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Canadian eh E-Bike About Us – Mokwheel Bikes
by Terry Zdan 29 Aug '22

29 Aug '22

https://www.mokwheel.com/pages/about-us

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WFP: Cycle of gloom (Aug27'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Aug '22

28 Aug '22

Fewer bike-theft reports belies despairing reality that most victims don’t report to police Cycle of gloom https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/26/cycle-of-gloom SCOTT Atkinson’s heart sank when he stepped outside his home in Old St. Vital to find his garage door open. “I instantly knew: it’s gone,” Atkinson said, describing the moment he realized his $1,300 Kona Splice bicycle was now in the hands of a thief. On Tuesday, the 36-year-old joined countless other Winnipeg residents who have become victims of bike thieves in recent years. Bikes are a common target because they are valuable, easy to transport and can be stripped down for parts or parts can be converted into weapons, police say. In 2018, the Winnipeg Police Service received more than 2,000 stolen-bike reports. The number dropped to 1,555 last year, but a frustrated cycling advocate says the data is inaccurate and misleading. “They only have reported stats, so I would take that with a pinch of salt,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “There’s a feeling of hopelessness out there that might be giving the police the false impression (that bike crime is declining).” While Atkinson, who has lived in the neighbourhood for most of his life, is among those who reported his bike stolen, he knows he’ll probably never see it again. At one time, Old St. Vital was relatively free of property crime, but now, anything that isn’t bolted down is likely to be stolen, he said. “It’s so much more depressing than I thought it was going to be,” he said. “I don’t really have a way of doing anything or going anywhere, so that is kind of earth-shattering.… People that don’t really use a bike every day, they don’t really understand.” Atkinson’s story is typical. Some people go through the motions of filing a police report hoping to see their property returned, but many don’t bother. The result is rampant, but largely unreported, theft, Cohoe said. “There’s evidence that what we’re doing isn’t enough,” he said. “People have to feel like reporting it is going to have a result.” In an effort to gather more data, Bike Winnipeg produced a public bike-theft survey this April. About 300 cyclists responded. More than 90 per cent of participants had bikes stolen in the last five years, and the majority said the thefts happened at their homes. The data disputes the notion that bike theft is a crime of opportunity that only happens to unsecured bikes in public spaces. If the city wants to reduce bike crime, it needs to commit to policy and infrastructure changes, Cohoe said. A good first step would be updating Winnipeg’s bylaws to make it mandatory for new residential and commercial developments to include secure bike-storage areas. This would make it safer for cyclists to visit businesses, workplaces and residential buildings without fear of theft, he said. The city could also expand its bike registry program by sharing its data with other municipalities, he added. Since 1995, the city has collected bike serial numbers through its voluntary registry. When a bike is lost or stolen, WPS officers can reference the registry to track down its owner. In 2018, the city introduced an online version of the registry. Currently, there are 17,000 registrations, said Adam Campbell, a city spokesperson. Despite the fact that nearly half of the respondents in the Bike Winnipeg survey used the registry, only three per cent felt that it was helpful in solving theft. Stolen bikes sometimes make their way to other municipalities, provinces or countries. Cohoe believes if the city were to join an international registry, it could make the data more useful. Over the last three years, public interest in cycling in Winnipeg has surged, Cohoe said, adding the pandemic is partly responsible; many residents looked for new and healthy hobbies when various activities were restricted or shut down. Other factors, such as rising gas prices and climate awareness, have made people more aware of the benefits of active transportation, he said. That interest has led Winnipeg to the beginning stages of a cycling network. “(The city is) certainly becoming more bike-friendly. We are building out infrastructure — I’m not going to say we’re doing it at a rate I appreciate, and I would certainly like to see us accelerate that — but we are seeing more,” he said. In the early days, Winnipeg’s cycling infrastructure consisted of routes that travelled from “Point A to Point B.” The routes typically connected segments of individual neighbourhoods. Now, the city needs to fill gaps and connect the established routes, Cohoe said. “When you create those connections, the gaps that you’re filling in have multiple destinations and multiple connections across that you’re completing,” he said. A staff member at Bikes and Beyond in West Elmwood said she is pleased more people are becoming interested in cycling, but without secure storage, bike theft is inevitable. “There’s this assumption that people who are stealing things are kind of dumb, and they are not,” said Emily, who asked that her last name not be published because she believes thieves use social media to target potential victims. She advises cyclists to avoid storing their bikes outside in sheds or garages. She said the only way to ensure a bike’s safety is to keep it inside a home. If someone has no choice but to leave their bike unattended, she recommends using two locks: a steel U-lock around the frame and a cable lock restricting the wheels. She added that many thieves now use industrial tools including angle grinders, so even a double-locked bike is not entirely secure. Anybody who has become a victim of bike theft should report it to police, she said. “There is definitely a bit of discouragement in the public about the effectiveness of reporting,” she said. “(But) it is really important, regardless of whether people think it’s going to make a difference because, as we all know, decisions are made based on stats.” tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Public works chairman beets drum for winter road juice (Aug26'22)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Aug '22

26 Aug '22

Public works chairman beets drum for winter road juice https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/25/public-works-chai… IT’S time to determine if using more beet juice can help Winnipeggers get a better grip on roads, lanes and sidewalks, one city councillor says. Beet juice is already used as part of the City of Winnipeg’s street de-icing arsenal. The city sprays a beet juice salt brine mixture directly on ring roads and bridges at times and may also use it to wet salt and sand being spread on streets. Coun. Matt Allard, the city’s public works chairman, thinks the product’s use could be greatly expanded. In a new motion, he’s calling on municipal staff to study the impact of applying beet juice de-icing mixtures throughout the city next winter. “I’m wondering… what it would look like to mandate it citywide. We would have substantially less salt on our roadways,” said Allard. The councillor is also pushing for a report on the environmental and cost benefits of switching to greater use of beet-juice-based mixtures to reduce the city’s reliance on road salt, which can damage trees, snow-clearing machines and concrete. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a holistic look at… the total cost benefit of salt versus other products in the life of our machines,” said Allard. City spokesman Ken Allen said it would be “premature” to comment on Allard’s motion, or how feasible it would be to rely more on beet juice next winter. At least some amount of beet juice de-icing mixture has been used since 2020, after proving successful in trial projects that began in 2015, Allen said. In an email, he said beet juice has been found to have several benefits. “Beet juice improves the adhesion of the sand and salt to the roadway surface at colder temperatures. Beet juice can make up to 60 per cent of the solution we are applying to the roads and is combined with a traditional sodium chloride-based brine. This lessens our chloride loading on infrastructure and the environment while producing a good quality melting solution effective to temperatures below -30 C,” he wrote. Allard’s motion also calls for the public service to report on the amount of beet juice versus sand and salt applied to city rights-of-way over the past five years and options to reduce the use of sodium chloride and other salts on city streets. The motion will be debated by the Riel Community Committee on Tuesday. Joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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NEXT Tue Sep. 6th FREE Webinar: Getting more People riding bicycles. More Often. Everywhere.
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '22

25 Aug '22

*From:* A Walk in the Park with Gil <paulao(a)gpenalosa.ca> *Sent:* Thursday, August 25, 2022 10:00 AM View this email in your browser <https://mailchi.mp/9be31aeb0564/a-walk-in-the-park-with-gil-the-75-city-906…> *NEXT Tuesday Sep. 6th* FREE WEBINAR Getting more People riding bicycles. More often. Everywhere. *REGISTER NOW:* *https://bit.ly/3bpa2Jq <https://bit.ly/3bpa2Jq>* *Images courtesy of People for Bikes Register here for the free Webinar. Share & invite colleagues. <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> UPCOMING SESSIONS Always FREE. Please share, invite all you know who care about people and cities. Next: Sep. 20th. Videos: Making ‘mobility changes' understandable. Doable. Guest: Clarence Eckerson, producer of over 1000 videos! https://bit.ly/3OG4zfH PAST WEBTALKS: Watch again, share with colleagues, friends & students on Gil's YouTube Channel. Click here. <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> FOLLOW GIL [image: Twitter] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: LinkedIn] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: Website] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: YouTube] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> [image: Instagram] <https://gpenalosa.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=35e5b2692b0e3f52212a6d…> *Copyright © 2022. A Walk in the Park with Gil. All rights reserved.* *For questions about A Walk in the Park with Gil, contact us at* paulao(a)gpenalosa.ca

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Local artists have started painting temporary traffic calming measures on four summer bike routes
by Beth McKechnie 19 Aug '22

19 Aug '22

Painted traffic calming measures are coming to various locations on Lyndale Drive, Wellington Crescent, Kilkenny Drive, and Churchill Drive this month! Local artists will be painting curb bump-outs, median islands, and channelization of intersections to help further reduce speeds at a few locations where traffic counts showed us vehicles are still travelling too quickly. Watch for artists at work alongside some additional two-day traffic restrictions in place to keep them safe while working. Follow #paintthepavementwpg for updates and artist photos. https://winnipeg.ca/PublicWorks/pedestriansCycling/sundayHolidayBicycleRout…

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WFP Editorial: Improved bike infrastructure lacks connections (Aug17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Improved bike infrastructure lacks connections THE main problem with Winnipeg’s active transportation network isn’t so much a shortage of bicycle routes throughout the city — it’s the lack of connectivity between them. Winnipeg has many shortcomings when it comes to cycling: a woeful lack of protected bike lanes, poorly cleared and maintained routes, and a car-centric culture that is often at odds with the development of a safe and reliable network of bike corridors. One of the most glaring weaknesses, however, is the patchwork of bike routes in the city that are largely disconnected from each other. Many designated routes end abruptly, leaving cyclists with no option but to switch to regular roads in busy traffic, or ride illegally on sidewalks. Public surveys have shown that a lack of well-connected, protected bike routes is one of the top reasons more people don’t commute by bike. The city has taken some steps to improve that connectivity. The most recent announcement will see River and Stradbrook avenues in Osborne Village fitted with one-way protected bike lanes in 2023. A two-way protected bike lane will also be added on River from Bryce Street to Fort Rouge Park. It’s good news, and it will expand the bike network in that area. But it’s not enough. Similar bike routes have been constructed in other neighbourhoods and, like Osborne Village, they are not connected to a city-wide grid of cycling corridors. While they enhance active transportation in those communities, they’re often disconnected from other parts of the city. Winnipeg has made significant progress over the past two decades in an effort to become a more cycling-friendly city. There are many examples where cyclists can travel long distances around Winnipeg on safe, reliable routes, away from snarling traffic (although many are not well advertised). But it’s hit and miss. Some areas of the city have good access to dedicated bike routes, others have virtually none. It’s particularly treacherous downtown, where cycling usually involves riding on regular roads alongside less-than-accommodating drivers. It’s hazardous, and few are willing to take the risk. The lack of protected lanes in and around the core area discourages many from commuting downtown by bike. Cycling from Osborne Village to downtown, for example, typically means crossing the Osborne Bridge alongside regular traffic, an adventure many deem too dangerous (even in diamond lanes, which are shared with transit buses). There is a proposal to build a cycling/pedestrian bridge across the Assiniboine River, from Fort Rouge Park to McFadyen Park. The proposed bridge would connect to a protected bike path along Assiniboine Avenue, which extends east to The Forks and west to the neighbourhoods of West Broadway and Wolseley. It would connect several parts of the city and significantly expand the bike network. Unfortunately, the proposal is on the “unfunded” list of infrastructure projects and its future is unknown. Active transportation gets a lot of lip service from politicians, but at budget time, projects such as protected bike paths and cycling/ pedestrian bridges tend to take a back seat to car-oriented infrastructure. Many Winnipeggers are willing to ditch their motor vehicles in favour of active transportation. One only has to look at the hundreds of bikes parked outside of Winnipeg Blue Bombers games at IG Field, or the many well-used, caged-in bike storage facilities around the city, to see the public’s desire to adopt a healthier and more environmentally friendly form of transportation. When the city builds safe and reliable bike routes, people use them. It’s time for city hall to make that a priority.

