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Metro News: Winnipeg committee pumps brakes on fast-tracked bike grid (Nov. 29'16)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

Winnipeg committee pumps brakes on fast-tracked bike gridThe infrastructure and public works committee did not support a lengthy pitch to figure out what it would take to roll out a downtown bike grid quickly. http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/29/winnipeg-pumps-breaks-on-b… An ambitious plan to study a fast-tracked, adjustable grid of protected bike lanes <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/10/winnipeg-councillor-pushin…> is not moving forward—at least not yet. After a well-attended info session <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/10/19/winnipeg-hungry-for-bike-n…> in Winnipeg – including industry experts with experience implementing bike grids in other cities – Coun. Janice Lukes tried to get the infrastructure renewal and public works (IRPW) Committee to order a report on what it would take to follow suit locally. Instead, IRPW chairperson Coun. Marty Morantz accepted her report—and the enthusiastic support from active transportation advocates, the business community, <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/24/winnipeg-chamber-of-commer…>and other councillors alike—for information, and asked administration to take the next 120 days to determine if an adjustable downtown grid fits with the city’s existing plans. “I think that taking a baby step forward on this is a good idea,” Morantz said. He took contention with the mention of the infrastructure being “adjustable” and “temporary,” and said words like “expedite” put him off during Lukes’ presentation. “Sometimes in our haste we can make mistakes,” he said. Morantz also expressed concern that the city’s 2015 pedestrian and cycling strategy has “not a word” about adjustable bike paths, and wondered whether Edmonton or Calgary’s did before they went with the adjustable grid plan. Transportation Manager Luis Escobar cleared it up, explaining each of those cities were in a similar “piecemeal” <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/23/winnipeg-bike-path-plans-s…> development mode as Winnipeg, building bike networks out during road renewal as per their respective plans before realizing the approach is “not an actual concerted effort to build a cycling network.” Those cities, like Winnipeg, were years from having a gapless transportation network for cyclists that is both safe and convenient. “So what they did is they (installed) something to fill in that space in-between,” Escobar said. Also, to dissuade fears that Lukes’ idea could in any way defy the existing cycling strategy, Escobar said the department would have to find a way to make the two plans compatible, as it “cannot undermine a policy that has been adopted.” Lukes further rebutted Morantz’s concerns, saying the strategy clearly identifies building out the downtown network as a key priority. It’s a choice, she says, between taking a decade to have a safe cycling network downtown, or having one by 2018 “for a fraction of the cost.” She contends her preferred method is a “new innovative approach” the consultants who developed Winnipeg’s active transportation plan simply hadn’t considered or weren’t familiar with at the time. “Technology and innovation in (the active transportation field) is constantly evolving,” she said. “It used to be just painted llines with sharrows, but we realized people weren’t getting out… this is a very evolving field.” Lukes said the motion that replaced her own is a “delay tactic,” but only a minor set-back. She explained how, leading up to the IRPW meeting, she learned there is “tremendous demand” for the downtown grid, and she believes pushing it back means “people’s safety is put on the line,” so she’ll be working to make it happen. “We’re here to make change,” Lukes said. “Change isn’t easy.

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WFP: Pedestrian safety key to Portage and Main reopening (Nov.30'16)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Nov '16

30 Nov '16

Pedestrian safety key to Portage and Main reopening ALDO SANTIN www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/re-opening-portage-and- main-could-take-years-403621966.html IT will take two years of planning before work can begin on reopening the Portage and Main intersection to pedestrians, a senior city official said. Lester Deane, director of public works, told reporters Tuesday that a consulting firm hired to carry out a traffic analysis found no obstacles or concerns that would prevent foot traffic at the iconic intersection. But Deane said measures would have to be taken to ensure pedestrians are safe when crossing and accessibility is achieved for everyone. “We believe we can open the intersections, it’s just a question of having a good plan going forward and working with the owners so they’re comfortable with the overall picture,” Deane said. “We know we can do it, it’s just a question of painting the big picture and getting costs associated with delivering that.” Deane said the analysis found that there would be delays to traffic flows through the intersection for both private vehicles and transit buses, but he added that was expected. However, no funds have been set aside in the preliminary 2017 city budget for work that would lead to reopening the corner. Mayor Brian Bowman said last week, when he tabled the budget that funds weren’t included because the city is still talking to the property owners. “Some of the issues that have been raised (by the property owners) is a desire for more investments — for the city to do its part — while the property owners have been investing millions of dollars in upgrades to their exterior and interior,” Bowman said. The famous intersection was closed to pedestrians in 1979 in a deal between city hall and developers to facilitate the construction of the underground concourse and adjoining underground Winnipeg Square shopping mall. Deane said the most problematic area for pedestrians would be near the Bank of Montreal, at the intersection’s southeast corner, explaining there is little land available for the infrastructure needed to accommodate pedestrians. The boulevard in front of the bank building also poses accessibility issues, he said, as it is a two-metre drop to the street. Deane said the city would likely have to acquire some of the property from the bank before work could proceed. “It’s the most difficult corner to introduce pedestrian access,” Deane said. “To make things safe and to meet our accessibility requirements, there is a lot of additional work that would have to be done.” Deane said the study, which has not been made public, contained early estimates for some of the work involved, but he added more analysis and designs would be required to determine an accurate cost. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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APBP Webinar RFP for 2017
by Beth McKechnie 29 Nov '16

