Saturday, December 27, 2014

How to create your own bike lane

From TreeHugger.com
bike lane separators © cyclehoop
There are many tools you can use to plop down a quick bike lane. The one picture above and below has several benefits, so I thought it deserved some special attention. It's called an "Armadillo." It's quite simple, but comes with a number of advantages.
For one, it actually creates a separated bike lane on the roadway, which is much more preferred than a bike lane that is simply painted on the side of the road and almost looks like a road shoulder rather than a dedicated path for bicyclists.
Secondly, while drivers can see that they shouldn't drive up onto Armadillos, and will quickly notice if they do, they also aren't faced with the unpleasant stress of driving next to tall separators such as cones or poles. I definitely think bicyclists deserve physical separators, but I don't think they always need to be tall and stressful to drivers.
© cyclehoop
© cyclehoop
Thirdly, these babies are made from 100% recycled PVC. 100% recycled content rocks, and the manufacturers deserve some props for that.
Another plus with these Armadillos is that they can very easily and quickly be implemented. That cuts costs, of course, and also makes it easier to implement test projects that could more quickly get separated bikes lanes added to your neighborhood, similar to the pop-up bike lanes I wrote about in February.
"Armadillos are bolted into the ground and spaced out so that cyclists can enter or exit the cycle lanes as needed," cyclehoop writes. "Much quicker and more cost effective to install than other solutions, Armadillos have been successfully installed and used by major towns and cities across Europe and North America for the past 7 years."
Here's a video featuring some of these Armadillo bike lane separators, and one more photo:

© cyclehoop
Some of the commentary in the video was cringeworthy, but what can you expect from the mainstream media?

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

VTrans' Jon Kaplan on the planned Road Diet for US302

In this video clip, Jon Kaplan of VTrans explains the methodology of a road diet and how it can benefit bicyclists and pedestrians.  Jon's comments apply to a road diet that is going to be tried on a section of Route 302 in central Vermont, but the concept can be employed successfully in a variety of settings.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS7zEg_Y8kI&list=UUKnAQcn3p5ePl3ezFJJashg

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Help build the Bridge across the Winooski for the Cross VT trail

V Trans On-Road Bicycle Plan Announcement

V 
Trans On-Road Bicycle Plan Announcement

To meet the growing demand for bicycling facilities VTrans is kicking off an exciting new initiative, the VTrans On-Road Bicycle PlanThe Plan will help guide improvements along Vermont state highways to work better and be safer for all bicyclists -- families, commuters and recreational riders.

Get involved! You can contribute by identifying where you ride and where you want to ride by:

1.   Attending the project public meetings. The first meeting will be on December 9, 2014 from 6pm to 8pm. The meeting will be broadcasted using Vermont interactive Technologies (VIT) throughout the state. Find a location convenient to you.

2.   Adding to the  VTrans On-Road Bicycle WikiMap.

3.   Telling your friends and neighbors to participate. Forward this email or post it on your local Front Porch Forum or hang up a flyer.

Phase 1. Over the next six months, and with YOUR help, VTrans will:
  • Collect information from the public about where they ride and where bicyclists want to ride on State roads;
  • Use this information to identify several tiers of bicycle corridors ranging from most desirable for bicycling to the least desirable for bicycling; and
  • Set the stage for where we should focus needed bicycle improvements.
Public input is critical to the success of this project. We thank you for helping to make the project a success by sharing your thoughts and creating project awareness by connecting others. 

If you have questions or comments related to this project, please contact VTrans Planning Coordinators:

Sommer Bucossi at 802-828-3884 and Amy Bell at 802-828-2678 or email us atvermontbike@gmail.com

Sommer Roefaro Bucossi
Planning Coordinator
VT Agency of Transportation 
Policy, Planning & Intermodal Development Division

Monday, September 29, 2014

Montpelier in Motion Public Meeting Oct 2nd, 6:30pm

Montpelier in Motion 

Montpelier is sponsoring the second of several public work sessions 

leading towards the completion of a pedestrian and bicycle master 

plan for the City. 

