Thursday, September 10, 2015

Submit your abstract and be part of Velo-city 2016!

Velo-city is the premier international cycle planning conference. It gathers all stakeholders, making it an important opportunity to meet and connect with people to propel projects, gain valuable feedback, and stimulate new ideas. From urban planners, architects, social marketers, academic researchers, environmentalists, business and industry representatives to transportation engineers, city officials, cycling advocates, and policy makers – Velo-city brings together the best in the world of cycling to create real impact. Read more.

Pedestrian alleys could solve age-old Edmonton dispute on Whyte Avenue

Murray Davison believes he has an answer to the polarized debate between motorists and pedestrians on Whyte Avenue — create a whole new set of walkways and patios. Read more.

U.S. - Surgeon General Calls for Steps to Promote Healthy Walking

Take a walk: That's the U.S. surgeon general's prescription for sedentary Americans -- but communities will have to step up, too, and make neighborhoods easier and safer for foot traffic. Read more.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

“Share the Road” Found to Contribute to Confusion and Conflict

In November, 2014, the Delaware Department of Transportation announced that they would cease to use the “Share the Road” plaque on license plates and uninstall all “Share the Road” traffic signs across the state. Many assumed that the cycling advocacy group, Bike Delaware, would be infuriated by the announcement. As it turns out, Bike Delaware were the ones to request the signs’ removal. But why? Read more.

Why Cyclists Form Stronger Commuting Habits Than Drivers

It turns out drivers aren’t the only ones whose brains get beholden to a certain manner of commuting. New evidence claiming to be the first of its kind suggests that people who walk or ride a bike to work also become behaviorally attached to their travel type—and may even form stronger habits than drivers do. Read more.

Does cycling get preferential treatment compared to walking?

There’s an argument that cycling gets a disproportionate share of attention compared to other modes with much greater use like walking and public transport. But it’s not really a puzzle. Read more.

Essex County seeks funds for cycling trails

If council receives funding under the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure program, it would help establish 2.3 kilometres of trail around the Civic Centre linking to Fairview Avenue as well as two other access points to Essex. Read more.

Monday, September 7, 2015

Public views sought after summit discusses future of cycling in Essex

Essex County Council, working in partnership with Active Essex, joined local and national partners to discuss the issue and have now launched a consultation to get the views of the public on how cycling in the county should be developed in the future. Read more.

Lethbridge - City focused on pedestrian safety

The transportation department completed the Active Transportation and Pedestrian Crossing Warrant Research Study, which included a review of literature and contacting other municipalities for best practices and procedures. The research identified a number of potential safety enhancements, some which have been implemented at various locations in the city. Read more.

Unpublicized committee works on Galt pedestrian bridge

The city has formed a new committee to come up with a preferred concept design for a pedestrian walkway across the Grand River in downtown Galt. Read more.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Quebec cyclist gets $440 ticket for late-night ride along bike path

The mayor of Lévis, Que., says the city is considering reviewing its bylaws after a cyclist got a $440 fine for riding on a bike path after 11 p.m. The 63-year-old cyclist in question, Gilles Frénette, was on the Parcours des Anses bike path in Old Lévis. He was told he was breaking a municipal bylaw that prohibits people from being in public parks between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Read more.

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Nova Scotia 2015 Bike Summit

10th Annual Nova Scotia Bike Summit - October 2-4 in Kings County
The Municipality of the County of Kings, the Town of Kentville, the Town of Wolfville, and the Village of New Minas are hosting the 10th Annual Nova Scotia Bike Summit on October 2-4. Information.

Unsafe lorry ban comes into force to protect London cyclists

Heavy Good Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes that are not equipped with side guards and extra mirrors to protect cyclists are now banned from London’s streets. Any HGV operator using a vehicle in the capital without such measures can be fined up to £1000. Read more.

Crystal Crescent Beach bike route paving project applauded by cyclists

Cyclists are welcoming a push to pave a stretch of road near Halifax that's become a popular bicycle route. The loop formed by the Old Sambro Road and Ketch Harbour Road is well known as a route to Crystal Crescent Beach, but cars and cyclists sometimes clash for space on the two-lane road. Read more.

Peterborough - Some e-bikes aren't allowed on trails

E-bikes are growing more and more common, say city police – but a lot of people don’t understand the laws surrounding the rechargeable electric scooters. The bikes are often spotted on local trails, say police. Bicycle-style e-bikes are permitted on the city’s multi-use trails, and only if they’re being pedalled. The scooter-style e-bikes aren’t allowed on trails at all. Read more.

Orillia Street Art Project transforming underpass

Active-transportation themes are at the forefront of the mural, in part because the underpass covers a portion of the city's rail trail. The finished project will promote the ways people can get from Point A to Point B via a variety of active methods, such as walking, biking or skateboarding. Read more.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Vancouver eyes long-overdue upgrades to 10th Avenue Bikeway

Stretching over 11 kilometres from the Central Valley Greenway in East Vancouver to the UBC Endowment lands, 10th Avenue is one of this city’s longest, oldest and busiest bikeways. It is a route our own family rides every single day, but – in all honesty – is far from being accessible to all ages and abilities. Frustratingly, the city still permits on-street parking on both sides along most of the route, with far too many cars rat-running between Broadway and 12th Avenue; creating narrow, unsafe conditions where impatient drivers attempt to bully cyclists to the side of the road. Read more.

Niagara Region - Safety improvements planned for St. Davids Road: MTO

Politicians with the City of Thorold, the City of St. Catharines and the Region say pedestrians and the increasing number of Brock students who travel on the overpass have to put themselves in peril because of the lack of bike lanes on the stretch of St. Davids Road owned by the ministry in and around the highways. Read more.

Victoria - Do more research on Pandora bike lane

Sometimes I am mystified by the thinking and decisions of Victoria city council. While there appears to be little money to help the homeless, they seem to have easily found $2.2 million for an unnecessary separated two-way bike lane on Pandora and have plans for more. Read more.

Want to become a cycling nation? Get a national cycling strategy

It is difficult if not impossible to measure the direct impact on levels of cycling that come with a national cycling strategy. Yet ECF analysis suggests a strong correlation between being/ or becoming a successful cycling nation and having a pro-active national government in places that pushes for cycling.  Read more.

Ottawa streets still too dangerous

People are dying on our roads. A few years ago, the city introduced the concept of Complete Streets, a concept that, once implemented, should reduce needless deaths. But people keep dying, including two in the last three weeks. It is time for the city’s actions to match its rhetoric. It is time to make Complete Streets the default method for designing our roads. Read more.

Prince George - City eyeing bike lane parking ban

The city is moving ahead on figuring out how to get rid of what are currently dual-purpose cycling lanes.During Monday night's meeting, city council supported Coun. Jillian Merrick's proposal to have staff investigate ways to ban vehicles from parking in marked bike lanes. Read more.

London Floating Cycle Path to Launch with a Crowdfunding Campaign

The River Cycle Consortium Limited (RCCL), the group behind the proposed Thames Deckway, an 8-mile floating pedestrian and cycle path on the Thames, today announced that it will be funding the first feasibility phase of the project using the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Built in stages, the Thames Deckway will eventually run for eight miles close to the river’s south bank from Battersea to Canary Wharf. It will generate all its own energy from state-of-the-art wind, tide and solar technologies that are integrated into the Deckway’s pontoon system. Read more.