- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

This Thursday, Winnipeg Cycling Archive Wrap Party!
by Beth McKechnie 21 Jun '22

21 Jun '22

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Kate Sjoberg <wrenchprogram(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, Jun 21, 2022 at 9:39 AM [image: 2021-WRENCH-ARCHIVES-SOCIAL-WRAPUP.jpg] Hi everyone! Over the past few seasons, project lead Jon Benson has been collecting archival material that shows the history of cycling activity and activism in Winnipeg. We've really enjoyed learning the stories that have come in and being reminded of different Winnipeg curiosities, challenges, and achievements. Part of what we hoped to do, aside from reconnecting at a time of continued relative isolation, was to demonstrate the long time and ongoing commitment Winnpeggers have made to create a cycling city. This came through, big time! We want to celebrate! Jon is organising a party at the Edge Gallery, which will include display of some of the submissions as well as story telling from a number of contributors. Join us/please share! Thursday June 23 from 7-9pm at the Edge Gallery. Storytellers will include: Peter Obendoerfer Beth McKechnie Merrill Grant Stephanie Chow Allis Kolynchuk Konrad Krahn (Winnipeg City Archives) Please bring your mask! And feel free to share this invitation to anyone who may be interested. Thanks very much to the City of Winnipeg Archives, the Winnipeg Foundation, and archivist Sarah Story for helping us make this happen! The WRENCH The Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub 1057 Logan Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N8 Treaty 1 Territory, Homeland of the Metis Nation www.thewrench.ca 204-296-3389

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Globe editorial on car v. bike battle over open streets
by Charles F 15 Jun '22

15 Jun '22

The problem with Toronto’s ActiveTO program is its popularity. And the problem with the most prominent part of ActiveTO – the reason Toronto City Council is under pressure to kill it – is that it’s been the most popular and successful part of the program....In the summer of 2020, Toronto on some weekends banished cars from short stretches of a few streets.The biggest and longest of these routes involved the eastbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard West. Six kilometres of pavement, running from the massed condo towers of Humber Bay Shores to the massed condo towers of Liberty Village, Fort York and Harbourfront, were turned over to bikes and walkers. The result? The city found that “more people use Lake Shore Boulevard West to bike, go for a walk or run when the ActiveTO closures are in place when compared to motor vehicle volumes when closures are not in place.”...Turning half the lanes on Lake Shore West over to bikes, rollerblades and walkers was a regular occurrence on weekends in the summer of 2020. But by the summer of 2021, the program was scaled back – fewer days, shorter hours, a shorter route. As of 2022, it’s an endangered species. Toronto City Council is facing demands to terminate with extreme prejudice, and you can see why. If it continues, more people will hear about it, more people will use it and then, well, imagine how bad things could get.And taking away three or four lanes, one or two days a week, undermines the idea that streets are for cars and everyone else is an interloper. Here’s what happens: A drive from Etobicoke to downtown on the Gardiner that took 14 minutes in 2019 took up to 29 minutes on some ActiveTO weekends in 2021.That’s 15 extra minutes for a few thousand drivers, a couple of dozen days a year; in return, hundreds of thousands of people in the crowded neighbourhoods Lake Shore West passes through got a temporary urban park. Fair trade, or dangerous precedent?...(note ironic tone ! )https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-activeto-has-been-a-brilliant-success-so-of-course-the-war-on-the-car/Sent from my phone.

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CBC: Waterloo to reduce speed limits to 30 km/h on city streets (Jun13'22)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Jun '22

15 Jun '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/waterloo-speed-limits-low… Waterloo will reduce speed limits on city streets to 30 km/h. In a 5-3 vote, councillors approved the move Monday during a council meeting. Staff had recommended lowering speed limits from 50 km/h to 40 km/h on most streets with a drop to 30 km/h around schools, but Ward 2 Coun. Royce Bodaly introduced a motion to lower limits on collector and residential streets to 30 km/h. "In short, it works," Bodaly said of lowering speed limits to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety. "Somebody going 75 km/h in front of a neighbourhood park or a school or just on any residential street, in my opinion, they should be subject to a stunt driving charge, and they would be if we went to 30, but would not if we went to 40." He said he'd like to see Waterloo "drive the culture change" on city streets and accept a Feb., 2020 Stockholm Declaration on Road Safety recommendation <https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2021-streets-for-life-campaign-calls-fo…> to lower speed limits to 30 km/h globally. Jason Thistlethwaite, who is co-president of the Uptown West Neighbourhood Association, told councillors the association did consultations with residents and people were supportive of the idea of lowering speed limits. "Reduction to 30 km/h made sense as a deterrent against excessive speed. People felt that there was a difference between driving 60 in a 40 zone and 60 and a 30 zone," he told council. "The overwhelming response was the slower, the better." Hard decision for council: Mayor Ward 4 Coun. Angela Vieth said 30 km/h is "too inhibiting, too slow" and did not support Bodaly's motion. She said the city needs to be consistent with Kitchener, which has lowered speed limits to 40 km, and that there are other ways to slow vehicles down. "I think if we're animating the sidewalks, if we have interesting front yards and and we allow kids to play hockey or to walk on the street if they have to," Vieth said. "Add more activities rather than putting up signs all over the place. Mayor Dave Jaworsky also voted against the motion and explained after the vote that a split vote of council "is simply an indicator of how hard the decision actually was for council." He said his vote was to make sure for the next term of council "which will have a number of fresh faces," the decision would be more "palatable." "You never know what next council might do," he said. Waterloo is not alone to drop speed limits to 30 km/h. Banff, Alta., did it earlier this year <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/town-of-banff-drops-speed-limit-to-3…> and Ottawa lowered some streets <https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-city-council-approves-30-km-h-…> in 2017. Staff will now work on a plan to phase in implementation over the next four years. It will cost an estimated $500,000 to changeover signs, a cost that will be brought before the new council when capital budget deliberations for 2023 get underway late this year.

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Green Action Centre hiring 2 sustainable transportation coordinators
by Beth McKechnie 14 Jun '22

14 Jun '22

*** Please share widely. Thanks! *** Green Action Centre is hiring two Sustainable Transportation Program Coordinators, one at full time (35 hours/week) with Active and Safe Routes to School and one part time (24 hours/week) with Workplace Commuter Options. Find details for both postings here <https://greenactioncentre.ca/featured/join-the-green-action-centre-team/>. *Apply by June 30, 2022, *to be part of a great team! cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Green Action Centre is 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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Put sound devices on bicycles too AKA bells.
by Terry Zdan 13 Jun '22

13 Jun '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/electric-vehicles-sound-blind-pedestr…

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Link between AT paths and public health
by Charles Feaver 10 Jun '22

10 Jun '22

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WFP: Planner seeks deep dive into pedestrian fatality data (Jun10'22)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Jun '22

10 Jun '22

*Planner seeks deep dive into pedestrian fatality data * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/deep-dive-into-pedestrian-fatality-… IN the wake of dozens of pedestrians and cyclists killed in Winnipeg crashes between 2012 and 2019, a new push to pinpoint the exact circumstances behind those deaths has emerged. The call to explore the grim details follows an analysis of the fatalities, shared during a presentation at the city’s public works committee Thursday. Jairo Viafara, a professional transportation planner, noted his analysis of city and Manitoba Public Insurance data found an average of four pedestrians were killed per year between 2012 and 2016 in Winnipeg, which rose to 5.6 per year for 2015 to 2019. During the same period, average collision deaths for cyclists fell to one from 2.2, while an average of 12.7 people within motor vehicles died due to crashes in each of those years. Viafara told the Free Press he believes active transportation safety efforts have focused heavily on cyclists in recent years. Protecting bike riders is a major priority but the City of Winnipeg must ensure that effort doesn’t distract from work needed to keep pedestrians safe, he added. “Our streets are not as safe (for pedestrians) as we are led to believe,” said Viafara. “We are being lulled into a (false) sense of safety.” His report notes the increase in pedestrian fatalities seems to be occurring as roads generally become safer for others. “In Manitoba, historically, traffic fatalities have been in steady decline over past decades. The significant increase in pedestrian fatalities seen within Winnipeg runs counter to the overall trend, and as such warrants significant attention,” it states. The planner was educated in Winnipeg and worked in his chosen field in the United States before returning to the Manitoba capital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reading about local pedestrian safety concerns, Viafara said he was inspired to analyze the numbers. Multiple Free Press articles this year delved into several key safety concerns, as highlighted by traffic safety activist Christian Sweryda. For example, Sweryda noted he’s lobbied the city for more than a decade to add more eye-level lights at pedestrian crosswalks, claiming these are more visible to drivers. On Thursday, Viafara urged the city to take several steps to make travel safer for pedestrians,such as: evaluating alternative crossings at some intersections; identifying “unsafe pedestrian behaviours” to target with education; and considering adding pedestrian leading intervals to crosswalk signals (which would give pedestrians a head start of a few seconds to walk before a green light signals for vehicle traffic to begin travelling in the same direction). “We need to afford people the opportunity to actually walk safely in the city from the point of origin to their destination, (including) school children, senior citizens or people going to work,” said Viafara. Coun. Matt. Allard, chairman of the public works committee, said he agrees the increase in pedestrian fatalities poses a major concern. On Thursday, he shared a motion at public works committee that calls city staff to request monthly collision, death and injury data from MPI and the Winnipeg Police Service to share with councillors. It would also direct city staff to prepare two reports per year, along with monthly verbal reports, on detailed collision data. For each collision, that would aim to include the location, roadway surface, weather, fatality number, traffic volume and signal types, among other details. “We see pedestrian deaths on the rise… in this third-party report, so that’s concerning. And if you start adding up deaths and injuries, it becomes a much bigger issue. I think what’s being asked for here is more information, more quickly and more granularity on what happened, when,” said Allard. The motion notes city data shows at least 51 pedestrians and cyclists were killed in 2012-19 crashes, which Allard said may not include all incidents, such as some matters recorded by MPI. Allard said his goal is to get much more information on the circumstances surrounding collisions to support better informed decisions on how best to prevent them. The committee delayed the vote on the motion until next month. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Living near multi-use paths brings heart health boost, study says (Jun9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Jun '22

09 Jun '22

*Living near multi-use paths brings heart health boost, study says * CITIES that build safe and easy-to-access paths for walking, running and cycling can improve the heart health of residents who live nearby, a study led by the University of Manitoba suggests. The study looked at four multi-use paths that were built in Winnipeg between 2010 and 2012 in neighbourhoods that were already largely established. It examined provincial health data covering several years before and after, and found that after the trails were built, people who lived within 400 metres of the paths had lower rates of risks to cardiovascular health such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In essence, one of the study’s authors said, people are more likely to go for a walk, run or bike ride — and maybe ditch the car for a commute — if you give them dedicated space away from vehicle traffic to do so. “More and more people are living in urban centres, and we’re really interested in understanding which aspects of the environments that we build in these centres have health-promoting potential,” said Jon McGavock, a professor of pediatrics and child health at the university who is also an investigator with the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. The study relied on the city’s electronic counters along the paths and found that the busier the path, the greater the reduction in cardiovascular risk factors. Overall, areas within 400 metres of the paths saw an eight per cent reduction in those factors. Near the Bishop Grandin Greenway — the busiest of the four paths — the reduction was close to 15 per cent. The paths that connect residential areas to schools and shopping centres saw the most use. The Bishop Grandin Greenway links high-density neighbourhoods and sprawling suburbs to the University of Manitoba, the football stadium where the Canadian Football League Winnipeg Blue Bombers play, and a large shopping centre. “Because they’re so connected to other things, people use them to go to work, go to school, go do groceries, that sort of thing,” McGavock said. “That would be the… thing that we would try to promote to other cities is, take a look at — when you’re doing your next build — what are the destination points that people are going to (go to).” The study was funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and done in conjunction with the City of Winnipeg and the non-profit Winnipeg Trails Association. — The Canadian Press

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WFP Community Review: Options for modernization of Henderson Highway (Jun8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Jun '22

08 Jun '22

Options for modernization of Henderson Highway The City of Winnipeg is looking for input into its modernization of Henderson Highway north of Chief Peguis Trail, which aims to improve safety, traffic flow, and livability from Gilmore Avenue to the north city limit at Glenway Avenue. According to the city, recommendations are sought on a number of items, including: introducing a median on Henderson Highway to manage access and improve safety; improving pedestrian and cycling infrastructure; and replacing the existing Bunn’s Creek crossing structure. According to the city, “the designs presented … are based on technical analysis and traffic studies, as well as what was heard through stakeholder meetings and public participation in a mapping tool that looked at what matters most to road users and residents in terms of safety, efficiency, and accessibility along the corridor.” For more information, or to provide feedback, visit winnipeg.ca/henderson

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Wirld bike day last week
by Terry Zdan 07 Jun '22

07 Jun '22

https://electricautonomy.ca/2022/06/03/e-bike-canada-world-bike-day/

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WFP: Never too old to learn to ride a bike (Jun6'22)
by Beth McKechnie 06 Jun '22

