Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Ottawa - Intersection where cyclist killed to be redesigned

The intersection of Bank Street and Riverside Drive, where a cyclist was hit and killed, will be redesigned with the safety of cyclists and pedestrians in mind, but not for another five to 10 years. Read more.

Relax Vancouver drivers, you can handle another bike lane

 Why do bike lanes proposals create such reaction? From Wall Street Journal editorial writers to hundreds of Point Grey homeowners, the battles over bicycles have created unprecedented levels of passion. A ‘First-World’ problem, to be sure, but clearly something is going on – and it’s about more than just bicycles. Read more.

U.S. - House Drops Debate on Transportation Bill

On Monday, we wrote that the House would debate and vote on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill - which includes funding for bikeways and trails - on Tuesday night.  Then on Tuesday debate was abruptly cancelled and delayed until Wednesday. Then, today, the whole bill was cancelled and put off until September. Read more.

Kazakh capital plans to become city of cyclists

Astana will become a city of cyclists. The city plans to construct around 74 kilometers of cycle track, the hakimlik (municipality) of the Kazakh capital reported. Read more.

Australian Government launches landmark 'active travel policy'

An Active Travel body could be created in Australia. The current administration has released a white paper - Walking, Riding and Access to Public Transport [PDF] - that talks about the creation of the Active Travel Council. Read more.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

First Steps – Reducing obesity by way of... sidewalks?

Now in its third phase, known as MAPS 3, it aims to reduce Oklahoma City's reliance on cars by increasing the city’s walkability and altering the urban environment to encourage public transit, walking and biking. The impetus for MAPS came from a growing body of research that finds a strong link between the built environment and public health. Read more.

Car culture shock: Americans putting brakes on driving

A new study shows that Americans are actually driving less. We're seeing a steady shift in how people get around, with more people leaving their keys at home and finding other ways to get around.
"This is an important change," said Michael Sivak, who conducted the study at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute. "This is the first time we've ever seen a drop like this." Read more.

Paris’ Velib Shows Added Value of Bikeshare System

After six years, Vélib established itself as a means of transport in itself, but also as a symbol of a lifestyle in Paris. Over 250,000 Parisians are currently subscribed and peaks of more than 140,000 trips per day are regularly recorded. Read more.

Accell Group Sold 110,000 E-Bikes in 1st Halfyear

E-bikes were again THE growth driver for the biggest bike maker in Europe in the first half of 2013. At last Friday’s financial presentation CEO René Takens proudly stated that turnover in this segment was up 28% compared to last year. Read more.

Vancouver - Davie Street Village gets first permanent rainbow crosswalk in Canada


Vancouver unveiled Canada’s first permanent rainbow-coloured crosswalk Monday morning to kick off the city’s Pride Week celebrations in the heart its LGBTQ-friendly Davie Street Village. Read more.

Amtrak Cascades trains can now carry more bikes

Amtrak’s Cascades trains can now carry ten bikes, a small but potentially trip-saving change for a route that connects some of the continent’s bikiest cities. Read more.

Measures to increase safety in traffic for the elderly must also consider the e-bike

Elderly people are the most vulnerable group of cyclists. Their age often causes the consequences of accidents to be much more serious. This requires that measures be taken, especially now that e-bikes tempt the elderly to keep cycling. Read more.

Ontario doctors say cycling necessary to ease commuting woes

The Ontario Medical Association is warning the provincial government that investments in cycling infrastructure are a necessary part of regional transportation projects and a key part of improving public health. “Bicycle and pedestrian investments are an important part of the transportation infrastructure,” the organization said on Friday. “Governments, particularly in the greater Toronto and Hamilton area, should see them as an essential part of the solution to traffic congestion.” Read more.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Melbourne AU - Building pride in our city

Greater Melbourne is nothing if not resilient. Remarkable new statistics underline the staggering changes to the fabric of a capital that has been the fastest growing in Australia for the best part of two decades. More than a million people moved to the city between 1993 and 2013, swelling its population to a little more than 4 million. Read more.

