred a week after a 78-year-old man died after he was struck on Osborne Street. Jim Aitkenhead was hit by a vehicle crossing the 50 km/h, four-lane street outside of his retirement home, Fred Tipping Place, a few minutes before 10 p.m. on Oct. 9. Aitkenhead — who was affectionately called “Jimmy” and “Gentleman Jim,” by friends, neighbours and family — was taken to hospital in unstable condition, and later died. Officers met with the vehicle’s driver, a woman in her 80s, who remained at the scene, police said at the time. No charges have been announced in the case. erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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WFP: Path to car-free living challenging, rewarding (Oct17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '22

17 Oct '22

*Path to car-free living challenging, rewarding * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/17/road-to-car-free-… JUST a few years ago, Sharee Hochman wouldn’t have called herself an advocate for making car culture a thing of the past in Winnipeg. The 23-year-old lifelong Winnipegger used a vehicle to get around and only cycled recreationally for years, but found herself slowly drawn to use her bike more and more. Eventually, she realized even when she felt forced to drive, she didn’t enjoy it. She got rid of her car in January, and picked up a winter-use bicycle. “When I began to understand the different benefits cycling for transportation had on me, the environment, the community, even for businesses and my mental health, I began to prioritize it,” said Hochman. “And then I began to just really fall into it.” She’s part of a growing community of Winnipeggers who have foregone personal vehicles for bikes, buses and car co-ops. Some have adapted their lives around sustainable transport. Hochman moved to River Heights, a more central area with better access to bus routes and bike lanes, from Garden City, and found herself investing in warm clothing for winter bike travels. Hochman found the benefits so meaningful she ended up becoming the Green Action Centre’s sustainable transport program co-ordinator in August. She now works to shift mindsets away from car culture and toward other options. It hasn’t always been an easy sell. The hardest push-back, she said, hasn’t been winter winds while cycling home with groceries — it’s been from other people. “I think a lot of people don’t expect my answer to be that the most hard thing has just been the resistance from folks who can’t imagine a city without having to rely on a vehicle,” she said. “And with that comes hostility and even some harassment, sometimes.” Kyle Cavell, too, is taking the leap. Last week, he changed his vehicle insurance to leisure coverage, and has decided to give winter cycling a shot. “I spent over a decade living in the north suburbs of the city, and when I moved to West Broadway (in 2019), I realized that this was the lifestyle that I wanted,” he said. “I don’t want to spend hours a day in traffic and in a vehicle, I’d like to commute by bike or walk, just live in a more walkable, dense neighbourhood.” It even influenced his decision to purchase a condo in Osborne Village with no parking spot but three Peg City Car Co-Op vehicles available nearby. Peg City carsharing service began in 2011 with just three cars, but now has 90 vehicles and more than 2,500 members. In the 2 1/2 years Ian Walker has sat on its board, the co-op doubled its number of vehicles to meet a growing need after an explosion of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every month, I see our usage numbers are higher than we’ve expected, so it’s allowing us to keep thinking forward to how we’re going to grow,” Walker said. Walker and his wife accessed the service before he got involved with the board. They plan to sell their car in the spring to become full-time users. Walker said he’s heard of growing exhaustion among car owners, both in using and maintaining vehicles and what it would take to switch to more sustainable options. “Winnipeg tries really, really, really hard to be good at moving people around in cars, but what we end up with is a city where nobody can really get around with any mode,” he said. Meantime, Cavell is excited to get biking this winter but not sure how it’ll go. It’s a short ride, but his experience with the city’s piecemeal cycling infrastructure has left him concerned about snow clearing and accessibility. “I think that Winnipeg has got a lot of good cycling infrastructure, just the connections are missing,” he said. Hochman called it an issue of citywide inequity. “It’s really challenging and difficult to watch, because from my perspective, I know how an increase of infrastructure in certain areas of the city would help alleviate a lot of different other issues for many different identities,” she said. Bridging that gap through building more compact communities with easy access to public transit and resources is the challenge, urban planner Jason Syvixay said. City planners often have grand aspirations of walkable, connected cities that will inspire people to ditch their cars overnight, but on the flip side, the equity issue means car ownership and use is a must for many families, especially from lower-income neighbourhoods, to be able to maintain day-to-day operations. “We have these big aspirations, but how do you implement them in a way that doesn’t unintentionally create these impacts to these other marginalized groups who might use it?” Syvixay said. He pointed to the “15-minute city” initiative popularized in Paris during the pandemic as an example of how cities can use zoning and planning to create a more equitable transport solution. The residential urban concept reworks cities with the goal of having as many of its residents’ daily activities — groceries, recreation, gathering spaces — be within a 15-minute walk or bike ride away. In Paris, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has promised to implement this vision by converting main roads into communal spaces blocked off to cars, installing bike lanes on every street by 2024, and using schools as community gathering spots on holidays and weekends. “It seems like such a simple concept, right? This idea that you should be able to live in a neighbourhood that gives you the things that you need,” Syvixay said. “But we know that, historically, the way that we’ve planned our city with zoning and our policies, they’ve actually deterred those things.” Syvixay said getting Winnipeg on board would require sweeping changes to zoning rules and mindsets. “Things like the suburbs, for example, the zoning was built in a way that wouldn’t allow for mixing of a grocery store or for a school to be built in the residential neighbourhoods. So you start to see over time, because of zoning, these neighbourhoods only being allowed… to build single-family homes,” he said. Syvixay was born and raised in Winnipeg, and has worked with Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone and as an urban planner in the private sector. He moved to Edmonton in 2018, in part because there were more opportunities for city planning and development. Winnipeg is behind its Prairie peer in investing in progressive city development, he said. Along with changes such as abolishing single-family zoning in Edmonton, the Alberta capital has invested in walking people through these changes and making it apparent how they benefit everyone. “Change and community support takes a lot of time, and we need to be, I think, compassionate and empathetic that people have staked their lives and their future and their money in communities,” Syvixay said. “We need to work through the change with them so that they know what’s happening, what’s coming.” Syvixay remains optimistic. Interest is growing in Winnipeg, he said, and it’s a matter of when municipal leadership decides to get on board. “It might take some public infrastructure or investments or catalyst projects that can sort of show the development industry where the city wants to go, and the city can make statements in their investments, and what they put in the infrastructure, and the development industry might follow,” he said. “It could be symbolic gestures like that, or funding gestures like that, that can see some cascading impacts.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Majority willing to pay for faster, more reliable transit (Oct14'22)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Oct '22