06 Jun '22

*Life-changing program gets parents pedalling* Never too old to learn to ride a bike https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/never-too-old-to-learn-to-ride-a-bi… FOR Jubril Adeyemoh, it’s never quite worked to say that anything in his life is as easy as riding a bike. The 39-year-old immigrant, who moved to Winnipeg two years ago, never got a chance to learn how to ride a bike in his home country of Nigeria. Arriving in Canada, he was struck by the many paths and trails Winnipeg had to offer. “Where I live, there is a lawn, there is a walkway at the back of my house, and I see a whole lot of people ride bicycles,” Adeyemoh said. “I’ve always wanted to also learn so that at least I can ride and enjoy the trip as well.” He and his family were settling down and making community connections when Adeyemoh received a fateful email advertising a free eight-week course, provided by the Louis Riel School Division’s René Deleurme Centre and the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub (WRENCH), for parents and caregivers who wanted to learn to ride a bike. As the father of two young kids — one seven, one four — who regularly ride their bikes, he would jog alongside them or keep an eye on them in the park. They’d asked why he couldn’t ride with them, and he never had a proper answer. Joining the cycling course, he realised he wasn’t alone. “I won’t lie to you — a whole lot of other people came like me, that have not rode a bike in the past. And I was wondering if an eight-week period would be sufficient for us to learn,” he said. By the third week, Adeyemoh said a measure of progress was evident. When he surprised his kids with his new bike (provided by the program) and his new skills, they were delighted. “Even though I am still not that very good yet, considering we’ve had about five or six weeks with it, I’m sure with much more practise I’ll get much better,” he said. “But at least my children are very happy.” The program, funded through a federal community health initiative grant, has been a success. WRENCH and the Louis Riel School Division put up posters but had no idea what the level of interest would be, school division spokesperson Melissa Brown said. “Learning things as an adult is a little bit trickier, right? It’s a little harder. You have to get out of your comfort zone to take that chance and be vulnerable, and so we were really proud and happy that our community trusted us to take part in that experience,” Brown said. “That has been a little bit surprising, but very exciting.” There are 30 adults signed up for the program, who started with striders — bikes with the pedals removed to build balance and confidence — and are now working on brief leisure rides. Two other programs are in place for more intermediate riders. One is a bike mechanic course, also offered to parents and caregivers. The other is a leisure ride — meant to help encourage caregivers that are new to the community, or Winnipeg in general, to take to the St. Vital community trails. Participants are mainly newcomers, but range from young parents to seniors, and everyone goes home with a bike and helmet to keep. “Just seeing the response from our community has really just sparked our interest in how we can continue building on programming in the future and offer programs in the future years for our community,” Brown said. “When you see an adult take a chance and learn a new skill and have that pride and there’s something so liberating about riding a bike, it’s just such a rewarding program.” Adeyemoh is now looking into more advanced bike riding programs for adults. He’s taken to bike riding, but the chance to meet new people after pandemic-era social distancing while in a new country has been life-changing. He said he knows other adults who would love to take part in a similar program, and hopes it expands to fit more people’s schedules and reaches more people like him. “It was soft, it was gentle, it was fantastic. It was easy to learn,” he said. “And I will say I have grown as a person, not to even add the fact that I made a couple of friends also by converging every Tuesday morning.” Adeyemoh continues getting up bright and early Tuesday mornings to strap on his helmet and work on bike basics. What he’s gained goes far beyond pedals and wheels. “I don’t know how I can actually express how I feel about it,” he said. “But I’m so glad that I got that email, and I took the steps to take advantage of it.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Shared street Bill 21 receives royal assent
by Beth McKechnie 03 Jun '22

03 Jun '22

Included in the bills that received royal assent Wednesday in Manitoba: ● Bill 21 (Highway Traffic Amendment and Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Amendment Act) authorizes municipalities to designate a street as a shared street in which drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and other users have equal priority and must share the road with a speed limit of not more than 20 km/h -- 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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WFP: People-powered Pedal Pub party bike franchise takes happy hour on the road (Jun2'22)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Jun '22

02 Jun '22

SIP AND SPIN People-powered Pedal Pub party bike franchise takes happy hour on the road https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/sip--and-spin-576558052.html WINNIPEG’S newest pub crawl has wheels — and pedals, and a maximum speed of about eight kilometres per hour. If you’re in the Exchange District or Osborne Village, you might see Pedal Pub. It’s hard to miss: 15 people on a rectangular four-wheeled vehicle, possibly singing to music while pedalling the “party bike” onwards to their next drink stop. “We want to have fun with it,” said Rylan Adam, one of Pedal Pub Winnipeg’s owners. Pedallers hit up microbreweries and restaurants — up to four per two-hour tour — and cycle roughly 15 minutes between stops. Adam saw the party bike in action last August, when he was visiting Sioux Falls, S.D. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s really cool, fun — I wonder if Winnipeg has something like that,’” he said. Winnipeg didn’t. So, he and friends Miguel Gauthier and Brandon Guenther looked into franchise opportunities: Pedal Pub has more than 60 locations across North America. The trio received funding through the Canadian Small Business Financing Program and a local credit union to buy three $85,000 bikes and cover franchise expenses. “We wanted to get (this) going as fast as possible,” Adam said. “We just kind of thought, coming out of COVID, everyone’s going to be amped to do something.” The bikes are perfect for special occasions like bachelorette parties, birthdays and corporate events, according to Pedal Pub Winnipeg’s owners. “We’re really focusing on the fact that we’re supporting local,” Adam said. “We’re… trying to bring life back into the businesses that have been hurt by COVID.” A trip through the Exchange District might mean visits to Johnny G’s, The Common, Local Public Eatery and Devil May Care Brewing Company. Over in Osborne, people can buy brews at the Toad in the Hole, Confusion Corner Bar and Grill, Low Life Barrel House and Sookram’s Brewing Company. “The timing couldn’t be better,” said Kevin Byrne, general manager of Confusion Corner Bar and Grill. “I think people are itching to get back out.” About six weeks earlier, Pedal Pub Winnipeg approached Byrne to add Confusion Corner to its roster of stops, Byrne said. “It’s a good partnership,” Byrne said while organizing his 20-table parking- lot patio Wednesday. “You get more people in here that haven’t been here for a long time, and you’re supporting someone else that’s trying to get something off the ground.” Pedal Pub Winnipeg doesn’t take a cut of the profits from bikers’ food and drink purchases. Patrons must finish their drinks before they resume pedalling, and they’re not committing the drinking- and-driving offence they would if they got behind a car’s steering wheel, according to the Winnipeg Police Service. “’Pedal Pub’ is considered a ‘vehicle’ under the (Highway Traffic Act) but does not constitute a ‘motor vehicle,’” Ally Siatecki, a WPS media-relations assistant, wrote in an email. A sober tour guide leads each group. The guide controls the bike’s direction and speed and has an electric assist motor to use if needed, but customers are expected to pull their own weight. “If you’ve got 10 people on there, say, then they need to be pedalling in order to make it move,” Adam said. Pedal Pub Winnipeg didn’t require any City of Winnipeg licences, according to spokesman Kalen Qually. “Similar companies would also not require licensing as long as they can confirm the vehicle they plan to use is compliant with existing regulations,” he wrote. The party bikes are too large for bike lanes and will operate on Winnipeg’s roadways instead, Qually wrote. Adam hopes to eventually have alcohol on the bikes. “We’re always in discussion with the LGCA (Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority),” he said, noting Calgary is among the Pedal Pub locations to offer brews and biking simultaneously. Tours begin Saturday. The bikes will travel on city streets from 11 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., though hours vary by day and location. Groups can book a bike for $549 Monday through Thursday and $599 Friday through Sunday. The company is offering individual-seat tours on Tuesday evenings at $60 a person. Riders must be at least 18. “It’s new experiences like this that help move our industry and Manitoba’s economy forward on our road to recovery,” Lindsay Egan, Travel Manitoba’s partnership manager, said at a news conference. Pedal Pub Winnipeg estimates each tour will elicit $1,200 in spending at local businesses. The bikes have five non-pedalling seats. Fietscafe, a Dutch manufacturer, makes the vehicles. gabrielle.piche(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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CTV News: Winnipeg cyclists irked with city's 'haphazard' clearing of bike lanes (May25'22)
by Beth McKechnie 26 May '22

26 May '22

https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg-cyclists-irked-with-city-s-haphazard-c…

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WFP: City advised to reduce project design spending (May25'22)
by Beth McKechnie 25 May '22

25 May '22

City advised to reduce project design spending THE City of Winnipeg could impose strict criteria for when a project warrants a detailed design, following concerns it has spent millions exploring projects that don’t get built. “It’s city practice to do… functional designs, which are detailed designs of major infrastructure projects. And those things are done in advance of having funding for (the project). As a result, we have a number of them on the books that are designed but they’re not funded,” said Coun. Matt Allard. “We have several projects that have a lot of merit and several projects that should be built, if we had the money. However, if you add them up, it’s clear as day that we don’t have the funding.” Allard, who is council’s public works chairman, is calling for city staff to study the idea of putting conditions in place before money is spent on a functional design. He believes each project should have a class five (quite preliminary) cost estimate and a minimum of 40 per cent of its total price included in Winnipeg’s five-year capital budget forecast to qualify for that design. Allard’s motion calls for future functional designs to include a 30-year forecast of operating and maintenance costs for each project, as well as an assessment of how it will affect the city’s tax base, including the impact of properties acquired to make room for it. If public works agrees, the report would also explore options to have city staff to manage functional designs inhouse, without turning to consultants. “I’m trying to get more information on the table and I would like us to not spend money until we know that there’s a political desire to pursue a project,” said Allard. He estimates the city has spent several million dollars in recent years on consultant studies for major projects that remain unfunded, indefinitely postponed or cancelled. That includes $1.25 million to design a widening and grade separation for Marion Street. That project was abandoned in 2016, largely because its $566-million price was deemed too expensive, said Allard. “I think (these proposed changes are) tightening up our processes so that we don’t spend money before we need to do so,” Allard told his colleagues on the Riel community committee just before they approved the motion on Tuesday. “Why not save millions of dollars, do the political work and then actually build something?” The councillor told the Free Press additional design work on the William R. Clement Parkway, Arlington Bridge, Kenaston Boulevard and Chief Peguis Trail cost a combined $7.9 million, while the related projects have yet to be pursued. In an email, city spokesman Kalen Qually said the public service will review Allard’s specific motion. However, Qually said functional and preliminary design studies are needed to develop cost estimates that are “suitable for budgeting purposes.” He said such work often can’t be completed by city staff. “Many functional designs require specialized engineering expertise that may not exist within the public service. In addition, internal staff resources are not available to undertake the investigations necessary to develop many of these projects,” said Qually. The statement cautioned against deeming the functional design spending to be a waste. “Preliminary work may be completed well ahead of construction so it’s difficult to say certain projects won’t be completed,” he said. The public works committee will consider Allard’s motion on June 9. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Cyclists urge city to prioritize major bike routes for street sweeping (May23'22)
by Beth McKechnie 23 May '22

23 May '22

Cyclists urge city to prioritize major bike routes for street sweeping Grinding their gears https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/grinding-their-gears-576527232.html AFTER carefully steering through a layer of road sand on key bike lanes to avoid losing their grip, some cyclists are urging the city to guarantee a quicker spring cleanup in the future. Bicycle commuters argue it’s time the busiest active transportation routes and on-road bike lanes are prioritized to promptly sweep away the debris. “At this time of year, the existing infrastructure … is not properly maintained and it makes it borderline impassable in a lot of spots,” said Evan Krosney, who regularly commutes to work by bike. “The winter that we’ve had has certainly exacerbated the problem this year but it is a recurring scene.” Krosney recently took his complaints to social media, tweeting images of the Maryland Street bike lane, between Broadway and Sara Avenue, which he said was still not cleaned up by Friday. “The bike lanes that are most heavily used seem to fall to the bottom of the priority list,” he said. Krosney is urging the city to prioritize major bike routes for street sweeping, in a similar fashion to the snow-clearing schedule, which bases the plowing order on the demand level for each type of route. Cyclist Julie Penner said she expected some delay on bike lane sweeping due to this year’s spring snowstorms. But she questions why her own quiet residential street was cleaned weeks ago, while at least part of a key bike route connecting Wolseley to the downtown was only partially cleared this week. “There were so many examples of … unsafe cycling conditions that I had to stop and just start taking pictures. In some areas, you kind of just have to cycle at a crawl basically, because if you’re going to be making turns and there’s so much gravel, you run the risk of wiping out,” said Penner. After tweeting her photos of the route, Penner received a social media response from the city that noted spring cleanup will continue until June 19, urging her to report any routes that aren’t cleared by that date. “It’s a month away. That to me is not acceptable,” said Penner. Active transportation advocates argue the city should give bike routes a higher spring cleaning priority because excess gravel and sand can prove more treacherous to bicycles than motorized vehicles. “(At some spots) there’s probably three inches of sand sitting in the bike lane and that’s more than enough to easily cause someone to lose control of their bike… If you’re making a turn, it’s very easy to lose that contact with the pavement. It’s almost like you’re back on ice,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Cohoe said quicker cleaning of the routes would support Winnipeg’s goal to combat climate change by making it easier for more residents to switch from single-passenger vehicles to active transportation. Anders Swanson, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, said spring cleaning delays pose a “chronic issue” for cyclists. “At some point… a proper bike lane network (must be) maintained to a standard that makes everybody feel safe and comfortable, period. And that includes not having a beach in the middle of a bike lane,” said Swanson. Current city policy does not set a demand- based priority system for street and bike lane sweeping. That differs from the standards for Winnipeg snow clearing, which require the busiest streets and active transportation routes to be cleared first, said Michael Cantor, the city’s manager of streets maintenance. Instead, a spring maintenance program targets set geographic zones for clearing, with the goal of ensuring entire areas can be cleaned up quickly while minimizing traffic and noise concerns, he said. “There’s no priority system, really. In spring cleanup, we are cleaning the (non-regional bus routes and collector streets) and (residential) streets during the days and the (major routes) during the night because of traffic. So we do everything at the same time,” said Cantor. He said it would be possible for council to change the policy and add a priority element for clearing the busiest bike lanes and paths but that would cost taxpayers more. “It’s a matter of resources and budget and what the city would like to do to do it faster and sooner. Bottom line, it’s always about funding,” said Cantor. The current spring cleanup process is expected to cost the city about $6 million this year and usually takes about six weeks to complete. Cantor noted inclement weather has played a key role in delaying the cleanup this year. The city wasn’t able to start street and path sweeping until May 1, when it’s usually able to do so by mid-April. Even after it finally stopped snowing and began warming up, a series of rainstorms caused some additional delays, Cantor said. The process is now expected to wrap up around June 24, instead of the usual June 1. “It’s really weather dependent and this a ripple effect from this interesting winter that we had, when we had lots of snow and melting snow, so it was wet all the time. And we had rain events, so it’s kind of a perfect storm happening for us,” he said. City crews had swept about 33 per cent of all Winnipeg bike lanes by Thursday afternoon. While cyclists have complained about some residential roads being swept before major bike lanes, Cantor said it’s tough to compare the two. He noted buffered bike lanes require smaller equipment to access, meaning they’re maintenance dates compete for resources with sidewalks, not roads. “We sweep all of the inventory within six weeks. There will be streets that will be swept on the last week and there will be bike paths that will be swept on the (last week),” said Cantor. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Approved, paid-for bike, walking lanes didn’t appear when roads rebuilt (May21'22)
by Beth McKechnie 21 May '22

