Thursday, April 30, 2015

Report - 7th Annual Ontario Bike Summit

The 7th Annual Ontario Bike Summit took place at the Eaton Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto on Tuesday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 1, 2015. Read more.

Metro Vancouver’s active transportation trends

Transportation agencies and municipal transit providers do a lot of their own research, but most of this is not open data and is summarized in publicly available reports. In the absence of Census data or a national transportation survey, transportation researchers often have to collect their own data. The My Health My Community study surveyed over 28,000 residents in Metro Vancouver on their primary mode of transportation, health outcomes, lifestyle behaviours and neighbourhood characteristics. Read more.

Grey Bruce Health Unit wants to create culture of well-being

Addressing municipal politicians and employees, public health staff and community members, the day’s workshop focused on three key initiatives - the “complete street” concept in which streets are designed for all ages, abilities and modes of travel; the impact of local and provincial smoke-free legislation and a review of healthy food and beverage choices. Read more.

Active events planned for Pictou County Bike Week, June 5-14

A full-slate of events is planned for Pictou County Bike Week from June 5-14 with two-wheeled tours in various parts of the county, said Patricia Craig, chair of Pictou County Active Transportation Committee. Read more.

Powell River - Teens roll out active transportation program

The CMA students were at Westview Elementary School on Wednesday, April 22, giving the first of three presentations to the grade four class scheduled for the remainder of the school year. The first was designed to teach the relationship between activity and health and the benefits of active transportation. The teens incorporated videos and a relay race using bike-related equipment into the lesson plan to add interest and physical activity. Read more.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Tourist is trampled to death by a giraffe while cycling through South African game reserve during family holiday

A man on holiday in South Africa is believed to have been trampled to death by a giraffe while out cycling in a game reserve, police said. The body of Braam Bosse, 45, was found next to his bike near Bela Bela in Limpopo province with injuries police say are consistent with being trampled. Read more.

Report - 2015 Niagara Active Transportation Summit

On March 4 and 5, 2015, Healthy Living Niagara hosted the Niagara Active Transportation Summit in St. Catharines. Healthy Living Niagara is a partnership of community groups and individuals working to make the healthy choice an available choice. The partnership has been part of many active transportation initiatives in Niagara since 2003. Read more.

Muskoka - Paved shoulders in future for Highway 117

A District of Muskoka decision to add Muskoka Road 117 to its active transportation network has Lake of Bays mayor Bob Young rethinking his approach to project requests. Read more.

Vancouver - Study finds transportation preferences correlated with healthy habits

A survey of 28,000 Metro Vancouver residents indicates people who use active transportation such as walking, biking and transit are healthier and have more positive lifestyle attributes.


The My Health, My Community study, which also revealed car drivers with long commute times have a lower sense of community belonging, will be the focus of a lecture Thursday at Simon Fraser University’s Segal School of Business by principal investigator Dr. Jat Sandhu. Read more.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

An Underrated Approach to Cutting Car Commutes: Peer Pressure

As other research has shown, people are most amenable to shifting their travel habits at a moment of major life change—moving to a new home, for instance, or starting a new job. In this case, at least, there's no shame in recognizing when shame is at its peak. Read more.

Nova Scotia’s budget cuts will mean fewer kids walking to school

Nova Scotia’s great austerity budget of 2015 is claiming yet another victim: a provincewide program run by the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) that addresses “school travel planning.” Read more.

Drivers more likely to ignore crosswalks at speeds above 30 mph

According to a new study published by the Transportation Research Board, drivers traveling at higher speeds are also far less likely to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. The study, conducted in Boston, reveals that drivers are nearly four times more likely to yield for pedestrians at travel speeds around 20 miles per hour than at 40 mph. Read more.

New York - Pedestrian Injuries Down 61% on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope After Road Diet

Between Atlantic Avenue and 15th Street, the road diet widened medians, shortened crossing distances, and trimmed the number of car lanes from three in each direction to two along most of the street (the northernmost blocks retained the same number of lanes). The changes were implemented using paint and flexible bollards.



After the redesign, pedestrian injuries on this stretch of Fourth Avenue fell 61 percent, total crashes dropped 20 percent, and crashes with injuries were reduced by 16 percent, according to DOT, which compared one year of post-implementation crash data to the prior three-year average. Read more.

