Local Motion Blog

On the heels of a heavy spring rainstorm, seven intrepid Burlington-area cyclists took part in the tenth annual Ride of Silence event held around the world.

The event honors fellow cyclists who have been injured or killed on area roadways.  Earlier in the day, we heard that there was a bike/car crash near Exit 14 on Williston Road — an especially unfriendly place to ride a bike.

It’s been a difficult year for bicyclists and pedestrians.  There have been five pedestrian fatalities on Vermont’s roadways already this year.  Read Local Motion’s response here.

Thank you to UVM students Matt Barrows and Colin for organizing the event.  Thanks also to the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition that coordinated a dozen Ride of Silence events around the state.

Want to help make our roads a safer place for all?  Get involved in the Safe Streets Collaborative — contact Local Motion’s Director of Advocacy and Education Jason VanDriesche.

2739No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/05/intrepid-cyclists-embark-on-a-ride-of-silence/Intrepid+Cyclists+Embark+on+a+Ride+of+Silence2012-05-17+01%3A31%3A40Chapin

One week into the first ever National Bike Challenge, Vermont is running away with first place!

This nationwide challenge aims to get more people biking more often.  A slick on-line reporting system helps tens of thousands of cyclists around the country keep tabs on their riding this season.

The problem is that 820 Vermonters have registered for the challenge — far more per capita that most other states in the union…and since we love to bike…we’re running away with the competition.  Vermont has 64 points and Wisconsin (where the challenge was born) is in a distant second with 37 points.  Mississippi is in last place with just 0.32 points.  So, come on states, step up and give us a run for our money!

In the mean time, let’s keep pedaling!  Vermonters who pedal in the challenge are eligible for great prizes from Earl’s Cyclery and Fitness and Sojourn Bicycling & Active Vacations.

Thanks to the League of American Bicyclists, Kimberly Clark, and all the Vermont employers who are helping to make this challenge a huge success!

Not registered for the challenge yet?  Register here!

2711No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/05/come-on-states-challenge-vermont-please/Come+on+States%2C+Challenge+Vermont+Please%212012-05-08+03%3A01%3A10Chapin

A new but robust “Walk-Bike St. Albans” committee has formed to improve walking and bicycling in the region.  They had an impressive contingent in the Maple Festival parade this month!

Help get them over 100 Facebook friends.  Click here!

Check out the story in the Saint Albans Messenger about the group’s survey of St. Albans residents.

Local Motion was proud to attend this committee’s initial meetings and provide some guidance — and we’ll be back at their big walk-bike event on June 9th: https://www.facebook.com/events/287510064663833/

2694No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/04/walkers-bikers-launch-group-in-st-albans/Walkers+%26+Bikers+Launch+Group+in+St.+Albans2012-04-30+21%3A20%3A35Chapin

UVM Transportation Research Center staffer Richard Watts enjoyed sharing his love for the outdoors and adventure with his daughter Kristina.

Decades later, Kristina Storey and boyfriend Nic Arney are on their second continent bicycling around the world.  Kristina thinks she might even set the women’s world record for the fastest time accomplishing such a feat.

It’s a great story.  Their blog is inspiring and full of pictures and videos.  If you can’t go along for the ride, at least enjoy watching theirs!

Check out World By Bicycle:  blog.worldbycycle.info/

2673No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/04/vt-parent-watches-daughter/VT+Parent+Watches+Daughter+Attempt+Record+for+Pedaling+Around+the+World%212012-04-30+20%3A12%3A43Chapin

Check out this optimistic article from Governing Magazine — we’re making progress!

Bicycle Commuting Gains Traction In Cities — April 11, 2012

Many commuters living in growing urban areas are opting to ride bikes to work as an alternative to congested roads and higher gas prices.

The most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates show about 730,000 Americans bike to work as their primary means of transportation, a 50 percent increase from 2000. This shift is most prevalent in large metro areas, with Denver; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, D.C., among cities reporting the largest gains in bicyclists.

Bicycle commuting varies greatly throughout the country, typically being more common in densely populated areas. College towns, in particular, report high numbers of cyclists.

