Urge the Province to Upgrade the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge

The Ironworkers Memorial Bridge (IWMB) is a critical regional commuter, recreational and touring cycling and pedestrian link connecting the North Shore with Burnaby and Vancouver via routes including the Trans Canada Trail, North Shore Spirit Trail, Portside Bikeway, Cassiar Bikeway, Dollarton Highway Bike Lanes and the Inter River and Bridgman Park trail system.

Photo: Alex Pope

Upon the completion of the new Port Mann Bridge, the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge will likely be the worst bridge for cycling and walking in the region. The narrow sidewalks are barely wide enough to cycle on. Several people have suffered injuries due to their handlebars getting caught on the railings. It is also not possible to pass other cyclists or pedestrians without dismounting. In addition to creating problems for current users, the poor quality of both the on-bridge and access facilities and the related safety issues likely discourage many potential users from walking, wheeling, cycling or skating over the bridge.

BCCC and Hub representatives met with Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure MoTI staff regarding options for improving the bridge and the access to the bridge. At this meeting, we were informed of the Sidewalk Railing Concept Study, Hatch Mott MacDonald, July 2009 commissioned by MoTI evaluating improvements to the IWMB including wider sidewalks and suicide prevention barriers.

The Hon. Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure recently announced that the province will be adding suicide prevention barriers to the bridge. The BCCC has contacted MoTI staff  but so far, no one knows if the plans include wider sidewalks yet. The BCCC then sent a letter to Minster Lekstrom inquiring about wider sidewalks and encouraging their inclusion in the project.

Now is the Time to Widen the Sidewalks
We believe the cost of the suicide prevention barriers is at least $5 million dollars and the widened sidewalks and improved access will be an additional $10 million or so if both are done at the same time. It would cost much more to widen the sidewalks after the suicide prevention barriers are installed and there would be additional traffic disruption.

Take Action

Please write the Hon. Blair Lekstrom - Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, blair.lekstrom.mla@leg.bc.ca to encourage the province to widen the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge sidewalks and improve the access to the bridge now.

Tell him about your challenges on the bridge and what an improved bridge would mean to you, your family and community.

Please cc your MLA. Here are the ones near the Bridge:
Richard T. Lee – MLA, Burnaby North, richard.lee.mla@leg.bc.ca
Jane Thornthwaite – MLA, North Vancouver-Seymour, jane.thornthwaite.mla@leg.bc.ca
Hon. Naomi Yamamoto – MLA, North Vancouver-Lonsdale, naomi.yamamoto.mla@leg.bc.ca
Jenny Wai Ching Kwan – MLA, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, jenny.kwan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Shane Simpson – MLA, Vancouver-Hastings, shane.simpson.mla@leg.bc.ca

You can find others at at: http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm

As well, cc:
Premier@gov.bc.ca , kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca, mike.dejong.mla@leg.bc.ca, ida.chong.mla@leg.bc.ca, terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca, pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca,dawn.black.mla@leg.bc.ca, adrian.dix.MLA@leg.bc.ca, harry.bains.mla@leg.bc.ca, s.chandraherbert.mla@leg.bc.ca, lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca

The Federal Government could also help fund these improvements so it never hurts to copy or send a quick message to your MP.

Here are the ones near the Bridge:
Andrew Saxton - MP North Vancouver, andrew.saxton@parl.gc.ca

John Weston - MP West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, john.weston@parl.gc.ca

Libby Davies - MP Vancouver East, libby.davies@parl.gc.ca
Kennedy Stewart - MP Burnaby—Douglas, Kennedy.Stewart@parl.gc.ca

Other MPs can be found at:

http://www.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

Bike Lanes Needed at Fulford Ferry Terminal

From John Rowlandson of Island Pathways:


Will BC Ferries continue its practice of securing public roadbed for motor vehicle traffic without considering cycling and pedestrian access and egress to its terminals? Unfortunately yes. After almost two years of consultation with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI), BC Ferries has ignored the solutions presented by local and provincial bodies and opted to do nothing to enhance the safety of cyclists, pedestrians and transit users on Salt Spring.