Job Opportunity - Scarborough Cycles Project Coordinator

Do you have a passion for sharing your love of bicycles and encouraging more people to ride? The Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT), in partnership with Cycle Toronto, Toronto Cycling Think & Do Tank, and CultureLink, has launched an exciting new project called Scarborough Cycles: building bike culture beyond downtown. We are hiring a Project Coordinator to administer the program in Scarborough, conduct outreach, and organize events. Read more.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Car-loving Calgary considers a 167-unit condo - with no parking

Construction began this week on a new bike lane pilot project that will run through downtown Calgary. And in less than two weeks, council will decide whether to give the green light to the city’s first car-less condo project, a 167-unit tower – and not a parking stall on site. Read more.

Toronto - 2014 Complete Streets Forum Summary Report

On October 6th, 2014, the Toronto Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT), a project of Clean Air

Partnership (CAP), hosted its 7th annual Complete Streets Forum. The venue for this year’s event was Daniels Spectrum, a vibrant new cultural centre in the heart of Regent Park, a revitalized neighbourhood featuring streets that are inclusive and inviting for all. Read more.


Go Bike Montreal Festival marks start of busy summer cycling season

A city that already carries the distinction of being North America's most bike-friendly city, Montreal puts its love of cycling on display at the end of May each year. The week-long Go Bike Montreal Festival pays homage to that cycling culture, comprising a number of events geared toward riders of all experiences and ages. Read more.

County of Renfrew - Active Transportation Summit on May 29th

Local Active Transportation champions are hosting an Active Transportation Summit on May 29th to bring together planners, politicians, municipalities, recreation, education, health organizations, businesses and the public interested in promoting the benefits of cycling, walking, paddling and other non-motorized modes of recreation and transportation. Read more.

Toronto - Cyclist alert!

They tell me the smelts are running up in Kagawong, so spring has finally sprung. Down here in the Big Smoke, we are more concerned about another mass of silvery, slippery, slithering, slimy creatures that bursts forth at this time of year. Cyclists. Schools of them.


Like smelts, cyclists swim upstream, upsidewalk, upcrosswalk, upintersection, up anything they bloody well please. However, unlike a smelt, which weighs barely three ounces, the average cyclist packs at least 200 pounds, including bike, helmet, cellphone and middle finger. Read more.

Will the UN’s support for cycling inspire EU to work on a Roadmap on Cycling?

THE PEP partnership was launched by the initiative of the Austrian and French Governments at the 4th high level meeting in Paris in April 2014 and its goal is to develop a pan-European Master Plan for cycling promotion and to support governments in the development of national cycling promotion policies. This partnership is a spin-off of the informal ECF network of the national cycling officers that was established during the 2011 Velo-city conference in Seville. Read more.

Squeaky Wheels: Montreal chooses not to force helmets on cyclists

“The city’s active transportation division is in favour of people wearing helmets, but is against this being obligatory,” Sabourin said. “In other words, the city chooses to sensitize cyclists rather than take a repressive approach by forcing them to wear them at the risk of a penalty.” Read more.

Friday, April 24, 2015

The Geography of Well-Being

In a report released today, the Social Science Research Council’s Measure of America project takes a crack at it with their own metric. Inspired by the UN’s influential Human Development Index for nations, their American Human Development Index develops measures of well-being for America’s 435 congressional districts (plus Washington, D.C.). This allows us to see how patterns of uneven and unequal socio-economic well-being exist not just between but within many of America’s largest metros. Read more.

Groningen, a grown-up cycling city

Groningen recently presented its new cycling strategy for 2015-2025. The city population is growing, commuter traffic is increasing and public space is under pressure. Groningen chooses the bicycle to keep the city accessible, liveable, economically vital, healthy and safe. It shows that with a good strategy cycling can deliver all this to make a quantum leap forward. All governing political parties, from left to right wing, voted in favour of the cycling strategy on Wednesday 22. April. Read more.

