Here's how eBike can give your cycling a boost

An eBike will also encourage you to ride further, with cyclists on eBikes covering on average 6.3 kilometres compared to 3.6 kilometres when riding conventional bikes according to a report by Credit Suisse. Read more.

Great Britain - AA publishes highway code for cyclists

It contains the sections of the main code which are relevant for cyclists as well as offering advice on the purchase and maintenance of bikes and the full syllabus for the national Bikeability cycle training programme. Read more.

Muhammad Ali’s career inspired by a stolen bicycle

As a 12-year-old boy, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was furious when his red Schwinn bicycle was stolen. When he returned, it was gone. Furious he stormed off to find a police officer he was told was training at a nearby gym. Read more.

5 Ways To Make Sure Your Bicycle Commute Isn’t Stressful

Despite the wonderful utility of two wheels, bikes have been completely overlooked in traditional North American urban planning, leaving them to straddle their existence between pedestrian and car, of which they are neither. Read more.

Walking has become 'dangerous,' say parents in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's

For some parents in Portugal Cove-St. Philip's, a pleasant stroll around town is the furthest thing from reality. They just don't feel safe walking — and want changes. Read more.

Young man accused of driving ATV over pedestrian

He sped away turned the ATV around and  drove at the group of people. The driver of the ATV ran over one of the pedestrians. Read more.

Calgary police learn how to shred on a skateboard

Next time you see a Calgary Police Service officer at your local skatepark, you might want to ask: can you land a kickflip? Read more.

Are Bicycle Helmets Holding Us Back?

When it comes to bicycle safety however, progress slows when the center of attention becomes the bicycle helmet. Much like whether or not a motorist in an accident was wearing a seatbelt, one of the first questions we ask when a bicyclist is involved in a crash is, “Were they wearing a helmet?” The media and police reflect the public’s pro-helmet sentiment by implying that its role in any major crash is highly significant. Read more.

Ottawa - Cyclist's near collision with water truck results in act of charity

So what could have been an angry social media confrontation ended in a $100 donation to Citizens for Safe Cycling to continue their work advocating for more and safer cycling infrastructure in Ottawa. Read more.

Bike to Work: Record turnout pleases Kelowna organizers

By the end of the day Friday, it's expected that more than 3,500 Kelowna residents will have checked in to one of the many celebration stations along their bicycle commute to either work or school this week, surpassing last year's total of 2,700 visits. Read more.

Essex unveils new bike trail named after longtime resident Frank Matthys

On Thursday, the Essex resident was honoured with the naming of the Frank Matthys Way, a bike path along Fairview Avenue. Matthys’ name was picked after council asked the community to assist with the name of the multi-use trail. Read more.

N.S. hopes new trails will make province a cycle-tourism destination

Nova Scotia will soon have a 3,000-kilometre, cross-province bicycle trail system officials hope will make the province a premiere cycling destination. Read more.

Cobourg Council Declares June 4th to June 10th as Active Transportation Week

Active Transportation Week in Cobourg kicks off on Saturday June 4, 2016 in conjunction with the Safe Communities Northumberland County, Community Connections Expo hosted at the Cobourg Community Centre from June 3 to 4. The Town of Cobourg is offering free transit all day on Saturday June 4th. Read more.

Atlanta Puts $1 Billion Toward Biking and Walking Projects

Again, that’s a ONE-BILLION-DOLLAR plan to make the city safer for human-powered transport. That would be great news anywhere, but in Atlanta it could go a long way toward securing the capital a coveted new reputation as a city that bikes. Read more.

Meet the World’s First Electric Walking Bike

The scooter-like contraption—the first of its kind in the world—was invented by Bruin Bergmeester, who of course hails from the bike-friendly Netherlands. Read more.

Waterloo - Region confirms vote to allow 2-abreast cycling

The region has confirmed a vote to allow two-abreast cycling on roads, despite public outcry against the move following a committee meeting in May. Read more.

Belleville opens first dedicated cycling lanes

“I feel like I’m in the 21st Century,” Scott said while dismounting her bike at the Catharine Street intersection. “Every city I have lived in has bicycle trails, so it was about time.” Read more.

Motorists warned to 'watch for bikes' as Essex cycling booms

County Warden Tom Bain said councils and politicians are “beginning to respond” to pressure from a growing number of residents keen on cycling and other forms of “active transportation” who want local roads made safer to pursue such a lifestyle. Read more.

Walking is transportation too

Pedestrians do get their own infrastructure now, namely sidewalks, but they are often so crowded and filled with junk that you cannot move. Crossing the street is dangerous and difficult. Read more.

10 ways to get the most from walking

There is so much fetishizing of exercise. What with the gadgets and gear and just-right outfits – the Lycra! The Lululemon! – at times fitness is more like maintaining membership at an exclusive club. But the beautiful, gentle act of walking, that’s different. Read more.

Sudbury - Commuter challenge starts next week

Events for the month include the national Commuter Challenge, a competition between cities and workplaces that encourages Canadians to leave their cars at home for one week, from June 5 to 11.  Read more.

Active transportation may not be rolled into Winnipeg's budget process

For 2016, the plan was passed several months after the budget was approved, but for 2017 it’s slated to be debated along with road spending and the rest of council’s priorities during budget deliberations. Read more.

Province Passes Act to Support Ontario's Trails

Ontario passed legislation that will sustain and improve the province's trails system, helping to build a healthier and more prosperous Ontario. The Supporting Ontario's Trails Act, 2016 will strengthen ‎Ontario's extensive trails system. It will protect and enhance thousands of kilometres of the province's urban, suburban, rural and remote land and water trails while also encouraging its expansion. Read more.

Toronto - Mayor John Tory defends scaled-back cycling plan

Mayor Tory defended that decision Monday, and rejected the suggestion that council would be voting on a diluted proposal, telling reporters: "I just think it's prudent to learn what we learn from the Bloor Street bike lane project before we go spending all kinds of money on similar streets." Read more.

Bike Month aims to enforce city's bicycle lanes; kicks off with 'Bike To Work' day

Toronto police are launching “Right 2 Bike” -- a week-long campaign aimed at the enforcement of bicycle lanes in the city. The enforcement campaign, which is scheduled to run from May 30 to June 5, will involve parking enforcement officers, members from traffic services and officers from division units. Read more.

When New York City Tried Going Car-Free

Before the eager young New York traffic department employee who would eventually become known as Gridlock Sam had begun his long war against cars in earnest in the early 1970s, he got a dull assignment: standing out in the cold weather, timing car traffic as it crossed into Midtown. Read more.

Brampton’s famed bicycle murals are returning in June

The murals – bicycles through the ages – were created using an unusual technique. Augustine carved the bicycles into the painting and set them against several well-known Brampton landmarks such as the St. Andrew’s Church, Alderlea, the gazebo in Gage Park, City Hall, and Historic Bovaird House. Read more.

Karate, skateboarding among sports that could be added for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

The board backed the proposed inclusion of baseball-softball, surfing, karate, sport climbing and skateboarding for Tokyo. Read more.

Windsor - CWATS keeps active people in the loop

CWATS is a proposed network of on-road and off-road trails, bike lanes, paved shoulders, and signed routes to create connections between tourist sites, built-up areas, City of Windsor, Chatham-Kent and Point Pelee National Park. The CWATS system is to be built over a 25-year period and is a partnership between the County of Essex, local municipalities and the Essex Region Conservation Authority. Read more.

Sudbury - Take the National Commuter Challenge during Active Transportation Month

Greater Sudbury Deputy Mayor Joscelyne Landry-Altmann has proclaimed June as Active Transportation Month. Events for the month include the national Commuter Challenge, a competition between cities and workplaces that encourages Canadians to leave their cars at home for one week, from June 5 to 11. Read more.

New pedestrian crossovers planned for Ottawa streets

The city says it will install up to 60 crossovers each year for the next three years with a focus in 2016 on single-lane roundabouts, retrofitting existing crossings and on places where no crossing existed previously. Read more.

Nine tips for safe cycling in Toronto (you won’t believe number five!)

I’ve seen many bad drivers over the years, but I’ve seen more bad cyclists. I have come to the conclusion that cyclists are consistently the most impatient, unpredictable, self-entitled and dangerous people in Toronto’s traffic. It doesn’t have to be that way. Safe cycling is pretty easy, for the most part. Here are a few takeaways I’ve picked up from the front lines. Read more.

Gatineau hires bike route boss to bolster cycling reputation

The City of Gatineau has shifted into high gear in its quest to be known as the go-to place for cycling in Quebec. After months of searching, the city has hired a bike route co-ordinator, as it seeks to increase the amount of cyclists in the city. Read more.

