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  #221  
Old Posted Sep 1, 2010, 9:17 PM
adam-machiavelli adam-machiavelli is offline
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Any councillor who voted against this deserves to lose the upcoming election:



Ottawa council committee approves part of ambitious plan for more bike-friendly city


By Kate Jaimet, The Ottawa Citizen September 1, 2010 5:03 PM Be the first to post a comment



OTTAWA — An ambitious proposal to create a network of segregated bike lanes across downtown foundered at city council’s transportation committee Wednesday. But a last minute compromise saw councillors approve some less-contentious measures for promoting cycling in the city.

“I was headed for total defeat there for a stage, and rescued about 60 per cent,” said Councillor Jacques Legendre, whose 10-point motion was aimed at making Ottawa a more cycle-friendly city. “It has moved things forward, and I hope it will pass council.”

The committee agreed to dedicate an additional $5 million each year to fill in gaps in existing bike paths, with the money for cycling infrastructure to come from the city’s growth budget, not its “strategic initiatives” budget, which is chronically underfunded.

As well, if the committee’s recommendations are approved by council, new rapid transit stations and trains will be designed to accommodate cyclists, bike routes will have better signage, biking shortcuts will be built into new subdivisions, and the city will truly implement its existing policy to favour cycling, walking and transit over cars.

However, councillors on the committee didn’t support Legendre’s proposal to build several segregated lanes — both east-west and north-south — across the downtown core, as well as segregated bike lanes on all new or rebuilt urban roads.

Instead, they referred those parts of the proposal to staff for more study, especially awaiting the results of an initial, segregated bike lane pilot project proposed for next summer, which is already contentious with downtown businesses.

“It’s putting the cart before the horse,” Lori Mellor, executive director of the Preston Street Business Improvement Association, said of the proposal for a network of downtown bike lanes . “The pilot project should have the mandate to prove the demand, 12 months a year, for these facilities. If we can prove there are people coming on these lanes, it’s going to be a much easier sell.”

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen
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  #222  
Old Posted Sep 1, 2010, 9:33 PM
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AuxTown AuxTown is offline
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Those of you who have been good in the past at digging up this kind of data, could you please post the breakdown of who voted for and against this motion? For a city with the level of cycling commuters we do (the highest in the country), our councillors prove time and time again that their attitudes belong in Stittsville (counter-progressive and suburban).
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  #223  
Old Posted Sep 2, 2010, 1:31 PM
c_speed3108 c_speed3108 is offline
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Originally Posted by O-Town Hockey View Post
Those of you who have been good in the past at digging up this kind of data, could you please post the breakdown of who voted for and against this motion? For a city with the level of cycling commuters we do (the highest in the country), our councillors prove time and time again that their attitudes belong in Stittsville (counter-progressive and suburban).
I think myself that the motion was good but a tad broad. It seems high unnecessary to build bike lanes on all urban streets. Depending on how urban is defined. I can't see there being much need to bike lanes on small residential streets with minimal traffic. In other areas it is a no brainier..they definitely should be added when roads are built or rebuilt. In other areas say rideau street for instance there is a question of space.

The problem tends not to be the concept so such, but rather the line in stand wording of these types of motions. You tend to need a bit more wiggle room for local conditions.

Legendre is my current councilor and I am happy he is retiring. He takes these stupid stances on things and accomplishes nothing in the end.
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  #224  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2010, 2:56 PM
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They really want to play it safe by first seeing how the pilot project next year works out, despite all the proof of success and loads of examples of such lanes working in many other cities around the world.

Also, here is an interesting site I came across :
http://ottawabikingproblems.ca/
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  #225  
Old Posted Sep 8, 2010, 2:17 AM
rodionx rodionx is offline
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I got a knock on the door this evening, opened it up, and there's Diane Holmes standing there, looking frazzled. She hands me a pamphlet announcing a new bike lane on Lyon, tells me I should get my feedback in by the end of the week, and then gallops off, Lone Ranger style, to the next house. I've never met her before, and I'm not a known cycling advocate or anything. Can't complain about the service, but that was unusual.