October 2, 2014 at 6:30 PM

City Hall Council Chambers

Come take a look at the various options and 

recommendations that are being considered for 

City's bicycling and walking master plan and help 

decide which one should actually be included.

inclusion in the 



To view the options, please visit the Broadreach Planning & Design 

website: www.broadreachpd.com and go to Projects/Current and then 

Montpelier in Motion. Information will be available after September 25, 2014.

To leave comments about the project, please email Broadreach Planning & Design

bikeped@gmavt.net

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Montpelier in Motion Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Public Work Session: October 2nd, 6:30 pm in city council chambers, Montpelier City Hall

The City of Montpelier will be hosting the second public work session as part of the development of Montpelier in Motion, a bicycling and walking master plan that the City is developing.  The work session will be held  onOctober 2 at 6:30PM in the City Council Chambers in City Hall.  
The purpose of the meeting will be to review solutions: numerous different ideas and recommendations that are under consideration for inclusion in the plan.  The  City and  its consultant team of Broadreach Planning & Design and RSG are looking for public comments on which ideas would be good to use in Montpelier in Motion   
The City is developing this plan to serve as a guide for future actions to make bicycling and walking more visible, easier, and widely undertaken by residents and employees.  The plan covers future roadway and sidewalk improvements along with City policies regarding roadway and sidewalk maintenance; walking and bicycling education and encouragement; and local and state bicycling, walking and driving law enforcement. The plan contains overall walking and bicycling goals that the City hopes to reach as well as methods of evaluating progress towards attaining them.   
The purpose of the Montpelier in Motion plan itself is to serve as a guide for future bicycling and walking improvements within the City.  This planning effort stems from the November 2012 Bike Summit held at Vermont College of Fine Arts. The steering committee for the planning process includes members of the Montpelier Bike and Pedestrian advisory committees.  The notes taken at the 2012 Summit were consulted as this process began.  Please come if you can.  For more information, contact Hannah Reckhow in the city planning department, 262-6273.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

If you want your city to replace parking spots with bike lanes, use perspective


From Treehugger.com


montreal protected bike lane story
CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Joel Mann
One of the biggest challenges of making cities more bike friendly is that most of the road space is already "used up." Adding bike lanes means removing something. That's when a bit of perspective comes in handy.
Convincing your city's decision-makers and other citizens to replace some car infrastructure with bike infrastructure can be a huge challenge. Unfortunately, arguing that shifting more people to bicycling will free up space on the roads and reduce congestion isn't always effective. So, how have other cities succeeded in breaking through the anti-bike barrier?
Montreal city planners have one tip. Back in 2005, when they were working on a downtown bike project that has helped make Montreal one of the better North American cities for bicyclists, they wanted to take out 300 parking spaces. Anyone who has played this game for, I don't know, 5 days, knows that requesting removal of parking spaces is a good way to get yourself stoned by the locals. Trying to find a way around a public stoning while still requesting that 300 parking spaces be turned into bike lanes, the planners decided to put things into perspective.
Payton Chung/CC BY 2.0
The planners counted up all of the parking spaces within 200 meters of the project. They came to a total of 11,000. Of course, 300 compared to 11,000 doesn't sound like much, and that leaves a full 10,700.
Put in other terms, it's just ~2.7% of the parking spaces in the area.
"The effect on the debate was a surprise," said Jean-Francois Pronovost of Vélo Québec. "No one estimated that there was that number of car parking [spaces] available."
There's probably some kind of natural law explaining this, but I'm sure humans have a tendency to underestimate the number of parking spaces in any given area. In actuality, our cities are flooded with parking spaces. Many places are designed to accommodate Black Friday crowds, even required to do so by local zoning laws. But when we can't find parking for 10 seconds, we get the idea that there isn't much parking in the area.
If you're trying to bring some sanity back to your city's transportation system and you're tackling a tough problem like removing hundreds of parking spaces, try using a bit of perspective. You can make numbers that might seem big without context seem very small in context. Make it seem downright absurd to fight against something like a shift from 11,000 parking spaces to 10,700. Slip your tempting (and genuinely helpful) bike project in by understanding how humans think about things and how to make a benign project actually appear benign.
I'm sure there are other good ways to add perspective about such a project as well. Chime in with more tips if you have them. Another idea I love is using piled up snow on the roadway "as tracing paper" to identify areas of the roadway that are really not needed and could be turned over to bikers and pedestrians.
Via Planetizen

