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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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WFP: Public works defends traffic-control work to committee (Mar11'22)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Mar '22

11 Mar '22

*Public works defends traffic-control work to committee * WINNIPEG’S public works department responded publicly for the first time Thursday to allegations of financial mismanagement within the traffic signals branch at a special meeting of the city’s finance committee. Chairman Scott Gillingham (St. James) called the session in response to the recent Free Press investigative series Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight, based on the findings of independent traffic researcher Christian Sweryda. Public works director Jim Berezowsky disputed allegations his department has engaged in widespread patterns of financial mismanagement and wasteful construction practices dating back more than a decade. “We believe there is an explanation for each and every Google picture,” Berezowsky said, referring to Sweryda’s research, the result of hundreds of hours spent analyzing Google Street View images and cataloguing changes to traffic infrastructure in Winnipeg. Berezowsky said he stands with department staff and is proud of the work they do, expressing displeasure the matter was aired publicly by the media and councillors before city staff had an opportunity to respond. The Free Press reviewed Sweryda’s research and shared it with several experts in the field. The newspaper repeatedly offered to walk city staff through Sweryda’s research if Berezowsky and David Patman, manager of transportation, were made available for interviews. Those requests were declined. Sweryda — who has been studying traffic-related issues in the city since 2009 — delivered a summary of the information he provided to councillors recently. When he was done, Couns. Janice Lukes (Waverly West) and Kevin Klein (Charleswood-Tuxedo) suggested there are good people doing good work in the public service but there are systemic issues with administrative turnover and mismanagement. Engineer Roger Petursson explained the department’s justification for changes made to traffic-control infrastructure at a handful of the intersections Sweryda highlighted and discussed the impact road renewals can have on the lifespan of traffic-control equipment. Berezowsky defended the department’s record-keeping practices, and said design drawings and work orders will justify changes to traffic-control infrastructure in the council-ordered investigation conducted by city auditor Bryan Mansky. Public works chairman Matt Allard called for an audit after the Free Press series was published. After the meeting, Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said it felt, at times, like a “kangaroo court,” but she was happy public works staff had been able to respond to the allegations and “speak truth to power.” Jason Schreyer (Elmwood-East Kildonan) and John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) are the other members of the committee. ryan.thorpe(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @rk_thorpe

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The "roll" of cargo bikes in urban freight webinar
by Terry Zdan 10 Mar '22

10 Mar '22

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5515404732930030859

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How Prepared Are Canadian Municipalities to Facilitate Mobility Innovation?
by Beth McKechnie 10 Mar '22

10 Mar '22

Check out the Winnipeg section starting on page 36 of the document: shorturl.at/emFZ4 <https://t.co/jVm2uXI9R3> -- 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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Picard in the Globe: "taking vehicle violence seriously as a public health issue"
by Charles Feaver 09 Mar '22