And Lyon's getting a bike lane! It's only going to be painted, and it will start at Queen street rather than Wellington, but I ain't complaining.
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  #226  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2010, 8:34 PM
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Jan Gehl is coming to Ottawa on Wednesday... if you are free that night, this is a must-see IMO

How to turn Ottawa into a true cycling capital
Attend a presentation by world renowned expert Jan Gehl

Don't miss this important NCC event on making cycling and walking part of a more livable Ottawa.

When:
Wednesday, October 6th, 7:00 p.m.
Where:
Canadian Museum of Nature, 4th Floor Gallery, 240 McLeod Street (between Metcalfe and Elgin)


Meet top expert, architect and planner Jan Gehl, who is based in Copenhagen. With his consultancy, Gehl Architects, he has been highly-influential in making Copenhagen one of the most livable cities in the world.

Hear Gehl speak about his experience working on projects around the world and his ideas for making cycling and walking part of a more livable Capital Region.

Recently the consultancy he leads has been highly involved in the transformation of New York City. It has resulted in the permanent transition of Times Square toward a car-free pedestrian area. And NYC is now a city where European-style cycling lanes are becoming more prevalent.

* This is a free event, thanks to the NCC *

Don't miss it!

Jan Gehl is an expert in the transformation of cities to support vibrant communities, local businesses, high quality-of-life, strong economies and smart investment of tax dollars.

During his visit, Jan Gehl will also be working in collaboration with the National Capital Commission and its municipal partners. The public presentation on October 6 is an excellent opportunity to learn from Jan Gehl and to explore ways to develop a vigorous and integrated cycling strategy for the National Capital Region.


http://www.cycling-vision.ca/events/index.html

http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins...-135648&lang=1
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  #227  
Old Posted Oct 8, 2010, 10:23 PM
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Jan Gehl's talk was awesome, I hope they put it online (I emailed them but I haven't gotten any response yet). The room was packed.
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  #228  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 3:44 AM
Ottawan Ottawan is offline
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2010 Municipal Election signals a change in how Ottawa treats cycling infrastructure?

With Hobbs a member of the citizens for safe cycling, Chernushenko such a keen cyclist that he delivered his lawn signs by that method, Fleury stating that one of his focuses is on making the city more active and filling in gaps in cycling infrastructure in his ward, and one of the central issues for the Somerset ward race being the segregated bike lane, I hope that one of the improvements of the new council will be that we will see some real progess in becoming a more bicycle-friendly city.
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  #229  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 5:46 AM
adam-machiavelli adam-machiavelli is offline
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Originally Posted by rakerman View Post
Jan Gehl's talk was awesome, I hope they put it online (I emailed them but I haven't gotten any response yet). The room was packed.
It was a good talk and a much more lively atmosphere than when I saw him give a speech a day earlier at the CIP conference in Montreal.
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  #230  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 4:14 PM
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Originally Posted by Ottawan View Post
With Hobbs a member of the citizens for safe cycling, Chernushenko such a keen cyclist that he delivered his lawn signs by that method, Fleury stating that one of his focuses is on making the city more active and filling in gaps in cycling infrastructure in his ward, and one of the central issues for the Somerset ward race being the segregated bike lane, I hope that one of the improvements of the new council will be that we will see some real progess in becoming a more bicycle-friendly city.
All I can say is thank god I'm not living in Toronto with Rob Ford at the helm

Video Link
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  #231  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 4:43 PM
DarkArconio DarkArconio is offline
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I just noticed a new bike lane got added to Lyon, going with traffic (southbound). Does anyone know if a parallel one has been added to Kent and how far they both go?
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  #232  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 5:19 PM
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All I can say is thank god I'm not living in Toronto with Rob Ford at the helm