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Toronto Star: Munich’s biking culture offers ideas on integrating cars and bikes safely (Aug16'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Aug '22

18 Aug '22

Studies show that cyclists break rules with similar <https://trid.trb.org/view/1491424> or less <https://www.vejdirektoratet.dk/udgivelse/cyklisters-adfaerd-i-signalreguler…> frequency than drivers. But there is no equivalence in risk. According to Toronto Police Service <https://data.torontopolice.on.ca/pages/ksi> data, since 2006 there have only been nine incidences where a cyclist was at fault and seriously injured someone (none were in High Park). And not a single death. In that same time, 507 pedestrians and cyclists were killed on Toronto streets. https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2022/08/16/munichs-biking-cult…

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Peg City Car Coop - We're hiring a Member Services Coordinator!
by Beth McKechnie 16 Aug '22

16 Aug '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca <info(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca> Date: Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 12:01 PM Subject: We're hiring a Member Services Coordinator! Dear community, Peg City Car Co-op is hiring a full-time Member Services Coordinator to join our small but growing team! Member Services is the first line of contact with our members and community. The person who fills this dynamic position will maintain member satisfaction, retention, and growth through consistent brand messaging and quality member care. The role includes answering email and phone calls and assisting with evening and weekend on-call duties, as well as administrative tasks and record keeping. To see the full job description and posting, click here <https://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Member-Services-Co…> . If you, or someone you know, are interested in being part of a growing consumer co-op, please email a cover letter and resume to hiring(a)pegcitycarcoop.ca and write *Member Services Hire* in the subject line. The deadline to apply is *September 18, 2022, at 11:59 pm*. Only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Thanks for sharing this in your network! -- *Member Services, Peg City Car Co-op* 204.793.3912 | info(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: Province to fund projects to improve, develop trails (Aug15'22)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Aug '22

15 Aug '22

*Province to fund projects to improve, develop trails * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/15/province-to-fund-… THE provincial government will fund 30 projects to improve and develop trails across Manitoba. The province announced Friday it will spend nearly $970,000 on projects approved through the Trails Manitoba grant program. The annual grant program supports the development of new recreational trails, and maintenance, enhancements and amenities for existing trails. “This investment is being made in communities across the province, benefitting all Manitobans as well as visitors here,” Trails Manitoba president Erik Dickson said. “We’re very happy for this project.” More than 70 non-profit groups and municipalities applied for trail funding during the 2022 intake, Dickson said. Assiniboine Forest will be among the first recipients, with a $50,000 investment in trail navigation enhancements and increased signage. Other funded projects include the Wally Chryplywy Nature Park trail enhancement in Beausejour, Squirrel Hills Trail Park in the Minnedosa area, and the Victoria Park trail extension and stairs project in Souris. Approved projects are expected to be completed within two years. The funds, which come from a $10-million provincial investment, are intended to support trails that facilitate both motorized and non-motorized recreational activities. By 2025, half of the $10 million will finance development projects, while the other half will remain in a longterm fund to generate annual revenue and pay for ongoing maintenance and enhancements. Trails Manitoba conducted a pair of province-wide surveys to decide which projects would qualify for funding. It released its findings in a report Friday. More than 2,000 people participated in the survey, with more than half indicating they lived in Winnipeg. Respondents identified inadequate signage as the most significant issue on Manitoba’s trails. Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced the funding alongside Dickson and other stakeholders during a press event at Assiniboine Forest. “Our government is committed to continued building, maintaining and expanding the trails network,” Wharton said. “This report will help guide the developments… across Manitoba for the years ahead.” A full list of the 2022 grant recipients is available on the Trails Manitoba website. tyler.searle(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Osborne Village bike-lane plans a start, not solution: advocate (Aug13'22)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Aug '22

13 Aug '22

‘Not a great place for riding a bike’ *Osborne Village bike-lane plans a start, not solution: advocate* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/12/osborne-village-b… MEL Marginet is the definition of an avid cyclist: she travels around Winnipeg almost entirely by bike and spends her days working as a sustainable transportation advocate. Despite living in South Osborne, Marginet rarely visits Osborne Village — the streets are too chaotic for her to feel safe on two wheels. “There is no infrastructure, and there are so many vehicles, and they’re just going so fast,” she said. “It’s not a great place for riding a bike.” That’s likely to change next year; the city is beginning consultations on protected bike lanes in the Village. Stakeholder meetings with Osborne Village BIZ, Bike Winnipeg and small business owners in the area are scheduled next week. Chris Baker, a senior active transportation planner for the city, told the Free Press two bike infrastructure projects are planned: a one-way protected lane on River and Stradbrook avenues and two-way protected lanes on River from Bryce Street to Fort Rouge Park. A walking and cycling bridge connecting Fort Rouge and McFayden Parks is also being tabled. The city plans to have the work done by next summer. “It’s a pretty big step forward for the bike network,” said Mark Cohoe, the executive director of Bike Winnipeg. “With protected bike lanes, we get an opportunity to develop a network so you’re not in mixed traffic.” Sherri Rollins, the city councillor for Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry, said she’s among many in the area for whom bike safety is a top concern; she suffered a significant knee injury while cycling on a busy road. “The calls are twofold: slow down traffic for pedestrians, and make sure things are safer for cyclists,” Rollins said. She believes the protected lanes will enhance plans to revitalize the Village and make it more pedestrian-friendly. “Osborne Village BIZ welcomes the opportunity to develop a healthier neighbourhood,” executive director Lindsay Somers said in a statement to the Free Press, adding she looks forward to the consultation sessions with local businesses next week to “develop a plan and path forward that is satisfactory to all our needs.” Marginet said the protected lanes in the east and west corridors of the Village are a welcome addition but they won’t solve what she believes is the main issue: Osborne Street itself. Osborne Street is what Marginet describes as a “stroad”— somewhere between a street and a road that has heavy traffic and is hostile to cyclists and pedestrians. “Everything that’s really fun and interesting to go to is along Osborne,” she said. “For me, living in South Osborne, new bike lanes won’t be beneficial in any way because I would want to go straight up Osborne.” Corydon resident Mia Duchamp recently got rid of her car to cycle full time. To avoid busy routes in Osborne Village, she’ll often take side streets to avoid narrow traffic lanes. “If I’m going through the village, that Osborne underpass is not the best. I try to go around it as much as I can, but it’s really frustrating and there’s a lot of detours,” Duchamp said. Through her work with the Green Action Centre, Marginet hears from many Winnipeggers who want to commute actively, but feel the city lacks the infrastructure to do so. “If you look at how people say they want to get around, most people say they have no choice but to drive,” she said. “We have to start prioritizing the comfort and safety of those who are getting around in sustainable and healthy ways if we want to see any kind of improvement.” Rollins believes investing in bike infrastructure is connected to a greater shift in consciousness in city planning. “The project that’s going on in Osborne Village is a game-changer,” she said. “It is that step forward to build a culture of, not only the connectivity we need, but also the culture of a healthier, more sustainable city.” cierra.bettens(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Police Officer Ticketing Cyclists in Park Hits Cyclist in Bike Lane with His SUV
by Terry Zdan 12 Aug '22

12 Aug '22

https://www.bicycling.com/news/a40837493/toronto-cyclists-injured-by-police/

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WFP: Virtuous cycles (Aug11'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Aug '22

11 Aug '22

It’s been a long and winding road for these married cycling enthusiasts who are peddling adaptive, electric and traditional bikes at their Wolseley shop *VIRTUOUS CYCLES* https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2022/08/10/virtuous-cycles WHEN the flowers are out, the doors are open. Open to the Wolseley resident bringing their bike for repair. Open to the Treherne family buying their first electric bikes. Open to the person in a wheelchair wanting to test an adaptive bike. “It’s all about getting people to ride, from whatever health and body situation they have,” said Suzanne Druwé, co-owner of Prairie Velo. She and Brian Szklarczuk, her husband, have planted their business at 967 Wolseley Ave., formerly known to locals as the Kit Kat building. Gone are the freezers, linoleum floors and shelves of candy. Now, rows of adaptive, electric and traditional bikes line the 1,800 square-foot space. Outside, cyclists traverse a bike path. “Cycling is such a simple, core thing that everyone should be allowed to do,” Szklarczuk said. The pandemic, the rising cost of fuel and a shift towards environmentally friendly practices have put cycling in the spotlight, Prairie Velo’s owners noted. However, the activity isn’t a recent passion for the couple. Szklarczuk raced in Europe in the early ’90s as a young adult. He did so with a hearing impairment. Even when Szklarczuk returned to Winnipeg — pursuing grad school and a career as an economist — cycling was top of mind, he said. He and Druwé met on a blind date. Their trips abroad required a “cycling component” for Szklarczuk, where he’d go on hours-long rides and then shorter ones with his partner. The couple visited friends in Sweden around six years ago and were intrigued at how cycling was incorporated in Scandinavian daily life, Druwé said. “We felt that it was something permanent,” she said. “People were rethinking the way they go about their business.” The two imagined they could enter the corporate side of cycling back home. Then, Druwé’s employer at the time — a francophone tourism company — asked Szklarczuk to create Manitoba bike tours. He did. And, he published an article called Prairie Velo Tour 2019 on bikepacking.com. Readers and tour-goers would ask where to purchase bikes, Szklarczuk said. “I was sending people to buy bikes everywhere else,” he said. “We realized, ‘Why are we sending people to go shop there when we can do something?’” Their e-commerce site launched in 2019. Szklarczuk said he used European connections to secure foreign bike companies’ stock, including adaptive models. “Every year it was kind of a slow growth,” Szklarczuk said. The company transitioned from delivering via a mobile van, to solely online during the pandemic’s early phases, to a storefront venture that began in December of 2020. Renovations and permitting paused the shop’s opening until last fall, where a nearly non-existent soft launch happened, Szklarczuk said. Meantime, the couple has distributed electric and adaptive bikes across Canada. “You put e-assist on bikes and suddenly it changes everything,” Druwé said. “Someone can actually take someone on a wheelchair out and cycle and not kill themselves.” THE bikes are not cheating, she noted — people use them to battle strong winds in Manitoba’s rolling hills, to exercise despite joint pain, to keep up with a spouse and to replace car use. “We really wanted (Prairie Velo) to be appealing to a segment of society who doesn’t naturally go into bike shops,” Druwé said. Adaptive bikes cost thousands of dollars — north of $10,000, depending on the model. “These are huge purchases for people,” Druwé said. The rides largely come from overseas, driving up the price, she said. The motor for electric assist adds to the cost. Some families get funding for adaptive bikes through Jordan’s Principle or the Children’s Rehabilitation Foundation. Charities including the Knights of Columbus and Make-A-Wish also buy bikes, Druwé said. “We wish they didn’t cost so much, but they do,” she said, adding the products are built to last. “Many people with disabilities live on limited income… Buying a bike is not often affordable,” said Kaye Grant, operations manager for the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities. There needs to be more affordable ways for folks with disabilities to obtain bikes, like government subsidies, Grant said. “Handi-Transit isn’t the answer to everything,” she said. Prairie Velo also sells hand bikes, where users pedal with their arms instead of their legs. The company is beginning to make its own. “I realized there was a gap in the market for affordable hand bikes and variety,” Szklarczuk said. “That’s where we really started thinking about manufacturing.” Some parts, including bike frames, will come from South American partners. Much of the constructing will happen in Manitoba, Szklarczuk said. “This is going to be a huge thing for us this winter,” said Druwé, looking at a hand bike in the works at her Wolseley shop. “We’re really going to be doing the whole nine yards on these this winter because… there’s a real demand for them.” The bikes will likely come to market in the spring, Druwé said. They’ll be more affordable than imports, said the entrepreneurs, who hadn’t finalized prices. There’s an increased need for hand cycles, according to Jaylene Irwin, Manitoba Possible’s supervisor of recreation and leisure. Adaptive bikes in general have gained more popularity in recent years; they were introduced to Manitoba Possible around four years ago, Irwin said. “There is such a high need (for them),” she said. Such bikes increase independence, mobility, strength and social connections, Irwin said. Getting people on bikes for the first time is among the best parts of the job, Szklarczuk and Druwé agreed. “It’s gratifying knowing that we’re… making a little difference in the world, one set of wheels at a time,” Szklarczuk said. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: Light rail rolls into city conversation (Aug9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Aug '22

