- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

Job Posting: Active Transportation Coordinator, City of Winnipeg
by Beth McKechnie 27 Mar '15

27 Mar '15

Hello everyone: You may have heard that Kevin Nixon, the City's AT Coordinator, is retiring shortly. We are very sorry to see him go! Here's the job posting – please share widely! thanks, Beth * * * * * ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT Posting #: 112240 Under the general direction of the Transportation Facilities Planning Engineer, this position implements programs that are critical to the successful management of the transportation network and the position is expected to excel in communications, team building and project management in a multi-task and multi-disciplinary environment. This position shall be responsible for encouraging and implementing Active Transportation projects and coordinating related interdepartmental activities. A significant responsibility of this position is the implementation and coordination of programs, education, promotion and funding activities including the preparation of reports to the Standing Policy Committee on Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works. This individual fulfills a facilitation/coordination role with community groups and various City Departments. The position is responsible for the supervision of two technical/support positions and also administers the work of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee. As the Active Transportation Coordinator you will be: - Implementing the City's Active Transportation Strategies and Policies. - Chairing meetings with and administers the Active Transportation Advisory Committee. - Encouraging innovation and seeking partnerships in funding and supporting Active Transportation facilities and programs. - Assessing and recommending the incorporation of Active Transportation facilities in all transportation projects. - Administering the Active Transportation Capital Budget Program. Your experience includes: - A Community College Diploma in a related discipline such as Urban Planning or Environmental Studies. - Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering or Urban Planning would be considered an asset. - Minimum of three (3) years of prior related work experience. - Indepth knowledge of City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Policy. - Knowledge of cycling and pedestrian best practices and policies. - Proven ability in public speaking; dealing with the public and stewardship groups. - Demonstrated application of transportation planning methods. - Demonstrated current research related to policies and design guidelines in the area of Active Transportation. Requirements: - Possess and maintain a valid Manitoba class 5 Driver's License. If YOU are interested in this exciting opportunity, please apply online at winnipeg.ca/hr quoting Posting No. 112240, Active Transportation Coordinator position by 4:30 p.m., Monday, April 13, 2015. The salary range for this position is $2,669.48 to $3,585.65 biweekly. We have great benefits and competitive salaries, and we are committed to ongoing learning and career development! For more information on this opportunity and other careers within the City, visit: winnipeg.ca/hr/. WE SEEK DIVERSITY IN OUR WORKPLACE. ABORIGINAL PERSONS, WOMEN, VISIBLE MINORITIES, AND PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY ARE ENCOURAGED TO SELF-DECLARE. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. #LI-POST Posting and to apply online: http://www.winnipeg.ca/resumeol/peoplesoft/job_req.asp?req=112240

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The economics of bike lanes vs car parking - compilation.
by Laura Donatelli 24 Mar '15

24 Mar '15

Not sure if this has already been shared, but if not, it's quite interesting. http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2015/03/the-complete-business-case-for-con…

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Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall
by Beth McKechnie 24 Mar '15

