Written By Robb Kidd, Vermont Sierra Club Conservation Program Manager
This past session, the Vermont Legislature authorized a survey to explore a bike corridor along U.S. Route 5 on VT’s eastern border. The Vermont Sierra Club strongly supports this bike corridor. Given this summer’s smoke-choked air, devastating floods, and bacteria-laden lakes, the time is now for Vermont to increase our climate-friendly, economically-powerful, bike-centered transportation and tourism.
Why is the Sierra Club concerned with a bike corridor along Route 5? The answer has two parts. First, transportation is responsible for nearly 40% of Vermont’s carbon emissions – cuts here have the largest and most immediate effect on our climate. Second, replacing cars with EVs is not enough. We must shift from our forced reliance on costly single-occupancy vehicles to investing in bike infrastructure to bridge the gap of affordable clean transportation options.
Formed as an outings group, the Vermont Sierra Club has been hosting bike outings to get Vermonters pedaling. Biking and other modes of “active transportation” are great for people’s health. A more active lifestyle leads to lower healthcare costs and longer life expectancy. Traveling Vermont’s scenic roads by bike is a great way to explore the outdoors, commute to work, and attend local events. E-bikes, in particular, help Vermonters manage longer distances and challenging hills. That’s why we fought for – and won – reinstated funding for E-bike Incentives in the latest Transportation Bill. <<See the Ebike program here>>
Bike recreation is also a lucrative economic generator. Look just north to Quebec, where bike tourism is well-supported and vibrant. Tourists flock to scenic destinations and spend their money in towns along the way. Our communities along the Connecticut River Valley and Upper Valley will see demand for inns, restaurants, bike shops, and other businesses along the route as its reputation as a bike vacation destination grows.
State Transportation and Tourism leaders hail the success of the recently completed Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. A Route 5 Bike Corridor would fill in the missing section of the Rails to Trails network between Lebanon NH and St Johnsbury VT. A statewide network will make Vermont even more attractive for tourists and more fun, healthy, and lucrative for locals
“If you build it they will come” must include all modes of transportation. Traditionally, transportation planning has focused on moving more cars faster. Now we’re left with an ever-sprawling and more expensive system of new highways, new lanes, and more pavement that forces us into cars, pollutes the air, and makes it dangerous to bike or walk outside.
This anachronistic car-centric planning must shift. Instead, Vermont needs roads and paths that are safe, convenient, and accessible for all. Vermonters have identified that road safety is a significant challenge to riding bikes. We need to build the infrastructure now to get people safely moving on bikes. It’s a good investment for the economy, our health, and our planet.
What can you do? If you live in a community along U.S. Route 5 you can start by talking to your select boards, regional planning commissions, and your friends and neighbors. Get them to visualize dedicated bike paths along our valleys and through our towns. Ask them to support the bike corridor on the Legislature’s upcoming survey for the sake of our economy and our future.
Robb Kidd is the Vermont Sierra Club’s Conservation Program Manager and lives in Montpelier. For the last five years, the Vermont Sierra Club has prioritized addressing transportation issues as transportation is Vermont’s largest contributor to carbon emissions and is a major economic burden for many Vermonters. Our multi-faceted advocacy of investing in bike and pedestrian infrastructure, expansion of transit, and adoption of electric vehicles is working to make clean transportation sources accessible for all.