14 Oct '22

*Majority willing to pay for faster, more reliable transit* / CTV Winnipeg PROBE RESEARCH https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/10/13/majority-willing-… IMAGINE a city where the buses run on time and efficiently get you where you need to go. Or imagine a city where you can safely commute on a bicycle each day. You can probably imagine that city isn’t Winnipeg — at least not yet — but not only are most mayoral candidates talking about transit and active transportation, a new poll suggests a majority of residents are willing to pay for them. In the Free Press- CTV News poll conducted by Probe Research, 52 per cent of respondents said the city should spend more money on new public-transit infrastructure, including creating dedicated lanes for buses. Another 33 per cent are satisfied with the money currently being spent, and 15 per cent think there should be less funding. As well, when Winnipeggers were asked how they would feel if the city spent money to build a light-rail transit line, more than half, at 52 per cent, said it would make them more likely to support spending on transit, while 28 per cent said it makes no difference to them, nine per cent said it would make them less likely to support spending on public transit and 11 per cent said they were unsure. Curtis Brown, a principal at Probe Research, said the results are a clear indication there is an appetite to buy improvements. “People are starting to see the need for it,” Brown said. “Issues of climate change, gridlock… people want to see more investment.” Brown said residents are more inclined to support light-rail than rapid-transit buses but, “We haven’t really heard any of the candidates talk about it or promise it.” Idris Adelakun is the only mayoral candidate among the 11 on the ballot talking about a transit system using something other than buses and, according to a Free Press- CTV News poll released last month, he likely won’t get many votes. Adelakun is proposing a solar-powered, 20-passenger overhead rail-car system. “It will attract visitors to our city,” Adelakun says in his platform. “Also, it will reduce traffic congestion and pollution.” The top five candidates have more conventional ideas in their platforms. Glen Murray wants to see a citywide system that provides frequent service using electric buses within eight years. Scott Gillingham would add 11 new buses to the city’s busiest routes over three years. Shaun Loney would implement the city’s transit master plan in 10 years instead of 25. Kevin Klein would push for all new buses to be electric. Robert-Falcon Ouellette would set adult fares at $1; youths 17 and under would ride free. Kyle Owens, president and chairman of Functional Transit Winnipeg, said he is pleased to see the poll numbers in favour of injecting more money into Winnipeg Transit’s infrastructure. “I think these numbers reflect that most Winnipeggers see the benefits of investing public transit,” Owens said. “Winnipeggers who use the system regularly know how slow and unreliable it is. Because of the lack of funding, people can’t use it to get to work on time.” Owens said his group advocates that even people who never take the bus will get a bang for their bucks that go into public transit infrastructure. “It benefits the city,” he said. It gets more people out of their cars. And, with the master transit plan passed last year, we were very glad to see it passed and we want to accelerate that funding because 25 years is too long.” As well, he said when the plan is in place, the number of households within 500 metres of frequent transit service will go to 58 per cent from 21 per cent. Owens said Winnipeg has fallen behind other cities in the country. “Winnipeg is the largest city of its land size in Canada without light-rail,” he said. “The others have all realized the benefits to get people where they are going.” The poll was taken while Winnipeg Transit continues to experience lower ridership numbers, in part due to the pandemic. In 2012, annual ridership hovered above 48 million. It plunged to 24.8 million in 2020 and 21.5 million in 2021, during the pandemic. A transit spokeswoman said weekday boardings are now up to approximately 80 per cent, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic in spring 2020. Winnipeg Transit continues work on the multi-year master transit plan city councillors approved last year. Bjorn Radstrom, Winnipeg Transit’s manager of service development, said the plan was moved forward