Kingston - City to add cycling lanes to Brock & Johnson Streets

Dedicated cycling lanes are being added on Brock and Johnson Streets between Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard and Division Street in July. Read more.

Hamilton cyclists to gather street level pollution data

Environment Hamilton officially launched its Bicycling Air Monitoring program (BAM!) Thursday at city hall, announcing plans to use volunteers from the local cycling community rig their bikes with air quality monitors and a GPS unit. Read more.

Calgary - ‘CrowBomb’ stunt alarms drivers on Crowchild Trail

On Thursday (June 26), eight people met at the Petro Canada in Marda Loop, then sped down Crowchild, picking up speed as they headed downhill towards the city centre. At some points they also had to contend with merging traffic and semi-trailers, and at one point a SUV even tried to block some of the riders from passing. Read more.

Halifax - Cycling coalition calls for protected bike paths

The Halifax Cycling Coalition is calling for the city to build 100 kilometres of bike paths in the next 16 years as part of their “On Track For 2020” plan. Read more.

Pedal America June Newsletter: Montreal, Canada

This year's Go Bike Montreal Festival lured tens of thousands of riders during the last week of May 2014, and I got to take part in a chunk of it to close out my National Bike Month activities. Friday, June 30th, began with a 6 a.m. (CST) flight out of O'Hare. By 9:30 a.m. (EST) the fun staff at the Fitz & Follwell bike shop were switching out my pedals on a rental bike. Read more.

Montreal's 2014 Tour de l'Île: 25,000 people on a 50km bike ride around the city!

Montréal held its Tour de l'Île, a cycling event that has been held annually since 1984, making this year's edition the 30th. Roads around the island of Montréal are closed to car traffic and around 25,000 cyclists join in the fun, riding on either the 25km, 50km, or for the more ambitious ones, the 100km versions of the tour. Read more.

In Dallas, Adults No Longer Have To Wear Bike Helmets

If you rode your bike Wednesday and wore a helmet, you won’t have to wear it Wednesday night. That’s because Dallas no longer requires every bike rider to wear one. The Dallas City Council voted 12-3 Wednesday to require only those 17 and under to wear a helmet. Read more.

Head Injuries Didn't Rise in Bike-Share Cities. They Actually Fell

Graves and collaborators evaluated injury data in five North American cities (Montreal, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Boston, and Miami Beach) 24 months before and 12 months after these places implemented bike-share programs. As a point of comparison, the researchers evaluated injury data over the same time period in five control cities where bike-share didn't yet exist. Read more.

Cyclist's close call video has many debating their right to the road

A video shot by two Sudbury cyclists who suffered a near miss with a transport truck is receiving a lot of attention and inspiring debates about cyclists and their right to the road. Read more.

What Transit Will Actually Look Like in the New Suburbia

The mere ability to live closer to your neighbors, to sit on a porch within earshot of the people walking down the street, to walk to a café (whether it's in a shiny new town center or an authentically urban neighborhood) is transformative for cul-de-sac transplants. These urban developments still represent an important step, even if the transit issue isn't 100 percent solved. Read more.

Winnipeg - Police, MPI stress cycling safety in demonstration

Three cyclists are killed and 250 others are injured every year in Manitoba due to collisions with vehicles, according to Manitoba Public Insurance. MPI and Winnipeg police staged a demonstration on Thursday to show the dangers of vehicle blind spots and how cyclists can avoid a collision. Read more.

We Need To Walk About Cities

Walking is, for me, associated with a feeling of freedom and discovery. The best way to experience cities is to move through them: bringing yourself to the street and in contact with an immense variety of other lives and places helps you to feel a part of the world and to understand it. Walking is a both a confrontational and comforting way to form a relationship with the city. Read more.

Cycling in Amsterdam: How to pedal like a local

Amsterdam should be a cyclist's dream. In reality, it's a nightmare, or at least it is until you grasp the rules of the road -- and then it's a blast. Read more.

Kelowna - Open house for Ethel Street and Dilworth Drive upgrades

The City of Kelowna and design consultants TRUE Consulting and MMM Group/Alta Planning are preparing concept designs for two new Active Transportation Projects along Ethel Street and Dilworth Drive. Read more.

