ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION - CANADA

Bike lanes in Kanata south will connect to Trans Canada Trail

2012-01-26T08:40:00.002-05:00

Cycling in the community is set to get easier with the addition of bike lanes along Terry Fox Drive to the Trans Canada Trail in Kanata south.

Calgary - Bike share program divides city hall

2012-01-26T08:35:00.000-05:00

Aldermen have taken steps toward launching a public bike share program as soon as mid-2014, but even the city official who oversees cycling improvements won't promise there will be enough on-street bike lanes in time.

Two concerns were at the heart of a debate that divided not only aldermen, but also cycling groups: whether city taxes should be an optional source of funding the multimillion-dollar program, and whether planning for a launch in two years isn't premature in a city that lacks any separated cycling lanes in the core.

Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2012 Benchmarking Report

2012-01-26T08:33:00.000-05:00

Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2012 Benchmarking Report is an essential resource and tool for government officials, advocates, and those working to promote bicycling and walking. The Benchmarking Project is an on-going effort by the Alliance for Biking & Walking to collect and analyze data on bicycling and walking in all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities.

This third biennial report reveals data including: bicycling and walking levels and demographics; bicycle and pedestrian safety; funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects; written policies on bicycling and walking; bicycle infrastructure; bike-transit integration; bicycling and walking education and encouragement activities; public health indicators; and the economic impact of bicycling and walking.

Orillia ON - Green plan explored

2012-01-26T08:27:00.000-05:00

City council had its first taste of a plan that aims to reduce residents’ dependency on cars.
A multi-use trail, bike lanes and bridges are among more than two-dozen measures proposed in a draft active transportation plan.

Kyrgyzstan plans 300-mile cycle path to woo bike tourists

2012-01-25T07:42:00.000-05:00

Ask any cycling fan to name a Central Asian republic with a name that begins with the letter ‘K’ and the most likely response will be ‘Kazakhstan,’ home to the Astana team, named after its capital. Now, the neighbouring state of Kyrgyzstan hopes that its name too may become equally familiar, with plans afoot to attract touring cyclists by building a 300-mile cycle path around a lake.

Sudbury residents want fewer roads, more trails

2012-01-25T07:39:00.000-05:00

Every corner of Greater Sudbury was up for discussion at last night's public meeting on the official plan — a blueprint for how the city is developed. But many Sudburians who stepped up to the microphone focused on a proposed road linking Highway 69 and Laurentian University.

Thunder Bay - Your plan for your city

2012-01-23T08:20:00.000-05:00

[Thunder Bay] will spend the next year conducting a comprehensive review of the [official] plan to make it consistent with provincial policy and reflect the community’s and council’s vision for the city’s future.

Among its broad intents, the review must ensure the official plan comes into line with Ontario’s new (2005) Provincial Policy Statement, last year’s Northern Growth Plan, changes to the Planning Act and acts as diverse as the Endangered Species Act, Environmental Protection Act, Green Energy Act and the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

The plan must also mesh with Thunder Bay’s 2011-2014 Strategic Plan. “Active transportation, public engagement, housing, food security, revitalization, urban design, and proactive development are all elements that bind the Strategic Plan and Official Plan together.”

Prevention gets left out of health-care debate

2012-01-21T15:42:00.000-05:00

[W]here is the financial, institutional and political commitment to prevention? We appear to believe that it only makes sense to think in terms of after-the-fact, therapeutic treatment of health conditions — that we are condemned to become sick earlier and that we must simply resign ourselves to the costly interventions, pharmaceutical therapies and surgeries that necessarily arise.

This bleak orthodoxy has politicians, public servants and media pundits in a vice-like grip, powerless to get at the root causes of illness and compelled to continually treat the symptoms.

Active and Safe Routes to School in Manitoba - January Newsletter

2012-01-21T09:22:00.000-05:00

Sample - Upcoming Webinars: January 24 - 6:30pm CST
Green Teacher Webinar: "Sustainable Happiness, Hope & Resiliency"

Join Catherine O'Brien and Elin Kelsey for an inspiring discussion about sustainable happiness, hope and resiliency. After short presentations, they will share ways they see this work moving into the world so participants can envision implications for their personal and professional life.

Registration

Revelstoke road, water and sewer project plans unveiled

2012-01-21T09:18:00.000-05:00

The City of Revelstoke's engineering department has presented city council with a long list of sewer, water and road projects they'd like to tackle in the coming years. Airport Way pedestrian improvement project between Nichol Road and McKinnon Road: This $126,000 project to create a cycling/walking path is designed to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety along the stretch of Airport way. Construction is planned for 2013.