On May 8th, the local Ferry Advisory Committee heard that BCF would be asking MOTI to transfer its public road resource to the ferry corporation so that BCF can widen its existing holding lane. Although MOTI earlier had indicated that sufficient room was available for a bike land/sidewalk, BCF has ignored this option and will move forward with lane widening.

The Fulford terminal is the busiest minor BC Ferries route on the coast. Last year 640,000 passengers moved through the village. Local NGOs such as Island Pathways and the Salt Spring Island Transportation Commission proposed a multi-modal approach to the terminal enhancement, insisting that all modes of travel including cyclists must be addressed in the upgrade. They are urging MoTI to support bike lanes in the Fulford ferry terminal upgrade project.
Fulford is the launch point for the CRD Regional Trail on Salt Spring which will be confirmed in the soon-to-be-published CRD Regional Pedestrian and Cycling Masterplan. Those concerned with BCFerries actions should contact Hon. Blair Lekstrom - Minister of Transporation and Infrastructure ( blair.lekstrom.mla@leg.bc.ca), Harry Bains - Critic for Transportation and Infrastructure (harry.bains.mla@leg.bc.ca)

 Salt Spring MLA Murray Coell (Murray.Coell.MLA@leg.bc.ca), Sannich South MLA Lana Popham(lana.popham.mla@leg.bc.ca) and Capital Regional District Director for Salt Spring, Wayne McIntyre (directorssi@crd.bc.ca). 


Some good information in http://www.gulfislandsdriftwood.com/news/149933965.html

Urge Premier Clark to Approve Funding for Transit and Cycling

Unfortunately, it looks like Premier Clark may be getting cold feet regarding funding for transit and cycling. The Metro Vancouver mayors have requested that the province give the region the authority to implement funding measures for transit and cycling including a vehicle levy, road pricing or a carbon tax. This is in spite of promises to work with the region's mayors to fund funding solutions.

With by-elections just announced and the provincial election just a year away, it seems like Premier Clark may be greatly overestimating the political risk of supporting funding for transit. Sure, there is a very vocal anti-tax minority who clog the airways and Internet but it certainly appears as if the average voter supports transit. The large majority of mayors who championed funding for transit just before the elections won by landslides.

The last Premier who rejected a vehicle levy approved by regional politicians, Ujjal Dosanjh, faired very poorly, losing by a landslide. Rejecting transit funding certainly appears to be a bad political move.

Giving people transportation choices by improving transit and cycling is good for everyone. Reductions in motor vehicle traffic reduces collisions and the associated health care and insurance costs. The economic cost of motor vehicle collisions is around 3% of GDP costing the regional economy billions of dollars a year. Congestion is also reduced meaning drivers can get where they need to go faster. For only $30 dollars a year, it seems a bargain.

Cycling and transit are also affordable transportation options that help cushion the high cost of housing in the region.

In addition to increasing the funding for cycling from $3 to $6 million a year, according to TransLink this funding will significantly improve transit around the region. "By 2014, annual bus and SeaBus service will increase by 415,000 hours, or 7%, providing more service around the region toimprove reliability, reduce crowding and serve new demand frompopulation growth and the expanded U-Pass BC program."

Email Premier Clark
Please email Premier Clark and urge her to support the vehicle levy, carbon tax and other funding for transit:
Hon. Christy Clark Premier@gov.bc.ca and cc: adrian.dix.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Please cc your MLA. You can find their email address at:http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm

World Invited to Salt Spring Island to Experience Bicycle-Heaven-on-Earth

British Columbia looks to be the centre of the cycling universe this June. In addition to Velo-city Global 2012 in Vancouver from the 26-29, Salt Spring Island will be hosting Velo Village.

Island Pathways organizers today announced that registration for all Velo Village activities is now open. “Velo Village celebrates rural cycling,” said Island Pathways President, Brenda Guiled, “Between June 21st and 23rd, Salt Spring Island will be bicycle-heaven-on-earth – the most welcoming place on this planet to be on a bike.”

