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Wpg Free Press - Road rage, cycling explode
by Janice Lukes 13 Nov '09

13 Nov '09

$20M in infrastructure hitting the streets and trails next year in Wpg - Kudos to the FreeP for yet another timely article - Road rage, cycling explode By: Meghan Daum Dr. Christopher Thompson, a driver who abruptly stopped his car in front of two cyclists in Los Angeles last summer, was found guilty of six felonies and a misdemeanor last week. The trial, which captivated the cycling community, revealed a particularly virulent form of road rage. Christian Stoehr suffered a separated shoulder and Ron Peterson shattered several teeth and broke and nearly severed his nose when the two hit the back of Thompson's Infiniti on a road in upscale Brentwood. Thompson, a former emergency-room physician who lives along the winding five-mile road, claimed that he was merely trying to take a photograph of Stoehr and Peterson, evidence of the way cyclists flout the law in the canyon and flip off residents. A police traffic investigator who arrived on the scene shortly after the incident testified that Thompson told him he "stopped in front to teach them a lesson." Suffice it to say that Thompson shouldn't be driving a support vehicle in the Tour de France. Two other cyclists testified that in March 2008, a motorist they believed to be Thompson made a similar maneouver, speeding ahead, then slamming on his brakes. One of these cyclists told the court that the driver tried to hit them again and then sped off, noting that the car was an Infiniti sedan and the licence plates spelled out an abbreviated form of the medical software company Thompson owns and matched those on his car. Obscene gestures, vanity plates -- it's all part of the romance of Southern California driving. Road rage? That's just the inflamed passion part of romance. But anyone who's been paying attention to the road lately probably has noticed a marked, even dizzying, increase in the number of bikes on U.S. streets. Suddenly, they're in bike lanes and traffic lanes, zipping through stoplights, careening around mountain passes and weaving along sidewalks. Census data show that between 2000 and 2008, the number of bicycle commuters increased by 43 per cent. And membership in competitive cycling clubs is on the rise, with USA Cycling reporting the number of licenced U.S. racers up 48 per cent since 2002. Despite the cozy, granola-esque community spirit this trend might evoke (think helmeted parents riding with their helmeted kids and women in flowing skirts peddling home from the farmers market with baskets full of French bread), the reality is more sobering. Cycling-related accident rates are decreasing, but cycling injuries are getting worse. That suggests that riders may be tangling with something more than a mere fall, like a car door or fender. Although most drivers, mercifully, don't harbor as much animosity as Thompson, I suspect there may be more of him out there than we think. Why? For starters, many people don't know what rights cyclists do and do not have, which pretty much makes them assume they have none. I was in this category myself until I consulted the bicycle laws in the California Vehicle Code and learned that a cyclist has "all the rights and is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a vehicle." In other words, you're not supposed to dart through red lights on a bike (shame on you, 80 per cent of Lycra wearers in my neighborhood). But guess what: It's perfectly legal to occupy the entire lane, not just hang on the side, if you're going the same speed as traffic. The speed limit on Mandeville Canyon Road is 30 mph (it's 25 mph on most residential Los Angeles streets), which, according to the injured cyclists' GPS data, was about the speed they were traveling when Thompson stopped in front of them. In other words, if you're getting impatient with a "slow" cyclist in front of you, it's probably because you're speeding. So, now that you know, are you going to stop swearing at cyclists? My guess is no. Because there's a larger bone of contention here, which is that cyclists make a lot of us feel like lazy slobs. Whereas drivers sit in an air-conditioned bubble, expending only the energy required to press the gas pedal, tap the brake and change from a '70s classic-rock radio station to an '80s classic-rock station, cyclists are out in the actual elements doing actual exercise. Whereas drivers are consuming calories by eating an entire bucket of KFC over 10 blocks, cyclists are burning calories and consuming nothing but seaweed at home. Whereas drivers' carbon footprints grow more beast-like by the hour, cyclists create no exhaust other than the sweet fatigue they feel as they drift off to saintly sleep at night. Of course, moral superiority is insufferable, but you still shouldn't try to run it off the road. You might win on the street, but in court, it's different. Meghan Daum is an essayist and novelist in Los Angeles. --The Los Angeles Times Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 12, 2009 A15 Janice Lukes