Do statistics really show that 80 percent of pedestrian crashes are their own fault?

Unsafe pedestrian behavior is a major factor in pedestrian injuries and fatalities. In a recent study of 7,000 pedestrian-vehicle crashes in Florida, researchers discovered that pedestrians were at fault in 80 percent of these incidents. Similarly, in a U.K. study, pedestrian behavior accounted for 90 percent of crashes where vehicle struck a pedestrian. Read more.

Expansion of Bike Infrastructure Fuels Growth of Multimodal Transit

“Cities investing in bike infrastructure are seeing explosions in bike use” and urban growth, said Roswell “RJ” Eldridge, chief operating officer of Toole Design Group in Silver Spring, Maryland, which specializes in walking and biking infrastructure planning, engineering, and landscape architecture. “Cities are competing regionally for young intelligent people who are very mobile and can move to any community depending on the package of high-quality places with transportation options.” Read more.

No new bike lanes this summer in Thunder Bay

For the first summer in years, residents of Thunder Bay, Ont. won't see new additions to the city's 40 km of bike lanes. Read more.

Skateboarding in Kamloops on display at museum

“The Kamloops Museum and Archives has a new exhibition on display.” That’s a phrase which would usually put young folks to sleep; this show is different, though. Ground Control is about skateboard culture, and the skateboarding community in Kamloops. Read more.

A walker's paradise: Barcelona to create pedestrian-friendly zones spanning 77% of the city

Whether you enjoy strolling along the beachfront or sauntering up La Rambla, if on foot is your favourite way to explore Barcelona then you're in luck as the city is set to become even more walkable. Barcelona plans to turn 50 per cent of the roads used by cars into pedestrian-friendly zones by 2018 in a bid to make the city more green. Read more.

Calgary speed limit study rejected but council approves rest of pedestrian strategy

City council adopted a new strategy Tuesday aimed at making Calgary safer and more convenient for pedestrians but rejected a major plank of the proposal — a study of lower speed limits in residential areas. Read more.

Cycling Is Always Good For You, Despite The Pollution, Research Claims

You’re probably also aware that cycling and walking are good for you. But are they still good for you if you live in a major – and majorly polluted – city? The answer, according to a new study, is yes. Read more.

Exercise can prevent aging brain diseases, research shows

That extra walk you fit in after dinner, or gym session before work, aren’t just good for maintaining a healthy weight — they also play a role in protecting your brain as it ages. Read more.

What's the cost of cycling vs driving?

The social costs of cycling are much lower than those of driving but according to a recent Danish study it's not because of reduced pollution or emissions. Read more.

Toronto healthier than other parts of Ontario: study

According to recently released data from Toronto Public Health, the city performs better than the rest of the province in a number of key health areas, including obesity, incidences of cancer and life expectancy. Read more.

Portraits of Stylish Cyclists and Their Beloved Bikes

“Cycling has sort of been perceived as something that only spandex-clad weekend warriors can do,” says Polcer, who works as a freelance photographer and as the director of communication for the educational nonprofit Bike New York. “I have no problems with those folks, but they aren't the only ones riding.” Read more.

Does New York Need a Floating Pedestrian Bridge?

“Citizen Bridge”—a proposal to build a floating pedestrian bridge between Governors Island and Red Hook in Brooklyn—is still a ways off from becoming a reality. But it is about to inch that much closer. Read more.

Cycling: how to ride in a group

The thrill of riding in a bunch, working together to draft and save energy, is one of the joys of cycling – but it can be daunting … and sometimes dangerous. Read more.

'Bicycle highway' from Taj to Etawah lion safari approved

An over 197-km long 'bicycle highway' will be developed from Taj Mahal in Agra to the lion safari in Etawah to encourage eco-tourism in the vicinity of historical and tourist places. Read more.

Debate over who gets to use Ottawa Valley rail trail gears up

Opinion is divided among elected officials in both Lanark and Renfrew counties over whether a planned 296-kilometre trail should be open to snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles. Read more.

Making cycling easier in Cambridge

The City of Cambridge, in conjunction with the Region of Waterloo and the non-profit group Cycling into the Future, is working to put more bums on bikes this year. Read more.

New bicycle repair shop coming to Portage

Cyclists in Portage la Prairie will have a hub to fix their bikes soon. The Community Bicycle Repair Shop is a partnership between the Portage Active Transportation Committee and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CHMA) Central Region. Read more.

Toronto - Pedestrian crosswalk is definitely not the better way: The Fixer

A pedestrian crosswalk filled with cracks and uneven edges is a recipe for a face-first disaster. Read more.

Calgary great skate debate may finally end after years of pointless regulations

First, Calgary officially endorsed road hockey, erasing a rule restricting nets from residential streets, and now, in a move certain to have the neighbourhood anti-fun cranks frothing once again, city council is preparing to allow backyard skateboard ramps for the first time in 30 years. Read more.

Summertime on the sidewalk: A taxonomy of pedestrian types

Streets that, during winter months, you had to yourself are suddenly bursting with biped meanderers; now, instead of simply going to the shops, you must first complete a complex obstacle course. It’s my belief that you can tell much about a person by the way they walk down a sidewalk. Read more.

'Walking school buses' pitched for Toronto's Beach neighbourhood

Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon says it’s time for parents in the Beach neighbourhood to kick the “bad habit” of driving their kids to school. “I get calls from constituents about all the crazy driving and parking around schools,” she said, noting schools in her ward have becomes sites of “unnecessary and unsafe” congestion. Read more.

Burlington sees 600 per cent increase in Bike to School Week participation

Students and teachers from more than 30 schools across Burlington have taken up the call to active to use active transportation during Bike to School Week. Read more.

Peddling a new look for Vancouver cyclists who are happy to ride without all the gear

Instead of a Gore-Tex jacket and Lycra bike shorts, he wears a suit jacket, a tie, long pants and shoes. He dresses in work clothes to remind himself not to cycle too fast. By cycling slow but steady, he doesn’t have to change clothes or take a shower before he’s ready to start work. Read more.

New bike corrals in place in Oakville's Downtown and Bronte and Kerr villages

The Town of Oakville recently installed bike corrals in the Downtown as well as Bronte and Kerr villages in an effort to encourage residents to enjoy these areas via cycling. Read more.

Québec - Road deaths up in 2015, pedestrian and cyclists' deaths at all-time low

After eight years of consecutive declines, road deaths increased last year, according to the latest figures released by the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec. Read more.

Ottawa - Crosswalk coming to Lees Avenue following pedestrian safety concerns

Pedestrians feeling overwhelmed by an increase in traffic on Lees Avenue due to LRT construction will get some relief thanks to a new crosswalk, but it won't be up and running until September. Read more.

Which Is North America’s #1 Biking City?

Portland has long been North America’s #1 bike-friendly city. According to the Portland Bureau of Transportation, 7.2% of “commuters go by bike.” That figure is taken from the 2014 census, which also shows the closest U.S. competitors as Minneapolis (4.6%), San Francisco (4.4%), and Seattle (3.7%). Now a new report shows that in 2015, 10% of Vancouver B.C.’s population pedaled  to work, and 7% of all daily trips were by bicycle. Read more.

Once called 'bicycle kingdom', Beijing space for pedallers shrinking

In 1986, about 63 percent people pedalled in the streets of Beijing. The number plummeted to 11 percent in 2015, thanks to China's galloping economy which is conspicuous on its roads where cars of every description from Hummer to Lamborghini jostle for space every day. Read more.

Upgrades will ease pedestrian access to Calgary's Chinook Centre

Outside of the downtown, it’s the busiest pedestrian intersection in Calgary. But within a few years, pedestrians will no longer have to make the mad dash across the multiple lanes of Macleod Trail at 61 Avenue SW to get to Chinook Centre. Read more.

New cycling lanes installed in Saskatoon's downtown

As part of the City of Saskatoon protected bike lane pilot project, city crews installed two new dedicated cycling lanes along Fourth Avenue from 19th to 24th Streets. The additions are an extension of the 23rd Street protected bike lanes which the city installed last year. Read more.

How Toronto Can Expand Bike Parking

In Toronto, the City’s Transportation Services Division is responsible for sidewalk bike parking as well as other short- and long-term bike parking facilities. Although Toronto is not yet home to automated underground bike storage, Transportation Services manages several other solutions that allow for a higher volume of bike parking and a greater level of security. Read more.

Winnipeg - Councillors move for higher bike safety standards

Councillors Russ Wyatt (Transcona) and Jason Schreyer (Elmwood) passed a motion making it mandatory for all cyclists, regardless of age, to wear helmets and to have bells and both front and rear lights on their bicycles. The front lights would be a headlight-style light while the rear ones could either be headlights or reflectors. Read more.

