BikeCalgary

Standing Policy Committee on Transportation and Transit will be debating public bike share system tomorrow, Jan. 25

Jan. 24, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bike Calgary and the Bike Calgary Advocacy Committee are favourably disposed to the implementation of a public bike share (PBS) system in Calgary, provided that safe, functional and efficient Centre City bicycle infrastructure precedes the mobilization phase of the PBS system. "We support the recommendation to direct Administration to return by June 2012 with a business model and funding strategy for a PBS system with the understanding that staff or financial resources allocated to infrastructure, ongoing maintenance, and bicycle programs will not be diverted", says Bike Calgary president Brent Clark.

The cycling advocates believe that through approval and funding of the Cycling Strategy, Council demonstrated its commitment to providing Calgarians with better access to sustainable transportation options so that the 59% of Calgarians who want to cycle more often have the opportunity to do so. According to Bike Calgary, approval by the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) on Transportation and Transit to investigate the operation and funding of a PBS program is a step further in this direction and reinforces Council's commitment to increase bicycle mode-share. The organization also states that a PBS system in Calgary would be a great complement to Calgary's expanding public transportation network and a convenient way for Calgary's "interested but concerned" population (identified in the Cycling Strategy) to take up cycling.

However, Clark stresses that well planned and constructed bicycle infrastructure, accompanied by a comprehensive education and promotion campaign, is the foundation for a safe and successful PBS program.  Clark says: "If limitations to financial or staff resources prevent such infrastructure and promotions from being in place prior to PBS mobilization, Bike Calgary recommends Council delay the PBS program until the conditions are right to ensure success."

As you may be aware, the Fall of 2011 was a busy one for members of the Bike Calgary Board of Directors and our associates on the Bike Calgary Advocacy Committee. Much activity focused on the City’s plan to develop a Centre City Cycle Network through engagement with the cycle community as per the following Council-approved amendment to the Cycle Strategy:

AS AMENDED, MOTION ARISING, Moved by Alderman G-C. Carra, Seconded by Alderman A. Chabot, that with respect to Report LPT2011-63, while broadly supportive of the Cycling Strategy, that Council direct the Administration to review Appendix A of Attachment 7 [Cycling Strategy] to determine, through engagement with the Cycle Community, an updated East-West and North-South separated Cycle Route Network through the Centre City, as part of the implementation plan for the [Cycling] Strategy.

Bike Calgary/Bike Calgary Advocacy Committee (Bike Calgary), along with the Calgary Pathways and Bikeways Advisory Council (CPAC) and Calgary tour de nuit Society (CtdnS), was requested, as a representative of the “cycling community”, to participate in the engagement process. In order to best represent the needs of the cycling community, Bike Calgary set up a survey on our website, asking for feedback on route choices, and conducted an engagement workshop, held in a Centre City location on October 11^th. Getting the word out was done by an intercept flyer distribution blitz at various points in the Centre City, explaining what was on the horizon, and by asking website visitors to share the posted information with their contacts. The results of the over 300 responses were analyzed and formed the basis of the subsequent workshop discussions. Details of the survey can be viewed at http://bikecalgary.org/centercity.

Bike Calgary then participated in two engagement workshops, held October 15^th and 29^th. In the course of those workshops, participants identified the criteria necessary for separated on-street cycle corridors, identified actual corridors meeting the criteria and devised a timeframe for study and implementation of cycle facilities within the corridors. The recommendations stemming from the workshops were formally reiterated by Bike Calgary and CPAC in two letters (see below), submitted to the City of Calgary in November and December, 2011. Following is a brief collation of the outcomes of the Centre City Workshops and the recommendations. (Click "read more" for the full report.)

Howdy Bike Friends!

If you enjoyed the Cyclepalooza festival last year, wanted to attend but couldn't, or simply want to contribute to the biggest bike festival in Calgary in 2012 - PLEASE COME TO THIS MEETING!

On a serious note, most of the individuals that were on the steering committee for the first festival have indicated that they cannot run the show this year so we are hoping a new crop of bike folks can step up to ensure the festival goes forward in 2012.

The objective of the first meeting is to -

• find people interested in being on the steering committee
• decide on dates for the event
• discussion of important to-do items

Please make the time to attend and lets make the 2012 Cyclepalooza Festival bigger and better than last year.

Date - Jan 30
Place - BikeBike 1501 17 ave SW
Time - 7pm

(If you're on facebook, you can rsvp here.)

The Good Life community bike shop has lost its lease and will likely have to clear the space it's been occupying at Eau Claire Market for the past three years by February 17.  This comes as a shock to many in the cycling community: the Good Life has been front and centre in advocating for cycling, organizing workshops and events, providing space, tools, and know how for people to build and fix bikes, providing low cost used bicycles, and offering support to marginalized groups through cycling.  The loss of the space, needless to say, is a crisis.

