It was the mid-90’s and Brian Costello had the vision to move people across the Winooski River. To make a long story short, by 1999, Brian made that happen with our first bike ferry, and Local Motion was born. Brian and Chapin Spencer then proceeded to build what is today Vermont’s only statewide biking and walking advocacy organization. Styles may have changed in the past 20 years, but our devotion to motion has only grown stronger with time. Click here for our early ferry history!
Help us celebrate our 20th Anniversary!
Keep an eye out for celebratory events this summer around Vermont, including our 20th Anniversary Ferry Ride on May 25 & our 20th Anniversary Celebration at ECHO on June 5!
Featured Upcoming Events:
(like us on Facebook or check out our calendar to keep updated on our events and by our friends and partners!)
- May 1-31 - Vermont Bike-Walk Challenge, Statewide
- May 8 - AARP Coffee Workshop, Burlington
- May 11 - Kid’s Day on the Waterfront, Burlington
- May 11 - Human Powered Parade, Bristol
- May 18 - The Fourth Annual Richard's Ride, Richmond
- May 25 - 20th Anniversary Ride to the Bike Ferry, Burlington
- June 1 - Everyday Biking Workshop, Hinesburg
- June 5 - 20th Anniversary Celebration, Burlington (details coming soon!)
- June 5 - Way to Go! Awards & Green Mobility Party, Montpelier
- June 20 - Pre-concert party w/ Local Motion + Concert @ Snow Farm, South Hero (details coming soon!)
- June 22 - 2019 Vermont Adaptive Charity Ride, Bridgewater Corners
- June 25 - Green Drinks with Skinny Pancake (have a beer on us), Burlington (details coming soon!)
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Better Streets & Connections | Education | Recreation & Fun | Remembering Jeff | Mission Partner Highlight
Better Streets & Connections
Check out our Biking & Walking Policy Webinar
On April 22nd, we invited Curt McCormack, new House Transportation Committee Chair and car-free commuter, to join us for a webinar and conversation aimed at helping to shape statewide policy for better biking and walking. Over 75 walk-bike advocates from across the state joined in to express their concerns and share their ideas. Listen to the conversation here!
Pop-ups On the Way!
So far, we’re planning pop-up demonstrations for safer streets in Barre, Winooski, Enosburg, and Springfield this summer. There may be additional pop-ups happening in Rutland, Williston, and the Mad River Valley as well, so stay tuned!
New Bike Count Program
Local Motion is launching a regional bike count program in 10 locations across Chittenden County this summer. With this data in hand, we can better demonstrate how much demand there is to improve on-road infrastructure. Our awesome volunteers will be supporting this work!
Advocacy for Safer Streets & School Travel
This Spring, we are actively supporting partners in Burlington, Barre, Brattleboro, Rutland, Norwich, Bristol, Richmond, Winooski and Lincoln to identify and advocate for safer walking and biking routes to their schools and/or town centers. In several of these communities, we are also developing School Travel Plans to help shift the car culture and encourage students and families to get around by means other than a personal vehicle.
Safe Routes to School, Safe Routes for All Gathering was a major success!
Over 75 planners, engineers, students, teachers, public health professionals, and bike-walk advocates joined us, and our partner, the Vermont Department of Health, in April for our Annual Safe Routes Gathering. Attendees participated in networking sessions and workshops that addressed infrastructure, education, challenges, and solutions to make our streets safer for everyone. Special thanks to AARP, Go Vermont, VTrans, Vermont Arts Council, Discover Traffic Gardens, Vermont Adaptive, Christ the King School, Vermont Energy Education Program, Shelburne Bike, and Pedestrian Paths Committee, South Burlington Bike and Pedestrian Committee, and the Barre Granite Museum for an informative, fun and inspiring day!
Educating Kids & Commuters
Shout-out to our awesome Bike Smart Funders!
Thank you to our Bike Smart Funders - Kohl's Cares, RiseVT, VTrans, and Richard Tom Foundation! Without their support, Bike Smart would still be a pipe-dream. We appreciate all of their support getting our trailer wheels rolling again this season so we can keep teaching Vermont kids how to bike!
Want to know where the Bike Smart Trailer is headed?
Take a look at our interactive map
E-bike Lending Library
Curious about e-bikes? Come borrow one for free! Click here to learn about our fleet of e-bike loaners. And keep an eye out for news about an expanded e-bike library that will be hosted in towns around Vermont this summer and fall! Also check out these deals for Burlington Electric customers, including an e-bike rebate and free CarShareVT membership! Keep an eye out for more rebates throughout Vermont this year.
Everyday Biking Workshops!
We want to demystify biking for you! That's why we hold free workshops around Vermont to give you tips and tricks for fun and safe biking. All kinds of topics are covered--even basic bike mechanics and on-street riding skills. Some workshops are hosted by our partners, like Old Spokes Home, Vital Communities, and VBike. We try to post all of our public workshops on the Local Motion Facebook events page.
Recreation & Fun
The Local Motion Bike Ferry
The Bike Ferry opening day is almost upon us! Are you ready for your summer ferry adventures?
Local Motion's Trailside Center
The Trailside Center now has E-Bikes! Come try one out for the day and find out how awesome they are!
Take a spin on one of our new e-bikes!
Remembering Jeff Cohn
Volunteer extraordinaire, train enthusiast and bike ferry advocate
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of longtime Local Motion volunteer and advocate, Jeff Cohn. Jeff devoted an immense amount of his time (nearly 15 years) to Local Motion. His contributions ranged from taking pictures at events to organizing images to distributing maps, and much more. We will all miss Jeff and his dedication to our work, but we will forever be grateful for all he did and the stories he shared. To learn more about Jeff, click here!
Mission Partner Highlight
Switchback Brewing Company
Switchback Brewing Company has been supporting Local Motion with generous annual donations for ten years now! Like all our business supporters, we are incredibly grateful for Switchback’s contributions to our work. See all our business partners here.
The warm weather is here, lace up your sneakers and fill your bike tires because it’s time to roll out with the summer weather!