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Helmet Cam Video raises VT bike law question

From the Burlington Free Press

An encounter on a dark road in East Montpelier in late July quickly became an example of the kinds of conflicts that can easily arise between motorists and cyclists in Vermont.
Carl Etnier biked in the center of the lane on U.S. 2 in the post-sunset hours of July 25. The road narrows at a certain point during his 10-mile ride from his job at Goddard College to his home in East Montpelier, and he later said the lane was too narrow for a car to pass him safely. He relied on his four-LED flashing red light and reflectors to make him visible.
Two men in a car came upon Etnier on the two-lane road, which has a speed limit of 50 mph, and began to follow Etnier closely, yelling at him and honking the horn. Etnier quickly turned on the camera he keeps attached to his bicycle helmet to capture any incidents that unfold, he told the Burlington Free Press.
"Get out of the road!" one man yelled at Etnier from the car, as shown in the video. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Two cars went around Etnier and the car behind him, passing on the other side of the road.
Etnier eventually pulled to the side of the road. The car stopped next to him.
"Are you crazy?" the passenger in the car said while cursing. The man yelled that the vehicle almost "killed you," adding, he and the driver "should" have killed him.
Etnier responded, "What's your name?" as the situation escalated. He later fired back at the men: "You're on candid camera."
Etnier led the men to the nearby fire station, and he said he had the people on duty at the station call the Vermont State Police to settle the disagreement. The men willingly went along with him.
Etnier eventually received a ticket for failing to ride close enough to the right.
No other citations were given, and the state police did not respond to an email seeking the names of the drivers.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Report Road Rage incidents

Central Vermont cyclist Carl Etnier was bicycling home via Route 2 in East Montpelier on Friday, July 25.  Because this particular stretch of Route 2 has no shoulder, poor sight lines, and a narrow travel lane, Carl did the safe thing he has been trained to do:  he moved to the left and "took the lane," signaling to motorists behind him that there was not room to occupy the lane beside him.  Motorists who wished to pass Carl needed to cross the center line at a time when it was safe to do so.  One motorist became enraged at the sight of Carl in the middle of the lane.  The driver and his passenger unloaded a string of profanities and screamed at Carl:  "We should have f*ing killed you."  Carl's helmet-mounted video captures the images and the words as the sickening abuse unfolds over half a mile of travel. Click here to see this video: http://youtu.be/d2iJjObplXw 

As the motorist's rage escalated, Carl took refuge at a firehouse nearby and asked for law enforcement. When Vermont State Police arrived, they ticketed Carl for not riding on the right.  The motorist was not penalized, although the motorist clearly violated the Safe Passing law.  Carl is consulting with the VBPC and others regarding how he should proceed.  He is working to arrange a time later this month to show his video to law enforcement in the hope that the ticket he was issued will be torn up and the motorist will be cited.  If you wish to email Carl about his experience, his address is Carl@Etnier.net

What happened to Carl is, unfortunately, much too common.  This incident points out why bicycle advocacy is so important and why it's essential for all victims to report incidents of harassment to law enforcement and local elected officials.  The victim is viewed as a credible witness in a court of law.  You don't need a helmet-mounted camera to prove it.  Please report!

Nancy Schulz
Executive Director
VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition
PO Box 1234 
Montpelier, VT 05601

Friday, July 25, 2014

Kid's Mountain biking Event Series in Hubbard Park coming up!!

It's a first! Don't miss out on the fun.


The Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association Presents
TAKE A KID MOUNTAIN BIKING IN HUBBARD PARK
SERIES DATES:
 Sunday, August 3rd
 Sunday, August 24th
 Saturday, September 13th
 Saturday, October 4th

SERIES
 Children of all ages are welcome to join in the
fun for any and all of these FREE, family-fun
events!
 Volunteers will lead beginner and intermediate
groups starting from the NEW SHELTER at
9:30am and 11:00am on designated routes.
Parents are encouraged to join!
 Trail etiquette, safe riding techniques and
other educational components will precede
and be integrated into each ride.
 Post and pre-ride snacks are generously
provided thanks to Hunger Mountain Coop!
NOTICE: Some of the trails utilized for this event are
not normally open to bikers. Please be mindful of trail
designations and respect all other park users, wildlife
and the natural environment.
Complete information regarding the event and route
maps can be found at www.bikemamba.org
MAMBA would like to thank the Montpelier Parks Commission for permission to hold this special event series!

Monday, July 14, 2014

First public work session leading towardspedestrian and bicycle master plan for Montpelier

Hello Local Cyclists and Advocates,

We are well underway with the bike and pedestrian master plan process for Montpelier. A public work session this Thursday will focus on identifying the existing conditions (and problems) for cycling and walking here.  More info below.

Bill Merrylees, Montpelier Bike Advisory Committee, 522-4913 

Montpelier is sponsoring the first of several public work sessions leading towards the completion of a pedestrian and bicycle master plan for the City.
July 17, 6:30 PM  City Hall
Come learn about existing walking and bicycling conditions in the City, talk about the issues and let the City know what you think the pedestrian and bicycle plan should address or include.
 
 To view an existing conditions report about walking and bicycling in Montpelier, please visit the Broadreach Planning & Design website:  www.broadreachpd.com and go to Projects/Currentand then Montpelier in Motion Information will be available after July 14, 2014.

To leave comments about the project, please email Broadreach Planning & Design
 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