Overbrook Community Association: "City's Paving Plans Must Reflect Transportation Master Plan Objectives"

Ottawa's own Transportation Master Plan lists as an objective that 50% of all peak period trips be taken by sustainable modes by 2031. Logically speaking, that must mean that fewer trips will be taken by car and more trips will be taken on foot, by bicycle or by transit. The city’s repaving plans must reflect this goal and allow for more equitable sharing of road space between cars and other forms of transportation. Read more.

Have your say in active transportation in Bracebridge

The town wants to hear what you think it needs to take active transportation up a notch. It is hosting two public meetings at the Sportsplex on Tuesday, June 17 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Coun. Scott Young, an avid cycler who spent the weekend doing a ride between Toronto and Niagara, said Bracebridge gets a passing grade for active transportation but it’s is not a grade-A product. He is chair of the town’s active transportation committee who is working on a plan to improve active transportation in Bracebridge. Read more.

Danish childminder's discrimination case may redefine obesity as disability

An overweight Danish childminder, said to be unable to bend down to tie up shoelaces, may make legal history this week by calling for employers across Europe to treat obesity as a disability. Read more.

Bike Week rolls into Winnipeg with week of events

The first annual Bike Week Winnipeg (BWW) is set to roll off on June 16, encouraging two-wheeled transportation through a number of events. Traveling dinners, group rides and workshops, as well as leisure and cultural events, will be offered through the week. Read more.

Anti-homeless sidewalk spikes spark outrage at Montreal City Hall

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre says anti-homeless sidewalk spikes installed in front of some businesses in downtown Montreal are completely unacceptable. Read more.

The Sustainable Mobility & Healthy Communities Summit 2014

The ACT Canada Sustainable Mobility & Healthy Communities Summit will be held in GTHA on November 30,2014 to December 3,2014. Submit an abstract by June 30, 2014 at www.ACTCanada.com. Read more.

PRO WALK/PRO BIKE/PRO PLACE – EARLY SUMMER REGISTRATION

The 18th Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place, held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, in Pittsburgh, Sept. 7-11, is expected to draw 1,000 city planners, transportation engineers, public health advocates, elected officials, community leaders, and professional walking and bicycling advocates. Read more.

The Bikes in Brazil

All eyes are on Brazil. The country is preparing to enter its own branding vortex with the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The nation’s economy has been booming; Brazil is poised to become the world's fifth-largest country economy by 2016. National self-confidence is on the rise for its almost 200 million people.

What does this mean for the re-establishment of bicycle-friendly cities in Brazil? Read more.

Before We Build, We Should Review How a Project Will Affect Safety

As cities across North American densify, innovate and refocus their priorities, there is a shared acknowledgement that the era of the automobile is over, and other modes of mobility, such as walking, cycling and transit, are in ascendance. However, these changes are constrained by powerful legacies of our past — the existing, auto-centric infrastructure of highways, inequitable transportation funding across modes, and outdated ways of thinking. Read more.

How Highway Construction Helped Hitler Rise to Power

Germany's impressive road network partly inspired the Interstate Highway System that changed the shape of American cities (for better and worse). It also might have hastened Hitler's rise to power.
That's the conclusion reached by economists Nico Voigtlaender of UCLA and Hans-Joachim Voth of University of Zurich in a fascinating new working paper on the Autobahn's role in the Nazi regime. Read more.

Toronto’s cycling plan: One pedal forward, one back

Less than 10 kilometres. That’s the total length of new bike lanes that were planned to be painted in 2014. But with an election less than five months away and the year half over, they have yet to be approved. If you’re a cyclist, there is not much to cheer about. Read more.

Study: protected bike lanes really do increase biking

Safety is usually the biggest reason why more people don't bike. True, biking isn't all that dangerous compared to being a pedestrian, but it seems much more dangerous — especially to people who haven't ridden in traffic or been on a bike much since childhood. Luckily, we have a cutting-edge technology that can solve this problem: protected bike lanes. Read more.

