Video - Chicago's First Segregated Bike Lane

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

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

[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?

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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.