21 May '22

Approved, paid-for bike, walking lanes didn’t appear when roads rebuilt Missing: active pathways, millions to pay for them https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/missing-active-pathways-millions-to… ON paper, it seems like a pair of simple projects that could easily be done to move Winnipeg’s active transportation agenda forward. But like most things in the city, what is budgeted and what actually happens are two different things. In the case of the bike-lane and multi-use path projects, the cost of which total $2.2 million and were supposed to be completed last year, no one can clearly explain why the work wasn’t done. Or where the money went. The University Crescent road reconstruction project was launched with Phase 1 of construction beginning in 2021 and Phase 2 scheduled for this year. City council approved $9.9 million for the project, including $900,000 for a protected bike lane in the first phase, and $1.2 million for active transportation infrastructure in the second. But there was no bike lane when last year’s construction was completed. The council-approved 2015 pedestrian and cycling strategy identified the location (near the University of Manitoba) as one of the highest priorities in the city for active transportation infrastructure. Coun. Matt Allard, who chairs the public works committee, said he’s repeatedly asked that department and chief administrative officer Michael Jack what happened on the project and why the bike lane wasn’t built — to no avail. “I’m concerned. I’m frustrated. I’m waiting for answers,” said Allard (St. Boniface). “I’ve had multiple meetings with staff from the public works department. I’ve had a meeting with the CAO. I’ve requested a subsequent meeting with the CAO. “There is a lot of uncertainty in terms of what is going on, as it pertains to approved budgets, council policies and what has happened on the ground.” The city refused a Free Press request for an interview with staff about the University Crescent project. Instead, Ken Allen, communications co-ordinator for the public works department, sent a written statement. “The project is ongoing and certain sections have been completed. Work on completing the entire active transportation pathway is contingent on finalizing land acquisition and addressing land drainage issues,” Allen wrote. But he did not address the request for details on why the protected bike lane wasn’t built and what happened to the $900,000 set aside for its construction. Allard said the University Crescent project is not a one-off. The city’s budget set aside $1.3 million for a multi-use path on Keewatin Street near the Logan Avenue underpass, to be completed last summer as part of a road rehabilitation project. The path wasn’t built, and it’s not clear where the money went. In his written statement, Allen said the $1.3 million earmarked for the path had been “erroneously identified” in both the 2021 capital budget and the 2015 pedestrian and cycling strategy. In other words, the city set aside $1.3 million for an active transportation project — in both its 2015 long-term strategy document and its 2021 budget — by mistake. “With that said, a preliminary design study is underway to identify potential off-road active transportation options, including budget and scope, to connect Selkirk to Burrows. There will be no re-work required related to last year’s pavement rehabilitation,” Allen wrote. Allard said the issue is bigger than just the University Crescent and Keewatin Street examples. He points to a 2008 council motion and the council-approved 2015 pedestrian and cycling strategy, which state that building the city’s active transportation network will be tied to annual road work. “It was understood at the time that we voted on this, that we would build the network incrementally. So, piece by piece, the network would be built… using the road-renewal budget, and eventually we’d have a complete active transportation network,” Allard said. “I’ve been voting for budgets — budget after budget — with the understanding that, despite the very large, record spending on roads, in the event that roads were identified (by the 2015 strategy), that those roads would be getting active transportation treatments.” But he pointed to at least three other cases — on Roblin Boulevard, Hargrave Street and Day Street — where that work wasn’t done. “What’s concerning is we’ve got streets which have clearly identified, prescribed treatments for active transportation, and yet they didn’t happen. The streets got reconstructed and the active transportation isn’t there,” he said. “And I’m concerned and I’m frustrated that despite the budgets, despite the policies in place, the public service is renewing and rehabilitating these roads without the required active transportation components.” Dave Elmore, one of the founding directors of Bike Winnipeg, said the city’s pedestrian and cycling strategy is not ambitious enough. “We’re not seeing the kind of funding required to even meet their so-called award-winning strategy.… They’re simply not following through with the funding required to make it happen — not even close,” Elmore said. “The city has indicated that with road renewals, active transportation will be considered. But it hasn’t always happened. And it’s been disappointing to watch.” Allard said he has requested a report from the public works department explaining what active transportation projects are planned for this year, and what projects have not been done in the past — in contravention of the city’s 2008 and 2015 policies. The public service was given until September to produce the report. “If the issue is not council policy, if the issue is not council budgets, then the issue is with the public service, and the public service implementing council policy and council budgets as they are written… I have a number of outstanding questions,” he said. “There were projects constructed with explicit dollars assigned for active transportation. It wasn’t built and I don’t know where those monies are at… In a nutshell: I feel like I didn’t get what I paid for. I didn’t get what I voted for.” A request for comment sent to the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers was not responded to by deadline. Allard said he is hopeful answers will be forthcoming in September. If not, he said an audit would be the last available avenue to get to the bottom of what’s been going on. “Ultimately, I don’t just want answers. I want projects getting built,” he said. “I want projects getting built for the budgets we approved and the policies we approved.” ryan.thorpe(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe

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WFP: Mayoral hopeful vows to bus, cycle and walk the climate walk (May20'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 May '22

20 May '22

Mayoral hopeful vows to bus, cycle and walk the climate walk SHAUN Loney promises to walk, bike, bus or carpool to city hall if he’s elected to become Winnipeg’s next mayor. Loney expects the pledge, made Thursday, would allow him to leave most of the mayor’s $550 monthly transportation allowance unspent. “In my career working downtown, I have commuted actively or with transit. In fact, sometimes I skate or canoe, if I’ve got time. It’s my normal practice, but, primarily, I really want Winnipeggers who want a big-city transit system, who value active transportation, to know I am their candidate in this election,” he said. Loney said he hopes to spend just $50 per month of the allowance to load his Peggo card to use Winnipeg Transit instead. However, the current expense policy notes “normal daily travel between home and the normal work location (i.e. city hall)” is not an eligible expense for the mayor to claim, since the funding is meant to cover other costs, such as workday trips, mileage and parking. Loney said he would cover alternative travel expenses through his discretionary budget, if needed, while pursuing council changes to the policy itself. The social enterprise leader hopes his commitment will highlight the value of public and active transportation, options he will make future pledges to improve. “If we’re going to have a big-city public transportation system, Winnipeggers need to use it because it’s the best option for them... We want something that people take… because it’s faster, it’s cheaper and it’s more convenient,” he said. Over four years, he says reliance on public transportation, instead of a personal vehicle, could save thousands of dollars that could be used to purchase bus tickets for clients of non-profit support groups. That would also require a change to the current mayoral expense policy, which automatically diverts unspent funds to the city’s general revenues. Coun. Matt Allard, council’s public works chairman, welcomed the commitment to rely on greener transportation options to commute to city hall. “I think initiatives by leaders like that in the community, who are visible and who are able to promote that message, are good… as someone who is running for public office, (that example could) encourage other people to do it,” said Allard. The St. Boniface councillor said some residents have told him his own pledge to exclusively commute by Winnipeg Transit throughout January 2018 inspired them to follow suit. Four years later, he remains a regular bus rider. Seven other mayoral candidates have registered to run for mayor so far, including Jenny Motkaluk, Don Woodstock, Christopher Clacio, Rick Shone, Scott Gillingham, Robert-Falcon Ouellette and Idris Ademuyiwa Adelakun. Mayor Brian Bowman is not running for re-election. In an email, Gillingham said he frequently rides a bike or bus to work as the city councillor for St. James. Woodstock told the Free Press he “strongly supports” biking, walking and public transportation to get around, and he also owns an electric car. The remaining candidates could not be reached for comment. Winnipeggers will elect their next mayor and council on Oct. 26. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Winnipeg pedestrian killed in hit, run and cyclist critically injured (May19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 19 May '22

19 May '22

Cyclist critically injured after being struck by garbage truck in separate incident Winnipeg pedestrian killed in hit, run https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/winnipeg-pedestrian-killed-in-hit-r… A PEDESTRIAN has died and a cyclist is in critical condition after two collisions in less than six hours on Winnipeg streets. City police had not yet identified the drivers in either of the apparent hit-and-runs, nor the woman who died, as of late Wednesday afternoon. Police said first responders went to the intersection of Henry and Higgins avenues at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a pedestrian collision. They found a seriously injured woman lying in the road; she later died in hospital. Traffic investigators have not yet identified the victim, police said Wednesday. She is described as Indigenous, 45 to 55 years old, with a small, thin build and shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair. She was wearing brightly coloured galaxy-print sweatpants and a grey sweatshirt, with white, pink and yellow New Balance runners. She had “Klyde love you” tattooed on her right wrist and “Rohdy” in half of a red heart, as well as a star symbol tattooed on her left forearm. Police ask anyone with information to call the traffic division at 204-986-7085 or the police non-emergency line at 204-986-6222 after hours. A heavy police presence remained in the mostly industrial area near the Canadian Pacific rail yard early Wednesday, as a forensics officer photographed evidence markers laid out in the street. Hours later, in the West End, a cyclist was critically injured after he was struck by a garbage truck. Police said officers responded to a collision at the intersection of Erin Street and Sargent Avenue at about 5 a.m. The man, in his 30s, was taken to hospital. Initial investigation indicates the cyclist was struck by the truck, which then drove off, noting it’s too early to say whether the driver was aware of the collision, police said. It’s unclear what company the truck belonged to; traffic investigators are still seeking to identify it and the driver. When asked whether the red light camera in the area was operating at the time of the collision, a City of Winnipeg spokesman would not comment, instead directing the Free Press to police. As of mid-Wednesday, the one-way Erin Street remained blocked off to south-bound traffic, as debris sat strewn across the street. Two crumpled bicycles, both belonging to the injured cyclist, lay in the middle of the road, along with clothing. A forensics officer carrying a camera walked through the scene behind yellow tape, while other police stood watch in the area, before they packed the evidence into the back of a van. “It’s a bad corner, someone’s always running a light,” said Gerald Dudley, 65. “If you go on the corner over there, you’ll see all the auto parts, there’s pieces all over the place all the time.” Dudley, who has lived on nearby Clifton Street for 41 years, said he knows someone who was recently hit at the intersection while riding their bicycle by a driver who ran a red light. Police also asked anyone with information on the Erin Street collision to call the traffic division. erik.pindera(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera

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NHTSA estimates show traffic fatalities reached a 16-year high in 2021; up 10.5% over 2020 - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 18 May '22

18 May '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/05/20220518-nhtsa.html Bike fataloties up 5%

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FW: [EXTERNAL] Free webinar – Encouraging active transportation for children
by Kristine Hayward 17 May '22