09 Aug '22

Councillor resurrects timeworn notion of bringing LRT system into Winnipeg Light rail rolls into city conversation https://ground.news/article/light-rail-transit-pushed-back-into-city-conver… THE decades-old debate on building light rail transit in Winnipeg may have some spark left in it. While noting city council may be seen as “going boldly into the past,” Coun. Brian Mayes wants his colleagues to “seriously consider” adding light rail construction in the future, following the lead of many other cities. “I feel like we may have missed the generation in which to do bus rapid transit. The city is growing… and I just feel like, why put in a network of BRT lines and then, the day you finish, start tearing them out because now you’re up to a million people and you want LRT?” said Mayes. Winnipeg city council has debated the best way to ramp up its public transportation for decades, debating a light rail rapid transit option off and on since at least the 1970s. Eventually, the city settled on a bus rapid transit system and completed one dedicated corridor in 2020. The southwest rapid transitway was a two-phase project with a combined cost of $556 million. Last year, council approved a 25-year Transit Master Plan that aims to create a network of six rapid transit corridors, which are again expected to rely on buses. Since the city has only completed one rapid transit line so far, Mayes said it makes sense to re-evaluate how best to move forward, noting Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton all have light rail transit. “(Light rail) would attract more people. I think some people who wouldn’t ride on a bus would ride on a train. You can use electric power and (Manitoba is) rich on electric power,” said Mayes. The councillor doesn’t have a current cost estimate for a light rail system, but said the city could seek provincial and federal funding to help cover it, while the construction could also eliminate the need to add another lane of traffic for the oft-congested St. Mary’s Road. While he’s not sure LRT would be feasible for all future rapid transit routes, Mayes suggests a St. Mary’s Road to Main Street line, as well as a Portage Avenue to Point Douglas or Portage Avenue to Provencher Boulevard line, may make sense. A Winnipeg Transit spokeswoman confirmed the city’s main reason to not pursue light rail transit was to save money. However, the BRT system also benefits from creating routes that can be shared with other buses, while the smaller vehicles may also allow more frequent pickups than some LRT systems, Alissa Clark said in an email. Clark said each kilometre of an LRT route would be expected to cost two to four times more to build than a BRT kilometre. While the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan calls for bus rapid transit infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, to be designed to fit trains in the future, “there would remain a significant cost to retrofitting the line,” wrote Clark. However, the potential cost shouldn’t stop Winnipeg from considering the idea, according to Jino Distasio, a professor of urban geography at the University of Winnipeg. “We have fallen decades and decades behind other cities… that aren’t necessarily that much bigger than what we’re going to be… The traffic is going to continue to get worse and worse and worse, unless we have a credible alternative to the automobile, paired with good planning,” said Distasio. While he acknowledged a complete light rail system would require a “generational capital investment,” the professor said it may be warranted. “If Winnipeg truly wants to be a competitive city, we at least have to have a very vigorous debate again about this… The fundamental difference from all the previous discussions, going back even into the 1970s, is the fact that the last 20 years have been like no other for this city (with substantive growth).” Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of council’s public works committee, said he’s open to the discussion — though he stressed the current blueprint must remain the top priority. “I’m certainly open minded to the idea, but also mindful that we need to charge ahead with the master plan,” said Allard. “If there was a light rail transit project to be considered, it’s got to make sense in terms of our tax dollars, in the staging and where we’re at (with) the plan, citywide.” Coun. Jeff Browaty, finance committee chairman, said he is convinced the current plan is the best option. “To build a (light rail) network that would actually be serviceable, that would actually go far enough out to be useful, it’s too expensive,” said Browaty. “I still think a better investment in time and resources is to provide more frequent service to more places throughout the city network.” joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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The Government of Canada launches consultations on establishing permanent public transit funding
by Beth McKechnie 02 Aug '22

02 Aug '22

OTTAWA, ON, July 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, announced the launch of public consultations on the design and implementation of Permanent Public Transit funding in Canada. Feedback will inform a long-term transit investment strategy that aims to build complete, sustainable and inclusive communities and unlock opportunities to address other challenges, including housing affordability. Investments in public transit will work toward reducing commute times and improving Canadians' quality of life, aid in providing access to meaningful employment, services and recreation and will help tackle traffic congestion and cut air pollution. *Interested stakeholders can share their feedback through Infrastructure Canada's web page <https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3607932-1&h=2725479515&u=https%3A%2F%2F…> until September 30, 2022*. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/the-government-of-canada-launches-con…

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WFP: Connecting bike lanes a priority for political newbie (Jul29'22)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jul '22

29 Jul '22

*Connecting bike lanes a priority for political newbie * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/07/28/connecting-bike-l… A candidate for St. James in the civic election said he’ll work to connect Winnipeg’s disjointed bike lanes, if elected. Daevid Ramey, 53, was born and raised in Winnipeg. He returned 10 years ago, and settled in St. James with his family. He leads a weekly community bike ride from Bourkevale Community Centre, and said making it easier for people to use active transport and avoid potentially dangerous open traffic is a policy priority for him. “My goal is to take care of the things that impact all people, not just focus on roads,” said Ramey, who officially registered to run Thursday. “Roads are important, of course, they get us to where we’re going. But there is a lot more in our community that we also need to take care of, including pathways, bicycle paths, sidewalks, appropriate lighting so that people can walk safely down their streets, even simple little things like putting more benches in our public spaces.” He said the city’s pedestrian and cycling action plan, which includes funding to create and connect protected bike lanes, moves too slowly. If elected, he would seek outside funding to hasten the projects. “So I would take the plans that exist now, and ensure that the resources and the things that we need to get them done, would be done. It’s about funding the policy, funding the plan in a way that is sustainable so that it does get done.” Creating fluid bike lanes across Winnipeg isn’t a pipe dream, Bike Winnipeg executive director Mark Cohoe said, especially as rising gas costs and the effects of climate change influence Winnipeggers, and city leadership has begun to show more interest. “There is a willingness. Right now, the money hasn’t been there to come through with it, but I think it’s pretty close,” he said. “I think we can, with a slightly different council and slightly different mayor… really make that change and see it. I think it is politically possible.” A 10-year time frame to build and connect the infrastructure would be realistic, he said, as long as investments in road-building and rehabilitation give more of a priority to active transport. “Certainly, the federal government is there with money, the province is moving toward providing some more money as well, they could definitely do better, but you have willing partners to help invest in that as well,” he said. “So I think that’s part of the solution, to make sure you’ve got the three levels of government, not just the city working on your own.” Shawn Dobson and Kelly Ryback are also running in St. James. Election day is Oct. 26. malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Fwd: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – July 2022 Project Update
by Terry Zdan 27 Jul '22

27 Jul '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: City of Winnipeg <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> Date: Wed., Jul. 27, 2022, 10:24 a.m. Subject: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – July 2022 Project Update To: <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> You are receiving this email because you requested updates on the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan. On July 21, 2022, Council approved the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>, which will serve as a roadmap for implementing both short-term solutions and long-term investments to ensure the City is doing its part in preventing serious injury and death on our roads. Thank you to the stakeholders, partners, and the general public for their input that helped shape the plan. The plan consists of 67 actions to help Winnipeg reach its goal of a 20 percent reduction in fatal and serious injury collisions over the next five years, with a long-term vision of a transportation system that allows people of all ages and abilities to safely move around without experiencing death or serious injury. We will update you with next steps for implementation in the coming months. For more information, visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> . Kind regards, The Project Team You're receiving this email because you are a registered participant on Engage Winnipeg. Powered by EngagementHQ <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=Ly4LMpFOFkQHsPvHv6lGIGWetLV0tE…> Unsubscribe <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>

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WFP: Thieves hit Orioles Bike Cage, dent confidence in cycling safety (Jul27'22)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Jul '22

27 Jul '22

Thieves hit Orioles Bike Cage, dent confidence in cycling safety https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/07/27/thieves-hit-oriol… THIEVES have put a wrench into a community bike hub in the West End. The Orioles Bike Cage has been forced to close its repair shop after dozens of bikes and tools were stolen on the weekend. “We suspect that it happened either very late Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday morning,” said director Gregory Allan. “My heart sank a little bit. It’s not the first time we’ve been broken into.” The operation has run out of the Valour Community Centre by a team of volunteers that refurbishes donated bikes, and teaches people how to fix their own rides. Despite amping up security measures over the years, Allan said thefts happen at least once every two years. He said there have been six break-ins since the shop opened 13 years ago. “Every time it happens, it’s very frustrating and very disheartening,” Allan said. “It means a lot of work to re-establish everything that’s been taken, and it means a disruption to our service. People are going to come to our shop, realize we’re closed and not be able to fix their bikes.” After the last break-in, around Halloween 2020, a heavy-duty steel door was installed to amp up Orioles’ security — but it wasn’t enough. On the weekend, thieves made off with $3,000 in tools. Allan is convinced bike theft is getting worse. In 2020, 2,100 bikes were reported stolen to the Winnipeg Police Service. Some programs, such as Bike Winnipeg’s valet program, try to ward off theft by offering monitored bike parking at special events. When a community bike hub is targeted, many riders are affected. Orioles Bike Cage will have to spend money that could’ve paid for outreach and community initiatives on enhancing security and replacing stolen equipment. Allan believes theft has a wider impact on cycling advocacy in the city; dedicating a small amount of public money to installing security infrastructure for community bike hubs could be a solution, he said. “There are a lot of groups trying to get more people on bikes more often in an attempt to curb greenhouse gas emissions,” Allan said. “The more bikes get stolen, the more places like this to get broken into, the harder it is for people to make that switch and to trust that cycling is, in fact, a good decision to make.” Allan said the Orioles Bike Cage will remain closed for weeks. cierra.bettens(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Construction begins at north Winnipeg multi-use trail (Jul23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Jul '22

