-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
One of the challenges with moving towards sustainability is the separation of different areas of human living into different levels of government. In Canada, municipalities are responsible for municipal transportation systems, including bike infrastructure, while provinces are responsible (mostly) for health systems. This means that spending on one area does not result in savings for … Continue reading
I’ve been trying to change my language away from car-centric metaphors for a while. I try not to say, “Take the road less travelled,” for example, and switch it to “path.” When I talk about putting an idea aside to think about or discuss later I’ve started saying, “we’ll put that in the bike rack … Continue reading
I’m currently reading Walkable Cities by Jeff Speck. In it, he talks about induced demand which is the common finding that widening roads, which is done to reduce traffic congestion, generally maintains or increases congestion. This is because, in the short term reduced congestion makes trips easier so people make more of them or more … Continue reading
I often wonder about who has access to cycling infrastructure. When I am commuting along designated paths, particularly separated paths, I’ve noticed that there is a strong association with bigger houses and fewer apartment buildings. But admittedly, I don’t bike around the entire city anymore. So perhaps I’m missing part of the picture. As a … Continue reading
I already bike for fun and to commute. Am I thrilled with all the available or, as the case may be absent, infrastructure for cycling? Of course not. Changes to the network though have changed my routes but not my participation. However, there are lots of people who have shared with me that they are … Continue reading
I used to bike all over my city to get to work. In the process I saw that there seemed to be differences in the bike infrastructure in different areas. Unfortunately, I often found worse infrastructure in lower income neighbourhoods. Since then, the city has improved some infrastructure, but a lot of those improvements are … Continue reading
Without question, the designation of public funds for cycling infrastructure is an intense issue with advocates and passion on both sides of the issue. Living in a winter city means the debate is perhaps more impassioned as people argue that too few people cycle in the winter months to make it worthwhile. But what if … Continue reading
I was talking with someone recently who said that all on road bike lanes should only exist for the non-winter months. It doesn’t make sense, in their opinion, to block part of a road off when so few people cycle. The problem is that even fewer people will cycle if there is no infrastructure, so … Continue reading
I often get asked why I bike commute. For me, there are multiple factors including getting exercise, having a smaller environmental impact, saving money, avoiding people (both other drivers and other transit riders), and having more control over my schedule. There’s other things too like getting outside and appreciating where I live in a more … Continue reading
As a bike commuter I really appreciate a lot of cycling infrastructure. Marked bike lanes are great, and separated paths are typically better, except for one giant caveat: intersections. I am always extra vigilant at intersections, but especially ones where I’m moving from a separated path across the intersection. It definitely feels like drivers don’t … Continue reading
Connecting with Science 