What snow reveals about our streets design and layout

With something like 10-12 inches of snow on the way, Montpelier and other Vermont towns could learn a lesson or two from this.

The snow reveals how our streets give car drivers more space than they need and inspires visions of how you could better use that space. Image courtesy Doug Gordon

Vermont Walk/Bike Summit: Registrations and Nominations

  

 

Save the date for the Vermont Walk/Bike Summit on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at the Hilton in Burlington.    

 

Want to recognize a person or a project that helps further advance walking and biking opportunities? Nominate them by March 1sthere: Call for Nominations

Vermont Bike/Ped Coalition is Asking for Your Help to Pass 2 Bike/Ped Safety Bills

From VBPC
Since the tragic crashes in September that resulted in hospitalizations of cyclists in VT and deaths in NH, many of you have contacted the VBPC to express support for legislation that would address the major problem of impaired driving in Vermont.

We now are asking you to send a brief email message to the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Bill Lippert, via WLippert@leg.state.vt.us to express your strong support for two bills that will help provide important protections to bicyclists and pedestrians.

H.707 lowers the current blood alcohol content (BAC) limit from .08 to .05.  The U.S. is well behind the curve as most other nations have recognized the wisdom of the change and have adopted the .05 limit.  Note that this legislation is not designed to prevent someone from having a beer or a glass of wine with dinner.  On average, one beer or one glass of wine would raise blood alcohol content to .02 and would be "cleared" by the body in about one hour.

H.501 creates a uniform standard of impairment so that motorists who are driving impaired due to prescription or over-the-counter drugs will be treated by statute in the same manner as motorists who are driving impaired due to consumption of alcohol.

Both of the above bills will provide law enforcement officers with helpful tools to keep impaired drivers from Vermont's roadways, will deter some citizens from making poor choices, will draw attention to the growing problem of impaired driving in this state, and will offer additional protections for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Thank you for emailing WLippert@leg.state.vt.us to say you would like the House Judiciary Committee to take up these two bills and pass them out of the Committee.  Please be sure to provide your full name, the name of the town where you reside, and why these bills are important to you.

Vermont Transportation Board Releases 2013 Annual Report

The state's Transportation Board recently released its biannual report capturing what Vermont residents had to say on various transportation-related subjects.  This report, which is prepared for legislators, has a section (pages 14 - 19) devoted to bike/ped comments that were collected at regional public meetings and via email.  Thanks to the many bike/ped supporters who spoke up.  Note that there is a box on page 15 that reflects the strong feelings expressed by the bike/ped community about the need to eliminate impaired driving.  To read the full report or to review just the bike/ped pages, please go to the T-Board's web site:

http://tboard.vermont.gov/

The report does a good job reflecting what Vermonters had to say.  What remains to be seen is what action, if any, will be taken by the legislators who receive the report.  Will it prompt changes in policy or legislation to make VT's roads safer or will it take its place on a shelf gathering dust along with so many similar reports?  You can help keep the dust off this report by reading the sections that matter to you and then emailing your representatives in the House and Senate to ask them for their reactions.  Bike/ped improvements will only occur if we keep bike/ped concerns on the table and bike/ped issues in the conversations.

Winter Walking Webinar Coming up!

Winter Walking Webinar: Tuesday, January 28th, 3pm to 4pm How do you keep Safe Routes to School momentum through the winter? Walking in the winter can be both a challenging and rewarding experience. Walking, especially in the winter, helps us get much needed exercise, sunlight, and fresh air for physical and mental well-being.  Taylor Lonsdale, Peter Lawry, and Abby Mattera will share lessons learned from successful programs to get kids walking and rolling to school throughout the year. The tips and techniques discussed in this webinar will help you start or expand winter walking participation at your school. Ready to take the leap? Sign up to attend free! Don't forget Winter Walk Day is February 5th! Use your new tips and ideas from the webinar to launch winter walking at your school!

Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business

From the Alliance for Biking and Walking

By Mary Lauran Hall on January 15, 2014 It’s easy to see that we’re living in a changing country. The economy is slowly bouncing back after the biggest slowdown since the Great Depression. For the first time in two generations, Americans are moving to cities in record numbers. And during all this, more and more people are expressing a preference for living in places where bicycling is easy and comfortable. City leaders and business leaders alike are taking note. And, in responding to these trends, they have discovered an unexpected tool to create opportunities in growing downtown economies: the protected bike lane. In a new report from PeopleForBikes and the Alliance for Biking & Walking, 15 entrepreneurs and business leaders from major U.S. cities explain how protected bike lanes — on-street lanes that are physically separated from automobile traffic by curbs, planters, parked cars or posts — has meant big benefits for their companies. The report combines this original reporting with an overview of the latest academic and technical research to find changes associated with four mega-trends. Check it out: 1. Americans — especially young people — are driving less and biking more. Employers say their headhunters get a competitive edge by locating in areas with great biking networks, so savvy companies are locating near protected bike lanes to attract and keep Millennials and Gen X-ers. Learn more. 2. Americans are flocking to urban areas, congesting city streets and creating market demand for solutions that increase street flow without adding gridlock. The demand for great bike networks is nicely illustrated in the housing markets near protected bike lanes. Studies show that homes near bicycle infrastructure appreciate in value more than equivalent houses away from bike lanes. Learn more. 3. With health care costs at an all-time high, companies are scrambling to get more employees exercising regularly. Newsflash: healthcare is expensive. Companies benefit when more employees find it pleasant to bike to the office, because workers who exercise regularly are less expensive to insure.Learn more. 4. In shopping districts, the most valuable customers are those who stop by often. People who shop by bike tend to buy less in a single visit, but stop by more often. When space is at a high premium, these regulars make for great customers. Learn more. To learn more, check out the report: Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business (PDF)

2014 Vermont Complete Streets Workshops

Vermont Local Roads has just announced the first 2014 workshop on Vermont’s Complete Streets Law. Registration is now open. 

Complete Streets o Wednesday, January 22: Newport, Emory Hebard State Building o Wednesday, January 29: White River Junction, Hotel Coolidge o Wednesday, February 5: Burlington, AARP Vermont o Wednesday, February 12: Manchester Center, Manchester Park House This 4 hour technical workshop for public works directors, municipal and contract firm engineers, municipal managers and planners, and selectboard members will focus on Vermont’s Complete Streets Law including making the most of the law and its effect on towns, 7 steps to building complete streets, and resources, examples and a case study exercise.

You can sign up online at this link http://vermontlocalroads.org/workshop_registration.html  or give our office a call at 800-462-6555.