17 May '22

Hi AT folks. Upcoming webinar by Parachute on Encouraging AT for Children – May 31 and the theme for Safe Kids Week -May 30-June 5 is making roads and transportation safer for kids so they can #WalkBIkeAndWheel See information and links below. K Kristine Hayward (she/her) Physical Activity Promotion Coordinator Population Public Health Winnipeg Regional Health Authority 2nd floor - 490 Hargrave Street (currently working from home) Winnipeg, MB R3A 0X7 Telephone 204 232-7546 Fax 204 940-2690 Email khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca Bike racks are available in front of the building at the corner of Hargrave and McDermot. Plan your Winnipeg Transit trip: http://winnipegtransit.com/en/navigo Metered street parking and pay lots in the area – please note designated loading zones and spots requiring a disability permit. Follow Winnipeg in motion on Twitter - @wpginmotion<https://twitter.com/search?q=wpginmotion&src=typd> Check out our videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/Winnipeginmotion Scent Free Facility - visitors are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes/colognes/heavy-scented lotions/oils We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. From: Parachute Vision Zero Network <info(a)parachute.ca> Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2022 9:05 AM To: Kristine Hayward <KHayward(a)wrha.mb.ca> Subject: [EXTERNAL] Free webinar – Encouraging active transportation for children [https://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?ca=eeedbfdb-3d90-41c6-8562-d7c21b3a0af0&a=110361…] [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/9a8d2976-3aa8-45a2-a823-d9aad…] Parachute Vision Zero presents: Encouraging active transportation for children [https://files.constantcontact.com/81471b4f001/8bc69cb7-39a8-4cb4-bdc7-a7351…] Tuesday May 31, 2022 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET Active transportation – such as waking, biking and wheeling – are sustainable forms of mobility that not only gets us to where we want to go, but also improve our physical and mental wellbeing. Join moderator Pamela Fuselli, President & CEO of Parachute, as we discuss how to create and sustain active spaces for children to get to and from school and move though their communities safely. Panel Dr. Leigh Vanderloo Scientific Director ParticipACTION Dr. Alison MacPherson Professor Faculty of Health York University Dr. Suzanne Beno Paediatric Emergency Medicine physician Hospital for Sick Children Register<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ki302aZBZWYKIrnOdFgPDwfiNsAVHX0O9lE_bsqB9Xc…> More info at parachute.ca/webinar<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ki302aZBZWYKIrnOdFgPDwfiNsAVHX0O9lE_bsqB9Xc…> Supported by Desjardins Safe Kids Week May 30 to June 5 promotes #WalkBikeAndWheel Check out and share our resources<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ki302aZBZWYKIrnOdFgPDwfiNsAVHX0O9lE_bsqB9Xc…> and information to help parents and caregivers encourage their children to #WalkBikeAndWheel. Parachute’s vision is to make the roads safer so that every kid can walk, cycle or wheel to encourage mental, physical, social and emotional well-being. Find out more<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ki302aZBZWYKIrnOdFgPDwfiNsAVHX0O9lE_bsqB9Xc…> [null]<https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ki302aZBZWYKIrnOdFgPDwfiNsAVHX0O9lE_bsqB9Xc…> Parachute | 150 Eglinton Ave. East, Suite 300, Toronto, Ontario M4P 1E8 Canada Unsubscribe khayward(a)wrha.mb.ca<https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=un&m=001ZH8cm0mwpXVSIl5hbMkk5w%3D&…> Update Profile<https://visitor.constantcontact.com/do?p=oo&m=001ZH8cm0mwpXVSIl5hbMkk5w%3D&…> | Constant Contact Data Notice<https://www.constantcontact.com/legal/customer-contact-data-notice> Sent by info(a)parachute.ca<mailto:info@parachute.ca> powered by [Trusted Email from Constant Contact - Try it FREE today.]<http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF21_3GE&pn=whiteboards…> Try email marketing for free today!<http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=nge&rmc=VF21_3GE&pn=whiteboards…> Disclaimer : This email (including any attachments or enclosed documents) is intended for the addressee(s) only and may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. Any unauthorized use, disclosure, distribution, copying or dissemination is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please notify the sender immediately, return the original (if applicable) and delete the email. Avis : Le présent courriel (y compris toute pièce jointe) est destiné à la personne ou aux personnes à qui il est adressé, et peut contenir des renseignements confidentiels, privés ou protégés par un privilège juridique. Toute utilisation, divulgation, distribution, copie ou diffusion non autorisée est strictement défendue. Si vous avez reçu le présent courriel par erreur, veuillez en informer immédiatement l’expéditeur, retourner l’original (le cas échéant) et supprimer ce courriel.

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WFP Analysis: More city than we can pay for (May16'22)
by Beth McKechnie 16 May '22

16 May '22

More city than we can pay for https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/more-city-than-we-can-pa… AS people in Winnipeg emerged from a long, frigid and snowy winter, they found a city with roads bearing a striking resemblance to the surface of the moon. This, despite the City of Winnipeg having had its highest road renewal budget in history for each of the last three years. With drought followed by flood, freezing followed by thaw, Manitoba gumbo has been having its way with our city’s roads. We can’t change the weather, or the soil, and significantly raising taxes wouldn’t be popular, so how will we ever manage our worsening pothole problem? There is one straightforward answer — build fewer roads and get more people to live on the ones we already have. The solution to managing potholes is simple math that reads like a Grade 9 pop quiz. If 10 taxpayers live on a street that is one kilometre long, each one pays to maintain 100 metres of road. If 10 taxpayers live on a street that is one and a half kilometres long, each one pays to maintain 150 meters of road. Every tax dollar being stretched more thinly by lower density means reduced maintenance and more potholes. It’s a simplistic example, but this is precisely what has happened in Winnipeg, and in most sprawling North American cities, over the last 50 years. Since the 1970s, Winnipeg’s low-density, suburban growth patterns have resulted in the population increasing by 37 per cent while the built area of the city has almost doubled. Each taxpayer today is responsible for about 40 per cent more land area and its corresponding infrastructure. Looking at infrastructure such as water pipes, according to the city, each Winnipegger today is responsible for nearly 2.5 times more length of pipe than they were in the 1940s, 70 per cent more than in the 1970s. The math is simple. We have built more city than we can pay for, and our moonscape roads are the result. Looking deeper, the math doesn’t get better. An excellent source of information regarding the cost of Winnipeg’s growth can be found at the Dear Winnipeg Blog (dearwinnipeg.com), written by Michel Durand-Wood. He found that the replacement cost for all of Winnipeg’s roads is about $17 billion, and if we maintain our current road renewal budgets, again, the largest in the city’s history, the replacement cycle will be more than 100 years. The only solution to our infrastructure deficit is to rethink what growth looks like in Winnipeg and begin embracing higher density and more diverse residential and commercial development in our existing neighbourhoods. Locating more development around infrastructure that is already in place, and less development on the periphery of the city that requires new infrastructure to be built, is the only way we will ever inch towards greater economic sustainability. The infrastructure in most need of replacement, for now, exists in older neighbourhoods. The combined sewer system is an important example. Replacing the system is non-negotiable and it will cost billions of dollars to do. To be most cost-effective, our goal must be to have as many people as possible using and paying for that new infrastructure, instead of spending money to replace it while also building new elsewhere. This example translates to all infrastructure and city services, including roads, pipes, sewers, fire halls, community centres, libraries, transit, snow clearing and everything the city pays for. The more taxpayers sharing it, the less costly and the better maintained it will be. By growing our existing neighbourhoods, we will also be investing in our most productive tax base. Despite being filled with high-value homes, new suburbs typically generate far less tax revenue than less-affluent inner-city neighbourhoods because of their lower overall density. Central neighbourhoods like Wolseley, West Broadway, Spence and Earl Grey generate between 50 and 80 per cent more taxes per hectare than new suburbs built on the edge of the city. Osborne Village generates more than twice as much tax revenue per hectare than Bridgwater, Whyte Ridge or Island Lakes. This is also true for commercial development. The single block of Corydon Avenue between Daly and Cockburn streets is lined with old, nondescript, two- and three-storey buildings and shops, but its collective assessed tax value is equal to a Costco in south Winnipeg that uses five times more land area, contributing significantly to the city’s overall footprint, infrastructure and maintenance costs. Not only does the compact nature of mature neighbourhoods produce more revenue, but it also significantly reduces the city’s cost to service them. A study by the Halifax Regional Municipality found that when all infrastructure and public services are calculated, an average home in a central neighbourhood costs $1,416 per year to support, compared to $3,462 in a distant suburb. By embracing density and infill growth, welcoming change in our neighbourhoods and creating policies that support a more compact urban form, we can grow our most productive tax base and spend less to service it. We can complain about soils, weather and construction techniques, but in the end the severity of our pothole problem comes down to simple math. The only solution is to change the equation. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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St. Boniface Bike Route Survey (closes June 14th)
by Beth McKechnie 14 May '22

14 May '22

ST. BONIFACE BIKE ROUTE UNDER CONSIDERATION THE City of Winnipeg wants the public’s help to select a new active transportation route between St. Boniface and downtown. The path would create a link for pedestrians and cyclists to travel between the Esplanade Riel footbridge/ Provencher Bridge and the multi-use path on Archibald Street south of Nairn Avenue. After the first round of public consultations, the city will seek feedback on three possible route options west of the Seine River and one that runs east of the river, including: • West option A: Provencher Boulevard (as a standalone route through the area). • West option B: A combination route that serves neighbourhoods both north and south of Provencher Boulevard with parallel routes on de la Cathedrale Avenue (south of Provencher Boulevard) and Notre Dame Street (north of Provencher Boulevard). • West option C: A combination route that serves neighbourhoods both north and south of Provencher with parallel routes on de la Cathedrale (south of Provencher) and Dumoulin Street (north of Provencher). • East recommended design: Nadeau Street / Notre Dame Street / La Fleche Street / La Verendrye Street to connect to Archibald Street. Winnipeggers can share their thoughts on the proposed routes through a city survey or at a public event between now and June 14. For information on the options to provide feedback, visit winnipeg.ca/stbtodowntown.

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New Date, More Tickets! Transportation for a Strong Town
by Mel Marginet 05 May '22

05 May '22

On Wednesday, May 25th Green Action Centre will welcome Strong Towns’ Charles Marohn to Winnipeg. Charles released *Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town* in 2021. This book is a follow-up to *Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity*. In this book tour presentation, Marohn demonstrates how the values of engineers and other transportation professionals are applied in the design process, and how those priorities differ from the values of the general public. By showing how transportation investments are a means to an end and not an end unto themselves, Marohn reveals how the standard approach to issues like fighting congestion, addressing speeding, and designing intersections only makes transportation problems worse, at great cost in terms of both safety and resources. By contrast, the Strong Towns approach to transportation focuses on bottom-up techniques for spending less and getting higher returns, all while improving quality of life for residents of a community. Green Action Centre is thrilled to be working with Peg City Car Co-op Philip Mikulec, Erik Dickson of the City of Winnipeg’s Transportation Division and Michel Durand-Wood to plan an exciting and impactful event for the Manitoba audience. *More tickets are now available for* *The Confessions Tour: Transportation for a Strong Town <https://greenactioncentre.ca/healthy-travel/the-confessions-tour-transporta…>, which was previously SOLD OUT when we had to reschedule due to the April blizzard*. GET TICKETS <https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-confessions-tour-transportation-for-a-stron…>Like many cities in Canada, Winnipeg has gone through a period of record growth, and yet our financial position has never been worse. Our approach to transportation results in a dozen deaths on average every year and hundreds of residents with serious or life-altering injuries. What did we get wrong, and what can we do now, and into the future, to ensure we have a successful transportation system that contributes to the quality of life of all residents? The lessons Charles shares will apply to those in Winnipeg as well as municipalities across the province. Whether you are a planner, developer, transportation engineer, municipal leader or community advocate, you will want to attend this important event. Following Charles’ keynote, attendees will be divided into groups to participate in a series of breakout sessions to bring the high-level concepts to the local reality around us. Be part of the transportation transformation in your town! *ABOUT CHARLES MAROHN* Charles Marohn, known as “Chuck” to friends and colleagues, is the founder and president of Strong Towns. He is a professional engineer and a land use planner with decades of experience. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, both from the University of Minnesota. Marohn is the author of *Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity* (Wiley, 2019), and of *Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town* (Wiley, 2021). He hosts the Strong Towns Podcast <https://www.strongtowns.org/podcast> and is a primary writer for Strong Towns’ web content <https://www.strongtowns.org/>. He has presented Strong Towns concepts in hundreds of cities and towns across North America. Planetizen named him one of the 10 Most Influential Urbanists of all time. Thank you to our sponsors for making The Confessions Tour: Transportation for a Strong Town possible! [image: Logos (2).jpg] *Mel Marginet* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x112 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> **Note: I work two days a week at Green Action Centre and it may take a few * *days to respond to you. * *We are located on Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The water we drink comes from Shoal Lake First Nation. * 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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Manitoba government investing in two Winnipeg trails
by Beth McKechnie 01 May '22

01 May '22

CTV News: https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/manitoba-government-investing-in-two-winnipeg-t… Provincial news release: https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=54344&posted=2022-04-30 WFP: TWO NEW TRAILS GET $600K IN FUNDING THE provincial government is spending $600,000 on two new cyclist and pedestrian trails in Winnipeg. On Saturday, the province announced two projects have been approved under the Trails Grant fund. There is $450,000 going toward a 2.4-kilometre multi-use path west of McPhillips Street between Leila and Church Avenues. It’s called the Northwest Hydro Corridor Construction Project and is expected to include lighting, benches and new pedestrian and cyclist traffic signals. As well, the province is putting $150,000 toward connecting The Forks and Chief Peguis Trail via the North Winnipeg Parkway Active Transportation Project. The Trails Grant for Winnipeg is part of a $10-million endowment fund from the provincial government, in partnership with Trails Manitoba and The Winnipeg Foundation, the province stated in a news release.