because, “We really heard that transit wasn’t working.” “The transit system we had then, and still mostly have now, reflects Winnipeg as it was with people coming downtown in the morning and then going back in the afternoon. It doesn’t offer that many cross-city trips. We’ve tried to redraw the map to make it a grid system and not spokes going downtown.” Radstrom said transit users will soon see the changes, with a series of fast bus routes taking passengers to transfer locations where they can board other buses to take them to where they want to go. He said the system is already in place in southwest Winnipeg, with feeder routes not going downtown, but instead only taking passengers from subdivisions directly to and from the Blue Line, much of which is the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor. “Buses will be so frequent on major routes you don’t have to check the schedule — you just show up,” he said. “Just missed the bus? Who cares? Another one will come in five minutes… that type of change is really what would get more people to be on the bus. “Downtown will always be the biggest destination, but it is not like it was in the 1940s and 1950s.” As to the demographics of Winnipeggers who support — or don’t — spending more on public transit, the poll shows a lot depends on a resident’s political ideology, age, education level and neighbourhood. Sixty-four per cent of the people who identify as NDP supporters and 60 per cent of Liberal voters indicated they favour spending more, while only 28 per cent of people who back the Progressive Conservatives did the same. A larger percentage of Tories — 42 per cent — suggested they support funding for light-rail, behind Liberal supporters at 59 per cent and NDP at 56 per cent. There was a stark age breakdown in the results; 71 per cent of people between the ages of 18 and 34 support spending more, while only 39 per cent of people 55 and older feel the same way. About 57 per cent of university graduates agree more should be spent on public transit, compared to 41 per cent with high school or less education. And, while residents who live in the core area give 62 per cent support to spending more, other areas of the city range from 47 to 53 per cent. Meanwhile, when it comes to putting more dollars into active transportation and building more bike lanes, 45 per cent of Winnipeggers are in favour of spending more, but a majority of respondents believe the city is spending enough (31 per cent) or should spend less (24 per cent). The executive director of Bike Winnipeg, an advocacy organization, said support for active transportation has continuously grown through the years; 45 per cent of Winnipeggers now want the city to spend more on bike lanes. “This is very positive,” Mark Cohoe said. “I think it is a pretty clear indication people are ready to spend more. They are linking walking, cycling and transit to climate. There is value with active transportation. “Getting people out of their vehicles is critical to meeting our climate- change goals.” Cohoe said many changed their driving habits during the pandemic, so the time is right to enhance the active transportation network. “People are travelling less (and) we’ve found we can reduce the number of vehicles on the road. Numerous studies show people are driving more than they want to. But if we just blindly plan for the same number of cars on the road, that’s what we’ll get. “If you plan for fewer vehicles and have more options for biking, walking and buses, you’ll get there.” Among the five leading mayoral candidates, Murray said he wants to see aligned and integrated city and transportation planning to encourage cycling and walking. Gillingham would increase active transportation funding by $13 million and use a $1.50-per-foot frontage levy hike to partially pay for bike-route investment. Loney would inject an additional $20 million into funding, Klein would ensure active transportation is reviewed before roads are built and Ouellette wants to include safe family cycling in active-transportation plans. The poll of 600 Winnipeg adults was conducted Sept. 8-18. The results are — with 95 per cent certainty — within plus or minus four per cent if the city’s adult population had been surveyed because of the size of the polling sample. kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Audi demonstrates C-V2X technology in California that could help reduce cyclist injuries and fatalities - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 12 Oct '22