Spotlight on Detroit

Detroit, once America’s fourth most populous city, has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy. Detroit is by far the largest city in the United States to take this desperate course of action. Read more.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Calgary - Chinook Centre expansion plan inches closer

Plans for a major expansion of Chinook Centre are getting closer after a public hearing on land-use redesignation that would see future transit-oriented development for the southeast part of the site. The pedestrian-friendly development plan is exciting, said Ald. Gian-Carlo Carra, adding residents will enjoy a more complete community. Read more.

How Sprawl Makes Fighting Childhood Obesity So Much Harder

According to the Centers for Disease Control, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. In 2010, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. The truth is that Loudoun’s schools are theoretically within walking distance for some students, but there’s a lot more to walkability than proximity. Read more.

Vancouverites back separated bike-lane network, poll says

Vancouver’s separated bike lane network has received no shortage of criticism in the three years since its introduction, but a new poll has found nearly two-thirds of Metro Vancouver residents support the initiative. The poll by Insights West released on Tuesday indicates that 61 per cent of Metro Vancouver residents support separated bike lanes while only 33 per cent oppose them. In the city of Vancouver proper, 64 per cent of respondents supported the network. Read more.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Sitting is the new smoking

In an article over at the Harvard Business Review, business writer Nilofer Merchant talks about how sitting has become the smoking of our generation. From adults in front of computers all day, to our kids watching TV or playing on an iPad, we sit a lot; according to Merchant an average of 9.3 hours per day. Read more.

Friday, July 26, 2013

New EU Funding for Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans

The “Do the Right Mix” campaign is seeking to promote Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMPs) through the funding of local initiatives. The programme also funds projects in non-member states and aims to encourage flexible transport methods. Read more.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

National Measures Report

The National Measures Report is an initiative developed jointly by FCM and ICLEI-Canada that attempts to both document and measure municipal initiatives that have a net reduction on GHG emissions. These initiatives can range from simple energy-efficiency retrofits at municipal facilities to large-scale investments in district energy systems. Read more.

The (planning) revolution that built the streets of Paris

A new study by a collaboration of mathematical physicists and social historians in France shows that, simply by analysing old and new maps of the city, it’s possible to quantify what effect Haussmann’s plans had on the shape and life of Paris. The results offer a case history of how cities may evolve through a combination of spontaneous self-organisation and top-down central planning. Read more.

How Better Urban Design Makes Us Healthier, Happier, and Sexier

What happens when we redesign the human habitat to take walking out of daily life? Over 35 percent of Americans are now clinically obese. That's partly because of diet, but also because we've designed our cities for cars. Read more.

Building SustainABLE Communities conference will change your life!

Whether you’re an elected official, an entrepreneur, a community activist, an academic, or a student—attending our 6th Building SustainABLE Communities conference in Kelowna from November 25th to 28th will change your life. And that’s a promise! Read more.

Boosting cycling and walking key to solving transit woes

By process of elimination, simple means of getting around like walking and cycling must be looking increasingly attractive to Ontario's provincial and municipal politicians as they struggle to fund new
transit to unclog roads. Read more.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Toronto - Church Street goes from parking to parklets

Street by street, lane by lane, curb by curb, the war to take back the city is now being waged. The odds are against those who would depose the mighty automobile, but time is on their side. Read more.

Family 411: Skateboarding gets the parental seal of approval

Skateboarding has undergone a transformation since the 1980s and early ’90s. Back then, the activity was seen as something counterculture, almost underground. Now, skateboarders, at least the good ones, don’t terrorize seniors on sidewalks or create hazards for traffic. Read more.

The Tour de Work: fun video on bike commuting in Australia

It's not quite the Tour de France but, meanwhile, the Australian city of Adelaide stages the Tour de Work, a different and more accessible cycling event designed to encourage bike commuting. Article and video.