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Sunday bike routes start in May
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '22

30 Apr '22

WFP: SUNDAY BIKE ROUTES START NEXT MONTH Motorists will soon be slowing down on 15 city streets starting next month for the summer and fall. The city announced Friday that during the first three weeks of May it will be putting signage up reminding motorists to slow down to 30 km/h 24 hours per day, seven days a week, on the streets until Oct. 31. The streets include Wellington Crescent, from the Maryland Bridge to Academy Road, Lyndale Drive from Cromwell to Gauvin streets, and Scotia Street from Armstrong to Anderson avenues. CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-open-streets-bike-route-1.… CoW press release: https://winnipeg.ca/cao/media/news/nr_2022/nr_20220429.stm#4

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WFP Analysis: EVs not a ‘silver bullet’ solution (Apr25'22)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Apr '22

25 Apr '22

EVs not a ‘silver bullet’ solution https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/evs-not-a-silver-bullet-… AS governments across the world struggle to meet quickly approaching climate change targets, electric vehicles have begun to find their way into the spotlight. The “Build Back Better” plan in the U.S. and Canada’s 2022 federal budget both focus efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector on incentivizing “zero emission vehicles” (ZEVs). Transportation is Canada’s second largest source of GHG emissions, responsible for 25 per cent of the country’s total. In cities such as Winnipeg, vehicle tailpipes are the source of half of all emissions. It is also clear, however, that electric vehicles are not an “easy button” solution to climate change. A 2,000-kilogram machine transporting an 80-kilogram human cargo for almost every trip made outside of the home is not a sustainable solution, regardless of the machine’s power plant. There are many studies that try to quantify ZEVs’ emissions, and the consistent conclusion is that no car is truly a zero-emission vehicle. For a more complete picture, the current focus on tailpipe emissions must be broadened to include the carbon footprint of all facets of a vehicle’s life cycle. When factoring in the manufacturing emissions created during raw-materials extraction, production and shipping, as well as emissions from the electrical grid during its use, it has been found that an electric vehicle has about half the overall carbon footprint of a gasoline vehicle. This is an important reduction that will only improve over time, but threatening to counteract these gains is the fact that every 20 years there are 50 per cent more vehicles on Canadian roads. They are also getting larger, which increases manufacturing emissions, battery sizes and energy use. Over the last two decades, the share of trucks and SUVs has grown from 30 per cent to 80 per cent. In our ever-shortening climate-crisis timeline, market absorption also creates a challenge for ZEVs. A new study done at Polytechnique Montréal found that to meet that city’s 2030 emissions reduction targets, more than 60 per cent of vehicles on the road will need to be ZEVs. Many projections show that even with federal incentives, by 2030 only 11 per cent of vehicles will be electric, with 60 per cent likely not being reached until 2050. Extensive vehicle electrification is important, but it will only get us part way to our transportation emissions targets. A complete solution will require serious investment in strategies that fundamentally reduce the amount we drive. Key to this will be investing heavily in alternate forms of transportation, including public transit, to provide convenient mobility alternatives. The focus has been on electrification, but for that to be an effective climate policy, priority should be given to investments that increase ridership. Electrification of public transit creates headlines, but the environmental benefits of public transit are actually realized when more people get out of their cars and onto a bus. If we made public transit sufficiently attractive to reduce emissions from private vehicles by only two per cent, it would have the same environmental impact as electrifying every transit vehicle in Canada. More effective policy would fast-track rapid transit construction, significantly increase service frequency and reliability, and provide strong connectivity to make transit effective for everyday use. Most Canadian cities developed around a pervasive streetcar system that was its primary mode of motorized transportation. We can take inspiration from our past and re-establish a public transit system that is no longer an afterthought, but instead is a well-integrated and desirable mobility option for everyone. Creating an effective system of alternative mobility, including public transit, walking or biking, is more complex than simply buying more buses or building bike lanes. Land-use policies must carefully dovetail with transportation planning to realize success. We can again learn from our past, when streetcar neighbourhoods were built with higher densities and grid pattern streets that provided walkable access to shops and public transit. When new neighbourhoods were built, the street grids and transit routes were simply extended, instead of the disconnected subdivisions and commercial power centres we build today that make cars the only viable transportation option. On average, Canadians drive 25 per cent farther each day than they did 20 years ago. By limiting suburban sprawl on the periphery of the city and implementing policies that promote infill development, such as higher allowable densities and reduced parking requirements, more compact and walkable neighbourhoods will result. This will allow more people to live closer to their daily services and amenities, making walking, busing and biking more viable options. Zoning and land-use policies can also emphasize the development of “complete streets” that reallocate vehicle space to alternate transportation such as bike lanes, priority transit lanes and wider sidewalks. These streets can be higher density with walkable access to employment, commerce and recreation. Electric vehicles are an important part of our climate change policy, but they are not a silver bullet. They must dovetail with effective government policies and budgets that promote greater use of public transportation and alternative modes of travel. Our challenge is great, and the time is now to make impactful changes for our future. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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CBC: Pedal-powered plastic shredder helps Winnipeg's ArtsJunktion get creative for Earth Week
by Beth McKechnie 22 Apr '22

22 Apr '22

Great story: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pedal-powered-plastic-recycling-win…

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WFP Editorial: More work needed to make city bike-friendly (Apr18'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Apr '22

20 Apr '22

Winnipeg’s active transportation network needs all the help it can get. As such, a proposal to continue the city’s "open streets" program through this summer, and beyond, is a welcome development. The plan — renamed the "enhanced summer bike route program" after the city realized encouraging pedestrians to mingle with vehicles on roadways was in contravention of the Highway Traffic Act — has been tweaked for 2022 and is awaiting council approval. Changes include dropping weekday speed limits to 30 km/h and limiting wholesale street closures to weekends and holidays on many routes. Residents along Wellington Avenue who opposed the street’s closure last year will be pleased to see the thoroughfare has been excluded from the program for the upcoming season. City planners concurred that a protected bike lane through the neighbourhood would be more useful. The seasonal transportation mode shift along residential roads has been celebrated (and enjoyed) by many, and the program is a rare example of the city prioritizing cyclists over drivers. At least some of the time. Safe cycling routes are the first step to encouraging more people to hop on a bike — and Winnipeg needs a lot more people to hop on bikes if it wants to meet the objectives outlined in the city’s OurWinnipeg 2045 planning document. The aspirational plan pushes for a sustainable transportation system that relies less on personal vehicles and more on low-carbon public and active transportation. Within the document, cycling is promoted as a cost-effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve community health. Unfortunately, it’s a choice that, at the moment, presents more barriers than benefits locally. The summer bike routes are great for recreational users, since they allow cyclists to enjoy scenic areas of the city without having to duck and dodge vehicle traffic. However, many of the 14 routes proposed are mere islands of safety. Few connect directly with established bike paths and, unless you live in the neighbourhood, most require traversing busy main roads to gain access. Churchill Drive, for example, offers pleasant views of the Red River, but visiting cyclists have to deal with bridges, train tracks, under- and over-passes before they can catch a glimpse. Cycling advocates have long called on officials to create a connected network of bike lanes that allows people to move through all areas of the city safely and with ease. Yet for many Winnipeggers, cycling still isn’t a viable way to get to work, go grocery shopping or pick the kids up from school. The system is too fractured, and most commutes, depending on where you live, require riders to mix with cars or pedestrians for at least part of the journey. Progress has been made in recent years, with protected paths cropping up throughout the city, but Winnipeg has a long way to go before it can claim to be bicycle-friendly — or even bicycle-tolerant. Recreational biking can be a gateway to commuter cycling. The enhanced summer bike route program was born out of the pandemic, but has proven it has permanent appeal. Based on uptake (many routes saw hundreds of cyclists daily), it also has the potential to get more people thinking about their bikes as an everyday mode of transportation. It’s clear Winnipeggers want to cycle. It’s up to the city to create a clear path forward.

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Why ‘Vision Zero’ Hit a Wall
by Beth McKechnie 14 Apr '22

14 Apr '22

An excellent read if you haven't come across it yet: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-04-11/-vision-zero-at-a-crossr… cheers, Beth -- Beth McKechnie (she/her) *| *Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3777 x102 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> *Green Action Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininew, Anishininiwag, Dakota, and Dene Peoples, and the homeland of* *the Métis Nation. We acknowledge that our water is sourced from Shoal Lake 40 First Nation and that our hydro is sourced from numerous First Nations here in Manitoba**. * Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://www.gomanitoba.ca>

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WFP Analysis: Time to get people back on the bus (Apr1'1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Apr '22

11 Apr '22

Time to get people back on the bus https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/time-to-get-people-back-… AS reported in the Free Press (“Advertising campaign aims to attract riders back to Transit,” March 22), Winnipeg Transit has started advertising to bring riders back. Renewing interest in public transit is an important first step, both locally and nationally. However, much more must be done to truly resurrect transit across Canada. As part of a study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Infrastructure Canada, we investigated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transit and active transportation in Canadian municipalities. Prior to COVID-19, as seen in the 2011 and 2016 census results, Winnipeg had been doing rather well in terms of transit ridership. But then the pandemic arrived in March 2020, causing a near-total collapse in monthly transit ridership and fare revenues both locally and across Canada. The number of transit passenger trips fell from 161 million in February 2020 to 26 million in April, after the onset of the pandemic. Monthly ridership has since been inching upward, but only to about half of pre-pandemic levels. We identified several reasons for the collapse. First, there were the shifts to remote work or telecommuting, and to online education, especially in post-secondary education. These shifts account for a fair amount of the decline in demand. Second, social-distancing requirements had the effect of reducing transit capacity, i.e. number of seats available. Third, and perhaps most problematic, people were afraid to enter enclosed spaces, including buses and train cars. Countering the fear will require measures to increase safety, as well as promotional campaigns to rebuild public confidence. Public transit has important implications for Canada, in terms of improving environmental performance and social equity. Thus, there is an urgent need to rethink and redirect public policies related to public transit, particularly at the federal level. The government of Canada has invested heavily in shifting transit to zero-emission buses (ZEB), to the tune of $2.75 billion over five years. The purpose behind this large investment is achieving substantial reductions in emissions. While Canada could reach its 5,000 ZEB target by 2025, for the money to be well spent, people need to be riding these buses. The federal government has also announced some funding to help municipalities cover transit losses. However, these funds are more limited ($750 million in total), and have more strings attached. Modal shift remains the main mechanism for emission reductions by transit — in other words, getting folks out of cars and onto buses. Compared to a similar number of people operating private vehicles, a conventional diesel bus can reduce emissions by approximately 50 per cent. A ZEB can reduce emissions 100 per cent, but is more than twice as expensive to purchase. Thus, for a given capital budget, a transit agency can achieve the same reductions by buying either one ZEB or two conventional buses. The conventional option also better addresses social equity, since lower-income people depend more on the availability of public transit. Further, on a fuel cost per passenger/kilometre basis, diesel buses are about half as sensitive to fuel price increases as private vehicles. We recommend that public transit be exempted from the federal carbon tax. While municipalities have received some collected fuel taxes back from the government of Canada, all still must pay carbon tax. Winnipeg Transit is now paying close to $2.5 million annually. Transit agencies can either absorb the added cost or pass it on to riders. Carbon tax on transit makes little sense if the goal is to increase ridership. Turning to active transportation, cycling has seen a surge of interest and activity, primarily driven by recreational pursuits, rather than commuting to work or school. But overall, active transportation has been slowly but steadily declining in Canada, led by less walking. One emerging trend is multi-modal trips combining transit and cycling. This is something Winnipeg Transit has embraced, with bike racks on buses and lockers at transit stations. This combination addresses the distance limitation associated with cycling, and active transportation in general. Of course, it also depends on the availability of effective transit infrastructure and service. The pandemic hit public transit hard. It has also had negative ripple effects on lower-income communities and active transportation. Restoring public transit ridership should be a clear policy priority. Practical policy changes at all levels are needed to make it happen. *Paul D. Larson is a professor of supply chain management and Robert Parsons is a sessional instructor at the I.H. Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba. Larson was applicant and principal investigator and Parsons was co-applicant for the recent Knowledge Synthesis Grant investigation entitled “Public Transit and Active Transportation: Activity, Structural and Energy Efficiency Effects on Mobility and the Environment.”*

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WFP: Marion Street makeover project proposal ‘big jump forward’ (Apr9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Apr '22

09 Apr '22

Marion Street makeover project proposal ‘big jump forward’ https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/input-sought-on-marion-street-makeo… AFTER being T-boned twice, Kristen Marino believes Marion Street needs a major makeover. “In my opinion, (Marion) is extremely poorly planned,” said the Transcona resident who drives on Marion each day. “I think infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the amount of traffic that uses it every day.” The 40-year-old bank employee said she was T-boned twice near the Lagimodiere Boulevard intersection: once in 2020, and again in 2021. Both times, Marino had been driving home to Transcona, travelling eastbound on Marion in the inside lane, when a truck collided with her vehicle while exiting the Maple Leaf Consumer Foods parking lot. “There’s just so much congestion in that intersection and cars trying to turn in and out. Someone is going to get killed one day,” Marino said. The City of Winnipeg is asking the public for input on how to improve Marion Street and a series of area intersections. The second phase of the Moving on Marion Street project, which aims to address weak spots in the corridor’s vehicle, cycling, and pedestrian infrastructure, is underway. The project’s scope includes sections of Marion Street from St. Mary’s Road to Lagimodere Boulevard and Lagimodiere from Marion to Dugald Road. There are also proposed changes to the Panet-Dawson intersection, and Youville Road between Marion and Goulet. In one iteration of the plan, the easternmost approach of the Maple Leaf Consumer Foods parking lot would be closed. Marino said she’s seen numerous near-accidents at the entrance and describes it as a “dangerous” spot. The project proposes changes to bike infrastructure along the Marion-Goulet couplet near the Norwood Bridge — an area where Marino said she has witnessed narrow misses between pedestrians and cyclists opting to use the sidewalk instead of the road. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said adding bike lanes that stem from the south end of the bridge would create “important connections” in the city’s cycling network. “Coming off the Norwood bridge, right now it’s just dead ends,” Cohoe said. “This would be a big jump forward.” He added Moving on Marion Street’s proposed improvements to bike routes complement Our Winnipeg 2045, the city’s 25-year development plan. “When you think about the price of gas going up the way it is, and what we’re hearing on climate and the need to drive down our emissions by 2030, this is something that helps us along the way,” Cohoe said. The project was born out of the failed $566-million Marion-Archibald underpass and road-widening project, Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said. The first phase of Moving on Marion Street kicked off in 2019. The project’s final design phase is expected to wrap later this year. “We rebooted the Marion Street design study to look at bettering the road for all road users, and we wanted an affordable option,” Allard said. “It’s a matter of finding the money in a future budget to get it funded.” The design plan for Lagimodiere from Marion to Dugald highlights property along the west side of the route that would need to be absorbed to make way for a new vehicle lane — a property that currently contains homes. “I’m not convinced yet that those are going to be required as part of the project,” Allard said. “I raised my concerns with the public service and expect to be talking about that some more.” The public consultation for the west segment of the project area will take place April 19, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The city is taking feedback for the east segment the following day (also 6:30-8:30 p.m.). Registrations can be made through the Engage Winnipeg website. An online project survey is available through Engage Winnipeg until April 28. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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CBC: Winnipeg's open streets program could return for 3rd year, with significant change (Apr7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Apr '22

08 Apr '22

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/open-streets-winnipeg-2022-changes-…

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WFP: Bike route proposal speeds ahead (Apr8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Apr '22

08 Apr '22

BIKE ROUTE PROPOSAL SPEEDS AHEAD A new proposal to create enhanced summer bike routes this year, which would reduce speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h on the selected streets, is pedalling forward. Council’s public works committee voted in favour of the 2022 version of “open streets” on Wednesday, which aims to create easier access for cyclists. If council gives the program final approval, it will be the latest version of “open streets,” which began in 2020 to offer more room for pedestrians and cyclists on select roads. In 2021, the city learned that inviting pedestrians to use the routes broke traffic laws, so it began promoting them solely to cyclists instead. The public works committee is calling to create additional enhanced bike routes on Ruby Street (from Wolseley Avenue to Portage Avenue) and Banning Street (from Portage Avenue to Notre Dame Avenue). It also directed city staff to install a bike lane with poly-posts along Wellington Avenue while the program is underway.

