Thursday, May 31, 2012

BC - Cycling investment supports families and communities

The Province has doubled this year's investment in BikeBC, with $7.25 million to expand and build cycling lanes, trails and paths for B.C. families and communities. Read more.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

BMW’s Top Car Designer Notes Growing Importance of Two-Wheelers in Future Urban Mobility

In the interview with the Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, the following question was put to [Adrian van Hooydonk; director of BMW's design department]: “Will we still be driving cars in ten years from now?” Adrian van Hooydonk replied: “Yes, individual mobility will stay. But riding on two-wheels will become more important. Other vehicles will be used in cities that need less space, have lower emissions and no noise.” Read more.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Why is walking in the woods so good for you?

Scientists have advanced a wide range of theories about the specific physical and mental benefits nature can provide, ranging from clean air and lack of noise pollution to the apparent immune-boosting effects of a fine mist of “wood essential oils.” But the most powerful benefits, a new study suggests, may result from the way trees and birds and sunsets gently tug – but never grab – at our attention. Read more.

Chicago's Ambitious Plan for Zero Traffic Fatalities

The city of Chicago’s transportation department, headed by commissioner Gabe Klein, has released a new “action agenda” called “Chicago Forward.” It contains a goal that has never to date been explicitly embraced by a major United States city: Eliminate all pedestrian, bicycle, and overall traffic crash fatalities within 10 years. Read more.

Australia - More bike lanes for central Melbourne

Separated bike lanes are set to be rolled out on three major CBD streets as Melbourne Council pushes for a 50 per cent increase in riders in the next five years. Read more.

Monday, May 28, 2012

UK - Momentum builds for 20mph speed limit

Could a universal 20 mph [32 kph] speed limit on residential streets soon be as widely accepted as the smoking ban in pubs? It's too soon to talk about a tipping point, but more and more UK local authorities are taking a close look at a policy which is winning wider public support. Read more.

Downtown bicycle lanes could cost Calgary $140,000 a year in lost parking revenue

Plans to eliminate up to 14 parking spots is a concern to both the Calgary Parking Authority and business owners, who fear they’ll also feel the loss if bike lanes are installed along 6th Street and 7th Street S.W. to Eau Claire Avenue. Read more.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

European Cycling Federation Newsletter: May 16, 2012

Read here.

Share the Road May 2012 Newsletter

Website of 'Share the Road'.

Toronto - Bike trail plans for three Scarborough waterfront parks shelved

Residents who objected and Scarborough councillors who agreed with them have won a fight to keep bike paths out of three waterfront parks. The City of Toronto planned to build the paths last year to fill in gaps in its Waterfront Trail that forced cyclists to move along an often-busy Kingston Road. Read more.

Waterloo - Region could nix bicycle-lane plan in Conestogo

Cyclists are outraged regional staff want to nix proposed bicycle lanes along Sawmill Road through the village of Conestogo. Read more.

Denmark - Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012

The first edition of Collection of Cycle Concepts was published in 2000 and enjoyed a wide circulation among everyone interested in bicycle traffic. The simultaneous publication of the English version spread the Danish bicycle traffic experience to many parts of the world. The second edition, Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012, updates the field, featuring new challenges and the latest knowledge.

Collection of Cycle Concepts 2012 is not intended to be a summary of Danish road standards, but to provide inspiration and motivation for creating more and safer bicycle traffic – in Denmark as well as the rest of the world. Learn more.

BC - Biking the Coast

Our population of 30,000 is distributed in a narrow band with clusters near business centres like Madeira Park, Sechelt, Roberts Creek and Gibsons. The short distances in centres make them well-suited for bike travel. Read more.

CSSS de Laval hops on bandwagon

To protect the environment and cut down on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Centre de santĂ© et de services sociaux (CSSS) de Laval wants to promote—among its staff—means of transportation that are much less polluting than single-occupancy vehicle use. And that's why the CSSS has just hopped on the bandwagon of the STL Sustainable Mobility Solution. Read more.

Should bike sharing address only “the first and last mile problem?

Said another way, public bike share systems (PBSs) should not be thought of as only a complement to an existing transport system — they should be seen as the hopeful and probable replacement of some, most, or all existing motorized components of an existing transport system. Read more.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Off-road bike trails a concern in Willowdale neighbourhood

Plans to construct off-road bike trails in the Finch Avenue Hydro Corridor could be in for a rough ride, from a group of Willowdale homeowners who've turned the swath of wilderness into an unofficial neighbourhood park. "I don't really want to share my space with the cyclists," said resident Judy Bahniuk in a deputation to the city's Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. Read more.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Skateboarders becoming a force to reckon with on streets

Skateboarding is one of the fastest growing sports in North America: According to the National Sporting Goods Association in the U.S., participation in the sport nearly doubled between 1998 and 2007, with more young women also taking it up. Read more.

Vancouver bike lanes set to expand with Commercial Drive, Point Grey Road under consideration

Vancouver is considering turning parts of Commercial Drive, Point Grey Road and Cornwall Avenue into bikeways as part of the next phase of its quest to reduce bicycle-vehicle conflicts. Read more.