Citi Investment in New York City Bikeshare Pays Off

In an attempt to improve its image after the financial crisis, one of America’s largest financial institutions sponsored New York City’s fledgling bikeshare program. The investment is already paying off for Citi. Read more.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Streets Can Be Public Spaces Too

The recent and important "complete streets" movement has made a terrific contribution to getting our streets right, by insisting that they be designed so as to accommodate all users, from motor vehicles to pedestrians to transit users and bicyclists. Read more.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

10 cycling safety tips for Ottawa roads

CBC videojournalist Steve Fischer is a cycling enthusiast and a do-it-yourself kind of guy. He is also very practical and careful when he hops on his bike. See his video.

Friday, July 19, 2013

Too much of a good bike thing in Vancouver

We are all for improved bicycle-path networks in cities – where they make sense. But with a proposal to close off part of a Vancouver thoroughfare to traffic and make it part of a cycling network, the city government’s aggressive pedal-pushing may have gone a gear too far. Read more.

Toronto city council approves city-wide active living path

In a 37-1 vote, Toronto city council has approved a multi-use cycling and pedestrian path that will connect Toronto from Brampton to Scarborough. The Pan Am Path – winding throughout the city, along the Humber River, waterfront and Don River Valley, reaching all the way to Rouge River – will be built in time for the 2015 Toronto Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, as one of the Games’ legacy projects. Read more.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Free bikes provided to Yellowknife visitors

Visitors to Yellowknife can now borrow bikes for free at the downtown Visitor Centre and explore the city. The new service — sponsored by Outcrop, a local communications firm — is scheduled to run at least until Labour Day. Read more.

2013 Walking Summit Update

The Walking Summit promises 3 jam-packed days of learning (technical tools, best practices and advocacy strategies), networking, vibrant discussions, and a whole lot of movement about the hottest movement around . . .WALKING! Read more.

Beijing to double bicycles for rent

Beijing will nearly double its number of bicycles for rent, to 25,000 this year, with plans to add more, in an attempt to cut air pollution and traffic congestion in the city. Read more.

Winnipeg - Bike to the Bombers a big hit for cyclists

A Winnipeg cycling advocate has made a video called "Bike to the Bombers" after more than 1,000 football fans cycled to the team's home opener June 27, far more than expected. Read more.

Vancouver will (finally) get a bike share system in 2014

City staff released the final recommendation (PDF file) for a bike share system on Wednesday (July 17), four years after the city started consultation on a hop-on, hop-off system designed for short trips like the ones in Montreal, New York and Melbourne. Read more.

Growing a World-Class Cycling Culture: Lessons from Québec

Jean-François Pronovost, Vélo Québec
Monday, Aug. 26, 2013, Portland State University
The Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation is pleased to welcome Jean François Pronovost for the inaugural Ann Niles Transportation Lecture. Pronovost is vice president, development and public affairs for Vélo Québec, where he works on the focus, strategy and development of new projects and partnerships.
From 1989 to 2010, he was the executive director of the association division of Vélo Québec. In 1992, he acted as Chief Organizer of the first world-wide conference on bicycling, the Conférence Vélo Mondiale Pro Bike•Velo City, in Montréal. The Technical Handbook of Bikeway Design is among the many technical publications he has edited. Since 1995, he has been involved with the development of the Route Verte, a 5,000-kilometer bike route across Québec, and with the launch of several active transportation initiatives in collaboration with municipalities and the school network.
Trained as a biologist, Pronovost has worked as a nature guide, journalist and television commentator. He has also authored numerous books on hiking, cycling, and science. Over the last 25 years, he gave several lectures and presentations for several international audiences in Canada, in the United States and in Europe.
Inaugural Ann Niles Transportation Lecture
  • When: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26, 2013
  • Where: Lincoln Recital Hall, Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, 1620 S.W. Park Ave.
  • Admission: Free, but space is limited to 240 people.
  • More informationhttp://otrec.us/events/entry/niles_lecture_pronovost

Walkable surroundings encourage older adults to exercise

Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School report a study they carried out with town planners to see how people are affected by the ‘walkability’ of their surroundings. Read more.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Bike / Ped Advocacy 101

When you have a loosely organized group of interested volunteers, where’s the best place to start and what are the most efficient ways to spend your time? How do you form relationships with political decision-makers when you’re starting from nothing? Read more.