12 Oct '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/10/20221012-audicv2x.html

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TRB releases new report identifying deficiencies impacting e-scooter rider safety - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 09 Oct '22

09 Oct '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/10/20221007-trb.html

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WFP Analysis: We’re living beyond our infrastructure means (Sep30'22)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Sep '22

30 Sep '22

*We’re living beyond our infrastructure means* MICHEL DURAND-WOOD https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2022/09/30/were-living-b… WITH next month’s election spurring big-picture discussions about the City of Winnipeg’s finances, roads are as hot an issue as ever. This has led to many roads-related campaign promises that leave Winnipeggers hopeful for a future with fewer potholes. But the uncomfortable reality we need to face is that we can’t afford to maintain all the roads we already have, much less add any more. And we never will. As we’ve already heard many times, the city spent $152.2 million on road repair and replacement last year. This is a record amount, after many consecutive years of record amounts. And according to some measures, this debt-fuelled spending spree looks like it may have made a dent — for instance, city reports show our infrastructure deficit went down to $6.9 billion in 2018, from $9.9 billion in 2009 (in 2018 dollars). But looks can be deceiving. And that’s because of the way the infrastructure deficit is calculated. This deficit is just a snapshot in time, taken in 2018, projecting our annual infrastructure spending needs to 2027. But because every road eventually needs to be replaced, and since their life cycle extends beyond that 10-year snapshot, it means that, by definition, we’re leaving stuff out of the calculation. And that can lead to shocking surprises down the road. What’s waiting for us outside of the current infrastructure deficit projection, in 2028? Or 2029? Beyond? Take Waverley West, for example. That entire area is new enough that none of the roads has needed reconstruction yet. But they will eventually. The entire road network for a “city the size of Brandon,” as Coun. Janice Lukes is fond of saying, will soon be added to the maintenance queue. Turns out all those free roads weren’t free after all. And just so you don’t think I’m picking on Waverley West, it gets even worse. Assuming that a road needs to be completely replaced every 50 years or so means any road built after 1977 does not have its reconstruction cost factored into the current infrastructure deficit, since its reconstruction would be scheduled for after 2027. If we assume a 60-year lifespan, then it excludes every road in every development built after 1967. And since the majority of our roads were built after 1971 — by some estimates nearly 57 per cent — that’s a lot of roads left out of the calculation. And a lot of money. What’s it all going to cost? According to city reports, we own about 8,300 lane-kilometres of roads in total, all of which need periodic maintenance and, eventually, complete replacement. The money spent last year allowed us to maintain 113.8 lane-km of roads, and to replace 32.8 lane-km of them. At that rate, every road will get maintenance once every 73 years, and a full replacement once every 253 years. To bring that into alignment with the actual lifespan of pavement, maintenance every 10 years and replacement every 50 to 60 would require spending about $600 million more per year than we did in 2021. Some people think we have a spending problem. But trimming that much from the budget would require the complete elimination of the police department and the entire fire and paramedic department, plus shutting down the community services department (that’s the one in charge of libraries, pools and rec centres). Others think instead that we have a revenue problem. But funding an extra $600 million per year would require roughly a 100 per cent property tax increase. Double our taxes. Just for the roads. What about the province, or the feds? At the provincial level, we’d need a PST increase of approximately 3.5 per cent for our per-capita share of it to equal $600 million. The cold, hard reality is that no matter which order of government pays for it, that money is ultimately coming from us. Getting real about this means facing that this is not a spending problem, nor is it a revenue problem. It’s an insolvency problem: we own way more pavement than we can afford. So then, how do we get on top of this road repair issue? First, when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. If we can’t afford the roads we already have, we shouldn’t add more. Second, we must do everything we can to get more people using fewer roads, in order to maximize the lifespan of our existing investments. Getting there will mean shifting more people into active transportation and transit, planting street trees, slowing traffic wherever people are walking and putting more people and destinations closer together with mixed-use infill. Where we find ourselves in the coming years will depend on whether we double down on the same path we’ve been on, or whether we choose a more productive way forward. The choice is ours this October. *Michel Durand-Wood lives in Elmwood and has been writing about municipal issues since 2018. He blogs at DearWinnipeg.com, and is a contributor to AnatomyOfAPothole.ca, a local campaign to raise awareness about the city’s infrastructure and finance issues leading up to the election.*