Guiled noted that “there will be fun, games and knowledge exchange – all at an affordable price.” In addition to bicycle-themed performances, art exhibits and workshops, Velo Village will demonstrate the joy, wonder, and value of rural cycling in British Columbia. In development for almost a year, festival highlights include:

·     June 18th to 25th – Bike photography, sculpture, paintings, mixed media and working bike exhibits will be on display at Art Spring

·     Thursday, June 21st – a solstice themed Film-at-the-Farm. Cyclists enjoy the longest evening of the year powering the sound and projection systems for acoustic acts and a feature film presentation at this zero-footprint event.

·     Friday, June 22nd – more than 200 delegates attend the Cycling and Rural Mobility Conference – a think tank and networking event for bringing the interests of city cyclists and their country cousins closer together. That evening,  Islanders join delegates for an Art auction supporting World Bicycle Relief and the Spoke ‘N Song Gala, featuring human-powered adventurers Colin & Julie Angus.

·Saturday, June 23rd – At 10:00 am BC’s first cyclist-only ferry leaves Swartz Bay for Fulford Harbour. Carrying 400 cyclists, the BIKE FERRY will be the point-of-departure for a day of family-oriented events: rides, workshops, musical acts and more.

Jean Gelwicks, a Velo Village organizer, describes the festival as a transformational event. “As beautiful as our Island home already is,” said Gelwicks,  “Velo Village will reveal an entirely new dimension. Nearly a hundred beautifully painted bikes will line the cycle routes, Islanders will wave to and welcome visiting cyclists, and merchants will make  special offers available to cyclists during the three days of the event.”

Persons wishing to attend the event are advised to register and book accommodations early (http://velovillage.ca/registration/). 

Urge the Federal Government to Mandate Truck Side Guards

Side guards on trucks can help prevent serious injury and death in collisions with cyclists and pedestrians.

From the Globe and Mail:

Side guards are designed to prevent exposed road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, from falling under the sides of trucks and getting crushed by the back wheels. The recent death of a cyclist in Toronto has reignited the issue of whether the federal government should make them mandatory.

The family members of cyclists who have died in collisions with trucks are urging the Federal Government to take action. From Grieving families plead for truck side guards:

“The Canadian government has a responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens. Side guards are a no-brainer, like seatbelts and airbags,” said Karen MacNeil Hartmann, whose husband, cyclist Ulrich Hartmann, was killed by a cement truck on Sept. 11, 2006. 

Speaking at the Kensington Market yoga studio where Jenna Morrison taught before the young, pregnant cyclist was killed by a truck earlier this month, MacNeil Hartmann said she still searches her soul to understand the senseless death of the man she described as a “gentle teddy bear.”

In addition to protecting cyclists, side guards can also protect people in automobiles, SUVs and pickup trucks.

Take Action
Safetrucks.ca has a lot of information and ways that you can help out. They have also started a petition in support of safer trucks.

While the federal government needs to take action to make side guards mandatory throughout the country, cities, companies and other organizations can help by installing side guards on their trucks and requiring their suppliers to do the same. Montreal borough St. Laurent, has started installing side guards on their trucks.

MP Oliva Chow has introduced Bill C-344 calling for mandatory side guards on trucks. There is also a petition in support of the bill on her site.

Please email Denis.lebel@parl.gc.ca and cc your Member of Parliament in support of mandatory side guards on trucks.

Also cc: olivia.chow@parl.gc.ca, Elizabeth.may@parl.gc.ca, denis.coderre@parl.gc.ca, James.Moore@parl.gc.ca, John.Weston@parl.gc.ca, Fin.Donnelly@parl.gc.ca, Libby.Davies@parl.gc.ca, Joyce.Murray@parl.gc.ca, Hedy.Fry@parl.gc.ca

Here is the BCCC's letter:

January 10, 2012

The Honourable Denis Lebel

Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities

330 Sparks Street

Ottawa, ON    K1A 0N5

Dear Minister Lebel:

Re: Truck Side Guard Legislation

The British Columbia Cycling Coalition strives to encourage all levels of government to make cycling a safe and enjoyable means of transportation for everyone.