29 Nov '16

Hello everyone, APBP is inviting proposals to present one of the 2017 monthly webinar series topics. It would be great to hear a webinar with presenters from Winnipeg. Please see the RFP link below for the list of topics. Perhaps there is enough local knowledge on winter walking/cycling and maintenance-related issues to suggest an addition to the 2017 webinar calendar? http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.apbp.org/resource/resmgr/ 2017Webinars/APBP_2017_Webinar_RFP.pdf cheers, Beth -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/>

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WFP: City earmarks $15 million for 44 ped, cycling projects (Nov.26'16)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Nov '16

28 Nov '16

City earmarks $15 million for 44 pedestrian, cycling projects http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-hall-has-plans-to-spend-big-on-… City hall plans to spend $4.7 million on new pedestrian and cycling paths and sidewalks in 2017, with another $10.8 million on similar projects during the following two years. Councillors on the public works committee will get their first look at the city’s pedestrian and cycling action plan for 2017 at a meeting Tuesday. An administrative report from the public works department details 44 projects it wants to undertake over the next three years. If the committee approves the $4.7 million planned for 2017, the administration wants councillors to give the director of public works the authority to prioritize which projects will be completed in 2017. The administration has identified 13 projects, with a combined price tag of $67.9 million, that it is proposing be constructed in the years 2019-21, but only if additional funding can be provided by other levels of government. The cycling and pedestrian paths and corridors were approved by council for a long-term strategy, but council required the public works committee to approve the projects that will be constructed each year after consultations with area councillors. Public works is proposing for the next three years: • $2.7 million to install sidewalks in more than a dozen locations • $5.2 million for bicycle corridors • $6.5 million on 10 recreational walkways and bicycle paths • $1.1 million on public education, awareness and promotion projects The department’s $67.9 million wish list of projects for 2019-2021 includes: • $31 million on construction of four new pedestrian/cycling bridges: Fort Rouge to McFadyen Park Bridge over the Assiniboine River (2019); Bishop Grandin Greenway over Pembina Highway (2019); Maple Street through-pass of the CPR Mainline (2020); a new crossing over the Seine River (2019) • $15 million for McDermot/Bannatyne protected bike lane and road renewal (2020) • $10 million for Ruby/Banning neighbourhood greenway construction and road renewal project (2020) • $5 million for Chief Peguis Greenway, from Henderson Highway to Main Street, along the Kildonan Settlers Bridge (2020) aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Metro Wpg: Bike grid would boost business - Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce (Nov.24'16)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Nov '16

28 Nov '16

Bike grid could boost business: Winnipeg Chamber of CommerceCoun. Janice Lukes will try to keep the downtown bike grid plan alive with a pitch at the Nov. 29 infrastructure and public works committee meeting. http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/24/winnipeg-chamber-of-commer… It’s time for Winnipeg to embrace a more bike-friendly future, according to the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. President Loren Remillard doesn’t mince words when discussing the potential of a fast-tracked bike grid <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/10/winnipeg-councillor-pushin…>, as Coun. Janice Lukes will try to move one forward at the city’s next infrastructure committee meeting, Tuesday. “We’re very supportive of all measures to promote active transportation (AT) in our city” Remillard said. “A downtown bike grid is part of that conversation, one I think Winnipeg should embrace.” Although the chamber hasn’t surveyed its members on the specific plan Lukes has put forward, Remillard said there is near-unanimous “recognition of value in AT and a desire to see Winnipeg move forward as quickly as possible.” He explained the business community feels increasing transportation options through offerings like bus rapid transit (BRT) and AT make Winnipeg a more attractive destination and aids in talent retention. “From an employer standpoint… employers out there are trying to compete for the best and brightest, and particularly among the millennial generation they’re actively pursuing (transportation) options,” Remillard said. “If you have AT infrastructure they can actively engage in it makes attracting that talent easier.” Bike Winnipeg has vocally supported Lukes’ plan <http://www.metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/2016/11/23/winnipeg-bike-path-plans-s…> for similar reasons, with executive director Mark Cohoe saying the current AT offerings of Winnipeg’s present and near-future are a “bit scattered” and lack the “connectivity people want.” Remillard also thinks a downtown grid would be a boon for business by increasing pedestrian traffic. “In many other cities where their downtowns have an energy and a vibrancy, that’s not from traffic flow of cars, that’s feet on the street, people engaging on sidewalks, physical personal presence,” he explained. “Bikes really in this case allow for that in a much more robust way by getting people out of their cars. “Instead of driving by many of these shops, again that bike allows you to interact with offerings in the downtown in a more immediate and physical way—it definitely adds to that sense of vibrancy.” Remillard and the chamber will not speak in favour of the bike grid at the Nov. 29 committee meeting, but he said he hopes Lukes’ plan gets support because it would send “a message about what our city is like and where it is going in the future.” “’We are a modern city, we offer our citizens a multitude of options, not just a vehicle option.’”

