The League of Women Voters always studies an issue before adopting an advocacy position. The LWVVT is currently conducting a study that will examine the state's transportation needs and explore potential means of meeting those needs.
This study will focus on passenger transportation in and between the state's regional hubs, particularly in underserved rural areas. The study will include but not be limited to: availability of passenger rail service, inter- and intra-urban bus service, energy efficient transportation, facilitation of carpools, and state and federal funding for infrastructure. The impact, particularly on infrastructure, of commercial traffic and transportation of goods may also be examined.
As the study progresses, material will be posted at this site. You are also encouraged to refer the study committee to any resources, human, written, or electronic, that could make a contribution to our understanding of relevant issues. Send your suggestions to President@lwvofvt.org.
Committee members have begun interviewing personnel at organizations dealing with Vermont's transportation issues.
The first of several planned interviews with Vermont's Regional Planning Commissions was with Steve Gladczuk, Transportation Planner with the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission. A record of that conversation can be found here.
Gina Campoli, Environmental Policy Manager for the Vermont Agency of Transportation Division of Planning Outreach and Community Affairs gave a wide-ranging interview to committee members. A summary of that conversation can be found here. The state's long range transportation plan and modal plans for transit, rail, and bike/ped are available at: http://www.aot.state.vt.us/Planning/studies.htm#LRTP
An important part of the rural transportation picture in Vermont is the use of volunteer drivers to transport the elderly, disabled and those otherwise without transportation to medical appointments, shopping for necessities and the like. Committee member Claudette Sortino spoke with Mary Grant, Director of NEK Rural Community Transportation. Click here for that report.
The second regional planning commission interview was with the Addison County RPC's transportation planner Rick Kehne. He was joined by Jim Moulton, Executive Director of Addison County Transit Resources. The report of that interview can be found here
Peter Keating and Bryan Davis transportation planners for the Chittenden County Metropolitan Planning Organization met with study committee members Vee Gordon and Judy Bond. A summary of their discussion can be found here.
Committee members Hedi Ballantyne and Kate Rader spoke with Nancy Schulz, Executive Director of the Vermont Bicycle and pedestrian Coalition. Their work is described here.
Brian Schupe is Sustainable Communities Program Director and Energy Program Co-Director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council. Hedi Ballantyne and Kate Rader interviewed him about the relationship between sustainable communities and transportaton. A report of that interview can be found here.
Vee Gordon and Kate Rader interviewed Karen Glitman of the UVM Transportation Research Center. Click here for a report of that interview.
Claudette Sortino attended the LWV Upper Valley presentation on high speed rail. Her report can be found here.
Judy Bond went to Washington DC for the National Bike Summit and learned that there is incredible policy support at high levels (i.e. Ray Lahood, Sect'y of Transportation and several key Senators and Representatives) for Livable Communities and support for cycling and walking as real transportation options at the local level, and when combined with transit, at regional levels. They are working to ensure that funding through the Transportation Bill and policy for the infrastructure (via AASHTO) are appropriate for those goals.
She also attended a local bike summit this month hosted by CCMPO and Local Motion, and there was a session on the combined efforts of GoVermont http://www.connectingcommuters.org/, Car Share Vermont http://www.carsharevt.org/ and CCTA. Their goal is to work together to provide transit options that would allow folks to go carless, commute or own one less vehicle.
Judy has submitted several valuable reports, including a summary of federal transportation policy, the federal bike and pedestrian saftey guide, CDC Recommendations for Improving Health through Transportation, and the VT Safe Passing Law.
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