European Greenways - Issue 13

2012-01-21T09:16:00.000-05:00

An electronic newsletter distributed by the European Greenways Association. [Bicycle focused.]

Picture Presentation - Bicycle Path Entry Control

2012-01-21T09:08:00.000-05:00

This presentation discusses methods to control entry to "Bicycle Paths". It considers issues related to bollards, gates, and other barriers. Although this presentation uses the term "Bicycle Path", the concepts presented are applicable to most nonmotorized shared use paths.

Winnipeg - Consultants on Assiniboine bikeway did poor job: Katz

2012-01-21T09:06:00.004-05:00

Mayor Sam Katz said the firm hired to do public consultation on the Assiniboine Avenue bikeway did a poor job of engaging area residents in the process.

Active transportation ‘wish list’ includes bike lanes, trails and benches

2012-01-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality active transportation committee released its “wish list” of projects Wednesday [Jan. 18].

Complete Streets Forum and Ontario Bike Summit combine

2012-01-21T09:03:00.000-05:00

The Toronto Center for Active Transportation, a project of the Clear Air Partnership, and the Share the Road Cycling Coalitio n are pleased to announce that our 2012 annual conferences will be a joint conference. The events will take place April 23 - 25, 2012.

Stratford ON - Speakers to discuss bicycle friendly cities

2012-01-21T08:59:00.002-05:00

An event geared toward active transportation is being held at the Stratford Rotary Complex on Wednesday. Feb. 22.

Sweden Plans A Four-Lane Bike Superhighway

2012-01-21T08:57:00.001-05:00

Sweden is planning to connect its cities Lund and Malmö by building a cyclist superhighway stretching over 12.5 miles.

Edmonton - Defensive walking will reduce deaths

2012-01-21T08:55:00.000-05:00

Of all the pedestrian fatalities our city has seen, arguably 100 per cent of them could have been prevented had the pedestrian been paying attention.

No more bike or horse cops if Halifax police budget approved

2012-01-21T08:51:00.001-05:00

Halifax Regional Police are seeking to hold the line on next year’s budget but won’t have cops on horses or bicycles anymore if it gets approved.

They propose eliminating six services, including the bike patrol and the mounted unit, which would save $16,000 and $15,700 respectively. Beazley said the bike unit enabled officers to have a little more contact with the public, but plans are to have most of those officers walking beats next year.

Urge the Federal Government to Mandate Truck Side Guards

2012-01-21T08:49:00.002-05:00

The British Columbia Cycling Coalition therefore urges you to initiate and support legislation on this issue that will make Canada’s streets and highways safer for all road users, especially the most vulnerable.

Minneapolis bike traffic and trails rising steadily

2012-01-21T08:21:00.000-05:00

Between 2007 and 2011, biking traffic in Minneapolis grew by 47 percent, with an increase of 25 percent between 2010 and 2011, the report notes. The U.S. Census Bureau tells us that 3.7 percent commute to work on bikes — not bad for a city known worldwide for snow and ice.

The Hazards of Using Headphones While You Walk

2012-01-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

Pedestrians who wear headphones while walking are at greater risk of serious injury or even death than people who don’t tune out, according to a new study published this week in the journal Injury Prevention.

London walks: the Capital Ring

2012-01-21T08:18:00.000-05:00

[Just a little fun piece about long-distance walking and camping in London, UK. -MH]

Last September I went on an eight-day hiking holiday with three friends. Shouldering rucksacks with tent and sleeping bags, we set off – by strolling through Hackney's Victoria Park. We weren't straying far from home: our route was the Capital Ring, a 78-mile loop around London that can be done in 15 one-day walks.

A passion for bicycles drives Halifax entrepreneur

2012-01-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

“I love bicycles, their shape, the things they do, where they can go,” Chisholm said, explaining his latest venture, the Halifax Bicycle Co. “I think there is a market out there for beautiful, useful bicycles.”

Aris Sport To Release A Safer Designed Skateboard

2012-01-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

You’ve most likely have heard the jokes about inventing the wheel, but now one company can seriously say that they did reinvent the wheel. Aris Sport has released a skateboard with their new wheel design. The new design appears to be better for speed and staying safe.

Sixty Two Percent of Americans Prioritize Spending on Roads Over Public Transit

2012-01-10T10:31:00.000-05:00

A recent Reason-Rupe poll of 1,200 adults on landline and mobile phones finds that 12 percent of Americans take public transportation at least a few times a week and 63 percent say they never take public transit.

Correspondingly, 62 percent of Americans prioritize transportation funding for roads and highways over funding for public transit.