Planning Method Offers Way to Prioritize Pedestrian, Bike Projects

For decades, highway engineers have had a universally accepted means of measuring the effectiveness of new or improved roads, and that metric, known as “level of service,” has also profoundly reshaped the way our cities and towns look and function. Read more.

New Spring Garden crosswalk eases pedestrian safety worries

When a demolition project began between Queen and Brunswick streets, some were worried pedestrians had to either jaywalk or walk in traffic along the construction fence. Initially the city said it wasn’t planning crosswalks to deal with the problem. A crosswalk appeared about a month after a story was published about the problem. Read more.

Calgary - Drivers get all the blame and are asked to take all the responsibility — and that’s wrong

Something is glaringly missing in the city’s thinking … As typical bureaucrats, they are clearly looking at this upside-down and as usual, blame drivers for everything. Read more.

Sudbury - New crosswalk designs aim to improve pedestrian safety

Prompted by provincial legislation, the city is bringing in new designs for pedestrian crosswalks, ones aimed at improving safety and preventing tragedies on roadways. Read more.

Brockville - Laurier bike lane delay?

The city must take a more “holistic” approach to a cycling network plan that has Laurier Boulevard residents up in arms, says Brockville’s cycling advisory committee. But it was unclear Monday whether that means delaying or even diverting the proposed Laurier lanes. Read more.

Ste-Anne opts for pedestrian path to increase safety in north end

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue has decided to section off one metre of Meloche Street in its northern sector for a new pedestrian-only path instead of opting to construct a sidewalk on the side of the roadway to increase safety. Read more.

Barcelona is creating massive, pedestrian-friendly “superblocks” to combat pollution

Like many modern urban areas, the Spanish city has consistently failed to meet air quality standards set by the World Health Organization, and studies attribute more than 3,500 deaths per year in Barcelona to the city’s polluted air. High noise levels from traffic and tourists, as well as scores of pedestrian injuries and deaths, have pushed city officials to create a bold plan they hope will set an example for the rest of the world. Read more.

Winnipeg - City approves $6M active transportation plan

Winnipeg city councillors unanimously passed the a $6-million pedestrian and cycling action plan on Wednesday. The plan green-lights the city to construct more paths, sidewalks and corridors as part of its grander 20-year, $330-million active transportation plan. Read more.

Don't drink and bike: GO Transit apologizes for cycling wine tourism ads

A Facebook post encouraging people to visit southern Ontario region’s wineries by bicycle has prompted a regional public transit service to apologize for the “misunderstanding.” In a May 10 Facebook posting, GO Transit said “Niagara’s wineries are best enjoyed responsibly and on two wheels.” Read more.

Northumberland (ON) - Signage added to 330 km of cycling routes

The advancement for safety and signage along 330 kilometres of cycling routes has been accomplished. The official markings will help cyclers navigate the paths and offer extra security with safety signage now available. Read more.

Peterborough’s Bethune Street is getting a complete makeover

Starting in spring 2017, the Bethune Street roadway will be removed from curb-to-curb to accommodate an underground flood mitigation plan. This provides an opportunity for the streetscape to be rebuilt in a way that is innovative and supportive of diverse uses, such as walking, biking, socializing, playing, and traveling with assisted mobility devices. Read more.

Sydney to Reserve Mines trail construction enters 2nd phase

The second phase of construction on a $3-million multi-use trail from Sydney to Reserve Mines is underway. The trail is designed to promote non-motorized activity such as walking and biking, and to support healthy lifestyles. Read more.

Calgary - It's the season to get cycling

Riders who are not sure where to begin can start with one of the five rides described below, each with their own special qualities and attractions to enjoy along the way. Read more.

Cycling advocate calls on federal government to upgrade, finish Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail needs a lot more work before it can be called a fully useable, safe, country-wide experience, says a cycling advocate from Alberta. Read more.

Vancouver records spectacular increases in cycling trips

By 2013, the city reported that 83,000 trips were taken on a bike. The following year, this rose to 99,000, and by 2015 the number shot up to 131,000. That’s a 32-percent hike in cycling in a single year. Read more.

Toronto Twitter bot tracks pedestrian and cyclist collisions

An automated Twitter bot is sounding the alarm over Toronto’s dangerous streets. @StruckTOBot uses data tweeted by Toronto police to announce every time a pedestrian or cyclist is hit in the city. Read more.

Yes, that's a car parked on a pedestrian bridge in Windsor

Photos of a car parked on a pedestrian bridge spanning over Cabana Road in south Windsor are a stark reminder of why people should stay off the Herb Gray Parkway walking and biking trails, officials say. Read more.

Renfrew County council backs trails strategy

The plan will link up more than 3,800 kilometres of trails throughout the county including the newly acquired former Canadian Pacific Rail corridor and the existing Kingston and Pembroke Trail (K&P) as well as other trails that could come into the county’s sphere in the future, such as the former CN rail line. Read more.

Oshawa - Cyclists call for better and safer infrastructure

And while the city’s Active Transportation Master Plan (ATMP) calls for a multi-use path in Oshawa’s north end, there are no plans for implementation until 2032 – another 16 years away.  McRae says it would be logical and cost-effective to install the bike lanes now while there is work already underway. Read more.

Sydney's (AU) cycling gender divide: where are the women?

only about a quarter of the people who bike up to five kilometres are women. And the further the distance cycled, the fewer the number of women on bikes. Of those who cycle between five and 10kms, women comprise just 15 per cent of the total. Read more.

Distracted cycling: Dutch look at banning use of cellphones on bikes

The Dutch government is considering banning the country's millions of cyclists from using their cellphones while riding, saying pedaling and phones are a dangerous mix. Read more.

Cycling side-by-side on busy streets? Only if cyclists are licensed

Police rarely stop cyclists from breaking the law, in my experience. Often that is because there is no way to identify them. Cyclists don't have to have a licence or any identification with them. If we're going to bring cyclists from the side of the road into the thick of traffic, is it too much to ask for a numbered plate on the bike and some evidence of competence on the part of the operator? Read more.

Urban design assistant prof helps change how we build and live in Calgary

Keough’s work on the Active Neighbourhoods Calgary Project, designed to promote active lifestyles and transportation options in target communities, “is evidence of the sustained work and credibility that is so important in community-based scholarship,” says Nancy Pollock-Ellwand, dean of EVDS at the University of Calgary. Read more.

Charlottetown offers bicycle registration program

Charlottetown Police Services would like to remind the public to complete the Operation Bicycle Theft form located on the department's main webpage, in the media and publications section located under Crime Prevention. Read more.

These e-bikes look just like bicycles on the outside, but ride like an electric

One e-bike startup from Estonia, Ampler, is taking aim at these over-the-top electric bikes by offering its own interpretations of the e-bike, with one of the most notable features of the company's bikes being that they just look like a bicycle. There's no dashboard, no extra controls or levers or throttles, no obvious battery or control system, and (hardly) any extra weight when compared with other electric bikes. Read more.

Mobi: Vancouver bike share program finally unveiled

The program, which is called Mobi (pronounced moe-bee), will feature a total of 1,500 bikes at 150 stations across Vancouver. Set to be available by the end of summer the initial service area will include the Downtown Peninsula, bounded by Arbutus Street, 16th Avenue and Main Street. Read more.

How Complete Streets Improve Commutes For City Cyclists—and Motorists

The book, penned alongside researchers from Ryerson University and the University of Toronto, examines nine Complete Street transformations—that is, roadways that are upgraded to better accommodate all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and public transit commuters—in southern Ontario, including two in downtown Toronto at Queens Quay and Richmond and Adelaide. Read more.

Google Has Patented Pedestrian Flypaper for Its Self-Driving Cars

The front region of the vehicle may be coated with a specialized adhesive that adheres to a pedestrian, and thus holds the pedestrian on the vehicle in the unfortunate event that the front of the vehicle comes into contact with the pedestrian. The adhesion of the pedestrian to the vehicle may prevent the pedestrian from bouncing off. Read more.

Ottawa cycling advocate calls for better signage in construction zones

As construction projects in Ottawa shift into high gear for the summer in preparation for Canada's 150th birthday party in 2017, the city needs to be more consistent with its signage, says the vice-president of Citizens for Safe Cycling, a group that advocates for people who travel on two wheels. Read more.

New bicycle repair stations on Orillia trails

Cyclists are now able to fix flat tires on the fly at two new bicycle repair stations. Read more.

New Canadians find new rides with bicycle donation program

New Canadians are getting a new way to travel in Fredericton. Dozens of rescued, abandoned, seized or donated bicycles are being handed out to Syrian refugee teenagers as a part of a program designed to get young people where they need to go. Read more.