On May 9, 2007, Ms. Olivia Chow MP introduced a petition in the Commons asking for legislation that trucks and trailers in Canada have underrun protection similar to the European ECE Regulation No. 73. The petition was initiated by the Toronto Cycling Committee after a number of cycling deaths involving trucks. Further support was found in a recommendation by the 1998 analysis of deaths among Toronto’s cyclists by the Regional Coroner for Toronto. Soon after she introduced the petition, two cyclists were killed in Portland, OR, as a result of collisions with trucks. One accident was due to a cyclist being in the blind spot of a truck.

The Regional Coroner for Toronto concluded that trucks and other heavy vehicles were involved in 37% of accidents leading to the deaths of cyclists in that city. The British Columbia Coroner’s study of bicycling deaths in BC over the period 1986 to 1995 showed that in 34% of the cases a cyclist died as a result of a collision with a truck or other heavy vehicle. This latter analysis also shows that bicycle helmets offer only limited protection in accidents with trucks, especially when the cyclist is pulled under the wheels of the truck or the trailer.

At the time,  the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition, one of our member organizations, wrote a letter to the then Minister of Transportation asking him to introduce legislation requiring that large motor vehicles like trucks and trailers have sideguards in order to protect cyclists and pedestrians from serious injury or death in the event of a collision.

As cities around Canada are actively encouraging the use of bicycles, we will see a continuous increase in the number of bicycles on the road, not only in the cities, but also on provincial roads. We think it therefore mandatory that the government should move on this issue with laws and rules that will make traffic safer. In particular, underrun protection and blind spot mirrors are relatively cheap and effective measures to increase the safety around trucks and other heavy vehicles. They can prevent fatalities and serious injuries in case of accidents.

In Europe, open side underrun protection has been mandatory since 1995. There is, however, a movement to take an additional step and make closed side underrun protection mandatory. Closed protection is safer in that victims cannot be caught in the protection itself and has two added benefits: better fuel efficiency, and less spray when it rains. It is important to note that (side) underrun protection is to the benefit of cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and car drivers. Making it mandatory would increase traffic safety for all road users and would also reduce health care and insurance costs

In addition to underrun protection, blind spot mirrors are another important device for increasing the safety around trucks. The better the driver can see what is going on around the vehicle, the better he or she can anticipate the admittedly sometimes less than admirable behaviour of other traffic participants.

Accidents involving trucks have a high human toll. These accidents are more likely to result in fatalities and serious injuries and vulnerable road users like bicyclists and pedestrians are often the victims. But let us also not forget the trauma these accidents can cause to the truck drivers when the circumstances of the accident show that nothing done on their part could have prevented the deadly outcome.

MP Olivia Chow has now renewed her efforts to encourage the Government of Canada to introduce legislation to make sideguard protection on trucks mandatory.  Since 2007, we know that at least 2 cyclists have died in Metro Vancouver from crashes involving trucks and recently cyclists in Toronto and Victoria where run over and killed by trucks. 

The British Columbia Cycling Coalition therefore urges you to initiate and support legislation on this issue that will make Canada’s streets and highways safer for all road users, especially the most vulnerable.

Sincerely,

Richard Campbell,

President, British Columbia Cycling Coalition

president@bccc.bc.ca

cc:            Olivia Chow, NDP Transportation Critic                                   

Elizabeth May, Leader, Green Party of Canada                       

Hon. Denis Coderre,  Liberal Party Transportation Critic           

Hon. James Moore - MP Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam
John Weston - MP West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country
Fin Donnelly, MP New Westminster—Coquitlam
Libby Davies, MP Vancouver East
Joyce Murray, MP Vancouver Quadra
Hon. Hedy Fry, MP Vancouver Centre

A Great AGM on Saltspring

A great AGM and weekend on Saltspring. Thanks to John Rowlandson, new president Brenda Guiled and all the members of Island Pathways for being such fantastic hosts.