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WFP: Crosswalk lights back in spotlight (Apr8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Apr '22

08 Apr '22

CROSSWALK LIGHTS BACK IN SPOTLIGHT A second attempt to ensure eye-level flashers are installed at all lighted pedestrian crosswalks has been raised at city hall, accompanied by a call to fund many additional traffic-safety enhancements. On Wednesday, council’s public works committee approved a motion to seek $7.9 million from the local and regional street renewal reserve to cover all projects the city believes are needed to improve safety but has yet to find a way to fund. At crosswalks, that would ensure 158 lower mounted safety lights are installed as soon as possible, at a cost of about $1.6 million. Coun. Matt Allard first called for the street renewal reserve, which is funded by annual tax hikes, as one option to pay for the flashing lights alone last month. That followed a recent Free Press series that noted the city has been lobbied to add more of the lights, which a traffic-safety activist believes are more visible to drivers close to the crosswalks than currently installed overhead lights. But the matter was referred back to the public works committee over concerns it lacked a clear funding source. While using the street-renewal funds for a new purpose would require a two-thirds council vote, Allard believes road-safety projects should be considered part of street renewal. “I don’t have an actual determination suggesting… that the road-renewal reserve can’t be used to fix our roads (for safety). Signals and intersection upgrades, these are all in my opinion, part of roads,” he said. The investment would require a council vote.

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WFP: Downtown speed limit drives debate at city hall (Apr8'22)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Apr '22

08 Apr '22

Downtown speed limit drives debate at city hall https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/downtown-speed-limit-drive-debate-a… THE idea of lowering the speed limit on some downtown residential streets has triggered debate at city hall. At Wednesday’s public works committee meeting, Coun. Janice Lukes said a slower speed limit, either 40 km/h or 30 km/h, should be tested on residential streets in the city core, though she did not specify an exact zone. “In the downtown, the streets are still designed the same (as in residential areas) but there’s much more congestion, there’s much more development, there’s many more people. And, if you look at where the collisions are occurring and the crashes with injuries for pedestrians, it’s downtown,” said Lukes. In an interview, the councillor stressed that she is not recommending the change for busy regional roads like Portage Avenue or Main Street. She noted other Canadian cities, including Toronto, have reduced speed limits for many downtown residential roads. “Cities all over the world are slowing traffic in their downtowns and there’s got to be a reason for that and it’s to get more people downtown … The thing about slowing traffic, which is really important, is not only does it reduce death and injury, it improves quality of life,” she said. The head of the Exchange District BIZ said his organization is open to the idea but the context of each street must be considered before any change. “To talk about the downtown in… broad terms is problematic because people will start getting visions of Portage Avenue or Main Street being reduced speeds,” said David Pensato, executive director of the BIZ. Pensato said the BIZ recently suggested the city consider a “shared street” pilot project in the Exchange District. The would test the concept of reduced-speed routes that commingle pedestrians, cyclists and cars. He said some sections of Alexander Avenue, Albert Street or Adelaide Street could be suited to such a trial. About 4,000 residents live in or within a few blocks of the Exchange District, and Pensato said some are pushing for slower speeds on their streets. “I would definitely say the residents in the East Exchange almost entirely say that they would like to see a slower speed on Waterfront Drive… as that becomes a bit of a cut-through for people trying to avoid Main Street,” he said. On Wednesday, Lukes asked the public works committee to add a downtown zone to a one-year pilot project that’s set to slow down residential streets from the standard 50 km/h speed limit in four neighbourhoods, including Worthington, Richmond West, Tyndall Park South and Bourkevale. Public works gave final approval to the plan that will involve the speed limit being reduced to 30 km/h in two neighbourhoods and dropped to 40 km/h in two others, adding a requirement that the 40 km/h limit be set for Worthington and Richmond West. Coun. Jeff Browaty was the only committee member to oppose the vote, arguing the 30 km/h limit is simply too slow. “I think we’re trying to fix something that’s not broken here. I think we’re going to create a lot of problems for certain areas,” said Browaty. On Thursday, he said he doesn’t support pursuing the idea on downtown residential streets for the same reason. David Patman, the city’s manager of transportation planning, told the public works committee that a downtown speed reduction could be tested in a future project but would be difficult to add in to the neighbourhood reduced speed trial at this point. Coun. Matt Allard, chairperson of the public works committee, said he plans to work with Lukes on options for a future test of reduced speed limits on downtown residential streets. “I think it’s important to look at the downtown or part of the downtown … because it’s a missing link (in the current reduced speed pilot project),” said Allard. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP Analysis: Time to re-set snow-clearing priority (Apr5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Apr '22

05 Apr '22

Time to re-set snow-clearing priority https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/time-to-re-set-snow-clea… SPRING has arrived, the snow is finally melting, and the skating rinks that were our sidewalks and streets have been turned into swimming pools. With the sudden warming of the weather, our attention is quickly turning to thoughts of summer and the activities that go along with it. But let’s not move too quickly to forget the past several months. Throughout the winter, there was a non-stop flurry of messages to the City of Winnipeg that it was failing us with its snow clearing. From the very first storm of the season, Winnipeggers were using every means possible to share their stories of the challenges of getting around in anything other than a car. In November 2021, Mayor Brian Bowman acknowledged the calls for improvements when he said the city needed to do better. He recognized the challenges inflicted on pedestrians and anyone with mobility issues, and indicated the city would do better. Remember, this was the first snowstorm of the year, back in mid-November, long before we heard the “excuse” of record snowfall. Since that time in mid-November 2021, the snow has kept falling and the complaints and concerns have kept piling up along with it. Rather than addressing the concerns of seniors and those with disabilities, which Bowman said he shared, we have continued to see, week after week, the concerns and challenges of every day Winnipeggers being ignored when it comes to getting around our city. A quick scan of the Free Press archive shows at least 20 articles over the past five months specifically concerning the challenges of getting around in anything other than a car. In November, the mayor said, “We are a winter city, and as a council we accept that.” While this is a case of stating the most obvious, it should actually mean something. “Winter city should be pedestrian friendly,” a Free Press editorial on Nov. 22, captured well the litany of challenges, inequities and barriers a huge proportion of residents face every winter. All that was before we began to see record accumulations of snow, before council members faced a winter of being snowed under with complaints about the state of our sidewalks. And yet, there is hope to be found in this past winter of our discontent. Winnipeggers have loudly and overwhelmingly stated the status quo is no longer acceptable. The vast majority of the complaints and commentary this past winter have been about sidewalks, with people from all walks of life and in every corner of the city expressing concerns about the ability of pedestrians to get around. There is a recognition that a large proportion of those who have any kind of mobility challenge are functionally trapped in their home for four or five months of the year — that includes people with disabilities, the elderly, parents with strollers, and people who use wheelchairs and walkers. Most of us will be on that list of the isolated and neglected at one point or another. Over the past two pandemic years, more people have gone outside to discover and rediscover their community in person. Residents are out walking and biking around their communities, connecting with their neighbourhoods. COVID-19 has shifted the way we engage with our communities, and the city has in many ways responded. We have more open streets, sidewalk patios, pop-up spaces for people to socialize and connect. This has continued through the winter, with activity along the rivers and at The Forks. Outdoor spaces have added a vibrancy to our lives that we didn’t know we were missing. We have adapted the way we live in this city. With the pandemic, rising climate change and now the increased cost of living, we are engaging with our city in new ways. People are walking and biking around the city like never before. We are thinking more about supporting our neighbours. And we are being better for it. As in most Canadian cities, the history of snow-clearing complaints in Winnipeg has largely been about the state of our streets for cars. But this past winter has seen that shift: residents are now placing people, rather than cars, at the centre of the narrative. Our community priorities are shifting away from car dominance to ones in which people come first; from focusing on convenience for cars to emphasizing the vibrancy of our neighbourhoods. The City of Winnipeg’s snow-clearing policy needs to follow. We need to see our municipal leaders clearly indicate people matter more than cars. We need policies that don’t relegate significant numbers of our neighbours to being trapped in their homes. Winnipeggers are stating clearly that people come first. We need to see the same commitment from our mayor and councillors. *Brian Pincott is the executive director of Vélo Canada Bikes. Prior to moving to Winnipeg he was a city councillor in Calgary for 10 years.*

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Chalmers researchers present framework for safe integration of micromobility into transportation systems - Green Car Congress
by Terry Zdan 04 Apr '22

04 Apr '22

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2022/04/20220404-chalmers.html

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WFP: Four areas eyed for lower speed limits on residential streets (Apr1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '22

01 Apr '22

Four areas eyed for lower speed limits on residential streets https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/four-areas-eyed-for-lower-speed-lim… FOUR Winnipeg neighbourhoods have been recommended for a project to assess the effect of reduced speed limits on residential streets. After an extensive debate, city staff pinpointed places where the standard 50 km/h residential speed limit should be reduced. Pending approval by the public works committee, the limit would drop to 30 km/h in two neighbourhoods and 40 km/h in two others. A consultant would decide where each exact limit should apply. The one-year trials are proposed for the Worthington, Richmond West, Tyndall Park South and Bourkevale neighbourhoods, though locations could change depending on feedback from city hall. An advocacy group that has long lobbied the city to reduce the speed on residential streets welcomed the plan. “I think that it’s great that they’re doing trial neighbourhoods instead of trial streets. That way, people in the neighbourhoods can try them out, hopefully feel a little more confident letting their kids walk to school or walk to their friends’ houses, or feel more comfortable themselves getting on their bicycles or walking to the store,” said Ian Walker, the chairman of Safe Speeds Winnipeg. Walker said many folks may at times choose to drive down residential streets because they don’t feel safe walking or cycling. While collisions are typically concentrated on busier roads, the city should aim to prevent the risk entirely, he said. “I think a lot of people actually don’t use the roads because they’re not safe. Rather than taking the bike or walking to the store, people are taking their cars… There’s not a lot of (residential street) collisions but we should be designing our streets so that there aren’t collisions (at all),” said Walker. Many Winnipeggers have publicly pushed council to reduce the city’s default 50 km/h speed limit on residential roads, arguing that would lower the risk of fatal crashes and make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. However, a petition against lowering the limit to 30 km/h had gathered just under 10,000 signatures by Thursday. Derek Rolstone is one of the Winnipeggers who opposes the change. “I have no interest in driving those slow speeds, that’s ridiculous and I can (see) it being a cash grab by the city,” said Rolstone. “There’s some risk in our society but 50 km/h is the right speed for residential (roads).” He said he isn’t convinced the current speed limit poses a notable safety risk. While the reduced speed trial has been contemplated for several months, the change isn’t imminent. A request for proposals to support the project should be awarded by May but the date of implementation has yet to be determined, said spokesperson Julie Horbal Dooley, in an emailed statement. A city report says the neighbourhoods were selected to include two mature communities and two recently constructed ones, with varied layouts and amenities. The city expects to spend about $400,000 on the pilot project, which council’s public works committee will debate on April 6. Joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City seeks to tweak open-streets blueprint (Apr1'22)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Apr '22