Montréal City to spend $15 Million on cycling infrastructure projects

With the addition of the new bike lanes, there are now over 700 kilometers of accessible bike routes working their way through the city after which Gadoury said that if everything goes according to the city’s plan, there should be over 1000 kilometers of bike lanes within the next five years. Read more.

Report suggests Vancouver to soon boast highest percentage of commuting cyclists in North America

A new report presented to Vancouver city council this morning shows that 10 percent of Vancouverites ride their bicycle to work—pointing to the fact that Vancouver may soon overtake Portland for the highest cycling commuting rate in North America. Read more.

Amsterdam Is Appointing a Bike Mayor

Due to be selected on June 24th, Amsterdam’s chief cyclist will promote and protect cycling in the city, acting as a go-between connecting city hall, cyclists, community groups, and anyone who might be affected by new measures designed to improve citizens’ cycling experience. Read more.

Paris Introduces Car-Free Sundays

Banning vehicles from parts of the city—including the Champs Elysées—is part of an ongoing effort to curb pollution. Read more.

Bicycle helmet safety program Operation Headway returns on P.E.I.

The chances of getting caught for not wearing a bike helmet on P.E.I. this summer have increased, thanks to the return of Operation Headway. Read more.

Head’s up: how cities are trying to manage people who walk and text

Projects in Belgium, China and the U.S. have tried to bring order to the sidewalk in an age where smartphone users are more likely to be looking at their screens than the traffic – human and vehicular – around them. Read more.

Grow up, Toronto. It’s time to let street parking go

In the increasingly dense and busy centre of Canada’s biggest city, it’s absurd to expect such a Corner Gas way of life. Yet many of us do. Merchants howled when transit authorities took out a few parking spots on Dundas Street West a few years ago to help the streetcars flow more smoothly. They howled when city hall proposed to put in a bike lane on Annette Street, too. Read more.

Pedestrian Strategy back before Calgary City Council

After a major overhaul, Calgary’s Pedestrian Strategy is going back before council Monday. The report first went to council in late January but was sent back to city administration with concerns. Read more.

Ottawa students encouraged to 'get active' on their daily school trek

It’s part of a new “active transportation” policy adopted Wednesday by the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) that promotes transportation methods involving physical activity and is a first of its kind for Ontario. Read more.

Dog walking linked to better physical health for seniors

Dog walking is linked to improved physical health in seniors, and older adults who form strong bonds with their canine pets tend to exercise longer and more often, says University of Missouri researchers, who report their findings in The Gerontologist journal. Read more.

Alberta gifts the Queen a walking trail for her 90th

The Commonwealth Walkway will be created in Banff National Park in honour of the monarch reaching the milestone and will feature bilingual bronze plaques along existing trails. Read more.

Toronto not among 37 municipalities to receive provincial cycling funding

A total of 37 Ontario municipalities are getting provincial funding for improving cycling infrastructure this year, but Toronto is not one of them. Read more.

Drums of Toronto’s cycling war seem to be silenced

It was only six years ago that an entire election was fought over bicycles, after over-reaching cycling advocates managed to convince council to paint bike lanes on Jarvis Street. That was it: the ‘war on the car,’ and everybody was in. Read more.

Charlottetown - Victoria Park cycling lane to open May 2

Charlottetown's parks and recreation department announced the park's cycling lane will open on May 2 at noon. It will stay open until the end of October for bicycles and rollerbladers. Read more.

Demolition closes sidewalk to pedestrian traffic on Halifax’s Spring Garden Road

Some pedestrians on Halifax’s Spring Garden Road are being forced to share the road with heavy traffic, thanks to the closure of the sidewalk across from the Central Library. Read more.

Greater Sudbury pedestrian collision report sparks criticism

Ernst Gerhardt says he's spoken to some councillors about the report he says has discrepancies in the numbers. Plus, he said, some of the findings aren't backed up by evidence presented in the report. Read more.

Scotland - Thousands of cyclists pedal on parliament

Organisers of the event are calling for 10% of the Scottish Government’s transport budget to be invested in active travel, and they also want to see improved safety and access for cyclists. Read more.

Stiffer fines for 'dooring' cyclists coming with Quebec Highway Safety Code amendment

Drivers who "door" cyclists — that is, who open vehicle doors and hit a passing cyclist — should expect stiffer fines. Transport Minister Jacques Daoust did not say how stiff these fines would be, but said the change would be "significant". Read more.

Cycling trails expected to be top priority in Toronto bid for federal cash

Cycling and active transportation projects are expected to be among the city's first request for federal infrastructure money. Read more.

St. Mary's moves forward on infrastructure improvements

In other business, council passed a motion to adopt the Active Transportation Plan that was recently commissioned by the municipality. The plan’s goal is to make it easier for people to move around the core area of Sherbrooke in a physically active manner. Read more.

Swedish Designer Built A Bicycle That Looks Like A Car And Can Navigate Extreme Weather

It has four wheels, headlights, a steering wheel, a trunk and a windshield wiper. But it’s a bike. Swedish design engineer Mikael Kjellman has created this amazing new bicycle that looks suspiciously like a tiny car.

Cobourg Council enhances bicycle safety

The one-way eastbound street forces cyclists wishing to travel west along the trail to head north on Green, then west back on to Queen Street to reconnect with the trail — though in reality, they often don't bother and just take their chances against the traffic flow for that short distance. Read more.

Peel police launch pedestrian safety blitz as they investigate latest fatality

The pedestrian safety blitz, which started on Sunday, runs until this Saturday. Police say they’ll be talking to pedestrians about ways to stay safe. (Why do they always "target" the pedestrians?) Read more.

Why is it illegal to walk freely in most of the US?

Many places in Europe allow walking wherever one’s feet takes them, regardless of private property. In the US (and Canada)? Not so much. Read more.

After 40 years, is Toronto ready for bike lanes on Bloor Street?

On Monday (past), the city’s public works and infrastructure committee will debate whether to install separated cycle tracks on Bloor between Shaw Street and Avenue Road as part of a one-year, $595,000 pilot project. Read more.

Vernon politicians discuss easing up on skateboard rules

Coun. Brian Quiring for one wanted to permit skateboarding on sidewalks with a five kilometre per hour speed limit, which is what the City of Kelowna does. Safety concerns were raised by Coun. Catherine Lord who noted there could be conflicts with seniors and the potential for collisions. Read more.

More cycling paths, marketplace, on the way for revitalization of Thorncliffe Park

Students from University of Toronto’s urban planning program have teamed up with area residents and youth to come up with improvement proposals for a community that’s been identified as a “priority neighbourhood.” Read more.

Anti-cycling campaigner claims bike lanes cause pollution

Jessica Learmond Criqui, a specialist employment lawyer who lives and works around Hampstead, has repeatedly raised concerns the introduction of Cycle Superhighway 11, which is proposed to run from Swiss Cottage to the West End, will “act as a cork” to traffic and force cars onto narrow residential roads, worsening air pollution. Read more.

A Nervous Biker’s Guide to Cycling in New York City

Maybe you are visiting New York City, and that rack of Citi Bikes looks fun yet daunting. Or perhaps there is a bicycle leaning against a wall in your apartment, waiting, but the idea of joining those fixed-gear daredevils on city streets makes your stomach drop. And besides, the honking vehicles, jaywalking pedestrians and idling trucks are enough to drive anyone to call a cab. Read more.

Cycling on footpaths legalised in Western Australia after riders' deaths

Two cyclists were hit and killed by cars around Perth on the same day last month and there have been calls to force motorists to maintain a one-metre distance from cyclists. Read more.

Don't assume disabled people aren't interested in cycling – or in proper bike lanes

Whenever bike infrastructure is debated, it’s never very long before someone objects by saying: “But what happens to people with disabilities if you build cycle lanes?” They have forgotten one very important thing: a lot of disabled people cycle, and benefit even more than most from quick, safe cycle routes. Read more.

Town of BWG and South Simcoe Police teaming up to encourage walking, biking to school on May 4

Students at W.H.Day Elementary School and St. Angela Merici Catholic School will take part in the town’s Active Transportation Committee initiative to use human-powered transportation on May 4. Read more.

Community Shifting Gears Transportation Challenge being held in May in Peterborough

In today’s fast paced society, our transportation decisions are often based on habit – and while our lives can feel hectic and many of us have become quite conditioned to choosing driving as our default mode, this challenge gives us pause to reflect on whether walking, biking, busing or ride-sharing might get us from A to B in a healthier and more enjoyable way. Read more.