Here's some background from Lonnie Taylor, Open File, Calgary Herald, and the Herald's Pedal blog. See also the press release posted in the comments.

The Good Life is looking for help. Unless the situation changes, they'll have to sell off their used bikes, locate storage facilities, pack and move tools and inventory, and of course find a suitable new space as soon as possible.  All of this has to be coordinated, of course.  If you have any ideas, would like to offer assistance, or wold just like to be kept in the loop, please send an email to info@goodlifebikes.ca.  You can also follow the GL on facebook (page, group, event).

There will be an emergency meeting very shortly. UPDATE: Meeting to discuss plan for action on Monday Jan 16, 2012 at 6:30 pm at the Good Life. Here's the facebook event if you want to RSVP.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Bike Calgary's directors and volunteers for their hard work in ensuring that Bike Calgary is effectively representing the concerns of Calgary Cyclists to Council and City Administration.

I would also like to thank our partner organizations, under the Bike Calgary Advocacy umbrella, Elbow Valley Cycle Club, Bike Root Campus Bicycle Society of Calgary, Alberta Randonneurs, Good Life Community Bike Shop and the Sustainable Alberta Association/Commuter Challenge for their continued support.

2011 has been an exciting year for cycling in Calgary with the buzz really getting going with the public release of the Cycling Strategy Report and Pathway Safety Review Report. The last few months have been particularly busy with our involvement in the West LRT cycle network improvements, working towards ensuring the floating bike lanes on 10th Avenue meet the needs of cyclists and participating with the City to develop a revised plan for a Centre City Cycle Network.

Through this we have received a number of messages of thanks via bikecalgary.org, email and in personal conversation. It is encouraging to know that we are making a difference we appreciate your support. We ask those of you following our efforts to help out by continuing to provide feeback via the website forums, volunteering to assist with some of our initiatives or simply taking a few moments to voice your support for improved cycling infrastructure to your elected representatives. Ensuring Calgary and surrounding areas has a safe, functional and efficient transportation and recreational cycle network is important to the future of our City. We look forward to seeing more of our ideas put into action in the coming year.

Happy Holidays!

Brent Clark

Bike Calgary, President

The City has started to release plans for bike route improvements along the West LRT:

"Planning for Phase 1 was initiated in the spring of 2011 and includes the 45 Street, Westbrook, and Shaganappi Point LRT stations. The City of Calgary engaged a stakeholder group comprised of representatives from the area communities and the cycling community to develop a system of improvements that will provide cycling routes leading into each of the West LRT station areas.

Planning for Phase 2 will begin in early 2012 and includes the 69 Street, Sirocco, and Sunalta LRT stations."

Previous discussions of the plans can be found here and here.

Changes to the setup of the bike route on 10 Ave SW at the end of October prompted extensive discussion between Bike Calgary and the Transportation Department. Since the change added space on the road dedicated for cyclists, Bike Calgary overall found the changes to be positive at the time. Nevertheless, even before the paint went on the street, we put forward a number of concerns.  They included:

• Lack of accommodations for cyclists at the 10 Ave/14 St SW intersection
• Lack of pavement markings indicating that the WB lane is to be shared between cars and cyclists outside of the 3:30-6pm commute hour, when the bike lane is in effect.
• Sharrows on the EB side of 10 Ave should not be placed in the door zone.
• Concern that drivers will disregard the driving and parking restrictions in the floating bike lane, and the need for information, monitoring, and enforcement.

The City at the time assured Bike Calgary that our concerns would be taken into account, if not at the time of implementation, at least when the changes are reviewed next year, and that the use or misuse of the bike lane would be monitored and infractions enforced.

No changes were made to the initial plan, and cyclists now have no accommodation at the 10 Ave/14 St intersection, there are no sharrows on the north side of 10 Ave, and sharrows on the south side were placed in the door zone.  There are no signs instructing drivers to yield to cyclists when merging into the bike lane, and the city's information page on the 10 Ave SW bike route contains no such information either.  We expect these problems to be fixed when the changes are reviewed next year.

Although initially motorists seemed to for the most part obey the driving and parking restrictions in the floating bike lane during afternoon commute hours, the situation has deteriorated significantly after lighted information signs were removed and as cycling traffic has decreased with snow and lower temperatures. A youtube video posted yesterday by Cyclepalooza Calgary shows that the bike lane is well-used despite winter conditions: Even in the middle of December, over 5% of rush-hour traffic on 10 Ave consists of cyclists. 

However:

• Drivers disobey the driving restrictions at an alarming rate. About 25% of car traffic uses the bike lane to skip car lineups leading up to bottlenecks at the intersections with 4, 5, 8, and 14 St SW.
• Drivers regularly turn into the bike lane off 4, 5, and 8 Streets, and when exiting parking lots and garages. Even more dangerous is the apparently commonplace practice of exiting the driving lane impatiently to enter the bike lane, often without signaling.
• Despite 10 Ave being a major cycling route, snow clearing of the bike lane and the EB curb lane is spotty at best.
• There is no indication that cars parked or stopped illegally in the bike lane are ticketed or towed by the Calgary Parking Authority, despite repeated requests to do so.
• There is no indication that the Calgary Police Service monitors or enforces the driving restrictions in the floating bike lane during the afternoon commute hour, despite repeated requests to do so.

