With the new school year starting, it is the perfect time to make sure the schools in your region don't miss out on the Way to Go! Challenge. As you know, from September 26 - October 7, Vermont schools can go toe-to-toe against carbon pollution and win. Students, teachers and staff are encouraged to bike, walk, carpool, or ride the bus to victory. This year, there is also a BIG prize; one lucky school will win an AllEarth Solar Tracker to provide an estimated $85,000 of clean power value to the school over the life of tracker (installation included).

VTrans is NOW accepting applications for the Transportation Alternatives (TA) program! Bicycle and pedestrian project planning and construction are at the heart of the TA program and this year, the focus is on environmental mitigation projects relating to stormwater and highways. Learn more by attending an online workshop, which will be held on September 6th and 8th.

Click here for the VTrans announcement letter!

Guess what? Bikes aren't just toys - they are the tools that will help us transform our built environment and our relationships, with one another and the world around us. In Brattleboro, folks are already realizing the transformative experience that can happen when we "reboot the bike!" Keep on reading and learn more about how some Brattleboro residents are loving their "car-lite" lifestyle.

Read about "Car-Lite"

How cool! VPR's Vermont Edition interviewed Local Motion's friend and VBike founder, Dave Cohen. Listen and learn about how bike innovations are being adopted in Brattleboro and VBike's work to help Vermonters and Vermont bike shops catch up with the new designs and technologies that are revolutionizing bike transport.

Listen now

Ever since announcing our naming competition for Local Motion's newest Yuba Boda Boda cargo bike, we have received a lot of great entries. The competition is fierce, and we need your help to choose the winning name! Check out our favorite five names, and vote for the one you like best. The winner will receive a free Local Motion prize pack.

Go Vote!

We are delighted to report that the promised addition of bike lanes to Williston Road between Earl's Cyclery and Tafts Corners is happening—and we're bummed to report that it won't happen until 2017.  (The delay is to accommodate a major subsurface utility upgrade, which is much better done before the road is repaved than after.)  The delay is frustrating, but the bike lanes are baked into the design, which means they WILL get built.  Read on for a few screenshots from the paving plans, so you know we aren't blowing smoke!

The Burlington Police Department is going green! BPD released a statement yesterday that they will be reintroducing police bike patrols as a measure to make Burlington more environmentally friendly, healthier, and stronger as a community. Read on for more information, and to sneak a glance at the police's shiny new wheels. 

The "Hannaford Helps" reusable bag program has supported over 1000 local causes to the tune of $207,409. And now, if you purchase a "Hannaford Helps" reusable bag at the South Burlington store on Dorset Street, you will also be supporting your favorite Vermont walk and bike advocacy organization.

This summer, Shelburne demonstrated that making streets and roads safer for people walking and biking—not to mention driving—doesn't have to cost a fortune or take forever. Local Motion helped them get there.  How can we help in YOUR community?  If you have a goal for walking or biking that you need help getting traction on, fill us in!  We review all suggested goals and look for ones that have legs, then we work directly with community residents to make those goals a reality.

ADD YOUR GOAL HERE

The Department of Public Service invites all interested Vermonters to provide input on the standards the Department must create per Act 174 of 2016 for determining consistency of regional and municipal plans with state energy policy. The Department will host a forum to gather input on August 30, from 9 a.m. to noon, in Montpelier at the Vermont College of Fine Arts (Noble Hall). An online survey is also available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WMTZFF2.