24 Mar '15

You may recall hearing about this collaboration of an artist with the City's climate change office. Could be a really interesting presentation. Please share widely! http://plugin.org/events/201503/artist-talks-erika-lincoln-victoria-scott-a… *From:* Plug In ICA [mailto:info@plugin.org] *Sent:* March 19, 2015 1:45 PM *To:* erika(a)lincolnlab.net *Subject:* Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall [image: Plug In ICA bulletin] Artist Talks with Erika Lincoln, Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall March 26, 2015 - 7pm to 8:30pm Plug In ICA | 460 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Canada Plug In ICA is pleased to host *Erika Lincoln* on *Thursday, March 26th* as she introduces the scope of her residency with the Climate Change Ofﬁce at the City of Winnipeg Planning, Property & Development Department. Erika Lincoln was selected as the Artist-in-Residence with the City of Winnipeg through the Winnipeg Arts Council Public Art Program. Collaborating with the Planning Department’s Ofﬁce of Climate Change, Lincoln’s project augments public engagement opportunities for citizens of Winnipeg to learn more about climate change and the city. The Reﬁll Project, <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/> featuring Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall, will be the ﬁrst in a series of events organized by the Lincoln. For this presentation, each artist will speak about their individual art practices as well as introduce The Reﬁll Project <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/>, a public workshop on data visualization and mapping happening Friday, March 27, 6 – 9 pm and Saturday, March 28, 12 – 5 pm at VideoPool Studio, 300 – 100 Arthur Street. San Francisco-based artists Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall have been invited by Erika Lincoln to speak about the Reﬁll Project which addresses the 2013 closing of the Freshwater Institute Library in Winnipeg. Victoria Scott and Scott Kildall’s collaborative art practice in data visualization and public intervention helps engage citizens with their cities. More information on the artists and this project can be found at The REFILL Blog. <https://refillproject.wordpress.com/about/> The Winnipeg Arts Council Public Art Program’s Artist-in-Residence Program integrates artists and their ideas into City facilities to engage citizens in civic processes through art. Plug In ICA gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Manitoba Arts Council and Winnipeg Arts Council as well as our generous donors, dedicated members and hardworking volunteers. For general information please contact: info(a)plugin.org. For media inquiries please contact: Janique Vigier at janique(a)plugin.org or by telephone at (204) 942-104 ext 27. Share this on: Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://www.plugin.org/events/201503/art…> | Twitter <http://www.twitter.com/home?status=Currently%20reading%20http://www.plugin.…> Become a member of Plug In ICA <http://plugin.org/news/200902/become-member-plug-in-ica> Visit our web shop <http://plugin.org/shop> *Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art* Unit 1 - 460 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0E8 Canada View the online version <http://www.plugin.org/events/201503/artist-talks-erika-lincoln-victoria-sco…> | Unsubscribe from this bulletin <http://plugin.org/newsletter/confirm/remove/2d54bd5d0b654t4>

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WFP: From parking spot to 'parklets' (Mar.21'15)
by Beth McKechnie 22 Mar '15

22 Mar '15

From parking spot to 'parklets' By: Emily Badger http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/from-parking-spot-to-parklets-297114… Conventional wisdom says businesses need parking spots. If would-be customers can't pull up out front, how will they come inside? This is a powerful idea, and it invariably animates the opposition any time cities threaten to redesign roadways, replacing parking spots with bus lanes, cycle tracks, bike racks or wider sidewalks. Remove parking, the argument goes, and business will wither. The reality, though, is more complicated. Consider one illustration: For the last few years, Philadelphia has converted a handful of parking spots in front of neighbourhood businesses into temporary "parklets" no bigger than the space that might fit one or two cars (these tiny interventions are now popular in a lot of cities). Records from adjacent businesses show sales went up about 20 per cent immediately after the parks were installed, relative to right beforehand. The data come from a recent study by the University City District, a neighbourhood development organization in Philadelphia that sent interns out in the spring and summer of 2013 to exhaustively record what happened after a half-dozen of these tiny parks were placed. Most of them included tables, planters and bike racks that created something in between a new public park and an outdoor extension to nearby cafés and sandwich shops. The result: a lot more people packed into these spaces than could ever be accommodated by a single car. Outside a taco shop, as many as 150 people used a space over the course of the day that was only about 240 square feet in size. The seats were packed outside the café in early afternoon and an ice cream shop in the evening. Not all of these people were spending money at these nearby businesses (that's a good sign -- it means people recognized they could treat these spaces as public parks and not private outdoor restaurants). But the sales data shared by these businesses suggest the extra foot traffic -- and the outdoor attraction -- was a boon for business, even when it came at the expense of a little parking. The takeaway here isn't we should turn parking spaces everywhere into public parks. This idea wouldn't work in a lot of other contexts (you're a lot more likely to need your car on the way out of an IKEA than a coffee shop, for one thing). But it illustrates a parking spot isn't always the best use of roadside real estate, although we often treat it as such. And it adds a little more evidence to the growing economic case for deploying our streets differently, for use by more than cars. Other research suggests cyclists may actually spend more than drivers at some kinds of businesses because it's easier for them to pop in often and unplanned. And there are some signs that bike-share docks boost business nearby, too. -- The Washington Post Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 21, 2015 D5