09 Mar '22

Health reporter Andre Picard wrote an excellent opinion piece in todays Globe and Mail; https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-how-the-pandemic-spurred-mor e-traffic-violence/ How the pandemic spurred more traffic violence The COVID-19 pandemic has, in addition to the obvious ravages caused by the novel coronavirus, affected public health in many unexpected ways. One of the most concerning consequences has been a sharp increase in traffic violence, from pedestrian deaths to motor vehicle crashes and road rage. When the first lockdowns began, most commuters stayed home. In cities across North America, large swaths of streets were closed to traffic to make way for an influx of pedestrians practising physical distancing. Bicycle sales soared as people embraced the quiet streets. There were bold predictions that traffic deaths, which were already far too high, would fall sharply. Some urbanists dreamed aloud that we would finally start rethinking the design of our car-centric towns and cities. But, after a brief respite, something strange happened. Beginning in the summer of 2020, traffic deaths soared. That trend continued through 2021 and shows no signs of slowing down as the return to normalcy continues. The United States recorded <https://www.nsc.org/newsroom/motor-vehicle-deaths-2020-estimated-to-be-high est> 42,060 road deaths in 2020, up sharply from <https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/introduction/> 39,107 in 2019, according to the U.S. National Safety Council. The number of pedestrian deaths <https://www.ghsa.org/resources/news-releases/GHSA/Ped-Spotlight-Addendum21# :~:text=GHSA%20projects%20there%20were%206%2C721,increase%20from%201.9%20in% 202019> climbed to 6,721 in 2020, up from 6,412 in 2019, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. While thats a modest increase, when you consider that the miles travelled were down sharply (by 13 per cent), that translates into a 21-per-cent increase based on vehicle miles travelled, a commonly used metric. In addition, the GHSA only catalogues deaths on major roadways. A significant number of pedestrians are also killed in parking lots, driveways and such about 1,500 annually. As with COVID-19, the burden of traffic violence falls disproportionately on low-income residents and elders. They are more likely to walk, and have a greater dependence on decent pedestrian infrastructure. The economic cost of traffic violence is around <https://www.nsc.org/speeches-testimony/testimony-to-the-us-house-of-represe ntatives-commi> US$463-billion annually, again according to the National Safety Council. That includes property damage, medical costs, and wage and productivity losses. Those are U.S. numbers. The trend is a bit different in Canada. In 2020, fatalities were down one per cent to 1,745; serious injuries down 12 per cent to 7,868 and; personal injuries down 28 per cent to 101,572. However, Canadians cut back on travel far more than Americans, so the numbers are all up based on kilometres travelled. And its not clear what happened in 2021 when restrictions loosened. But there is good anecdotal evidence that the trend toward more death and destruction on roads is occurring here, too. The consumer group Piétons Québec, for example, says that a decade of gains in pedestrian safety was wiped out during the pandemic. So, whats going on? The short answer is that quieter roads have not made for safer roads; the result of open roads has been more speeding and reckless driving. Three factors account for the majority of fatal motor vehicle crashes: speeding, impaired driving and a lack of seat belts. But underlying those human factors is the reality that cars (and trucks and SUVs) are designed to go fast and make cocooned drivers feel impervious to risks. Roads, too, are designed for speed, not safety. During the pandemic, there has been less enforcement of traffic rules (not that there was much before) as police were urged to minimize unnecessary contact. Who has not noticed a growing tendency of vehicles to blow through red lights and stop signs? Road racing seems to have become a popular pastime. Crossing streets has increasingly become a contact sport for pedestrians and cyclists. During COVID-19, alcohol consumption <https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-drinking-skyrocketed-during -covid-19-whys-it-so-hard-to-learn-the/> skyrocketed, and so did <https://tirf.ca/downloading/?dlm-dp-dl=6571&utm_source=stalberttoday.ca&utm _campaign=stalberttoday.ca%3A%20outbound&utm_medium=referral> impaired driving. There is also a lot of pandemic anxiety and frustration, and in many instances weve seen that translate into COVID rage not just on the roads, but in restaurants, on airplanes and during many other public interactions. Its all part of a larger problem of fraying social norms and an embrace of selfish individualism. And what better symbol than a big, hoarking truck? The anonymity afforded by sitting in a large metal box (often with tinted windows) is similar to the anonymity afforded by social media platforms. Violence is up sharply in these pandemic times, from <https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2021001/article/00017-eng.htm> murders, to random attacks, to the gurgling anger in cyberspace. Traffic violence is part of that disturbing trend. We have vehicles increasingly used as tools for disruption, from truck convoys to overt violence. A <https://apps.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2021/10/vehicle-rammings-against-p rotesters/map/> Boston Globe analysis found at least 139 incidents of cars driving into demonstrators between May, 2020, and September, 2021. There is much to be done to counter these problems. But it begins with taking vehicle violence seriously as a public health issue. We need to stop blindly worshipping at the altar of the car, and get back to the instincts we had early in the pandemic to make streets more accessible, more pleasant and safer. Its well past time to return urban streets to people, to build a foundation for healthy, green, liveable cities. Charles Feaver 11 Harvard Ave Winnipeg R3M 0J6 204.293.6332

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WFP: Committee takes step towards citywide crosswalk upgrades (Mar9'22)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Mar '22