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WFP: New diamond lanes open today (Nov.9'09)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Nov '09

09 Nov '09

Latest News New diamond lanes open today DIAMONDS are a transit rider and cyclist's best friend -- starting today. Diamond lanes, that is. As part of a comprehensive transit improvement plan approved by Winnipeg city council, new diamond lanes take effect today. The specially marked lanes are for transit vehicles, cyclists and right-turning vehicles -- which must turn right at the first opportunity -- during weekday peak periods. They're designed to improve the speed and reliability of transit service and motorists who misuse them face a minimum fine of $190.80 and two demerit points. The new lanes in effect today are located at: Portage Avenue: * Westbound from Colony to Strathcona (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) * Eastbound from Raglan to St. Mary (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) Main Street: * Southbound from Smithfield to Jarvis (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. only) * Northbound from Jarvis to Inkster (3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m only) Goulet Street: * Westbound from Youville to Tache (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. only) McPhillips Street: * Southbound from Hillock to William (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) New on-street parking restrictions will be also in effect to accommodate new diamond lanes on westbound Portage Avenue and on northbound Main Street. Diamond lanes were first implemented in Winnipeg in 1995. There are about 30 kilometres of reserved lanes on major corridors throughout the city. The $2-million diamond lane project is funded by the federal gas tax and the Public Transit Capital Trust (PTCT) "for projects that enhance transit service in communities across Manitoba," the city said in a press release.

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Fwd: [trans-action] Every Street Should be a Bicycle Route
by David Wieser 06 Nov '09

06 Nov '09

A good article to read. Perhaps someone can encourage Colville-Andersen to come to Winnipeg for a speaking engagement! David Wieser From: Richard Campbell <richard.campbell.lists(a)gmail.com> The bottom line is that every street should be a bicycle route. That includes busy commercial streets that have the shops and other destinations where people want to go. To really encourage people to cycle, it must be more convenient than driving. From: http://bikeportland.org/2009/10/30/want-to-be-like-copenhagen-think-about-v… In the 1980s, when Copenhagen was experiencing a boom in bicycling, city officials worried that too many people were riding on the busy main streets. “They thought, we’ve got to stop that, it’s not safe.” Their solution was to direct bike traffic to the backstreet by building high-quality cycle tracks through neighborhoods. The problem was that the neighborhood routes meant people had to ride 10-15 minutes out of their way to get from a to b. The result? No one used them. “It was a flop. So, the city shrugged and went, ‘fine, we’ll put them on the main streets’”. The lesson, says Colville-Andersen, is that planners should put bicycle infrastructure where people actually want to go, not where engineers think they should go. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ The trans-action list is for the discussion of transportation and land use issues. The list is not moderated or opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the list administrators. To post to this group, send email to trans-action(a)googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to trans-action-unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com To change to digest mode, view the list archive or otherwise manage your status on the list, visit this group at: http://groups.google.com/group/trans-action -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

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Bringing Health to the Planning Table: A Profile of Promising Practices in Canada and Abroad.
by Sandy Kostyniuk 03 Nov '09