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AT webinar slides: Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '15

18 Mar '15

Hi everyone, Thought others – beyond those who attended today's APBP webinar on Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs – might be interested in the attached slides and additional links and info. 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 non-profit hub for greener living. Support our work by becoming a member <http://greenactioncentre.ca/support/become-a-member/>. Donate at CanadaHelps.org <http://canadahelps.org/> <http://canadahelps.org/>

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WFP Herald: Browaty stirs up emotions with "bike tunnel" ad (Mar.16'15)
by Beth McKechnie 18 Mar '15

18 Mar '15

Browaty stirs up emotions with “bike tunnel” ad By: Sheldon Birnie http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/herald/Browaty-stirs-up-em… Plans to include an active transportation link and emergency corridor beneath an elevated interchange at Highway 59 and the Perimeter Highway have come under fire from one Winnipeg city councillor. But Manitoba government and RM of East St. Paul officials say Browaty is being alarmist. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) took out a full page ad in last week’s issue of* The Herald* calling on premier Greg Selinger not to "waste $$$ on (a) bike tunnel." "Originally proposed as a simple active transportation bridge over the Perimeter Highway by the NDP during the 2011 provincial election," Browaty’s statement reads, "the revised proposal is calling for an elaborate tunnel, costing $10’s (sic) of millions of dollars and routing thousands of vehicles daily onto residential streets in North Kildonan and East St. Paul." "The money could be better spent," Browaty told* The Herald*, saying he believes upgrades to Lagimodiere Boulevard and Henderson Highway are more deserving of public investment. Lance Vigfusson, assistant deputy minister of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation, and Shelley Hart, mayor of East St. Paul, both said Browaty made incorrect and misleading statements in his ad and subsequent press release. "For one, this is not a tunnel," Hart told *The Herald*. "It’s a level-grade crossing. The new cloverleaf (interchange) will be above it." Vigfusson explained that, in order to deliver on the 2011 promise of an active transportation connection "there were two options" when designing that link into plans for the upgraded interchange at the Perimeter and Highway 59. "One option was up and over the Perimeter," Vigfusson said. "The other was taking the Perimeter up and over, making the active transportation corridor as a through path, not a tunnel." After consulting with trucking industry representatives, the province determined that a bridge over the Perimeter which could accommodate large, oversize loads would be the more difficult of the two options. "We would have had to build with at least seven metres of clearance," he said. As a result, he explained, the overpass would have been "approximately nine metres above the ground," making it impractical for active transportation. Keeping the active transportation corridor at grade was the option selected. As a result of Browaty’s ad, some North Kildonan residents have expressed concern that the proposed transportation link will increase traffic in the residential area along Raleigh Street and Gateway Road south of the perimeter. "This’ll increase traffic flow," said Ross Campbell, who lives near the intersection of Gateway and Knowles Avenue. "Traffic will in turn create problems in residential areas. All in all, I do not believe the province or East St. Paul put any thought into it." Vigfusson stressed that the active transportation corridor will not create additional traffic headaches as it won’t be open to commuter traffic. It will be made wide enough to accommodate emergency vehicles, which would access it via a gated system. Vigfusson did say that, if the city of Winnipeg and the RM of East St. Paul decide to open the corridor to regular vehicle traffic in the future, the costs to upgrade would be minimized. "We designed this (interchange) to last for 75 years," he explained. "If ever East St. Paul and the city want to convert it down the line, it would cost a fraction of overall cost to do it now, rather than retrograde." Vigfusson said he believes Browaty’s estimate of thousands of vehicles "that number is highly exaggerated." "From where we’re standing, we applaud the province’s foresight," East St. Paul mayor Hart said. Longtime East St. Paul resident Gary Alderson agreed. "The option of going with a two-lane underpass is probably, if you look down the road, a good idea," Alderson told *The Herald*. "To me, this is good planning. Sure, it’ll cost residents here a few million bucks, and it’ll cost the province. But that’s inevitable if you’re going to do something like this." The province is now awaiting final proposals for the Highway 101/59 interchange as part of the competitive process. Vigfusson said a proposal should be selected by June and hopes to see construction begin at the end of summer. He expects the project to take three to four years to complete. "We have a lot of bridges and lanes to build," he said. "And a lot of dirt to move." *Facebook.com/TheHeraldWPGTwitter: @heraldWPG*