09 Mar '22

Committee takes step towards citywide crosswalk upgrades https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/city-takes-step-toward-widespread-i… EYE-level lights intended to improve safety at pedestrian crosswalks by better catching the eye of drivers could soon be installed across Winnipeg. A new motion calls for the city to ensure low-mounted, eye-level safety lights are installed at all lighted pedestrian crosswalks “as soon as possible.” It was approved Tuesday by the public works committee but requires a final council vote. “We know these work, we know they’re cost-effective, we know they’re installed after people die (at crosswalks),” said Coun. Matt Allard, public works chairman, who raised the motion. “There’s a blind spot where if you’re too close to a crosswalk, you may not see the lights, so therein lies the problem… I think it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when there’s going to be another collision — another person injured or another fatality.” The motion follows a recent Free Press series, which noted a traffic-safety activist has lobbied the city to add more of the eye-level lights for more than a decade. Christian Sweryda argues overhead lights are more difficult to see for drivers whose vehicles are close to an intersection, while eye-level ones are more visible. While the City of Winnipeg has tested the idea through a past pilot project, Allard’s motion notes just 25 low-mounted lights have been installed permanently at crosswalks to date. He said 158 locations are still awaiting funding to add the lights, while $145,000 was approved in the 2022 budget to convert 15 more. Allard is pushing for council to increase that amount to $1.6 million to complete all of the installations. The motion also calls for sites to get new crosswalks where city engineers have deemed they’re warranted. The public works projects could be funded from the street renewal budget, unspent construction funds and/or reserves. Jim Berezowsky, Winnipeg public works director, said a clear funding source is critical to ensure expediting the light installation doesn’t force the city to postpone other important projects. “If we’re talking about every single crossing in a specific year… What other projects then have to fall by the wayside that are just as (important) safety-wise for all of the citizens of this city?” said Berezowsky. Allard’s motion does not set a specific deadline to get the work done. It also calls for all new installations of lighted pedestrian crosswalks with overhead lights to include an additional low-mounted light. A past city report found the eye-level lights improve safety by increasing “yield compliance” among drivers. Allard said the city has added the low-mounted lights at crosswalks after fatal collisions involving children occurred in the past. He deems his current motion a major safety priority. “I think it’s incumbent on us to get these installed because we know that they’re a cost-effective way to improve safety,” said Allard. The Free Press series noted six crashes occurred at crosswalks with overhead lighting over a 19-month span from February 2018 to September 2019, which caused four deaths. That included crashes at crosswalks that killed two children. In 2019, four-year-old Galila Habtegerish was killed at the pedestrian corridor on Isabel Street at Ross Avenue. In 2018, eight-year-old Surafiel Musse Tesfamariam was killed at the pedestrian corridor on St. Anne’s Road at Varennes Avenue while on his way to school. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP Editorial: Deeply entrenched practices must be re-examined (Mar7'22)
by Beth McKechnie 07 Mar '22

07 Mar '22

Deeply entrenched practices must be re-examined https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/editorials/deeply-entrenched-prac… AMONG the most oft-repeated rationales for the manner in which public service-related standards and practices remain stubbornly entrenched are variations on the following bureaucratic bromide: “We do it this way because we’ve always done it this way.” It’s a standard-issue, accountability-dodging cop-out. It’s also infuriating. And, as a recent Free Press investigative series on Winnipeg’s traffic-regulation infrastructure has suggested, on occasion it might even prove deadly. The week-long series titled “Red Light, Green Light, No Oversight” flagged numerous failures of decision-making and policy formulation within the traffic division. Based on the voluminous data compiled by independent researcher Christian Sweryda, the series raised serious questions about the city’s failure to take seriously the concerns raised by Mr. Sweryda about processes and equipment whose sole purpose is — or, at least, should be — keeping Winnipeggers safe when they venture onto or near the city’s roadways. The series examined several shortcomings uncovered by Mr. Sweryda’s exceedingly thorough research — some have described it as obsessive — in traffic-division operations, ranging from repeated and seemingly unnecessary replacement and repositioning of traffic light poles and the failure to replace missing speed-limit and schoolzone signs, to the persistent use of inadequate amber-light times at intersections and the chronic reluctance, despite numerous pleas and warnings, to install pedestrian-corridor warning lights at eye level rather than high overhead. Some of the highlighted issues relate to unnecessary work and expenditures that cost taxpayers untold millions; others expose safety concerns that, according to Mr. Sweryda’s research, can be linked to fatalities that might have been prevented by a simple, practical, relatively low-cost solution. After reviewing the materials that were the basis for the series, lawyer Kevin Gillese, who specializes in anti-corruption, called the information “extremely disturbing” and added “they suggest a pattern of either incompetence or corruption, or perhaps both.” The Free Press offered to walk the city’s senior managers through the data if those officials were made available for an interview. The offer was declined. Such reluctance to confront Mr. Sweryda’s reams of data and related information suggests a general satisfaction with the manner in which the traffic division continues to operate. So, too, does a statement from the city in response to the traffic light-relocation aspect of the series, which states the city’s traffic engineers “recommend solutions and make decisions… with diligence, care, and consideration of both best practices and the context of the location where they are to be applied.” There are, however, too many unanswered questions that render the “best practices” defence unsatisfactory. More, and more complete, answers are due the citizens of Winnipeg. The series did prompt some elected officials — councillors Matt Allard (St. Boniface), Shawn Nason (Transcona) and Scott Gillingham (St. James), chair of the city’s finance committee — to call for a full external audit and/or a public hearing related to the public-works department and the revelations in Mr. Sweryda’s findings. That’s a good place to start. Winnipeggers have the right to expect their tax dollars are being spent wisely and, more importantly, that the roads on which they drive, cycle and walk are not deadly dangerous. The city must justify its spending and planning, as well as its failure, reluctance or refusal to amend its practices when confronted with clear evidence of significant problems. Rather than “because we’ve always done it this way,” the officials in charge might be inclined to adopt the observation of Carleton University transportation-engineering professor Yasser Hassan after viewing the significant shortcomings uncovered in the series: “If there is no documentation, there is no defence.”