Continue Reading »

26661 Comment »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/04/and-this-was-before-gas-was-4-gallon/And+This+Was+Before+Gas+Was+%244+%2F+Gallon2012-04-26+20%3A58%3A49Chapin

It’s time.  Over six years ago, the State of VT decided to create a 92-mile E/W trail across Vermont from Swanton to St. Johnsbury — but we’re still waiting.  Senator Sanders secured over $5M of funding for the project years ago.  Finally, the first phase of the project should receive its Act 250 permit in the next few months.

Now it’s your turn to lend a hand to finally make this soon-to-be spectacular trail a reality.  So what can you do?

1) Get involved: Email the LVRT Board Chair Laird MacDowell and tell him you want to share your time and talent.

2) Write a letter: Write a letter to the editor to your local paper talking up the potential of this project.  Click here to send a letter to the Burlington Free Press.

3) Donate: Go to the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail website and make a tax-deductible contribution today!

This trail won’t happen without you.  VAST has done a lot of heavy lifting and it is time for non-motorized trail users to join them in constructing this ambitious four-season trail for all Vermonters and many of our visitors to enjoy.

2629No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/04/how-can-you-build-a-92-mile-trail-in-vt-watch-this/How+Can+You+Build+a+92-mile+Trail+in+VT%3F++Watch+this.2012-04-24+04%3A37%3A55Chapin

Want to make Vermont the mountain biking capital of the East?  Stowe and Barre have two big conservation projects underway that need your help.  Please pitch in!

Cady Hill Forest Update (Stowe VT)

Fundraising efforts are ramping up as the fundraising deadline approaches.  The Stowe Land Trust has raised $1,191,779 to date thanks to the generous community, but still needs to raise $373,721 by May 30th. to meet their goal. This purchase is extremely important for the development of the recreational future of Stowe.
please support this project with a donation.

Love mountain biking on great trails right from downtown Stowe?  Be a part of a lasting mountain biking legacy:

•     Cady Hill Forest Info Meeting, Black Cap coffee shop, 5/2/12 from 6-8pm
•     Cady Hill Forest Fundraiser, 5/5/12 at the Olde England Inn
•     Adam’s Camp Trail Walk–see the types of trails proposed for CHF, 5/14/12
•     Benefit Bake at Pie in the Sky, 5/17/12
•     Like the Cady Hill Forest project on Facebook
•     Donate at: www.cadyhillforest.com

Millstone Trails and the Barre Town Forest (Barre, VT)

Millstone Trails Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing an extensive system of trails extending throughout Central Vermont.

The Millstone Trails Association is working with The Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the Town of Barre to protect up to 370 acres of unique former quarry land by creating a new municipal forest for the Town of Barre.

The Millstone Trails Association has pledged to raise $100,000 towards the Town of Barre’s purchase of the proposed Barre Town Forest property, matching the Town of Barre’s financial commitment in this project. As of December 2011, MTA had secured nearly $50,000.

The proposed town forest includes nearly 20 miles of trails and lies at the center of an expansive network of trails totaling approximately 70 miles in the Millstone Hill area of Barre Town. These trails are used primarily for mountain biking. MTA, through an agreement with the Town of Barre, would serve as trail corridor manager for the trails system on the property.

The proposed community forest is currently in private ownership and is likely to be subdivided and and developed should this conservation effort not succeed.

In the past 5 years, Millstone Trails has continued to emerge as an important destination for mountain biking, thus attracting visitors from every New England state and Canada. Just as Kingdom Trails has generated revenue and brought tourists to Burke, Vermont, the Millstone Trails are bringing new life to a part of Vermont that has been largely passed over by the state’s recreation-based economy.

For more detailed information regarding the proposed Barre Town Forest, please see the MTA website: http://millstonetrails.com/barre-town-forest-proposal/capital-campaign/

Local Motion supporters can help these two projects succeed.  Please lend a hand!

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Local Motion saluates former Board Member and stellar volunteer Will Flender who has just taken the reins as Executive Director of the Mad River Path Association!

