My husband and I love finding great deals at garage and yard sales—we’ve found all kinds of amazing things in our adventures (brand-new Ibex shirt for $1, anyone?) As you can imagine, I’ve seen just about everything put out for sale on the tables (and yes, I did buy that bronze frog lamp.) One thing we see a lot are bike helmets. Sure, $5 for a helmet that looks in good shape seems like a great deal, but before you pounce on that fancy new helmet with squeals of triumph and joy, hear me out first....

As a recent transplant from Seattle, some of my most memorable cycling experiences were on a spectacular path known as the Burke-Gilman Rail-Trail. This amazing trail meandered through some of Seattle's most vibrant neighborhoods, passing parks, coffee shops, restaurants, and breweries, and beyond -- all the way into suburban enclaves dozens of miles out of town. And the best part about it? We can do the same thing, right here in Vermont!

Those who love Charlotte, whether they call it home or just a beautiful place to visit, have long dreamed of a walking and biking path that would connect Mt. Philo and Lake Champlain. And now, this dream is moving another step close to becoming reality. The Town of Charlotte is seeking qualified firms to provide planning services to identify issues associated with possible construction of this path connecting the two most popular destinations in Charlotte...

Grants are now available through VTrans for Vermont Communities to make their streets and roads work better and be safer for walking and biking! Projects can include planning, design and construction of infrastructure projects for a number of facility types, including scoping, design, construction and even a "small projects" category - new this year and intended to implement necessary safety improvements like signs, pavement markings, crossing enhancements or on-road bike facilities through striping...

A message from Frank Koss, Chief of Police for the Hinesburg Police Department

As part of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program, Hinesburg Police obtained a speed monitoring device that helps us determine the speed on the roads when we are not around. This device records the date, time and speed of the vehicles on monitored roads. Our volunteer takes this information and provides graphs and lists that can help us target especially unsafe and dangerous driving. What we found was startling...

Brattleboro's Safe Streets Project—a group that formed with support from Local Motion—organized a Safer Streets Forum on May 5.  Several dozen people turned out for a series of presentations and Q&A with town officials and representatives of various nonprofits.  Local Motion was honored to be a part of the event.  Read the news story in the Brattleboro Reformer.  If you're inspired to help, sign up here as a Windham County walk-bike activist!

VTrans just released its first-ever report on the Vermont Bike Ped Program, which invests millions of dollars every year in improvements for walking and biking around Vermont.  The report is concise and readable, with an overview of how funds were spent and details about specific projects around the state.  It's a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what the opportunities are for getting improvements for walking and biking built in your community...

download the full report

SEVEN DAYS VERMONT -- "Just before 10:30 a.m., I mounted my bike in Oxbow Park in Morrisville and headed toward the newest section of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Virtually all my previous visits to this small Lamoille County town have been rest stops en route to somewhere else. But the recent completion of a beautiful, 17-mile rail trail, running from Morrisville to Cambridge, is likely to turn the area into a tourist destination on its own..."  
READ THE ARTICLE

Amtrak has finally launched roll-on bike service on its Vermonter line!  Here are Local Motion volunteers Nic Anderson, Andy Witt, and Dave Cain at the Waterbury station having just tested the new racks on the train to Waterbury.  

Nic, Andy, and Dave had a lovely ride back from Waterbury, and confirmed that the new service works seamlessly.  Enjoy the ride!