This is the banner of the Sun's website right now. See attached.
This is Tom Brodbeck's very interesting and informative article on the polling research behind the plan: http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/05/13/bike-lanes-would-work
" Bike lanes would work Survey says people are waiting for bike lanes — so why is the city delaying? *Tom Brodbeck*
If the city rolled out an ambitious cycling strategy with expanded and improved bike lanes — like the one being debated at city hall this week — would Winnipeggers actually cycle more? A Prairie Research Associates survey conducted for the city found they would.
If you've spent much time in other large Canadian cities, you would know Winnipeg is far behind most when it comes to providing cyclists with safe, reliable bike routes. In fact, most of our so-called bike routes aren't really bike routes at all. They're just streets with signs on them claiming to be bike routes. It's pathetic, really.
Even those with painted lanes for cyclists are often on streets that are so poorly maintained, they're downright dangerous to ride on.
But there has been some progress made for cyclists in Winnipeg. There are more dedicated bike paths in the city than ever before. And we're starting to see more segregated bike routes on busy roads, like the one on Sherbrook Street south of Broadway. Those are actually a breakthrough for this city.
But we need more of them, a lot more if we want to get serious about making cycling a viable option for Winnipeggers to travel to and from their daily destinations.
City council is currently debating a long-term pedestrian and cycling strategy that has an estimated price tag of $330 million over 20 years. The plan would include more bike routes and segregated cyclist lanes. It's not a hard-and-fast blueprint on where new bike routes should be located. Those decisions would still have to be approved on an annual basis in the city's capital budget.
The pedestrian and cycling strategy is just a planning document, a guide on what direction the city should take on active transportation. Which makes it bizarre that Mayor Brian Bowman and executive policy committee would delay its implementation to later this year, which they did Wednesday, supposedly for greater consultation purposes. There's really nothing to get cold feet about here. Winnipeg desperately needs a proper network of bike paths and cycling routes. There is demand for it and improved cycling infrastructure would be well used.
According to a Prairie Research Associates survey conducted in the fall of 2013 for the city, more people would cycle if improvements were made to encourage biking. For example, 47% of respondents said they would cycle more if there were more separated bike lanes. And over a third, 36%, said they would cycle more if there were more designated bike routes with clear signage.
Most of us still take our vehicles to work and school. And let's be honest, that's not going to change much, especially in a winter city. But what the PRA survey showed is that a fairly sizable portion of Winnipeggers want to cycle more, either to get to work or school or for pleasure and exercise. But there are barriers — perceived or otherwise — discouraging them from doing so.
The survey found 48% of respondents don't cycle more because of a lack of proper infrastructure for cyclists and/or because they feel unsafe biking on busy roads alongside cars and trucks.
Put your hand up if you're one of them. I sure am. You're not going to catch me cycling down Portage Avenue with semis whizzing by me.
"The most common barrier to cycling more is that they do not like riding on busy streets, the lack of bike-only lanes or paths, or limited access to existing bike lanes," the study found.
The study also found that overall, 46% of respondents said they would cycle more if some of those issues were corrected. That's a relatively high number.
So there is demand. People do want to cycle more. And if the city invested the resources into bringing Winnipeg's cycling standards closer to other developed cities we would get more people out of their vehicles and onto bikes. There are even federal dollars available to help finance it.
It's really not that controversial. We should just get on with it."
On Thu, May 14, 2015 at 9:08 AM, Beth McKechnie beth@greenactioncentre.ca wrote:
http://globalnews.ca/news/1996785/bowman-delays-cycling-and-pedestrian-strat...
http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?playlistId=1.2373078
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2015/05/13/epc-backpedals-on-active-transportatio...
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/cycling-plan-hits-speed-bump-30370845...
Cycling plan hits speed bumpEPC agrees to delay vote on $330-million strategy
By: Kristin Annable
A lineup of advocates for the city's pedestrian-and-cycling strategy arrived at city hall Wednesday to address Mayor Brian Bowman's decision to delay the adoption of the city's $330-million, 20-year strategy.
There were few opponents.
Yet, council's executive policy committee unanimously approved Bowman's motion to delay the vote on the strategy by more than a month.
The delay is to allow further consultation with business owners and residents on infrastructure recommendations in the document.
Bowman said a handful of downtown businesses approached him with concerns involving parking and asked for additional time to read the extensive document.
"The feedback I received from some is that they didn't feel that they had enough time or avenues to provide their input to the process, and I wanted to let them know we are listening," he said after the meeting.
"When you look at the map, if you are under the presumption that the strategies are the final product, then I can understand and appreciate the concern of anyone looking at it."
The 356-page document recommends a dense network of protected bicycle lanes be focused within the downtown core. This year, if approved by council on May 27, the city will allot $205,000 for the development of a functional design for the first phase of a downtown protected bike-lane network at Fort Street and/or Garry Street.
Coun. Russ Wyatt has led the charge against the quick adoption of the strategy and has been advocating the city take a second look before adopting the document. Earlier this week, the Free Press learned the Transcona councillor sent multiple letters to downtown businesses to inform them of the possible loss of parking resulting from the proposed protected bike lanes.
After the meeting Wednesday, Wyatt said Bowman's announcement Tuesday he would delay the strategy's adoption quelled the naysayers.
"I think it was a genuine gesture by the mayor and the mayor's staff so they want to respect that," he said when asked why none of business owners concerned with the strategy attended the meeting.
Wyatt also takes issue with the proposal of creating "neighbourhood greenways" for non-arterial roads. The idea is to encourage cycling, walking and local traffic, which can include the use of traffic-calming measures such as speed humps or traffic-calming circles.
The strategy suggests Point Douglas, Seven Oaks East, River Heights and St. Boniface West are well-suited for extensive neighbourhood greenways.
Bowman was quick to remind councillors the document is only a strategy and said "nothing is cast in stone" when it comes to its contents. He said if there is anything council does not agree with, the action plans will still be voted on by council and further public consultation will occur.
Advocates such as Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, resident Len Van Roon, Winnipeg Trails Association co-ordinator Anders Swanson and Stephanie Voyce of the Downtown BIZ all came to the meeting to speak in favour of the strategy.
Van Roon told members there is room for public consultation, but said he supports the 20-year strategy.
"We worry about the cost of cycling and walking infrastructure, but we are subsidizing cars and the repair costs," Van Roon said, repeating the argument more cyclists will save the city money on road repairs.
kristin.annable@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 14, 2015 B1
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