Calgary - Interview: Bike share program

2012-01-10T10:29:00.002-05:00

On Tuesday's Eyeopener, we asked local cycling advocate Gary Beaton why he's against the idea of a bike-sharing program in downtown Calgary.

Ottawa - Larger e-bikes banned from NCC pathways

2012-01-10T10:27:00.000-05:00

Electric-powered vehicles, including heavier "scooter-type" e-bikes, are now prohibited from National Capital Commission pathways, according to a report issued by the NCC on Thursday. "Power-assisted bicycles that are physically similar to conventional bicycles" are still allowed on pathways, the NCC says, but "scooter-type power-assisted bicycles (i.e. with a fairing) are prohibited." (A fairing is a rigid plastic covering to deflect wind and rain or to reduce drag.)

Toronto - Infill development should be pedestrian friendly: councillor

2012-01-10T10:24:00.000-05:00

New townhouse complexes should be built with pedestrians in mind as much as they are with cars and trees - and the city's rules should reflect that says Ward 30 Councillor Paula Fletcher in a letter to the city's planning and growth management committee. The Toronto-Danforth councillor is asking the city to develop guidelines for so-called infill developments that will require the sites to have well-marked and well-lit walkways, pedestrian-friendly intersections and easy access to the main community

Parry Sound ON - Tourism and health benefits from plan

2012-01-10T10:22:00.002-05:00

The West Parry Sound Active Transportation Committee is working on a master plan to encourage people to leave their cars behind and give people interconnected routes region-wide for walking and biking.

New trends in Regina streetscapes

2012-01-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

In many of the Regina neighbourhoods that were developed in the 1950s, a common theme is a sidewalk that is separated from the street by green space. This idea is returning in many new developments, as it provides pedestrian safety, enhances the streetscape, and offers space for snow that has been removed from the street and sidewalks.

Edmonton - From the archives: Clareview station falls short of 1970s vision

2012-01-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

The four-storey wood-frame and stucco condos around the Clareview LRT station face inward onto their own parking lots and shared garbage bins. One thousand parking stalls surround the station and bus terminal. A wooden fence lines the sidewalk for most of the 400-metre walk from the train station to a series of big box stores - Walmart, Superstore and XS Cargo.

"Clareview was going to be a radical break because they were going to increase density. When you look at the 1970s plan, it's all there. But they didn't provide the facilities, the libraries and the schools.

Sydney AU - Plan for a 40km/h limit in city struggles to gain momentum

2012-01-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

City of Sydney council plans to reduce city speed limits to 40km/h were opposed yesterday by the NRMA Motoring & Services [Australian equivalent to the CAA] and received a mixed response from the chamber of commerce and the bus union.

Plans for new pedestrian-friendly Dublin

2012-01-10T10:06:00.000-05:00

Pedestrians and cyclists will be given priority and through-traffic discouraged in a new strategy for Dublin city centre. "While economic needs require private car and service vehicle access for business and shopping trips, the predominant movement pattern in the city centre will be on foot -- which means it is vital that the public realm is easily accessible, pleasant and safe."

Don't feel safe walking at night? Exercise more

2011-12-29T14:06:00.000-05:00

Feel afraid walking in your neighbourhood at night? Well, somewhat ironically, exercising will apparently make you feel safer. New Australian Bureau of Statistics research shows those who participate in sport and recreational activities have significantly greater levels of trust in the community and are far more likely to feel safe walking the streets after dark.

Study: Health benefits outweigh costs of ciclovia events

2011-12-29T14:04:00.000-05:00

Ciclovias, the global term for what we call Sunday Parkways here in Portland, are nothing short of a revolution. Started in Latin America in the 1960s and made widely known by Bogota, Colombia, the events have spread like wildfire across North America in the last decade.

But with city budgets being very tight these days, programs like Sunday Parkways aren't likely to survive the axe. Now, a new study, Do Health Benefits Outweigh the Costs of Mass Recreational Programs? An Economic Analysis of Four Ciclovía Programs, published in the Journal of Urban Health will help make the case that they're worth the investment.

Owen Sound - Teen tracker study illustrates ‘unhealthy reliance on cars’

2011-12-29T14:01:00.002-05:00

Sixteen local teens were tracked by GPS devices for a public health study of where they go and how they get there. The week-long study's results reflected provincial findings that fewer students walk to school, which is part of an unhealthy reliance on cars, its authors said.

Toronto - King-Spadina towers set precedent for new applications

2011-12-29T13:59:00.002-05:00

Pedestrian bridge will be critical link in Grand River Trail

2011-12-29T13:56:00.001-05:00

Kitchener ON: A critical link in the Walter Bean Grand River Trail — the pedestrian bridge near the Doon Valley Golf Course — should be open and ready to use by next April.