Design Regina, Regina’s new Official Community Plan is available for review

The purpose of Design Regina, is to provide a comprehensive policy framework to guide the physical, environmental, economic, social and cultural development of Regina. Design Regina establishes the City’s priorities, goals and policies for growth and development. Read more.

French railways to carry bicycles on double-decker TGV trains

After years of refusing to carry bicycles on their double-decker high-speed TGV trains, the French rail operator SNCF has finally decided to open up these trains to bikes too. Read more.

Is the Hornby bike lane good for Vancouver businesses?

The majority of owners along the street are resigned to bike lanes as a fact of life, said Charles Gauthier, president of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association. “They’re not necessarily going to be critical, but they’re not going to get up to cheer.” Read more.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

The Times - ‘No place for cars’ in cities of the future

There will be a widespread ban on cars in London within the next 20 years, according to one of Britain’s leading architects, who has called for cities to be designed for pedestrians and cyclists rather than for traffic. Read more.

ETRA and EU Commission Compromise on E-bikes

The European Commission and ETRA have reached a compromise on the e-bike power limitation which no longer blocks market entry for different types of electric bicycles. Read more.

Monday, July 15, 2013

New French Mobility Plan Could Change the Way Cycling is Perceived in France

A new French cycling mobility plan is in the works and should see the light of day by the end of the year. It focuses on improving conditions for cyclists and promoting cycling through financial incentives. This new programme follows a trend of innovative mobility plans across Europe. Read more.

Northern Ireland calls for 20mph speed limit on residential roads

A member of the Northern Ireland Assembly is today introducing a private member’s bill calling fro the speed limit on residential unclassified streets from 30mph to 20mph in a bid to improve safety for all road users, whether they be drivers, pedestrians or cyclists. Read more.

Portage la Prairie MB

During the last City of Portage la Prairie council meeting, councilors approved the construction of a 1,500-metre pathway to be built in the north end, July 8. The limestone cycle/walkway will stretch from Berkley Avenue to 3rd Street NE and then at North Memorial Park from Oak Bay to 6th Avenue. Read more.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

The death and rebirth of the mall. You don’t drive there, you live there

With urban planners now making higher-density, walkable neighbourhoods a priority, and people looking for more convenient – not to mention environmentally friendly – alternatives to the car culture, shopping centres in Canada and the United States are undergoing a fundamental shift, being reborn as the anchors of communities, places you don’t drive to, but live above. Read more.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Meet the one city in North America where cars have been banned since 1898

So what is life like in place where one of the most impactful inventions in history has been outlawed? Well, it's quite nice, actually. Read more.

CBRM pushing for Cow Bay Road overpass

Coun. George MacDonald said if the roundabout goes through, people aren’t going to be able to walk to the mall, to the university or toward Glace Bay from Sydney. He said in order to influence change, the proposed overpass must become an election issue. Read more.

Winnipeg - We're a city without a plan for path to future

If it wasn't for city Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), we still might be waiting to learn a group of her colleagues at city hall have decided, despite what they decided earlier, we don't really need a comprehensive plan for a system of bike and pedestrian paths stretching into our future. Read more.

Webinar: Neighborhood Planning through a Health Equity Lens

This webinar will feature stories of successful collaboration between public health and planning in Seattle and Fort Worth, Texas, and demonstrate the positive impact attention to health equity has in neighborhood planning.

Thursday, July 18, 2013: 1pm EDT. Learn more.