Read all the great news at: http://www.madriverpath.com/newsstory.php?id=22

Will has been an effective advocate for walking, bicycling and trails in the Queen City for a decade.  He helped update Burlington’s ordinances related to bicycling, helped launch Cycle the City, pushed bike/pedestrian changes to the City’s Champlain Parkway project, and helped merge the Burlington Bike Council and the Burlington Walking Work Group into the Burlington Walk/Bike Council.

Currently, Will serves on Burlington’s Bike Path Task Force — which is recommending a comprehensive rehabilitation of the much loved, but aging, Burlington Bike Path.

2606No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/04/former-lm-board-member-to-lead-mad-river-path/Former+LM+Board+Member+to+Lead+Mad+River+Path2012-04-20+20%3A47%3A26Chapin

Last week, six Vermonters attended the 2012 National Bike Summit in Washington DC to advocate for better federal bike and pedestrian policies.  A record 840 attendees from 49 states discussed ways to get more people pedaling for transportation and recreation.   A Women’s Cycling Forum focused on how to increase the number of women cycling — only 24% of cyclists across our country are women.

Attending were Gregg Marston (Local Motion Board Member and owner of VBT Vacations), Luis Vivanco (Local Motion Board Member and UVM professor), Jens Pharr (UVM Bicycle Users Group), Chapin Spencer (Local Motion Executive Director), Thomas Cohen (BTV Bike Cluster) and a special guest, see below.

We met with senior staffers from Patrick Leahy‘s office, Bernie Sanders‘ office and Peter Welch‘s office.  We are very fortunate that all of Vermont’s delegation is very supportive of walking and bicycling.  We asked them to continue their support, especially with the upcoming federal transportation bill.  We found out that CEO of Terry Bicycles Liz Robert was also in town visiting metro-area bike shops so we asked her to join us in these meetings to make the economic argument for biking and walking.  She pedaled over to the hill and joined us!  Thank you Liz!

Washington DC is doing a tremendous amount to increase walking and bicycling across the city.  They’ve launched a Capital BikeShare, installed miles of bike lanes, and worked to increase infill development.  It’s inspiring to see our nation’s capital embracing people-powered transportation!

2592No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/03/local-motion-pushes-agenda-in-dc/Local+Motion+Pushes+Bike+Agenda+in+DC2012-03-29+03%3A21%3A15Chapin

It is hard to imagine, but Burlington is losing one of our most passionate and skilled bike advocates to the sunny skies of California.

Jon Griesser was an active Local Motion member and participant in the Burlington Walk-Bike Council, but the project that truly demonstrated Jon’s tireless commitment was the renovation of the Route 127 path trailhead near his home in the Old North End.

The entrance to this path constructed just five years before had become unwelcoming.  Overgrown trees, graffiti, and broken glass made this trail seem abandoned.  Jon pulled together City Councilors, neighbors, City departments and helped champion a low-cost but high visibility trailhead improvement for the community.  The improvements took many years, but a scenic viewshed was opened up, a water fountain was installed, greenspace was added, and a large kiosk was constructed.

Mayor Bob Kiss recognized Jon for his tireless commitment at the November 2010 opening ceremony.

For this great trailhead revitalization project, Jon received the Herb Bloomenthal community service award last year from the City of Burlington.

Jon was also instrumental in merging the Burlington Walking Work Group and the Burlington Bike Council…so that pedestrians and cyclists could plan and speak together.  On this new Walk / Bike Council Jon has been an important strategic thinker on many projects.

Jon’s last big bike/pedestrian project was helping Local Motion put together a candidate’s questionnaire for the 2012 Burlington Mayor’s race.  It was the first every mayoral candidate survey for bike/pedestrian interests in the Queen City…and it helped keep the transportation issues on the front burner during much of the race.  Thank you Jon!

2555No Comments »http://www.localmotion.org/blog/2012/03/well-miss-you-jon/A+Burlington+Bike%2FWalk+Advocate+Goes+West2012-03-13+03%3A04%3A45Chapin