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CBC: Oklahoma City's downtown made a major comeback after a long slump. What Winnipeg can learn from it
by Beth McKechnie 27 Sep '22

27 Sep '22

Focus city on pedestrians, not cars Cornett says one of the key lessons he learned as mayor was shaping the city around active transportation. "We went through a period where we recognized that the health of the community was suffering, and from a wellness standpoint, we weren't set up to succeed," he said. City leadership redesigned the entire downtown grid to be more walkable and more pedestrian-friendly, and then started building sidewalks and jogging and biking paths out into the suburban areas. "Over time, we started to realize that the health of the community is really based on the social infrastructure and the physical infrastructure combined," Cornett said. "If you build a city around cars, you're not going to have as healthy a community as you would [otherwise]." Full story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/oklahoma-city-winnipeg-state-of-the…

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WFP: City police use decoy bikes to nab four thieves (Sep23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Sep '22

23 Sep '22

City police use decoy bikes to nab four thieves https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/09/22/city-police-use-d… AS sure as the sun will rise, if you leave a bicycle unlocked and untended in Winnipeg long enough, someone will try to steal it. And sometimes police will be watching, four men learned the hard way last week. “The lesson to be learned here is you never know if the bike you are jumping on is a decoy bike,” said Winnipeg Police Service Const. Dani McKinnon. Police arrested the men Sept. 14 as part of a “bait bike” project prompted by reports of hundreds of bikes stolen this past summer in the Garden City/West Kildonan shopping areas. One area gym, Planet Fitness on Leila Avenue, reported roughly 100 bikes had been stolen from outside the property since June. Dozens of theft reports were submitted to police, while dozens more went unreported but were captured on surveillance video. Police placed a bait bike in various locations near businesses that had reported multiple bike thefts, and soon caught two men trying to steal the bike. Two other men — one of whom is a suspect in the Planet Fitness thefts — were arrested after they were seen “casing” other bikes as they carried bolt cutters. Police have used bait bikes in other parts of the city where thefts have been particularly high, McKinnon said. She urged everyone who has had a bike stolen to report it to police, saying it helps police pinpoint high crime areas and focus resources. “When there is video evidence or a statement provided, that is valuable information,” she said. A Planet Fitness manager declined to speak to a reporter. The four accused face charges including theft and possession of break-in instruments. dean.pritchard(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Study: Some Roundabout Designs Slash Injury Crashes Up to 85% – Streetsblog USA
by Beth McKechnie 23 Sep '22