23 Jul '22

*Construction begins at north Winnipeg multi-use trail * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/construction-begins-at-north-winnip… CONSTRUCTION is officially underway on a multi-use path in north Winnipeg. The ground was broken Friday morning, at the site of the Northwest Hydro Corridor Multi-use Path Project, within the hydro corridor between Leila and Church avenues. Representatives from the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba government, Manitoba Hydro, Trails Manitoba and Bike Winnipeg were on site as construction began on the 2.4-kilometre route. “It’s a very exciting day, and I know the residents of northwest Winnipeg and residents from across the city are going to benefit from this project. We’re ecstatic, and have been waiting for this for a long time,” said Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan). “The City of Winnipeg is proud to play a leading role in improving pedestrian and cycling facilities, which are a priority for all members of our community.” The project is one Sharma and her colleagues have been trying to get in motion for years. “Projects like this, near hydro transmission lines, are complicated. There are many steps to working on a project like this,” she said. “This is something that was absolutely needed. It connects to the network in a very important way and it’s going to provide so many benefits for residents in north Winnipeg and across the city.” The multi-use path will be 4.5 metres wide and feature lighting, benches, connections to surrounding neighbourhoods and new controlled crossings for pedestrians and cyclists at Leila and Jefferson avenues, and Inkster Boulevard. “When we embrace the opportunity to invest in our transportation network, we are striving to provide everyone with healthy transportation options that are more important than ever in the climate crisis,” said Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface). The overall cost of the project is $2.5 million, which includes a grant of $450,000 from Trails Manitoba and the Manitoba government. The grant is part of an overall $10-million investment by the Manitoba government designed to create social and economic benefits to trail users. “The Manitoba government is pleased to provide funding to Trails Manitoba to launch this important project that will benefit so many cyclists, pedestrians, and active transportation users of all kinds for generations to come,” said Sarah Guillemard, community wellness minister. The second project for the grant is a parkway that will connect The Forks and Chief Peguis Trail through a multi-use path. It will receive $150,000. The first phase of construction on the northwest path will take place this year. The second phase is slated for 2024. “Both these projects will help us make progress toward our climate change goals, close critical connectivity gaps, and address the long-standing imbalance between north and south Winnipeg in active transportation infrastructure,” Allard said. bryce.hunt(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Around City Hall: Sustainable Procurement, Road Safety Plan and Sidewalk Snow Clearing (Jul22'22)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jul '22

22 Jul '22

CITY TO PURSUE SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT THE City of Winnipeg will aim to use its buying power to better the community. On Thursday, council cast a final vote to implement a sustainable procurement action blueprint. The city will implement changes over three years that can help Winnipeggers overcome employment barriers and get hired, and/or achieve other key social and environmental goals. SIGHTS SET ON STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ROAD SAFETY THE City of Winnipeg will spend $22 million over five years on a road safety strategic action plan, which aims to reduce serious injuries and deaths caused by traffic collisions. The new plan sets a target to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions by 20 per cent over five years. It suggests the city add more 30 km/h speed limits at neighbourhood greenways, review overall speed limits, add more traffic calming measures (such as speed bumps or roundabouts) and create public education on road safety, among several other steps. SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARING TO BE DONE QUICKER A plan to clear sidewalks of ice and snow quicker in future winters has been approved by council, minus an original recommendation to have private contractors do more of the work. On Thursday, council approved a call to spend $3 million on 15 more sidewalk-clearing machines but rejected a recommendation to also contract out an additional 500 kilometres of sidewalk plowing. More info here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/snow-ice-clearing-options-winnipeg-…

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Big Vehicles impact on safety of road users
by Charles Feaver 17 Jul '22

17 Jul '22

The Globe's lead editorial Saturday: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-reducing-the-dang erous-impact-of-cars-that-just-keep-getting-bigger/ Reducing the dangerous impact of cars that just keep getting bigger and meaner In many respects, vehicles today are safer than they have ever been. Mandatory seatbelt laws, airbags, headlights that turn on automatically and modern crumple zones make the inside of a vehicle an increasingly secure spot. In Canada, the fatality rate per 100,000 vehicles in 2020 was the <https://tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/statistics-data/canadian-motor- vehicle-traffic-collision-statistics-2020> lowest in at least two decades. However, safety overseers - at least in North America - have been much slower to address the risk vehicles pose to everyone around them. Hundreds of Canadian pedestrians and cyclists are fatally struck every year. While European regulators insist on design changes that can protect people outside the vehicle, North American auto safety standards have traditionally not taken them into account. This is particularly relevant today, because vehicles on this continent have gone on steroids. The supersizing of cars and trucks is everywhere. The new Volkswagen Beetle is 73 per cent heavier than the model that starred as Herbie the Love Bug. The changes are even more striking among larger vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade is an SUV so big that up to <https://www.wthr.com/article/news/investigations/13-investigates/13-investi gates-millions-vehicles-have-unexpected-dangerous-front-blind-zone/531-9521c 471-3bc1-4b55-b860-3363f0954b3b> 13 children can sit in a line in front of it without the driver being able to see them. Sedans have increasingly been discontinued and marketing muscle poured into bigger, and higher-profit, vehicles that make a sales pitch of their aggressive shape. The man behind the looks of the 2020 GMC Sierra HD aimed to evoke "a massive fist moving through the air." Karan Moorjani told Muscle Cars & Trucks he wanted the pickup <https://www.musclecarsandtrucks.com/2020-gmc-sierra-hd-design-the-origin-st ory/> to look imposing. "We spent a lot of time making sure that when you stand in front of this thing it looks like it's going to come get you. It's got that pissed-off feel." People who do find themselves in front of such a truck are at much higher risk than if hit by a smaller vehicle. A high and squared-off front end strikes a pedestrian directly in the chest, unlike a sedan that hits lower and can cause the victim to roll onto the hood. In Europe, regulators have recognized the problem, and rate vehicles' ability to protect not just the driver and passengers. Vehicles in Europe must meet standards for <https://www.euroncap.com/en/vehicle-safety/the-ratings-explained/vulnerable -road-user-vru-protection/> human impact on the bumper and hood, as well as for sightlines from the driver's seat. The practical result of these rules is that hoods tend to be shorter and slope down more. Windows are larger. This helps explain why the Ford Transit, which comes in cargo van or open-bed options, and features a large windshield and stubby raked hood, is the <https://www.statista.com/statistics/260025/market-share-of-best-selling-lig ht-commercial-vehicle-models-in-eu-27/#:~:text=The%20Ford%20Transit%20accoun ted%20for,best%2Dselling%20LCV%20by%20far> most popular light commercial vehicle in Europe. Last year in the United States it was outsold more than seven to one by the blunt-nosed F-150 pickup truck. The design of vehicles is just one of the reasons Europeans <https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2016/11/30/13784520/roads-deaths-increase- safety-traffic-us> enjoy safer roads. The EU took another big step this month toward controlling speeds. As of July, new vehicle models released in Europe must be fitted with intelligent speed assistance (ISA). This uses cameras or GPS to determine the speed limit, and then employs escalating audio and physical cues to discourage drivers from exceeding it. ISA will be <https://road-safety-charter.ec.europa.eu/resources-knowledge/media-and-pres s/intelligent-speed-assistance-isa-set-become-mandatory-across_en> mandatory by 2024 on all new vehicles sold in the EU. Not all such changes could realistically be brought in by Canada alone. The country exists as a bit player in an integrated continental auto market. But officials here can support and participate in nascent efforts south of the border to make vehicles safer for those outside them. Earlier this year, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2022-03/NCAP-ADAS-RFC-03-03-202 2-web.pdf> floated the idea of including pedestrian protection in its vehicle safety ratings. And there are things Canada can do unilaterally. A commercial licence could be required for the biggest private vehicles, which have surpassed <https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/2022-gmc-hummer-ev-range-battery-pack-and- weight-revealed.html#:~:text=The%20Hummer%20EV%20tips%20the%20scales%20at%20 9%2C063%20pounds%2C%20according,lightest%20car%2C%20the%20Chevrolet%20Spark> four tonnes in weight. A limit could be put on how high after-market modifications can raise a vehicle. The use of "bull bars" installed in front of the grill could be regulated, as could those <https://images.customwheeloffset.com/buy2-compressed/web/18095-2-metal-lugs -spiked-lug-nuts-chrome-8-lug.jpg> spiked lug-nut covers whose only apparent purpose is to intimidate people riding bicycles. When seatbelt laws were introduced, many people howled. Now the majority of Canadian motorists buckle up without a second thought - and are safer as a result. Some of that same safety ethos should be extended to protect the people these drivers might encounter. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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HealthyPlan.City is Here!
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '22

13 Jul '22

*Start Using HealthyPlan.City* The first of the HealthyDesign.City <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> project tools, HealthyPlan.City, has been released! This version of HealthyPlan.City focuses on identifying urban heat islands in Canadian cities. The tool, developed by leading environmental health researchers and epidemiologists, uses environmental exposure data and Canadian Census data to identify areas of equity priority in over 150 Canadian cities. The tool draws attention to neighbourhoods with both a greater proportion of vulnerable populations and higher land surface temperatures and fewer trees and green spaces that help cool temperatures. “This free tool is really a watershed moment for environmental health, healthy city planning and open science in Canada,” Jeff Brook, a Co-Director of the HealthyDesign.city project and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, said. “Every city in Canada now has access to data showing where they need to focus their energies to support residents at risk for heat-related health risks.” The fact that cities are hotter than rural areas is well-known. The tool provides a block-by-block snapshot of disparities in temperature and population vulnerabilities of urban areas. Proactively identifying areas with hotter temperatures where more older adults or low-income residents live and implementing cooling interventions in the area could save lives during a heat wave. The power and potential of this data visualization tool was showcased in a recent CBC series. You can read the CBC articles here: 1. Sweltering cities <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 2. Here's who lives in your city's worst heat islands <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 3. Cooling canopy <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> You can read the Radio-Canada articles here 1. Étouffer en ville <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 2. Voici qui vit dans les pires îlots de chaleur de votre ville <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> 3. Au frais sous les arbres <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> Please feel free to share the tool with your colleagues and networks! Explore the Tool in English <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> Explore the Tool in French <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id…> *Copyright © 2022 HealthyDesign.City, All rights reserved.* You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. *Our mailing address is:* HealthyDesign.City 155 College St Room 500 Toronto, ON M5T 3M7 Canada Add us to your address book <https://city.us1.list-manage.com/vcard?u=1a3fced43d8438d6c8b88536f&id=87bb0…> [image: Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp] <http://www.mailchimp.com/email-referral/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm…>

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Imprinting car culture on young kids
by Beth McKechnie 13 Jul '22

13 Jul '22

Another example of programs inculcating car culture on young kids from today's Free Press: HE’S only six and has just arrived in Winnipeg from Ukraine, but Sviatoslav Nakonechna proudly made his first Canadian vehicle using a cardboard packing box and construction paper wheels. “I’m making a car, a huge car,” he proclaimed in Ukrainian to a group of visitors touring the nursery room at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church Monday, where 20 five- and six-year olds were building their own cardboard vehicles as part of an English language and life skills summer program. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/everyone-wins-at-summer-camp-for-uk…

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City of Winnipeg Leisure Guide: Cartown offers a licence for fun
by Beth McKechnie 12 Jul '22

12 Jul '22

Apparently we still have a long way to go to promote getting around by bike, on foot and taking the bus. Programs like "cartown" are not helping. https://www.winnipeg.ca/ourstories/2022/220708.stm -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Green Action Centre is 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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Amphibious e-bike you can live in.
by Terry Zdan 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9IMUWLsgiM

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From 1953
by Dave Elmore 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

As much as things change, they stay the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjSq2-XmVNI&t=432s

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WFP: E-bikes, scooters take the pain out of high gas prices (Jul9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