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WFP: No money for Portage and Main but mayor hopeful (Nov.23'16)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Nov '16

23 Nov '16

No money for Portage and Main, but Bowman hopefulDraft budget doesn't include any cash for initiative http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/portage-and-main- unlikely-to-be-open-to-pedestrians-by-summer-2017-402522565.html Mayor Brian Bowman's dream of seeing Portage and Main opened to pedestrians by the 2017 Canada Summer Games is all but dashed after the city's preliminary budget didn't allocate any money for the project. Bowman made removing barriers at the intersection one of his chief campaign pledges in the last municipal election and in June expressed a desire to see it open before the two-week event opens in July. However, continued financial wrangling with owners of the buildings at the intersection prevented the city from including the project in the budget, Bowman told reporters Tuesday. "It is premature to put anything in the budget when those discussions are happening with the property owners," he said. "It is not in the budget because we are not at the stage yet where there is something for council to consider... some of the issues that have been raised (by the property owners) is a desire for more investments — for the city to do its part — while the property owners have been investing millions of dollars in upgrades to their exterior and interior." Budget documents outline more than $20 million in projects either cancelled ($10.6 million) or deferred ($9.5 million) to a later date. The deferrals include a $2-million plan for fire and paramedic station maintenance, $300,000 for land acquisition, $500,000 for library refurbishment and $600,000 of library technical upgrades. "The (preliminary) budget maps what we want to spend money on; the asks far surpass what are you are going to see in the (final) budget," Bowman said. The city signed a 40-year agreement with property owners at Portage and Main in 1979 closing pedestrian traffic at street level, forcing people into the underground shopping mall. The estimated cost of opening the intersection remains unclear. A traffic study prepared by Dillon Consulting has been in the hands of the city's administration for months. Bowman isn't ready to throw in the towel for a summer opening. "If we aren't able to do it by that date, we will try and get it done as soon as possible... it is being driven by discussions with the property owners," he said. kristin.annable(a)freepress.mb.ca

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Ped and Cycling highlights from 2017 City Budget
by Beth McKechnie 23 Nov '16

23 Nov '16

*AT highlights & lowlights from 2017 budget:* - Invests $13.5 million in active transportation, including $3.6 million for new, buffered bike lanes along Pembina Highway, over $2.8 million for bicycle corridors, $1.6 million for protected bikes lanes along Empress Street and an investment of $1 million in the Transcona Trail walkway - $4.3 million toward Tache Promenade, a pedestrian promenade along the Red River in St. Boniface between the Provencher and Norwood bridges - No money allocated for opening Portage and Main to pedestrians http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/bowman-unveils-city- budgets-this-afternoon-402473505.html -- *Beth McKechnie* | Workplace Commuter Options <http://greenactioncentre.ca/>Green Action Centre <http://www.greenactioncentre.ca/> <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> 3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave | (204) 925-3772 | Find us here <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Green Action Centre is your green living hub Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/>

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Pedestrian safety
by c_feaver＠mts.net 22 Nov '16

22 Nov '16

Globe and Mail editorial: “Hey driver, check your privilege. Pedestrians have rights, too” Says; The killing of pedestrians is an overlooked tragedy in a car-centred culture that prefers to regard road deaths as both accidental and inevitable. They are neither – at least not if you’re determined to make our cities safe places where people can go for a walk without fear of sudden death or disability. ... It is time to undo this destructive choice – by dropping speed limits, narrowing roads, extending curbs at crossings, and providing safety islands on broad, busy streets. Politicians must find the courage to resist the crude war-on-the-car arguments that will inevitably result. Pedestrians already have priority under the law. It is time they had it in reality. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/hey-driver-check-your-pri…

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Paper bike helmet wins design prize
by Beth McKechnie 21 Nov '16

21 Nov '16

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-monday-edition-1.3860483/ disposable-paper-bike-helmet-wins-design-prize-1.3860502 [Thanks to Terry Zdan for the share]

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WFP Analysis: Road safety by design (Nov.21'16)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Nov '16