Need Creative Inspiration? Take A Walk

Many writers extol the benefit of strolling to get ideas flowing. Walking is good for physical health, and good for refreshing your brain too. There's plenty of anecdotal evidence to support it. Now comes some science to back up the theories. Read more.

Which transportation mode increased the most between 2000 and 2012?

The US Census Bureau's report detailing this info for 2000 through 2012 was released earlier this month. "Nationwide, the number of people who traveled to work by bike increased roughly 60 percent over the last decade, from about 488,000 in 2000 to about 786,000 during the 2008-2012 period. This is the largest percentage increase of all commuting modes tracked by the 2000 Census and the 2008-2012 American Community Survey," according to the United States Census Bureau. Read more.

IKEA now offers electric bike

Admittedly, the FOLKVÄNLIG electric bicycle IKEA is offering is only going to be available in two Austrian stores to start, but let's hope it doesn't take long for IKEA to bring it to more countries. With fast growth in electric bicycle sales around the world, I'd assume that's the plan. Read more.

Building a Bike-Ped Data Model That Planners Will Take Seriously

It’s hard to make the case for public spending on biking and walking without hard data. And quality data has been hard to come by. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is looking to change that. The group has taken on a new project to rigorously measure walking and biking on various corridors, providing baseline data that can help make the case for active transportation projects. Read more.

The Most Dangerous Places to Walk in America

In 2012, 4,743 pedestrians lost their lives in traffic collisions in the U.S., and over the last decade, nearly 50,000 people have been killed while walking — that’s 16 times more Americans than were killed by natural disasters. Another 670,000 pedestrian were injured over that period, one every eight minutes. Read more.

Drunken cycling leads to accidents

Every third Czech cyclist who causes a traffic accident is drunk, daily Právo writes today, citing from the police statistics saying that cyclists’ driving mistakes claimed 27 lives in 2013. Read more.

City of Toronto releases Cycling App to track cyclists trips and plan bike infrastructure

The Toronto Cycling App is a new, free smartphone application that will enable cyclists to contribute to the future of cycling infrastructure in Toronto. Read more.

HUB Cycling wants Powell Street separated bike lane

Having witnessed the fractious debates over Vancouver’s Burrard Bridge, Dunsmuir Street, and Hornby Street bike lanes, Erin O’Melinn knows that proposing a new separated lane is a recipe for potential controversy. Nevertheless, the executive director of HUB Cycling argues that this infrastructure is the best way to turn riders of all abilities into commuter cyclists. Read more.

Drivers for registration of bicycles

This Facebook page, from Australia, is evidence of the backlash that is evident, and appears to be growing, amongst non-cyclists. Cycling advocates might find it is worth reviewing, to see what is being said, to observe what anti-cycling arguments are being formulated, and to understand what tactics are being proposed. Link.

Protected Bike Lanes Aren't Just Safer, They Can Also Increase Cycling

Not all bike lanes are created equal. A line in the pavement dividing cars from cyclists is nice, but it doesn't provide nearly the comfort of a protected bike lane — a track separated from vehicle traffic by a row of parked cars, or a curb, or at least a line of flexible posts. Cyclists who use protected lanes say they feel safer, and some studies show they truly are safer, with their risk of injury cut in half. Read more.

Cycling myths debunked: Why cyclists aren’t as bad as you might think

Nothing gets motorists quite as fired up as someone on a bike. Why? Because apparently cyclists break road rules, speed, weave in and out of traffic and show irresponsible behaviour on the roads. Read more.

Bike to Work Week: Fostering Canada’s Bike Culture

There’s no denying the popularity of cycling. Last year, almost 20,000 people participated in Bike to Work week, and the numbers are expected to be higher for 2014. This year Bike Day, which was annually held on Parliament Hill only, is now expanding to cities across the country. Read more.

Cycling in London is 'as dangerous as the Third World’

“It’s ridiculous that central London roads are comparably anarchic to minor Third World countries in terms of drivers not indicating, U-turns being spun and the air quality, which is really embarrassing. I had some friends over from Paris recently and they were remarking on it. Chinese road culture doesn’t make much of an allowance for cyclists but if you  are going on a highway, there is plenty of room.” Read more.