Three schools in Centre Wellington getting kids active

2011-12-29T13:53:00.001-05:00

Just as our communities at large have recognized the need to include active transportation in any future planning, so has the school community. As with any initiative, chances of a long-term change in behaviour is best assured when introduced at an early age.

Trent Hills supports master cycling plan for the county

2011-12-29T13:51:00.000-05:00

Council endorsed the proposal Dec. 20 after hearing from a presentation by County project engineer Christine Harvey, who helped create the plan. One of its objectives is to make Northumberland "a unique cycling destination" by establishing "on- and off-road paths" that link the seven municipalities as well as connect the county to neighbouring counties, she said

Free-wheelin' town offers a model of bike-friendliness

2011-12-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

Making Sarnia a better place for cyclists can be done cheaply, easily and effectively, says an official from one of North America's top bicycle-friendly cities. Robb Davis, a member of the Davis, California's bicycle advisory commission, said improving Sarnia's cycling infrastructure isn't as difficult as it seems.

Charge admission fees to pay for new skateboard parks, alderman urges

2011-12-29T13:46:00.000-05:00

The Calgary Association of Skateboard Enthusiasts has offered to fundraise to help pay for dozens of new skate parks, and aldermen seem fine with the $11-million construction price tag, spread over a decade. Still, Ald. Shane Keating said Wednesday the city should contemplate charging fees to use some of the more sizable facilities when they come on line.

Is Calgary ready for bike sharing?

2011-12-29T13:43:00.000-05:00

Bike sharing is, unsurprisingly, lauded by cycling advocates. But this week in Calgary, the very idea of setting up short-term bike rentals throughout the core has received harsh criticism courtesy the Calgary Sun. In his column yesterday, Sun columnist Michael Platt argues the cost of implementing and maintaining the bike share program and the impact of more bike lanes on downtown roads will result in "chaos."

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has its first-ever physical activity strategy

2011-12-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

Carey said approximately 61 per cent of CBRM residents aren’t physically active enough to gain any benefit from physical exercise. That’s above both the provincial and national averages, she said.

India - Cyclists, walkers a neglected lot

2011-12-29T13:39:00.000-05:00

Every day, about 37% people walk to their destinations and 18% use cycles in Pune city. But ironically this 55% of population on foot/cycle needs to follow rules of the road designed for the remaining 45% of people that uses vehicles. Their problems are compounded by the fact that our wily politicians consider footpaths and cycles tracks as problems and not as a solution to city's traffic mess.

Active Safe Routes to School Newsletter - Fall/Winter 2011

2011-12-29T13:35:00.000-05:00

Sample Article: Momentum around School Travel Planning (STP) is growing, and we recently completed development of our STP Facilitator Training Program. The STP Facilitator is the person who brings all community stakeholders together and guides the STP process.

Study - Walking doesn't build muscle

2011-12-29T13:31:00.000-05:00

Women who walk at least 10,000 steps a day have no greater muscle strength and perform no better on tests of balance and agility than women who walk fewer than 7500 steps, according to a new study.

Toronto mulls plan to expand world's longest underground shopping complex

2011-12-29T13:29:00.002-05:00

More than a century after Toronto’s first underground pedestrian walkways were built, the city is finishing off a master plan that calls for the PATH system – the world’s longest underground shopping complex – to extend south toward the waterfront.

Toronto - 2012 Complete Streets Forum

2011-12-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

The 2012 Complete Streets Forum will be the fifth annual active transportation conference hosted by TCAT. The Complete Streets Forum represents a holistic approach to active transportation policy and planning with a focus on cycling and walking while maintaining the interests of other road users.

The themes and program for the upcoming conference have incorporated feedback from 2010 attendees and is focusing on providing direct experience with implementing Complete Streets, including policy, tools, and examples. The conference will provide numerous opportunities to learn from, consult with, and network with professionals with Complete Streets experience across North America.

European Parliament Agrees that E-Bike Safety Depends on Speed, Not Power

2011-12-13T10:27:00.000-05:00

It’s not finalized yet, but there may be a breakthrough in the European discussion on the technical rules for electric bicycles. It could mean among other things that pedelecs with assistance up to 25 km/h will be excluded from the type-approval for mopeds and motorcycles irrespective of their power output. As a result, they would be classified as bicycles, whereas today above 250 W they are considered mopeds.

The politics of cycling

2011-12-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

Cyclists. They’re nothing but a bunch of Green-voting, latte-sipping, inner-city trendoids with an over-developed sense of entitlement. That’s what you’d think if you believed much of the media coverage given to cycling in the past few years. From shock jocks to tabloid TV shows to newspaper columnists, there's always someone ready to have a go at cyclists. Especially media organisations that favour the conservative side of politics.