Manitoba - Bill loosens law for bikes on roads

The province plans to make it easier for municipalities to create designated bike lanes for cyclists. "Municipalities are asking for a way to address cycle traffic and bike lanes and so on within their municipal boundaries," Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux told reporters. "This will give them the bylaw-making authority to do that." Read more.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Longboarder's death has riders assessing risks

Longboarder Benjamin Andringa said the city's back streets and alleys are the only safe place to ride these days, adding that Toronto drivers are simply too unpredictable. Read more.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Ottawa - New bike-share program set for launch in Hintonburg

A new non-profit is gearing up to launch a Hintonburg-based bike sharing program in what organizers hope will be the first step toward expanding the reach of inexpensive rental service to neighbourhoods beyond Ottawa’s downtown. Read more.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Waterloo ON - Plans afoot for whooping it up along the Iron Horse trail

“Animating the trail” — celebrating and enlivening the Iron Horse Trail and other “active transportation” links throughout the region — is something people have been talking about for ages. Now there’s a plan in the works to move from talk to action. Read more.

Making Parry Sound a cycle-friendly town

Cycling and how to make it easier for enthusiasts to get around the Parry Sound and area was talked about at the West Parry Sound Active Transportation’s breakfast forum last week. Read more.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Suits could force L.A. to spend huge sums on sidewalk repair

[L]awsuits were filed by disabled people who say broken sidewalks make it impossible for them to get around and seek repairs or improvements. The plaintiffs contend that the conditions violate the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, a tool that has been used across the country to force better access at restaurants, department stores, movie theaters and the like. Read more.

London Bicycle Festival 2012

London ON: May 25 - June 14, 2012

Vancouver set to get started on five new cycling and walking projects

Going before council next week is this staff report that recommends the city approve five projects aimed at improving Vancouver's cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. Read more.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Toronto Coalition for Active Transportation Newsletter

Recent TCAT activities and news items:
  1. Complete Streets Forum 2012: Videos, photos and media now available
  2. Toronto Board of Health Walking and Cycling report adopted
  3. Upcoming TCAT Complete Streets Workshops
  4. "There will always be more to do, but that’s not the same as saying that nothing has been done!"
  5. Take the Bike to Work pledge
Read more.

Vancouver - Making streets safer for seniors

Vancouver senior Phyllis Lavelle wants more benches in her West End neighbour-hood. The 80-year-old is spry but she has a heart condition and can only carry about 3.6 kilograms of groceries at a time. Read more.

Renfrew County's Active Transportation Network gather speed

Strategy preparation has been underway for more than a year, and Renfrew County property and development director Paul Moreau offered an update. “That’s what we put in front of county council — the start of a formal, active transportation strategy,” said Moreau. Read more.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Obesity could affect 42% of Americans by 2030

A new forecast on obesity in America has health experts fearing a dramatic jump in health care costs if nothing is done to bring it under control. Read more.

Monday, May 7, 2012

May 2012 Canada Walks e-News

In This Issue:

As America's waistline expands, costs soar

The nation's [and Canada's] rising rate of obesity has been well-chronicled. But businesses, governments and individuals are only now coming to grips with the costs of those extra pounds, many of which are even greater than believed only a few years ago: The additional medical spending due to obesity is double previous estimates and exceeds even those of smoking, a new study shows. Read more.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Nova Scotia - "AT 101 - Bringing AT to your community and developing an AT plan"

This new toolkit will help you in your efforts to bring active transportation (AT) to your community. Download AT 101 here (7 MB).

Montreal - Final plans for Turcot add green space

The final plans for Montreal's new $3-billion Turcot Interchange promise an improved network of mass transit lanes and a better integration of residential areas by expanding green space, pedestrian walkways and bike paths. Read more.

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Edmonton to add 15-km of bike lanes this year

The city is moving ahead with plans that will eventually give Edmonton a 489-kilometre bicycle network, but not everyone is doing wheelies over the idea. Read more.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Should skateboarding have a speed limit?

Some skateboarders weave in and out of traffic, ignore road rules and take to the street in groups. Although some skateboarders agreed that it's important to obey traffic rules, they wondered if boarders would measure their speed. Read more.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Master plan creates dynamic downtown in Goderich

As the historic and civic heart of Goderich, the downtown core will be developed as a pedestrian-oriented that highlights its unique character. “It means rebalancing that whole pedestrian, vehicular equation,” said Wai Ying DiGiorgio, who is an associate urban designer at The Planning Partnership. Read more.

Humorous Public Service Announcement about the importance of walking in maintaining a healthy lifestyle

Comedy website Funny Or Die and Every Body Walk! present the first reunion of the cast of The West Wing in more than 5 years. West Wing regulars Martin Sheen (President Josiah Bartlett), Allison Janney (C.J. Cregg), Joshua Malina (Will Bailey), Dulé Hill (Charlie Young), Melissa Fitzgerald (Carol Fitzpatrick), and William Duffy (Larry) got together to shoot a humorous Public Service Announcement about the importance of walking in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Read more and see the video.

Thunder Bay - Expect more cyclists on city streets

Bike lanes across the city of Thunder Bay officially open on Tuesday. However, according to Adam Krupper, the city's Active Transportation coordinator, some of those lanes may be a little hard to see right now. Read more.