21 Nov '16

Road safety by design By: Brent Bellamy <http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/biographies/304929281.html> http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/road-safet y-by-design-402202515.html If flying were as dangerous as crossing the street, steamships and passenger trains would still be a thing. On average, about 600 people die in plane crashes across the entire world each year, while in Canada alone, one pedestrian per day is killed in a vehicle collision. In Manitoba, a pedestrian is hit and injured by a car five times per week, resulting in death once per month. We have engineered our Canadian cities for speed. Our streets have got bigger; lanes have got wider and traffic flow has been given priority over the safety of other transportation modes, such as walking and cycling. Speed reduces reaction times, increases stopping distances and has a significant effect on accident severity. A pedestrian struck by a car travelling 50 kilometres per hour has an 80 per cent chance of being killed, compared with only five per cent at 30 km/h. Reducing vehicle speeds is key to road safety, but it’s not as easy as putting up signs and red-light cameras. Drivers respond to the physical design of streets and surrounding conditions. Most of us have experienced driving on a road designed for high speeds with a low posted limit. It’s instinctively difficult not to go faster. If we hope to make streets safer, physical design will be a necessary part of the solution. The residential areas of downtown are a significant point of interaction between high volumes of vehicles and pedestrians. A few simple design features could be implemented to make areas such as South Broadway, Central Park and the Exchange District safer, quieter and more comfortable urban neighbourhoods. A first design idea might be to reconfigure the lower-volume, one-way streets in these areas back to two-way circulation. One-way streets are built to funnel traffic quickly, encouraging drivers to increase their speed. Without oncoming vehicles, driver concentration can be reduced, with less awareness of surrounding movements. A study in Hamilton in 2000 found children are 2½ times more likely to be injured crossing a one-way street than a two-way. Another important strategy to increase safety is to begin narrowing roadways where appropriate. As a driver’s field of vision expands, speeds intuitively increase. As an example, regardless of speed limits, we instinctively drive faster on Pembina Highway than on Albert Street. A precedent for road narrowing is Donald Street, where in 2013 a lane was removed beside MTS Centre. The sidewalk was widened; trees were planted and benches and lighting were installed. This made the street feel more enclosed and intimate, a condition that could be replicated on many local downtown streets, having a great effect on pedestrian safety and urban quality without significant change to traffic congestion. Road narrowing also provides an opportunity to install curbed bike lanes, further buffering pedestrians from traffic and protecting cyclists. Where streets can’t be narrowed, curb extensions, or bump-outs, can be built to expand the sidewalk into the parking lane at intersections, where the majority of pedestrian accidents occur. This has the effect of increasing pedestrian visibility as well as reducing the distance and time it takes to cross. The Montreal Public Health Agency estimates that for every extra vehicle lane at an intersection, there are 75 per cent more injured pedestrians. A design tool to increase pedestrian safety used in many cities is the elevated plateau crosswalk. This raises the street crossing to the height of the sidewalk, making pedestrians more visible as they cross and providing a physical reminder to drivers that they are entering a pedestrian zone. The plateau is gently sloped on each side and much lower than a speed bump, making them easy to clear of snow in winter. They are generally the width of the sidewalk and are often marked with contrasting paint or constructed with paving stones to give the appearance that the sidewalk is continuous as it crosses the road. In Copenhagen, Denmark, the gold-standard city for pedestrian and bike safety, raised crosswalks are a common element at intersections. Renowned Danish urban designer Jan Gehl has remarked that because of these features, when his granddaughter walks to school, she feels like she never crosses a street. This anecdote demonstrates that raised crosswalks would not only be effective traffic-calming elements in downtown neighbourhoods, but they could also be implemented throughout suburban residential areas, particularly in school zones, where more than 4,000 Canadian children are hit by motor vehicles each year. A few Winnipeg schools have already begun building raised crosswalks as a model to study. In response to recent pedestrian accidents, Coun. Janice Lukes has been calling for Winnipeg to follow other Canadian cities and adopt Vision Zero, a global initiative that promotes a holistic approach to road safety. A fundamental pillar of the strategy is to use tools such as these to design physical environments that intuitively calm traffic downtown and in residential neighbourhoods. Slowing traffic is never a popular suggestion, but when designed carefully, these initiatives can be implemented without increasing congestion and may have valuable side benefits beyond pedestrian safety. Safe streets are inviting streets. Their slower pace creates a more comfortable physical environment that attracts people. This gravity supports commercial growth, increases property values and improves the quality of life in our communities. Great walking cities have suburban subdivisions with sidewalks on every street, school zones and residential intersections that are prioritized to foot traffic and complete urban streets that are designed equally for all users: transit riders, cyclists, drivers and pedestrians. *Brent Bellamy is chairman of CentreVenture’s board and the creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.*

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