[Published in a Sydney AU newspaper; the perspectives do not look that different, do they? -MH]

Waterloo - Students present visions for area near Kitchener transit hub

2011-12-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

Urban-planning students at the University of Waterloo unveiled seven different plans Wednesday for transforming an area now dominated by surface parking lots into an attractive, walkable, mixed-use district.

Bixi to roll into Longueuil

2011-12-13T10:19:00.002-05:00

Montreal's innovative Bixi bike-rental program will extend to the city's South Shore next year. The rental company confirms that it plans to set up stands in Longueuil, as long as the South Shore city's council approves the program. The proposed expansion would reportedly include six stations and seventy bikes, at the cost of $1-million over seven years.

Carfree Times - Issue #64

2011-12-13T10:18:00.000-05:00

An interesting online newsletter that has been in existence for 15 years. It contains many links to relevant videos.

Victoria - Increased patrols, new signage, clearing brush among hike-and-bike trail safety improvements under way

2011-12-13T10:15:00.000-05:00

Craig recommended new signage to include mile markers along the trail close enough to be seen from one to the other, signs indicating road intersections, signs recommending use of cell phones on the trail, and signs encouraging the buddy system.

"I've been on this trail a lot the last couple of months, and at times I didn't know exactly where I was," Craig said. "We encourage people to exercise at times when there are other people using the trail. Those types of environments dissuade people from committing crimes."

Cities move independently to put safety barriers on trucks

2011-12-13T10:11:00.002-05:00

This winter in Westmount, the wealthy enclave within Montreal, one-third of the contracted snow-removal trucks will be outfitted with safety rails in an effort to prevent pedestrians and cyclists from tumbling beneath and getting crushed under their wheels when struck.

Active Voice: Electric Bikes as a New Active Transportation Modality to Promote Health

2011-12-13T10:10:00.000-05:00

These new e-bikes are gaining popular acceptance and even avid cyclists turn to them for comfort and practical considerations. They may encourage otherwise inactive persons to start exercising, while also gaining time on their commutes and helping the environment.

Charlottetown - Walkers, cyclists want safety in capital area, consultants told

2011-12-13T10:08:00.000-05:00

People in the greater Charlottetown area want to feel safer whether they're out walking or riding a bike. That's what international active transportation experts are going to tell councils in Charlottetown, Stratford and Cornwall as well as the provincial government.

Calgary - Pathway communities attract bike commuters

2011-12-13T10:03:00.002-05:00

Margeaux Myers says there are a number of reasons she rides her bike to work downtown every day. It's fun, it's inexpensive and it keeps her in shape. And for her, it's easy. Two blocks from her Parkdale house is the Bow River path that takes her straight downtown in minutes. Sure beats the daily traffic battles, she says.

Ottawa - Transportation committee approves bridge over Rideau

2011-12-13T09:41:00.002-05:00

Plans for a new pedestrian and bicycle bridge across the Rideau River received easy approval from city council's transportation committee Wednesday, indicating a big change in councillors' attitude toward such projects over the past few years.

New York - Number of Bicyclists Keeps Climbing, City Says

2011-12-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

On Thursday [Dec. 8], the city said that the number of regular city bicycle riders increased by 8 percent this year, extending a decade-long trend that has nearly quadrupled the number of regular cyclists since 2001, according to the city’s Department of Transportation.

UK - Campaign For Better Transport: how to reduce the need to travel

2011-12-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

The National Planning Policy Framework will sideline smart growth in favour of out-of-town sprawl - rolling back decades of town centred development. Now campaigners have launched a toolkit to reduce travel demand within local transport plans: Campaigners' guide to reducing the need to travel

London: One of the world's best cities for walking

2011-12-13T09:34:00.000-05:00

London even wants you to walk. Walklondon.org was established by several governmental agencies with a purpose of getting people off the often-crowded trains and buses and onto the streets. Its website (www.walklondon.org.uk) outlines seven walks. Some cut through the heart of the city; one takes participants along the banks of the Thames; another circles the city. At 78 miles, it clearly isn't meant to be done at once, but in stages, which, after all, is the best way to see London.

Video - Chicago's First Segregated Bike Lane

2011-12-05T09:27:00.000-05:00

Have a look at this four-minute video, which shows the lane and includes some background from community leaders, staff, and users.

