Pathways | Paths for People eNews (March 2019)

MISSING LINKS

Our crowd-sourced inventory of Edmonton's active transportation infrastructure gaps

Connection to City Sidewalks Report

Paths for People spoke about gaps in sidewalks across the city at this week's Urban Planning Committee, on March 19.

It was in relation to our Missing Links initiative and how it showcases sidewalk issues, also found in the City Sidewalks Report.

The city's inventory identified more than 91 kilometres of missing sidewalks in Edmonton.

Read the City Sidewalks Report

The city currently has $2 million allocated over the next four years toward sidewalk construction.

We encouraged the city to make more funds available to fix and install sidewalks at a faster pace.

The Motion

Councillor Paquette put forward a motion on March 19, it includes:

1. That Administration provide a report to Urban Planning Committee including a detailed inventory map visually outlining missing connections, an updated budget and an action plan for addressing these missing connections.

2. That Administration bring a sidewalk priority list as an attachment to the SCBA, and corresponding budget requirements.

This work is due by June 11, 2019.

Read Urban Planning Committee minutes

Missing Link case studies

Transportation engineer and Paths for People board member, Marcel Huculak is exploring possible improvements at five of the identified Missing Links in Edmonton.

With the help of a graphic designer, Melissa Bui, mock-ups will be created to imagine how the suggested improvements could look and operate.

An exhibition of the five before and after images will be on unveiled at Jobber’s Art Hole window on Jasper Avenue next month, as well as on our website.

Missing Links Map

Submit a Missing Link

AROUND EDMONTON

Developments in active transportation across the city

Vision Zero Progress

Speed limits on Edmonton neighbourhood streets may soon drop from 50 km/h to 40 km/h. Four city councillors unanimously agreed with exploring this decrease in speed limits, on March 20. That's after nearly a dozen people urged them to take immediate action on traffic safety.

The new proposed limit reflecting the 10 km/h drop on local, residential roads will come back to council committee on April 24 for more debate.

Read about the progress

Pedestrian-friendly rebuild for Old Strathcona

The neighbourhood renewal for the south central community will add bike lanes, shared-use paths, curb extensions, trees, new sidewalks and other features.

The project is slated to be built between May 2019 and October 2021.

See Old Strathcona Renewal Plan

100 signs along 106 Street come down

About 100 street signs along a cluttered section of 106 Street in south Edmonton are in the process of being removed.

Within a 15-block distance, there were playground zone notifications and speed limits to bike lane advisories, traffic advisories and more. The city has acknowledged the redundancy of signs and agreed some could be removed.

Find out more about sign removals

WHAT WE'RE READING

Local, national and international articles on active transportation

Edmonton to review sidewalk snow and ice control policy
CBC Edmonton

To protect pedestrians, cities are going back to the future
Globe & Mail

Residents raise concerns about west Edmonton street after 2 teens struck by school bus
Global News

Montreal will reduce speed limits to make streets safer for pedestrians
CBC

How to get more women cycling in cities
The Guardian

Transit raises property values, lowers poverty
Streetsblog USA

Guilty until proven helmeted
Outside Magazine

What's going on with High Level Line?
High Level Line

Calgary councillor says cyclists should be able to yield at stop signs
Calgary Herald

OPPORTUNITIES

Active-transportation-related events, resources and research

Garneau Neighbourhood Renewal: Community Walk & Ideas Workshop

Join your neighbours to discuss how you envision the future of Garneau.

There are two parts to the day, first a walk to explore the area and its possible solutions. This is followed by a workshop session.

April 6 at 9:30am-2:45pm
McKernan Community Centre
11341 78 Avenue

It's free.

BAMF

The experience of riding a bike is artfully captured in a series of human-scale images on black-and-white film. Local visual artist Zachary Ayotte explores the relationship of the physical—bodies and the spaces they inhabit—to our conceptual and political landscapes.

Until April 27
Latitude 53
10242 106 Street

Visit the photography exhibition

Bike 2019

The Centre for Active Living is hosting the cross sector exchange between researchers, policy-makers and practitioners around cycling as a mode of active transport.

May 7 - Edmonton
May 8 - Calgary

The conference's keynote speaker is Dr. Jennifer Dill. She is a professor of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University (PSU), Director of PSU’s Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC), and Director of the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC).