The head of Toronto's Cycling Committee is calling on the city to shift its focus from the quantity of bike lanes it creates to the quality of connections their planned infrastructure will create in the city's existing bike network.
says City Councillor Adrian Heaps is hoping to shift the city's focus from its long-held goal of building 1,000 kilometers of bike lanes in the city. A new report doesn't even mention that goal, instead listing areas where new infrastructure could strengthen the system.
"A blueprint for the city's active transportation priorities over the next two years, Changing Gears lists connecting bikeway trails and completing downtown bikeways as the top two priorities. It will be used as the basis for a review of the 2001 Bike Plan by city staff after this fall's election.
Changing Gears documents the 9 per cent growth in Toronto cyclists biking for practical rather than recreational purposes - not just downtown but in the inner suburbs; the growing appetite for and availability of secure bike parking, including a bike station at Union Station; and a new zoning bylaw requiring developers to incorporate bike parking into new buildings."
FULL STORY: City’s bike plan switches gears

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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