01 Apr '22

Proposed program would reopen 14 routes for cyclists City seeks to tweak open-streets blueprint https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-seeks-to-tweak-open-streets-bl… WINNIPEG’S 2022 version of “open streets” could look much different, with rules that vary by route — though all will slow down drivers in an effort to welcome cyclists. If city council approves, the proposed “enhanced summer bike route program” will reopen 14 of the 17 routes tested last year, with speed limits reduced to 30 km/h from 50 km/h, from May 1 to Oct. 31. Each route could also have its own additional rules and barricades that apply at yet-to-be determined times throughout July and August, and on weekends during May, June, September and October. During those times, two of the routes (on Wolseley Avenue and Scotia Street) would keep the one-block vehicle travel restriction that aimed to offer more space for active transportation in previous years, while “no thru traffic limits” (which require vehicles to turn right or left) would be placed at some “strategic locations,” a City of Winnipeg staff report notes. (Open streets were renamed enhanced summer bike routes, and restricted to cyclists last year, after the city discovered inviting pedestrians to use them broke traffic laws.) Ian Walker, who relies on cycling as his main mode of transportation, welcomed the speed reduction. “If the road is going to be shared as an active transportation (route with) automobiles… people should be going (closer to) the same speed just so that everybody’s comfortable on it,” said Walker, who also serves as chairman of Safe Speeds Winnipeg, which advocates for slower residential speed limits. He said imposing the slower speed on a 24-7 basis should support more commuting by bike, making it safer to choose green transportation at any hour. “Getting on to a bicycle is a really easy way for a lot of people to (cut their carbon emissions), but people will only get on to a bicycle or use another mode of transportation if they feel comfortable and safe doing it,” said Walker. However, the project also has its critics. Wolseley resident Ray Hignell said he felt perfectly safe cycling in his neighbourhood for many years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, without such routes in place, leading him to believe the changes aren’t needed. “I’ve ridden a bicycle for a long time and… I never had a problem,” said Hignell, adding he’s concerned the proposed bike routes will lead drivers to seek out alternate routes, which could have several downsides. “You are changing traffic patterns, which changes the value of people’s houses. You are making people drive longer distances, which wastes their time, and… it is causing people to burn extra fuel.” However, the head of council’s public works committee said the city has heard plenty of support for the routes. Coun. Matt Allard expects to support the proposal, which would require full council approval. “In order to be sustainable as a city, economically and environmentally, we need to give people transportation options and safe transportation options. I think any improvement that makes it safe and more pleasant to use a bicycle, as opposed to other modes of transportation, is going in the right direction,” he said. And while 2022 appears set to mark a major shift from one-block vehicle limits to reduced speed limits on most of the cycling routes, Allard said he expects the new rules should be clear for drivers. “At the end of the day, drivers are to observe the traffic regulations on every street… I think through communication, particularly with the signage… it’ll be pretty obvious to drivers what to expect on the streets,” he said. The original “open streets” concept began in 2020, as a way to allow socially distanced outdoor exercise during the pandemic, with the one-block travel restriction intended to ensure more room for cyclists and pedestrians. In an email, city spokeswoman Julie Horbal Dooley said this year’s site specific rule changes reflect public feedback. “We heard that residents living on the routes broadly enjoy having some element of cycling accommodations through their neighbourhood but do not widely support the daily oneblock restrictions on their respective streets. With this in mind, we developed street-specific measures we feel would strike a balance between providing local access and creating a safe and comfortable cycling environment,” said Horbal Dooley. The “individualized approach” also reflects each street’s traffic count, she noted, with more restrictions on busier routes. The proposal also calls to reduce the total number of enhanced bike routes by three this year, eliminating routes on Assiniboine Avenue (since it’s recommended for a separate speed limit-reduction trial project), Rose Lake Court (due to low use) and Wellington Avenue (where a protected bike lane would be preferred), according to a city report. Proposed rule changes can be found at wfp.to/Qzu joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Omand Park eyed for river access (Mar30'22)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Mar '22

30 Mar '22

City report considers options as residents pursue outdoor recreation during pandemic Omand Park eyed for river access https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/omand-park-sole-site-for-river-acce… A NEW public access point to the Assiniboine River could help Winnipeggers better enjoy the water, though many sites aren’t suited to the purpose, a new report notes. A study of potential pedestrian access points to the Assiniboine explores options along Wolseley Avenue and Palmerston Avenue, between Canora Street and Omand Park. The report by city staff notes more Winnipeggers enjoyed local rivers during the pandemic when other recreation options were at times cut off. “The desire of the public to access the river for both winter and summer activities has been especially evident during the pandemic as a significant number of residents have been pursuing recreational and leisure activities that are available locally and are not impacted by (public health) restrictions,” the report notes. It finds Omand Park at 1430 Portage Ave. to be a viable location for public river access, but it stops short of recommending whether the city should pay for the feature. City officials estimate it would cost between $300,000 and $600,000 to create that access. The head of council’s water and waste committee, which will discuss the report on April 4, said rivers can offer Winnipeggers a different view of their city. “The first time I was… on the river (skating) trail (at The Forks), I was just blown away. You never get this kind of view, (it’s) amazing. It’s like adding a whole different park for four or five months a year,” said Coun. Brian Mayes. The report recommends the city only add access to the river in winter if it also implements a program to regularly monitor ice condition, clear snow and maintain clear safety standards. The report says Omand Park aligns with existing paths and could accommodate a facility that is universally accessible. “It has the greatest visibility from the street to the river and through the whole area. This is a potential deterrent to unwanted activity and possibly a benefit with respect to public safety,” it notes. The report also explored potential access points at: Canora Green at 850 Palmerston Ave.; 2 Arlington St. right-of-way; Aubrey Green at 1020 Palmerston Ave.; William Marshall Park at the Dominion Street right-of-way; 1254-1256 Wolseley Ave. (at Clifton Street); and Greenwood Park at 1270 Wolseley Ave. However, it found those sites aren’t suited to the use, largely due to inadequate space and the potential to damage forests. While Mayes said there is demand to make rivers more accessible, he believes funding a specific access point should be part of a larger budget debate, which could look at entry points close to multiple wards. “I think taking a bigger picture view of it would make more sense,” he said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP Analysis: Selkirk a model of progressive planning (Mar28'22)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Mar '22

28 Mar '22

Selkirk a model of progressive planning https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/selkirk-a-model-of-progr… JUST north of Lower Fort Garry, stretching along the banks of the Red River, is Selkirk. A city with about 10,000 residents, the seventh largest in the province, it has in the past been largely known for its catfish and its steel mill. Today, however, a new image is being crafted. Through several innovative and forward-thinking planning policies, Selkirk is beginning to stake a claim as the most progressive city in Manitoba. About a decade ago, Selkirk started down its path of city-building focused on social, economic and environmental sustainability when a group of dedicated residents and political leaders identified the need for more accessible and inclusive mobility options in their city. After years of hard work, Selkirk became only the fourth city in Manitoba to introduce a public transit system. Operating as a non-profit community organization, Selkirk Transit today provides equitable and sustainable transportation. Since conquering the challenge of public transit, the City of Selkirk has never looked back. In recent years, a long list of strategic plans has been introduced in Selkirk, informing everything from climate adaptation to downtown renewal, recreation and economic growth. Last year, a five-year Active Transportation Strategy was introduced, building on the sustainable mobility that public transit began. The strategy is a comprehensive action plan that will connect neighbourhoods to downtown, recreational facilities, schools, employment and shopping, through walking, biking and accessible transportation like scooters and wheelchairs. As part of this strategy, the city has embarked on the largest street redevelopment in its history, transforming seven blocks of Eveline Street in the downtown. Running along the waterfront, Eveline was Selkirk’s first business street, and at one time featured the first rural streetcar in the West, making the 50-minute journey, five times a day, to Winnipeg. Designed by HTFC Planning & Design, the redevelopment will restore the street’s past prominence by focusing on the pedestrian experience. Intersections will be narrowed, sidewalks widened, benches and lighting will be added, street trees and plantings will line the boulevards, and a shared-use active transportation path will be installed. The redevelopment of Eveline Street will create a natural extension of Manitoba Avenue, which underwent a similar transformation a few years ago. The 2019 redesign of the historic commercial strip returned one-way traffic to two-way, added an off-street bike lane, widened sidewalks and transformed two empty lots into landscaped pocket parks. Together, a redefined Eveline Street and Manitoba Avenue will transform downtown Selkirk into a place for people, attracting new residents, businesses and visitors. Many cities develop great plans, but the true aspirations of a community are found in the lines of its civic budgets, not in the pages of its planning documents. In 2019, the City of Selkirk made a bold move to ensure its planning goals are realized when it purchased 130 hectares of land directly connected to existing neighbourhoods on the west side of the city. Much of the land was a brownfield site, used as a landfill, snow dump and gravel pit, creating a significant opportunity for the city to guide the future direction of its urban growth not only as a regulator, but also as an owner, investor and developer of a major area within the civic boundary. The city recently released the West End Concept Plan, a vision document developed with Winnipeg’s Scatliff + Miller + Murray, that will guide development and growth in this area of Selkirk for the next 50 years. The plan calls for an innovative mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood of 5,000 homes that, when built out, will double the city’s current population. The West End plan envisions a pedestrian-oriented development centred on a mixed-use village of higher-density multi-family buildings ranging between four and eight storeys. Commercial ground-floor spaces will line the sidewalk of a neighbourhood high street connecting directly to Manitoba Avenue. Extending out from the mixed-use village will be a network of walkable neighbourhoods of mixed-density housing and small-scale commercial spaces. The development will strive to be modern and innovative by returning to successful development patterns of the past. Tree-lined streets will be laid out in a traditional grid pattern, and new growth will occur as an extension of the existing city streets, instead of typical suburban subdivision islands, replicating the way cities grew in the past, and ensuring connectivity to existing amenities such as schools, shopping and community centres. The compact neighbourhoods will be laced with public green space, promote walkability and active transportation, and be a model for Selkirk’s sustainability and climate adaptation policies. Selkirk may not be grand in size, but it has a grand vision. The city has positioned itself as a leader in sustainable urban development and city-building. The forward-thinking strategic planning being done today, backed by tangible actions supported in annual budgets, will result in a prosperous, livable and equitable city that future generations will fall in love with and proudly call home. *Brent Bellamy is senior design architect for Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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WFP: Clear path to better transit access (Mar25'22)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Mar '22

25 Mar '22

Councillors push for changes to snow clearing policies Clear path to better transit access https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/councillors-push-for-changes-to-sno… A WINTER of heavy snows has exposed serious problems with City of Winnipeg sidewalk clearing policies, two of its councillors say. On Thursday, Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre) put forward a motion, backed by Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), calling for the city to consider a pair of changes while conducting its upcoming review of snow and ice clearing policies. The councillors want low-priority sidewalks near high-frequency transit routes (particularly in their own wards) to be upgraded in priority. They are also asking the city to consider reassuming control over a greater portion of snow clearing services, currently delegated to private contractors. “It’s known (in Daniel McIntyre) we have some of the highest rates of Transit riders in the city… I think when they do the snow and ice clearing review that they need to look at prioritizing areas that have really good Transit lines, because we are looking at getting more people taking Transit,” Gilroy said, making special mention of Portage, Ellice, Wellington and Notre Dame avenues as hot spots in her ward. Gilroy said while streets with a bus route are designated P2 — meaning they are to be cleared to the paved surface within 36 hours of a significant snowfall — when lower-priority streets leading to those routes are uncleared, snow can make Winnipeg Transit difficult to access. Gilroy said she would like to see all sidewalks in her ward upgraded to P2 priority. “In some of the portions of the area… I think we should be cleaning to cement. They are highly used in terms of the business around there and their connection to the different transit routes.” As for bringing more snow clearing services in-house, many times even higher-priority sidewalks were left uncleared or insufficiently cleared, Rollins said. The current system has made it difficult for Winnipeggers to find out who is responsible for a problem and how to fix it, she added. “Oftentimes, councillors and residents alike were told that it was a contractor,” Rollins said. “There were times when the city would even say, ‘Which contractor was it?’ I don’t like that level of accountability.” Joelle Robinson, with the Manitoba League for Persons with Disabilities, said she’s “hugely in favour” of adding more high-priority sidewalks for snow clearing. However, the motion fails to consider other important accessibility issues, she said: “People who have reduced mobility also need to be very much considered and prioritized.” For example, Robinson said, loading zones need to be considered high priority. “We’ve had situations where people have not been able to get to their jobs for three and four weeks because the snow is so bad, and they’re not clearing those spots that Transit Plus would use.” Kyle Owens, president of Functional Transit Winnipeg, said while he was glad to see the motion recognized the importance of Transit to Winnipeg’s plans, it doesn’t go far enough. “The city should invest broadly, so that we have fast, effective sidewalk snow clearing every year,” he said. That would increase Transit accessibility, he said, adding that improved clearing city-wide may also encourage more people to use public transit in lower- frequency areas. Rather than ask for a recommendation or a review, Owens said: “We can reverse service cuts and start funding the (Winnipeg) Transit Master Plan immediately.” fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Crosswalk lights initiative shifted back to committee level (Mar19'22)
by Beth McKechnie 20 Mar '22

20 Mar '22

*Crosswalk lights initiative shifted back to committee level * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/crosswalk-lights-initiative-shifted… A safety initiative meant to expedite the addition of eye-level lights at all of Winnipeg’s lighted pedestrian crosswalks will be delayed to determine how best to pay for it. City council’s public works committee looks set to take a second look at how best to fund the lower-mounted safety lights, which a motion seeks to have installed “as soon as possible.” The referral back to public works still awaits a council vote. On Wednesday, Coun. Matt Allard repeatedly told EPC members it’s essential to get the work done as quickly as possible to prevent future collisions. Allard stressed it’s also critical to achieve that without any reduction to the resources devoted to other road safety initiatives. “The city has known since 2013 that these low-mounted lights are a cost effective way, an easy way to better pedestrian safety… I’m convinced there’s capacity within the signals department… to do the work that needs to be done,” said Allard, who raised the motion that calls for the new safety initiative. The executive policy committee ultimately asked council to send the matter back to public works instead of giving it final approval, which Allard eventually agreed to. Multiple EPC members argued the motion failed to pinpoint an appropriate funding source. “I feel like what’s being proposed here… it’s clear as mud in terms of what we are asking the public service,” said Mayor Brian Bowman. Bowman and others stressed they didn’t oppose the idea itself, which Allard raised after safety concerns at lighted crosswalks were raised in a recent Free Press series. The series noted traffic safety activist Christian Sweryda has lobbied the city for more than a decade to add more of the eye-level lights, deeming these easier to spot than overhead lights for drivers whose vehicles are close to an intersection. Sweryda links the lighting issue to six crashes at crosswalks with overhead lighting over a 19-month span from February 2018 to September 2019, which resulted in four deaths. The city has already installed 25 low mounted lights at crosswalks, while 158 locations still await funding. Council approved $145,000 in the 2022 budget to convert 15 more. Allard’s motion proposes to raise that amount to $1.6 million to complete all installations instead. The original motion had called for the public service to fund the work through council’s so-called “rainy day fund,” the local and regional streets renewal budget, savings from an Archibald Street construction project and/ or “another source identified by the executive policy committee.” The head of council’s finance committee said that sparked concern for the following reasons: the Archibald project involved a funding agreement with the provincial and federal governments, so its savings aren’t necessarily available for city use; the street renewal budget was already tapped to cover operating costs in the 2022 budget; the rainy day fund has dwindled to cover COVID-19 pandemic losses; and the call for “another source” of cash is too vague. “I would like to see those lights installed but, at this time, a legitimate funding source has not been identified,” Coun. Scott Gillingham said Friday. Coun. Brian Mayes agreed: “There is no new money identified to do this… We all agreed this is a worthwhile initiative… it’s just something’s got to give to fund it.” Allard could not be reached for an interview Friday. In an email, executive assistant Ryan Palmquist said additional funding options will be explored. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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Lowering speed limits, restricting cars in city centres key to quickly cutting global oil demand, IEA says
by Charles Feaver 18 Mar '22