How Bicycles Bring Business


How Bicycles Bring Business
April 29, 2013


Pat Brown was just hoping to hang on in a tough economy. When she relocated her art gallery in 2008, it was the rock-bottom rent that drew her to a still struggling strip of downtown Memphis, TN. “We were just trying to survive,” she said.
Brown was betting on a small core of community members determined to transform Broad Avenue from a fast-moving thoroughfare, where traffic whizzed past boarded-up storefronts at 50 mph (80 km/h), into a bustling arts district. Little did she know that they would hit the jackpot with bicycling.
Shortly after Brown opened T Clifton Gallery, Sarah Newstok walked in. The local nonprofit Newstok led, Livable Memphis, had a vision for Broad Avenue, too. They wanted to build a protected bike lane that would pass right by Brown’s door, creating a vital connection between a popular multi-use trail and the city’s largest park. “We’re a retail business, so any time there’s a concept to bring additional traffic directly by your storefront, it’s very easy to say ‘yes,’” Brown recalled with a laugh.
In 2010, after garnering support from city officials and surrounding businesses, Livable Memphis and the Broad Avenue Arts District rolled out the idea in a dramatic way. They painted temporary bike lanes and crosswalks and invited the community to “A New Face for an Old Broad,” a celebration, complete with live music, street vendors and a kids’ bike parade down the freshly striped cycle track.
“Until then, the area had been doing art walks once a year and, at best, those were bringing in 1,000 people,” Brown said. “Our goal for this day-and-a-half event, where the street itself would be a sort of theatrical performance, was maybe 5,000 people. We had 15,000 show up. The energy level was incredible. It was a huge tipping point for us – it changed the trajectory of the revitalization efforts.”
The energy didn’t wane once the event was over and bicyclists started taking advantage of the temporary lanes. Since then, the promise of permanent facilities has drawn more than $6 million in private investment. More than 15 new businesses have opened and nearly 30 properties have been renovated. Traffic has slowed, new customers are arriving on two wheels and, suddenly the rock-bottom neighborhood is one of the hottest spots in town.
Memphis isn’t the only city where bicycling is bringing business. Increasingly leaders in the public and private sector are realizing that being bike-friendly makes good business sense, boosting the bottom line and promoting community-wide economic development. Bicycling in the United States is a $6 billion national industry and one study estimates that the spillover effects of recreational bicycling alone could be as large as $133 billion. But that’s just the beginning, barely scratching the surface of the economic impact of transportation bicycling in communities across North America.
Uncovering the Spending Power of Customers on Bicycles
Tom Birchard’s business sits at the intersection of two busy bike routes in the city that never sleeps. During the morning and evening commute, people pour past his restaurant, Veselka, in New York City, NY.
“It’s a steady stream of cyclists coming down the Second Avenue bike lane heading for the bridges to Brooklyn or downtown,” he said. “And the Ninth Street lane is the same going east-west – particularly in the morning.”
For Birchard, those bike lanes offer a tempting preview for potential customers. Passersby aren’t speeding by at 40 miles per hour; they’re traveling at a pace where they can be enticed by the sight and scent of fresh pierogies on the plates of patrons in the sidewalk cafĂ©. “For me,” Birchard said, “bikes mean business.”
In the minds of many business owners, though, there’s still a direct correlation between cars and customers. Too often, the opposition to bicycle infrastructure is led by retailers who believe ample car parking space is critical to their customer base. But that belief could be depriving businesses of their best potential patrons: cyclists.
Just this summer, the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives did a travel study in Birchard’s neighborhood, the Lower East Side. They found that only a tiny fraction – just four percent – of customers arrived by car. In contrast, 23 percent arrived by bike. A study of travel patterns in the city center of Utrecht in the Netherlands showed similar results: customers on bikes significantly outnumbered those in cars (26 versus 17 percent). Even individual businesses are taking stock of how customers get to their door. The East End Food Co-Op in Vancouver, BC, conducted a survey that showed that 24 percent of its patrons usually pedaled to the store – more than the number of people who drove.
That’s good news, because a growing body of research shows that people who arrive on two wheels have a bigger impact on the bottom line, too. Recent research out of Portland, OR, showed that cycling customers spent more per month ($75.66) than their car-driving counterparts ($68.56) at bars, restaurants and convenience stores. A 2009 study of Bloor Street in Toronto, ON, found that customers who arrive by foot and bicycle visit the most often and spend the most money per month.
Why do people who arrive on bicycles spend more money? Researchers in Muenster, Germany, suggest that because bicyclists buy smaller quantities and thus shop more frequently, they’re “exposed more often to temptation” – more likely to get extra items that aren’t on the shopping list. So it’s not surprising that a survey of 1,200 consumers in Bern, Switzerland, found that businesses made more profit per square meter of bike parking ($9,900 per year) than car parking ($8,800).
For Birchard getting more bike parking is more than an amenity for bicyclists – it’s a business imperative. “Across the street from me, the coffee shop put in a bike corral, and it’s always full,” he said. “We need many, many more.”
How Businesses Are Cashing In on Bicycles
Jeff Motch wasn’t trying to cater to fellow bike riders when he put a bike in the logo of his business, the Blind Lady Ale House. But as soon as he opened his restaurant in San Diego, CA, his clientele started asking: So what’s the connection to biking?
“Bicycle people were attracted to our place, even though it wasn’t intentional,” Motch said of the logo. “And when you tap into a small, core group like that, word spreads very quickly.”
Motch started offering a 10 percent discount for anyone who arrived by bike and built a large and loyal fan base faster than you can brew a batch of pale ale. On Sunday mornings, Blind Lady is the meeting spot for social rides, like the annual Growler Run, which takes participants to a local brewery. Now, on any given weekend, Motch’s place is packed – and a sizable percentage of patrons are cyclists. “I have 20 or 30 bikes outside my place on a Friday night,” he said.
Increasingly, businesses across the country are trying to tap into the spending power of cyclists. In 2008, the League of American Bicyclists launched its Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) program, setting clear criteria for how employers can encourage cycling among their staff and customers and recognizing companies at the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum level for their achievements. From small coffee shops to major corporations, a staggering 480 businesses in the US have earned a BFB designation. Hundreds more have applied.
“Even we couldn’t have expected the incredible interest and buy-in we’ve seen in just a few short years,” says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “Some of the most iconic companies in the country – Facebook, Apple, and General Mills, to name a few – are realizing bikes can boost their bottom line.”
Standing Stone Brewery, in Ashland, OR, is just one of the hundreds of BFBs that have made small bike investments and seen big payoffs. “Working with the City of Ashland to trade a car parking space for bike parking spaces has definitely led to more business,” says manager Danielle Amarotico. “While we paid to fabricate and install the rack, it’s set the stage for customers to realize that we’re bike-friendly and have gone the extra mile to promote cycling in our community.”
Because that rack sits right in front of the restaurant, it’s become a central hub for community bike parking in all of downtown. And that external welcome is just the beginning. Standing Stone also buys a new bike for all of its employees and financially supports local cycling events. “That exposure brings large numbers of locals and visitors in our doors,” Amarotico added.
For Motch, though, it isn’t just about revenue. It’s about making his work meaningful. “What’s been so awesome for us is [being bike-friendly] brings us the kind of person we want coming through our door,” he says. “People who are active – not just active in their lifestyle, but active in their community.”
That sense of engagement has become a draw for new businesses in bicycle-friendly areas. “I never thought I’d leave San Francisco to move back to my hometown; it’s too car-centric for my taste,” said April Economides, the owner of Green Octopus Consulting. “But mine is just one of 25 businesses that have moved to, opened, or expanded in Long Beach in the past three years because of the city’s bicycling progress.”