How traffic congestion kills the economy

Did you drive to work this morning? A new study says you not only contributed to traffic congestion, but also prevented someone else from using the road. Transit users don’t get too smug. Your decision to take the train or bus during rush hour has the same impact, inspiring people to take their car instead of packing themselves in with other transit commuters. Read more.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Video Release: Cycling Infrastructure in Toronto and Montreal

The Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) is pleased to release a video that explores the evolution of cycling infrastructure in Toronto and Montreal. Available on YouTube in EnglishFrench and Spanish, the video showcases bicycle infrastructure in Canada's two largest cities and features on-street interviews. Both cities have made progress in creating a network of bike lanes, yet each has taken a different approach. Much of Montreal's cycling network is physically separated from motorized traffic, whereas Toronto's consists primarily of on-street painted bike lanes. The goal of the video is to inspire cities to create more dedicated space for cyclists and inform viewers on differences in the cycling planning process between Toronto and Montreal.

Creating a walkable Saanich

Cars whiz by Coun. Dean Murdock on Wilkinson Road as he walks not on a sidewalk, but on a dusty gravel path. It’s this kind of pedestrian-unfriendly roadway that Murdock plans to spend his summer touring to get a better sense of where sidewalks are needed in Saanich. Read more.

Montreal cyclist fined for warning others about police

Cyclist Chris Lloyd says he was just trying to help other commuters when Montreal police issued him a $651 ticket for obstructing a peace officer yesterday morning. Read more.

Three Car Minimum for New Subdivision’s Residents

Tanglewood Shore Acres, a new subdivision being constructed outside of the city has instituted a three car minimum for all homeowners. “We feel that in order to attract the type of home buyer we prefer into our community, we need to establish a three car minimum requirement,” said developer Chad Lesperance of Expansive Tract Homes yesterday in a phone interview. Read more.

Winnipeg mayor defends nixing active transportation study

Some Winnipeggers are angry that the city has scrapped a study aimed at pedestrian and cycling strategies, but Mayor Sam Katz is defending the move. Read more.

Ecology Action Centre helps Nova Scotians get moving

The Ecology Action Centre is receiving a $55,000 grant from the province to continue its work with communities, municipalities and groups that want to encourage people to use active transportation, which is any travel that is human powered and non-motorized. Read more.

Revamped rules foster Edmonton’s sidewalk café culture

Although the words are used interchangeably, patio cafés are usually on private property while sidewalk cafés take up space on public land and businesses therefore need to jump through more regulatory hoops to open one. Read more.

Attracting the Creative Class - with Bicycles

Interesting feature article in July/August 2013 American Bicyclist magazine about Indianopolis attracting the creative class with bicycles. Read more.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Cycling Safety and Better Infrastructure Go Hand in Hand: Ontario's Doctors

Ontario's doctors want to ensure that bicycle infrastructure is not forgotten as governments jostle over transit funding. Ontario's doctors call on the provincial and municipal governments to provide funding for paved shoulders, bike lanes and other infrastructure elements that will improve cycling safety in this province. Read more.

The Engine Adapts to the Bicycle

The Sunstar S03+ is a small motor that fits over the bottom bracket. - Photo Sunstar
The Sunstar S03+ is a small motor that fits over the bottom bracket and transforms any bicycle into e-bike. It is not simply a motor designed for a specific bicycle, but can easily adapt to any frame. Read more.

Fredericton starts ban on red light right turns

The first business day of Fredericton's ban on red light right turns drew mixed reactions from motorists and pedestrians. The city is testing the pilot project to see if it can make walking downtown safer for pedestrians. Read more.

L’AMT ouvre une première vélostation


La vélostation de la gare Deux-Montagnes


Une première vélostation accessible au grand public a été officiellement mise en service lundi matin dans la région de Montréal. Les cyclistes qui fréquentent la gare de train de banlieue Deux-Montagnes peuvent désormais laisser leur vélo à l’abri des intempéries et des personnes malintentionnées. Read more.

Toronto’s floundering Bixi system won’t cost us, exec says

The Bixi bike program, funded and created by the city of Montreal, has been something of a flop in Canada’s largest city with only about 4,600 subscribers to the service as of April — compared to 50,000 in Montreal. Read more.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Link Seen Between Public Transit and Improved Community Health

A new report from the University of British Columbia shows that transportation and health are closely linked and recommends that health outcome be considered in transportation planning. Read more.