18 Mar '22

Globe and mail: <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/authors/emma-graney/> EMMA GRANEY, ENERGY REPORTER Lower speed limits, occasional restrictions on car access to city centres and cheaper or free public transportation would quickly cut millions of barrels of daily oil demand, helping avoid a looming supply crunch as the world heads into peak consumption season, according to an international energy watchdog. Taking such steps would also reduce the pain at gas pumps around the world, lessen the economic damage wrought by Russia's war in Ukraine, shrink Moscow's hydrocarbon revenues and help move demand for crude toward more sustainable alternatives, the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) said Friday. The IEA's recommendations, part of a push to curtail reliance on Russian oil, come as the West continues to squeeze Moscow's economy with a series of increasingly strict sanctions. The IEA warned earlier this week that those sanctions and a general reluctance to purchase Russian crude and refined products could wipe three million barrels a day from global supplies. And that, it said, could further raise oil prices, drive up inflation and undercut the global economic recovery. To help ease supply strain and keep prices in check, the IEA recommends that advanced economies take 10 specific, immediate steps - mainly centred on transportation - that it says would lower oil demand by 2.7 million barrels a day within four months. That's equivalent to the demand of all the cars in China. The steps include lowering highway speed limits by 10 kilometres an hour, encouraging more working from home, placing occasional limits on car access to city centres, making public transportation cheaper or even free, and promoting greater use of high-speed rail and virtual meetings instead of air travel.. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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WFP: Downtown Selkirk to get makeover (Mar18'22)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '22

18 Mar '22

THE City of Selkirk will spruce up the downtown section of Eveline Street. Selkirk CAO Duane Nicol said medians will be installed at intersections to make them safer, sidewalks will be widened, a cycling path will be added, and trees will be planted. An underground storm water management system will be added. The $7.2-million project is a key part of the revitalization of downtown Selkirk, Nicol said, adding the area has needed an upgrade for almost 30 years. “I’m extremely excited to see this happen… We know that businesses in the area, the residential developments are really excited to see this happen to bring more foot traffic and people into the downtown area,” he said. “We want to build a place that people want to be and spend time in after five o’clock in the evening.” Nicol said like many cities, Selkirk is trying to increase downtown density. “It brings vibrancy to the community, and it makes the streetscape safer because you get more eyeballs on the street,” he said. The plan is off to a quick start: three residential developments slated to begin on Eveline Street in the next two years. “A big part of that is their knowledge that we are investing in ourselves and in our downtown area,” he said. Construction will involve seven blocks from Eaton Avenue to Selkirk Park. The target date for completion is Sept. 30. “It’s a very aggressive timeline,” Nicol said. “Everything has to go quite well.” Selkirk will pay the full cost after it was denied a grant under the federal Building Canada Fund.

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WFP: Province seeks to clear path for e-scooter arrival (Mar17'22)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Mar '22

17 Mar '22

*Province seeks to clear path for e-scooter arrival * https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/province-seeks-to-clear-path-for-e-… PROPOSED legislation would pave the way for e-scooters to hit roadways in Manitoba, after years of stalled efforts to launch micro-mobility services. On Monday, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk introduced Bill 21, which would allow the government to approve pilot projects for dockless e-scooters, low-speed vehicles, and other micro-mobility devices currently prohibited on public right of ways. “Expanding the use of low-emissions vehicles will help to reduce Manitoba’s greenhouse emissions,” Piwniuk said. “These changes will allow devices like electric kick scooters, low-speed vehicles to be tested safely while ensuring Manitoba keeps pace with other jurisdictions that are already testing and allowing these devices.” Since early 2019, officials with the City of Winnipeg have been preparing for the arrival of dockless e-scooters, which have become popular in urban centres in Canada and Europe. The e-scooters can be deployed on boulevards, in parks and plazas and rented through a smartphone application. An administrative report from summer 2020 recommended the city ask the provincial government to approve a trial to operate on its transportation network. At the time, a provincial spokesperson said the legislative framework to test e-scooters did not exist but could be considered in regulations under the Vehicle Technology Testing Act, which passed into law in May. Ultimately, the Vehicle Technology Testing Act would only cover autonomous vehicles. Pilot project regulations for self-driving cars are still in development. In a statement, Ryan Palmquist, executive assistant to public works chairman Coun. Matt Allard, said the proposed legislative changes are welcome news. Allard was out of town Tuesday and unavailable for an interview, Palmquist said. “At most recent communication, we understand the industry to still be interested in coming to Winnipeg with both scooter- and bike-share options,” Palmquist said. “With these welcome (Highway Traffic Act) amendments from the province, we can now resume working with the public service to develop an appropriate bylaw to allow this new micro-mobility and mode-shift service in Winnipeg.” Chris Luvancigh, general manager for Lime Canada, said the company is also open to exploring the possibility of bringing micro-mobility services to Winnipeg. The company currently has a network of electric scooters, mopeds and e-bikes in more than 30 countries and four Canadian cities. “Lime is glad to see more and more Canadian cities warming to micro-mobility as a way to build transportation systems that are more sustainable, affordable, and accessible to all,” Luvancigh said in a statement. Bill 21 would also allow municipalities to designate streets as “shared streets” for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and other users with speed limits of no more than 20 km/h. Palmquist said an administrative report on the past two years of the city’s open streets and enhanced bike route programs is expected in April. Last spring, pedestrians were told to stick to the sidewalk after taking to the streets in 2020, when some seasonal active transportation routes were opened to foot traffic. Under the Highway Traffic Act, pedestrians are prohibited from walking on roadways where a reasonably passable sidewalk is present. “It’s our hope that many of the more successful routes, particularly those which filled gaps and improved connectivity of our active transportation network, can return in their original shared use form from 2020 on a permanent basis,” Palmquist said. “We have already reached out to the public service for their take on how these amendments can strengthen this program.” danielle.dasilva(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Amendments to Highway Traffic Act allow for testing of scooters, other lightweight vehicles
by Beth McKechnie 16 Mar '22

16 Mar '22

Wpg Sun: https://winnipegsun.com/news/news-news/amendments-to-highway-traffic-act-al… Province of Manitoba press release: https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=53757

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New Zealand halves public transport fares as petrol prices soar amid Russia-Ukraine war
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '22

14 Mar '22

Fare cut among measures Jacinda Ardern’s party has introduced to ease cost-of-living pressures https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/14/new-zealand-halves-public-tra… New Zealand is halving public transport fares to ease the pain of sharply rising petrol costs, as fuel oil prices soar following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced that the country would cut fares by 50% amid a suite of other changes to try to ease sharp increases in the cost of living. The government is also cutting petrol excise duties and road user charges by 25c a litre – changes that will come in at midnight on Monday. The finance minister, Grant Robertson, said the changes would last for an initial three months and then be reviewed. “The global energy crisis has quickly become acute,” Ardern said. “We cannot control the war in Ukraine <https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine> nor the continued volatility of fuel prices but we can take steps to reduce the impact on New Zealand families.” Petrol prices in New Zealand are over NZ$3 ($2) a litre and have been rising sharply in recent weeks. Unleaded petrol has gone up 15% since the start of the year and is expected to continue to rise. “In the long term we need to build greater resilience into our transport system so we are less vulnerable to spikes in the price of petrol,” Ardern said. “But for now halving the cost public transport will provide some families with an alternative to filling up the tank.” Even with the changes, the government expected petrol prices would continue their upward trajectory, Robertson said. “We do need to recognise that petrol prices are expected to continue to rise,” he said. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine is continuing to undermine and destabilise global energy markets and, added to the other inflationary pressures the world has due to Covid supply chain disruptions, this is sadly not over yet.” The Ardern government has come under growing pressure to address rising cost of living in New Zealand, where households have faced significant increases in the cost of living and supermarket essentials. Inflation in Aotearoa has hit a three-decade high <https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/annual-inflation-hits-a-three-decade-high-at…>, and is showing no sign of slowing. Inflation reached 5.9% at the end of 2021, and ANZ, the country’s biggest bank, expects it to continue rising <https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/462934/inflation-predicted-to-reach-7-p…> in 2022. In February, fruit and vegetable costs were up 17% year-on-year. New Zealand’s opposition has declared the country has a “cost of living crisis”. In recent polling, the Ardern-led Labour party fell behind the centre-right opposition, National, for the first time since the pandemic began.

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WFP Analysis: If it isn’t waste (and worse) at public works, what is it? (Mar12'22)
by Beth McKechnie 12 Mar '22

12 Mar '22

If it isn’t waste (and worse) at public works, what is it? https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/if-it-isnt-waste--and-worse--at-pub… JUST about everyone knows this scene from television and movies. There’s a man, pants around his ankles, engaged in “the act” with a woman who is not his wife. Suddenly, the wife bursts into the room. “Honey! It’s not what it looks like!” It’s funny because viewers know that he is, in fact, doing exactly what it looks like. When is that scenario not funny? When it’s performed at a city finance committee meeting. This week, managers from the City of Winnipeg public works department were called to defend themselves against allegations raised in a Free Press investigative series by journalist Ryan Thorpe. The series — Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight — detailed the findings of Christian Sweryda, an independent investigator who used Google Street View images to document dozens of unexplained, and seemingly unnecessary, modifications city crews made to traffic-control equipment and intersections over a decade. The series documented, in meticulous detail, a long list of unjustified infrastructure rebuilds, the swapping out of traffic-control devices before their normal end of life and traffic-light poles repeatedly changed and moved small distances, or replaced with new ones, for no apparent reason. And how did public works director Jim Berezowsky respond to the Free Press report? Councillors! It’s not what it looks like! “We believe there is an explanation for each and every Google picture,” Berezowsky told the city councillors who serve on the finance committee. If that’s true, it doesn’t explain why Berezowsky and transportation manager David Patman refused numerous requests for interviews, during which the Free Press was willing to share Sweryda’s research. Berezowsky actually complained during Thursday’s meeting that he wasn’t given a chance to respond before the series was published, ignoring the fact that he was. And if the explanations were straightforward, why wouldn’t he nip the entire oncoming scandal in the bud? We should assume that some of the issues raised by Sweryda can, in fact, be explained. But the scope and magnitude of the things he uncovered go well beyond a few unrelated concerns into the realm of systemic concerns. The other problem that Berezowsky and his department face is the clear need for intersection and traffic-signal improvement all over the city. >From poorly designed “black spot” intersections that regularly generate the highest number of serious collisions, to poorly marked crosswalks that put pedestrians at risk, this is a city that has simply not kept up with the desperate need for basic safety enhancements. A subplot to the Free Press series on mismanagement at public works focused on the glacial pace at which the city was installing eye-level flashing lights at pedestrian crosswalks. The overhead lights are not just ineffective at alerting drivers, they are rather wasteful. The infrastructure to suspend the lights too high to be seen by some motorists is clearly more expensive than installing easier-to-see eye-level flashers. Despite clear advantages in terms of both cost and safety, the city has fallen way behind in installing them. In total, 158 crosswalks need the new lights and the 2022 budget approved funding to convert a mere 15 locations this year. That is a maddeningly slow pace when you consider the very strong possibility the city has been squandering funds by unnecessarily replacing traffic lights and the poles they are attached to for reasons not yet shared with taxpayers. And, finally, this is not the first time we’ve been assured by city managers that what we can plainly see is not what it looks like. Almost three years ago, a Free Press report on workplace misconduct in the city’s planning, property and development department, based on the findings of a privately funded investigator, revealed some building inspectors were working an average three hours a day, and using paid work time to run personal errands and enjoy lengthy lunch and coffee breaks. Initially, department managers denied there was a problem. When an internal audit confirmed the Free Press report, eight inspectors were fired and seven were suspended. Those same managers were forced to admit they had some inkling of problems, but did not know the full extent of the misconduct when they rushed to defend their employees. In fairness, there are instances when something the public views as an obvious error of commission are really just a reflection of the challenges of the job. Snow-clearing is a good case in point. Most residents believe keeping roadways clear of ice and ruts is a simple matter of diligence. In reality, the combination of snowfall amounts, high winds and rapidly dropping temperatures can create ruts that are very difficult to scrape from streets. As such, the ruts are a reflection of our often extreme winters, and not of any particular shortcoming in city services. In this instance, however, it’s going to be a lot harder for the public works department to fully explain the worrisome pattern that emerged in the Free Press series. If an internal audit, which is now underway, confirms there is a problem, then you can bet it will shake the entire department — maybe the entire municipal government — to its core. Right now, the last thing that Winnipeggers need is someone at the city telling them that an obvious problem is “not what it looks like.” It would be much better to explain why it looks that way and what’s being done about it. dan.lett(a)winnipegfreepress.com

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