Bike Calgary has brought the issues to the City's attention again. It remains to be seen if stepped-up enforcement of the floating bike lane and other small changes can make 10 Ave SW safe and usable for cyclists. The situation now, however, highlights significant concerns with the implementation of the 10 Ave floating bike lane.

Guess you've all seen yesterday's Sun coverSun Cover Bike Share -- "cycle of waste" -- and the two opinion pieces by Michael Platt here and here. It's about the feasibility study requested as part of the Cycling Strategy discussion at council in July.  The study is now done and will go to the Standing Policy Committee on Land Use and Transportation tomorrow.

Platts pieces are overall negative, as usual, and some of his points are either false or misleading. E.g., the McGill study (about Bixi in Montreal) he refers to did not find that bike share trips mostly replace walking trips -- only 25% of Bixi trips replace walking trips. He cites the projected costs at $2.4m for setup and $1.1m annually in operating cost -- but fails to mention the potential revenue and that the feasibility study projects an operating surplus by the end of year two, which would pay for the setup costs by year 7, or that funding the system from tax dollars was never even proposed.  Commenters at the Sun draw their own unwarranted conclusions and state half-facts, e.g.,

• "harebrained decision!" -- when no decision has been made yet,
• "Do it like in Ottawa where the private sector provides bike share!" -- the Ottawa/Montreal model would probably be followed here too, and would work much like the Calgary Parking Authority works;
• "idiotic without bike lanes!" -- wouldn't be implemented now but in two years when hopefully we'll have bike lanes;
• "the winter! the snow!" -- just like in other cities, the bikes would be stored for winter; etc.

He also makes some good points, which were made in these forums as well when the Cycling Strategy first came out: Will it be used? Should we get bike lanes first?

What do you think? Projections too optimistic?  Cart before the horse?

In case you couldn't get to bikecalgary.org today, our aplogoies!  With the budget passed, we've now finally had time to do a much-needed upgrade of the Drupal code that runs the website.  While we were at it, we've also installed a few things which should make life easier for you.

• Every post now has a bunch of icons that you can use to share posts on Twitter, facebook, Google+, etc.  If your favorite service isn't on there, let us know and we'll try to include it.
• bikecalgary.org should now automagically realize if you're viewing the page on a smartphone and display a mobile version of the site. If you don't like that, you can switch to the regular version using the link in the footer.
• There's now a little camera icon in the editor. That's to upload images. Yes, you read that right. You can upload images directly into your posts.  Don't go crazy with that, though, please! Oh yeah, emoticons available now, too!

Please comment if you have any suggestions, anything doesn't work or doesn't work the way (you think) it should.

Dear Fellow Cyclists,

We are sure you have heard that the cycling community in Calgary landed a major victory this past week by having Council approve funding for the operating and capital costs associated with implementing the Cycling Strategy.  This decision has been the focus of our advocacy efforts for the past year.  

The Strategy was passed in principle by Council in July with the budget being referred to the recent budget process.  

Through coordinated efforts, the cycling community played a crucial role in gaining Council approval of the Strategy.  CivicCamp took the initial step of inviting Calgary’s cycling organizations to participate in a full-day workshop to identify major issues and successes of the Strategy. Participating organizations unanimously determined that adoption of the Strategy was in the best interest of Calgary cyclists and voiced this support through a jointly signed letter to Council.  Our support was reiterated at the Land Use Planing and Transportation Committee meeting where each organization made a case for adoption of the Strategy.  Over 20 presentations demonstrated to committee members overwhelming support for the cycling strategy amongst the vast majority of Calgary cyclists and this unified voice resulted in the Committee passing the Strategy.  

Recognizing the continued need to speak with “one voice”, it was subsequently agreed that a coalition would be in the cycling community’s best interest, whereby member organizations would maintain their individual mandates and work to define a unanimous position on issues of mutual interest.  

This newly founded advocacy group has made significant strides.  In the past few months, it has: formed committees (Infrastructure, Promotion/Education, Research, and Fundraising); attended meetings and workshops with the City of Calgary; designed and hosted a route survey; created a "Connecting Communities" campaign; written letters to members of Council as well as Administration; handed out flyers; posted posters; updated the Bike Calgary website with data, FAQs, pictures, and more; hosted events; and, distributed press releases.

This work could not have been completed without our volunteers, or the many Calgarians who've filled out our survey or followed our calls to contact their Aldermen or otherwise support the cause of making Calgary more bike-freindly. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed.  We'd like to share a few messages that have been recently received.