Read the full report.

Growing numbers for annual skateboarding competition in the Hat

Some of the best skateboarders in the prairie provinces made their way to Medicine Hat on Canada Day to take part in the annual Beat The Heat skateboarding competition. Read more.

Grey County ON - Skateboarding no longer allowed on county roads

“It has been decided that it is not an appropriate activity on a county road and we’ve moved to restrict it,” Southgate Mayor Brian Milne, chairman of the county’s transportation and public safety committee, said in an interview. Read more.

Risks of cycling, walking and driving put in context

A multi-faceted approach modelled on countries that have achieved higher rates of active travel would include, first and foremost, reduced vehicular speed (to lower injuries for all travel modes), protected bicycling infrastructure that makes cycling feel as comfortable as walking on a sidewalk, and education programs in schools to teach cycling and road skills at an early age. Read more.

Monday, July 8, 2013

Is Being Able to Walk Around Your City a Right?

The ability to walk from one place to another is one of humanity’s defining characteristics. Using our two feet to carry us about our business is one of the basic functions that our species was designed to fulfill. And yet in many parts of the world, pedestrians have become so marginalized that exercising performing this fundamental human operation has become life-threatening. Read more.

Yarmouth - Town eyes trail on Clements right-of-way

Yarmouth town council is set to approve $150,000 in its 2013/14 budget to fund development of a connector trail between Parade Street and Starrs Road along the east side of the Clements Avenue right-of-way. Read more.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

First fatal 'Boris bike' accident in London

A 20-year-old woman has become the first cyclist to die riding a Barclays Cycle Hire bike since they were introduced by the mayor of London in 2010. Read more.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Proposed public school board policy to address urban parking woes

An “active transport, commuting and parking support policy” is to be drafted as the city’s public school board grapples with staff parking at urban schools. Read more.

How Walkability Shapes Political Activism

A fascinating paper in the Urban Affairs Review, "Walk and Be Moved: How Walking Builds Social Movements" argues that engagement in political activism or social movements is shaped by walkability, density, the physical layout, and the unique experience of cities—"the ways in which an individual interacts with and makes use of urban environments, neighborhoods, and spaces." Read more.

Pierre Bruneau : le cycliste authentique

Pierre Bruneau ajoute, chaque année, 3 000 km à son compteur de vélo. Il aime la vitesse, la montagne, les grands espaces et la ville. Il roule depuis son enfance. Une passion, un mode de vie. Read more.

Video - How to Increase Cycling and Walking—Lessons from Cities Across the Globe

John Pucher documents the boom in cycling in European and North American cities. He discusses how cycling can thrive even in cities with no history or culture of daily, utilitarian cycling, but only if government policies provide safe, convenient, and pleasant cycling conditions. See video.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Comox - Student travel initiative has many benefits

The co-ordinator, who is expected to be hired by August, will work with schools and community stakeholders to identify barriers to active transportation and develop a written action plan for each participating school, as well as Best Routes to School map brochures, among other things. Read more.

Vancouver - TransLink explores car alternatives

TransLink is adjusting its long-term regional strategy to discourage unnecessary car trips. That’s following new research from the University of B.C., which shows prioritizing walking, cycling and transit is key to building a region of healthy citizens. Read more.

Our Built and Natural Environments: A Technical Review of the Interactions Among Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental Quality (EPA, 2013)

The EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities Smart Growth Program offers this comprehensive review on how the built environment – the way we build our cities and towns – directly affects our environment and public health. It provides evidence that certain kinds of land use and transportation strategies – where and how we build our communities – can reduce the environmental and human health impacts of development. Download the full report.

Survey: Americans Expect Schools to Lead in Preventing Childhood Obesity

Americans view obesity as a serious problem among both the overall public and among children and teens, and most people believe that local K-12 schools need to take a leading role in combating the epidemic, according to a recent survey conducted by Field Research CorpRead more.