23 Sep '22

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2022/09/19/opinion-america-should-think-round-f… -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 300-286 Smith Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3C 1K4 *Green Action Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Analysis: Cyclists and pedestrians are on the same side (Sep16'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Sep '22

20 Sep '22

In case you missed this in the Free Press: Cyclists and pedestrians are on the same side https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2022/09/16/cyclists-and-… MY granddad had a saying: “It’s better to negotiate from a place of strength than a place of weakness.” I’ve been reflecting on this maxim as the clock ticks steadily toward 2030 — the year by which Winnipeg’s unanimously-approved-by-council Climate Action Plan says we must have significantly reduced the number of trips taken in motor vehicles. With each year, it seems more unlikely — maybe downright impossible — that we’ll meet the target of reducing personal-vehicle use from 81 per cent to 50 per cent of all trips. Private vehicle traffic makes up the lion’s share of Winnipeg’s transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce those GHGs, the plan relies almost entirely on people switching to active transportation modes. Despite that ambitious goal, little is being done to make walking and biking safer or more pleasant. For many Winnipeggers, active transportation is not seen as a viable alternative to driving, even for short trips that could easily be done on foot or by bike, at least sometimes. Many of us don’t live within easy walking or biking distance of our daily needs, but for those who do, why aren’t we leaving our cars at home more often? The answer lies in what we’ve done — or haven’t done – to make that choice more viable. There’s a long-standing, ongoing back-and-forth in this newspaper’s letters to the editor, with concerns focused on cyclists riding on the sidewalk or at top speed on shared paths, or pedestrians blithely walking three abreast, oblivious to bells and other users because they’re on their phone or wearing earbuds. Some writers plead for mutual respect and common sense, while others insist a full regime of bicycle licensing, registration, insurance and enforcement is necessary. It’s tempting to think we simply need to correct specific, individual behaviours. But in reality, these conflicts are a direct result of insufficient space for people travelling outside of vehicles. (And if we think shared paths are bad now, just wait until e-scooters and e-bikes really take off — and that day is coming, sooner than we think.) That’s the actual problem, not “aggressive cyclists” or “oblivious pedestrians.” It’s a transportation system in which motor vehicle traffic takes up so much space that all other users are left fighting for scraps. It’s a system that pits folks who are walking and biking (and costing the city and the planet the least) against each other. And it’s the same system in which drivers insist our arterials – major roads, usually with four or more lanes – need more lanes and the inner ring road must be completed, despite decades of evidence that adding more capacity to roads just means more people will use them. The rule of induced demand means we can’t build our way out of congestion. Evidence also shows when cities build safe, quality infrastructure for biking and walking, people choose those modes more often. Lucky for us, many parts of the city have excellent potential to evolve into “15-minute neighbourhoods.” But that won’t happen if we aren’t willing to reconfigure our arterials. In Winnipeg, nothing is more sacrosanct than traffic flow on an arterial. To date, any changes that might impact traffic flow or parking have been off the table. That’s why you won’t find protected bike lanes on Osborne Street, on Henderson Highway, on St. Mary’s Road or any other arterials; instead, you’ll find a mishmash of side street “bike routes” — if you’re lucky. A complete bike network that allows folks to move between all parts of the city is essential. But if we want people to start using active transportation for their everyday needs, it’s also essential to provide safe infrastructure on arterials, because that’s where most destinations — stores, services, restaurants, libraries, pools, etc. — are. There is more than enough road space in the city to provide abundant routes for public transit, active transportation, commercial and private vehicular traffic. Every time we repair or reconstruct a roadway, we need to incorporate protected bike lanes and better sidewalks as a matter of course (even if it means taking that space from cars) — especially on those destination-rich arterials. If we want to convert trips from car to foot or bike, the space allocated to each mode must reflect that goal. The longer we wait to adapt to the new reality our planet demands, the longer we allow car-oriented spending to decimate our city coffers, the longer we wait to give people safe and pleasant infrastructure to do at least some of their trips without driving, the harder and more abrupt the transition will be. There’s another saying: the best time to plant a tree is 40 years ago; the next best time is today. With each passing month and year, we have less time to forge a better transportation system that makes Winnipeg a more livable city while meeting our climate action goals. We will never have more time to start adapting than we do right now. It’s time to negotiate from a place of strength. *Emma Durand-Wood is a parent of three young children living in Elmwood.*