MOTORIN’ PAST THE GAS STATION E-bikes, scooters take the pain out of high gas prices https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/motorin-past-the-gas-station-576… GAS stations are almost foreign territory for Ian Walker. Prices climb to record highs — $1.99 per litre one day, more than $2 the next — and Walker cruises by, unaffected. He’s one of a growing number of Manitobans who’ve shifted their feet from gas pedals to the footholds of electric bikes and scooters. “If we’re going long distances, the e-bike is amazing,” Walker, 41, said. “I’ve found the e-bike is replacing car trips.” He’s cycled his Urban Arrow to Birds Hill Provincial Park. One “wickedly windy” May day, he loaded his son in the bike’s front basket and trekked him to a birthday party a half hour’s ride away. “It would’ve been way too much work on a conventional bike,” Walker said. He’ll adjust the bike’s motor to work in tandem with him as he lugs equipment to his Grade 3 classroom, as he comes home from a grocery store and as he battles weather conditions. Walker isn’t new to the e-bike industry — he’s been a rider for two years — but the number of people joining him has skyrocketed in tandem with the rising cost of fuel. “It’s been explosive,” said Michael Pasquali, president of the Canadian Electric Bike Association. Governments don’t track the number of e-bike users, so growth rates are anecdotal, Pasquali said. Still, the association has noted a sharp uptick in the past months by talking with Canadian shop owners. “With gas prices, obviously, it’s put a big crunch on people,” Pasquali said. A typical e-bike charge costs about 10 to 25 cents, he said. Owners plug their bikes’ lithium batteries into electrical outlets; Walker’s bike takes four hours to recharge. It’s a roughly $3 to $5 increase to the monthly Hydro bill, depending on the rider, Pasquali said. A typical e-bike charge has a distance of 30 to 60 kilometres, he said. “There are not many things you can invest in today that’s going to pay for itself as quickly as an e-bike,” he said. The two-wheelers can range from around $1,000 to upwards of $15,000. Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road has more than doubled the number of e-bike sales this year compared to last, owner Tim Woodcock said. “In Canada, we’re just hitting the point where they’re becoming more recognized,” Woodcock said. He’ll take his down city streets, along gravel floodway paths and through grassy plains. He might bump the bike’s motor to a higher setting, meaning it does more work and he doesn’t break a sweat. En route home, Woodcock might choose eco-mode to “get more of a workout.” E-bikes in Manitoba have a maximum speed of 32 km/h. Kevin McLaren sold five electric bikes in 2017, his first year of bringing them to market through More Than Bikes. This summer, he might sell five in a week. “Once the gas started hitting $2, the demand for bikes picked up,” McLaren said. So has the desire for electric scooters. “The high-end ones we’ve sold more of — a lot more than we did last year,” McLaren said. Then, More Than Bikes sold more scooters in the $2,000 to $2,500 range, he said. This year, models costing $4,000 to $6,000 are more popular. “(Customers) went with bigger batteries so they could get a farther range,” he said. Gas-powered scooters, known as mopeds, have also entered the spotlight. Jennifer Abel swapped her Kia Niro for a canary yellow Vespa to get around Virden, her home community. “The thought of driving an entire summer on likely about $50 for gas is very appealing,” Abel said. The 49-year-old said she bought the Vespa to celebrate her 50th birthday, but the gas savings are a major perk. The tank fills up — with premium gas — for less than $15, Abel said. “I’ve driven 35 km on it so far and it hasn’t even come off ‘F,’ (for full)” she said. She didn’t need a new licence — the vehicle has a top speed of 50 km/h, and her Class 5 driver’s licence is sufficient. However, she needed to get a licence plate and basic insurance. Electric scooters, which have a maximum speed of 32 km/h, don’t require users to have a licence, but drivers to be at least 14 years old. “I believe the culture of scooters has grown so much, and every year, it grows more,” said Leehee Hasid, general manager of Scooter City. Neither electric nor gas-powered scooters stay in the Main Street retailer long before being sold, Hasid said. “Once you ride it, you really get addicted to it,” she said. Manitoba had 1,632 registered mopeds as of March 31, an increase of 28 from the previous year, said Kristy Rydz, Manitoba Public Insurance’s communications manager. Both figures are from before gas prices spiked. Abel is keeping her Kia. She can’t take her yellow Vespa on the highway, and she’s a regular highway user. Walker avoids driving his family’s electric car whenever possible, but it’s still an option. He’s also on the Peg City Car Co-op’s board and borrows vehicles when needed, like the pickup truck he took to this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival. “We’ve designed Winnipeg to be very car-dependent,” Walker said. “It’s a hard city to live in without a car. Now it’s leaving people at the mercy of the fossil fuel industry.” Walker will ride his e-bike in the middle of winter if roads and paths are cleared. “As long as it’s dry on the ground, you can still ride your e-bike,” said Pasquali from the Canadian Electric Bike Association. A major problem facing the industry is a lack of mechanics with expertise, he added. “They’re pulling parts off and trying to plug parts in until they figure out the problem,” said Pasquali, who heads a program for new technicians through Canadian bike association. “You want it to be standardized, just like a mechanic.” Without mechanics’ proper training, bikes that need fixing will remain in shops or must be sent back without repair, Pasquali said. There are a “few hundred” e-bike technicians across Canada, he said. He wouldn’t give an exact number but said there’s plenty of room for more. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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WFP: Transit ridership up due to high gas prices (Jul9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jul '22

10 Jul '22

Transit ridership up due to high gas prices https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/transit-ridership-up-due-to-high-ga… THE jump in gas prices has resulted in a leap in people getting on the bus. The latest City of Winnipeg report on the financial implications of COVID-19, says Winnipeg Transit has had roughly a 29 per cent increase in passengers in the last four weeks. Coun. Jeff Browaty, chairman of the civic finance committee, said Friday that even though ridership is still down about 25 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, it’s a step in the right direction. “It’s because both the world is opening up again, with people going back to the workplace, and people are going back to old patterns, but the cost of running cars has also gone up,” Browaty said. “You hear (that) people who have never taken the bus before are now taking it because of gas prices and others are coming back.” Browaty said the city is facing the same fuel price crunch as motorists, but it helps when there are more passengers on buses. “It’s wonderful to see more people on the bus because the cost of running empty buses is the same as running a full bus,” he said. “Hopefully, people are coming back and will stay.” A civic report shows COVID-19 will put a $41.3-million dent in city coffers this year. The report says transit is looking at a budget shortfall of $7 million this year, in part because of an increase in overtime costs due to employees being off sick or isolating because of the virus. The Fire Paramedic Services is $3 million over-budget because of similar overtime costs, and parking revenue is down about $500,000. Other hits to the city’s budget include the snow clearing and ice control budget: $34.2 million over-budget this year and a possible $5 million to $13 million extra expenditure if fuel prices remain high. Currently, $7.9 million in property taxes is in arrears. The number of property owners who pay their entire tax bill at once, but have outstanding payments, is 7,430 accounts out of about 230,000 accounts. About $600,000 in business property taxes is outstanding. kevin.rollason(a)freepress.mb.ca

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These German-Made Cargo E-Bikes Are Unlike Anything We’ve Seen Before
by Terry Zdan 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

https://insideevs.com/news/596916/maniac-sane-electric-cargo-bikes/

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Apollo Tyres launches its first dedicated micro-mobility tire: the Vredestein Cargo - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/07/20220708-apollo.html

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WFP: ‘Not a penny’ to get more Winnipeggers to take the bus (Jul8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

‘Not a penny’ to get more Winnipeggers to take the bus https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/not-a-penny-to-get-more-winnipegger… ONE might expect loud cheers from mass transit advocates after the three levels of government announced $539 million for Winnipeg Transit on Thursday. Their responses, however, were low key because there’s nothing in the announcement to make more Winnipeggers gung-ho about taking the bus. “Half-a-billion dollars and not a penny is being spent to improve service,” said Brent Bellamy, a Winnipeg architect and columnist who advocates for improved transportation. “We are in a climate crisis and an affordability crisis,” he said. “Improving transit frequency and service to attract more riders is a response to both.” The city is struggling to attract riders after the pandemic, Bellamy said. Even before COVID-19, he said, Winnipeg was the only major city in Canada to have lower transit ridership than it did 20 years ago. “Every effort should be made to improve service,” said Bellamy. Functional Transit Winnipeg, a grassroots advocacy group, agrees. “What’s really going to get people excited about using transit is shorter wait times, more frequent service,” said vice-president Matt Austman. Still, the long-overdue money for a new garage and buses was welcome news, he said. “As a transit advocacy organization, it’s more funding for capital projects and infrastructure to support Transit. That’s a good thing from our perspective,” Austman said after the announcement. “It’s only one piece of the puzzle,” though. The challenge is the operational side of the transit master plan, Austman said. “It’s about more buses, more frequent service,” that are desperately needed in Winnipeg more than ever, he said. “With gas hovering around $2 a litre right now, people need other options,” he said. Winnipeg’s manager of transit service development promised service will be more frequent years from now. “We’re basically taking the existing route network, throwing it out the window and redrawing it from scratch,” Bjorn Radstrom said Thursday. It includes $7 million to plan a complete overhaul of Winnipeg routes, he said. “It literally doubles the number of people in the city who are within a five-minute walk of frequent transit service,” said Radstrom. “It’s a much more efficient network, as well. It gets us 20 per cent more capacity without having to invest in any additional resources, or additional bus hours. We don’t need more buses. We get 20 per cent more capacity because the network is that much more efficient.” The newly designed network will include six new corridors, with three lines and loops at the end of the routes, some terminals, an elevated portion through Union Station, heated shelters, new signals and be “transformational,” the planner said. “It will take to 2025-26 to do that design,” Radstrom said. “The $7 million for the preliminary design allows us to get to the level of the design detail where we could apply for funding to build it.” He said ridership is just over 70 per cent; some riders might still be working from home and not coming back. “We need the new master plan to attract new riders,” said Radstrom. The city has 646 buses and Thursday’s announcement works out to 16 net new buses added. “We’re not expanding the fleet greatly,” Radstrom said. Thanks to the efficiencies expected from the route overhaul, “we don’t need a lot of new buses.” Hiring enough drivers for the existing fleet is hard enough, said Romeo Ignacio, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505. The pay is decent but concerns about safety persist, he said. The union leader said he hopes the city and the province can work together to address some of the systemic issues that result in bus shelters being misused, drivers being assaulted and riders fearing for their safety. “Now, there’s a lot more people that are suffering from poverty, the root cause of homelessness and, of course, drug addiction, the root cause of a crime,” said Ignacio. carol.sanders(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Transit to get $539-M boost (Jul8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jul '22