[I particularly enjoy one alderman, speaking near the end of the video, who says that his district will get the next bike lane because "[he] wants to make sure [his] ward receives its fair share" -MH]

Demographic changes spark challenges to keep teens engaged

2011-12-05T09:21:00.000-05:00

One of those interests that has burgeoned throughout the city is skateboarding and it is one pastime that the Edgemont Community Association, for one, has zeroed in on. "At our next board meeting, a group is coming from Skateboard Calgary to talk about what we can do in our community to support the skateboarders,'' explained Scobie. "As annoying as they can be from time to time, they wouldn't be destroying our benches if maybe we put up a bar for them.''

[Skateboarding is only one element in this article which discusses the need for youth engagement in activities. A related article is found at: City urged to get on board with skateboards -MH]

Drive Less, Live Longer

2011-12-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

[A] recent study by a Canadian research team has determined that driving decreases life expectancy. According to the study, every hour you spend behind the wheel in North America leads to a 20-minute loss of life expectancy due to the risks of a fatal car crash. Further, the study concluded that by slowing down just two miles per hour, the average driver would increase their life expectancy by three hours per year.

Coquitlam - Take a hike, take a bike in future?

2011-12-05T09:11:00.000-05:00

Walking, cycling and public transit are emphasized in an update to Coquitlam’s strategic transportation plan, a document that seeks to increase alternate modes of commuter travel in the municipality. Currently, 82% of trips in the city are made by automobile, a number engineering staff said they hope will drop to 70% by the end of the plan’s 20-year horizon.

Should bikes be banned from major arterials or at least rapid-bus streets?

2011-12-05T09:08:00.000-05:00

And all she had to do was go one block over to 10th Avenue, where she could have been on far quieter and safer street that is so dominated by cyclists that cars now avoid it. But no, there she was, causing cars to swerve around her on a busy arterial. The question: Should she be banned? Or simply encouraged to move to a proper bike route?

[From Oregon US, and a story that generated many, but the usual, comments. Of interest is this related story from Denmark: Want to be like Copenhagen? -MH]

Calgary - Winter Maintenance Gets Green Light

2011-12-05T08:56:00.002-05:00

Although it is only minutes from its home base it took over two years to travel those few blocks. This street sweeper was not far from its Transportation Department yard when it was spotted cleaning the winter debris off the celebrated 26th Ave SW on-street bike route November 21, 2011.

Penang wants to become a bicycle state

2011-12-05T08:51:00.000-05:00

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told reporters today that his administration wanted to turn Penang into a "bicycle state'. As part of the bicycle state programme, the state government has also mandated that new housing projects be equipped with bicycle lanes. According to Lim, the regulations on the bicycles lanes became law recently. Under the regulations, developers must set aside land for the bicycle lanes.

Calgary - Council dips into reserves for budget: Snow plowing, bike paths and transit benefit

2011-12-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

Council added crowdpleasing measures into the city budget that should improve commutes for bus users, cyclists, and residents used to plows rarely clearing their streets.

Winnipeg - Helping more drivers park it

2011-12-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

The city's [Winnipeg] long-awaited downtown parking strategy, released Thursday, outlines a broad plan to get rid of reserved parking stalls and parking subsidies that help eat up some of the 39,283 available stalls downtown. The plan recommends Winnipeg enact new policies to free up spots on the street, get rid of some surface parking lots, and encourage people to carpool or use transit or active transportation to get downtown.

Planning expert praises Collingwood

2011-12-05T08:42:00.000-05:00

Renowned active transportation expert Dan Burden had kind things to say about Collingwood on Monday. He praised the town's Urban Design Manual, calling it "one of the best I've seen in all of North America.

Transport Minister attacks pedestrians

2011-11-26T11:13:00.000-05:00

"Why shouldn't pedestrians have to pay road tax and insurance like everyone else? Have you seen the state of the pavements in many of our cities? Well, who do you think caused that? In a fair 'Big Society' like ours we all have to take responsibility for the cost of the transport infrastructure of this country. It is time that pedestrians paid there way and stopped freeloading of honest taxpayers; after all we are all in this together".

David Cameron endorsed Bright Centurion's findings this evening," Many pedestrians have little or no respect for the Highway Code. They see it as a right to wander the streets for free, some of them even carrying heavy shopping bags; or push child's' buggies.

[This is a delicious spoof from the UK - definitely worth five minutes to peruse. -MH]

Cities look to become age-friendly

2011-11-26T11:09:00.000-05:00

As the population ages, city planners in many communities across Canada are teaming up with health researchers to listen to concerns like Howe's, and to understand more about how the physical and social environment affects health, social connectedness and mobility.

Ottawa - Battle lines forming as Bronson makeover looms

2011-11-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

The reconstruction of Bronson Avenue downtown is to begin in the spring, but already battle lines have formed over the project's direction. The avenue should be made friendlier to pedestrians, but city plans would instead have the road continue to "blight" a neighbourhood, a community association president says.