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Ford exploring use of smartphone technology to alert drivers to pedestrians, bicyclists; BLE and 5G - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 20 Sep '22

20 Sep '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/09/20220920-ford.html

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Ya gotta love Japanese bikes
by Terry Zdan 20 Sep '22

20 Sep '22

What i want Santa to bring me this xmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX5Sm7ttt-k

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WFP: Pushing for winter of clean-scraped sidewalks (Sep1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '22

03 Sep '22

Pushing for winter of clean-scraped sidewalks <goog_1457759345> https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/09/01/pushing-for-winte… SOME Winnipeg sidewalks could be cleared right down to the pavement this winter, if a new motion winding its way through city hall succeeds. The motion calls for city crews to clear all sidewalks that have been rated in good condition to “bare pavement” during a pilot project next winter. “When you compare it to icy, slushy or irregular services that we get at times, especially in the spring, I believe bare pavement… would be a much better level of service,” said Coun. Matt Allard, who raised the motion. Winnipeg’s snow clearing policy calls for sidewalks along major routes, non-regional bus routes and collector streets to be cleared to a compacted snow surface following five centimetres of snow. Such sidewalks in the downtown are cleared to a paved surface “whenever conditions allow.” Allard has publicly complained about his own treacherous winter walks in the past, including slips and falls that occurred while he was wearing winter boots. “If you’re a pedestrian in this city, you know that there’s a time in the spring where things can become quite treacherous, with uneven sidewalks and uneven ice… That is not a level of service that allows a person to get to their bus stop, for example, without having a certain level of risk,” he said. If the pilot project is approved, it would apply to sidewalks repaired in 2021, the only ones the city has recently assessed to be in good condition. The city says about 33 kilometres of sidewalk and cycling paths fall into that category, while there are about 3,400 km of sidewalks throughout Winnipeg. City spokesman Ken Allen said only the walkways known to be in good condition are suited for clearing ice and snow to the bare pavement. “In order for a plow to clear a sidewalk down to the pavement, it requires the operator to put down-pressure on the plow blade in order to scrape off the snow and ice from the surface of the sidewalk, and a sidewalk in poor condition would likely be more difficult to clear due to a potentially uneven surface, and be harder mechanically on the snow-clearing equipment. As well, it is expected that clearing sidewalks down to the pavement would take longer to achieve as sidewalk plows would likely have to make multiple passes to get it done,” Allen said in a written statement. He noted temperature, snow amount and snow storage capacity could also affect the city’s ability to meet a bare pavement standard. Allen said the condition of sidewalks that weren’t recently repaired isn’t clear because the city doesn’t regularly rate them. He said the public service plans to assess other sidewalks soon, with the first round of city-wide ratings expected by December 2024. With that work still underway, Allard stressed the city should test snow-clearing improvements on every sidewalk that can handle it next winter. “The best study… is to send the plows and to plow to pavement. Then we’ll know how much it costs, how much staff time it takes,” he said. A seniors’ transportation advocate hopes bare pavement clearing can ultimately become the city-wide standard. “Sidewalk clearing, for us, is really important because we know many seniors, especially in downtown and core areas, need those sidewalks to get access to daily resources… Actually having fully cleared sidewalks is truly (offering) independence,” said Samantha Rodeck, executive director of the Transportation Options Network for Seniors. Rodeck said current clearing standards can leave folks unsure if all sidewalks they require to complete a trip will be clear enough to make it possible. “When that ice builds up it just continues to build ruts. Imagine trying to push a wheelchair or a walker … on (a walkway) that isn’t (cleared) down to the pavement. It’s very challenging,” she said. Rodeck said the change could also prevent slips and falls, preventing injuries and making it less scary for those with reduced mobility to leave home. “With us changing this one little (thing), we’re enhancing a person’s quality of life and potentially decreasing health-care costs,” she said. Allen said it’s not clear how much more it would cost the city to clear “good condition” sidewalks to a bare pavement level. He said the pilot project likely won’t require council approval, unless the effort is deemed to change the snow-clearing policy. Council’s public works committee is expected to debate Allard’s motion on Sept. 7. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Disappointment after West End summer cycling route shelved (Sep1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 03 Sep '22