08 Jul '22

New zero-emission buses, new garage in works Transit to get $539-M boost https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/half-billion-dollars-rolls-out-for-… DESPITE substantial delays that left millions of federal infrastructure dollars unspent for years, the Progressive Conservative government is being commended for finally getting on board a tri-level agreement to modernize Winnipeg Transit to the tune of $539 million. As rapid transit buses rolled through Seel Station in Winnipeg’s Fort Garry neighbourhood Thursday morning, Premier Heather Stefanson said the province will spend nearly $170 million to purchase approximately 235 new buses, build a new Transit garage and implement planned changes to its network. “These new infrastructure projects will help to reduce our carbon footprint while also promoting job growth and opportunities for Manitoba businesses,” Stefanson said at the announcement, flanked by Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman and Manitoba Liberal MPs Terry Duguid and Kevin Lamoureux. The three levels of government will spend a combined $539 million to buy 100 zero-emission buses and requisite infrastructure by 2027; purchase 135 new diesel buses during the transition to a zero-emission fleet; construct a new, LEED certified garage in the North End neighbourhood; conduct further design work to carry out the Winnipeg Transit Master Plan; replace 325 wheelchair securement devices on Transit vehicles; and upgrade radio hardware and equipment on buses. The federal government’s share of the projects is $203.3 million, and the City of Winnipeg will contribute $135.2 million. The money comes through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, a cost-sharing deal the PCs signed with federal Liberals in 2018. Manitoba has been slow to access that cash, as former Tory premier Brian Pallister sought to constrain spending, and chafed against federal criteria Ottawa eventually loosened. However, Stefanson has struck a different tone since taking office in November, federal and municipal leaders said Thursday. Bowman said the project had been “stalled on the former premier’s desk” and praised Stefanson for being more active and sticking to a commitment to fund Transit improvements. “You made good on that and you delivered for Winnipeg,” he said. “After years of idling, we’re shifting to drive, and finally moving Winnipeg Transit forward in a transformative way.” Duguid, member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, also thanked the premier for her approach. “We’re all singing from the same song sheet,” Duguid said. “You have set a new tone, which I think is really making a difference.” Lamoureux noted the Liberals’ last major transit announcement in Winnipeg, in February 2019, involved Ottawa signing a deal directly with the city, bypassing a reluctant province. “When the different levels of government come together, we can really get things done,” said the Winnipeg North MP. Stefanson, meanwhile, said her government is keen to collaborate with all levels of government to advance infrastructure projects, and is fully subscribed to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. An announcement is expected in the coming weeks under the infrastructure plan to complete upgrades of the North End Winnipeg sewage treatment plant. While admitting it has been “too long” since she used Transit, Stefanson said the partnership between the three levels of government to enhance the capital city’s public network is one way to boost ridership, which has yet to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s working collaboratively with the City of Winnipeg to do that, and so if there are some ideas that people have, we’re certainly open to those ideas — because we all want the end goal that people are utilizing our transit system more,” the premier said. “It’s better for the environment, and so we’ll continue to work collaboratively with City of Winnipeg on various programs.” However, Opposition environment critic Lisa Naylor said the Tories missed an opportunity for a “cleaner, healthier” province by supporting the purchase of new diesel buses. “As Winnipeg grows, the need for a safer, more reliable and cleaner public transit system grows as well,” Naylor said. “Yet, for six years, the PCs did nothing to improve transit infrastructure.” And while the new Transit spending is a positive development, delays will likely mean inflation “is going to take a much bigger bite of this investment,” Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said. The province ought to also investigate the potential for relocating railways outside the city to use then vacated tracks for a public commuter system, he said. “If we really want to transform our city, we can go further than just a lot more of the same,” Lamont said. Meanwhile, Winnipeg Transit manager of service development Bjorn Radstrom said Thursday’s announcement is the most significant funding commitment of his career. “This is the first time we’ve ever done a complete redesign of the route network and it really is the basis for what Transit is going to look like for the next 100 years,” Radstrom said. “This, for me, is really the most exciting thing. I’m very happy today.” — with files from Dylan Robertson danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Dutch Cycling: Quantifying the Health and Related Economic Benefits
by Terry Zdan 05 Jul '22

05 Jul '22

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4504332/#:~:text=With%20a%20va… . The CST OttoCycle study also included an economic evaluation of cycling benefits in Winnipeg

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Montreal is on the road to greater livability, and other cities should follow
by Charles Feaver 04 Jul '22

04 Jul '22

Monday editorial in the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-montreal-is-on-th e-road-to-greater-livability-and-other-cities-should/ Fifteen years ago, the defining symbol of Montreal was the pothole. Every time a driver kathunked over a crater in the asphalt, it felt like a reminder of the corruption, mismanagement and malaise of a faded metropolis. Today there are still a lot of potholes in Montreals streets. Its not Zurich. But the city also has a new infrastructural hallmark, with a happier story to tell. That would be the humble bike lane, whose narrow painted lines represent a particular kind of urban revival. Call it the theory of livability. Other cities should take note. When Valérie Plante became mayor in 2017, cyclists knew they had a champion at City Hall. Her party, Projet Montréal, had already become famous, or infamous, for transforming the boroughs it governed like the bourgeois-bohemian Plateau-Mont-Royal into more walkable, bikeable places that were also notably more difficult to drive in. Projet had many weapons in its self-confessed war on the car in the Plateau. It narrowed streets, made others one-way, expanded and beautified sidewalks, and above all built bike lanes. They perfectly expressed the partys green, Europe-inflected vision. In the past five years, Ms. Plante has taken that ethos citywide. The defining policy of her first term was the 184-kilometre REV bike highway. It has been a hit, even producing an unexpected and quite wonderful problem: bicycle traffic jams. Her suburban critics might disagree, but the mayor doesnt have a fetish for getting around on two wheels, even if that happens to be her lifestyle preference Ms. Plante lives in the trendy Rosemont neighbourhood, without a car. But making cities livable also benefits society as a whole. As she likes to explain, cycling represents a concept of the city that Canada could use more of. Bike lanes are part of a broader vision designed to ensure that dense city centres stay attractive to young families, to curb urban sprawl. Pandemic-era remote work tempted some people to drift out of commuting range from downtown offices. The shift is probably mostly temporary, but a mortgage in the Laurentians or Guelph makes a powerful argument for keeping the home office. Between the summers of 2020 and 2021, Montreal lost nearly 40,000 people to other parts of the province, the most in 20 years. Now in her second term after a landslide re-election, Ms. Plante is building an argument for why cities are still the best, most vibrant places to live, even in the era of remote work. The results have been impressive. On top of all those bike lanes, shes trying to use her limited municipal levers to make homes a bit more affordable (although another Montrealer, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem, may do more toward that end with rising interest rates). Her 20-20-20 policy mandates a certain share of affordable housing in big developments, and the city plans to use its right of first refusal to buy hundreds of properties on which it will build social housing. Like the Gilded Age progressives who dreamed up swathes of urban green space for the masses, the Plante administration is also on a park-building spree. It rapidly expanded the grand parc de louest at the western tip of the Island of Montreal it covers some 30 square kilometres and plans to recreate the feat at the citys eastern edge. With Projet Montréal, the big infrastructure schemes have always come with a healthy concern for the aesthetic. The party has a flair for the design of little things such as curb bump-outs and public planters. Call them frills if you want, but young professionals are less likely to flee a beautiful city. The pedestrianization of Mont-Royal Ave. a busy commercial strip, and one of several streets closed to cars for at least part of the summer shows the Plante recipe in full force: whimsical street furniture, makeshift vegetable gardens, hordes of flâneurs and, yes, headaches for drivers. But then, this mayor has always been comfortable with the trade-off between livability and driveability. Sure, Montreal has some natural advantages in its bike-lane revolution, like tightly packed triplex housing and a layout that long predates the automobile. But a message to other Canadian cities: Forget about Montreals potholes. On the road to creating a greener, more attractive place for people to live, its lapping the field. And its riding a bike. Charles Feaver

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WFP: Free parking helps keep councillors driving to city hall (Jul4'22)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Jul '22

04 Jul '22

Free parking helps keep councillors driving to city hall https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/free-parking-helps-keep-councillors… MOST city councillors, like the majority of Winnipeggers, drive to work, and those commutes help make driving the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the city. Despite the city’s plan to slice emissions in the coming decades, one city hall perk makes it hard for councillors to abandon their cars — a free parking pass. Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) says the option of free parking makes it easy to decide to drive to work. “One of the biggest inconveniences of commuting to work downtown is finding that parking spot,” he said. “So not only is it tempting from a financial perspective, because you already have a spot paid for, but also you have the convenience of knowing that there’s going to be a spot for you as soon as you pull in.” But Allard is an exception, having relinquished his free parking pass in 2018. In January that year, Allard, who chairs the public works committee that oversees transit, pledged to take the bus to work every day for a month to get a better understanding of the bus system. When the month came to an end, he decided to say goodbye to his parking pass and instead walk, bike and take the bus as much as possible. “I kind of fell in love with the mode shift and the bus and using different modes of transport in my everyday life,” he said. “And I found that it didn’t make sense anymore for me to have this parking spot because I wasn’t using it.” A Free Press survey of city councillors found Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski), who is blind, is the only other councillor who has turned down the parking pass. Though several councillors who responded to the survey said they try to take transit, walk or bike when possible, most indicated the nature of their work, which often requires travelling to meetings across the city in addition to time spent at city hall, makes it hard to give up driving. “Much of my ward that requires my attention to attend to are in areas with poor public transit supports,” said Coun. Shawn Nason (Transcona) in an email. “Demands of the job sometimes make it necessary to bring (a) car in order to attend multiple meetings or events off-site, which is expected of councillors,” said Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital). Couns. Jeff Browaty, Kevin Klein, John Orlikow, Vivian Santos and Jason Schreyer, as well as Mayor Brian Bowman, did not respond. Under city policy, the mayor and councillors are offered a free, dedicated parking space near city hall, an annual surface parking card and a monthly $550 transportation allowance, which is to be used for mileage expenses or taxis. Many more city workers receive parking passes. Researchers at Second-Street.org submitted a freedom of information request to the city and found nearly 400 city employees are offered parking passes. The city offers employees the option of a partially subsidized monthly bus pass — called the eco-pass — which allows staff to take the bus at a 30 per cent discount. Between 250 and 300 city staff purchase an eco-pass each month, the city said in a statement. While parking for free at work has long been considered a business standard nationwide, some advocates suggest the time has come to rethink the policy and instead give incentives for low-emission commuter options. All told, residential vehicle use makes up 32 per cent of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to 2011 City of Winnipeg data. That’s in part because more than three-quarters of Winnipeggers drive to work, and about 80 per cent of those trips are made alone, according to Statistics Canada. By contrast, 16 per cent of Winnipeggers commute on the bus, and just seven per cent use active transportation. Mel Marginet is part of the sustainable transportation team at the environmental non-profit organization Green Action Centre. Over the past few decades, she said “it’s become sort of ingrained to offer free parking for employees,” be it through subsidized parking passes or big on-site parking lots. But at the Green Action Centre, Marginet’s team hopes to encourage businesses to do things differently. “There’s no such thing as free parking,” she said. “The message that sends is that you’re considered an employee of value if you’re driving to work; if there isn’t something of equal value to those who are not driving to work, I would question why.” Parking reimbursement for municipal staff cost the city $425,297 in 2021 alone, city staff said in an email. By contrast, the city has spent $27,539 on its share of the eco-pass program in the last three months. There is no option to transfer the value of the parking pass to other modes of transportation. Allard said he would prefer to see the city — and other employers — offer a more flexible transportation benefit to staff. Offering a commuting budget, for example, that could be applied to transit, bikes or parking if employees so choose, would ensure all commuting options are fairly compensated. “Flexibility would allow for Winnipeggers to do what we hope to be able to encourage them to do by providing transportation options, whether that’s taking the bus, biking, walking, being passengers in vehicles, taking up the occasional car-share,” he said. At the Green Action Centre, flexibility is a priority. Staff are offered transit passes or an equivalent dollar value for other modes of transportation. For some, that money is spent on parking, but others choose to spend the benefit on bike maintenance, running shoes and other means of getting to work. Ultimately, changing the way people get to and from work is about interrupting long-held habits and behaviour, Marginet said. With gas prices on the rise and a pandemic prompting the restructuring of the workday, Marginet said people are ready to start rethinking their daily commute. “You have so many people for whom the price to fill up their gas tank has more than doubled in a very short amount of time — just as they’re being expected to go back to work and go back to doing all of the in-person things. It’s really kind of hitting people, just the incredible personal cost of this,” she said. Statistics Canada shows the average price of gas jumped 43 per cent in the last year. With Canadians dedicating almost 20 per cent of their spending to transportation in 2019, the costs of daily driving are set to keep rising. “It would be very disappointing to not encourage or reward employees who are making a healthier, more sustainable, climate-friendly choice,” Marginet said. “If you’re offering a privilege to people who drive, you should at least be offering something of equal value, or perhaps more value, if you want to look at getting your employees to shift their mode of travel.” julia-simone.rutgers(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Economic Study of 12 Active Transportation Projects in Oregon Finds Solid Returns on Investment
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jun '22

30 Jun '22

https://trec.pdx.edu/news/active-transportation-projects-offer-solid-return… Overall, the research team found positive effects on business activity in the retail and/or food sectors, demonstrating that the potential economic benefits are not just in more urban parts of the city of Portland: - 75% of the project locations saw measurable economic gains in the food or retail industries after implementation. - Layering complementary investments (e.g. light rail stations and transit oriented-development) has the potential to yield the greatest benefits. - The projects that did not see positive effects tended to have higher traffic volumes and/or speeds. Projects are more likely to reach their full potential when they reduce the effects of an auto-oriented environment and create places for walking that are also less stressful and more comfortable. "The findings reveal that these types of investments can have positive outcomes in places outside of downtown and inner Portland, particularly when coupled with other planning and infrastructure investments, but that we do need to address the negative effects of high speed, multi-lane arterials," Dill said.