Data show that distracted walking is a non-issue and isn't growing

Basically, she is saying that like jaywalking rules, created to get pedestrians out of the way of cars, texting while walking is slowing drivers down and creating a burden for them that has to be legislated out. Because when someone is walking and texting they are not giving their undivided attention to the cars and to getting across the street as fast as possible. Read more.

How to save thousands – and live longer, too

Before you can invest, you need to save. With that in mind, today I’m going to discuss a simple strategy that will help you save thousands of dollars a year. What is this miracle money-saving strategy? Getting rid of your car. Read more.

Skateboard exhibit opens in Kamloops

The Kamloops museum's newest takes a look at skateboard culture. Read more.

Report calls for mandatory bicycle parking in downtown Guelph

City staff is recommending that building owners in downtown Guelph be required to provide bicycle parking for employees, customers and residents. Read more.

London Library rediscovers Cycling as a Cause of Heart Disease

Cycling: The Craze of the Hour, which is published next week by Pushkin Press, collects together two other pamphlets with Spencer’s 1877 guide: George Herschell’s 1896 Cycling as a Cause of Heart Disease, discussing the alarming implications of the “craze of the hour”, and Barry Pain’s 1905 His Last Pupil, about a cycling instructor who can’t ride a bike. Read more.

Bike advocate wants BC gov't to invest $1 billion in cycling infrastructure

“We’re encouraging everyone in the province of British Columbia to enable everyone in the province to cycle and walk for their daily trips by investing $1 billion over 10 years in high-quality cycling and walking facilities,” says Richard Campbell with the BC Cycling Coalition. Read more.

Cycling may be good for you but I’m still terrified all my friends are going to die

 I notice that about one in three riders are helmetless. I’ve never even cycled on a main road and, if I had to, I’d do it with strips of mattress duct taped to my limbs. A friend of mine recently joked about how her bike brakes are knackered, but she’s still cycling to work every day. Read more.

Ottawa - Phones, GPS devices to be used to create cycling-use map

Capital-area cyclists are being asked to use their smartphones and other GPS devices to track their travels, creating a map of where people cycle most (and least) in the city. Read more.

Thunder Bay - New trail connects bike paths

The construction of a 650-metre stretch of cycling trail beginning at the intersection of Golf Links Road and the Harbour Expressway will connect 22 kilometres of existing trails in the city. Read more.

Halifax - Better bike lanes on the way

Glenn Fawcett, who operates Fawcett's Fine Jewellery at 1447 South Park, called the possibility of barricades along bike lanes, one of the options being considered, “completely ludicrous.” He said local streets are already too narrow for the traffic flow, forcing motorists to sometimes veer into the bike lanes. Barricades would create more problems than they'd solve. Read more.

Halifax Regional Council will consider streetscape plan to make roads more pedestrian friendly

The $6.6-million Argyle Streetscaping Project would include the section of Argyle between Blowers and Prince streets, and Grafton Street between Prince and Carmichael. The design proposes removing barrier curbs and installing decorative pavers across the entire right-of-way, adding decorative lighting, street furniture, trees, public art, planters, and possibly overhead canopies. Tactile warning strips for the visually impaired would help everyone use the street safely. Read more.

Kelowna - View plans for Sutherland Ave. improvements

The corridor is planned to include a two-way cycle track separated by a concrete median. Existing parking on the south side of will be retained. Construction is planned in several phases with completion anticipated by 2020. Read more.

Vernon - Skateboarding Debate rolls into council

Wach is promoting the use of skateboards and longboards as a green form of transportation. There is only one problem: Vernon has bylaws making it illegal to use a skateboard on the sidewalk or roadway. Read more.

P.E.I. cycling trails: seven to try this spring

We asked long-time cycling enthusiast Cynthia King, who's just started a business offering guided cycling tours on P.E.I., her top picks for both family-friendly outings and for off-road enthusiasts. Mike Connolly of Cycling PEI also weighed in. Read more.

Montreal police want to make cycling while impaired a crime

Montreal police are asking for amendments to Quebec's Highway Safety Code in order to crack down on impaired cyclists. Right now, it's illegal for a cyclist to drink while riding but there's no specific offence for riding while impaired. Read more.

Ireland - Don't let our landscape be ruined by a nanny state

You may have read of a recent case in which a hillwalker was compensated €40,000 after a fall while out walking on the mountains along the Wicklow Way. This case may become the biggest barrier to Ireland's health that we have ever seen. Read more.

German city installs traffic lights in pavements to protect texting pedestrians

The southern German city of Augsburg has installed traffic lights on the pavement so that pedestrians looking down at a smartphone won't miss the indication that it's unsafe to cross. Read more.

Calgary - Get on with pedestrian safety measures (with poll)

There’s no doubt the safety of pedestrians is important, but the city’s convoluted efforts to prevent injuries and death is an accident waiting to happen. Read more.

Would you like to volunteer with the GVCC?

The GVCC is a volunteer organization in Victoria, BC, Canada dedicated to getting more people cycling more places, more often. Are you interested in cycling? Would you like to make a difference in your local community? Then volunteer with the GVCC! You could help us… Read more.

Markham should allow cyclists to ride on sidewalks, advocate says

Markham will be receiving two new cycling paths thanks to investments made by the provincial government. However, some advocates say that's a far cry from what's needed to encourage cycling and calls are being made to do even more to boost the number of bicycle pathways. Read more.

8 80 Cities April Newsletter

In this fascinating and thoughtful article, Elly Blue investigates how our roads are funded, identifies the different perceptions about entitlement to road space between cyclists and drivers, and argues why the concept that cyclists are ‘freeloading road users’ is so problematic. Read more.

Dutch Cycling: Quantifying the Health and Related Economic Benefits

The approach of the Health Economic Assessment Tool and life table calculations were used to quantify the population level health benefits due to Dutch cycling levels. The results show that, due to cycling, about 6,500 deaths are prevented each year. Read more.

Arnprior - Gillies Grove trails to reduce by 50%

"There are too many trails on the property. We have more trails on the property than we need," said spokeswoman Megan Ihrig. "They are fragmenting the habitat." Read more.

St. Catharines workshop for cyclists, pedestrians

Stakeholders and residents are invited to discuss the future of active transportation at an upcoming workshop on Tuesday May 10. Read more.

Shifting Gears encouraging Peterborough's young people to embrace active transportation

High school students are receiving a little extra attention this spring as Shifting Gears focuses on encouraging Peterborough’s young people to choose more active methods of transportation. Read more.

Ikea Introduces A Chain-Free Bicycle

According to a recent press release by the company, the “SKID” bicycle was awarded a “Red Dot Design Award,” the highest honor in the Red Dot Design Competition. SKID, a unisex vehicle designed with the urban cyclist in mind, will see chains replaced with a “rust and oil-free belt drive.” Read more.

Gatineau hires bike route boss to bolster cycling reputation

The City of Gatineau has shifted into high gear in its quest to be known as the go-to place for cycling in Quebec. Read more.

Windsor - University law dean 'walks the walk' by cycling year-round

When the University of Windsor’s new Faculty of Law dean has a downtown appointment with a judge, he straps on his helmet and cycles to the courts from his west-side campus office. Read more.

Bike lanes officially open in Thunder Bay

This summer Active Transportation Thunder Bay will be doing more monitoring on the usage and upkeep of bike lanes, as part of an ongoing analysis into education and community engagement. Read more.

Huron County Has Cycling Fund Application Rejected

Huron County Planning Director Scott Tousaw explains in order to be eligible, the application has to have the support of a municipality, so Huron County was asked to partner with the Goderich to Guelph Trail group, which they did.    The application however was not successful. Read more.

Ontario - Crombie marks birthday with expanded waterfront trail

“The waterfront trail is not a project that begins and ends,” Crombie told his audience, which included Liberal MP Adam Vaughan and Liberal MPP Ted McMeekin. “It is a never-ending event, it is a story of the people of the Great Lakes.” Read more.

Medicine Hat - New program promotes walking and running

A program to make the most of walking and running for physical exercise is being offered by Alberta Health Services (AHS) in partnership with Southridge YMCA. Read more.

Best foot forward – are you walking correctly?

The way we walk has a much bigger impact on our overall health than many of us realise. Believe it or not, there is a specific walking technique that helps to maintain healthy joints, muscles and ligaments, and getting it wrong can cause long-term damage. Read more.

Province Investing $295,000 in Cycling Infrastructure for Hamilton

The City of Hamilton will receive $295,000 to build a new 2.3 kilometre cycling route that includes painted bike lanes, physically separated bike lanes and a bike path alongside the road. This combination of infrastructure will create a safe cycling route. Read more.