Video Link
Is that video taken out of context or is that how he really feels? He should be charged with a hate crime if he is serious. He is endorsing motorists to be assholes to bikers...... how shameful
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  #233  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 5:56 PM
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Is that video taken out of context or is that how he really feels? He should be charged with a hate crime if he is serious. He is endorsing motorists to be assholes to bikers...... how shameful
It's actual City of Toronto footage of their Budget Committee discussions. How could you possibly take that out of context?
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  #234  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 6:38 PM
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It's actual City of Toronto footage of their Budget Committee discussions. How could you possibly take that out of context?
Well maybe the meeting was about a road that he thought was unsafe for cyclists, and he would rather people have proper bike paths.... I dont know. I guess I am just shocked to hear someone say that when a cyclist dies it is his/her own fault....... what an idiot....
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  #235  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 8:44 PM
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Well maybe the meeting was about a road that he thought was unsafe for cyclists, and he would rather people have proper bike paths.... I dont know. I guess I am just shocked to hear someone say that when a cyclist dies it is his/her own fault....... what an idiot....
That guy needs to go to Montreal to see their bike lanes, and also has to realize that in Montreal they even manage to keep some of the main bike lanes operational year round, despite the fact that MTL gets WAY MORE snow than Toronto does, and is in general colder in the winter.

I mean look at the guy, he hasn't ridden a bike since he was 10 yrs old!
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  #236  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 9:07 PM
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That guy needs to go to Montreal to see their bike lanes, and also has to realize that in Montreal they even manage to keep some of the main bike lanes operational year round, despite the fact that MTL gets WAY MORE snow than Toronto does, and is in general colder in the winter.

I mean look at the guy, he hasn't ridden a bike since he was 10 yrs old!
He probably hates french canada as well....... Montreal is the new best canadian city now...... well was it ever not the best?

I hope the best for toronto......
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  #237  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 9:53 PM
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Well, he definitely hates streetcars.

If you can stand it, you can listen...to...his...transit...plan. He sort of tries to make concessions with cyclists, but you can tell he still wants them confined to bike paths and bike lanes "where they can be added without increasing traffic congestion".

It is mind boggling that 47% of Toronto voters elected this idiot for mayor. It makes the city look bad — World Class indeed. For the next four years I think Ottawa will be a better place to live
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  #238  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 10:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Kitchissippi View Post
Well, he definitely hates streetcars.

If you can stand it, you can listen...to...his...transit...plan. He sort of tries to make concessions with cyclists, but you can tell he still wants them confined to bike paths and bike lanes "where they can be added without increasing traffic congestion".

It is mind boggling that 47% of Toronto voters elected this idiot for mayor. It makes the city look bad — World Class indeed. For the next four years I think Ottawa will be a better place to live
I know about this guy. Doesn't adding bike lanes reduce traffic congestion?? Having bike lanes would certainly be better than having those guys who weave in and out of traffic to save a few minutes.....
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  #239  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2010, 10:45 PM
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Here's the way they separate some bike lanes in Shanghai. I thought this type of barrier could possibly be a way to define bike lanes on some downtown streets and make them safer when there are more cyclists in the summer; they could easily be removed to revert into shared lanes/on street parking in the winter when there are less riders.

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  #240  
Old Posted Oct 27, 2010, 3:51 AM
rodionx rodionx is offline
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Originally Posted by Kitchissippi View Post
Well, he definitely hates streetcars.

If you can stand it, you can listen...to...his...transit...plan. He sort of tries to make concessions with cyclists, but you can tell he still wants them confined to bike paths and bike lanes "where they can be added without increasing traffic congestion".
Well, it's a step up from condoning vehicular manslaughter. Maybe he's educable. Still, it will probably take about four years before this guy figures out that traffic congestion isn't the result of a shadowy left wing conspiracy. Of course, by that time voters will probably be oh so very tired of him.
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