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WFP: Rising fuel costs reinflate cycling interests (Mar5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Mar '22

05 Mar '22

Rising fuel costs reinflate cycling interests https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/rising-fuel-costs-reinflate-cycling… AS gasoline prices rise with no signs of stopping, Winnipeg bike shops are gearing up to take on new customers. Jeff Nespiak sells used bikes and offers repair services at Southside Cycle Works in South St. Vital. The industry — already in high demand since the start of the pandemic— will likely see a renewed surge in interest should fuel get even more expensive, he said. “I think that it’s probably going to drive up the cost on what will be available, but I think that there will definitely be a larger shortage this year,” Nespiak told the Free Press Friday. “That’s what I’m predicting, especially with gas (prices) across the country… I think it’s just going to continuously drive up the market, and I think a lot more people are going to turn to (bikes) for transportation.” If it does, it won’t be the first time in recent years. Like most local industry retailers and service providers, Nespiak has had trouble keeping bikes and parts in stock since the start of the pandemic, as Winnipeggers looking for safe, socially distant outdoor activities took to bike trails in droves. “I found that people were actually digging out, say, if they had an old mountain bike sitting in their backyard for the last 20 years and it’s got weeds and grass growing through the wheels… They were actually taking it out and having it fixed just because they couldn’t find anything decent for sale,” he said. Such demand will likely present itself in the commuter bike market, Nespiak said, and lightweight bikes with more gears will become tougher to find. At Woodcock Cycle Works on St. Mary’s Road, those lightweight commuter bikes can cost anywhere from $500 to more than $1,000. It’s a price many are willing to pay for the right high-end-but-everyday bike, general manager Jon Carson said, adding the long-running business is hoping a silver lining for gas costs is it gets more people thinking of alternate transportation. “I certainly am emphasizing more riding, personally, because the prices of gasoline are pretty outrageous,” Carson said. “We’re hoping that it will be just another incentive in this sort of bike boom we’ve experienced and, hopefully, another reason to see it keep going.” Recent demand hasn’t reached the fervour of peakmonths in 2020-21, but Carson said it appears more people are buying bikes during this off-season than nearly any other year. Woodcock has been pre-selling bikes set to come in from distributors around Europe and Asia, and supply chain issues that began with the pandemic and have yet to return to normal are still affecting supply. “It’s pretty amazing how fast (bike) orders fill, and how quickly our stock allocates… There’s still delays. I don’t think it’ll be fixed anytime soon, it’s a big chain of things that have been affected,” Carson said. The situation is similar at Olympia Cycle & Ski, co-owner Robb Massey said. “We’ve got certain bikes that were ordered 20 months ago that still haven’t arrived, so that continues to be a problem,” he said. “I mean, right now, our supply is really good. But as soon as we have that first nice day in spring, we’re going to have lineups again and we’re going to have disappointed people.” Massey said he’s concerned that if there is a boom in interest in cycling in tandem with gas costs, new cyclists will spend hundreds of dollars on mass-produced big-box store bikes not designed to last and become discouraged from the practice. He hopes people deciding to hop on a bike for the first time pursue the programming and support services available at the local level. “The price of gas might be $5 a litre, and people still aren’t going to ride their bikes because they just don’t feel comfortable on the roads… To me, it’s bigger than the pain point of watching the price of gas go up,” Massey said. “Because we’re going to get used to it, and then we’re going to go back to unhealthy habits unless you’ve got help and support to (not) do that.” malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca

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WFP: Navigating city sidewalks is unsafe, almost impossible, for people with disabilities (Mar5'22)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Mar '22

05 Mar '22

Navigating city sidewalks is unsafe, almost impossible, for people with disabilities ISOLATION, FRUSTRATION https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/isolation-frustration-576260082.html ISOLATION during winter is a fact of life for many Winnipeggers. This year, repeated heavy snowfalls have buried city sidewalks for weeks on end, forcing people to trudge on narrow paths trampled by trailblazers or climb over large windrows of snow and ice. It’s a nuisance for most people, but city folk with mobility problems find themselves in a huge bind. In Manitoba. 234,190 people 15 and older have a disability, data from a 2017 survey shows. About 40 per cent of that group has mobility issues and 22.1 per cent are visually impaired. Accessibility advocates raise the issue every winter, and little seems to change. They hope during this winter, which has been especially troublesome, fellow citizens and politicians try to understand how limited life can be when faced with such hurdles. Unsure footing Brian Thorkelson inched his foot forward through the mound of snow on the sidewalk. Had he not lived there in the summer, he might not have known there was a sidewalk. His guide dog hesitated. “The dog is totally not confident in guiding, because he perceives the snow mountains as obstacles and there’s no way to get around them,” said the 38-year-old who has total visual impairment. The dog is trained to take the path of least resistance, but in snow drifts, he gets confused, said the resident of Quail Ridge Road. “He’s completely confused and disoriented… I’ve even had times where I’ve had to pick my dog up, and he’s at least a good 75 pounds, to put him over the drift,” he said. Thorkelson said the dog’s ability to guide him could be affected. He hopes the dog’s training will hold up until spring. Taking a bus is a nightmare. Recently, a huge snowdrift blocked him from the bus stop on Sturgeon Road. He wasn’t sure he was at the right place. After about 20 minutes of trying to orient himself (his dog was unable to solve the problem), he called a friend on a video chat to ask them to see what he was dealing with. “They said: ‘You’re at the sidewalk to walk to the stop, but it’s just uncleared.’” Thorkelson had to carefully climb, with his dog, over the drift. This year, he said he’s fallen several times. “It’s definitely a worry of mine that one time I’m going to fall and not be able to get back up,” he said. “If it’s anything below -15 C, I won’t go out. I’ll just stay home, just because of that danger.” Spinning wheels Wheelchair users in Winnipeg know what it’s like to be stuck in a few centimetres of snow. Peter Tonge said the tires of his wheelchairs, both manual and motorized, spin as nothing happens. He’s had to depend on strangers to help free him. It’s no easy task pulling a person and their wheelchair from a snowy rut. “Someone may come along and very genuinely want to help, but they’re not physically capable of doing so,” said the Grant Avenue resident. “There’s always that stress level of just getting yourself free.” He feels that loss of freedom. “I no longer have spontaneous access to do anything,” he said. Every winter, and particularly this one, his freedom is limited by slush, snow or ice. “It’s not the big things in life, like I won’t be able to get to the hospital,” he said. “It’s the little things, like being able to spontaneously pop around and see a friend or run an errand…. If the sidewalks were clean and clear, you could go: ‘Gee, it would be nice to have some ice cream with our dessert,’ and you can buzz out and grab it.” Instead, Tonge is forced to rely on Winnipeg Transit Plus for most of his errands, which requires two days’ notice to book a ride. When waiting that long isn’t an option, Tonge can book a wheelchair-accessible taxi — but that’s expensive. Last month, Tonge, who is the executive director of the Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association, booked private transit several times. “I spent over $300 in the month of February,” Tonge said. “For a lot of people that’s most of their income.” In a 2017 survey, about 60 per cent of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 were employed, compared to 80.1 per cent of people without disabilities. And as disabilities become more severe, the employment rate drops. That means extra expenses, such as private transit, aren’t