03 Nov '09

Apologies for any crossing postings. Sent on behalf of the Healthy Living Issues Group: We are pleased to share with you the report, Bringing Health to the Planning Table: A Profile of Promising Practices in Canada and Abroad. This report was produced by the Healthy Living Issue Group of the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network. The report profiles case studies within 13 Canadian communities from across Canada where collaborative approaches to improve health outcomes have been a key consideration in planning decisions related to the built environment. This approach was chosen so that the successes (and lessons learned) of a variety of different projects could be shared with other communities. With one case study from each province and territory it provides a pan-Canadian perspective. Two international examples highlight similar work happening abroad. Please feel free to disseminate this report broadly. It can be found online at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hl-vs-strat We would be interested to hear how the report is supporting your work and the work of your colleagues. Any feedback can be sent to: healthylivingE-bulletin(a)phac-aspc.gc.ca. _________________________________________________________________ C’est avec plaisir que nous vous présentons le rapport intitulé Amener la Santé à la Table de Planification : Un Profil des Pratiques Prometteuses du Canada et de l'Étranger. Ce rapport a été produit par le Groupe des modes de vie sains du Réseau pancanadien de santé publique. Ce rapport établit le profil d’études de cas au sein de 13 communautés de partout au Canada et où les efforts de collaboration visant à améliorer les résultats en matière de santé ont été un élément essentiel pour la planification des décisions liées au milieu créé. Cette approche a été choisie afin que les succès (et les leçons tirées) d’un éventail de projets puissent être communiqués à d’autres communautés. En présentant une étude de cas de chaque province et territoire, le rapport présente un point de vue pancanadien. Deux exemples à l’échelle internationale mettent en évidence le travail semblable qui est effectué à l’étranger. N’hésitez pas à diffuser ce rapport à grande échelle. Il est possible de le consulter en ligne à l’adresse suivante : http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hl-vs-strat/index-fra.php Nous aimerions savoir de quelle façon le rapport contribue à l’exécution de votre travail et à celui de vos collègues. Veuillez transmettre vos commentaires à l’adresse suivante : healthylivingE-bulletin(a)phac-aspc.gc.ca. Sandy Kostyniuk Program Consultant The Public Health Agency of Canada Street Address 7th Floor, 275 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba Mailing Address Manitoba and Saskatchewan Regional Office 1015 Arlington Street Winnipeg, MB Canada R3E 3R2 Phone: 1-204-789-7411 Fax: 1-204-789-7878 Email: sandy_kostyniuk(a)phac-aspc.gc.ca

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Active Transportation - Canada: October 31, 2009
by Beth McKechnie 03 Nov '09

03 Nov '09

----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2009 11:22 AM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: October 31, 2009 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. The following items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** AT Infrastructure Example: Lac des Seize Iles QC - Separated Bicycle Route 1.. Urban sprawl no fun for kids, reports say 2.. Reclaiming city streets for people 3.. Alberta Centre for Active Living - Physical Activity Information Round-Up 4.. US - Community Walkable Neighbourhoods Guide 5.. Boomer demand spikes sales of two-wheelers designed for older riders 6.. Ottawa's cycling issues finally gaining needed speed 7.. City plans to create seven areas that are vibrant, pedestrian friendly and transit supported 8.. Time to put the brakes on bicycling lanes 9.. Montrealers have no problem walking the walk 10.. Cyclists seeking safer routes and driver education 11.. Skateboard Path May Become Permanent 12.. FACE parents worry about new bike path 13.. Silver Birch Trail will not be paved 14.. National report praises city's bike lane 15.. Proposed trail on agenda for two public meetings 16.. New York's transformation sends us a message 17.. UK - Crap Cycle Lanes 18.. Swedish Piano Stairs 19.. Beijing’s Sustainable City Center 20.. Focusing on Neighborhood Traffic Safety - Lessons from Europe **************************************************************************************************** A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

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Edmonton tests employee bike-share program
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '09