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AT Webinar Reminder: Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs, Wed, Mar 18, 2-3:30, EcoCentre
by Beth McKechnie 17 Mar '15

17 Mar '15

*Friendly reminder about tomorrow's webinar...* Green Action Centre and Bike Winnipeg invite you to join us for a local viewing of the following APBP webinar: *Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs. * Interesting to see that the presenters include a couple of Canadians (from Ottawa and Montreal). The webinar viewing takes place in the EcoCentre boardroom (3rd floor, 303 Portage Ave) and will be followed by group discussion of local applications. RSVPs appreciated but not necessary. Hope to see you then! cheers, Beth ** * * * ** Pedestrian and Bicycle Counting Programs *Wednesday, Mar. 18th, 2-3:30pm, EcoCentre <http://greenactioncentre.ca/content/ecocentre-directions-and-travel-options/> Boardroom* Key learning objectives: 1. Review state of the practice for bicycle and pedestrian data collection, with reference to NCHRP Report 797 2. Recognize the elements of effective bicycle and pedestrian counting programs 3. Understand the methodology and policy implications of Ottawa’s bicycle count program 4. Explore the Trail Modeling and Assessment Platform (T-MAP) *Description*: Consistent and standardized data collection techniques are the building blocks for establishing reliable performance measures to document usage, need, and return on investment in bicycle and pedestrian facilities. This 90-minute webinar provides practitioners with a comprehensive introduction to concepts, examples of current practice, and discussion of policy implications of data collection programs. The session agenda includes: - An overview of NCHRP Report 797: Guidebook on Pedestrian and Bicycle Volume Data Collection and the state of the practice - A case study from the City of Ottawa that describes a methodology for measuring trends accurately over the long term and developing correction factors for short-term or seasonal influences - Guidelines for setting up a robust counting program, with reference to the 2013 FHWA Traffic Monitoring Guide; including techniques for estimating Annual Average Daily Bicyclists and Pedestrians (AADB / AADP) - An explanation of the Trail Modeling and Assessment Platform (T-MAP), the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s new tool to measure and model trail use for project prioritization and impact assessment. *Presenters*: - Tony Hull - Zlatko Krstlic, P. Eng., Transportation Planner, City of Ottawa - Tracy Hadden Loh, Ph.D., Director of Research, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - Luis F. Miranda-Moren, Ph.D., Associate Professor, McGill University - Krista Nordback, Ph.D., P.E., Postdoctoral Research Associate, TREC, Portland State University

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Metro Article: Perimeter Crossing
by Anders Swanson 14 Mar '15

14 Mar '15

http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/1312192/perimeter-tunnel-crossing-near-hi…

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WFP L2E: Crossing for cyclists crucial (Mar14'15)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '15