03 Sep '22

Disappointment after West End summer cycling route shelved https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/31/aborted-plan-for-… PLANS to install a temporary poly-post protected bike lane on a two-kilometre stretch of Wellington Avenue under the city’s open streets program for 2022 had to be shelved. There was not enough time and no money budgeted to overcome the complications that stopped the project from moving forward in the spring, according to a report by City of Winnipeg staff. The proposed route between Maryland and Strathcona streets in the West End would have filled a need for cyclists, said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “When you look at that area of the city, what are your east-west opportunities? There’s not a lot,” he said. At its Sept. 7 meeting, the city’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee will vote on whether to send the proposed route to the 2023 budget process. Cohoe hopes there is enough political will to fund and follow through with a bike route on Wellington, but he worries it won’t be a priority. Committee chair Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he supports a cycling route on Wellington. He hopes city council will go a step further and approve permanent lanes. At its April 28 meeting, council approved plans for a temporary route with poly posts as part of this year’s enhanced summer bike route program. But city staff determined the protected route is beyond the scope of the program, which reduces speed limits to 30 km/h and places weekend traffic-calming measures on 15 designated routes, not including Wellington, between May and November. Further study is required and dedicated funding would be needed to design and construct the route, according to the report, which cited a number of challenges. Among them, Wellington has varying widths, with some stretches too narrow for a protected cycling route. The intersections with Erin and Wall streets, which are controlled by traffic lights, would have to be reconfigured to establish the right-of-way. To complete the temporary route, all parking would have to be removed from Wellington until it was completed, risking the ire of residents and drivers. Also at its Sept. 7 meeting, the four-member committee will also consider removing barricades set up on most of Scotia Street on weekends and holidays between May and November. When the program was approved, a one-block vehicle travel restriction was to be imposed on Scotia — one of the 15 designated routes — at those times. If approved, the change would not affect the temporary reduced speed limit of 30 km/h. Cohoe believes keeping the reduced speed limit is the right move. Road users fear large volumes of traffic on Scotia — a gateway to Kildonan Park — but a speed limit of 30 km/h helps to reduce that concern, he said. “Certainly, having the reduced traffic on there is a benefit,” he said, noting he hopes the city keeps track of traffic on the street. Scotia is part of the North Winnipeg Parkway Study that is underway. Cohoe is among those who believe the city needs to step up efforts to include new active-transportation routes, where appropriate, when roads are reconstructed or rehabilitated. Cyclist Ian McCausland said it is disappointing when road-construction projects do not include bike routes when the opportunity is there. “The city has to look at all these infrastructure projects through the lens of the climate crisis,” he said. Allard said he also finds it disappointing, given a 2008 city policy which requires reconstruction or rehabilitation of any street on the active-transportation network to include upgrades for cycling. The enhanced summer bike route program, initially known as “open streets,” began in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to prioritize active transportation. Now in its third year, the program has been hailed by Allard and fellow committee members Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River). “I think a lot of the kinks have been ironed out,” said Allard. “I’m satisfied it has been a success, and that it’s now going to be a feature of Winnipeg.” chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching

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