Taiwan lures cycling tourists with huge infrastructure investments and showers at police stations

The deputy director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Wayne Liu, made the case that Taiwan just might be the greatest cycling destination in the world. "In the past 10 years, the Taiwanese government has invested more than (US)$1 billion in strengthening the bicycle-routes infrastructure in Taiwan," Liu said. He noted that there are more than 80 dedicated bike routes around Taiwan that cover more than 3,000 kilometres. Read more.

Ottawa - Cycling isn't part of cultural fabric in the capital region

We cannot fairly compare Ottawa to the Netherlands. It is no surprise that they spend 10 times what we do per capita on cycling infrastructure — a quick view in any Dutch city would make you think that they spent 100 times what we do, and that there are 100 times the cyclists. Read more.

You need to get your kids moving!

A recent report card by Active Healthy Kids Canada — looking at how the physical activity of Canadian children and youth compares to 14 other countries — gave Canada an overall grade of D- for the physical activity of our children. Read more.

A Pan-European Master Plan for Cycling Promotion in the Making

Perhaps as early as 2017, we will have a pan-European Master Plan on the Promotion of Cycling on the table. This has been officially decided by the transport, health and environment ministers from 56 countries. These countries adopted the Paris Declaration in April. Read more.

Toronto - Cyclists hit the roads for Bike to Work Day

Bike to Work Day gets the 25th annual Bike Month rolling with an assortment of rides, races, workshops and events to celebrate cycling. Several cities across the GTHA will be holding Bike Month events, including Toronto, Newmarket, Brampton, Vaughan and Hamilton. Read more.

OECD Obesity Update

The majority of the population, and one in five children, are overweight or obese in the OECD area. A nearly tenfold variation in rates of obesity and overweight is observed across OECD countries. The obesity epidemic has spread further in the past five years, but rates have been increasing at a slower pace than before. Obesity and overweight have been virtually stable, or have grown modestly, in Canada, England, Italy, Korea, Spain and the United States, but have increased by a further 2-3% in Australia, France, Mexico and Switzerland. Read more.

Sustainable Calgary - What Is Active Transportation?

The City of Calgary has an overarching guiding policy to ensure that our city is built to allow for choices. Making sure that we as a community are focused on creating an environment that invites a number of modes, is important in ensuring our communities remain or become more connected. Read more.

Hurray! Cycling is no longer a man's game

There’s little doubt that 2013 was the year of women’s cycling. This is beautifully demonstrated by the fact that the talking point of one of the highlights of the domestic season, the Jupiter London Nocturne, was not the men’s race but the elite women’s crit. Read more.

Cycling manifesto: how to get Britain's kids on their bikes

Cycling in the UK has never been so popular. In a new survey of 50,000 schoolchildren, cycling charity Sustrans found that, over a period of 12 months, twice the number of children cycled to school regularly in areas where basic infrastructure such as bike sheds was provided. Read more.

Nanaimo - City's transport plans need to be flexible

The city of Nanaimo's new transportation plan is more a wish list than a plan. Its goals seem admirable: Doubling the number of trips throughout the city via transit, cycling and walking to 24 per cent, from its current 12 per cent, over the next 25 years. Then having bicycle trips in the city skyrocket to 15,000 from its current 3,000. Read more.

City hopes bicycle racks will prompt Fernie residents to leave their cars behind

Parking in the downtown core is a major concern for the public, but the motion to install eleven new bike racks may be a valid solution. Read more.

What Millennials Want—And Why Cities Are Right to Pay Them So Much Attention

For cities, the resurgent interest in downtown living has long been attributed to aging boomers—those born roughly between 1945 and 1964, an estimated 80 million as well, many of whom have already become empty-nesters and sold the house in the suburbs and “right-sized” to a condo near the symphony and fabulous bistros. Another significant segment of growing urban populations, of course, are the young professionals and what Richard Florida calls the “creative class.” Read more.