Germany's auto free cycling days

Auto-free days are locally organized initiatives in which all motorized vehicles are banned from certain sections of highways. Cyclists, in-line skaters, hikers and other nature lovers come out in force to savor the surroundings they’re more used to passing by in a blur of speed. Road closures last from mid-morning to early evening and can stretch from 15 to 50 miles or more. They are generally organized on Sundays or public holidays from spring on into the autumn months. Read more.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Latest Sign of Bike-Share's Social Equity Problem

Bike-share has a promising role to play in city transit networks, but its inability to reach low-income users has become an unsettling problem—and it's a problem that appears to be growing. Take the latest member survey from Capital Bikeshare in Washington, D.C. (spotted by Mobility Lab). Half of the roughly 3,500 survey respondents reported having six-figure incomes. Read more.

Montréal - Editorial: Cycling safety should be a high priority

This is a puzzle Montreal is going to have to get a lot better and a lot faster at solving, as cycling continues to grow in popularity as a mode of transit. The current state of affairs is symptomatic of a tendency of officials to pay lip service to the importance of two-wheeled transport, but then fail to address some of the most pressing problems, especially when it comes to safety. Read more.

Powell River - Plan H highlights walkability forum

Powell River’s walkability forum held last spring included presentations from Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) as well as others on the topic of active transportation. The topic has been highlighted by Plan H, a province-wide program which supports local government engagement and partnerships across sectors for creating healthier communities. Read more.

Contentious walking-biking path linking North Kildonan to East St. Paul gets thumbs up

A provincial plan for a walking-biking route that would cross a reconstructed and elevated Perimeter Highway got limited approval from Winnipeg's Executive Policy Committee at city hall Wednesday. Read more.

Saskatoon - City to create active transportation plan

The city is using its website to get input from residents for the next five weeks to help establish its first active transportation plan as part of the strategy to grow to half a million people. The website will host an interactive survey until May 29 at www.growingfwd.ca. Read more.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Winnipeg - Community committee approves site plans for outlet mall

The site will also have 183 uncovered bicycle stalls, 50 covered bicycle stalls with 25 stalls connecting to the active transportation path on Kenaston Boulevard. Read more.

Fredericton - Pilot project aims to increase number of students walking to school

A pilot project in Fredericton is aiming to increase the number of students walking or biking to school. Roughly 50 per cent of students walked to school as recently as the 1980s, but today that average of between 10 and 20 per cent. Andrew Holloway, a spokesman for New Brunswick’s Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Coalition, says one of the biggest reasons kids don’t walk to school is the level of risk perceived by parents. Read more.

Windsor - Public meetings to be held on future of area around Zalev’s

A large section of central Windsor dubbed by the city as the Central Box, including Zalev’s scrapyard and Devonshire Mall, will be the focus of four public meetings beginning next month as an environmental assessment is conducted. The assessment is intended to identify transportation network improvements while considering established land uses, traffic operations over a 20-year period, pedestrian and bikeway connections and related impacts to existing structure and utilities. Read more.

Everything You Need to Know to Bike Like a Boss

This year, you may have decided to ride your bike more often or are looking for ways to encourage friends, family, and coworkers to ride with you. Here are a few answers to common questions that can help anyone ride a bike “like a boss”: Read more.

Victoria ends skateboarding ban in downtown core — but stay off the sidewalks

Victoria has lifted its decades-old ban on skateboarding downtown. Councillors unanimously decided to allow skateboarders to use downtown streets, provided they follow the same rules of the road as cyclists. Read more.

Cyclists ‘healthier and less stressed’, says new Cyclescheme report

Cyclists are drinking and smoking less, eating better and experiencing less workplace stress, according to a new report from cycle-to-work provider Cyclescheme. Read more.

This Glow-in-the-Dark Spray Could Make Cycling at Night Way Safer

Car giant Volvo is turning in a slightly different direction for its next project: cycling safety. Last week, the automaker and its partners unveiled a reflective spray called LifePaint, which cyclists can spray on their clothes and bicycles to boost safety at night. Read more.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

800 cities, 1 million bicycles in bike sharing worldwide

Bike sharing combines a 19th century vehicle with the information technology of the 21st century and has become increasingly relevant for first / last-mile connectivity within urban mobility networks. Within a short decade bike sharing has mushroomed in more than 800 cities world-wide with approximately 1 million bicycles available. Read more.