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Winnipeg Manitoba City Rating Page | PeopleForBikes 2022 City Ratings
by Terry Zdan 30 Jun '22

30 Jun '22

https://cityratings.peopleforbikes.org/cities/winnipeg-mb

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Winnipeg cycling safety assesment: F
by Terry Zdan 30 Jun '22

30 Jun '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-bike-cycling-safety-1.6505…

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Re: [At-network] Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project Update
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jun '22

29 Jun '22

On Wed., Jun. 29, 2022, 9:22 a.m. Kurylko, Robert, <Bob.Kurylko(a)stantec.com> wrote: A few things I think are missing from this strategy document. > > > > Number one is the lack of recognition that roundabouts are a proven > solution for reducing collision severity. Concern about pedestrian > accommodation at roundabouts is not substantiated by the evidence that I > have seen and is mitigatable if it exists. > > Number two is the lack of recognition that highway design philosophy – > design speed higher than posted speed – is a contributor to encouraging > higher speeds on arterials and highways > > > Number three is lack of mention that signal timing contributes to > speeding. If timing is set to allow free flow at a speed slightly lower > than the posted speed, traffic flow slows down. It has been done. > > > Number four is no mention, that I saw, about using speed reader boards – > signs that tell you your speed. This is very effective tool used in various > communities. You want drivers to be looking at the road environment. These > signs provide a friendly reminder about your speed. > > > Number five is no mention that design standards for roads, in general, > promote moving vehicles as fast as possible. Good for rural highways, not > so much for urban conditions where other modes are present and being > promoted. > > > > Safety should begin at the engineering level, and we need documents like > this to recognize that the fundamentals of road design need to reflect the > goals of meeting the needs of all users with priority to the most > vulnerable. If the intent of the road is to move a lot of vehicles, and we > do need those, then other modes need to be accommodated in the proper way. > Mixing modes is tricky and leaves vulnerable users at risk. > > > > The document talks about the success of various countries in reducing > collision severity. There is little if any mention of what contributing > factors drove those reductions, they are well documented and we should be > follow their leads. > > *Robert (Bob) Kurylko, P. Eng, * > > Senior Transportation Engineer > Sr. Associate > Stantec > 500–311 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB R3B 2B9 > Cell: 204 918 2042 > robert.kurylko(a)stantec.com > > > > *From:* Terry Zdan > *Sent:* Tuesday, June 28, 2022 9:43 AM > *To:* AT network <AT-Network(a)lists.umanitoba.ca> > *Subject:* Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project > Update > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: *City of Winnipeg* <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> > Date: Tue., Jun. 28, 2022, 9:22 a.m. > Subject: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project > Update > To: <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Good morning/afternoon, > > You are receiving this email because you requested updates on the Winnipeg > Road Safety Strategic Action Plan. > > The Phase 3 public engagement report > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> > , summary > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…>, > and appendices > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> are > now available and provide an overview of the feedback collected for the > project. > > The Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> will > be considered by the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure and > Public Works > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> on > July 5, 2022. If you would like to appear as a delegation > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…>, > please contact the City Clerk's Department > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> > by noon on July 4, 2022. > > For more information, visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> > . > > Kind regards, > > > > The Project Team > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > You're receiving this email because you are a registered participant on > Engage Winnipeg. > Powered by EngagementHQ > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> > Unsubscribe > <https://can01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Femails.en…> > > > > > > > > > >

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WFP: City eyes expanding sidewalk snow clearing (Jun29'22)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jun '22

29 Jun '22

City eyes expanding sidewalk snow clearing https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-eyes-expanding-sidewalk-snow-f… WINNIPEG’S sidewalks could potentially be freed of ice and snow more quickly in future winters — but those more passable routes would come at a price. A proposed update to the city’s snow clearing and ice control policy calls for council to approve $3 million to buy 15 more sidewalk-clearing machines, while also contracting out an additional 500 kilometres of sidewalk plowing. Those combined changes could reduce the plowing timeline for residential sidewalks by up to 50 per cent, or from five to 2.5 days, said Michael Cantor, City of Winnipeg manager of streets maintenance. “This amount of equipment will provide a much better level of service than we have been able to provide so far and (allow us) to meet the policy that we have. We have a very good policy but we need the right resources to meet it.” The changes are proposed just after the “worst-case scenario” winter of 2021-22 thwarted efforts to efficiently clear sidewalks, said Cantor. A city report notes repeated snowstorms wreaked havoc on walking paths. Municipal policy requires sidewalks adjacent to major routes and collector streets be cleared within 36 hours after an “average” storm ends, with residential street sidewalks cleared within five working days after plowing starts. Instead, it took an average of 98 hours to clear main route sidewalks last winter, 156 hours for those on collector streets and 218 hours for residential routes. “According to 2021-22 data, none of the priority level sidewalks or pathways were completed according to the standard set out by the policy,” the report notes. Many Winnipeggers who rely on sidewalks for daily travel complained the routes were largely impassable for long periods, demanding the city make a greater investment to ensure active transportation options are available year-round. Cantor said the new system, if approved by council, would provide the resources needed to meet clearing standards for the highest priority sidewalks and clear residential ones “much faster.” “I think both the clearing and the ice control on the sidewalks will significantly improve,” he said. The city currently owns 31 sidewalk snow-clearing machines and can rent additional ones. While the city currently removes snow from 2,500 km of sidewalks and hires contractors to clean up another 500 km, the changes would also shift a further 500 km to private crews. The new policy would also crack down on contractors who don’t complete snow clearing on time. Fines that currently kick in for uncompleted work 36 hours after an operation starts could be applied within 12 hours of a scheduled operation instead. The city is also calling to revamp the annual snow route parking ban, which currently bars key routes between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. Under the new rules, the city could begin or end the ban at any point between Nov. 1 and April 30. The ban’s name would also change, with “winter route” replacing “snow route” to highlight the fact it can be imposed to salt and sand streets, not just for plowing. Coun. Matt Allard, who has long called for ways to make sidewalk travel less treacherous in the winter, welcomed the proposed changes. “I’m pleased to see it move forward. I hope that’ll be enough to meet our snow and ice control policies to have that level of service that Winnipeggers expect,” said Allard. While the city expects to cover the $3-million tab for sidewalk clearing equipment through debt, the councillor said the investment is warranted. “If we want to be able to walk on the sidewalks, I think we need to spend the money required to do that (in the winter). We want to encourage people to use all modes (of transportation)… This is going to be a citywide increased level of service, so I think the value for money is definitely there,” said Allard. The report notes new sidewalk-clearing machines may not be available next winter, since such equipment can take 12 months to obtain, thanks to COVID-19 supply chain delays. Cantor said the city expects to contract out about 200 km of sidewalks this year, with the rest through new contracts the following year. Council is expected to hold a final vote on the proposed changes next month. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Council gears up for road safety (Jun29'22)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Jun '22

29 Jun '22

Politicians to consider $22M in upgrades Council gears up for road safety https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/council-gears-up-for-road-safety-st… THE City of Winnipeg could spend $22 million over five years in an effort to reduce serious injuries and deaths caused by traffic collisions. However, some fear the city’s first road safety strategic action plan won’t spark changes soon enough. Coun. Matt Allard, chairman of council’s public works committee, said he’s disappointed by a lack of immediate steps to make the streets safer for all pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. “I think we can do more. We should fast track the parts of roads (funding) that involve safety,” Allard said Tuesday. The action plan does call for council to begin funding the changes in 2023, which a city staff report deems a key priority. “The need for such an action plan is clear: between 2012 and 2018, 98 people were killed and 1,113 suffered major injuries as a result of collisions on Winnipeg streets,” David Patman, manager of transportation planning, writes in the report. The new plan would set a target to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions by 20 per cent over the next five years. To achieve that, the strategy proposes the city create a road safety committee, a road safety branch and three new full-time safety-focused staff positions. Additional recommendations call for the city to review the policy for intersection warning lights, roundabouts and left-turn signals; evaluate crosswalk safety; install pedestrian refuge islands (where strategic curbs reduce exposure to vehicle traffic); add pedestrian-led intervals (which give foot traffic a head start to walk before a green light allows vehicle traffic in the same direction); upgrade cycling infrastructure; support school biking-education programs; and review the safety of multi-use path crossings for cyclists. The city should also add more 30 km/hr speed limits at neighbourhood greenways (which are meant to safely serve all forms of traffic), review overall speed limits, add more traffic-calming measures (such as roundabouts) and create public education on road safety, the plan suggests. Allard argues more immediate action is needed. The city recently identified about $7.5 million of warranted engineering enhancements that could improve safety, which have yet to be funded, he noted. He would like the municipal government to find the money to commit to that work now, which could improve pedestrian signals, add traffic lights and upgrade crosswalk lights, rather than waiting to select projects next year. “There are things that we know we can do now… I would have wanted to see immediate reaction,” said Allard. The councillor said he believes the cost of the strategic plan is reasonable but thinks the goal to reduce fatalities and injuries by 20 per cent over five years isn’t aggressive enough. “The public service says it’s important to set targets… but the idea that (a portion of) people are still going to die and get injured is (concerning).” A request to interview Patman was not granted Tuesday. In an email, city spokesman Ken Allen said the five-year target is both significant and realistic. “The goal was set to be ambitious, but achievable, and to set us on a path toward achieving the long-term vision of (a) transportation system that allows people of all ages and abilities to safely move around without experiencing death or serious injury,” wrote Allen. While the action plan funding is sought from next year’s budget, Allen said other road safety investments are taking place in 2022. “The city is continuously working to improve road safety. Several ongoing road safety improvements are funded through existing programs,” he said. The city paid a consultant $2.5 million to develop the road safety action plan, which was funded through federal gas grants. Council is scheduled to cast the final vote on the plan next month. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Most dangerous intersections AS part of its traffic safety research, the City of Winnipeg has also ranked excess collision sites (2015-19), as compared with other locations with similar characteristics and traffic volumes: ● 1 — Kenaston and McGillivray boulevards ● 2 — Kenaston Boulevard and Sterling Lyon Parkway ● 3 — Archibald and Marion streets ● 4 — Dakota Street and Dunkirk Drive ● 5 — Academy Road and Stafford Street ● 6 — Lagimodiere Boulevard and Regent Avenue ● 7 — Pembina Highway and Bison Drive ● 8 — Bishop Grandin Boulevard and St. Anne’s Road ● 9 — McPhillips Street and Leila Avenue ● 10 — Lagimodiere Boulevard and Reenders Drive

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Ebikes for business...in London ON
by Terry Zdan 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/this-london-ont-tech-firm-is-making-e…

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Biz for Climate in Winnipeg
by Charles Feaver 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