Photo - J. Rowlandson

Welcome to all the new directors Rob Bernhardt, Kevin Chan, Rand Chatterjee, Arne Elias, David Hay, Richard Littlemore, Joshua Prowse, Sam Stephens, Ken Wuschke and welcome back to the returning directors Jim Alix, Jack Becker, Colin Brander, Brian Collier, Rhiannon Chernencoff, Arno Schortinghuis, Ed Schum and Peter Stary.

As the new BCCC president, I am excited that we have such a talented board with a diverse range of experiences. A special thanks to outgoing president Jack Becker for his tremendous contributions to the BCCC and cycling in the province. He is staying on the board as Past President and will be very busy over the next few months in his role as Conference Director of Velo-city Global 2012 Vancouver.

Thanks also to Ken Wuschke for standing for nomination as president. I believe this is the first time we have had an actually election, an important milestone for the BCCC. Ken spoke passionately of the need to ensure that the BCCC effectively represents cyclists throughout the province and provides local cycling groups and chapters with the support they need to be successful.  I look forward to working with Ken and other directors on making the BCCC BCCC a strong province-wide organization.

Thank you to the former directors who have stepped down including Rob Rao, who did a great job as Vice President; Sue Vince; Joe Goodwill and Peter Kortegast.

European Cyclists' Federation Secretary General Dr. Bernhard Ensink, spoke to the goal of the ECF to help facilitate the creation of a world cycling organization and suggested that the BCCC should join the ECF and participate in these discussions. The board will consider putting in an application at an upcoming board meeting.

The AGM finished off with discussions on provincial cycling safety and tourism strategies, two important BCCC initiatives for the coming year.

Island Pathways AGM

Salish Sea Bicycle Circuit

At the Island Pathways AGM on Saturday, it was quite inspiring to hear more about all the great initiatives Island Pathways are working on including Velo Villagehttp://velo-village2012.blogspot.com/, Partners Creating Pathways, the Bicycle Working Group, Helmets for Life, the Historical Bike Map, Bicycle Racks at Island businesses and the Salish Sea Bicycle Circuit.

Ride to Ruckle

The weather was nice and sunny on Sunday morning for the ride to Ruckle Park. The bicycles, however, were not so cooperative with cable repairs and my slow leak quickly becoming too fast to ignore. I ended up having to turn the tire inside out in the end to find the little bit of glass that was the culprit. Still, Saltspring is a beautiful place to ride and it was nice to finally get the leak fixed.

Moving Forward
In the coming weeks, we will be planning our strategies for the following year. Let us know what your ideas are for improving cycling in BC. While we do have a large and talented board, there is much work to be done to take advantage of all the opportunities to improve cycling in BC. These opportunities are only limited by the amount of effort we put it so if you would like to help out, please contact us.

European Cyclists' Federation Secretary-General to Attend BCCC AGM

We are excited to announce that European Cyclists' Federation Secretary General Dr. Bernhard Ensink will be attending the BCCC Cycling Coalition AGM. The AGM is on Sunday, December 11, 2011 from Noon to 3:00 pm at Fulford Hall, 2591 Fulford Ganges Road, Saltspring Island. Dr. Ensink will be also addressing the Island Pathways' AGM, 7:00 pm Saturday, December 10 at All Saints By-­the-sea. Both events are open to the public.
 

Dr. Ensink is in British Columbia for meetings with the Veloworks Cycling Society, the organizing body for this summer’s Velo‐city 2012 Global conference in Vancouver. The conference, which runs from 26­‐29 June, is the first time since 2000 that the ECF has held a Velo-­city conference outside of Europe and the first time that such an event has been held within the Pacific rim region. 

The European Cyclists’ Federation is comprised of 65 member organizations representing more than half a million individual citizens from almost 40 countries. ECF promotes cycling as a sustainable and healthy means of transportation and recreation in Europe and exports cycling expertise worldwide.

Leading up to Velo‐city 2012 Global, Velo Village, a celebration of rural cycling, will be held on Salt Spring Island from 21 to 23 June 2012. Its themes of safety, community and connectivity will be brought to life through local exhibits, a rural cycling think tank, guided rides, performances, and demonstrations of rural mobility solutions.