Northern Ontario town plans trail system inspired by Group of Seven paintings

In recent years, Marathon has been working with neighbouring communities to expand the trail system in the region. Their goal is to attract visitors by leading them to the spectacular scenery along the coast of Lake Superior, said Hancherow. Read more.

The case for walking – how much should we be doing and why

When it comes to living a long, healthy life, every step counts. A 2014 study by Saarland University in Germany, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, suggests that a 25-minute brisk walk every day can add up to seven years to your life. Read more.

University of Ottawa cyclist, pedestrian tunnel to close for nearly 4 months

A heavily-used pedestrian and cyclist tunnel at the University of Ottawa will shut down in early May for nearly four months as the city continues work on the Confederation light rail line. Read more.

Okotoks - Creating New Adventures With Extended Trails

"These are multi-use trails and they're single track so they'd be very suitable for mountain biking and cross country runners. In the winter time they could be used for snow shoeing and if we had the snow you could use them for cross country skiing. You can also them for hiking and walking your dog as long as your dog is on a leash." Read more.

Cycling trails expected to be top priority in Toronto bid for federal cash

Cycling and active transportation projects are expected to be among the city's first request for federal infrastructure money. Read more.

City ignoring pedestrian safety in Sudbury: Critic

Sudbury pedestrian safety advocate Matt Alexander says a pair of staff reports to the Greater Sudbury operations committee will do little to make streets safer. Roads director David Shelsted is expected to present a report on pedestrian collisions and another on pedestrian safety initiatives to city councillors on Monday. Read more.

Reality check: Distracted walking isn’t a big problem. (Distracted driving is.)

“We’re not adjusted to multitasking at higher speeds — cycling speed, or driving speed. That’s when distraction becomes a problem, because we can only pay attention to a limited number of things at a time.” Read more.

Vancouver woman creates 'walking-bicycle' to improve lives of those with mobility challenges

Vancouver's Barbara Alink was in the Netherlands a few years ago when her mother, who she was visiting, commented on all the elderly people they had seen on scooters and using walkers. Read more.

New Calgary pedestrian signs get national attention

The need to bump up safety at an affordable price led city Roads director Troy McLeod and colleagues to develop a simple fluorescent green reflective sleeve that’s fitted over sign posts at pedestrian crossings thought to be far more visible than the more dull-coloured oversized signage. Read more.

Ottawa - Winter cycling: on a roll or grinding your gears?

If you’re a winter cyclist, you likely feel pretty strongly about Ottawa’s bike lane network during the dreariest months. And now you can formalize that opinion through a new winter cycling survey. Read more.

Dangerous Streets Discourage Children from Walking to School

If we think we have a health and obesity crises now, this report shows we're likely only seeing the beginning. Since 1986, levels of active transportation (defined as walking or cycling) to and from school have dropped 19 percent for 11- to 13-year-olds and 11 percent for 14- to 17-year-olds. Read more.

Saskatoon high school bicycle program offers freedom, opportunity for students

The students had to fill out an application, listing why they needed the bike and how they could use the bike to do good in the community and pay it forward. Read more.

Ontario Allocating $10 Million in Local Cycling Infrastructure

Ontario announced $10 million to help municipalities across the province invest in cycling infrastructure and improve cycling safety. Ontario is now allocating the funding that is being used by municipalities to install or improve on-road cycling lanes, off-road cycling and walking paths, cycling-specific traffic signals and signs, active transportation bridges and bike racks.  Read more.

Manitoba - Three party leaders' roundabout responses on environmental sustainability

Selinger also noted he has committed $100 million to active transportation, including “proper shoulders” on roads, active-transportation plans drafted “in partnership with our major cities,” and “charging stations for electric vehicles.” Read more.

Williams Lake - Walking and wheeling forum helps to sort out community needs

Working in groups facilitated by specialists from Interior Health, Active Transportation committee members and city planner Chris Hutton, participants outlined on maps their favourite walking and wheeling routes and identified hot spots where walking and wheeling access could be improved. Read more.

Strategy helps us make short trips by bicycle instead of by car

Using the bicycle as alternative transportation takes effort. I think nothing about getting into my cycling gear for a 35-mile fitness ride but find it a challenge to use my bike for a short trip to the drugstore. Read more.

Ikea to launch low-maintenance Sladda bicycle for urban riders

Swedish furniture giant Ikea is set to release a lightweight bicycle tailored for city environments, designed with a rust-free belt to replace the traditional bike chain. According to the company, the aluminium bike will require little maintenance, and has been designed to "make life as easy as possible for the user". Read more.

Pedestrian ticketed after hitting cube truck in Halifax crosswalk

A pedestrian has been ticketed by police after a vehicle/pedestrian collision in Halifax Wednesday morning. A cube truck was legally in the crossing and waiting to make a right hand turn when a man in an electric wheelchair entered the crosswalk, striking the back of the truck. Read more.

Closing of tunnel to Old Montreal raises safety issues for pedestrians

A major pedestrian tunnel linking the Champ-de-Mars métro station to Old Montreal was closed on Monday, but the suggested detour was unsafe for the thousands of Montrealers and tourists who would have used the route over the next year, an opposition city councillor claims. Read more.

Windsor protesters push for more bike trails, ecotourism

About 30 adults and kids braved the cold, wet weather Sunday afternoon to hold a protest to save Ojibway Park and preserve other green spaces in Windsor. Read more.

Do you feel safe walking outside at night? Share your experiences

After dark, some of us become wary of leaving the safety of our homes, or workplaces. A lack of street lights, a fear of crime and how capable we believe we are at handling unknown threats can all be factors in how safe we feel walking outside at night. Read more.

Skateboarding is good for you – and good for public places

Concerns about anti-social behaviour are often cited by those opposing skateboarding in public places, but empirical evidence is sparse. In fact, a greater weight of evidence suggests that it is the lack of things for young people to do that is more likely to fuel undesirable activity. Read more.

12 of the most ridiculous cycling accessories you'll ever see

From novelty lights and electric testicles to banana holders and 'invisible helmets', take a look through the most ridiculous cycling accessories out there... Read more.

Cycling in Montreal: Q&A with pioneering activist Robert "Bicycle Bob" Silverman

Cycling has come a long way since the early 1980s, when Moses tried, unsuccessfully, to part the St. Lawrence River so cyclists could travel between Montreal and the South Shore. Read more.

Toronto - Cycling study shows 77 per cent of Parkdale shoppers get around by active transportation

Many business owners in the Parkdale neighbourhood might believe that cars bring in the most customers to the area, but a study conducted by Cycle Toronto’s Ward 14 Advocacy Group this past fall seems to shatter those beliefs. Read more.

Ottawa - Cycling connection at U of O to close as part of LRT construction

In early May, the tunnel underneath Nicholas Street and the Transitway, which is used heavily by those travelling between the campus, Sandy Hill and the west side of the Rideau Canal, will close for at least 12 weeks as crews tear down the Transitway bridge and reconfigure an adjacent plaza as part of construction of the new uOttawa LRT station. Read more.

Doctors Explain How Hiking Actually Changes Our Brains

A study conducted by psychologists Ruth Ann Atchley and David L. Strayer found that creative problem solving can be drastically improved by both disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with nature. Participants in this study went backpacking through nature for about 4 days, during which time they were not allowed to use any technology whatsoever. They were asked to perform tasks which required creative thinking and complex problem solving, and researchers found that performance on problem solving tasks improved by 50% for those who took part in this tech-free hiking excursion. Read more.

Why Bike-Share Is Really Very Safe

To figure out why bike-share users have stayed safer than cyclists manning personal bikes on American roads, the MTI researchers consulted industry experts and held focus groups in the regions studied. They emerged with two explanations. Read more.

More of Toronto’s kids should be walking to school: Editorial

We live in a city where parents twist themselves into pretzels trying to get their children into soccer, swimming or other recreational programs, kick up a fuss when sports services are cut back, and pay through the nose for summer camps. And yet when it comes to the simplest form of exercise — a brisk walk to school — a new study shows that far too many parents toss all that concern for healthy living right out the window. Read more.

'You are a mom, so why are you cycling?' and other questions pedalling women are asked in Mumbai

Bambulkar and Velankar are part of a small but growing group of women in Mumbai for whom cycling is not a childhood memory but an adult obsession. Despite the inhospitable climate and road conditions, these women have made cycling part of their daily routine. They cycle to work, they cycle for fun and they cycle to take a much-needed break from the relentless demands of the office, housework and child-rearing. Read more.

Research backs up the instinct that walking improves creativity

For centuries, great thinkers have instinctively stepped out the door and begun walking, or at the very least pacing, when they needed to boost creativity. Charles Dickens routinely walked for 30 miles a day, while the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche declared, “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” Read more.