How to Make Mass Transit Financially Sustainable Once and for All

The words "transit" and "crisis" have been associated in the American lexicon for nearly 60 years. It is time to recognize this as a chronic condition rather than a temporary event. Current strategies have not placed transit on a financially sustainable path. Read more.

Cyclists taking over island for Tour de l’Île

Friday will be the Tour la Nuit, a lit nighttime bike ride of 20 kilometres through the Sud-Ouest, Ville-Marie and Plateau–Mont-Royal boroughs. Read more.

Moncton - Active Transportation

Moncton is a vibrant and dynamic city that places a high importance on active living. To that end, the City has developed an Active Transportation plan to steer the community towards a healthier lifestyle. Moncton's well-designed system combined with citywide education encourages everyday use of public transit, trails and active transportation routes. Through the creation of linear parks and greenway trails, the installation of bike racks on all transit buses, and the installation of reserved bike lanes and new signage, the City of Moncton is effectively putting into action their comprehensive Active Transportation Plan. Read more.

Manitoba commuters encouraged to get active

All Manitobans are encouraged to join in this year’s Commuter Challenge Week by cycling, walking, running, taking a bus or forming a car pool to get to school or work, Healthy Living and Seniors Minister Sharon Blady announced Thursday at the launch of the annual event. Read more.

Focus Edmonton bike path development on major routes, neighbourhoods, report suggests

The city should delay public consultation on two contentious bike lanes while it focuses on developing major routes and other pedal paths, a new report says. Plans for lanes along 76th Avenue and 121st Avenue were put on hold last year after residents complained about losing parking and other traffic impacts. Read more.

Complete Streets Forum 2014

The Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) is holding its 7th annual active transportation policy conference - the Complete Streets Forum - on October 6, 2014 in Toronto. The Complete Streets Forum is an influential event that brings together hundreds of professionals, decision-makers and community members from the Greater Golden Horseshoe and beyond. Read more.

Bike summit rolls into town June 25

An array of cycling and active transportation experts in Quinte will roll into The Friendly City later this month to learn how to make their region a more bike friendly community. The first Quinte Region Bike Summit will take place at Quinte Sport and Wellness Centre Wednesday, June 25 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., under the theme “Achieving Our Potential”. Read more.

Ottawa's $70M cycling strategy meant to improve safety

The City of Ottawa plans to spend $70 million over the next 15 years to expand and upgrade bicycle paths, particularly downtown. Read more.

Safe Cycling 1: healthy people, healthy communities

After a terrible spate of cycling fatalities in New Zealand the authorities began to put forward the idea that hi-vis jackets should be made mandatory in New Zealand (this despite the fact that almost all those killed were wearing them).  Read more.

Melbourne walking plan proposes street closures to improve pedestrian traffic flow

Melbourne City Council will consider a detailed plan to drastically reduce the number of cars driving through the CBD. The City of Melbourne's draft walking plan includes investigating the closure of a number of inner city streets. Read more.

Mississippi Mills hosts the Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit addressing lifestyle changes

On Thursday and Friday (May 29 & 30)  Mississippi Mills was host to the Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit. Sixty persons from around the Province but most from Eastern Ontario shared their ideas and energy about the importance of walking and cycling to address the rising health crisis associated with lifestyles which are sedentary and based upon automobile transportation.  Read more.

30,000 cyclists take over Montreal for 30th Tour de l'Ile

At least 30,000 cyclists have taken to the streets of Montreal as part of the 30^th annual Tour de l'Ile. Cyclists on Sunday could choose from six different courses and distances, including a 25-kilometre trek, the 50-kilometre classic or the 130-kilometre distance ride. Read more.

Australia leads parts of Europe in cycling uptake

‘New’ cycling countries like Australia are teaching some ‘old’ cycling countries in Europe how to attract more riders. In Denmark, cycling has been in decline since 1992, and over the past five years, cycling tourism has stagnated in parts of Europe. Cycling in Australia, on the other hand, has boomed over the past decade. Read more.

Cycling In Istanbul

Cycling is an environmentally friendly alternative to transport though unfortunately it is not supported widely by other commuters. Istanbul is however, trying to change this mentality by encouraging its cyclists. Read more.

