The 2025 legislative session has wrapped up and we are excited to tell you about several significant wins for Vermont’s biking community!
Passed: Bike use of pedestrian signals
The major win from this session, starting in July 2026, people on bikes will be able to legally proceed through a signalized intersection when the pedestrian signal is active in their direction of travel, even if the light is red. Many people already do this, and it has been legal in Burlington for several years.
This practice enhances safety for people biking by allowing us to clear intersections before cars begin moving. It also enhances visibility, as a person on a bike who uses it can position themselves in drivers’ line of sight, rather than being to their side, often in blind spots. Bicycle use of pedestrian signals is legal in California, D.C., New York City, and Burlington.
This provision goes into effect on July 1, 2026, as legislators wanted to allow time for education. Check out this video if you aren't sure how bike use of pedestrian signals works.
Passed: Definitions for bike signals
Bike signals are commonly used in places with more developed bike networks in scenarios where bicycle traffic needs to be controlled separately from motor vehicle traffic. Vermont installed its first bike signal in Hartford, VT last summer, and more are planned as part of future projects.
By defining bike signals in state law, we have ensured that these devices have a uniform legal meaning throughout the state, and eliminated the need for each municipality seeking to install a bicycle signal to define them in its municipal code.
Image shown right: A bike signal. (Photo Credit: LADOT Bike Blog)
Passed: Education campaign
The State, in consultation with partners like Local Motion, will implement an education campaign focused on safe and legal operation of bikes on roadways. It will include education around bike use of pedestrian signals and the 4’ passing rule adopted last year following our advocacy.
You can read the legislation described above here (see sections 41 - 43).
Level Funded: Walk/Bike Infrastructure
Increasing the funding for active transportation infrastructure continues to be a high priority for Local Motion. State programs will be approximately level funded in FY26.
Not passed: Stop-as-yield
We tried, and came close, but unfortunately could not find the votes to pass stop-as-yield during this legislative session. We will try again next year or in the next biennium!
Not funded: State E-bike Rebate
Unfortunately, the State’s e-bike rebate program was not funded for FY26. This was a difficult year fiscally, and all of the State’s electric vehicle incentive programs were left unfunded.
Overall, we are happy with the progress made during the 2025 legislative session, and greatly appreciate all of the partners, advocates, and legislators that made it possible! Many thanks to our friends at the Vermont Chapter of the Sierra Club, which partnered with us to make change during the last two sessions.
We can’t do this work without your support! Please donate if you want Local Motion to have a strong presence in the Statehouse.
Jonathon Weber
Programs Director