Peterborough - Silver upgrade for bicycle friendliness

A national cycling organization has upgraded Peterborough’s bicycle-friendliness ranking, according to a new report. Share The Road Cycling Coalition gave Peterborough a silver rating this year, up from a bronze. Read more.

How Livable Will Your Neighborhood Be as You Age?

What is "livability" made of, exactly? That is the elusive question that a new “livability index” from AARP wants to answer. The index allows you to punch in an address and find out how it scores, on a scale from 1 to 100, in seven different categories: housing, transportation, environment, health, engagement, opportunity, and the catchall “neighborhood” category, which encompasses proximity to services as well as personal safety. Read more.

Windsor - Bike lanes to be added to Roselawn Drive, like it or not

Bike lanes will be added to Roselawn Drive in south Windsor, despite objection from residents in that neighbourhood. Some residents asked city councillors Monday night to reconsider, so they could keep parking on the street. But the majority of council voted against them, 8-3. Read more.

Kingston - Expert urges cycling safety

The City of Kingston announced Feb. 18 that there would be more than 100 individual infrastructure projects in the city including 30 km of new bike lanes. The City of Kingston's website states: "In 2015, cycling lanes are coming to: "Princess Street in Williamsville (from Macdonnell to Division); Division Street from Princess to Quebec; and Montreal Street from Ordnance to Rideau and Railway." Read more.

California mandatory helmet law set back following intensive lobbying from pro-cycling campaigners

Plans to force all cyclists in California to wear helmets have been set back following intensive lobbying from pro-cycling campaign groups. Cycling groups including California Bicycle Coalition and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition protested, saying that the rule would discourage people from cycling at all. Read more.

Tactical Urbanists Are Improving Cities, One Rogue Fix at a Time

Frustrated by the syrup-slow pace and red tape of the traditional civic change process, citizens across the country are bypassing the bureaucratic machine entirely and undertaking quick, low-cost city improvements without government sanction. They’re creating pop-up parks in abandoned lots. They’re installing free library boxes on street corners. They’re creating homemade traffic-slowing devices using temporary obstacles like potted plants to make their streets safer. Read more.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

More traffic congestion in Kingston? Bring it on, say transportation experts

If you think some Kingston roads are congested now, you’d better get used to it. The city is in the process of updating its Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and one of the strategies is to allow traffic congestion to get worse. Read more.

How Car-Reliance Squeezes the Middle Class

Something screwy is going on with transportation. The numbers show that middle-class Americans spend a much higher share of their total household annual expenditures on getting around, compared with the poorest and richest groups.  Read more.

Is Bicycling a Form of Preventive Health Care?

Clearly, biking is advantageous for one’s physical health. It’s widely known that cycling is a low-impact form of exercise that’s good for the cardiovascular system, a way to control weight gain, and benefits our immune system. In addition, daily bicycling can have positive effects on our mental well-being. Read more.

Prof. calls for separated bike lanes in Saskatoon to encourage cycling

Teschke spoke about the findings of two of her studies, one on what type of bike routes entice people to cycle, the other on what type of bike routes are the most dangerous. Read more.

Bike hand signals are confusing, here's a better, simpler solution

I’ve witnessed many altercations involving cars and bikes, and more than a few involved misunderstood signals. A driver who nearly mowed me down on my prized carbon-fibre bike a while back leaped out of his car screaming that I hadn’t signalled. In fact, I had signalled, but the driver didn’t realize that bicyclists indicate right turns with their left arm. Read more.

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Squamish - Attention drivers: cycling rules

The madness is upon us. Spring is here and with it, the beginning of cycling season. And cycling season can only mean one thing: soon cyclists and drivers will be bickering about who are the most dangerous users of the road. Read more.

Grand Prairie mayor leads residents through downtown stroll, announces plan to lead bike rides

The first Cyclin’ with the Mayor ride this year will be at 6 p.m. April 15. The nearly 5-mile ride around downtown and neighboring streets will begin at the city’s development center, 206 W. Church St.


“We’re not getting out with our handle bars down in a peloton,” Jensen said, using the technical term for a pack of cyclists. “We’re a casual pace so everybody can ride. No one can pass me. That’s one of the rules.” Read more.

