Vermont communities are seeing a rapid increase in high-powered, high-speed, unregulated devices operating on streets, sidewalks, and shared use paths.

The problem is not with e-bikes. It is a different category of device entirely, what Local Motion and our national partners call "e-motos." E-motos have more powerful motors and are capable of significantly higher speeds than e-bikes, and often lack the ability to pedal entirely. The growing safety concerns we’re hearing across Vermont stem from the rise of these devices and their unclear legal status, not from the e-bikes Vermonters have long used responsibly.

The Vermont Walk/Bike Summit is a biannual event, bringing together planners, advocates, and experts in our community to learn and connect. This year, the Summit took place on Friday, May 8th in Bennington. All day long, Summit attendees joined in workshops on safe and healthy communities, economic development, and the built environment.

Local Motion, in partnership with AARP Vermont, the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and Front Porch Forum, announced today the recipients of a combined $10,000 in micro-grants from the Streets as Places Program. Launched in March, the program is designed to foster community connections, reimagine neighborhood streets as shared public spaces, and spark lasting local change. Grants were open to Vermont residents organizing events on neighborhood or village streets across the state.

The Town of Brattleboro was recently awarded a bronze-level Bicycle-Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists.

Over the years I have found additions to my bikes that have made my riding easier and safer.

This was my third time at the National Bike Summit and Lobby Day, hosted by the League of American Bicyclists. Part family reunion, part pep rally, this was again an excellent opportunity to see how the work we do in Vermont connects to that of our peers across the country, and is all tied together with federal policy efforts.

This has been a difficult winter for riding. A few times, when I was climbing the Colchester Avenue Hill going into Burlington, I felt that I was pushing my physical and psychological limits, but I am a stubborn person, so I always made it to the top of the hill! I have not yet missed a day riding this winter. Luckily I have not fallen off my bike or fallen when walking on ice. On the coldest days my heated mittens and heated inner soles have really helped. Early in the season, three degrees would be something I faced with trepidation, but by February that kind of temperature was routine! When I first started riding all winter, about 40 years ago, I seldom saw anyone riding in the snow. Although I still don’t see many people during actual storms, there are many more year round riders. It is good to see them, and feel a sense of camaraderie!

Have you ever wished there were easier opportunities to get to know your neighbors? Have you thought about hosting a block party or neighborhood gathering on your street? When a street closes to cars and opens to people - even for a few hours - kids play freely, neighbors meet and talk, and the whole block feels different. A block party isn’t just a party; it’s a glimpse of what people-centered streets can be.

This op-ed was written by UVM student Sage Lepore as part of a public communications service learning project.

At Local Motion, our mission is to make it safe, accessible, and fun for everyone to walk, bike, and roll in Vermont. Our Complete Streets team works alongside communities to create streets that are safer for everyone. Recently, we’ve found ourselves asking: What if the most powerful step toward people-centered streets is connection?