Text Walking is Hazardous to Your Health

Recently a Toronto councillor jokingly tweeted about the idea for designated cell phone sidewalk lanes, in light of all the distracted walkers on city streets, and the risk of colliding with poles or other pedestrians. Read more.

“Trump” Wants to Make Your Bicycle Great Again (satire)

New e-bike entrant Flux Bike recently released an admittedly hilarious video mocking pedal bike riders in the voice of Donald Trump. In the video “Trump” tells viewers, “your pedal bike doesn’t win anymore, I’m sorry it doesn’t, it just doesn’t win” as an e-bike rider breezes past a tired-looking pedal bike cyclist on a steep climb. Read more.

Victoria's first walking festival sets out to extend pedestrian pursuits

What is Victoria's most neglected form of transport yet the most accessible and common? I'll give you a clue: look down. While debate rages around public transport, roads and cycling safety, little attention is given to walking. Read more.

Texas School Bans Parents From Walking Kids Home

Walking kids home from school is a daily activity for many parents, but one Texas school has banned the act and is now threatening criminal charges. Read more.

What I'm Learning From Walking 21,000 Miles Around the World

My intercontinental ramble, called the Out of Eden Walk, is a storytelling project that aims to retrace the footsteps of the first anatomically modern humans who migrated out of Africa back in the Stone Age. I am plodding toward Tierra del Fuego, the last cranny of the continents to be colonized by our species. Along the way I am writing stories and recording images of the people I meet. And one small perk of this 21,000-mile-long stroll is to offhandedly tell a café owner in, say, Central Asia, that I’ve just ambled in from Ethiopia. Read more.

Toronto - We Made More Useful Posters for the TTC’s Next Pedestrian Awareness Campaign

In the wake of a driver who blamed pedestrians in his “non-pology” for hitting a girl disembarking from a streetcar, the TTC’s recent pedestrian safety campaign struck many as similarly tone-deaf. Walk Toronto‘s Dylan Reid described it as “pedestrian blaming”. Read more.

Powell River - Cycling pays off with healthy benefits

“A lot of people, when they get older, will say, ‘My arthritis keeps me from riding’ or, ‘I can’t ride hard, it will hurt to much,’” said Brewer. “The interesting thing from others I have spoken to, and this includes a fair number of local doctors, is that you ride through a little bit of the pain and it goes away.” Read more.

What happened to the idea of walking to school?

The School Travel in the City of Hamilton report found that the use of automobiles for trips to and from school has shot up to 20 per cent in 2011 from seven per cent in 1986 for 11-13 year olds, and to 21 per cent in 2011 from 11 per cent in 1986 for 14-17 years olds. Read more.

Rubber hits the road as more space for cyclists urged on Highway 407

Durham Region politicians and cyclists say the province needs to lay a little more asphalt in the name of safe cycling around its $1.2-billion Highway 407 East expansion. Queen’s Park talks a good line about encouraging cycling in Ontario, but it isn’t spending the money to put bike lanes on the side of roads approaching the bridges and interchanges on the new highway. Read more.

The cycling infrastructure shortfall is hitting women hardest

The biggest barrier to getting on two wheels for everyday journeys is fear of traffic. This is an issue that disproportionately affects women. Transport academic Dr Rachel Aldred’s Near Miss project shows women tend to experience more near misses than men, while according to a recent YouGov poll, commissioned by British Cycling, support among women for protected infrastructure is greater than among men: 74% vs 68.2%, despite the fact fewer women cycle. Read more.

Workshops look at making South Frontenac walking and cycling friendly

“Today was about coming up with a plan for active transportation (walking and cycling),” said South Frontenac Coun. Ross Sutherland after a day of consultations, workshops and brainstorming both with the Kingston-Frontenac Health Unit and then later that evening in Sydenham Library with some other local cycling enthusiasts. Read more.

Mississauga - Time to walk the talk

Other jurisdictions across Ontario are already implementing aggressive programs to get students to move, and the Active & Safe Routes to School program is part of the green movement in Canada. When students leave footprints while walking, they’re also lessening the carbon footprint driven by car usage. Read more.

Lakeshore unveils plan to expand its trail system

The Town of Lakeshore will seek public input on its plan to extend the County Wide Active Transportation System in the municipality at an open house April 12. Read more.

WHO Diabetes Report Calls for Active Transportation Infrastructure

The report argues forcefully that the solution to this crisis is not to tell people to be more careful but rather to combine education and policy to create an environment in which a healthy lifestyle becomes the default rather than a defiant act of will. Read more.

Battle of signs over trails along Coquitlam River

The city of Coquitlam has a message for whoever is clearing paths and building bridges in the forest around Coquitlam River Park: Leave trail building to the professionals. Urban forestry and park services manager Lanny Englund told The Tri-City News the problems started last year and could have a negative impact on fish-bearing streams and environmentally sensitive areas in the park. Read more.

Toronto - Parkdale CI’s Bike Club sets pace for active transportation advocacy

The Bike Club at Parkdale Collegiate Institute is the School Cycling Champion of the Year for 2015, presented at the Toronto Bike Awards hosted by Cycle Toronto. Read more.

Study looks at declining trend of kids walking to school

From 1986 to 2011, the number of 11- to 17-year-olds who walked or rode a bike to school declined by 12.9 per cent, while the percentage who rode in a car jumped from 14 to 33 per cent, according to the study, based on the Transportation Tomorrow Survey that looks at regional travel patterns every five years. Read more.

Fewer Canadian students walking or cycling to school raises concerns

The number of elementary-school students being driven to school has more than doubled, a new study shows, adding to concerns about the declining levels of physical activity among Canadian schoolchildren. Read more.

How Big of a Problem Is Drunk Bicycling?

Dutch young people are accustomed to riding their bicycles home drunk at the end of the night. That’s the warning from a new report by The Netherlands’ SWOV Institute for Road Safety, currently receiving coverage in Dutch media outlets. Read more.

Montreal man cycling cross-country calls N.S. roads 'dangerous'

A Montreal DJ who's cycling across Canada on a fixed-gear bike says he thinks Nova Scotia would be a beautiful part of the country — if he could stop paying attention to the poor quality of its roads long enough to see it. Read more.

Cost of pedestrian collisions too high to ignore, say Calgary police

City officials estimate the financial effect of life-altering pedestrian collisions and fatalities could be $120 million annually. The department recently adopted a societal cost formula from a 2010 Capital Region Intersection Safety Partnership that factors costs associated with emergency services and medical treatment, legal fees and funerals, travel delay and productivity lost at work. It also measured the monetary cost of pain, suffering and lost quality of life. Read more.

Skateboarding Mom With Stroller Puts Everyone Else In The Skate Park To Shame

The video, captioned “Have fun with my Baby”, was large received positively, with most commenters impressed. Many found the video adorable. In addition to the hundreds of “awwws”, one viewer commented, “Family on wheels. Love it!” Read more.

Trails author to speak at three events in Victoria County

Hiking and trails writer Michael Haynes will be in Victoria County for three presentations on trails and hiking Wednesday and Thursday hosted by Naturally Active Victoria County. Read more.

Quebec Highway Safety Code bike-friendly changes delayed, cycling groups complain

Cycling groups in Quebec say they're worried the province has relegated to the back burner "badly needed" legislative changes to improve the safety of cyclists and other vulnerable road users. Read more.

Cycling hitting 'critical mass' in Ottawa

Cycling in Ottawa has reached a “tipping point” and needs more infrastructure to keep up, a local advocacy group says. Citizens for Safe Cycling’s annual report, released Saturday, shows cycling trips have jumped 44 per cent between 2010 and 2015. Read more.

Funding advocacy is an investment in the bicycle industry's future

Spending on advocacy is an investment, not an expense. And advocacy can build up a market sustainably over the long-term. Cycle advocates tend to be highly-intelligent, energetic and laser-focussed individuals. It’s madness not to partner with them, to harness their energy, their drive and benefit from their gimlet-eyed obsession with detail. Read more.

Local climate change action report highlights success stories and trends in Canada's municipalities

All of the plans propose one or more measures to reduce community-wide emissions in the transportation sector. The majority of actions target increases in active transportation such as walking and cycling, which is cited in 77 per cent of plans. Read more.

Calgary ups pedestrian safety game with reflective sleeves

Some crosswalks in Calgary are being outfitted with neon sleeves to help show where crosswalks are located in Calgary. The elementary school Our Lady Of The Assumption had one of their crosswalks outfitted with the new signage. Read more.