For Some Teenagers, 16 Candles Mean It’s Time to Join Uber

For generations of American teenagers, obtaining a driver’s license was a rite of passage. But when Jonathan Golden, a scruffy-haired high schooler who lives in Santa Monica, Calif., turned 16 in November, he couldn’t be bothered with the bureaucracy of the Department of Motor Vehicles. Instead, he wanted his own Uber account. Read more.

Cycling is a sign of a successful city, bike sharing could reduce air pollution says OECD

A recently published OECD report says that cycling is a sign of a successful city, bike sharing could help reduce air pollution and congestions but car use in most cities are not correctly priced. Congestion charges, speed limits could also help reduce air pollution and congestion, however because of the not correct pricing of car use transport-related policies fuel urban sprawl and driving. Read more.

Portage la Prairie - Island Park Bridge options discussed at open house

Three options were presented to residents by AECOM and the city. The first design has two lanes of traffic, an active transportation pathway, and a pedestrian bridge. Entrance and exit onto the island would be controlled by roundabouts at Royal Road and in front of the PCU Centre. The causeway would remain in place but would only allow for foot traffic. Snowmobiles and canoes would still have clearance under the bridge. Read more.

5 cycling tips you need to know

An increase in two-wheel traffic means the potential for more accidents, says Constable Hue Smith, the police cyclist trainer at Toronto Traffic Services. According to the most recent statistics released by the city, there were 1,459 cyclist collisions per 100,000 people over a five-year period. Montreal ranks second with a cyclist collision rate of 743 per 100,000, followed by Ottawa with 335. Read more.

'Absurd': City and province have deal to close Lions Gate Bridge by 2030

The causeway and bridge would become dedicated to bike, pedestrian and transit use. The deal was based on the understanding that a third crossing of Burrard Inlet would be built. Read more.

Toronto to pump $525,000 into improving signs in parks and trails

The city of Toronto is investing $525,000 in a pilot project to overhaul signage in parks and trails, easing walking and cycling activities. “There isn’t consistency in the existing signage,” said Janette Harvey, the city’s natural environment specialist, explaining that some places are currently crowded with signs while others have none. Read more.

The Steady Rise of Bike Ridership in New York

The newest commuter cycling numbers are out for New York City, and they’re bigger than ever. The latest count available from the city’s transportation department shows a 4 percent increase over the previous year, as measured during 2014’s peak cycling season at key points in New York's bike network. The 12-hour weekday count at seven data-collection points was up to 21,112—compared to an anemic 5,631 in 2002. Read more.

Friday, April 17, 2015

Global Car, Motorcycle, and Bike Ownership, in 1 Infographic

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey last year, asking people in 44 countries whether they owned a car, a motorcycle, or a bike. They sorted the results in an interactive chart that reveals global trends in vehicle ownership. Read more.

Ride the Rideau cycling event to be renamed, rerouted after last year's tragedy

Seven months after an Ottawa cyclist died in a tragic crash during Ride the Rideau, the fundraising event for cancer research is being rerouted and renamed. Read more.

Winnipeg, East St. Paul spar over proposed through-pass

The province announced a new interchange at Highway 59 and the North Perimeter last fall, which includes elevating the North Perimeter to allow an extension of Raleigh Street connecting both sides of East St. Paul. The access initially was proposed for pedestrians, active transportation and emergency vehicles only, but the province later stated it could be opened to all traffic. Read more.

Regina - Group wants cycling, drivers ed combined

Bike Regina is planning to approach SGI about including cycling and cyclist-driver interaction training in its driver education program. That, said president Sara Maria Daubisse, “would be the most cost-effective and efficient way to ensure that cyclists know the rules of the road and drivers know how to interact with cyclists.” Read more.

Edmonton - City unveils two routes for new protected bike lanes

The City of Edmonton unveiled designs for protected bike lanes, slated for Old Strathcona and the city’s core. Officials said the two protected bike lanes would be installed on 83 Avenue, between Mill Creek Ravine and 111 Street, and 102 Avenue between 96 Street and 136 Street. Read more.