14 Mar '15

*Crossing for cyclists crucial* http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letters-marc… Coun. Jeff Browaty's assertion that safety will be compromised by the construction of a through-pass on the Northeast Pioneers Greenway right-of-way turns reason on its head (Perimeter plan 'poorly conceived': Browaty, March 12). As a restricted-access roadway, the Perimeter Highway acts as a major barrier between regionally important recreational facilities such as the Gateway Recreation Centre, Bunn's Creek Trail, the Skylight Complex, Chief Peguis Trail pathways, Kilcona Park, the East St. Paul Recreation Complex and the Red River Floodway trail to Birds Hill Park. Without this much-needed crossing, people wanting to ride their bikes to these and other destinations on either side of the Perimeter would be forced to cross the Perimeter on Highway 59 through the planned interchange. They would be required to run a gauntlet of long, high-speed merge lanes serving up to 900 vehicles per hour. This is the approach Coun. Browaty favours, but it represents a very real safety concern that is completely unacceptable. Bike Winnipeg and our allies have been working so hard to see a safe, convenient crossing of the Perimeter Highway included in the interchange project. Mark Cohoe Executive director, Bike Winnipeg *** While Coun. Jeff Browaty's desire to protect his constituents is admirable, his assertions the province is moving forward without consultation on a plan that will funnel 30,000 cars onto the streets of north Winnipeg is simply incorrect. Consultations were held as part of the design/tender process and resulted in a plan to build a full cloverleaf interchange with an active-transportation corridor at ground level that will connect Winnipeg with Birds Hill Park. The raised Perimeter Highway not only provides a ground-level corridor for active transportation, but will create a gated corridor that can be used by emergency vehicles only. The corridor will not be opened to the public, and Coun. Browaty's concern the design will result in 30,000 vehicles moving through northeast Winnipeg is unfounded. It is also incorrect to infer the province is opening this corridor without municipal participation. Last fall, we heard loud and clear from the trucking industry, the active-transportation community and East St. Paul residents. Our engineers have also told us the chosen option requires a similar investment compared with building the Perimeter Highway as a level highway with a long and high bridge for active transportation. The obvious choice was to take the option that guaranteed emergency services for area residents, allowed for economic growth and was favoured by our active transportation users. If Coun. Browaty would like to better understand this project, we would be happy to give him a briefing. Ron Kostyshyn Minister, Transportation and Infrastructure

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WFP: Browaty still fearful of Perimeter plans (Mar.14'15)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Mar '15

14 Mar '15

Browaty still fearful of Perimeter plans By: Aldo Santin http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/browaty-still-fearful-of-perimeter-p… North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty said he still has concerns over a proposed at-grade corridor across the north Perimeter Highway, despite assurances by the province it won't be used as a public roadway. Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Ron Kostyshyn told the Free Press Friday there are no immediate plans to allow traffic on the new corridor that will link both sides of Raleigh Street in East St. Paul. Kostyshyn said the corridor is being designed for active-transportation uses that can accommodate emergency vehicles when the situation arises. "The corridor will not be opened to the public, and Coun. Browaty's concern that the design will result in 30,000 vehicles moving through northeast Winnipeg is unfounded," Kostyshyn said. Browaty went public with his concerns over the corridor earlier this week, saying it would result in a massive influx of traffic into north Winnipeg and the residential streets of North Kildonan. The Selinger government promised in the 2011 campaign to construct an elevated active-transportation bridge across the north Perimeter -- part of its plans for a cloverleaf at the Perimeter and Highway 59 -- linking the Pioneers Greenway pathway that runs through East and North Kildonan with a similar pathway in East St. Paul and on to Birds Hill Park. Browaty said those plans suddenly changed in the fall, to an underpass open to traffic linking Raleigh Street on both sides of the north Perimeter Highway. Kostyshyn said the corridor has been designed to accommodate an expansion for vehicular traffic, but added that would only occur "if both municipalities wish to pursue that option in the future." Browaty said the province did not consult with Winnipeg when it recently changed its plans for the corridor, adding he's not reassured the NDP government will consult the city when the time comes to allow traffic on the corridor. "Those (provincial) assurances aside, I still believe there are better ways to spend the money than what the province is planning to do," Browaty said. Browaty said traffic studies done by East St. Paul found 30,000 vehicles a day would use the new corridor by 2030 if opened to regular traffic, adding Winnipeg's residential streets in that area aren't designed to handle that kind of load. The province hasn't disclosed the cost of the proposed corridor, but a spokeswoman said it's estimated to be the same as the active-transportation bridge originally proposed for the crossing. She added it was concluded the at-grade corridor was the better option. aldo.santin(a)freepress.mb.ca Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition March 14, 2015 A14

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