Business community gathers at climate concern rally point What do a Prairie farm, a marketing firm and an electronic payment company have in common? Theyve all signed a pledge urging government to prioritize climate action. More than 130 businesses have banded together through the non-profit BizforClimate. "This is about mobilizing business leaders and business owners to speak up," said BizforClimate president Derek Earl. "We want to encourage a bolder, faster response in line with the climate science." Earl was previously vice-president of World Trade Centre Winnipeg. There, hed meet leaders looking to decarbonize their companies. Derek Earl and a group founded BizforClimate in August 2020. "The missing piece was, Are businesses speaking up about climate? Are they stepping forward?" Earl said. "We need to move the needle." Earl found a gap: he said he wouldnt see business owners at climate conventions and meetings he attended. So, he and a group founded BizforClimate in August 2020. The board is comprised of well-connected members: there are presidents and chief executive officers from a range of business sectors on the seven-person team. They began encouraging contacts to sign BizforClimates pledge. Companies who do so show they want politicians to prioritize limiting global warming to 1.5 C through emissions reductions. "We want to build a long and impressive list and share that story with policy makers," Earl said. Companies signing align with BizforClimates messages: climate change is an urgent problem, climate action is the best path to economic prosperity, and public policy is needed to achieve climate solutions. Earl hopes signatories will take steps within their own networks to decarbonize or otherwise take climate action. However, BizforClimate doesnt have the capacity to follow up, nor would they want to micro-manage, Earl said. As of June 7, 133 businesses had signed. Winnipeg-based Highland Electric did so in May. "When I started Highland Electric (in 2015), I just decided that immediately we were going to do something differently," said CEO Ben Bruce. Hed had enough of working on construction sites and seeing environmentally harmful practices. "A lot of job sites werent even recycling their cardboard. Youd notice a lot of garbage that blows away in the wind." Bruce, 38, said he fishes and hunts; he wants to ensure his child can experience the same outdoors he did as she grows up. His staff use reusable notepads, called Rocketbooks, to prevent paper waste. Highland Electric plants trees on the job, specializes in electric vehicle chargers and uses recyclable materials. "I think its more just a choice that companies have to make," Bruce said. "You can either choose to use a company that packages things in plastic or you can choose not to." Bruce said he hopes signing the pledge will signal to companies like his that being environmentally friendly is possible. "You actually save costs," Bruce said, noting theres generally a larger payment up front before the savings kick in. (For example, he had to pay more for a Rocketbook than a typical notepad, but now doesnt have to restock.) Maddie Thompson signed the pledge on behalf of Spark Media in May. "Ive been increasingly aware of (climate change) as theres more events that are happening, more forest fires, that sort of situation," she said. "Before, it seemed like such a future thing." Thompson shared the pledge on LinkedIn shes hoping it spreads awareness. "Everything is going to get worse," she said. "Whats been on my mind lately, specifically, is food security. I think thats going to be a coming issue." Small things, such as businesses switching to compostable cups at meetings, do matter, Thompson said. "Its a sign of the times that companies of all sizes, all over the world, are realizing that there are really good reasons for them to change their ways," said Danny Blair, co-director of the Prairie Climate Centre at the University of Winnipeg. Many will alter practices if they face pressure from customers, Blair noted. "The public is much more sensitive to climate change, theyre much more concerned about climate change, and they will more so, over time, insist that the companies they do business with are themselves working hard to be carbon neutral." Forty-three per cent of Canadians are willing to pay more for sustainable products, according to the third Canadian edition of the EY Future Consumer Index, released in December 2020. Some businesses want to reduce emissions upon learning about climate change, Blair said. Theres no specific date humanity has to reach net-zero by, he added. Instead, emissions reductions need to happen "rapidly." "Every year that we go along and continue business as usual limits our ability to constrain climate change." "In order for us to be successful in addressing climate change, we need everybody involved," agreed Curt Hull, project director of Climate Change Connection. Hull and his team have spent 2 1/2 years researching a path to reducing emissions in Manitoba. Their final report is called: Road to Resilience. Manitoba should electrify heating and transportation, Hull said, proposing "a (Second World War) level of effort, where we go neighbourhood by neighbourhood, improving the efficiency of homes and connecting those homes to district geothermal." Various business sectors, including construction, will be needed, Hull said. "Every step we take to move away from fossil fuels and towards electricity keeps more of that revenue in the province." Manitobans spent roughly $3.7 billion on fossil fuels last year, according to a provincial spokesperson. The figure is based on gas prices of $1.25 per litre. Manitobans spent more than $3.3 billion on diesel and gasoline for transport, and around $400 million on natural gas, the spokesperson wrote in an email. BizforClimate is not government funded, Earl said. Some businesses who sign the pledge choose to donate money, though its not required. The board is volunteer-run. Meetings with government and opposition members have begun, he said. gabrielle.piche(a)freepress.mb.ca Gabrielle Piché Gabrielle Piché Reporter

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Fwd: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project Update
by Terry Zdan 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: City of Winnipeg <notifications(a)engagementhq.com> Date: Tue., Jun. 28, 2022, 9:22 a.m. Subject: Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan – June 2022 Project Update To: <tjzdan50(a)gmail.com> Good morning/afternoon, You are receiving this email because you requested updates on the Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan. The Phase 3 public engagement report <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> , summary <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>, and appendices <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> are now available and provide an overview of the feedback collected for the project. The Winnipeg Road Safety Strategic Action Plan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=v8N1PNoNaFoK-2BfJX-2Fm8WUToon9…> will be considered by the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure and Public Works <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=v8N1PNoNaFoK-2BfJX-2Fm8WUToon9…> on July 5, 2022. If you would like to appear as a delegation <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDeVqlC6tFy…>, please contact the City Clerk's Department <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDSNRO9dxOj…> by noon on July 4, 2022. For more information, visit winnipeg.ca/roadsafetyplan <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…> . Kind regards, The Project Team You're receiving this email because you are a registered participant on Engage Winnipeg. Powered by EngagementHQ <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=Ly4LMpFOFkQHsPvHv6lGIGWetLV0tE…> Unsubscribe <https://emails.engagementhq.com/ls/click?upn=9vcdD193qA8wVAWAMcxkDRPI9yvzhY…>

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WFP: City highlights $165M for road repairs this year (Jun28'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Jun '22

28 Jun '22

City highlights $165M for road repairs this year https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-highlights-165m-for-road-work-… NEARLY 200 construction projects will renew 175 lane kilometres of Winnipeg roads in 2022. Overall, $165 million of repairs will be completed this year, including enhancing sidewalks and active transportation routes, the city says. By 2023, Winnipeg will have invested $1 billion in road repairs since 2014, Mayor Brian Bowman said. “After decades of neglect of our city roads, we’re finally starting to repair and fix the robust network of roads that we have throughout our city,” he said. The work includes some funding from the federal and provincial governments, which each committed $100 million to boost Winnipeg road repairs between 2019 and 2024. This year’s key construction projects include: • Stafford Street, from Corydon Avenue to Pembina Highway: $14 million • Jubilee Avenue, from Osborne Street to Pembina: $13 million • Mountain Avenue, from Arlington Street to McPhillips Street: $10.5 million • Smith Street, from Notre Dame Avenue to the Midtown Bridge: $9.2 million • Nairn Avenue, from Stadacona Street to Watt Street: $5.4 million The province will also give Winnipeg $8.9 million for additional road projects, including fixing a massive number of recently formed potholes caused by a cold, wet winter followed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles in the spring. When asked if that money will stretch beyond potholes to support additional projects, Bowman said a staff proposal on how the extra cash should be spent will be considered by council in July. “We want to see those dollars utilized as quickly as possible,” he said Monday. Thanks to a few years of higher road repair standards after the city began imposing changes in 2020, the current roads should also last longer than they may have in the past, Bowman said. “The city has made significant progress in fixing and improving how roads are being built,” he said. Dr. Ahmed Shalaby, a University of Manitoba professor with expertise in pavement engineering, worked to improve road repairs with a team of U of M students and researchers, along with city, provincial and industry experts. Because of that work, new pavement in Winnipeg is now expected to last about 15 per cent longer, due to improved construction standards that began in 2020. One key change involves removing weaker materials such as clay and finer elements from the aggregate below roads, which lets pavement drain more quickly, said Shalaby. “By removing those materials we are ensuring that these foundations are stronger and can last longer.” Since the expected life span of a road can range from 15 to 30 years, depending on its type, how much the service life is extended also varies, said Shalaby. While the construction changes were first approved in 2020, they have since gradually become a universal standard for municipal and provincial projects, with few exceptions, he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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50% of MB's transportation ghg emmisions occur within the capital region
by Terry Zdan 24 Jun '22

24 Jun '22

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/23/suspend-transit-fares-in…

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WFP: Fish’s fireworks spark consternation among cyclists (Jun24'22)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Jun '22

24 Jun '22

Fish’s fireworks spark consternation among cyclists https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/fishs-fireworks-spark-consternation… DYLON Martin has biked to work every day for 12 years. A few times each year, his regular route home is blocked by the temporary closure of Waterfront Drive for firework shows following select Winnipeg Goldeyes games. The street in downtown Winnipeg is closed for roughly eight hours from Lombard Avenue to Pioneer Avenue those nights — and its impact is felt by those who use the route, the 31-year-old says. “The transportation trail on Waterfront is to cyclists what Portage and Main is to vehicles and traffic. It adds 20 to 30 minutes to my commute every time it’s closed.” The Goldeyes have been hosting firework shows every year since moving to Shaw Park in 1999. This year, a petition to keep Waterfront Drive’s bike path (skirting the ballpark’s outfield wall) open during those select games has received more than 100 virtual signatures. “I don’t think there’s a safe detour for cyclists. It’s not easy to take a five-block detour on foot, bike or by wheelchair, so there needs to be more attention to providing safe and not terribly out of the way detours when critical pieces of our active transportation network are disrupted for whatever reason,” Martin said. A representative from the Goldeyes said the team isn’t trying to be a problem. “We’ve been doing this for over 20 years. We want everyone to be happy and we’re not trying to make it inconvenient for anyone, but we’re trying to entertain our fans, and for us to safely have fireworks on those occasions, we need to close those access ways to keep everyone safe.” The Goldeyes hold permits and permission from the City of Winnipeg and The Forks, which allow them to display the fireworks and close off the street. They also advertise the dates of the firework shows on the team website. “Fireworks have been a huge attraction for us for over 20 years and we think that six nights out of 41/2 months isn’t that obtrusive,” the team representative said. “We’ve had discussions since our last fireworks night, about how we can better inform fans, what alternate routes we can take and what better signage we can use.” One cyclist who asked to remain anonymous said if the road continues to be blocked, they will look to organize a sit-in protest on the street. “I’ve reached out to the city, councillors, the mayor and enforcement officers about the issue and don’t know what to do next,” the cyclist said. “Not everyone has internet or a cellphone to check their website to see if their regular route will be closed that day.” The Goldeyes have four scheduled fireworks shows remaining this summer: June 30, July 14, Aug. 12 and Sept. 3. bryce.hunt(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Volvo Trucks introducing new safety system to protect cyclists and pedestrians - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 23 Jun '22

23 Jun '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/06/20220606-volvo.html

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Who Needs a Massive RV When You Can Build an Army of $1, 200 Bicycle Campers and Be Free - autoevolution
by Terry Zdan 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/who-needs-a-massive-rv-when-you-can-buil…

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Rethink roads to save lives
by Charles F 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

Today's Globe and Mail editorial Rethink roads to save liveshttps://globe2go.pressreader.com/article/281689733487416Sent from my phone.

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CBC: Winnipeggers call for more reliable bus service as gas prices continue to surge
by Beth McKechnie 22 Jun '22

22 Jun '22

In case anyone missed this spot on article: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-transit-efficient-1.6491239

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