Digby NS - Fill your water bottle, not your gas tank

Summer has officially arrived. While most of us still work through the summer, somehow things just seem a little more relaxed. This slower pace is the perfect time to introduce—or reintroduce—active transportation into your life. Read more.

Fredericton group donates 10 bikes to refugees

The Fredericton Community Bicycle Organization has given 10 refugees bicycles to help them get around the city as the non-profit group continues to promote active transportation.

The organization was created last November after co-founder Matthew Johnson discovered like-minded individuals in Kelsey Wilson and Brad Richards, who were also interested in seeing more people use bicycles in the city. Read more.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Responding to Smart Growth Criticism

If you are involved in community planning you will probably encounter critics who cite various reports which claim that smart growth fails to achieve benefits. Read more.

Surprising Census Results Demonstrate London's Bicycle Bona Fides

Move over Amsterdam. A new study of London's road use patterns has found that bicycles account for 24 percent of all road traffic during the morning commute. At nearly a fifth of the areas monitored, bikes actually outnumbered other vehicles. Read more.

How A Minority Biking Group Raises The Profile Of Cycling

Communities of color are embracing cycling. And as a fast-growing segment of the cycling population, they're making themselves far more visible. Read more.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Creating a pedestrian-friendly street

The City of New Westminster is aiming to create a more pedestrian and cyclist friendly area on lower 12th Street. Read more.

Should driving the school run be banned?

The new president of the Faculty of Public Health has told The Times he wants to stop people driving their children all the way to school, as part of a wider effort to tackle obesity and make people more active. Read more.

Seattle - Metro installs new bike lockers at 10 transit facilities

Seattle Metro has installed new on-demand bicycle lockers at 10 of its transit facilities, thanks to a federal Transportation Enhancement grant. Read more.

Peterborough - Cyclists don't have a greenlight to ride on sidewalks just yet

Peterborough City councillors decided to hold off on approving the new Active Transportation by-law, which would allow bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades and longboards on sidewalks, during a regular council session on July 2. Read more.

Canada’s commuter cyclist capital is…

Active transportation is declining across Canada, except in places where congestion continues to get worse. Walking or cycling to work, while on the rise in Canada’s busiest cities, took an overall decline in the five years between 2006 and 2011. Read more.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

How Bicycles Bring Business

A recent report from the New York City Department of Transportation found significant evidence of the economic benefits of bike infrastructure. According to the NYC DOT, retail sales on Ninth Avenue are up 49 percent since the street’s protected bike lanes were installed – that’s 16 times the area growth rate. Read more.

Two alleged bicycle chop shops uncovered in Waterloo Region

Waterloo Regional Police say raids on addresses in Kitchener and Waterloo have broken up two separate bicycle chop shops, which may have been responsible for a recent uptick in bicycle thefts across the region. Read more.

Cyclists make up a quarter of London vehicles

As Sir Peter Hendy, TfL's transport commissioner, noted at the cycling vision's City Hall launch, we get more for our money from cycling infrastructure than for other mass transport systems. He wants to make cycling "one of his highest priorities". Read more.

The End of Car Culture

America’s love affair with its vehicles seems to be cooling. When adjusted for population growth, the number of miles driven in the United States peaked in 2005 and dropped steadily thereafter. Read more.

The bike boom (+video)

Americans are using bicycles for transportation and recreation in record numbers as the fitness and green movements, as well as high energy costs, spur a two-wheel revolution. Read more.

Trails and Active Transportation (AT) Master Plan Study & Recreation Facility Needs Study

In June 2013 the Town of Georgina initiated and is now in the process of undertaking two studies, a Trails and Active Transportation (AT) Master Plan Study and a Recreation Facility Needs Study. The studies will happen simultaneously and the study teams will work collaboratively to engage members of the public, stakeholders and interest groups including the development of this short online questionnaire. See the study questionnaire.

Bike-Sharing Programs Hit Streets in Over 500 Cities

Today more than 500 cities in 49 countries host advanced bike-sharing programs, with a combined fleet of over 500,000 bicycles. Read more.