Fiscal Incentives to Get More French on Bikes

The French transport ministry has started a six-month experiment with paying people to cycle to work, joining other European governments in trying to boost bicycle use to boost people's health, reduce air pollution and cut fossil fuel consumption. Read more.

Active Healthy Kids Canada - 2014 Report Card

This is the 10th anniversary of the most current and comprehensive annual assessment of the physical activity of children and youth in Canada. For the first time, this Report Card reveals how Canada stacks up against 14 other countries. Read more.

Skateboarding Is Transportation, Too

Faster than walking, less of a hassle than biking, and way cheaper than a car. Read more.

Victoria - Priority Transit and Cycling Lanes to Open June 9

The first phase of Douglas Street Priority Transit and Cycling Lanes will officially open on Monday June 9. Transit and cycling priority lanes will run from Fisgard Street to Hillside Avenue Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. southbound and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. northbound. Parking will be permitted along Douglas Street during off-peak hours. Read more.

Cycling a Path Towards Healing

On June 22, thousands across BC will join Shoppers Drug Mart Ride Don’t Hide, a community bike ride in celebration and support of mental health. Funds raised support Canadian Mental Health Association’s programs for women and their families. Sign up today for Shoppers Drug Mart Ride Don’t Hide at www.ridedonthide.com. Read more.

Motorists urged to mind cyclists during Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour

The warning comes after cyclist Roy Chapman was struck and killed in a crash near Kemptville on Sunday. Read more.

Kingston - Active Transportation Week

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY OFFERED A ‘ROLL IN BREAKFAST’ THIS MORNING FOR ALL THOSE TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THEIR DESTINATION BY BICYCLE.  IT’S ALL A PART OF ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION WEEK. A FULL 7 DAYS WHERE OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET ACTIVE. INSTEAD OF DRIVING OR USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION– TO WALK OR CYCLE. Read more.

Ottawa cycling group runs down 'sharrows'

The expanded use of painted “sharrows” on busy roads doesn’t impress a cycling group, even though the city believes the markings promote safety. Read more.

Cycling safety reminders and tips from the Parry Sound OPP

There are some roads in Ontario where cycling is not allowed for safety reasons, including the 400-series highways. For the most part though, our roads are for the enjoyment and transportation of everyone, using a wide variety of approved powered and non-powered vehicles. When travelling slower than the rest of traffic, cyclists should stay as close to the right edge of the road as is practicable. Cyclists are allowed to safely use the full lane if staying close to the right edge of the road is unsafe. Read more.

Bike Plans in Other Cities: Montreal, Bogota and New York City

Municipalities around the world are working towards a greener and safer commute within their communities. Montreal, Bogota and New York City are just a few. They are quickly adapting to the cyclist world with proposed programs and plans benefiting cyclists and of course, decreasing the gridlock on their roads. Read more.

Vancouver’s bike-share program in limbo as private partner faces funding problems

The City of Vancouver hopes to finally launch its beleaguered bike share program in 2015, but plans are in limbo as its private partner faces “serious” funding problems in its flagship New York City bike-share operation. Read more.

Health and economic benefits of active transportation promoted at Almonte summit

Nearly sixty people from across our region, and around the province, arrived in Almonte last week for the first annual Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit (EOATS).  The Ron Caron Auditorium at the Almonte Old Town Hall was the launching pad for this outstanding event on May 29 and 30. Read more.

Saskatoon man says police overreacted in cycling arrest

On this,  “Bike to Work Day” in Saskatoon, a cautionary tale that begins with a pleasant bike ride to a downtown Yoga studio, and ends with a long day in a police lock-up. Read more.

Toronto - Build transit, walking and cycling amenities, groups tell candidates

Four years, four ideas each to improve the lives of pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. It adds up to 12 proposals at the centre of a new campaign launched Tuesday by a coalition of active transportation and environmental advocates anxious that their cause be part of the upcoming municipal election:

http://tcat.ca/sites/all/files/BuildingATorontoThatMoves.pdf  Read more.