Waning Calgary pedestrian collision stats show potentially costly hysteria overblown

That’s a lot of statistics to consider, but they all point to the same thing: Calgary is seeing fewer pedestrian crashes, even as the amount of social media hand-ringing per collision increases exponentially, helping to fuel hyperbole and hysteria about a system in desperate need of repair. Read more.

Germany's bicycle autobahn: pedaling nowhere?

Construction on a bike highway - hoped to connect communities to make high-speed, emissions-free commuting possible - is underway in Germany. But with funding in question, will this bikers' dream still come true? Read more.

Buenos Aires by bicycle: Cover ‘Paris of South America’s’ diverse neighbourhoods on two wheels

Among the world’s bicycle-friendly cities, Buenos Aires ranks in the top 20. In fact, it is the highest rated among non-European cities and the only South American urban area to make the annual list published by Wired magazine. In the past three years, more than 150 kilometres of bicycle infrastructure, much of it dedicated, has been added to Buenos Aires’s burgeoning network, making a ride on wheels an ideal way to become acquainted with what is justifiably known as the Paris of South America. Read more.

How the Bicycle Helped Invent Flight

Drivers actually have bicycles to thank for the fact that most roads are paved at all. Much more than that, bicycles influenced the design of cars and their mass-manufacturing. Bikes also were a vehicle of first-wave feminism, helped underpin the development of cities in the 20th century, and informed the invention of the airplane. Read more.

Vision Zero Cities

A free collection of Vision Zero material from the recent conference, courtesy of Transportation Alternatives in New York. Vision Zero Cities: International Journal of Traffic Safety Innovation.

Ontario Helping York Region Expand Cycling And Improve Safety

Ontario is providing $1.3 million to York Region over the next two years to help build new, or improve existing, cycling infrastructure through the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program. Read more.

Jasper National Park to get $66M biking, walking trail

Jasper National Park could soon be home to a walking and biking trail possibly linking Jasper townsite with Lake Louise along the Icefield Parkway. Federal budget documents indicate the Trudeau government is proposing $65.9 million for the trail. Read more.

Should Toronto make distracted walking illegal?

While he doesn’t know if legislation will stop people from navigating busy city streets with their heads down, eyes focused on tiny screens, he does believe that it’s a big distraction. Read more.

Elderly pedestrian deaths on the rise in Toronto

Elderly pedestrians are dying on Toronto streets at an “alarming” rate, data compiled by Metro shows. Of the 12 pedestrians killed thus far in 2016, eight were seniors. The average age of all pedestrian fatalities this year is 70. Read more.

Toronto - Cycling debate exaggerations and farewell to old friends

Jim Kenzie, Chief Auto Reviewer and Carte Blanche columnist, wrote one of his not-infrequent columns bemoaning what he considers to be the excessive attention being paid to cycling and cyclists by local governments. Read more.

In Montreal, a French-flavoured festival on bicycles: An iconic event for a bicycle-mad city

Montreal puts the sizzle on its status as a cycling and cultural beehive with a bike festival May 29-June 5. It’s anchored by a bicycle tour of the city-island that rivals New York’s Five Boro cycling extravaganza in size and adds a distinctive French twist. Read more.

Brandon - Council to debate Eighth Street bridge demolition

Demolishing the bridge and replacing it with a new structure for both vehicle and pedestrian traffic would cost between $31 million and $35 million. Replacing the bridge with a pedestrian/cyclist crossing would cost $11.8 million. Read more.

Club teaches mechanics of skateboarding, longboarding

Have you ever been walking to class, and suddenly you're watching someone zip past you on a skateboard? Do you ever find yourself wishing that you knew how to do that? Read more.

Thunder Bay pedestrian lobbies for visible crossings at Hillcrest Park

Taylor launched a petition on the web site Change.org, addressed to ward councillor Brian McKinnon and councillors Aldo Ruberto and Rebecca Johnson, asking the city to create painted crossings at the intersections of High and Beresford Streets and High and Bay Streets. Read more.

Webinar - Active Transportation and Real Estate: The Next Frontier

Around the globe, developers are seizing competitive advantage by leveraging residents’ and tenants’ growing interest in biking and walking. Municipalities are promoting health, equity, and sustainability by investing in active transportation infrastructure projects, such as trails and greenways. The Urban Land Institute’s new report Active Transportation and Real Estate: The Next Frontier explores interconnections among walking, bicycling, and real estate development. Read more.

New report: Developers are betting more on bikes — and seeing big benefits

“Through supporting bike infrastructure, real estate professionals can play a significant role in creating healthier, more sustainable communities," the report notes. "They can also help position their projects and communities in a marketplace that increasingly values active transportation.” Read more.

Kingston - Council explores 'innovative' new way to increase pedestrian safety on lower Princess Street

In an attempt to deal with an increasing number of pedestrian collisions and near misses on downtown sidewalks, Kingston City Council has quietly been exploring the implementation of a new bylaw that would make sidewalks on lower Princess Street between Division and Ontario Streets one-way only.  Read more.

Obesity rate predicted to reach 20% by 2025

Globally, the number of men and women with obesity rose from 105 million in 1975 to 641 million in 2014, a British led team reported in this week's issue of The Lancet medical journal. Obesity is determined by Body Mass Index, which is based on height and weight. A score over 30 is considered obese. Read more.

Hopes high for skating, year-round cycling along Lachine Canal

Montreal officials are expressing confidence there could be skating on the Lachine Canal and year-long cycling along its bike paths as soon as next winter due to a newly supportive federal government. Read more.

Ottawa to receive $325,000 for cycling infrastructure

“Several different kinds of cycling infrastructure will be installed or improved, including on-road cycling lanes, off-road cycling and walking paths, cycling specific signals and signs, active transportation bridges and bike racks,” said Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi at a public announcement Tuesday. Read more.

Trending: Should texting while walking be banned?

Gridlock is happening on our sidewalks, and in Toronto, Bay and Yonge Streets are full of offenders. We’re talking about text-walkers – people who insist on keeping their eyes glued to their phones as they blindly navigate through busy city sidewalks. Read more.

Vancouver Island trail and rail plans running on parallel tracks

The sentiment has not been uncommon in the long absence of any significant rail activity on the E&N line: “Just rip up the tracks and turn it into the best trail on Vancouver Island.” The thing is, according to Island Corridor Foundation executive director Graham Bruce one does not have to happen without the other. Read more.

ATV use in West Perth Woodlands ruining trails for hikers

In former West Perth deputy mayor Gerry Kehl's mind, ATV use on the West Perth Woodlands trails has gotten to the point where it's not only ruining the experiences of hikers and joggers who wish to use the trails, but it's also threatening the very trees that make up the woodlands. Read more.

Ontario - Bill 100 interpretation sees closure of two main snowmobile trails ahead of next season

The snowmobile season on Manitoulin has ended on a low note with the news that three major sections of trail across Manitoulin—Honora Bay, Sandfield and Billings (Fraser Road)—have closed for the foreseeable future. Read more.

First came transit-oriented communities, now it’s ‘trail-oriented’ development

Real estate developers are building more “trail-oriented” communities to meet a growing demand for bike-friendly and walkable places to live and work, according to a report released Tuesday. Read more.

Provincial cash unveiled for local trails in Orillia, Collingwood, and Midland

Getting to Lakehead University, Rotary Place and the future Costco development in Orillia's west end, by bike or foot, will soon be a lot easier and safer. Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca was in Orillia Tuesday to announce $450,000 in funding for three area municipalities, including $325,000 for a bicycle and pedestrian trail over Highway 11, connecting Highway 12 and Old Barrie Road, in Orillia. Read more.

A Fairly Obvious Study Confirms Active Transportation Reduces Body Fat

While the study results are unsurprising to say the least, it is interesting to note that the lower levels of fat linked to active commuting were independent of other social factors such as socioeconomic status, alcohol consumption, smoking, or whether the person lives in a rural or urban area. Read more.

Australian driver 'deliberately swerved' to mow down cycling dad

Police in Australia are searching for a hit and run driver who appears to have deliberately swerved in order to mow down a father of two - just for being on a bike. Read more.

UK plan to boost cycling and walking 'worthless without more funding'

The government’s cycling and walking investment strategy “won’t be worth the paper it’s written on” unless backed by sustained funding, cycling campaigners claim. The British Cycling policy adviser and 1992 individual pursuit Olympic champion Chris Boardman believes far more ambition is needed if Britain is to create a cycling and walking culture to rival countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands. Read more.

Bike, pedestrian-friendly cities are worth the fight says former NYC transport planner

Bicycle lanes and plazas that take up space previously used by cars are controversial at first, but once people see that "carmageddon" doesn't result — and there are actual benefits for people and businesses — they get on board with the change. Read more.