Monday, May 19, 2014

Two more bike events coming up this Saturday, 5/24th in Montpelier

1- Family Bike Safety Clinic and Ride, this Saturday May 24th

• 10 – 11 am: Kids can ride the bike safety skills course set up in the high school parking lot.

• 11 – Noon: Group ride out the bike path west and the River Road to Three Mile Bridge, 

returning on the wide shoulder of Route 2. 

Best for kids at least 6 years and older. Sorry, no training wheels on group ride. Each rider should bring a 

helmet and bicycle in good working order. Some helmets will be available to borrow. All kids should be 

accompanied by an adult.

Heavy rain cancels event. For status of event if weather is in question, you may phone 522-4951 after 

8:30 that morning.

2 - Bike to Brunch, a guided ride for adults & families to the Maple Valley restaurant & Bakery. Departs 

Montpelier High school at 10 am.

About Montpelier’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees

Montpelier's Bicycle and Pedestrian Committees are volunteer-citizen bodies tasked by the City Council 

to raise the status of walking and biking in Montpelier by advocating for cyclist and pedestrian issues, 

engaging the community, and advising the City Council on relevant issues. 

For more information, call 262-6273

Friday, May 16, 2014

May is Bike Month - Upcoming events from the Montpelier Bicycle Advisory Committee



On Saturday, May 17th, Join Mayor Hollar and members of the bike advisory committee for a mellow-paced ride to the Post Office Cafe in Worcester, said to be “One of Vermont’s hidden little secrets”.
Ride departs from Montpelier High School at 10 AM. All participants must provide their own bicycle and helmet in good working order.  Hard rain cancels.
Other Bike to Brunch Events:                               
May 24th -Bike to Brunch, group ride to Maple Valley in Plainfield
May 31st –Bike to Brunch, ride to On the Rise CafĂ© in Richmond
Also on Saturday May 24: Family Bike Safety Clinic and Ride, at MHS.
10 – 11 am:  Kids can ride the bike safety skills course set up in the high school parking lot.
11 – Noon:  Group ride out the bike path west and the River Road to Three Mile Bridge, returning on the wide shoulder of Route 2.
Best for kids at least 6 years and older. Sorry, no training wheels on group ride. Each rider should bring a helmet and bicycle in good working order.  Some helmets will be available to borrow. All kids should be accompanied by an adult.
All rides departs from Montpelier High School at 10 AM. All participants must provide their own bicycle and helmet in good working order. 
About Montpelier’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees
Montpelier's Bicycle and Pedestrian Committees are volunteer-citizen bodies tasked by the City Council to raise the status of walking and biking in Montpelier by advocating for cyclist and pedestrian issues, engaging the community, and advising the City Council on relevant issues.
For more information, call 262-6273