27 Oct '09

City Tests Employee Bike-Share Program June 04, 2009 http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/news/2009/city-tests-employee-bike-s… Downtown City workers can now sign out a bike for lunchtime rides or short commutes to meetings thanks to an employee bike-sharing pilot starting in mid-June. The program is designed to create health options and reduce the carbon footprint of employees. As part of the launch, Councillors Don Iveson and Ben Henderson test-rode 2 of the 25 bikes now available to employees working out of City offices in the downtown core. "Edmontonians have made their city a leader on many environmental fronts by their actions," said Councillor Henderson. "This pilot will encourage City employees to lead by example, as residents and representatives of the City, by getting active while cutting their greenhouse gas emissions. Councillor Iveson also highlighted the fact that programs like this have been proven to increase productivity and reduce workplace injuries or absenteeism. "The pilot not only reflects the City's ongoing efforts to promote sustainable modes of transportation, it's another way we're building a healthy workplace for our employees," said Councillor Iveson. The pilot is designed for workers who do not cycle or cycle very little, and will assess what kinds of barriers need to be addressed to get these individuals on a bike. While the bikes are available to any employee working out of downtown City offices, pilot organizers have recruited a test group of employees to help establish benchmarks and provide ongoing feedback during the project. Dot Laing, Active Edmonton program coordinator, is managing the pilot. She wants to boost her test group's weekly physical activity by 10 per cent. If successful, the 12-week pilot could be extended in 2010. The City will share the results with other organizations interested in starting similar programs for their own employees. The launch coincides with Edmonton's Bike Month and Canadian Environment Week. Whenever using a City-owned bike, employees are required to wear a helmet and follow prescribed security measures to prevent the bikes from being stolen. The pilot is led by Active Edmonton, an initiative of the Community Services Department. For more information: Dot Laing Title Active Edmonton, Program Coordinator, Community Services Telephone 780-994-2348

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Electric bikes allowed on ON roads (Oct.1'09)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '09

27 Oct '09

Electric Bikes Allowed on Ontario Roads http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2009/10/electric-bikes-allowed-on-ontario-roa… October 1, 2009 1:00 PM McGuinty Government Announces New Safety Requirements E-bikes can share the road with cars, pedestrians and other traffic throughout Ontario -with new safety requirements. E-bikes reach a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour and offer another option for clean, green commuting and travel. Effective October 3, 2009, new requirements that will increase rider safety include: a.. Limiting the maximum weight of an e-bike to 120 kilograms a.. Requiring a maximum braking distance of nine metres a.. Prohibiting modifications of the e-bike's motor to enable power-assisted speeds greater than 32 kilometres per hour. All riders must be at least 16 years of age, wear approved bicycle or motorcycle helmets and follow the same traffic laws that apply to bicyclists such as keeping as close to the right edge of the road as possible. Municipalities can determine where e-bikes may be ridden on their streets, bike lanes and trails. QUICK FACTS a.. E-bikes will not be permitted on 400-series highways, the Queen Elizabeth Way, the Queensway in Ottawa, the Kitchener-Waterloo Expressway and other areas where bicycles are not permitted. b.. An e-bike can be pedaled like a regular bicycle or, with the assistance of an electric motor, can be ridden at a maximum speed of 32 kilometres per hour. c.. Riding an e-bike under the age of 16 or riding an e-bike without an approved helmet carries fines ranging from $60 to $500. For all other traffic offences, e-bike riders will be subject to the same penalties as cyclists. LEARN MORE a.. Read about Ontario's three-year e-bike pilot and its results, including new operating and equipment standards. b.. Find out what new and alternative vehicles are permitted on Ontario roads.

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WFP: Future bike trails - Let's grab abandoned rail lines, Katz says (Oct.23'09)
by Beth McKechnie 23 Oct '09

