NOVEMBER 2010: The purpose of this study is to estimate the total economic benefits of walking and biking in Vermont. The results will be used to help educate decision makers, the business community, planners, advocates and other stakeholders; and may suggest policy changes and other actions that should be pursued to further the economic and other benefits of these two non-motorized modes of transportation.

Funded by the VT Agency of Transportation, the consulting team working on the study is Resource Systems Group, Economic & Policy Resources and Local Motion.  The study began in October 2010 and is expected to be completed in late 2011.

For more information, contact VTrans Bike/Pedestrian Program Manager This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 802-828-0059

Previous studies have focused on the economic contribution of shared use paths to the tourism industry. While tourism revenue is an important component of the overall economic impact of walking and biking, and will be part of this analysis, there are many other factors to consider. State and local investments in the planning, design and construction of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure creates jobs and directly consume goods and services that spin-off demand for additional goods, services and jobs. Similarly, there are retail and manufacturing businesses in Vermont that generate all or some of their revenue by selling products and services related to walking and biking, that invest in local communities and create jobs with the same sort of economic multiplier effects. EPR is an expert in the proper application of input/output models, the tool necessary to address these complex economic relationships.

Trips made on foot or by bike reduce the need for automobile travel and therefore create “avoided” vehicle miles of travel (VMT). The consumer and public costs of VMT are well documented. Examples include, but are not limited to, the cost to own and operate a car, the economic impacts of injuries and fatalities, the value of time lost in congestion, the capital and operating costs of parking facilities, and economic impacts of green house gases and other tail pipe emissions.  RSG is an expert in transportation planning and systems analysis and has extensive experience working with a variety of data sets and software tools to estimate walking and biking trips, the associated avoided VMT, and the resulting economic savings. Other quantifiable benefits of walking and biking include health benefits and higher property values. Our scope of work has proposed methods to address these factors as well.

There are other benefits of walking and biking for which reliable economic impacts may not be feasible. For example, a sidewalk with a well designed street-scape may support the overall economic vitality of a downtown by attracting visitors that attract new businesses. This benefit may not be possible to quantify, but should and will be noted. Through our research, and with input from the Task Force and other stakeholders, other similar benefits will be recognized as providing an additional, although unquantifiable, economic contribution.