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

May 21: Join Lt. Gov. Phil Scott at Ride of Silence

From VBPC

On Wednesday, May 21st all are encouraged to come to the statehouse steps in Montpelier at 5.30pm and join Lt. Gov. Phil Scott in the 2014 Ride of Silence.  The annual Ride of Silence is a worldwide event that's held to remember bicyclists who have been injured or killed in crashes with motor vehicles.  It's organized in Vermont every year by the VT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition.  The goal of the ride is to draw attention to the need for safer roads for all, including the most vulnerable roadway users.

Bicyclists who gather in Montpelier will sign in and then receive black and red arm bands.   Each arm band is labeled with the name of a bicyclist who was injured or killed.  Our group will bike single file, in silence and at a respectful pace, along Route 2 to the Middlesex General Store.  There, we will form a circle for the reading of the names of those injured or killed.  After a period of silence, we will return in the same fashion to Montpelier.  The ride is 12 miles round trip.  Participants are required to wear helmets and to have bicycles that are in good mechanical condition.  Heavy rain cancels; rain date is Thursday, May 22.

If you wish to have the name of someone read aloud, please reply to this message with the individual's full name and whether the individual was injured or killed. 

Please note that there will be a Ride of Silence in Northfield on May 21.  Participants will gather at Bicycle Express on Depot Square at 5:30.  The rain date is Friday, May 23.  For more info about the Northfield ride, please contact Tim Swartz via swartztim15@gmail.com

With longer, warmer days, more and more bicyclists and pedestrians are enjoying Vermont's roads.  Whether we are bicycling, walking, running, riding a horse, or driving, let's remember to behave legally and respectfully toward one another.  Thank you.

Public Informational Meeting - Barre Bike Path Wednesday May 21, 5:00 p.m

Public Informational Meeting - Barre Bike Path 

 Sponsored By: 

Barre City & Town Bicycle Path Committees 

 Wednesday May 21, 5:00 p.m.—Barre Granite Museum 

 Do you like to bicycle or walk to your destinations but found there was a lack of a safe, fun and 

convenient route? Come join both the Barre City and Town Bicycle Path Committees as they report 

on developing local Barre businessman, Charlie Semprebon’s dream of creating a regional path that 

would connect both communities, report on the Central Vermont Pathway, and report on bike path 

segments in Barre City and Barre Town. 

We welcome interested community members to attend this informational meeting at the Granite 

Museum. The City would create a path with destination points along the way, offering 

introductions to the arts, stone craft, Granite Museum, access to the river and other recreational 

opportunities. 

Two segments of the City bike path have planned construction dates in the spring of 2015 with the 

rest of the path segments nearing design completion. Two outstanding features of the paths which 

will be highlighted at the meeting are the planned interpretive signage and a sculpture garden 

incorporating the bike path in its design located at the Granite Museum. 

Come join representatives from the Barre City and Barre Town Bike Path Committees as we share 

in our progress! The City is close to having its first “shovel in the ground” and is eager to share its 

progress with you! Pizza, dessert and beverage will be served compliments of DuBois & King, Inc. 

Pat McDonald, Barre City Bike Path Chair Jeff Tucker, Barre Town Chair 

(802) 371-7080 (802) 479-9331 Ext. 1261 

patmcdonald444@gmail.com through crogers@barretown.org