A recent article from Citylab gives empirical backing to something that is obvious to anyone who rides a bike:  protected bike lanes make biking better.  But they do more than reduce crashes; they also increase rates of biking.  The increased margin of safety persuades "retired" bike riders to dust off their bikes and take to the streets.  Check out the article at this link.  And read on to learn why this matters right now for Burlington.

Local Motion staff and volunteers hit the streets in Burlington last night to get high-quality bike lights on "ninja" bikes. We counted about 80 riders coming through the intersection of Pearl Street & Winooski Avenue in the space of two hours.  The good news?  Two-thirds of them already had lights on their bikes! Check out our Twitter feed for photos, reactions, and more.

Burlington resident Peggy O'Neill and Local Motion were featured in NPR's recent series "Boundbusters" about empowering citizens to make changes Burlington's streets through tactical urbanism. Tactical urbanism is an approach to creating temporary projects that get to "lighter, faster and cheaper" changes on the ground.

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!

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. 

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. 

The safe and complete streets campaign is all about working with communities across Vermont to make roads in their towns work better for all. Recently, the Safe Streets Project in Brattelboro teamed up with the Brattleboro Department of Public Works and the Holton Home for elder care to ensure that residents of the home are visible when crossing the street. Read on to hear about how the pilot is helping a vulnerable community reclaim the road!

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!