affordable. Tonge has spent years advocating for more accessible sidewalks, among other things. Yet, nothing ever seems to change, he said. Tonge summed up his experience with a quote he’d once come across: “It doesn’t matter what direction I turned, it felt like the wind was blowing in my face.” New isolation Debby McLeod hasn’t always used a wheelchair. For about 20 years, she spent most days on her feet, rushing around Health Sciences Centre as a critical equipment specialist. But on Nov. 12, 2020, McLeod’s left leg was amputated below the knee due to a bone infection. In these first three winters as wheelchair user, the isolation imposed on her by snow and uncleared sidewalks has come as a shock. “Actually, I’m quite surprised. When you’re able-bodied, these are things you don’t think of,” she said. Before the operation, McLeod never would have imagined being trapped in her house, unable to get to work, for three weeks. But that’s what happened to the downtown Portage Avenue resident in February. “The sidewalks this year have been absolutely horrific. I understand that we’ve had an awful lot of snowfall and the city is having a hard time trying to keep up. But with so much snow on the sidewalks, it makes it impossible to get anywhere,” she said. For someone like McLeod, who describes herself as naturally independent, it’s hurt her mental health. “My inability to go into work very much affected me,” she said. Even just the contact with people on the way to work is “like a breath of fresh air,” McLeod said. People don’t understand how significant the loss of mobility, due to uncleared paths, is for people in wheelchairs and with other mobility issues, she said. “They really don’t. And I was one of them. You can’t comprehend until you are in the situation. You can understand, you can emphasize, but you can’t really relate.” Stuck in a loop Similar to Tonge, Rosalie Best advocates for more accessible sidewalks every winter. “I’m getting a little tired of doing the same interview over and over again,” said Best, a power wheelchair user who works remotely for an accessibility consulting firm in Ontario. “It feels like every year, I’m getting called, and I say the same things, and nothing changes.” She talks about the impossibility of moving around town as desired; about the increasing frustration; about looking out the window, seeing huge drifts of snow and feeling the weight of isolation as she considers the near-eternity (or so it feels) until they melt and allow her to live life with some semblance of liberty. “It’s very frustrating. And it makes winter extremely long,” she said. She also talks about getting stuck in the snow, needing the help of strangers to get free, and the anxiety of not being able to find someone — something Tonge and McLeod mentioned as well. The Spruce Street resident said when she does get out, which is rare, for a doctor’s appointment or some other necessity, snow piles often block loading zones or disabled parking spots, forcing her to park farther away or in precarious locations. Then, again, there’s the sidewalk to deal with. Best, Tonge and McLeod agree there is a lack of political will and public awareness about how poor snow clearing makes their lives so difficult. “Because people are so isolated, other people who are non-disabled, or don’t have mobility issues, aren’t seeing people with disabilities out and about,” she said. If people with disabilities and mobility issues were more visible in the community, perhaps the city and its able-bodied populace would better understand the problem, she said. “But because of the snow, or because of whatever kind of lack of accessibility, it becomes this weird, never-ending loop.” Going backwards Despite advocates’ calls for a more accessible winter city, there is a feeling conditions have worsened. Atlantic Avenue resident Tanis Woodland, who is blind, doesn’t believe the situation will improve. “It’s slowly getting worse over the years, in terms of actually plowing the sidewalks,” said Woodland. She has had to climb over huge windrows to catch the bus. It’s even tough to find the stop in mountains of snow on the sidewalk. “It seems like it’s increasingly worse, seems like they’re cutting a lot of our services,” said Suzanne Jakeman, who uses elbow crutches, co-owns wheelchair-accessible taxi company Sunshine Transit Services. Even though she has accessible transport at her disposal, just getting out to the street or from a parking spot to her destination is a struggle this year. “I’m not a billy goat,” She joked. fpcity(a)freepress.mb.ca

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