California - Highway Design Manual

2011-11-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

The California Highway Design Manual includes Chapter 1000 dedicated to the design of pedestrian and bike facilities.

Active transportation corridor will link Burnside, Bedford

2011-11-26T09:23:00.000-05:00

“About five years ago (HRM) regional council passed an Active Transportation Plan for the municipality, and one of the future connections involved connecting Lower Sackville and Bedford with Burnside and Dartmouth,” explained David MacIsaac, HRM’s Transportation Demand Management Program Supervisor.

Walking group makes strides in diabetes management

2011-11-26T09:19:00.000-05:00

The purpose of this group is to provide an outlet that promotes wellness through fitness and social activities. PhACS provides an opportunity for people who may have diabetes and/or anxiety and mental health issues to get out and exercise as well as provide social interaction and transferable life skills.

Toronto - Waterfront plan has good flow

2011-11-26T09:17:00.000-05:00

In addition to the LEED- gold certification — a Waterfront Toronto requirement — River City’s Phase 2 will have a hybrid car and bike share program, garage pre-wiring for electric cars, heat-recovery ventilators and water-efficient fixtures. With all energy in the West Donlands generated by a district energy system, River City has made provision that upgrades for future sustainable energy will be easy.

Calgary - Developer tees up plans for Shawnee Park

2011-11-26T09:11:00.000-05:00

PROJECT: Shawnee Park. The proposed community will be made up of 1,400 housing units across almost 53 hectares of land that formerly housed the Shaw-Nee Slopes Golf Course. A transit-oriented development, the eastern portion of Shawnee Park will have a village retail area along with multi-family housing. As much as 45 per cent the land will be accessible open space, with single-family detached homes spotted among the existing mature trees.

Video - Sharing time: Tracking the ‘sharrow’ on city streets

2011-11-26T08:14:00.000-05:00

A "sharrow" -- the word is an amalgamation of "arrow" and "share the road" -- is a larger-than-life thermoplastic symbol of a bicycle topped by two chevrons pointing the way forward. More technically known as "shared lane markings," they're intended to remind two-wheeled and four-wheeled road users alike to share with each other, and also to encourage people on bikes to take the lane when it's too narrow to ride side-by-side with car traffic. Sharrows have been increasing in popularity nationwide, and got a boost in 2009 when they were officially entered into the federal transportation engineering canon.

8 astonishing benefits of walking

2011-11-26T08:02:00.000-05:00

Walking just 40 minutes a day could seriously benefit your health; check out these amazing perks to taking a simple stroll around the neighborhood.

Putting Canada on Track: A Blueprint for a National Transit Framework

2011-11-18T09:29:00.001-05:00

Canada’s large cities, however, suffer from a lack of public transit infrastructure when compared to their international peers. The reason is threefold. First, Canadian municipalities do not have the revenues to expand and maintain their transit systems. Second, there has historically been insufficient financial support from other levels of government, particularly from the federal government. And finally, progress is hampered by poor governance and intergovernmental coordination.

Full Article.

New Research Finds that Homeowners and City Planners Should 'Hit the Trail' When Considering Property Values

2011-11-18T09:27:00.001-05:00

Using a research model they developed, Parent and vom Hofe found that from a real estate perspective, trails can have significant, positive spillover effects on property values when these properties are located within reasonable distances to the trails.

Full Article.

Local Economic Implications of Urban Bicycle Networks

2011-11-18T09:26:00.001-05:00

Transportation is vital in keeping economies going. When the UK’s coalition government came to power in 2010, there was concern over whether London’s expensive Crossrail project – a speedy underground network connecting outer London to the city centre – would continue to be developed. Now it’s being heralded as an opportunity for economic growth. If train networks can boost the economy of a city, could bicycle networks boost the economies of the communities they pass through?

Full Article.

Toronto - Can higher taxes cure gridlock?

2011-11-18T09:23:00.001-05:00

A bigger gas tax is one of more than a dozen solutions being proposed for the Toronto region by groups such as the Toronto Board of Trade and the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance in support of Metrolinx’s Big Move. Acting on that provincial agency’s plan for transit improvements is the only way many civic leaders believe the Toronto area can escape crushing gridlock that could double trip times by 2031. Metrolinx has been given until 2013 to devise an investment strategy for financing nearly $40 billion in transportation improvements.

Full Article.

Montreal - Green plan gains traction with N.D.G. mayor

2011-11-18T09:19:00.001-05:00

The Green, Active and Healthy Neighbourhood Plan for Southeastern Notre Dame de Grâce was unveiled Thursday by the Montreal Urban Ecology Centre as part of the city's "green neighbourhood" program.