Victoria property taxes to rise 2.2%; cycling gets $7.2 million

Victoria property owners will face a 2.2 per cent tax increase this year on a $213-million city operating budget that allocates $1 million to social-housing initiatives, $1 million to tax relief and $7.2 million to cycling infrastructure. Read more.

Can Bike Lanes Connect Divided Communities?

What do bike lanes, racial equity, and economic equity all have in common? According to a new report by PeopleforBikes, quite a lot. The recently released report, “Building Equity: Race, Ethnicity and Protected Bike Lanes”, is the result of the organization’s efforts to hold conversations with bike advocates around the US on the complex and often overlooked intersections of race, class, and bike infrastructure. Read more.

Why does it feel like Toronto is giving up on pedestrian safety?

This was the exchange at City Hall last Thursday, as councillors considered asking for a report, examining the possibility of implementing a comprehensive road safety plan for the city. So what happened? Short answer: nothing. Read more.

Calgary - Don't think for a moment that the city is neglecting drivers, says transportation planning boss

There have been claims that the city is focusing its planning and transportation infrastructure spending in the wrong places, referring in particular to walking and cycling investment. In fact, the City of Calgary’s transportation department focuses on a balanced approach, so that we meet the needs of 1.2 million people today, as well as one million more people anticipated to move here in the coming decades. Read more.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit - May 29

Join us on May 29 to network and share the evidence to support Active Transportation in our communities. This event will bring together planners, politicians, recreation, education, health professionals, economic development, businesses and individuals interested in promoting Active Transportation. Read more.

Saanich - Gordon Head's Feltham Village prime for placemaking

Victoria’s Fernwood and Quadra Village are two good examples of placemaking where barriers re-route vehicle traffic and support safer a infrastructure for biking and walking. Read more.

Peterborough - More walkable, bikeable county urged by advocate, but councillors say rural transit in county is not feasible

If you live in Peterborough County, it's likely that you sometimes drive a vehicle rather than ride a bike when your destination is less than 5 km away. Read more.

Powell River - Brochure to inspire active transportation

Powell River Division of Family Practice, Tourism Powell River, Powell River Cycling Association and Powell River Employment Program (PREP) Society’s Powell River Diversity Initiative have worked together to create a brochure which promotes walkability within the city through funding from Vancouver Coastal Health SMART organization and City of Powell River. Read more.

Pembrooke - Active transportation forgotten in Highway 41 upgrades

Although the province is planning to upgrade the 29 km section of the road from Highway 60 to Highway 17 this year, there are no plans to improve safety for cyclists, and some of the plans actually make the highway more dangerous. Read more.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Paris plans to become ‘world cycling capital’

Paris is planning to invest €150 million to double the number of cycle paths across the city, a move it hopes will transform it into the “cycling capital of the world” and help solve the French capital’s pollution problem. Read more.

Parents in trouble again for letting kids walk alone

Montgomery County police and county Children's Protective Services are jointly investigating the Meitivs of Silver Spring for allowing their children to walk repeatedly around the neighborhood alone. Read more.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Montréal - Cyclists say city has much work to do to improve safety

It cost $5.6 million and took more than two years to build, but a new lane on St-Laurent Blvd. to accommodate roughly 2,000 cyclists in an area heavily used by cars has received a failing grade from cycling advocates. Read more.

Edmonton - Input needed on 106 Street bike lane winter maintenance

Attention commuters: the City of Edmonton is looking for feedback on how well, or not well, it did when it comes to winter maintenance of a popular stretch of bike lanes. City staff members hope to hear from all commuters, not just cyclists, about the maintenance along the 106 Street bike route between 29 Avenue and Saskatchewan Drive. Read more.

Kingston - Cycling-friendly features included in road work

Roads on either side of Kingston are to benefit from a portion of $25 million in provincial infrastructure funding. The money, to come over the next three years, is part of Ontario’s 20-year #CycleON Action Plan. Read more.

Thunder Bay to host first-of-its-kind bike summit

The city is looking to attract young professionals to Thunder Bay with a focus on active transportation. Next week will see Thunder Bay's first-ever Bike Summit, called Biking Means Business. City mobility coordinator Adam Krupper said research shows that young professionals are driving less, which means they're walking and biking more. Read more.

