http://www.sashaonthestreet.com A civil engineer perspective on transportation and sustainable infrastructure Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:52:43 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Over the holidays I was fortunate to do one of the things I love most, to downhill ski. I worked up at a little resort in Southern Ontario, called Alpine Ski Club. And everyday I had to make the trek from my parents place to the hill. We had a variety ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2009/01/05/ontario-snowplows-do-they-help/ It is Christmas day today and I just wanted to send out a reminder to respect the roads. Environment Canada predicts that the entire country will be blanketed in snow for the first time since 1971, which means we need to respect the roads. Here are some simple driving tips to ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/25/happy-holidays/ Having recently returned from a ski camp in  Quebec I was just amazed at their snow removal and ice maintenance procedures. Snow Removal... The Quebec plows don't mess around, if you are in the way you get hit AND it's your fault! Out in the rural areas on the highways the plows ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/24/quebec-city-knows-what-they-are-doing/ Over the last 24 hours there has been some exciting announcements on 680 news with respect to accidents and trucks. Drivers Should be Held Accountable in Bad Weather This was the statement from Police Chief Julian Fantino (here). He stated that he believes and the statistics support that 40% of accidents in ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/23/are-changes-coming-to-the-rules-of-the-road-in-ontario/ It's that time of the year again. You look outside and the trees are adorned with lights, there are decorations everywhere and depending on where you live (almost anywhere in Canada right now) children are playing in the snow ... really it looks magical outside.  But all of the glitz and ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/22/going-green-for-red-and-green-season/ Recently I did the drive from Toronto, Ontario to Mount Ste Anne, Quebec (about 50km east of Quebec City); it's about 850km. Not only was I amazed by how long a drive that really is but how consistent the roads were all the way. From the signage, to the driving ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/17/from-ontario-to-quebec/ The London Free Press is reporting this morning on an audit currently underway in Ontario. The number 1 concern ... SAFETY. The article starts with the devastating propane explosion in Toronto this passed summer; that definitely was a wake up call that perhaps we aren't that safe! What peaked my interest ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/10/are-changes-coming/ Lately one of my favourite shows to watch is The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos. It is entertaining, informative, makes me laugh and a great way to close my day. More recently on the show he has been promoting One Million Acts of Green; your way to make a difference to the ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/09/one-million-acts-of-green/ Winter is officially here. I may have already gone skiing and snowshoeing a few times, but this weekend was the first winter storm I've driven through. I say winter storm because it really was not snowing that hard, if at all, but the wind was blowing like crazy and some of ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/08/winter-driving/ Earlier this week I wrote about the need for good infrastructure with respect to the trucking industry. The other part of the equation, about 70% of the road users, is commuters. For all the people that commute to work everyday on the highways, having a functioning highway system is paramount. The ... http://www.sashaonthestreet.com/2008/12/04/the-need-for-good-infrastructure-part-2/