Under that program, the centre was asked to choose four neighbourhoods (eastern Mercier, Park Extension, eastern Plateau Mont Royal, and southeastern N.D.G.) to study and then recommend measures and infrastructure designed to calm traffic, improve safety and encourage active transportation, such as walking, cycling and public transit.

Full Article.

Montreal - Head of BIXI bike-rental service steps down

2011-11-18T09:17:00.001-05:00

The head of the BIXI bike-rental service has announced his plans to step down. Roger Plamondon announced his decision at a company board meeting on Thursday.

Full Article.

[Boston] skateboarders defiant in face of crackdown

2011-11-18T09:11:00.001-05:00

Skateboarders outraged over a lack of quality skateparks pledged to continue grinding on steps, fountains and other concrete and granite spots across the city, despite efforts by police and Mayor Thomas M. Menino to bar skaters from damaging public property.

Full Article.

Smith Falls - Safety concerns draw attention to Old Slys pedestrian path

2011-11-18T09:09:00.001-05:00

The issue of pedestrian safety on Old Slys Road is as straight forward as the sidewalk councillor Dawn Quinn and Queen Street resident Ron Stronski want to see installed between the Old Slys Road bridges.
Full Article

Kemptville - Skateboard park now complete

2011-11-18T09:08:00.001-05:00

Local youth who want to get some skateboarding in before the snow flies are in luck. Riverside Park's new skateboard park is ready for action. During Monday evening's council meeting, director of parks, recreation and culture, Darren Patmore announced to council that construction of the park is now complete. "It's officially finished," he remarked. "We are planning to have a grand opening in the spring once we get cosmetic touches done, including putting sod down."
Full Article

Sault Ste. Marie - City taking serious look at trails

2011-11-18T09:07:00.001-05:00

Approximately 40 people attended a workshop put on by the Eastern Upper Peninsula Regional Planning and Development Commission to get some early ideas on a vision statement for non-motorized transportation in Sault Ste. Marie. Plans for various sidewalks, bike lanes and bike trails have been on the books for decades, but the City of Sault Ste. Marie has recently decided to put more resources in to the project, starting with passing in 2010 a Complete Streets resolution.

Full Article.

Velo-city Global Call for Presentations

2011-11-11T11:03:00.001-05:00

Velo-city Global is the world's premier international cycling planning conference. The four day event offers delegates from around the world a chance to share best practices for creating and sustaining cycling-friendly cities, where bicycles are valued as part of daily transport and recreation.

The deadline date to submit your Call for Presentations is approaching: November 15, 2011

Suburban Vancouver office market driven by rapid transit: report

2011-11-11T11:01:00.001-05:00

According to the report, which addressed both suburban municipalities and the city of Vancouver’s outlying area, the direct vacancy rate for buildings within 0.5 kilometres of a rapid transit station is 4.8 per cent compared to 12.3 per cent for the rest of the market, while the average asking rents are approximately eight per cent higher.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Suburban+Vancouver+office+market+driven+rapid+transit+report/5563744/story.html#ixzz1dPgAWyk9

Tokyo police to strictly apply traffic rules against cyclists to reduce accidents

2011-11-11T10:56:00.001-05:00

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has decided to urge cyclists to ride in the left lanes of roads and will strictly crack down on people who do not obey traffic rules and ride on sidewalks, in a desperate effort to combat an increasing number of accidents involving bicycles and pedestrians.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111019p2a00m0na022000c.html

Economic Health Benefits Of Bikes For Commuting

2011-11-11T10:53:00.001-05:00

A study published in the scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives shows that swapping your car for short trips and replacing them with mass transit and active transport provides major health benefits. The study will be presented to the American Public Health Association in Washington, D.C. $3.8 billion per year are saved in avoided mortality and reduced health care costs for obesity and heart disease by replacing half of the short journeys with bicycle trips during the warmest six months of the year.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237094.php

Charlottetown - Bike, walk lane meetings analyze public's needs

2011-11-11T10:51:00.001-05:00

The consultant working to link the greater Charlottetown area with pedestrian and bike lanes met with young people and educators Wednesday night in Stratford, P.E.I. to discuss their needs.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2011/11/03/pei-stratford-youth-walk-bike-584.html

Coquitlam fills gaps in bike route

2011-11-11T10:50:00.001-05:00

Coquitlam transportation staff are putting together plans to fill several gaps in the city’s crosstown bicycle route, a 17-km trail that connects new neighbourhoods in the northeast with the southwest area and Lougheed SkyTrain Station.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/133193753.html