Bike Calgary

CTV is looking for a handful of cycists for a promo shot on the Hextall Bridge (crossing the Bow next to Bowness Rd). They're shooting tomorrow Thursday around 2pm. If you have time and are interested, contact Matt Burlet <Matt.Burlet@bellmedia.ca> or 403-589-7905.

UPDATE: We're still looking for ward reps in wards 2-5, 7, 12 and 13.

We're looking for volunteers to serve as Ward Representatives. As ward rep, you'd be the liaison between Bike Calgary and your ward.  You'd alert the Bike Calgary Board of Directors to cycling-related issues in your ward, and work with the Board and your alderman to resolve them.  Perhaps you could even contact the community associations in your ward, help organize local bike events, and generally be the go-to person for cycling in your part of town.  In all of this, you'd of course be supported by the Board of Directors and our Task Forces, and if the need arises we'll get a team together to work with you.  But in the first instance and in the short term, really we just would like to have a set of eyes and ears in every ward.

• Find your ward by community here.
• Ward map.

If you're interested, please email volunteer@bikecalgary.org (with the number of your ward) or just comment below.

This Saturday, 9am-noon, the community associations of Cambrian Heights, Rosemont, and Triwood are holding a visioning session on the future of 14 St NW and Northmount Drive.  Students of the UofC Urban Studies program will compile the input into a report to be issued in April.  If you live in the area and ride your bike, perhaps you'll have an opinion on what could make the area around Northmount Dr and 14 St more bike friendly?  Please register ahead of time at http://calgarycommunities.com/events.php so the CFC can have an idea of numbers, but you're welcome to drop in as well.

A group of SAIT students is working on designing the perfect winter bike. Please take their survey! Many of us here on Bike Calgary of course already commute year-round, so answer their questions regarding "what prevents you from winter riding" as if they asked "what do you like least about winter riding", ok?

Hello Bike Calgary,

We are a team of mechanical engineering students at SAIT who want to solve the three season scandal for cycling in Calgary. Could you take a moment this week and fill in our survey so that we can get a solid idea of what the issues are surrounding year round cycling?

Follow this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/C69WCCF

We will be tallying the results early next week so please let us know how you feel before then!

Thanks,

Kerry/Jeremy/Matthew/Kyle

The City's Transportation Department does an annual count of cars, buses, pedestrians, and bicycles entering and exiting the Central Business District. This "CBD cordon count" is used to track the mode share of commuters. Last October, it was reported that the downtown mode share of transit has reached 50%.

Bike Calgary has just obtained the 2011 CBD cordon count data from the City.  The 22-hour count of bikes entering and leaving the CBD has broken 10,000 for the first time, up 6% over last year's number, and up almost 15% over 2009.  During the morning peak hour (7:15-8:15 am) only, which the City uses to measure the transportation mode share, 1,182 bikes were counted entering the CBD, of a total of 57,618 people in cars, buses, on bikes and on foot.  This amounts to a cycling mode share of 2.05% (up from 1.86% last year). (Other modes: drivers 33.4%, passengers 6.7%, transit 49.3%, pedestrians 8.6%.) [more]

The Bike Share Feasibility Report discussed last week at the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) on Transportation and Transit will go before City Council on Monday, February 6. The motion before council asks the City to prepare a business model and funding strategy for a public bike share program by October this year, and at the same time to report on progress on the implementation of the Comprehensive Cycling Strategy. You can watch the informative discussion at committee here (first part starts at 1:15, second at 2:30)

Bike share is a good idea, and Council should try to make it happen sooner rather than later.  This means making sure that dedicated, safe cycling infrastructure is in place throughout the Centre City by the time a public bike share program is rolled out. There is no need to delay investigating a funding plan and business model, if Council also takes a clear stand with Administration that cycling infrastructure downtown is a priority. [more...]

The Good Life is holding a fundraiser at Broken City tomorrow night (Thursday, February 2). Bands, prizes, silent auction, good times, and you'll be helping out the Good Life community bike shop in its quest to find a new home.

Broken City is at 613 11 Ave SW. If you're on facebook, you can join the event invite.

The City is looking for input on a major section of Crowchild Trail - from 24 Ave NW in the north to Glenmore Trail in the south - from motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Crowchild is a major artery and, depending on the area, also a seriously difficult road to get across (17 Ave SW area is a good example). 

If you have a few minutes fill out the survey and let's make sure cyclists' concerns are included in the data.

http://www.calgarycitynews.com/2012/01/public-input-wanted-for-crowchild...

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."