Retired teacher walking every street in Calgary

Peyto has walked approximately 1,530 kilometres throughout Calgary since he started the project in September 2013, although he has not worn out a pair of shoes yet. To document his progress, Peyto has been taking pictures and uploading them to walkcalgarycommunities’ on Flickr. Read more.

Ottawa - High time the NCC looked at Canal's low cycling curbs

The NCC treats the recreational trails almost like a city sidewalk. It reminds residents they are for “shared use”, posts speed limits for cyclists and generally paints a line down the middle. There are no open or closed seasons on the paths, however, or spring warnings about possible ice coverage. Read more.

Phone survey will help inform Guelph’s cycling master plan

Some 400 random households in Guelph are to participate in a telephone survey in the coming weeks. The city wants you to know it's not a scam, participation is voluntary and your privacy will be protected. The information collected will be used to update the city's Cycling Master Plan. Read more.

Opinion: Uptown Waterloo bicycle survey is all spin

Last week's release of a study commissioned by the City of Waterloo on the habits of shoppers heading to its uptown district has been marked by an outbreak of what can only be described as seasonally induced irrational exuberance over the notion that the bike has suddenly supplanted the car as the primary means of transportation for local shoppers. Read more.

Better Winnipeg: Leadership award winner makes time for many things

Today, Montufar is a civil engineering professor at the University of Manitoba. One of her areas of expertise is active transportation — how to improve it and make it safer for pedestrians. Read more.

Budget process a good example of the way Guelph city council is supposed to work

But, ironically, it was a well-organized lobby by the local active transportation group that brought the issue to the fore. And while the headlines talked about a big win for cyclists, it is really a long overdue basic public amenity for everyone that should have been in place years ago. Read more.

Calgary - Our car culture comes at a steep cost

Stephanie Kusie of Common Sense Calgary thinks that city hall should focus on reducing traffic congestion before spending money on pedestrians and cyclists. I suspect that many other Calgarians, especially those living in the deep south, agree with her. Unfortunately, her common sense approach is based on a web of illusions and would take us further down a dark path to higher taxes and reduced quality of life. Read more.

Peterborough - Report looks at why people spurn bus, walking or cycling to work

If you live and work in Peterborough, chances are you drive to your job. A new study indicates 80% of city residents do. It's one of the many facts in a report about active transportation that will be presented to city councillors on Monday at City Hall. Read more.

Generation Y would rather spend money on tech and recreation than cars, says millennial perception study

The auto industry is facing a serious issue when it comes to engaging with young adults who would rather spend their hard-earned cash on tech and their social lives than cars, according to research from marketing consultancy Prophet. Read more.

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Montréal - No plans for cycling link from Dorval to Décarie

While there are no immediate plans to link this area to the rest of the bike network, the city’s long-term planning for bike paths shows that there will eventually be a network of paths linking downtown, Verdun, LaSalle, Lachine, Dorval and St-Laurent to Trudeau airport. The plan hinges heavily on the eventual reconstruction of the Dorval Circle by Transport Quebec. Bike paths are planned as part of the project. Read more.

Montréal - Cycling advocates encourage city to rethink bike paths

The intersection at St-Laurent and Bellechasse is an eclectic mix of bikes, cars and people. The St-Laurent side of the intersection has a divided bike path that ends abruptly as bikers head north on the Main. Read more.

Port Alberni - Cycling committee encourages more riders

Port Alberni is ripe with undiscovered potential to encourage the world's most efficient form of transportation, say members of a newly formed cycling committee.The Transition Towns Cycling Committee held their first meeting March 25 with the intention of encouraging more bicycle use in town, including a week of events hosted by local businesses next month during Bike to Work Week May 25-29. Read more.

Cycling routes in Ontario get financial bump

The provincial government says it's moving ahead with a $25-million investment over three years to create a more cycling-friendly Ontario. Read more.

City of Winnipeg Seeking an Active Transportation Coordinator

Under the general direction of the Transportation Facilities Planning Engineer, this position implements programs that are critical to the successful management of the transportation network and the position is expected to excel in communications, team building and project management in a multi-task and multi-disciplinary environment.  Read more.