23 Oct '09

Local News Future bike trails: Let's grab abandoned rail lines, Katz says By: Bartley Kives WINNIPEG should gobble up as many abandoned rail lines as possible to build more bike-and-pedestrian trails, Mayor Sam Katz says. The popularity of the Northeast Pioneers' Greenway -- a 6.7-kilometre commuter path built over the former CPR Marconi Line -- has led Katz to believe the city must work more closely with railways to purchase unused lines as soon as they become available. "If it's abandoned, the city should be grabbing it. They make ideal active-transportation routes," the mayor said Thursday in an interview. "Nothing is more obvious than what we did with the Northeast Pioneers' Greenway. If you go there you'll see it's used by all kinds of people for all kinds of reasons, on foot, on bikes (and on in-line) skates." Winnipeg acquired what's now the Northeast Pioneers' Greenway in 2006, when philanthropist John Buhler bought the Marconi Line from the Canadian Pacific Railway for $1.5 million, flipped it to the city at the same price and kicked in $150,000 to help pave the trail, which runs through East and North Kildonan. City documents show Buhler was able to whittle down the asking price from almost $4 million. Katz said the city could avoid tough negotiations in the future by working with railways to ensure the city always gets the first crack at abandoned lines. The city's failure to secure unused lines in River Heights that eventually fell into the hands of real estate developers was "a major, major blunder," Katz said. But the city has experienced rails-to-trails successes, most notably the community-led acquisition of Charleswood land that led to the creation of the Harte Trail, said Janice Lukes, executive director of the non-profit Winnipeg Trails Association. Land acquisition is the most difficult part of creating any new trail, so a concerted effort by the city to pursue railway property will go a long way toward future trail-building efforts, she added. "There are a lot of pieces we should be grabbing right now. There are little bits and pieces all over the city," said Lukes, who praised Katz for the unexpected policy statement. "That's fabulous. I'm practically having a heart attack." Katz declined to say which abandoned lines the city plans to purchase next, claiming the identification of specific properties might drive up prices. Winnipeg is in the midst of the most aggressive trail-building spree in the city's history. Over the past four years, the city has more than doubled the size of its network of multi-use pathways, bike lanes on streets and sharrows, adding 159.5 kilometres to an active-transportation network that now stands at 274 kilometres. bartley.kives(a)freepress.mb.ca

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NYC DOT explains Bike Lanes in the Big Apple - Streetfilms
by David Wieser 21 Oct '09

21 Oct '09

Bicycling infrastructure explained: In New York City, they have 3 classes of bike routes Class 1 - Protected Path Class 2 - Standard 5 foot wide Bike Lane Class 3 - Shared Lane (ie Sharrows) http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/bike-lanes-in-the-big-apple/ David Wieser

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Active Transportation - Canada: October 17, 2009
by Beth McKechnie 19 Oct '09

19 Oct '09

----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Haynes Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2009 2:02 PM Subject: Active Transportation - Canada: October 17, 2009 Active Transportation - Canada features a regular posting of news articles, studies, reports, and other items that have relevance in this field, with previous postings available in an archive. In addition, pictures of existing Active Transportation infrastructure from communities across Canada will be profiled each week. The following items have recently been posted to the Active Transportation - Canada Blog. To view in more detail, go to: http://activetransportation-canada.blogspot.com **************************************************************************************************** AT Infrastructure Example: Lac des Seize Iles QC - Separated Bicycle Route 1.. Keeping children safe: rethinking how we design our surroundings 2.. The Top 10 Facts on Bicycling and Walking in the United States 3.. Health & Transport Action Plan - Grampian, Scotland 4.. Newsletter: The Centre for Sustainable Transportation 5.. Could this be the fittest generation? 6.. Fast lane to safer cycling 7.. Clarifying the Share the Road Project 8.. Newsletter: Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation 9.. Newsletter: Biking Toronto.com 10.. Completing Toronto's Streets 11.. Here's a novel idea: walking to school 12.. Walking to school better in every way for kids 13.. City’s Swedish study tour set to lift off 14.. Is it Safe to Let Your Kids Walk to School? 15.. Bikes and the bad-for-business rap 16.. Scots Government cycle tax idea abandoned 17.. Bike path to link coastline 18.. Dutch move into fast lane with 'bicycle highways' 19.. For the Danes, city planning is all about the bike 20.. Dubai building 6,000 bicycle parking spots **************************************************************************************************** A reminder e-mail of new postings will be sent no more often than once per week. To continue to receive these updates, you need take no action. Should you not wish to receive updates, please return this e-mail with "Unsubscribe" in the Subject area. Interested in an AT workshop in your community? For more information, please contact: Michael Haynes Director TransActive Solutions activetransportation(a)rogers.com 613.424.2803

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