It looks like Rep. Welch and Sen. Sanders are walk-bike advocates as well! On July 25th, both of the Vermont government officials signed on to a letter calling on the Department of Transportation to consider EVERYONE-- not just vehicles-- when measuring the performance of America's roads. And for that, Local Motion thanks you!

Recently, Local Motion got an inquiry from a contact at GMT (formerly CCTA) about the four-foot passing law.  They said a driver had asked why exactly it was necessary to give a minimum of four feet of clearance when passing someone on a bike.  We were so glad they asked!  GMT puts a major emphasis on safety, and bike-bus interactions are an area where special conditions apply.  Here's what we told them about why four feet is so important:

Saturday July 16 was a day to be remembered in Montpelier. Local Motion and friends gathered in front of the Golden Dome for fun and games, education and outreach on innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and of course...ICE CREAM! Then, that same afternoon, our amazing volunteers provided free valet bike parking for over 70 attendees of the Do Good Fest.

That's right, horses have equal access to the road! In Vermont, it is not uncommon to run into horse riders on your daily excursions. For most of us, the demeanor and needs of horses are unfamiliar. How should you behave in order to ensure the safety of both the rider and yourself? Here are a few helpful hints...

Not even a cold rainy day could stop a crew of cyclists from attending the Lake Monsters baseball game FOR FREE this past Sunday. Local Motion provided valet bike parking and safety tips, while a slew of other local organizations offered free helmets, bike check-ups, and escorted bike trains. The grand total of bikes checked into valet parking? An impressive showing of over sixty bikes! 

Rumor has it that North Avenue now has PROTECTED BIKE LANES. Check out these awesome photos of the pilot project on North Ave, and don't forget to try out the pilot for yourself! 

June 18 was a great day for Valet Bike Parking at the Farmers’ Market. Warm and clear skies augured well for a good turnout- how could you not bicycle to the marché on such a glorious day? Although only one volunteer, Katherine, had signed up by Friday, we had another volunteer, Paul, show up and report for duty. Armed with a stapler stuffed in his cargo pants pocket he leapt into service at the mere sight of two wheels...

In 2011, Tropical Storm Irene dropped massive amounts of rain on the Mad River Valley causing flooding damage to businesses, homes, and roadways in Warren Village. The Vermont Downtown Action Team (V-DAT) responded by helping the community identify needs and create conceptual layouts for pedestrian improvements and streetscape enhancements that increase safety, calm traffic and provide a sense of place on Main Street. This project presents an opportunity for a qualified consultant to bid on the design and engineering services for an innovative project to create shared space for all road users on Main Street in Warren Village...

With summer in full force many of us are biking every chance we get. In the Montpelier Barre area, that just got a whole lot easier. Several weeks ago VTrans finished a redesign on the section of Barre-Montpelier Road from the Wayside Restaurant to the Barre City line. It's important to get out there and try it out. And after you do, whether you enjoyed driving or biking, be sure to provide comments to VTrans.

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On the Friday night of Father’s Day weekend-- a warm, sunny evening that is typical of Vermont summers-- walkers and bikers of all ages and experience levels congregated outside of Onion River Sports in Montpelier. The group had formed through the collaborative efforts of Local Motion and Montpelier Bicycle Advisory committee to do two things: bike to the ballgame, and lead by example to make Montpelier better by bike.